Sewickley Cafe chef parts with Tuscan Chicken recipe

Don't ask Don Reinhardt Jr. for his Tomato Dill Soup recipe.

The owner and executive chef of the Sewickley Cafe is happy to provide recipes for other menu items, but not his grandmother's delectable tomato soup. It's a lunch favorite at the restaurant, with chunks of fresh tomatoes and dill seed in a light, creamy, peach-colored base.

"I go through 50 to 80 gallons of soup a week," says Reinhardt, a Louisville, Ky., native who opened the restaurant on Beaver Street in downtown Sewickley four years ago. "One lady drives 2 1/2 hours every month from Columbus for this soup."

He laughs heartily, adding, "Nobody gets this recipe!"

Reinhardt did part with his Tuscan Chicken with Artichoke Smashed Potatoes recipe, another signature favorite. The 104-seat cafe, a winner of numerous media awards, attracts a bustling lunch and dinner crowd and plenty of catering clientele who enjoy its innovative and unexpected dishes.

Reinhardt suggests serving a pinot noir with this meal. For a vegetable side dish, saute fresh squash, zucchini, sweet red and yellow peppers and red onions seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic until the vegetables are al dente. This combination adds color and complementary flavors to the robust chicken.

Chef Sam Mull prepared this tangy, tasty and satisfying entree, which is easy to make. The potatoes also are good served as a cold salad.

• 1 pound chicken breasts, skinned and boned
• About 1/4 cup flour
• Fresh garlic, minced, to taste
• Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 ounces (about 1/4 cup) red onion, diced
• 2 ounces baby artichoke hearts, chokes removed, sliced lengthwise
• 1 ounce (about 1/2 cup) portobello mushrooms, diced
• 1 ounce roasted sweet red pepper
• 2 ounces ( 1/4 cup) balsamic vinegar
• Artichoke Smashed Potatoes (recipe follows)

Place the chicken pieces between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and lightly pound them.

Combine the flour, garlic and pepper. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides, shaking to remove excess flour.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place 2 tablespoons butter in an ovenproof saute pan, and place it over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on one side, then flip. Add the red onion, artichoke hearts and balsamic vinegar. Place the pan in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and place the chicken on a plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the vegetables in the pan, and return it to the stove to reduce the mixture, until thickened. Pour over the chicken.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Size "B" potatoes range in diameter from 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 inches.

• 2 pounds size "B" red potatoes, unpeeled
• Mayonnaise (at least 1 cup)
• 2 cups cooked baby artichoke hearts, chokes removed, sliced lengthwise
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the potatoes whole in boiling water to cover until tender, for about 20 minutes. Drain, but do not peel. Then, smash 'em! Using your hands, grab the spuds and squeeze them into chunks (wear rubber gloves if they are too hot to handle with your fingers) into a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise (start with 1 cup), the artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Add more mayonnaise as needed to keep the mixture just slightly moist. (The hot potatoes will absorb the mayonnaise as they are mixed.)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Turn the potato mixture into a greased casserole and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Makes 6 generous servings.