Manchego and Portobello Crepe with Balsamic Reduction

It was the first morning of our honeymoon.  After getting in late, we awoke in a tropical paradise, Playa del Carmen, Mexico.  To celebrate our nuptials, we had chosen an all adult, all- inclusive resort named El Dorado.  This was my first vacation out of the country and both of our first time in an all-inclusive resort, so we had no idea what to expect.  When we were being taken to our room late that night, the bell hop had pointed out the Garden Grille and said that is where breakfast would be served.  In the morning sun it was beautiful; ceiling to floor glass wrapped the entire dining room looking out on to a tropical garden, all topped with a very tall thatched roof.  After being seated the waiter came by, gave us a cup of coffee and some fresh squeezed orange juice.  We placed our orders and this dish is what Shawn had ordered.  After a moment, the waiter came back and topped off my coffee with a shot of Kahlua, then shortly thereafter did the same for my orange juice, but vodka this time.  I looked up at the waiter and asked if this is what it was going to be like all week, and the reply was simply, “Si Senior”  So for Valentine’s Day last year, I recreated the dish for my beautiful wife.

Enjoy…

½ cup All-Purpose Flour

1 Egg

¼ cup Milk

¼ cup Water

1 tablespoon Butter (melted)

1 cup Sliced Portobello Mushrooms

1 cup Shredded Manchego Cheese

1 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/8 cup Sugar

Salt

Pepper

2 table spoons Olive Oil

In a 1 quart Pot put Vinegar, Sugar, and a pinch of Salt.  Please make sure you use a good balsamic, the cheap stuff just won’t taste the same.  Place on medium heat and reduce until the mixture to ¼ cup.

In a medium Skillet heat Olive Oil over medium to medium high heat.  Add Portobello Mushrooms and season with Salt and Pepper.  Sauté until mushrooms shrink some and become tender.   Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Flour and Eggs.  Gradually add the Milk and the Water, stirring to combine.  Add the salt and butter and beat until smooth.

Heat a large Skillet and spray with cooking spray.  You need to get a good coating; you do not want it to stick.  Poor about a ¼ cup of the batter into Skillet.  Tilt the Skillet in a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.  Crepes are supposed to be very thin, and even, this is not an omelet.  Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the bottom is light brown.  Flip it carefully and lay Mushrooms and Manchego Cheese, (Manchego is a soft goat cheese from the center of Spain, it has a rich smooth taste without a lot of bite.  Feta or gorgonzola will not work as a substitute, if you can’t find it think more like Monterey Jack) 

Fold the crepe like a burrito and place in the center of the plate.  Drizzle with the Balsamic Glaze and sprinkle a little Cheese on top.

Enjoy!

Ricotta and Pistachio Stuffed Figs with Honey

The Amuse-bouche, that is French for amuse the mouth (My high school French teacher would be so proud), is a course that precedes the appetizer.  It is intended to be one simple bite with a complex flavor.  I for one find it very hard to create little bites like this one, but this was not one of those times.  I first prepared this for Shawn on Valentine’s Day, and now I get bugged to make it again on a regular basis.  Only trouble is finding good figs.  So when you come across some, grab yourself some, and mail me some as well.  I think this will be a staple at Christmas.

Enjoy…

2 cups Figs

1 cup Ricotta Cheese

6 oz. chopped Pistachios

¼ cup Honey

  

Toast Pistachios in a med Skillet.  These will burn quickly.  The oils will take the nuts from warm to roasted to burnt inside of 1-2 min, so watch them very carefully.  Let them cool. 

Cut figs in half long ways, and deseed. Fold nuts into Ricotta Cheese.  Stuff Figs with the nut and cheese mixture.  Drizzle with honey and serve.

Enjoy!

