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!!!

Polenta Crusted Chicken, Tricolor Salad, Bartlett Pear, Toasted Hazlenuts

Chicken and salad is about as basic as it gets.  With a little more effort you make that ordinary dish amazing. This recipe feeds three, costs about $15 dollar and takes 30 minutes or less.

Polenta Crusted Chicken
1 cup fine ground polenta (cornmeal)
1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
3 thin sliced chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil


In a large frying pan start the oil on medium heat and let heat for 10 minutes.  While heating the oil, mix the polenta and the flour.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in bowl with beaten eggs, then coat the breast with the polenta mixture.  Push hard  for a good crust.  Dust off excess crust and fry in heated oil for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden.  Let sit on paper towel.


Tricolor Salad
1 head of Radicchio
1 head Belgian Endive
1 bunch of arugula
1 Bartlett pear, diced
1/4 cup of hazelnuts, chopped and toasted


Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons real 25 yr old balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 small shallot, diced
1 pinch marjoram
salt and pepper
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a large salad bowl.  Add Salad season with a little salt and pepper and toss with the vinaigrette.  Serve the Chicken Down and the salad on top.  The warm chicken and salad combo makes for a tasty and health dinner.  Thanks to Pad and Dre for coming thru to enjoy.  Buon Apetite!!

Lemon Sole En Papillote with Fennel-Apple-Citrus Slaw

This fast and no mess fish recipe takes only 20 minutes and works great every time. Lemon sole is a bit larger and, in my opinion, tastier then dover sole, plus its half the price. This complete dish take 40 minutes, costs $15 and feeds two people.

Lemon Sole En Papillote

2 6oz filets of lemon sole

1 bunch fennel frawns (or dill)

1/2 orange, sliced

1/2 cup chopped fennel stalks

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 shallots, thin sliced

salt and white pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375. Layout a large piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper (dont use wax paper!). Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Lay fennel frawns on one side and roll the fish starting at the thick side. Place rlled fish on the foil and mix in chopped fennel, celery, shallot, olive oil and orange. Seal the foil making sure its 100% sealed. Place on a backing sheet in the center of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and open carefully, there is hot steam inside. Reserve the liquid inside the foil as a sauce.

Fennel Apple Citrus Slaw

1/2 head of cabbage, shredded

1 fennel bulb, shredded

2 gala apples, julienne on a mandolin

2 bartlett pears, julienne on a mandolin

4 celery stalks, peeled and julienne on a mandolin

2 shallots, julienne on a mandolin

2 carrots, shredded

handful of celery leaves, left whole

1/4 cup fresh squeezed navel orange juice

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/8 cup guava juice

2 tablespoons truffle honey (or regular honey)

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

3 teaspoons celery salt

3 teaspoons dry dill

4 teaspoons kosher salt

4 teaspoons white pepper

Use a box grater to shred and a mandolin to julienne all the items. Mix together and let stand 30 minutes. Mix again and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Buon Apetito!

Braised Rabbit with Almond Puree and Sauteed Swiss Chard

This somewhat complex dish is a traditional northern Italian preparation of rabbit. I added a few ingredients to customize the dish and add some earthy and delicious flavors. It costs about $30, takes 1.5 hours and fed two very hungry men.

Braised Rabbit

1/2 a farm raised rabbit, cut to three pieces

1/2 organic white onion, chopped,

2 large organic carrots, peeled and chopped

1 organic leek, chopped

1 organic jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 organic celery stalks, chopped

8 cloves organic garlic, chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tangerines, juiced and zested (optional, oranges are a good sub)

1 bunch fresh thyme, whole

1 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup flour

Remove rabbit from the package and clean. In a small pyrex bowl place the rabbit with 1/8 cup of olive oil, crushed red pepper, one tangerine juiced and zested, salt and 3 cloves of garlic and let sit for at least an hour. Start the oven at 350. Start a large dutch oven or LeCrusset on medium heat and add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Remove rabbit from marinade and pat dry. Dust the rabbit in the flour and shake off excess. Sear the rabbit till golden on each side, about 5 minutes. Remove and let rest on a baking rack. In the same pan add a bit more olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Add onions, carrots, peppers, leeks, celery and garlic and cook for 7 minutes or until onions become translucent. Deglaze the pan with some white wine or clear alcohol, I used cointreau to stick to the orange theme. Now add orange juice, tangerine juice, tangerine zest, chicken stock and thyme. Bring this mixture to a lite booil and then add the rabbit pieces. Cover the pot and place the whole thing in the oven for 45 minutes.

Remove the rabbit pieces and set aside. Strain the remaining liquid and place the strained liquid in a small saucepan. Place on low to reduce, add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon braising liquid sauce over the rabbit.

Almond Puree

1/2 cup blanched and peeled almond (you can buy them like this)

2 organic bartlet pears, halved and cored

2 organic gala apples, halved and cored

1/4 organic leek, thin sliced

1 tablespoon truffle honey

1/8 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons of water

salt and white pepper

Place the almonds and leeks along withe the pears and apples cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 or until pears and apples are soft. Peel skins from apples and pears and place all the cooked items plus the truffle honey in a blender or food processor. Start pureeing and slowly add the olive oil. Then add the water to get a smooth even consistency. Season to taste.

Sauteed Swiss Chard

2 bunches organic swiss chard, stemmed and chopped

6 cloves organic garlic, medium chop

1/2 organic red onion, medium dice

3 tablespoons of butter

3 tablespoon olive oil

Start a large saute pan on medium low heat. Add olive oil and butter then onions and garlic. Let cook for 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally until the onions and garlic are soft and lightly golden. Add chard and toss, let cook 7 to 10 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Plate it all up and get to grubbing! Buon Apetito!!

