Prime NY Strip with Rainbow Carrots and Balsamic Onions

This quick meat lovers dish is fast and real easy to make. This costs $30, feeds 2 and takes 40 minutes.

Balsamic Onions
2 organic white onions
6 cloves organic garlic
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan and cook on medium low until all liquid is reduced.  Add additional balsamic if onions are not to desired softness but liquid is dried up.

I found a bag a peeled mini rainbow carrots in the veggie section of the grocery store.  I roasted them on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

Sear the 18oz NY strip steak on medium high heat until golden on each side.  Place in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes for medium rare.  Let rest 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Buon Apetitio!

Hamachi Kama with Coconut Rice

Hamachi Kama is the collar bone piece of the Hamachi aka Yellowtail. This is normally a throw away piece but those who know understand this may be the tastiest of all. Thanks to Chef Mike Pirolo for the hookup. This easy recipe takes 30 minutes, feeds two and costs...well the fish was free so probably $12 or so.

Hamachi Kama

2 pieces frsh Hamachi Kama (ask your asian supermarket of fish monger)

2 tablespoon Nama Shoyu or soy sauce

2 tablespoons ponzu sauce

Preheat the oven to broil. Place the fish skin down of a foil lined baking sheet and place on the middle rack. Let it cook for 20 minutes or until the fish becomes a nice golden brown. Remove and serve

Coconut Rice

2 tablespoons organic coconut oil

2 cups white rice

salt

1 teaspoon mirin

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Start rice, coconut oil, cool water and salt on high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover tightly. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Add mirin and rice wine and paddle through with a spatula.

Serve it up with some fresh lime wedges and ponzu sauce. Buon Apetito!!

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!

Maple Soy Duck Breast with Parsnip Puree, Golden Beets and Broccolini

This quick duck dish looks a lot harder than it actually is to prepare. This costs about $12, feeds one and takes about 40 minutes.

Maple Soy Duck Breast

1 duck breast, thawed and scored

4 tablespoons nama shoyu (organic unflitered soy sauce) or soy sauce

4 tablespoons real maple syrup

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Start a medium sautee pan over medium heat and let get hot for 5 minutes. In a small sauce pan add soy and maple and put over low heat to reduce. Season the skin side of the duck liberally with salt and pepper. Place skin side down in a pan. Let cook about 12 minutes or until the skin is very golden and crispy. Remove from the heat and flip the breast, then brush the soy maple mixture over the top and place the whole pan in the oven. Let cook 10 minutes and remove and let rest. Slice long ways for a better presentation.

Parsnip Puree

1 large organic parsnip, diced

1/2 organic white onion, diced

3 cloves organic garlic

1/16 cup of EV olive oil

salt and white pepper

Start onion, parsnip and garlic in cold water in a medium sauce pan over high heat and bring toa boil. Reduce to medium high until parsnip is fork tender. Drain and add to food processor or a blender. Add olive oil while you are pureeing. If its too thick add some warm water a few tablespoons at a time. Season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Organic Golden Beet

2 small organic golden beets

Halve them and place cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender.

Broccolini

1 bunch broccolini

Blanch the broccolini in boiling water and then plunge in a water and ice bath. Sautee with butter and oil for 5 minutes.

Use the remaining maple-soy glaze for a sauce and there you have it. Simple elegance. Buon Appetito!!

Chilean Seabass with Mashed Potatoes and Swiss Chard

Chilean Seabass has gotten very expensive due to high demand but when its fresh there are few fish that rival its buttery flavor and texture. This dish costs $50 ($35 for the fish) takes about 45 minutes and feeds two.

Pan Roasted Chilean Seabass

2 6oz pieces of chilean seabass

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of olive oil

salt and white pepper

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

2 tablespoons of apricot juice

Preheat the oven to 350. Get a medium non stick sautee pan on medium high heat. Add oil and butter. Season the fish and place in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and then flip. Using a spoon baste the excess butter and oil onto the fish while its cooking. Do the for 3 to 4 minutes. Place the whole pan in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes and remove. Remove the fish from the pan and let rest. Add the parsley and apricot juice to the same pan and let heat up for 3 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the fish.