Braised Beef Rib with Parsnip Mash

After watching Masterchef Season 3 Finale last night I decided it was time to post my Season 3 tryout dish.  There is one small draw back to this dish; I will not share my BBQ Sauce recipe.  That does not mean you can’t enjoy this tasty dish, it just means you have to use your own BBQ Sauce.  If you aren’t into making your own sauce from scratch I recommend the Sweet Baby Ray’s line of products.  I find them to have a nice flavor and enough varieties to satisfy every pallet.  If you want to try my sauce, you have the option of attending one of the few events a year in which I make it.  Those times being, the Superbowl, hunting camp (those invites do not come easy), and once during the summer.  Now if you would send me a check, I may be inspired to return a bottle of my sauce, but it needs to be a big check and expect a small bottle.  You may recognize the Parsnip Mash from my Steak Roulade, I choose it here because it transports well.  (Remember cook in HBG, transport to Washington DC, wait in line for ever, and then serve) But you may sub out some nice mash potatoes.  (I wasn’t kidding about the checks, LOL)

2 Beef Ribs

16 oz. BBQ Sauce of your preference

4 oz. Liquid Smoke

2 cups Beef Stock

4 Parsnips

2 Gala Apples

½ cup Milk

1 tablespoon of Butter

3 tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 teaspoon of Horseradish

½ cup Micro Greens

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

1 dried Chipotle Chili

1 dried Arbol Chili

(If you do not have access to the Chilies you may use Chili Powder instead)

Carefully separate your Beef Ribs into two separate ribs, being careful to keep the same amount of meat on each bone.  Now it’s time to French the bones.  Put your tongue back in your mouth, the term French refers to the scrapping of the tendons and such from the end of the bone.  Use a paring knife to complete this task.  Chop up your Chilies and put them in your spice blender.  (another great toy that is a must have in your kitchen)  Grind them until they reach a powder consistency.  Dry rub the Ribs with Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Chili Powder.  Let stand at least 1 hour, overnight preferably.

Heat a medium Skillet over medium-high heat.  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Sear Ribs.  This will cause a lot of smoke, so make sure your hood is cranking and the nearest windows are open.  Sear every side of the meat.  Place seared Ribs in medium baking dish. 

Pour ½ cup of Beef Stock into the Skillet in which you seared the Ribs.  Add liquid smoke.  Whisk all of the little burnt bits into the liquid and pour liquid in baking dish with Ribs.  Add the remaining Beef Stock to baking dish.  Cover with foil and place in oven at 325 for at least 3 hours.  (The longer it goes the more “fall of the bone” the meat will become)  Once meat has reached the level of doneness you prefer, pull off foil and drain most of the broth.  (This is yummy, yummy broth.  You may want to freeze it for future cooking.)  Coat the Ribs in the BBQ sauce.  Place back into oven for about 15 mins to let the sauce seep into the meat.

Peal and cube the Parsnips into ¼ inch cubes.  Fill a 4 quart pot ¾ full of water, add salt to the water, and then add in Parsnips.  Bring to boil and boil until Parsnips are fork tender.  Peal and cube Apples into ¼ inch cubes.  Heat Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon of Butter in a medium Sauté Pan over medium to medium high heat, add Apples and sauté until they become tender and golden brown.   You will need to stir them constantly as the sugars in the Apples will burn easily, you are trying caramelize them not charcoal them.  Drain Parsnips and place them and Apples in a large mixing bowl, add tablespoon of Butter, season with salt.  Using your hand mixed beat Parsnips and Apples, while slowly adding Milk.  I say slowly because sometimes it takes a half cup milk, sometimes it only takes a quarter cup milk.  There are more factors than I care to go into here on why, but when you first heard these factors you were in 7^th grade science class and if they didn’t make since then, they probably won’t again.  The easiest thing is slowly add milk and stop when you reach the consistency you are looking to achieve.

Mound the Puree Mash on the plate, top with Rib, then garnish with Micro Greens.  Place a nice smear of extra sauce on the plate and a mound of Horseradish for those bold pallets.

Enjoy!

