Chicken Cordon Bleu in Mushroom Cream Sauce with Wilted Spinach

This was the first complex recipe dish I had ever made. It was all grilled cheese and bologna sandwiches before this. The reason for cooking was my first real "date" and I wanted to impress, I think I was about 16. It was a challenge for my first culinary endeavorer but I got it done with some short cuts and both the food and date worked out well. Looking back, that was an amazing day. This is my current version. Since I haven't made it in a few years I added some new techniques. This feeds 4, takes about 2 hours to make and costs about $25. The recipe normally has rosemary but I didn't have any so I substituted with thyme and marjoram.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2 oz Vegetable Oil
4 Chicken Breasts, sliced into two thin pieces, lightly pounded
8 slices of good deli ham (I used Board's Head Maple Glazed)
8 slices aged swiss
2 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped fine
1 teaspoon fresh marjoram, chopped fine
16 toothpicks
1 cup of all purpose flour
salt and pepper

Cut the "tenderloin" off of the chicken so you have a nice even whole breast. Now cut the breast into two by laying you knife on the cutting board and running it back and forth evenly and slowly creating two thin chicken cutlets. OR you can by thin cut chicken breast and make it easier. Lightly pound out the chicken between two sheet of plastic wrap, make sure you don't pound it to thin, there should be no holes.

Mix the mustard, honey and herbs in a small dish. Coat one side of the breast with mustard mix and place one piece of ham and one piece of cheese toward the thinner end. Starting at the thinner edge, roll the chicken up and secure the roll by sticking in the toothpicks. Pull the roll tight before inserting the toothpicks. Season the rolled chicken with salt and pepper then coat with flour.



Start a deep large frying pan or large pot on medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the chicken in batches, turn a few times to get a golden crust on each side. This take about 2 to 3 minutes per side. We do not have the cook the chicken all the was through at this point. Just get the good color and set them aside on a plate, we will cook them thorough later.



Mushroom Cream Sauce

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 package of button or crimini mushrooms, washed and sliced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of all purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
salt and pepper

In the same pot that you cooked the chicken, add the onions, garlic and mushrooms and let cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Now add the butter and mix, then add the flour and mix well, let that cook for 3 minutes or until flour is incorporated. Now add the white wine and let that cook down, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream, herbs and stock then salt and pepper to taste. Let that cook down for 10 minutes.

Now add the chicken back to the mushroom sauce and let that cook for 20 minutes on low heat. Remove the chicken and then take out the toothpicks, they should come out easy now.

I cooked some onions in a sautee pan then I turn it up to high. I threw in my spinach and turned off the heat. I let the spinach cook for about 3 of four minutes and constantly stirred. Lay down two chicken rolls and then spoon some of the sauce over the top. Serve the spinach on the side and you have a love making meal. Buon Apetito!

Spaghetti Squash with a Red Clam Sauce

Spaghetti Squash is awesome food. It contains many nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene and it is very low in calories with only 42 calories per 1-cup serving. It is a great substitute for pasta because it is all natural, gluten free and holds up to heavy sauces well. Spaghetti Squash is also very easy to cook and prepare. I saw some really nice little neck clams (the really small ones) and I haven't had a clam sauce in ages. This takes about 1 hour to cook, feeds two and costs about $15.

Spaghetti Squash

1 medium spaghetti squash

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Use a large kitchen knife to cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and soft center. Cover a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil, spray a bit of olive oil and place the squash cut side down. Bake to 45 minutes or until the squash is tender to the touch. Let it cool for at least five minutes. Run a fork from top to bottom and the flesh will come out stringy like pieces of spaghetti, its pretty amazing.



Simple Red Clam Sauce

2 oz olive oil
1/2 organic vidalia onion, diced
5 medium cloves of garlic, chopped
1 red finger hot chili pepper, chopped
1 28oz can of San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes, blended
2 dozen little neck clams
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

Start a large sauce pot on medium low. Add oil, onions, hot pepper and garlic and let cook for 10 minutes or until softened. Puree the canned tomatoes in a blender or food processor and add to the onions and garlic. Let that cook on low for 30 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Start a second deep sauté pan on medium high. Add 1/2 a cup of the tomato sauce and the 1/4 cup of water. Then add the clams and cover. Let that cook for 4 minutes, stir a few times. Uncover and toss in the fresh chopped herbs and crushed pepper. Stir, cover and cook for 3 more minutes. Uncover, throw away any unopened clams. Remove clams and let that sauce reduce for a few minutes.



Scoop out the spaghetti squash and top it with some of the tomato sauce. Put the clams around the spaghetti squash and then spoon the remaining sauce from the clams around the plate. This second sauce is key. Serve the dish with some garlic bread to soak up the remaining sauce. The little necks were perfectly cooked and gave a great flavor to the dish. The spaghetti squash tasted great along with the San Marzano tomato sauce. I pay the extra $3 for them because they are quality and you get a lot of great sauce for only a few extra bucks. Defiantly worth it in my opinion. Buon Apetito!

Chicken Thai Massaman Curry with Scallion-Lime Couscous

Thai Massaman curry is a dish that is a bit more like an Indian curry because of the use of some of the savory spices like nutmeg, clove and cardamom. There are many versions to this dish, so I made it as authentic as I could based on what ingredients I had in the house. This dish whips up quick, about 40 minutes, costs about $20 and feeds 4 people.