Mashed Potatoes with Green Chard

2 large white potatoes, peeled and diced

2 bunch green chard, de-stemmed and sliced into ribbons

4 cloves of garlic

1/4 white onion

2 tablespoons of butter

Start a medium stock pot with cold water and potatoes, garlic and onion and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and let cook until potatoes are fork tender. In a separate sautee pan cook the chard with some butter and olive oil for 7 to 10 minutes or until tender. Mix butter, green chard and drained potato, onion, garlic mixture together and mash well.

This is still my favorite fish of all time. Be careful not to overcook it and Im sure you will agree. Buon Apetito!!

Broiled Chicken with Sweet Potato Mash and Roasted Crimini Mushrooms

This is another fast and easy dish that requires only use of the oven and has virtually no clean up. It takes about 45 minutes, costs $10 and feeds two people.

Sweet Potato Mash

2 medium organic sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon coriander

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Start oven a 375. Wrap sweet potatoes in foil and place on the middle oven rack. Let cook for 40 minutes or until tender to the touch. Remove skins and mix all the ingredients together.

Broiled Chicken

2 organic chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

salt and pepper

olive oil

Season chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Place the chicken breasts on a foil lined baking sheet and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Turn the broiler on high and place the chicken two racks down. Let it cook for about 5 minutes or until a nice char starts to occur. Watch closely as it goes from brown to black very quickly. Remove from oven and let stand for 4 minutes. Slice and shape.

Roasted Crimini Mushrooms

2 cups organic crimini mushrooms (baby portabello)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

salt and pepper

Wash and slice mushrooms in half. toss with olive oil, red pepper, salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a foil baking sheet. Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes, put them in at the same time as the chicken.

The sauce is the leftover sauce I made for the rabbit but a simple reduction of chicken stock and onions with some sherry vinegar would be an easy substitute.

Simple, fast, easy, almost no cutting or dishes to do...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!!

Panzanella Salad

This simple, classic salad is refreshing and easy to make. The main components of panzanella are dry or semi stale bread soaked in water or vinaigrette and fresh tomatoes. This salad cost $15, feeds two and takes 20 minutes or less.

Panzanella Salad

1/4 piece of italian or french bread, toasted to dry or semi stale, large chunks

1 organic garden tomato

1 package organic arugula

1 piece fresh buffala mozzarella

Sherry Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh herb (thyme, oregano, basil or whatever)

salt and pepper

Start by making the vinaigrette. Then add the tomatoes and the bread to the vinaigrette and toss. Let sit 5 minutes. Chop the mozzarella into small cubes and then toss the mozzarella and arugula into the tomatoes and bread. Season with salt and pepper. Buon Apetito!!

Basted Egg with Sherry Tomatoes and Potato-Onion Puree

This is a little play on traditional sunny side up eggs and breakfast potatoes. It takes about 10 minutes, feeds one and costs $3.

I used the potato onion puree from the previous recipe on the blog. I cut and pasted here just for reference. I also made a basted egg. This is an egg that is cooked in a saute pan with about and inch of water. You have to continuously "baste" the egg with the excess water in the pan using a tablespoon. Slowly but surely the top of the egg cooks and becomes a perfect cross between poached and sunny side up. I diced some tomatoes and tossed them with sherry vinegar and some fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Organic Potato-Onion Puree

4 small organic yukon gold potatoes, medium diced

1 medium organic vidallia onion, medium diced

5-6 cloves of organic garlic, halved

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons cream

2 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon cream cheese

Put the potatoes, onions and garlic in cold water in a medium pot. Start on medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let cook until potatoes are fork tender. Strain the water off and place in a large food processor or blender. Add butter, oil, cream, cream cheese, and salt & white pepper. Puree until smooth. Add more olive oil as necessary to get a smooth velvety texture.

Line Caught Cobia with Purple Kale, Potato-Onion Puree and Sherry Brown Butter

This is the entree for the three part Cobia dinner. This turned out the best of the three dishes in my opinion and it really highlighted to meaty texture of the Cobia. This takes 45 minutes, feeds 4 and costs about $20.