Filet Mignon Stuffed with Gorgonzola

“Keep them as a storage fee,” my friend Sam uttered as she collected the bulk of the steaks she had been storing in my freezer.  She was moving and didn’t have enough space to keep most of her frozen goods during the process, so I offered up my freezer as a home to her collection of steaks.  When she was picking up her assorted meats, she was sweet enough to leave me with several packages of steak.  Now to simply cook a filet and serve it with a baked potato would almost be sacrilege to my creative culinary spirit, so my mind began to spin.  One of Shawn’s and my favorite local places to eat, Bube’s Brewery has a stuffed steak every day on the menu, so in homage to Bube’s off to the kitchen I went. (I will be sure to add a post about Bube’s Brewery in the near future)

Enjoy…

2- 8oz Filets

1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese

3 minced cloves of Garlic

4 Russet Potatoes

½ cup Sour Cream

4 tablespoons of butter

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoons of flour

1 large slivered Yellow Onion

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 tablespoon of Cayenne Pepper

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Trim any excess fat from the steaks and toss in to medium Skillet.  Using a good paring knife, “Good Knife,” this is an essential to cooking.  Please do yourself a favor and lay out the cash for a high quality set of knives.  This will make prep time and honestly cooking much more enjoyable.  Using a good paring knife slice pockets into the side to the steaks.  You are trying to create a hole to stuff with cheese not butterflying the steak, so keep the entry hole on the small to medium side, while the depth should be just short of the other side, and as wide as the steak. 

In a bowl combine 2 tablespoons Minced Garlic, Gorgonzola Cheese, and 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.  Mix until Garlic is evenly distributed throughout.  Stuff the mixture into the pocket of the steak.  Pack it in tight, do this in small bits at a time.  Pressing each bit in and compressing before moving on to a new bit.  The cheese should almost be bursting out the side when done.  Season steaks with Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, and Garlic Powder.

Heat a medium Skillet over medium high heat.  Get one tablespoon of Olive Oil hot.  Place steaks in the center of the Skillet.  You are just searing the steaks; not cooking them all the way through, so 1-2 minutes on each side will be perfect.  Place steaks into medium baking dish and into the oven on 350 for 10-15 minutes or until they reach medium rare.  (Again, medium rare is how you should be eating steak, if you are one of those well done people, please reconsider the flavors are just gone)

Turn the Skillet with the excess fat on med heat and render the fat.  Render means cook the fat until the oils seeps out into the pan.  With tongs pull the fat out.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.  Melt Butter and turn heat down to medium to medium high.  Add Yellow Onion, salt and pepper.  Keep them on medium heat stirring regularly until they become translucent and soft.

Cube Potatoes, personally I prefer the skins in my mash, but you may choose the extra step of peeling them before cubing.  If you like extra work and the reduction of nutrition go right ahead.  Place in 3 quart Pot and fill ¾ full with water.  Add salt to water.  Potatoes need salt to cook.  Not doing this will lead to lack luster potatoes.  The added benefit of lowering the boiling point of the water and speeding up the cooking process is nice as well.  Place on high heat and bring to boil.  You want the potatoes to become fork tender.  That means pull out a single cube, one of the larger ones if your cuts are uneven and try smashing it on your board, if it crumbles it’s done.  Strain potatoes and place them back into the pot.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter, Sour Cream, Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper and start mashing.  Mashing can be done in a multitude of ways, I personally prefer the good old fashion hand masher, and the potatoes get creamy with a few chunks of goodness.  But if you prefer a hand mixer will do the trick.  Try to stay away from the stand mixer or food processor.  They end up getting a little too whipped and the fun texture is gone.  You may find you need to add a splash of milk if you want creamier potatoes.

In the same Skillet you seared the steak, melt 1 tablespoon of Butter.  Whisk in 1 tablespoon of Flour until smooth.  Add 1 Beef Stock, whisking constantly until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.

Place Mashed Potatoes in center of plate, add gravy, place steak on top of mashed, top with caramelized onions. 

Enjoy!