Chicken Thai Massaman Curry

- Dry Spice Mix -
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 clove, crushed

- Wet Spice Mix -
1 Jalapeño pepper, chopped
1 Serrano chili, chopped
1 Finger Hot chili, chopped
1 Anaheim chili, chopped
1 bay leaf, crushed
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon grass, chopped

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 lb package of chicken tenderloins, cut into inch pieces
1 large organic sweet potato, diced to 1/2 inch squares
1/2 cup organic carrots, chopped to 1/2 inch squares
1/2 large organic vidallia onion, diced to 1/2 inch squares
4 organic scallions, rough chopped - tops reserved for garnish
1/2 a red bell pepper, diced to 1/2 inch squares
1 small can of bamboo shoots
1 tablespoon soy sauce (or fish sauce, but wifes allergic so soy it is)
1 12 oz can coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut water
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

(I didn't have these three ingredients but they make awesome additions)
1/4 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted cashews or peanuts
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Mix all dry spices together. In a mortar and pestal (or food processor) blend all wet spice mix ingredients into a paste. Mix half of the dry spice mix with the chopped chicken tenderloins. Chop all of the vegetables and turn a large pot to medium heat. Once the pan is very hot, add the oils and then add the chicken. Let the chicken cook for 3 minutes on each side to get color, but do not cook all the way through. Remove the chicken and turn the heat down to medium low. Add the wet spice mix and stir rapidly, let cook for 1 minute. Now add the vegetables (onion, carrot, scallion, bell pepper and sweet potato) and let that cook for about 7 minutes. Now add the cooked chicken, bamboo shoots and the remaining half of the dry spice mix. Mix that well and then add the soy sauce, coconut milk and coconut water. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the basil leaves. If you had the pineapple, cashews and/or cilantro, add those at this time as well. Let it stand for about 5 minutes and then serve.



Scallion-Lime Couscous

1 and 1/2 cups water (or vegetable stock)
1/2 cup coconut water
juice from 1 lime
peel from one lime, grated
3 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain couscous

Start a medium sauce pot on high with the water and coconut water. Once it boils add lime juice, lime peel, salt, scallions and couscous. Mix well and cover with aluminum foil and the pot lid to ensure a tight seal. Remove it from the heat and let it stand for at least 10 minutes. Open and fluff with a fork.


I scooped out the soft couscous and ladled out some of the beautiful coconut curry on the side of it. I then topped it with the sliced scallion tops and a wedge of lime. Although there were a lot of spicy ingredients, the dish was not extremely spicy because the coconut milk tempers the spice a lot. Traditionally this is served with rice but I didn't have any rice so the couscous was a great alternative and lighter side that matched perfectly. Enjoy!

Turkey and Smoked Gruyère Panini with Arugula Salad

Who doesn't love a salad and a sandwich for lunch? Here is a quick fix in 15 minutes. The parsley gives the sandwich a bright and fresh taste to compliment the bold cheese.

Turkey and Smoked Gruyère Panini

4 slices of onion multi-grain loaf
1/2 lb of Boarshead Cracked Peppermill turkey
1/8 lb Boarshead Smoked Gruyère Cheese
Handful of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, rough chopped

Mustard Aioli
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
1 drop of agave nectar

Dress all four pieces of bread with the aioli. Place turkey, then chopped parsley, then cheese. Spray or brush the top of the bread with olive oil. Put in on the panini press and cook for 5 minutes. Let it rest on a baking rack or it will become soft on the bottom.

Arugula Salad

1 package of fresh washed arugula
1 roma tomato, chopped

Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of EV olive oil

In a large bowl combine the vinaigrette ingredients except the olive oil. Once well combined, slowly whisk in the olive oil. Toss the tomatoes in with the vinaigrette and mix well, then add the arugula and toss. Add salt and fresh pepper to taste.

Slice the panini cross wise and stack, toss the salad and you have a quick lunch for a great price. Enjoy

Veal Osso Bucco with Vegetable Quinoa

Veal Osso Bucco is a classic Northern Italian classic with that warm and comforty (made up word) felling that is perfect for the fall season. Often it is served with Risotto Milanese but I had some quinoa and though that it would be a healthy and tasty alternative with similar effects. This recipe serves two people and leaves a bunch of quinoa left over for snaking. I have been adding quinoa to the left over fall soup I made in a previous recipe, its awesome!

Veal Osso Buco - 1.5 hours

2 tablespoons pancetta, finely chopped
2 oz vegetable oil
2 veal shanks
1/2 medium yellow onion, rough chop
3 scallions, chopped - reserve green tops for garnish
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups stock (veg, chicken or beef) I used chicken stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme, marjoram and oregano (optional)
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of pepper

Turn the oven on to 325. Start a large dutch oven (oven proof pot with lid) or enamel coated cast iron cooking vessel (ie. le crusset) on low heat. Add the pancetta and let that melt and render out the fat, about 10 minutes. Remove the cooked pancetta and reserve it for later. Salt and pepper the veal shanks and coat with a bit of flour. Add the veg oil to the pancetta fat and turn the heat to medium. Add the veal shanks and cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until they get a nice brown on them. Remove them from the pot and set aside. Turn the heat back to low and add the onions, scallions, tomato, garlic and carrots. Let that cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Now turn the heat to medium and add the red wine. Let that cook for about 5 minutes. Now add the chicken stock. Cook this for about 10 more minutes. Now trun off the heat. Add the reserved veal shanks to the pot, the liquid should be about half way up the shanks. Top the shanks with the fresh herbs. Cover the pot and place the whole thing in the oven. This whole technique is called braising.




Let that cook in the oven for about 1 hour. Remove and throw away the herbs. Remove the shanks from the pot and set aside. Puree the vegetables and liquid using a stick blender or traditional blender. Add the shanks to the pot and top them with the blended sauce. Cover and put it back it to the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove and serve. This may sound gross to many but the bone marrow (soft material inside the bone) is the best tasting stuff on earth. Don't knock it till you try it.



