Secrets of a Midwestern Bistro

Jilly’s Cafe is a quiet, bistro-like little restaurant in Evanston, a suburb north of Chicago. It’s the kind of simple, unpretentious place that lends itself to cozy evenings, quiet conversation and very good food.

Chef Kent Buell has a well-balanced food sense. He uses fresh ingredients with originality and flair, never going to the extreme. The recipes that follow are often found on the special menu at Jilly’s. These recipes are not intended to comprise a meal; they all share the quality of great-tasting food.

This flavorful relish of tomatoes, onions, olives and herbs is tossed with warm fried, then baked, strips of bread. Buell suggests the salad as a great base for grilled tuna or a satisfying partner for hot, hearty soup.

HERBED OLIVE OIL PAN BREAD AND PLUM TOMATO SALAD

1 package dry yeast

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Olive oil for frying

Plum Tomato Salad

Fresh basil leaves

Stir yeast into warm water and let stand until dissolved. Place in food processor with flour, salt and 1/4 cup olive oil (or in mixer bowl with dough hook). Mix and knead until smooth and elastic ranging from 1 minute in processor (about 5 minutes with dough hook and about 8 to 10 minutes by hand mixing).

Transfer dough to large plastic food bag, squeeze out air and seal at top, leaving enough room for dough to double. Place bag in bowl. Let dough rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down. Let double again, about 45 minutes.

Divide dough into 6 equal portions. On well-floured board, roll out each into 5-inch rounds, about 1/4-inch thick. Heat thin coating olive oil in 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook rounds in single-layer batches until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Add oil as needed. Place bread in baking pan and finish cooking in 350-degree oven about 10 minutes.

Cool bread on rack. Using kitchen shears, cut bread in 1/3-inch-wide strips. Toss warm strips with Plum Tomato Salad. Arrange attractively on serving plate. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Plum Tomato Salad

8 large plum tomatoes, shell only, diced 1/3-inch

1 small red onion, minced

16 pitted Kalamata olives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Coarsely cracked pepper

Combine tomatoes, onion, olives, basil, thyme, Sherry vinegar and olive oil in mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill until serving time. Makes about 6 servings.

Salmon fillets are topped with a thin coating of jalapeno mayonnaise and garnished with fresh tomato salsa and fried, julienned tortillas, the latter served on the side. It’s a beautiful dish. Each component can be prepared in advance so there’s little last-minute work except cooking the fish. Buell recommends serving steamed asparagus with the salmon.

JALAPENO BAKED SALMON WITH CILANTRO-LIME SALSA

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced (use gloves for careful handling)

2 teaspoons lime juice

Salt

6 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, washed and patted dry

Cilantro-Lime Salsa

Tortilla Juliennes

Combine mayonnaise, chiles, lime juice and salt in small dish. Divide mayonnaise between fillets, spreading thin coat on each. Arrange fillets in single layer on oiled jellyroll pan.

Bake in center of 475-degree oven until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. To serve, arrange salmon on warm dinner plates. Garnish with Cilantro-Lime Salsa and arrange Tortilla Juliennes on side. Makes 6 servings.

Cilantro-Lime Salsa

8 small plum tomatoes, peeled, shells only, diced 1/4-inch

2 limes, segmented, with juice

1/2 cup minced red onion

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Salt

Coarsely cracked pepper

Combine tomatoes, lime segments and juice, red onion and cilantro in small dish. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill until serving. Adjust seasonings to taste before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Tortilla Juliennes

Oil

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut in 1/4-inch-thick strips

Salt

Heat 2-inch deep oil in 8- to 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot enough for small crumb of tortilla to sizzle in oil. Fry juliennes in small batches, until lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per batch, keeping as straight as possible and free of tangles. Drain on paper towels. Gently blot. Season to taste with salt.

Rich and smooth, this tart is a thin cheesecake, garnished with a spiral of fresh pears. It’s important to use young goat cheese so that the flavor doesn’t become too strong. Serve the tart with a peppered caramel sauce.

PEAR CHEVRE TART

15 ounces soft goat cheese, at room temperature

5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour

4 eggs

2 baked (9- or 10-inch) tart shells, cooled

3 ripe medium pears

3 tablespoons apricot preserves, heated and strained

Cream goat cheese, cream cheese and butter with sugar until light. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add flour and eggs and stir to blend. Do not overbeat. Pour filling into tart shells. Peel pears and slice pears in thin wedges. Gently arrange pear slices on tart shells, overlapping, in circle.

Bake at 300 degrees until filling is slightly firm and just golden on edges, about 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Lightly brush warm apricot glaze over pears. Serve at room temperature. Makes 2 tarts.