Alessi & Tony's Fresh Market present 'In The Kitchen' with Mario Manfredini

This segment is produced with and sponsored by Alessi & Tony's Fresh Market.

We've re-imagined our "In the Kitchen" segment - instead of a 30 minute challenge, we are sending our cooks out to shop - to create a dish that they love!

Today's "In the Kitchen" cook is - Firehouse Cook - Mario Manfredini!

We followed Mario as he shopped at his Tony's Fresh Market in Berwyn to see what ingredients he wanted to use. Then this morning, Mario made his dish - step-by-step. He created his Chicken Parmesan and Arancini, a salad, bread sticks and dessert. For a "how-to" video for the Chicken Parmesan and Arancini - check out our social media pages. See the full recipes below.

Our Friends at Alessi sent Mario home with a gift basket of goodies. Visit their website for all the Alessi products. http://alessifoods.com/

Alessi and Tony's Fresh Market have a surprise for our viewing audience. Until 2am tomorrow, go to the main page of windycitylive.com https://abc7chicago.com/windycitylive/ , click on promotions and go to the WCL Grocery Instant Win contest for your chance at winning one of these great prizes:

$100 gift certificate to Tony's Fresh Market

$90 Alessi gift box

And you can opt in for a free package of Vigo Cilantro & Lime Panko Bread Crumbs.

Plus one lucky member of our studio audience went home with the Alessi basket of goodies and a $100 gift certificate to Tony's Fresh Market!

Visit Tony's Fresh Market website for a location near you:

https://tonysfreshmarket.com/

Mario's recipes:

Mario's Mediterranean Salad

Ingredients

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into -inch dice

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

6 tablespoons of Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 tablespoons of Alessi Red Wine Vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 14-oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives

1/2 small minced red onion

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh flat Italian parsley

1 romaine heart, cut into -inch pieces

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Alessi Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. Combine cucumber, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt in colander set over bowl and let it stand 15 minutes.

2. Whisk oil, vinegar, and garlic together in large bowl. Add drained cucumber and tomatoes, chickpeas, olives, onion, and parsley; toss and let stand at room temperature to blend flavors

3. Add romaine and feta; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Mario's Proscuitto Wrapped Breadsticks

Ingredients

12 Alessi Rosemary Breadsticks

1/2 cup Alessi Pesto

12 thinly sliced pieces of Prosciutto di Parma

12 fresh mozzarella balls (1/2 ounce each)

2 teaspoons Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Pinch of Alessi Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Brush top 2 inches of rosemary bread stick with pesto.

2. Wrap the bread stick with prosciutto

3. Toss the mozzarella in the olive oil, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper.

4. Insert the bread stick into the mozzarella ball and reserve for serving.

Mario's Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

SAUCE

2 tablespoons of Alessi Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 28-ounce can of Alessi San Marzano Tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped fresh basil

Alessi Salt & Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

CHICKEN

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally, and pounded 1/2-inch thick

1 teaspoon Alessi Kosher Salt

2 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 ounces fontina cheese, shredded

2 large eggs

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup Alessi Panko Bread Crumbs

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon Alessi Black Pepper

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup torn fresh basil

Instructions

1. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add garlic, teaspoon salt, oregano, and pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar; increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and remaining 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.

2. FOR THE CHICKEN: Sprinkle each side of each cutlet with 1/8 teaspoon salt and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Combine mozzarella and fontina in bowl; set aside.

3. Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Whisk egg and flour together in shallow dish until smooth. Combine parmesan, panko, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper in second shallow dish. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlet in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Coat all sides in Parmesan mixture, pressing gently so crumbs adhere. Transfer cutlet to large plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.

4. Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully place 2 cutlets in skillet and cook without moving them until bottoms are crispy and deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip cutlets and cook on second side until deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer cutlets to paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.

5. Place cutlets on rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over cutlets, covering as much surface area as possible. Broil until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter and top each cutlet with 2 tablespoons sauce. Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately, passing remaining sauce separately.

Mario's Arancini

Ingredients

1 8-ounce package of Alessi Risotto Milanese

2 large eggs

1/4 cup frozen peas

1/2 pound ground meat

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 ounces fontina cheese, shredded

1 cup Alessi Italian Style Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Instructions

1. Cook the Alessi Risotto Package per the instructions; set aside and let cool

2. Cook the ground meat on the stove-top, add in the peas to cook. Drain fat and set aside to cool.

3. Once cooled combine the rice, parmesan and eggs in a bowl. In a separate bowl combine the ground meat mixture with the mozzarella and fontina. In a shallow dish place the breadcrumbs.

4. Using about 4 tablespoons of the risotto mixture for each; form the risotto mixture into balls. Insert 2 tablespoons of the ground meat and cheese mixture into the center of each ball. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs to coat.

5. Pour enough oil in a heavy large saucepan to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees.

6. Working in batches, add the rice balls to the hot oil until brown and heated through, turning them as necessary, approximately 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the arancini to paper towels to drain.

7. Serve hot with red sauce from Chicken Parmesan recipe.

Mario's Balsamic Strawberries con Gelato

Ingredients

4 pints strawberries, hulled and quartered

5 tablespoons Alessi Balsamic Reduction

1/4 teaspoon of Alessi freshly ground black pepper

2 pints of vanilla gelato

Freshly grated lemon zest

Instructions

1. Thirty minutes to an hour before serving, combine the strawberries, balsamic reduction, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside at room temperature.

2. Place a serving of the strawberries in a bowl with a scoop of gelato on top and dust lightly with lemon zest.