Niantic/East Lyme Restaurant Week kicks off Monday, Jan. 20, at more than 20 local restaurants. This time around, a "week" is actually 12 days of special meals and deals through Jan. 31. Eateries will come up with their own specials during the week, from discounts and free gifts with purchase to special food combos and menu items. For a sense of what's cooking in East Lyme, check out the recipes below from two participating restaurants.

Restaurants Week participants include: Best of Everything Country Gourmet, The Black Sheep, Café SoL, Charlie's Place Restaurant, The Common Loon, Covino's Groceria Italiana, East Coast Taco, The Eclectic Chef, Eleni's Restaurant Pizzeria, Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant, Giuliano's Bakery, Illiano's Italian Pizza, La Belle Aurore, Main Street Grille, Osaka Japanese Steakhouse, Pizza Cucina, Skippers Seafood, Smarty's Restaurant & Pub, The Spice Club, Village Pizza & Grille and Yankee Clipper Restaurant.

For more information about Niantic/East Lyme Restaurant Week, visit www.nianticmainstreet.org.

Curried Chicken & Apple Soup

Recipe courtesy of The Eclectic Chef in Niantic.

4 Granny Smith apples

6 cups apple juice

3 cups chicken broth, room temperature

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons curry powder

5 tablespoons corn starch

1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and diced

1 cup heavy cream

Salt

Peel and core apples. Place into pot with apple juice and reduce by half. Add celery, carrots, onions and two and 1/2 cups chicken broth. Add bay leaves. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add curry powder, honey, chicken and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add cream, heat to a slow boil. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining half cup of room chicken broth. Stir into soup to thicken. Add salt to taste and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

Sautéed Sole with Brown Butter Macadamia Nut Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant, which recommends serving this dish with haricot verts mashed potatoes.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lb. sole

3 tablespoons butter, cubed and softened

3 tablespoons macadamia nuts, toasted and chopped

3 lemon segments

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup (4 ounces) haricot verts, blanched and sautéed in garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped parsley to taste

Heat oil in sauté pan until wrinkles form.

Season fish with salt and pepper. Place fish gently in pan, presentation side down.

Sauté fish until golden brown. Transfer fish to a warmed plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add butter and chopped macadamias to fish pan. Whisk until butter and nuts begin to turn a hazelnut color. Add lemon segments and juice to stop the browning. Add chopped parsley. Plate fish and drizzle with sauce. Serve with haricot verts and mashed potatoes if including.

Serves 1.