Tuesday, April 22, 2014

honey-sriracha glazed mahi-mahi, quinoa bleu cheese salad, wilted kale &espellete yogurt sauce



Honey-Sriracha Glazed Mahi-Mahi

Quinoa-Macadamia Nut-Blue Cheese-Tomato Salad

Marinated Kale

Espellete Pepper-Yogurt Sauce

.....Honey-Sriracha Sauce: easiest, most delicious way to prepare fish or poultry. Combine half a stick of melted butter, honey, and sriracha until the spice-sweetness ratio is to your liking. Brush it onto roasted or grilled proteins for a pretty dope little glaze.

roasted artichoke with apricot-thyme aioli


Artichokes Slow Roasted in Herbed White Wine Sauce

Apricot Thyme Aioli

artichoke&cobia stew with carrots, blue potatoes, red onions&braised artichoke hearts


Slow Braised Artichoke Hearts & Pan Seared Cobia

Shaved Blue Potatoes, Carrots, and Red Onions

Creamed Artichoke Broth

Fine Herbs and Micro Flowers

steamed mussles in rosemary-lemon beurre blanc, with vegetables and crostini



PEI Mussles Steamed in Rosemary-Lemon Beurre Blanc

Sauteed Carrots, Fennel, Red Onion

Grilled Bread, Cabbage Flower Garnish

truffled scallop bake


I kinda stole this idea from "Lazy Mans Lobster,"a dish I used to get at a divey Italian restaurant near my house when I was a little kid. Ive made it a million times with lobster, but I had Cassoulet on the mind that day too, so I sorta combined the too ideas. Note: we didn't have any beans on hand at work that day, but white beans would be a GREAT addition to this dish.

Roasted Brussle Sprouts, Heirloom Carrots & Oyster Mushrooms

Pan Seared Scallops

Buttery Breadcrumb Crust

Fine Herbs and Truffle Oil 


Friday, March 14, 2014

cobia, mussles & crab with vegetables in espelette-fennel broth, spiced cashews, scallions.


Sauteed red bell peppers, fennel & oyster mushrooms

Pan seared Cobia, steamed Dunganess Crab & PEI Mussles

Fennel-Espelette Pepper Broth

Espelette Pepper toasted cashews & chopped scallions

Whats "Espelette Pepper" you ask? 

Piment d'Espelette comes from a variety of chili pepper grown in France, in the commune of Espelette. It is sweet, and flavorful with mild spice, and is an absolutely cherished part of French gastronomy. It is one of my favorite spices, and I use it regularly to add something special to a dish.

pan seared ono and pork belly, with soasted brussle sprouts & cippolines, pommes puree, lemon herb beurre blanc


Pan seared Ono & Pork Belly 

Roasted Brussle Sprouts & Cippolines

Pommes Puree with Celeriac

Lemon-Herb Beurre Blanc

Cabbage Flower to garnish

This one is a real crowd pleaser, you can honestly put just about any protein in place of the Ono and pork belly, and it'll work out. I made a similar version at home with pork chops, and my house mates loved it. 

Also, I want you all to know I'm never going to surrender my complete recipes to you.

However, I am going to throw you one today, and maybe some cool techniques here and there. Because I'm a grown-up, and I can meet you in the middle. 

BEURRE BLANC (a-la-cassina)

-Literal translation: "white butter"

-This is a classic french sauce, you really cant go wrong with Beurre Blanc. Its an emulsion, which means you are literally suspending the fat molecules from the butter and cream, in the white wine. Like other emulsions, ie hollandaise or bernaise, it can break, so follow directions and don't try to rush it. For goodness sake, cook over medium low heat. 

-What you need:

--heavy cream, no more than a cup
--1 lb of butter---COLD---that's important
--1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
--finely chopped rosemary and/or thyme
--1 lemon
--1/4 cup white wine
--salt to taste

First, chop your butter into small cubes, throw it in the freezer before you start the rest. Use a little oil to sweat out the onions (cook em slow till transluscent) over med-low heat. Throw the chopped herbs at the end, and toast them lightly. Then, add the white wine and reduce over med heat (REDUCE: cook it down, let the water evaporate from the wine, it'll get thicker, and literally reduce to a smaller amount. You want the liquid to be at a steady simmer, or low boil). Add half a cup of the cream, turn the heat down a little to med-low, and reduce that as well. Next, whisk in the cold butter cubes a little at a time until the sauce is as thick, and buttery as you like it. Add salt and lemon juice last to taste.