Vegetable Quinoa - 25 minutes

1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup red bell pepper, fine chop
1/2 cup broccoli florets, pared into very small pieces

Quinoa is a very healthy alternative to rices and grains. It is actually a sprouted seed and therefore has lower carbs and higher protein then traditional starch sides like rice or potatoes. EAT IT! The quinoa must be thoroughly rinsed. I do this by placing the quinoa in a large strainer and running cold water over it while tossing it my hand. You could also soak by placing the strainer and large bowl full of cold water and working the quinoa with your hands.

Place the quinoa, water, stock and salt in a medium sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Once it boils add the chopped bell pepper and broccoli. Cover tightly and turn the heat to low (1 of 10). Let it cook for 15 minutes and then turn off the heat. Let it stand for at least 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork. This dish is super easy and is a completely nutritional stand alone meal. There will be plenty of leftovers.


Just scoop out some quinoa on a plate and place a veal shank beside it. Top it with some extra gravy and some sliced scallion tops. This is really not that difficult to make and is a smash hit with most people. Add a glass of some Italian Barbaresco or Chianti Classico and you have a restaurant quality meal for about $30 including wine. Boun 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.

Chicken and Provolone Panini

Fun Fact: Fresh Rick's was originally going to be a gourmet sandwich shop in Hoboken, NJ.

That ended up not working out, but I still make some pretty awesome paninis. Here is my lunch from the other day.

Turkey and Provolone Panini

4 slices of Italian sandwich bread
1/2 lb sliced chicken breast from the deli
4 piece of deli provolone cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 teaspoon olive oil mayo
1 teaspoon honey mustard
1 splash white balsamic vinegar

Mix the mayo, honey mustard and vinegar to make the sandwich dressing. Dress both side of the bread. On one side place the chicken, then lay out one layer of fresh basil. Now top it with the cheese. Place it on a hot panini grill that has been sprayed with a touch of olive oil. Also spray the top of the bread with some olive oil as well. Close the panini grill and press down lightly. After 3 minutes press down firmly. Remove from the grill and place on a cooling rack or it will get soggy on the bottom. Slice crosswise and serve.



I am still thinking about unleashing this sandwich shop on the general public, but down here in South Beach. All the leg work is done, now I just need $200k...

Seafood Lasagna

This is the second part to our dinner party this past Saturday. I made a variation of this dish about 6 years ago and haven't done it since. It is a time consuming and detailed recipe but when you get it all right there may be no other better lasagna in the world. To add to the awesomeness of this recipe my friend Shawn caught some Florida lobsters while out on the boat earlier that day, and fresh is always best. Another big thanks to my buddy Josue for Sous cheffing this dish with me.

This recipe feeds 8 to 10 people and I made two trays (one small, one big). Total time is about 3 hours. Total cost: priceless (about $80)

Seafood Lasagna
1/4 cup pancetta, diced
2 oz EV olive oil
1/2 cup medium white onion, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup orange bell pepper, diced
6 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
1 lb of u25 peeled, deveined shrimp, cut into 5 equal piece each
1 lb of sea scallops, cut to into the same size as the shrimp (about 4 per scallop)
8 oz jumbo lump crab meat
8 oz fresh Florida lobster, chopped in 1/2 squares (same size as shrimp)
1 lb fresh spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1.5 cups of whole milk Ricotta cheese
1 pint of heavy cream (2 cups)
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup grated Parmesan chesse, grated
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
10 sheets of fresh semolina pasta dough, a little bigger then the lasagna pan.
Here is my Homemade Pasta Recipe (Thickness level of 3 for lasagna)

Get a large stock pot filled with water and about two tablespoons of salt started on high heat. This will be for the pasta which we will cook right at the end.

Start a large sauce pot on low heat (1 of 10). Add the pancetta to the pan and let it cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. This will render the fat out of the pancetta, you could substitute bacon, but pancetta is WAY better. Once the pancetta is browned remove it from the pan, dice it up and reserve it for later, but leave the fat. Add the olive oil and they onions, carrots, garlic, and bell pepper and let cook for 15 minutes or until it almost melted. Turn it up to medium low (3 of 10) and add the seafood, without the crab (its cooked). Stir often to make sure you cook the seafood through evenly, only about five minutes. Now add the crab meat and the chopped spinach. Mix it up and let that cook for 3 minutes. Add the seasonings, herbs, heavy cream, ricotta, butter and the reserved pancetta mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Now add most of the grated Parmesan and Pecorino and turn back down to simmer(reserve about 1/4 cup of cheese). Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.



Now add your fresh pasta sheets to the water two at a time and let them cook for about 5 minutes or until al dente, do not overcook them as it will lose an important texture factor and structural component of the lasagna. Remove them from the water and drain. This works well if you have a pasta insert or large strainer to pull the sheets out. Repeat until all the sheets are cooked.



In a large lasagna pan (I used a Pyrex 15"x10"x2" pan and a Pyrex 9"x9" square) add a large spoon full of the liquid from the seafood sauce to coat the bottom of the pans, this prevents the pasta from sticking to the bottom. Now add two pasta sheets making sure to overlap them in the center by about 1/2 and inch. Now trim the excess so the sheets fill the pan perfectly, but leaving no spot uncovered. Now scoop the seafood mixture on top of the pasta, spread it evenly (about 1/3 for the large and 1/6 for the small pan). Sprinkle with some of the grated cheese you had reserved. Top that with two more fresh pasta sheets, make sure to overlap the center and trim the outside to fit the pan. Add the second part of the mixture to each pan and sprinkle on more grated cheese (about 1/3 for the large and 1/6 for the small pan). Reserve about 1/2 a cup of just liquid from the seafood mix for the top. Finally add the top two sheets and spoon the reserved liquid evenly on top, sprinkle a bit more cheese on top. Place it in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove and let it stand for at least ten minutes, this will allow it to firm up and not run all over when you serve it. Garnish, slice and serve. I also made some garlic bread to go along with it so that I could soak up all the seafood goodness.



