NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2009
Fresh, French Gourmet Meal, On A Budget
New York Chef Patrick Connolly Accepts Early Show Saturday Edition's "Chef On A Shoestring" Challenge
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Play CBS Video Video Oui Oui, Market-Fresh French Executive chef at popular New York City hot spot Bobo, Patrick Connolly offers a budget "Chef On A Shoestring" three course dinner menu for four people with a recession-friendly budget of just $35.
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Chef Patrick Connolly prepares a gourmet French meal on a budget, featuring Crispy Pork Paillard with Roasted Cauliflower, on "Chef On A Shoestring." (CBS)
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In The Spotlight Chef on a Shoestring Check out recipes and tips from many chefs who accepted our "Chef on a Shoestring" challenge!
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News Tools Recipes Galore Searching for a new dish? Get cooking with recipes presented on "The Early Show"!
Connolly is executive chef of the New York City eatery Bobo, where he wows diners by using market-fresh ingredients to create modern French meals.
His challenge on The Early Show Saturday Edition? To create a three-course meal for four on a recession-busting budget of just $35, as our "Chef on a Shoestring."
He also threw his chef's hat into our "How Low Can You Go" competition. The "shoestring" chef who has the lowest total cost will get the chance to cook our big, blowout holiday dinner at the end of the year!
Connolly has brought Bobo a reputation of excellence and a menu that showcases a commitment to using the finest-quality ingredients from the area's most reputable local purveyors. His carefully crafted, inventive menu complements Bobo's vibe as a Bohemian holdout for the ultimate European dinner party.
MENU
FOOD FACTS
Paillard: An old term used to describe cuts of meat that are thinly sliced or lightly pounded into flattened pieces that are then grilled or sautéed very quickly. Today, the term more commonly used to describe this thin cut is cutlet. Paillards are made from boneless slices of chicken, turkey, veal, beef and pork.
Cauliflower: A type of cabbage with numerous buds known as florets that form a compact cabbage-like head. Like broccoflower, this vegetable is actually a flower that grows a single stalk or stem sprouting a bud covered by green leaves. High in vitamin C, the Cauliflower also provides other nutrients in the form of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamin B, and potassium.
Panko Bread Crumbs: Japanese breadcrumbs made from the heart of the bread, not the crust. This type of breadcrumb has a coarse texture that resembles flakes in consistency, adding more of a crunch to breaded foods such as fish, pork, casserole toppings, and a variety of fried foods. Due to the flaked crumb, the texture is often considered more tender and lighter, yet crunchier for longer than a typical breadcrumb coating.
RECIPES
Creamy Potato Soup with Hazelnuts and Smoked Bacon
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, shaved
1 quart milk
2 tablespoons mint
4 ounces smoked bacon
2 tablespoons hazelnuts
METHOD:
In a large pot, sweat the shallots and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
Add the potatoes and cover with milk. Cook on low/medium heat until potatoes are tender about 20-25 minutes.
In a blender, puree the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste
In a medium sauté pan over medium heat cook the bacon until crispy. Cut the bacon into a small dice and set aside.
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until aromatic, about 3 minutes, and rough chop.
Cut the mint into a small dice.
Ladle the soup into bowls, then garnish with the bacon, mint and hazelnuts.
For more recipes, go to Page 2.
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Add a Comment
- That''s expensive! He must like hazelnuts, not my favorite. Dessert sounds yummy.
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- "...the quality of the food and it''''s (sic) health benefits, especially when prepared at home..."
--Posted by Credibility2 at 03:11 PM : Feb 07, 2009
Yes, this is ususally true. - Reply to this comment
- Considering the items were purchased in NYC, the budget for a three course meal for four is relatively inexpensive. Some of the items purchased should be considered stock items in one''s pantry (capers, olive oil, canola oil, etc.); that is, unless of course, folks aren''t accustomed to cooking at home and rely on takeout or packaged or prepared items. Items can always be substituted; Yukon Gold potatoes are generally pricier than New Red pototoes; organic versus conventional will also have a price difference. Substitute the pork with chicken or turkey. These segments are meant to give people an idea. I''d like to see the guest chefs offer suggestions for lesser expensive substitution items and reveal those cost savings as compared to their original budget. And, carrying this further, do price comparison between different cities to also show the variance in food prices. I''m sure families that dine out at a fast-food restaurant may think they''re spending less, but overall, the quality of the food and it''s health benefits, especially when prepared at home where a person can control what goes into the food preparation, makes more sense than eating on a unhealthy cheap.
- Reply to this comment
- "On a Budget"?
What happened to the shoestring?
:)
BTW, "Low Budget" by The Kinks is playing! - Reply to this comment
- You can prepare your pork loin this way as a substitute for veal when making Veal Parmesan.
Where is the sauce? how can serve the meat without a simple sauce even? I guess if he''d had done that he might not have gotten into first place for the cheapest eats? Why is the chef hiding his main dish under a fried egg? And why, why, why do some chefs insist on stacking everything on top of one another? This seriously detracts from the separate flavors and textures each dish has to offer. - Reply to this comment
Ex-NBA ref Tim Donaghy 