The Diner

Ah the diner, one of my personal favorite places to eat. I get that it is simple food with none of the bells and whistles, but you can eat anything your heart desires. Pork chop for me and Eggs Benedict for Shawn! Unfortunately the diners have begun a slow marching decline, so when you find one, support it! If your ever in Harrisburg, Pa. I suggest the Peachtree.

End of Summer

Ah as summer comes to a close and thoughts of raking leaves (well using my leaf blower) and football begin to dance through my head it only seams appropriate to break out the sausage for one last cook out!

Sweet Italian Sausage with Grilled Onions!

Cold beer here I come.

Steak Roulade with Parsnip Mash and Roasted Baby Carrots

This dish is better known in my house as Season 2 tryouts.  When I first learned of the open casting call for Masterchef, I racked my brain for a wonderful dish, that I could cook in Harrisburg, transport to NYC,  stand in line for who knows how long, and it would still be yummy for the judging.  Once I settled on the Roulade, I made Shawn eat it at least once a week, tweaking it to perfection.  I was even able to get my dad; Mr. All Veggies are Rabbit Food, to try it.  Even though it wasn’t good enough to get me on the show, it still is one of my all-time favorite dishes.   (Three years later and Shawn still won’t let me cook it again)

Enjoy…

24 oz. London Broil

3 oz. thinly sliced Pancetta

1 cup Smoked Gouda

2 cups Shiitake Mushrooms

4 cups fresh Spinach

2 minced Garlic Cloves

2 cups Beef Stock

10 baby Carrots

2 tablespoons of Butter

4 Parsnips

2 Gala Apples

½ cup Milk

4 tablespoons of Butter

4 tablespoons of Olive Oil

½ tablespoon of Flour

Salt

Pepper

Fill a 4 quart pot ¾ with water.  Put in cleaned carrots.  Bring to boil and remove and strain when carrots are cooked all the way though.  Be careful not to let them get “fork tender” we are not creating a mashed carrot here, just “par” cooking them so they don’t take forever in the oven.  Cover a cookie sheet with cooking spray and put the “par cooked” Carrots on it, drizzle with Olive Oil, season with Salt and Pepper.  Place into oven at 375 for about 20-30 minutes.  Keep an eye on them you want to pull them when the sugars begin to brown them.

In a medium Sauté Pan heat ½ of the Olive Oil on medium high heat.  Thinly slice Mushrooms.  Place Garlic in oil and begin to cook.  Add Mushrooms, season with Salt and Pepper, then sauté until reduced in size by a quarter.  Add Spinach and sauté until spinach is completely wilted.  Remove from heat.

  

Place your London Broil on your cutting board, if your cutting board is one of those tiny little plastic things from the dollar store, throw it away and go get a real board.  Worst case; place it on the counter top.  Cover with a large sheet of plastic wrap, make sure the wrap lays flat and extends at least 6 inches past the steak on all sides.  Pull out your meat tenderizer and start hammering.  Start in the middle and work your way out.  Each cycle should thin and enlarge the steak, continue the cycles until the steak is about ½ an inch think.

Remove plastic wrap, season with Salt and Pepper, and then lay slices of Pancetta on top of steak.  Look at the steak and it should resemble a rectangle.  Turn it so the shorter sides are to your right and left, and the longer sides are at the front and back.  You want to spread out the Pancetta in nice even sheet, carefully overlapping each piece with the next, stop about 1 inch short of the long side. Spread Mushrooms and Spinach on top of Pancetta.  Then julienne Gouda into strips resembling French fries and evenly distributing on top of steak. 

Carefully roll the steak, front to back.  Keeping it tight as you go along, but not so tight all the goodness squeezed out the top and sides.  Now it is time to hog tie!  Tie a piece of twine around the steak, to hold it together.  Next time I make one I will be sure to upload a video with the technique, but essentially you are creating little loops all the way down the steak. 

