Grilled Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients:
18 Lemons - Zest + Juice
1 Quart Strawberries (green hull removed) - Quartered
1 Cup Sugar + 1 tbsp
Water + 1/4 Cup Water

Start by zesting lemons. Next cut lemons in half and grill on high heat just until they start to caramelize and get black around the edges. This should only take a few minutes each side. Set aside to cool.

In a sauce pan over med / low heat, add the strawberries, 1 tbsp of sugar and 1/4 cup water.  Slowly cook this down until it looks like a puree, breaking up any larger chunks of strawberries with a fork. This will probably take 20-30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Here's where you use a few dishes:  Over a large bowl, squeeze the juice out of the lemons, add in the zest and strawberries and stir to combine.  Let sit for about 1/2 hour to marry all the flavors together.

Now, over another large bowl and using a strainer, put the strawberry + lemonade mixture through the strainer and using a spatula to press out all the juice.

Pour the strained mixture into a gallon container.  Add 1 cup sugar and fill the rest with water.  Shake well and let sit about 1/2 hour.

This was very tart but extremely refreshing. This is where you adjust the level of tart or sweet by adding more water or sugar. *Would also be delicious w/ some sprigs of mint.

Enjoy.  #cheftainment

** By grilling the lemons, you develop the natural caramelized sugars, therefore you use less white sugar in the overall product.

Italian Cabbage & White Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 Medium Head of Cabbage - Chopped into 1" pieces
1 Grilled Chicken Breast - Small Dice
1 Onion - Chopped
1 Carrot - Chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
2 Cans White Beans - Drained & Rinsed
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper (or 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes)
4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
4 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Cups Water (optional)

In a medium / large pot over med / high heat, add the evoo.  Add the onion, carrot & garlic and sautee for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in the salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes to open up the spices and bloom them.

Next add in the chicken and cabbage and stir to combine.  Add in the chicken stock.  The chicken broth should cover the cabbage, etc. by about an inch. If you need more liquid, add in some of the water or more chicken stock.  Cover and reduce to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.  Add in the white beans and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.

At this point, adjust the seasonings to taste and simmer for another 5 minutes if necessary.

Enjoy with a nice piece of rustic crusty bread.  #cheftainment