We had a total of 8 people and this dish worked out perfectly. Everyone cleaned their plates and I had a whole small pan leftover for Sunday football. It was great the second day also. Between the soup and lasagna we had a little side salad that consisted of arugula, sliced pear, red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds and a white balsamic vinaigrette. Thanks everyone for eating and cleaning, I had a great time. This may have to become a regularly scheduled event.

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.

Eggs Benedict

This is my all time favorite breakfast. Its another one of the seemingly easy classics that most every restaurant doesn't do right. Its the little details like how to cook the egg and the muffin that make a world of difference in taste and texture. I also made the hollandaise sauce from scratch which is easy but quite the arm workout. I was out of Canadian Bacon so I used some sliced deli turkey breast I had leftover. This feeds 2 people for under $10. Here we go.


Hollandaise

2 eggs, yolks only
2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice (or 1 teaspoon vinegar)
1 teaspoon of hot sauce (or a pinch of cayenne pepper)
1 teaspoon warm water
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt
1 stick of butter, melted in the microwave

Start a small sauce pan with 2 cups of water, bring it to a boil and turn it to simmer (low). In a metal mixing bowl add all the ingredients except the butter. Whisk the ingredients for 3 minutes or until the mixture doubles in size. Now place the metal mixing bowl over the top of the sauce pan (rest it on top) and whisk for another 2 minutes. Have someone else (a lot easier) slowly pour in the butter while you continue to whisk the mixture. Whisk for 5 minutes once the butter has been incorporated. Place in a warm area, like near the stove top, and whisk every few minutes until you use it so that it doesnt seperate.

Poached Eggs
4 cage free eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Fill a medium sauce pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoons of white vinegar. This helps the egg white stay together. Crack the eggs into a ladle and slowly lower the ladle in to the water, wait 30 seconds and turn the ladle over. Repeat this process with all 4 eggs, place the first egg in the pot at "6 o'clock" and the second at 9 o'clock, 3rd at 12 and 4th at 3. This way you know which was the first egg you put in. 4 minutes after first egg was put in, scoop it out with a slotted spoon and place it on a flat side plate. Grab the rest of the eggs, in order and one at a time and place them on the side plate. Put a few spoons of hot water on the the plate to keep the eggs hot and moist, cover with a pot lid for a few extra minutes of holding time.

English Muffins and Meat
2 English muffins
2 tablespoons of butter

Remove the 2 muffin from the package and DO NOT split them. Bake the whole english muffins in a toaster oven or conventional oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Start a medium sauté pan with the butter. Take the muffins from the oven and open them, careful they will be hot. Place them face down in the saute pan until they get golden brown. At this point I added the turkey to the pan to get it some color and bring out the flavor, let it cook about 1 minute on each side. Turn the english muffins over and let them brown up a bit on the bottom while the meat cooks.


To plate place each side of the muffin on a plate, top that with the turkey. Place a poached egg on each muffin and top with the hollandaise. I added a bit of basil for color and because the pictures weren't as delicious looking without. SO now you know my favorite breakfast, what is yours??

Handmade Fettuccine in Garlic Alfredo Sauce

When I made the spaghetti the other night I also rolled out some fettuccine as well. For that recipe see the previous blog post. Like the previous post, fettuccine alfredo is often done at cheap restaurants but when done properly it is one of my all time favorite dishes. Its also super quick and simple to make so this was done in under 30 minutes and feeds two.

Alfredo Sauce
4 medium garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
1 oz extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 stick of salted butter
1/2 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chopped parsley (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper

Start a medium saucepan on low (2 of 10) and add the garlic and olive oil. Let that cook until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and cook and reduce for 5 minutes. Add the butter slowly whisking it in to incorporate it, cook for 10 minutes. Add the cheese slowly by whisking it in as well. Once the sauce is combined add the parsley and black pepper.

Cook the fresh pasta, about 1/2 a pound, for 4 minutes (hard pasta for 2 minutes less then the box says). Scoop the pasta out of the water and put it directly into the Alfredo sauce. Let the two cook together for 5 minutes and plate it up. Top it with some fresh shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper.

Good cream, cheese and butter make a big difference since they are the major ingredients. Buon Apetito!

Handmade Spaghetti in Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce

Spaghetti and tomato sauce are as standard issue as it gets for culinary creations, however when you make all the ingredients precisely and from scratch you get a truly magical combination that whisks you away to a bustling trattoria somewhere in Tuscany... I would go right now, but I can't so I have this recipe to hold me over until I can get that trip planned.

This takes about 2 hours from start to finish and feeds 4 people. About $15 total cost.

Handmade Spaghetti

2 cups semolina flour
2 cups all purpose flour
6 large eggs
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of salt

Thoroughly sift together all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and pinch of salt. On a clean surface, make a mountain out of flour mixture then make a deep well in center. Break the eggs into the well and add olive oil. Whisk eggs very gently with a fork, gradually incorporating flour from the sides of the well. When mixture becomes too thick to mix with a fork, begin kneading with your hands.
Knead dough for 8 to 12 minutes, until it is smooth and supple. Dust dough and work surface with semolina as needed to keep dough from becoming sticky. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough with a pasta machine (I left it thick at level 4) and use the spaghetti cutter to shape the of noodles. Toss with a bit of flour and let dry while you prepare the other items. It only needs a few minutes to cook so leave that until last.

Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce (Pomodoro)

12 to 15 roma tomatoes, peeled and seeded (concase)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and rough chopped
1/4 of a white onion, diced
1/2 a roasted orange bell pepper (optional)
1/2 cup of basil loosely packed, torn (not chopped)
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, torn
3 oz of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of kosher salt

HOW TO CONCASE TOMATOES - This is an important technique to learn because tomatoes concase are used in many types of cooking. Start a large pot of water on high, salt heavily. Core each tomato and cut an "X" on the bottom point of each tomato. Toss the tomatoes into the boiling water and let them cook 5 minutes or until the skin starts peeling. While they cook get a large mixing bowl and fill it 1/4 with cold water and 1/4 with ice. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and plunge in the ice bath. Once cooled, peel the skins from the tomatoes and squeeze them over a clean bowl to get the excess water and seeds (this is why you cut the X in the bottom). Chop the remaining tomato bodies and put aside. Strain the seeds and water into a separate bowl to get tomato water, which I use for salad dressings and gazpachos.

Start a medium sauce pan on low (1 of 10) and add garlic, onion and olive oil. Let that cook at about 25 minutes or until garlic and onion are soft. Now add the chopped tomatoes concase. Let this cook for about 20 minutes, add the oregano, roasted pepper and salt. Let cook 5 more minutes and then puree the mixture with a stick blender or in a food processor. Add fresh basil.


Cooking the Pasta

Again technique is the difference between chef boyardee and chef Rick, so pay attention. Add the fresh pasta to boiling and heavily salted water (I used the water I boiled the tomatoes in). Let cook for 3 minutes, it should be slightly undercooked. Using a pasta spoon or tongs, add the fresh pasta directly into the fresh tomato sauce and mix thoroughly, let some of the water get into the sauce, its ok. Let that continue to cook on low for 5 minutes. Plate it up and top it all with Freshly Shaved Parmesano Reggiano cheese. Wow, simple perfection. I owe the inspiration and technique for making this dish to my Chef, Scott Conant. Buon Apetito!!

Spice Rubbed Pork Chop with Wilted Arugula and Apple-Thyme Butter

This quick and tasty dish take less then 30 minutes to make and hits all the right taste buds. Plus it feeds two people for about $10. So today I made this for lunch instead of overpaying at a bad restaurant.

Spiced Rubbed Pork Chop

2 bone-in pork chops (about 8 oz with bone)
1 teaspoon of Agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice powder (or garam masala)
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon of coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 oz vegetable oil

Start the oven at 350. Put a large frying pan on medium high heat (7 of 10) and add the oil. Coat the chops in the agave or honey and coat with the spice rub. Once the oil is hot place the pork chops in the pan, bone side to the center. Let cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the pork gets a little charred. Turn the chops over and place the whole pan directly in the oven. Let that cook for 12 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the chop. Remove from the oven and let it rest at least 7 minutes before serving.

Apple-Thyme-Butter Sauce
1 red delicious apple skinned, cored an diced
1/2 stick of salted butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 pinch of 5 spice powder (or garam masala)

Start butter in a small saute pan on medium low heat (4 of 10). Once the butter has melted and started to brown, add the diced apples and let them cook together for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add thyme and 5 spice powder.

Wilted Arugula
2 big handfuls of arugula, about 10 oz
1/4 onion, diced
1 oz olive oil

Start a medium sauté pan on low add olive oil and onions. Let that cook for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the pork has finished resting and the apple sauce is done, addthe arugula to the pan and toss with the oil and onions for about 1 minute. Remoive from the heat and add directly to the plate.


The plating is simple with the pork on the plate and the sauce over the top. Fill the greens on to the bone side of the chop and it looks better then anything else you would see from a restaurant for lunch today.

Caprese Salad (Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil)

This is my wife's favorite appetizer/salad. It probably America's favorite too by the sheer number of different restaurants that have one version or another on their menu. Here is my take on this amazingly popular and delicious dish. As always, quality ingredients are imperative.

Caprese Salad

2 fist sized heirloom tomatoes (beefsteak or garden tomatoes are great too)
2 balls of fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn (not chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, torn
2 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 oz balsamic vinegar
1 oz white balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Tear up the basil and oregano, I prefer tearing to chopping because by gently tearing you retain more of the delicate flavors of the herbs. Remove the core from the tomato. Slice each tomato into 5 equal size slices. Salt and pepper both sides of the tomato slices liberally. Slice each mozzarella ball into 4 equal sized slices. Alternate the tomatoes and mozzarella adding a bit of the fresh herbs on each layer. Top the stack with some fresh basil. Slowly pour the vinegars and olive oil over the whole stack with a spoon, making sure you hit each layer. Top with some more salt and pepper and serve.


This is a fast and reliable opener to any meal. It take under 15 minutes to make and requires no cooking. Also it always tastes amazing. What more can I say, Italians know how to eat. Buon Apetito!

Country Fried Chicken with Rick's Famous Mash Potatoes and Green Beans

This dish has classic simplicity but I added some important techniques that make it taste extraordinary. These techniques are more important then the recipe itself. Once you learn the various cooking techniques you can apply them to any protein, vegetable, starch or sauce making new and unique dishes everyday. You start by using a base technique to create a familiar item and then set the stage by surrounding that item with the components that you enjoy. Edible art. Sometimes you make an great dish, other times you make a horrible dish, but you always keep refining your technique and changing the outcome. Anyway, enough of my cooking philosophy and on to the food...

This serves recipe 4 people

Country Fried Chicken Breast

4 free range chicken breasts, trimmed of the fat
2 cups buttermilk (or heavy cream)
2 cups of AP flour
2 eggs, scrambled and heavily seasoned with salt and pepper
2 cups of whole wheat bread crumbs
1 cups Panko bread crumbs (sub white or Italian)
3 oz of vegetable oil

Soak chicken breasts in buttermilk (or cream) for at least 10 minutes up to 1 day.

Then get set up for the breading process by laying out three large baking dishes, i like to use 9" round or square baking pans. Put them next to each other and fill the 1st pan with the flour, the 2nd pan with the eggs and the 3rd pan with the breadcrumb mixture. Put a baking sheet at the end, covered with wax paper for your completed chicken breasts.

