Month: March 2018

SALMON AND ROASTED CREAM CORN

SALMON AND ROASTED CORN DEBUTS AS A SPECIAL APRIL 16

FOR ROASTED CREAM CORN:

Rub fresh corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper.

Place into a preheated 425 degree oven and roast until some kernels begin to brown. See photo. Rotate cobs for evening roasting.

Cut kernels from the cob.

Dice one red bell pepper, two shallots and one large jalapeño (seeds and membranes removed).

Add 1 T of butter and 1 T of olive to a preheated sauté pan. Add peppers and shallots. Sauté until they begin to soften. Add corn and 1 t of dried thyme. Add 1 C of heavy cream and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until cream reduces. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed.

FOR PAN ROASTED SALMON:

Rinse and dry salmon filets. Atlantic salmon works best here.

I love my iron skillet for this preparation. Get the skillet hot and add about 2 T of olive oil. The oil should smoke a bit. Generously season each filet with salt and cracked black pepper. Place filets into the heated skillet. Listen for an even sizzle adjusting the temperature down, if necessary. Allow the filet to cook two-thirds through before flipping. A golden crust is the point. Finish cooking on the other side. Place salmon over cream corn and top with some highmade pesto. Serve with a lemon wedge.

FOR ROASTED STRING BEANS:

Blanch prepped beans. Drain and dry. Toss blanched beans with olive oil, salt and cracked black pepper. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick baking spray. Place into a preheated 425 degree oven and roast until “crisp/tender”.

SAMMY AND SALLY

SAMMY AND SALLY DEBUTS AS A SPECIAL APRIL 9th

black forest ham, brie, dijonnaise, red onion jam on grilled rustic bread with a side of shaved apple and fennel slaw dressed with creamy lemon tarragon vinaigrette

(Served with one of our house wines, this meal is complete!)

FOR RED ONION JAM:

Click on this link (red onion jam) for ingredients and cooking instructions. The only difference in this application is that I placed the cooked onion mix into a food processor. I pulsed the mixture until a spreadable consistency was achieved. This stores for a week or two.

FOR DIJONNAISE:

Combine 1/3 C of Dijon mustard with 1 C of mayonnaise.

FOR SLAW:

Using a mandolin, thinly shave green cabbage, fennel, celery and granny smith apple. Combine and dress with creamy lemon dressing.

ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICH:

Spread dijonnaise on one slice of bread and red onion jam on the other. Place a mound of sliced black forest ham on the bread and top with a thin slice of brie. Brush sandwich with melted butter or olive oil and place it on a panini press or into a non-stick skillet for browning. Keep temperature moderate as you are looking to crisp the bread and warm the sandwich.

Power Bowl

POWER BOWL DEBUTS AS A SPECIAL APRIL 2

lentils, roasted sweet peppers, roasted cherub tomatoes, grilled chicken/apple sausage, sliced avocado, arugula, pumpkin seeds, feta, extra virgin olive oil & lemon

(Have this for lunch and conquer the world!)

FOR LENTILS:

1 1/2 C lentils (rinsed)

6 C water

1 1/2 t salt

1/4 t red pepper flakes

4 whole cloves

1 t dried thyme

Combine all ingredients in a stock pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until lentils are tender. Reserve for service.

FOR ROASTED PEPPERS AND TOMATOES:

Roast separately as they may have different cooking times. Lightly coat peppers and tomatoes with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Place into a preheated 425 degree oven until lightly browned and wrinkled. You may need to rotate for even roasting. My countertop oven did the trick.

FOR SAUSAGE:

Cut slits into the links (not all the way through) and place on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Place into a preheated 425 degree oven. Roast until nicely browned. Rotate sausage for even browning.

Sausage used was purchase at Trader Joe’s. Costco also has a delicious smoked chicken/apple sausage.

ASSEMBLE YOUR POWER BOWL:

Place a mound of lentils in the center of the bowl. Arrange ingredients as you see in the photo. Sprinkle with feta and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with EVOO and lemon. A spritz of Kosher salt and cracked black pepper tops it off.

Spanish Seafood Stew

(serves 4)

1/4 C olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5-6 small sweet peppers, sliced

1 t dried thyme
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 1/2 t smoked paprika

1/3 C white wine for deglazing

2 pinches of saffron threads, ground in a mortar and pestle

3 C homemade tomato marinara ( if store bought, use a chunky marinara)

2-3 cups seafood stock

4 large new potatoes, cut chunky style and parboiled

3-4 ounces of Spanish chorizo, diced

2 t sugar

1 t salt

3 cod filets

12-14 – 31/40 shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 dozen mussels, rinsed

Chopped parsley for garnish

In a preheated stock pot, add oil, onion, garlic and peppers. Sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper. Sauté until vegetables soften. Add thyme, red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. Continue to sauté until fragrant and some sticking starts to occur on the bottom of the pan. Increase heat and add wine. Reduce wine down and scrape up any bits which have stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Grind saffron threads. Add about 1/3 C of water. Add saffron water to pot. Add marinara and stock. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and add potatoes, chorizo, sugar and salt.

(Note for potatoes: bring a sauce pan of water to boil and very carefully add 1 t of salt and 1 t of baking soda to water. Lower cut potatoes into water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 2-3 minutes. Drain.)

Add cod filets to the simmering stew. Once the filets start to loosen up and flake, add shrimp and mussels. Cover and continue to simmer until mussels open and shrimp are done. Discard unopened mussels. Serve with chopped parsley and rustic bread for sauce sopping.

Moroccan Spiced Lentil Soup (Vegetarian) with Harissa

1/3 C olive oil
1 large onion, diced small
3 celery stalks, diced small
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 T fresh ginger, grated

1 T ground coriander
1 T smoked paprika
2 t cumin
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped and divided in half
1 bunch curly parsley, finely chopped and divided in half

4 C vegetable broth
4 C water
1 – 15 ounce can of garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 C lentils, rinsed
1 – 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

4 ounces kale, chopped chunky style
1/2 C orzo
Juice from one lemon
S & P to taste

Add oil to a preheated soup pot. Add onion, celery, garlic and ginger. Add a sprinkling of salt and cracked black pepper. Sauté over medium low heat until translucent.

Add coriander, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, half of the cilantro and half of the parsley. Sauté until fragrant and well blended. A little sticking on the bottom of the pan is good.

Add broth, water, garbanzo beans, lentils and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Add 2 teaspoons of salt, lower heat to low and cover. Simmer until lentils are tender.

Add kale and cook until tender.

Just prior to service, add lemon juice, the remaining parsley/cilantro and orzo. Continue to simmer until orzo is tender. Adjust seasoning.