Pan Seared Grouper with Watercress, Sprouts and Jicama Salad

This is a great lunch or early dinner salad that packs protein and tons of flavor. This feeds 1, costs $10 and takes 30 minutes.

Pan Seared Grouper
6 oz piece of grouper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Heat a medium sautee pan to medium high heat. Season grouper with salt and pepper and sear about 4 minutes on each side. Place the pan in the oven and let cook another 7 minutes. remove and let rest 3 minutes and serve.

Watercress, Sprouts, Jicama and Pear Salad
1 bunch babay organic watercress
1 bag organic sunflower sprouts
1 jicama root, julienned
1 red bartlet pear, sliced
2 tablespoons of shelled hemp seeds
1/4 white onion, thin sliced

Tangerine Vinaigrette
2 tablespoon tangerine-clementine juice (oj is an ok substitute)
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1 pinch fresh thyme
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Mix all greens with jicama and pear. Toss with dressing and then toss in hemp seeds and mix once more. Top with grouper and enjoy.

Buon Apetito!

Pumpkin and Squash Soup

I always go through different phases when cooking. I will find something I like and then make a few different versions. I think it improves my abilities to work with new ingredients and helps me refine my palate. Here is my second version of a winter gourd soup, this time it is certainly not vegan, but could be made that way by following the substitutions listed in the ingredient list. This recipe makes about 12 servings.

Pumpkin-Squash Soup
You want equal parts for all three squash, or thereabout.
1 small pie pumpkin, halved and seeded
1 golden acorn squash, halved and seeded
1/2 of a small Calabaza squash, seeded (they tend to be bigger so I used 1/2)
2 teaspoons of pancetta, fine diced (optional)
2 oz vegetable oil
1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 cup of carrots, chopped
5 scallions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalepeno, seeded and chopped
1/2 stick of butter
1 banana, chopped
1 pear, skinned and chopped
1 apple, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons of black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
1 teaspoon fresh marjoram
4 cups of chicken stock (use veg stock for vegan)
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

Garnish: Toasted bread croûtons, chopped scallions and plain yogurt

Halve and remove the seeds from the squash. Place face down on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees, or until they are soft to the touch. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh from the skins and set it aside in a large bowl. Start a large sauce pot on low and add the diced pancetta and let that melt for about ten minutes. Once the fat is rendered out, remove the cooked pieces and reserve them for later. Now add the oil and onions, carrots, scallions, garlic and jalapeño. Let that cook for ten minutes or until the vegetables become soft. Turn the heat to medium and add the butter. Once the butter melts add the banana, pear and apple and let that cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the pear and apple start to soften. Now add the reserved squash, pancetta, seasonings, chicken stock, apple juice and heavy cream. Stir that well and let that come to a boil. Quickly turn the heat to simmer and let it all cook together for about 15 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in a blender and return it to the sauce pot when finished. taste and adjust the seasonings. Garnish and serve.

The jalapeño adds a good spice to the soup, so if you don't like spicy go with a 1/4 of a jalapeño or omit it completely. This one was not as sweet as the butternut squash soup I made previously but was still very delicious. Soup making is really not that difficult and you can follow this format with any ingredients to make your own soup to your liking.

Butternut and Acorn Squash Soup (Vegan)

This was the first course for our dinner party last night. This soup had savory, sweet, rich, spicy and earthy flavors. Omit the Chantilly cream garnish for full on vegan, but it really does help bring it all together. I was at the grocery store and they had this huge display of gourds and squash. I have never worked with golden acorn squash but I figured now was a better time then any other. This recipe feeds 8 and takes 1.5 hours.

Butternut and Golden Acorn Squash Soup
1 medium butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 medium golden acorn (or regular acorn) squash, halved and seeded
1 ripe banana
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 Bartlet pear, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 a medium white onion, diced
1/2 a orange bell pepper, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
5 colves of garlic, smashed and chopped
3 oz olive oil
1/2 a jalepeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
4 cups of vegetable stock (or water)
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the two gourds lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Place them cut side on an aluminum foil covered baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until soft. Use a spoon to scoop the flesh from the skin and set aside. Start and large pot on low heat (2 of 10), add the olive oil and the onions, garlic, bell pepper, jalepeno and carrots and let them cook for 10 minutes. Now add the apple, pear and banana and let cook for 10 minutes. Add the seasonings and then add the vegetable stock along with the reserved roasted squash. Bring that up to a boil then reduce to a simmer and let cook 10 minutes. Now puree the soup. I used my kitchen blender and pureed it in 2 batches, don't over crowd the blender. You could also use a food processor or stick blender. Once the soup is smooth add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Marjoram Chantilly

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoon fresh marjoram, finely chopped

Whip the cream with a hand blender and fold in marjoram.

I crushed up some roasted pumpkin seeds and put a dollop of cream on top. This was the first time I have made this soup which was a mash up of many different recipes and soups i have seen. However this is defiantly not the last time as it was one of the best soups I have ever eaten and certainly the best and most unique I have ever made. The whole dinner party of 8 cleaned their bowls so I will take that as confirmation of success.

Orange Apple Carrot Smoothie

Blending fruits and veggies together is a way to get good flavor and all of your needed vitamins and minerals in one glass. This blended concoction has frozen apple, pear, banana, papaya, a bit of fresh ginger, a handful of baby carrots and some orange juice. It is much tastier then it sounds and is packed with all kinds of good stuff. To your health.

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Fruit Plate

Fruit = Awesome

Strawberries, plum, pear, apple, cherries, walnuts and sunflower seeds.

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