Pan Seared Cobia

4 5oz pieces of fresh Cobia (or other white fish)

2 oz olive oil

2 oz butter

salt and white pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Start a medium nonstick saute pan on medium heat and let it get very hot. Add butter and oil. Season fish with salt and white pepper and place in the pan two pieces at a time. Let cook for 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Place on a baking rack and place in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove and serve.

Organic Potato-Onion Puree

4 small organic yukon gold potatoes, medium diced

1 medium organic vidallia onion, medium diced

5-6 cloves of organic garlic, halved

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons cream

2 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon cream cheese

Put the potatoes, onions and garlic in cold water in a medium pot. Start on medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let cook until potatoes are fork tender. Strain the water off and place in a large food processor or blender. Add butter, oil, cream, cream cheese, and salt & white pepper. Puree until smooth. Add more olive oil as necessary to get a smooth velvety texture.

Organic Purple Kale

2 bunches organic purple kale, chopped

1/4 vidallia onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

salt and white pepper

In a large saute pan add olive oil and butter and turn to medium. Add onions and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add kale and mix well. Let cook 15 minutes adding more olive oil as necessary.

Sherry Brown Butter

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter (you can use salted)

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Small a small sautee pan on medium low. Add butter and cook for 5 minutes or until the butter starts to brown slightly. Add sherry vinegar and remove from heat. Whisk vigorously. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Buon appetito!! Thanks again to Casey, Harout and Danette for the great fishing trip and amazing dinner.

Cobia Ceviche

Part two of this three part series. Ceviche is awesome and I have never made or tasted cobia ceviche so I decided to experiment. It turned out great. This ceviche takes 10 minutes to make and 30 minutes to cure, costs $10 and feeds four.

Cobia Ceviche

10 oz of fresh line caught cobia, diced

2 limes, juiced

1 lemon, juiced

1/8 white onion, razor thin sliced

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, fine chop

1 jalapeno pepper, razor thin slices

1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

salt

Cut fish into small cubes, try to keep them close to the same size. Use a small pyrex bowl and cover the fish with the lemon and lime juices. Cover and place in the fridge for 20 minutes. Remove and mix in the jalapeno, parsley, onion and ginger. Place back in the fridge for 10 minutes. Season with a touch of salt and serve in a martini glass.

Cobia Sashimi

This is the first of three dishes I made from the fish we caught during our deep sea charter. Shout to Casey, Harout and Danette for a great time. We caught a large Cobia and I decided to make the first dish a simple expression of an amazing fish. This took 15 minutes, costs one fishing trip and feeds 4 as a starter.

Cobia Sashimi

6 oz fresh cobia

1 small piece of ginger, grated

2 tablespoons ponzu sauce

1 teaspoon 5 spice powder

2 tablespoon meyer lemon oil, heated

Slice the cobia very thin and place in a single layer on the plate. Grate fresh ginger on top. Dust with a touch of the 5 spice powder and then right before serving dash with the hot lemon oil.

Thats it...stay tuned for the next two dishes!

Captain Crunch Crusted French Toast Stuffed with a Raspberry-Strawberry Cream Cheese

Obviously this is pure indulgence. But if your going to do it, I say to go all the way. This breakfast of nostalgia wrapped childhood favorites costs about $10 takes 45 minutes and feeds at least two.

Capt Crunch Crusted, Raspberry-Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast
1 loaf Bakery made un-sliced white bread or brioche
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves
1 handful fresh raspberries
1/8 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/8 cup almond milk or regular milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 dash nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon dash salt
2 cups captain crunch cereal, crushed

 Cut bread into four to six 1 1/2 inch slices. Use a sharp knife and cut into the bottom of the bread and cut a pocket into the the bread being careful not to poke through the crust on any side. Then mix the raspberries with the cream cheese and strawberry preserves into a mixture and put it into a plastic zip lock (or piping bag) and cut off the bottom corner of the bag. Stiff the bag into the bread pocket and squeeze the filling mixture into the bread until its full, DONT OVERSTUFF! Then mix the buttermilk, milk and cream along with the vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a shallow bowl. Crush the captain crunch and put into a shallow bowl as well. Dip the stuffed bread into the milk mixture on each side and then into the capt crunch. Preheat oven to 350. Start a medium saute pan on medium high and add some butter. Once hot place the french toast in and let cook 4-6 minutes or until golden. Flip using tongs, not a spatula! Cook on the second side until golden and place on a baking rack. Once they are all golden place the baking rack in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and serve.