Take the chicken breast from the buttermilk and let it drain off the excess liquid. Dredge the chicken breast in the flour and shake off the excess, dip it in the egg mixture and let, then place it into the bread crumb mixture making sure to press the breadcrumbs firmly into the chicken breast. Set aside on the baking sheet and finish the remaining breasts. Start a large frying pan on medium high heat (6 of 10) and add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the chicken breasts one or two at a time so you do not over crowd the pan. They are ready quickly, about 5 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Place on a paper towel on the baking sheet.

Rick's Famous Mashed Potatoes

3 large baking potatoes, peeled and large diced
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and diced (1 jarred roasted red pepper, diced)
1/2 vidallia onion, sliced
8 medium cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
3 oz olive oil
1 stick of butter
1/8 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon fresh black pepper

It works best if you do all the chopping first and then start all of the three steps in order because they all take about 30 minutes each to complete.

STEP 1 - Add the olive oil, 1/2 of the butter, the onions and smashed garlic to a small sauté pan and turn to low(1 of 10). Let that cook for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the onion and garlic start caramelizing. Add the heavy cream and some salt & pepper and let cook 5 minutes.

STEP 2 - Fresh Roasted Red Pepper - Turn your oven on broil with the rack at the top. Slice the red bell pepper in half and remove the seeds and white core. Place the halves cut side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and place the pepper under the broiler. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the pepper skin has blackened. Put the two halves into a medium mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 15 minutes then open and peel the skin off of the pepper, it should be easy. It is worth the time and effort to do these fresh.

STEP 3 - Place the peeled and chopped potatoes in a large pot with cold water and 2 tablespoons of salt. If you put them in warm or boiling water you will ruin the texture. Turn the potatoes on high and bring them to a boil. Turn to medium and let boil for another 10 minutes or until fork tender. Drain them and add to a large mixing bowl with the cream-onion-garlic mixture and the chopped roasted red pepper. Add the 2 tablespoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of black pepper and them remaining 1/2 stick of butter. Mash together thoroughly or mix with a hand blender for an even smoother texture. YUM!

Green Beans

1 lb of green beans, trimmed or the ends and washed
1/4 vidallia onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 oz olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
salt & pepper to taste

Blanching Green Beans (or any vegetable)- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. Once the water is boiling add the green beans. Make an ice bath - get a large mixing bowl and fill it 1/4 with water then another 1/4 with ice so the bowl is now half full. After the green beans have cooked for five minutes, drain them and place them in the ice bath. Mix with your hands until the green beans are cooled. This sets the color and makes any vegetable crisp and colorful. AT HOME TIP: I add the green beans to the boiling water from the potatoes so I don't have to do another pot of boiling water, I just pick them out with tongs because they float to the top.

Start and sauté pan on low and add the butter, olive oil, onions and garlic. Let that cook for 20 minutes or until the onion start to get color. Turn up the heat to medium and add the green beans, mix well. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until the green beans get heated through, add salt and pepper to taste.


It sounds like a lot to do for one meal but if you do all the cutting prep work first, then go in this order it all happens very fast; Start the 3 step potato process, blanch the green beans, bread the chicken, mash the potatoes, fry the chicken and then sauté the green beans everything will be done at around the same time. Practice makes perfect. The three techniques to take from this recipe are blanching vegetables, making homemade roasted red peppers and frying up breaded chicken. Three basic but very important techniques. Good luck.

Middle Eastern Plater

Some of the best tasting and healthy food comes from the middle east. I make many variations on this platter depending on what I have around the house and can get fresh that day. This one includes homemade hummus, homemade tabbouleh, Greek style yogurt, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, fresh mint and olive oil.

Hummus
1 can of chickpeas
3 medium cloves of garlic, smashed
3 oz of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 a lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Add 2 cups of water to a saucepan and add the chickpeas and the garlic, turn to medium high and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes and turn it off. Add the chickpeas to a food processor with a few tablespoons of water from the pot. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth. Chill and serve.

Tabbouleh

1/2 cup cooked bulgar wheat (1/4 cup uncooked #2 bulgar)
1/2 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1/8 cup cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/8 cup of onions, diced
3 oz of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 a lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of cumin

Start 1 cup of water on high in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add bulgar wheat and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir and then turn of the heat and cover. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Drain with a strainer. Mix bulgar wheat and all of the other ingredients. Stir to combine well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.


I plated up two servings of tabbouleh, hummus and yogurt, then chopped some cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. I finished the platter off with fresh chopped mint, paprika lemons and extra virgin olive oil. Finally I toasted up some whole wheat pita breads and had a healthy and delicious dinner.

Turkey "Picadillo" with Coconut Cilantro Rice

Picadillo is a popular Cuban style dish, normally made with ground beef. I substituted turkey because its healthier and has less saturated fat. This is a great 1 pan meal that you can make in mass quantity because it is even better the next day.

Picadillo

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup white onion, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
1/4 cup of green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 small can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of vegetable stock or water
1/3 cup of raisins
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of chili powder
3 cloves
3 bay leaves
1/3 cup of Spanish olives with pimentos, halved
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh oregano, chopped
salt & pepper

Start a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook until all the pink is gone. Add onions, jalapeño, bell pepper and garlic, cook for five minutes. Next add the canned tomatoes, stock, raisins, cumin, chili powder, cloves, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Once that gets heated through, turn the heat down to low and cover. Let this cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add the olives, cilantro and fresh oregano. Turn off the heat, stir to combine the ingredients and let stand for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Coconut Cilantro Rice

1 cup long grain white rice
2 oz coconut oil
1 tables spoon of salt
10 cilantro stems

Follow my fool proof rice method listed here. Add oil and salt to the rice before starting the cooking process. Right before you cover it and put it to low add the cilantro stems.

