Atlantic Cod, Lobster Sauce, Oriental Yams, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Garlic Scapes and Jerusalem Artichoke Puree

Food, wine and great company is all I need to be happy.  In this case we had a lot of all three. Thanks Michal, Harout, Caitlin, Padraic, Tara, Dre and Kristin for making it all happen.  These recipes feed 8 people and cost about $100.  Total cooking and prep time is about 2 hours.

Cod with Lobster Sauce
8 filets of black cod, about 3 lbs
1 shallot, fine dice
1/4 stick butter
1/2 cup vegetable stock
4 oz creme fraiche
1 lb white shrimp, 25ct peeled deveined and halved long way

Preheat the oven to 400. Season cod with salt, pepper and olive oil then lay them flat on a greased, foil-lined baking tray.  Roast for about 15 minutes.  Remove with a spatula and place in a large serving tray.  Top with cream sauce.

In a medium sauce pan start the butter, shallots and garlic on medium heat and let cook until the onions are just turning brown.  Add flour and mix well, keep stiring for 10 minutes or until the flour begins to just get lightly brown.  Add the cream and the vegetable stock and mix well.  Let this cook for about 15 minutes or until reduced by half.  Now add the shrimp and let cook for 10 more minutes.  Serve over top of fish.

Jerusalem Articoke Puree
1/2 lb sunchokes, peeled and large diced
1/2 vidallia onion, rough chop
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cream fraiche (or cream cheese)
salt and pepper

Start sunchokes and shallot in a medium pot with cool water.  Bring to a boil and let cook 15 minutes more until the sunchokes are fork tender.  Remove from the heat and strain, reserving 4 teaspoons of the water. Puree in a blender with the reserved water, olive oil and cream fraiche, add salt and pepper to taste.

Yams, Chantrelles and Garlic Scapes

The yams and the mush rooms were cut in half an oven roasted at 400 degree.  The yams took about 40 minutes while the mushrooms only about 12 minutes.  The garlic scapes, which are the green tops of the garlic bulb, were blanched for 2 minutes and then sauteed in olive oil and butter for 2 minutes as well.


Organic Kale, Nectarine, Beet and Yellow Tomato Salad  

Pick thru the kale and remove all of the stems.  Cut roasted beets and nectarines in 8ths.  Halve yellow tomatoes and squeeze juice and seeds out over a fine strainer with a small bowl to catch the delicious tomato water.

Tomato Water Vinaigrette
2 oz tomato water
2 oz white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper
4 oz extra virgin olive oil

Mix everything but the oil.  Then slowly add oil while whisking until mixture comes together.

What a great meal with some great people.  Till next time... Buon apetito!!

New Years Eve Dinner

Nothing kicks off a night of partying like a great meal with the friends.  This New Years Eve dinner was prepared at our ski house up in Hunter Mountain, NY so I didn't have all of my fancy cooking gear, but that never stopped me before.  Here goes Herb Crusted Pork Loin, Cod in a Shrimp Cream Sauce, TriColor Salad with Pears and Hazelnuts, Sweet Potato Roasted Pear Mash, Lemon Broccoli, Tomatoes and Mozzarella, Roasted Beets and an Apple Cider Gravy to bring it all together.  Thanks to Patti, Harout, Padraic, Julia, Jamie, Jackie, Bentley and Amanda for sharing this great night.  And this was only the beginning of an amazing evening!