In a large Sauté Pan heat on medium high heat 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil.  Carefully place your roulade into the pan and sear on each side.  Once seared on all sides, place roulade into Baking Pan, add Beef Broth, cover with foil and place into oven on 375 for 15-20 mins.  (More or less depending on the doneness you like your steak, which should be medium rare)  Pull from oven and let rest for 5 mins.

Peal and cube the Parsnips into ¼ inch cubes.  Fill a 4 quart pot ¾ full of water, add salt to the water, and then add in Parsnips.  Bring to boil and boil until Parsnips are fork tender.  Peal and cube Apples into ¼ inch cubes.  Heat Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon of Butter in a medium Sauté Pan over medium to medium high heat, add Apples and sauté until they become tender and golden brown.   You will need to stir them constantly as the sugars in the Apples will burn easily, you are trying caramelize them not charcoal them.  Drain Parsnips and place them and Apples in a large mixing bowl, add tablespoon of Butter, season with salt.  Using your hand mixed beat Parsnips and Apples, while slowly adding Milk.  I say slowly because sometimes it takes a half cup milk, sometimes it only takes a quarter cup milk.  There are more factors than I care to go into here on why, but when you first heard these factors you were in 7^th grade science class and if they didn’t make since then, they probably won’t again.  The easiest thing is slowly add milk and stop when you reach the consistency you are looking to achieve.

In a small Sauté Pan melt 2 table spoons of butter, whisk in Flour and keep whisking until smooth.  Pour in Beef Stock from the baking dish.  I would suggest a ladle or large spoon.  Whisk until sauce reduces to about 1/2 of the original amount.

Spoon Beef Sauce onto plate top with a slice roulade, spoon on Parsnips on to your plate, add the Carrots and serve.

Enjoy!

Panko Crusted Halibut and Sweet and Spicy Soup with Fried Rice

Panko Crusted Halibut and Sweet and Spicy Soup with Fried Rice

 For Christmas one year Shawn bought me a set of really cool ring molds and a set of square ones as well.  She may have done this because I drug her into the store to look at them a million times (Its seems that is the only way she ever takes a hint) I had wanted them because I thought I could use them to improve my platting skills.  About a year later when I was rearranging the cabinets, to make room for new toys (mainly to drive Shawn nuts) I stumbled across them covered in dust.  So I set out to create a dish to use them.  This is my best to date! (Square ones still covered in dust)

Enjoy...

2- 6 oz. Filet of Halibut

½ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

2 Eggs

1 Cup Mirin

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 Lime

1 tablespoon Garlic Pepper Sauce

½ Cup Green Onions

2 teaspoon Lemon Grass

2 teaspoon Ginger

1 teaspoon Saffron Powder

½ cup Soy Sauce

¼ Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1 Cup White Instant Rice

1 Cup Vegetable Stock

½ Cup Diced Yellow Onion

½ Cup Diced Celery

2 Cloves Diced Garlic

½ Cup Frozen Peas

6 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

Salt

Pepper

In a 2 Quart Sauce pan heat 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil on medium high heat.  Add Yellow Onions, Celery, Garlic and Sautee until onions become translucent.  Add 1 teaspoon of each Lemon Grass, Ginger, and Saffron Powder, then add in peas and vegetable stock and bring to boil.  Once boiling add rice, stir, cover and remove from heat.

In a 1 Quart Sauce pan poor Mirin, Honey, Juice of Lime, remaining Ginger, Lemon Grass, Saffron Powder and ¼ cup Soy Sauce and mix well.  Add Green Onions, and then cook on medium heat to reduce.

Beat Egg in bowl creating an egg wash.  Salt and Pepper Halibut. Coat one side of Halibut in egg wash.  Spread Panko Bread Crumbs on large plate, and then lay the Halibut (egg wash side down) onto the Panko, gently press fish into the bread crumbs. 

In a large Skillet, heat Vegetable Oil.  Gently lay the Halibut Fillet into Vegetable Oil, Panko side down and begin frying.