Put it together and you have a traditional Latin style meal. I topped it with some fresh avocado, you can add plantains if you have them to complete the trifecta. I am writing this while eating the leftovers and they are awesome. Enjoy!

Chicken Milanese

This is another one of those fast, cheap and delicious recipes that never gets old. You should be able to go from start to finish in under 45 minutes, an hour if you take your time. You can substitute pork, veal or turkey for the chicken and it remains just as awesome.

Chicken Breasts

4 free range chicken breasts, trimmed of the fat
2 cups of AP flour
2 cups Panko bread crumbs (sub white or Italian)
2 eggs, scrambled and heavily seasoned with salt and pepper
1 cups of Italian bread crumbs
3 oz of vegetable oil

First get set up by laying out three large baking dishes, i like to use 9" pie rounds or squares. Put them next to each other and fill the 1st with the flour, the 2nd with the eggs and the 3rd with the breadcrumbs. Put a baking sheet at the end, covered with wax paper for your completed chicken breasts.

Then, place a single chicken breast on a large cutting board and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Lightly pound the chicken breast with the smooth side of a mallet, starting at the center and working outward. They will be about 3 times bigger then when you started, or about 1/2" thick. Don't hit it to hard or it will start to break up, practice makes prefect on this one.

Dredge the chicken breast in the flour and shake off the excess, dredge it in the egg mixture and drain off the excess, then dredge it in to the bread crumb mixture making sure to press the breadcrumbs firmly into the chicken breast. Set aside on the baking sheet and finish the remaining breasts. Start a large frying pan on medium high heat (6 of 10) and add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the chicken breasts one or two at a time so you do not over crowd the pan. They are ready quickly, about 5 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Place on a paper towel on the baking sheet.

Balsamic Viniagrette

3 oz good aged balsamic vinegar
3 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh marjoram or other aromatic herb (basil, thyme, oregano)
salt & pepper to taste

This is the best and easiest salad dressing to make ever. Mix all of the ingredient except the oil and whisk together. Slowly add the oil and keep whisking. Thats it, perfection is easy sometimes.

Salad

5 roma tomatoes, cut into 1/8 sections lengthwise
4 hand fulls of arugula or Italian salad blend (I prefer to use a blend of treviso, endive and arugula but this is what I had)
1/2 sweet vidialia onion thin sliced

Make the balsamic vinaigrette in a large salad bowl. Cut the tomatoes and onions and add them to the balsamic vinaigrette and let them soak at least 15 minutes. Once the chicken is done, add the salad mix to the tomatoes and toss. Place one piece of chicken on each plate and top it with your salad. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the whole thing and garnish with a lemon wedge.

This recipe feeds 4 people and costs under $20. Add a few bottles of your favorite wine and you have a perfect double dinner date. I want to give a big thanks to Josue, for kitchen work, and Laura & Nicole for clean up. Good Times!

Lemon Chicken with Brussel Sprouts

My wife loves lemon, hence she loves the lemon chicken that I make. This time I added some more of her favorite ingredients (cilantro, ginger, large amounts of black pepper) to my standard way of making this dish to make her even happier, if at all possible (notice the sarcasm). The results were excellent, which goes to show that creativity doesn't have to be in creating a new dish, it can be simply tweaking a standard to get a new twist on familiar flavors.

Lemon Chicken

4 pieces of thin sliced chicken breast (boneless skinless thighs work good also)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 a red onion sliced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, fine dice
1 tablespoon of lemon peel, fine dice
1 cup of vegetable or chicken stock (or water)
1 lemon, juiced
1 handful of cilantro, chopped
salt and lots o black pepper (1 salt to 2 pepper ratio)

Start a large sauté pan on medium high (6 of 10) and add some vegetable oil to coat the pan. Season the chicken breasts liberally with the salt and pepper, then dredge them through the flour on both sides. Add them to your hot pan making sure you DO NOT OVERCROWD THE PAN. As they get golden on each side flip and cook for 4 minutes on the other side. Once all of the chicken is cooked and moved aside we can start the sauce. In the same sauté pan add a tablespoon of butter and then your onions, cook them for five minutes or until the start browning. Then add the lemon peel and ginger and cook for 3 minutes. Now add a tablespoon of flour to the onion mix and stir constantly until no more white flour is visible and the flour mix starts to brown a bit. Now add you stock to the pan and mix well. Let that cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until reduced to a sauce consistency. Now add the lemon, cilantro and some salt and pepper to taste. Stir and let cook for 3 more minutes. Add the already cooked chicken back to the pan and turn off the heat. Let it sit for a few minutes and then serve.

Brussel Sprouts

1 package brussel sprouts, halved and trimmed
1 tablespoon of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
salt and pepper

Brussel are easy to make using this method. Start a large frying pan on medium heat. add the butter and olive oil. Once melted add the brussel spouts cut side down in the pan. Cover and cook for ten minutes or until they get a bright green color. Uncover and turn up the heat to medium high. Let then cook for about five more minutes and then add the salt and pepper and lemon juice. Turn off the heat and recover them for 3 minutes to let the salt,pepper and lemon juice to soak in. Thats it.

Thanks babe for the idea of adding the new ingredients to our old favorite. This was all done in under 45 minutes and the dish scales to serve many people real well. Plus its a crowd please! Buon Apetito

Pancakes 3 Ways with Apple Compote and Homemade Banana-Nectarine Ice Cream

Breakfast for dinner is always a welcomed change. Especially when it consists of pancakes. My boy DRock was over the house and he gave me the idea to run with.

