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!!

Prime Filet Tips, Pea-Basil Puree, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Crispy Leeks

Filet tips are a great way to get a discount on high quality steaks.  The tips are usually half the price of the cuter cut filet mignon and the flavor is exactly the same.  They may not be as pretty as center cut filet but, like anything in life, its all how you present it.  This feeds two, takes 45 minutes and costs $20.

Pea-Basil-Leek Puree
1 cup fresh english peas, blanched (substitute frozen is necessary)
1/2 leek, chopped and blanched
1 handful fresh basil, blanched
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons heavy cream
pinch nutmeg
sea salt
white pepper

Blanch all items starting with peas and leeks until tender.  Then add basil for a minute and chill all three in a ice water bath.  Reserve a cup of the hot blanching water. Add all items to a blender with olive oil, cream and seasonings.  Add a little of the reserved blanching water as necessary to create a smooth puree.

Chanterelle Mushrooms
Clean mushrooms with a brush.  Spray with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place in 375 oven for 25 minutes or until roasted.

Crispy Leeks
Slice half a leek in thin strips.  Saute on low in olive and butter for 25 minutes.

Roasted Filet Tip
Sear steaks in a hot saute pan and then cook in a 375 oven for 10 minutes or until medium rare.  Slice and fan out.

This is actually very simple to make and takes a little oven 30 minutes.  Buon Appetito!