In a separate large skillet heat 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil.  Add Rice to skillet.  Add remaining Soy Sauce and Rice Wine Vinegar.  Begin sautéing rice stirring regularly.  Beat one egg and add to rice, stirring constantly to scramble egg into the rice.

Carefully flip Halibut over in Vegetable oil, continue frying until fully cooked.

Place ring mold in middle of serving dish (large rimmed soup dish), pack the mold with fried rice.  Remove ring mold. Then carefully pour Mirin broth into bowl.  Delicately place Halibut onto of rice pillar and serve.

Season 4 Masterchef

It is that time again, time for me to cook the same dish over and over.  Time for Shawn to get tired of that dish.  Time to go wait in line for hours to have one bite of that dish tasted.  Time to go through the interviews.  And this time, its time to get my TICKET!

I will be preparing my Coq Au Vin this year.  I will be glad to post the recipe once the tryouts are over, but as not to jynx myself, you will just have to wait.  Sorry guys.

Tryouts are in NYC on October the 5th.  Wish me luck!!!!

Almond Crusted Salmon with Lemon Béchamel Sauce served with Mushroom Risotto

For all you single guys out there this dish was one that helped me land my wife Shawn.  When we were dating, I made this for her and her eyes got all lovey, and my hopes of romance that evening were for filled.  So it truly was a no brainer when I recently whipped it up again for her.  But now, she makes the risotto, and I make the salmon.  Cooking has become an activity we enjoy together and brings us closer.  Now let be clear about the risotto, below you will find my mushroom risotto recipe, Shawn has tinkered with it about a thousand times and I am sure she will be posting her version soon, if she already hasn’t.  Mine is still better (love you baby).

Enjoy…

2- 6oz portions of Salmon

4oz Slivered Almonds

1 Egg

3 tablespoons of Butter

1 Lemon

1 Cup Milk

1 tablespoon of Flour

1 tablespoon of Sugar

2 tablespoon of Olive Oil

1 cup Short Grain Rice

3 cups Vegetable Stock

2 cups sliced Baby Portabellas

½ cup diced Yellow Onion

½ cup diced Celery

¼ cup minced Garlic

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

½ tablespoon of White Truffle Oil 

Salt

Pepper

In a 1 Quart Sauce Pan put the Vegetable Stock on simmer

In a large Sauté Pan heat Olive Oil.  Place in Rice and begin to warm.  The idea here is to get the outer shell of the rice to crack from the heat.  This will make them more open to accepting more liquids.  Add Onions, Garlic and Celery, season with Salt and Pepper and cook until Onions begin to become translucent.  Add a ladle of Vegetable Stock and stir until the liquid is almost gone.  Continue the process one ladle at a time.  When about 1 cup of Vegetable Stock is left add the Mushrooms and cook until they become tender.  Then continue with the Vegetable Stock until rice is cooked through and soft to the tooth.  Add Parmesan Cheese and top with White Truffle Oil.  The key to risotto is its viscosity, to runny and it is becomes soup, to dry and it becomes rice balls.  When you plate it should spread some on the plate but not all over the plate.

Beat Egg and add a little water to create an egg wash.  Dunk one side of the Salmon into Egg Wash and place Egg Wash side up on a Cookie Sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Season the Salmon with Salt and Pepper.  Coat the top of the Salmon with the Slivered Almonds.  Place into oven at 375 for 20 mins.  Keep an eye on the Salmon and Almonds; they are very easy to burn.  If the Almonds begin turning dark brown pull the Salmon.  I prefer my Salmon to be medium to medium well, if you like yours more done turn down the temp by about 25 degrees and cook a little longer.  The trick here is cooking the Salmon to the doneness you prefer without burning Almonds.

In a Medium Sauté Pan melt butter over Medium High heat.  Add the Flour and whisk; whisk a lot, until it becomes smooth.  Add Milk, Sugar, the juice of the Lemon and then zest the Lemon into the mixture.  Continue to whisk until the sauce becomes silky and smooth.  Drizzle sauce over top of the Salmon and enjoy!