Pancake Mix
2 1/2 cups AP flour
4 tablespoons sugar
3 eggs
2 cups of almond milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 teaspoonsbaking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons of veg oil

Stir all dry ingredients together then add the wet. Whisk together until smooth and let sit for at least 20 minutes.

Toppings
Blueberries
Peanut Butter
Sliced Bananas
Toasted Walnuts

I made three pancakes of each of the three styles. First was blueberry-banana, second was peanut butter-banana and the thrid was walnut-blueberry.

Apple Compote
2 red delicious apples
1 cup water
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to taste

In a saucepan add apples and 1 tablespoon of butter on medium low. Let that cook until the apples are softened and get some color. Add sugar and water and turn to medium heat and let cook for 15 minutes or until reduced to a simple syrup. Add vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt and turn to super low (simmer).

Homemade Ice Cream - Banana Nectarine

1 nectarine, frozen, pitted and chopped
1 frozen banana, sliced
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons of sugar

This is a fast way to make dessert without the struggle of churning the old fashioned way. Place all the items in a strong blender (I use a vitamix) and spin the ingredients. Stop every 30 seconds to manually push the unblended ingredients to the bottom. Repeat until you have a smooth mixture. Put it in an airtight container like a tupperware and cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap to prevent ice crystals from forming. Take it out and serve after 20 minutes or when mix has rehardened.

Stack one of each of the pancakes, butter each one and put apple compot and ice cream on the side. Shot out to DRock for the idea. I will have to put in a few extra minutes into the morning excercise but it was defiantly worth it.

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Steak and Taleggio Omelet with Breakfast Potatoes Confit

Labor Day weekend is here! I decided to kick it off with a dip in the ocean and an awesome breakfast. I had a bit of left over steak from the other nights dinner and some Taleggio (a soft Italian chesse) from when friends came over last week. Here is how I put it all together.

Breakfast Potatoes Confit
3 medium russet potatoes, large dice
1/2 a large vidallia onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 finger hot pepper, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh chopped oregano
1/8 cup duck fat
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Start the pan on medium and add the vegetable oil. Add the potatoes and let them cook for 15 minutes stirring every few minutes so they cook evenly. Then add the onions, garlic and hot peppers and let that cook for 7-10 minutes or until the onions get some color. Now add the duck fat and let it all cook together for 15 more minutes or until the potatoes are soft and golden. Add the fresh oregano(dried if that what you have), salt and pepper and remove it from the heat. Let it sit for 5 minutes,stir and serve

Steak and Taleggio Omelet
3 eggs
1 oz heavy cream
1/4 mined red onion
2 oz of skirt steak
2 oz Taleggio Cheese (sub anything you like here)
1 teaspoon fresh chopped marjoram
salt and pepper

Start the oven on 350. Whisk eggs and cream together until airy. Start a medium pan on medium low (4 of 10) and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, add the steak and cook for two more minutes. Then add your eggs. Let that cook for 3 minutes then remove it from the heat, top half of it with slices of the Taleggio cheese and add the fresh marjoram. Put the pan in the oven for 5 minutes or until the top is no longer runny. Remove it from the oven and fold it in half.

I put the two together with a toasted and cream cheesed english muffin and some fresh sliced roma tomatoes. I think this is going to be an awesome Labor Day weekend!

Skirt Steak with Chimicurri and Portobello "Fries"

This whole dish takes less then one hour from start to finish.

Diner went really well last night, all three elements of the dish were spot on. Also this is my first time making Portobello fries and they are now my new favorite thing. They are awesome tasting and have almost no saturated fat or cholesterol, plus they are easy to make. The skirt steak, or churassco, is inexpensive, quick to cook and it is a forgiving cut of meat. By forgiving I mean that it stays tender and juicy from medium rare to medium well so overcooking is not as big an issue as a filet or ribeye. Chimicurri is a classic Argentinian steak compliment that has many different variations, below is my style. So here is how it all went down. Serves 2 or 3 people.

Portobello "Fries"

6 medium portobello caps
3 eggs
3 cups of breadcrumbs (Italian, plain or panko: I used Italian)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and de-stem the caps and let dry. Slice the caps in strips about the size of a large steak fry or about 1/2 and inch. Scramble up the eggs in a large shallow dish and toss in the mushroom strips to coat with the egg. Combine the Parmesan and the bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl and then toss in the mushroom strips. Get them well coated with the bread crumbs and lay them flat in a single layer on a baking sheet, make sure they are not touching. Bake for 25 minutes and you have the best new side dish ever.

Chimicurri

1/2 cup of cilantro
1/4 cup parsley
3 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
1/8 cup white vinegar
1/8 cup olive oil
1/8 cup of vegetable oil
teaspoon of red crushed chili flakes
salt and pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until all of the herbs are chopped. Do not leave it on for because it will emulsify, just pulse it about 20 times. Thats it.


Skirt Steak

1 pound skirt steak or churassco (i like the thicker cut, but if you like well done go with the thinner ones)
2 tablespoons of seasoning mix
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (1 teaspoon table salt)

Liberally season the steak with the seasoning mix. After much trial and error this seasoning mix is my favorite for steaks. It doesn't over power the steak it just brings out the natural good flavors of the meat. Start a large sauté pan or flat top skillet on medium high heat (7.5 of 10). Once the pan is hot put in a teaspoon of oil and then the steak, it should sizzle when it hits the pan. Brown the meat on both sides until you get a nice crust. Then move the steak to a foil lined baking sheet and put it in the same oven with the portobello fries. 10 minutes for medium rare (for a thick cut), 13 minutes for medium and 17 minutes for medium well. If you have a thinner cut it will take shorter in the oven. Let the steak rest for at least 10 minutes before you cut it. Otherwise the juices will run all over and the steak will not be as moist and juicy.

Put it all together and you have a relatively quick dinner that is all made from scratch, different then the norm and under $20. Get some.