By Charles Neave

Rick Bolen - Photographer

The premise is simple, as are the rules. One of Napa's finest chefs is given a basket of ingredients and an hour to turn out whatever they can, given the ingredients and the time frame. In this issue we turned to Peter Hall, chef at the original Piatti in Yountville. With a resume that includes Mustards, as well as the celebrated kitchens of Tra Vigne and Jeremiah Towers now-departed Stars Oakville Café, Hall has an enviable reputation for both innovation and consistency. He also has an equally well-earned reputation for unflappability and his sense of humor, which made him the perfect chef for out first Market Basket feature.

There were no other rules. We assumed that salt, pepper, sugar and extra virgin olive oil is a staple in everyone's kitchen, and that you have a bottle of red wine (Hall used Cabernet Sauvignon) tucked away. Other than that, everything came from the Market Basket. The result was a salad, an appetizer and two entrees, each exceptional in their own right. The recipes are for one person, but can be doubled or quadrupled with ease. No exotic pieces of restaurant equipment were used, no one helped out, nothing was prepared ahead of time. In fact, until the moment we handed over the basket, the chef had no idea what was in it. And the time, start to finish, to turn out all four plates? Forty minutes. Now you have no more excuses when it comes to preparing a great meal at home. Enjoy!

Rick Bolen - Photographer

In the Market Basket
One six-ounce filet mignon

One 10-ounce boneless skinless chicken breast

Three 'Day Boat' scallops

One bunch (approx. one pound) loose leaf spinach

Half pound assorted wild mushrooms

Quarter pound Blue Lake beans

Bottle Champagne vinegar

Three lemons

Two red onions

Yukon gold potato

Yellow bell pepper

English cucumber

Head of Belgian endive

Four Roma tomatoes

Ear of sweet corn

Bunch of fresh basil

Bunch of fresh tarragon

Shallot

Belgian Endive
& Cherry Tomato Salad
Tarragon Vinaigrette
Head of Belgian endive, leaves separated
Cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/4 English cucumber cut into 1/8" thick slices
For the vinaigrette:
One bunch fresh tarragon, finely chopped
One whole shallot, minced
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Champagne vinegar

Place sliced cucumbers on a chilled plate, season with salt and pepper. Place endive leaves in the center and drizzle with vinaigrette. Put the tomatoes in a small bowl and dress with vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper, then add to salad.

To make the vinaigrette: Put all ingredients in a screw top jar and shake vigorously.

Seared Day Boat Scallops
over Sautéed Spinach with
Fresh Marinara
Pickled Red Onion Garnish
Three 'Day Boat' (large) scallops
One bunch spinach
3 Roma tomatoes diced to
1/4 inch squares
Lemon
1/2 small red onion shaved paper thin
Teaspoon sugar
Extra virgin olive oil

Season scallops with salt and pepper and sear in a very hot sauté pan with a tablespoon olive oil for one minute, turn and sear for another minute or until medium rare. Remove scallops from pan; add the tomatoes and two tablespoons olive oil to the hot pan, season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook briefly, until the tomatoes render their juice, about two minutes. Slide tomatoes from pan onto a 10-inch serving plate. Quickly sauté spinach until wilted, then place in center of plate over the tomatoes, place scallops on top and garnish with pickled red onion.

To make the garnish: In a small bowl combine the thin slices of onion with juice of one lemon, a teaspoon sugar and set aside for 30 minutes.

Grilled Filet Mignon with Cabernet Onions, Yukon Potatoes and Sautéed Wild Mushrooms
6-ounce filet mignon
2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
Large Yukon Gold potato sliced into
1/2 inch slices
1/2 pound assorted wild mushrooms
1 large onion, peeled and in 1/4 inch slices
2 Tablespoons sugar
Extra virgin olive oil

Before you begin blanch the potato slices in water for five minutes.

Prepare your grill. Season the filet with salt and pepper and place on a hot grill. While the meat cooks, season the blanched potato slices with salt and pepper, coat with olive oil and place on the grill. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan and heat until it just begins to smoke, then add mushrooms and cook until slightly caramelized, about five minutes. Remove steak and potatoes from the grill, fan out three slices of potato on a warm plate, add onions in front of the potatoes, place filet off to the side and garnish with mushrooms.

To make the Cabernet Onions: Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan until medium hot. Add onion slices and cook until soft, then season with salt and pepper. Add a little water to the pan so the onions will not darken, then add the wine and the sugar and cook until liquid almost completely evaporates.

Rick Bolen - Photographer

Grilled Chicken Breast
Yellow Pepper and Blue Lake
Bean Salad with Sweet Corn and Basil Salsa
10-ounce boneless skinless chicken breast
Ear of sweet corn
Yellow bell pepper sliced top to bottom,
1/4 inch thick
1/4 pound Blue Lake beans sliced in
half lengthwise
1/2 bunch fresh basil torn by hand into
small pieces
Lemon
2 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons diced tomato
Extra virgin olive oil

Prepare your grill. Season chicken with salt and pepper and coat with olive oil and place on grill. Slice corn kernels from the cob into a small bowl. To make the salsa, scrape the cob with the back of a chef's knife into the bowl with the corn and add basil, onion and tomatoes, then a squeeze of lemon juice and olive oil to taste. Combine peppers and beans in another bowl and dress with tarragon vinaigrette (see salad recipe), season with salt and pepper and place in center of a serving plate. Place chicken breast on top and garnish with salsa.