Mustard and Herb Crusted Pork Loin with Roasted Winter Veggies
4 lbs Pork Loin
1/2 Jar Horesradish Mustard
3 oz Maple Syrup
1 bunch Fresh Marjoram
1 bunch fresh Rosemary
1 Bunch Fresh Thyme
2 red onions, rough chopped
1 white onion, rough chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled
1 bag of mixed mini sweet peppers

Preheat oven to 450.  Mix maple syrup and mustard in a bowl.  Coat the loin with the mixture and sprinkle with the fresh chopped herbs, salt and pepper.  Place veggies and more herbs in the bottom of a large roasting pan.  Place pork on roasting rack and insert into the roasting pan.  Place the whole thing in the oven and turn the heat down to 375.  Let roast for about 50 minutes or until it has an internal temperature of 140 degrees.  Let rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Apple Cider Gravy
4 cups apple cider
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup white wine
2 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1/2 cup clarified pan dripppings from the pork roast

Put all ingredients except pan drippings into a medium sauce pan and let cook for about 30 minutes on medium low.  Once about 2 cups of liquid is remaining, add pork drippings.  Finish with a tablespoon of butter and serve over the pork loin.

Baked Cod with Shrimp Cream Sauce
5 filet of black cod, about 2.5 lbs
2 shallots, fine dice
4 cloves garlic, fine dice
1/4 stick butter
4 tablespoons of flour
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 pint heavy cream
1 lb white shrimp, 25ct peeled deveined and halved long way

Preheat the oven to 400. Season cod with salt, pepper and olive oil then lay them flat on a greased, foil-lined baking tray.  Roast for about 15 minutes.  Remove with a spatula and place in a large serving tray.  Top with cream sauce.

In a medium sauce pan start the butter, shallots and garlic on medium heat and let cook until the onions are just turning brown.  Add flour and mix well, keep stiring for 10 minutes or until the flour begins to just get lightly brown.  Add the cream and the vegetable stock and mix well.  Let this cook for about 15 minutes or until reduced by half.  Now add the shrimp and let cook for 10 more minutes.  Serve over top of fish.

Sweet Potato and Roasted Pear Mash
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 barlet pear, halfed and destemmed
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg

Wrap the potatoes with foil and roast in the oven at about 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until they are soft to the touch.  Roast the pear for about 20 minutes or until soft as well.  Peel the potatoes and the pear and whip it together with the other ingredients.  Make sure you mash everything together well and then whip it together with a whisk or large fork.

Tri-Color Salad with Pears and Hazelnut
1 head Raddicchio, sliced thin
1 large Belgian Endive, sliced thin
1 12oz container of baby arugula
3 oz hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
1/2 Bartlet pear, diced
White balsamic vinaigrette (1 part white balsamic, 1 part EVOO, 1 teaspoon mustard, salt&pepper)

I also tossed together a tomato and mozzarella salad, some fresh roasted beets, steamed broccoli and some sweet dinner rolls to round out the meal.

Thanks to everyone who helped.  2012 was a big year with many memorable events, however I think 2013 will be even better!

Buon Apetito!!!

Black Cod, Chinese Eggplant, Shitake, Soy Basil Sauce

The earthy flavors of Chinese vegetables go great with the meaty textured Cod. Quality fish is the key making this dish a success. The feeds two, costs $20 and takes about 1 hour.

Soy Basil Sauce
2 cup Kitchen Basics vegetable stock
2 tablespoons organic soy sauce
2 tablespoons ponzu
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoons chopped ginger
1/4 piece fresh lemongrass
1 handful fresh basil

Start all ingredients except basil in a small sauce pan and let reduce over medium low heat until about 1/4 cup remains. Strain and reserve 1/8 cup for glazing veggies and meat.  Reduce remaining 1/8 cup to a few tablespoons and then add basil for a finishing sauce.

Roasted Chinese Eggplant and Shitake Mushrooms
Preheat the oven to 375. Slice medium eggplant in half.  Brush with marinade and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes.  After the eggplant has been in for 20 minutes, brush the mushrooms with the marinade and place in the oven for the remaining 25 minutes.

Black Cod
Start a large sautee pan on medium high with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.  Once very hot, add the two Cod filets slowly and let cook for about 4-5 minutes or until golden.  Flip fish and let cook 3 minutes.  Pour remaining marinade in to the pan,with some fresh lemongrass and then place the whole pan in the oven.  Let cook for 7 minutes and remove. Serve over eggplant and mushrooms, top with the finishing sauce.

Buon Apetito!