Thanks for the idea Ms. Erin!

Seafood Strozzapreti

Strozzapreti is a pasta that is rolled between the fingers to create a tube shape. Strozzapreti means "to choke the priest". There are dozens of stories of why it is called this but either way its great. This strozzapreti is store bought. This takes 30 min, cost $40 and feeds two.

Seaafood Strozzapretti
4 oz lobster meat, chopped
4 oz jumbo shrimp, halved
4 large sea scallops, halved
12oz Strozzapreti dry
1 shallot, diced
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
1 cup white wine
8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
handful of basil, torn into pieces
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and white pepper

Mix all the seafood with olive oil, crushed red pepper, salt and white pepper. Start water and salt heavily. Add pasta to the water. Start two sautee pans on medium heat. In one add shallots, garlic, zucchini and squash. Cook for 10 minutes. In the other pan start the seafood and cook for five minutes. Add the seafood to the vegetables and add the white wine. Once it cooks off add the tomatoes and the basil. Drain the pasta and add it to the veggies and seafood. Season to taste and serve with some toasted garlic bread. Buon Apetito!

Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

A crowd favorite, chicken lettuce wraps are great for a snack, a dinner, lunch, as an appetizer or just because they are delicious. This takes about 20 minutes, costs $15 and feeds 4 to 6 as appetizer and 2 to 4 as a main course. I listed some ingredients as optional so these are not necessary if you do not have them.

Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1 rotisserie chicken (from super market or boston market), meat pulled off the bone
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
1 tablespoon regular oil (veg, canola, etc)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped
4 scallions, bottoms chopped, tops reserved for garnish
6-8 baby carrots, julienne
1 can bean sprouts
2 tablespoons rice wine or mirin (optional)
1/2 cup apricot juice (or oj, water or veg stock)
1 tablespoon apricot jam (optional)
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon five spice powder (optional)
1 teaspoon crushed red chilli flakes (for heat, optional)
1 can crispy rice noodles
1 head ice berg lettuce

Start a medium sautee pan on medium heat. Add oil, ginger, garlic and scallions. Cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add carrots and bean sprouts and cook 2 minutes. Add chicken. Now add rice wine and let cook off. Add apricot juice and jam and mix in well. Then add teriyaki, soy and spices. Let cook for 10 minutes and then remove from the heat. Garnish with left over scallion tops and crispy noodles.

For the lettuce cups just remove the core by hand and carefully peel off the leaves then restack.

This is fast and easy plus I think every person in the world likes these especially children. Buon Apetito!!

Seafood Cioppino with Garden Zucchini Gratin

I started this blog one year ago as a hobby and creative outlet. The first post was a family style dinner and I thought it would be fitting to end the year with an amazing family style post as well. Seafood Cioppino was actually created in SanFran but its origins are in the bouillabaisse dishes of southern Europe. Its key ingredients are shellfish, onions, tomatoes and white wine. Everything else is just to enhance these base flavors and are optional. This costs about $70 and feeds 6. Total time is about 1 hour.

Seafood Cioppino
2 lbs black mussels
2 lbs little neck clams
1 lb bay scallops
1 whole red snapper, filet and cut into 3oz pieces
1 red pepper, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped, frawns reserved
1 vidallia onion, chopped
2 whole leeks, cleaned and chopped
4 green onions, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, rough chopped
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 bottle dry white wine, sauvingnon blanc/pinot grigio
1 bunch fresh thyme, left whole
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

Start a large stock pot on medium and add olive oil to coat the bottom. Add all the vegetables except the tomatoes and let cook 15 minutes or until the begin to soften. Add the tomatoes and let cook 10 more minutes. Add white wine, shellfish, thyme, crushed red pepper and fennel frawns and cover. Cook 10 to 12 minutes stirring occasionally until all of the clams and mussels have opened up. Season with sea salt and pepper. Serve with a ladle.

In a separate sautee pan cook the snapper on medium high for 3 minutes on each side. Top cioppino with some fennel frawns, thyme and snapper filet.


Garden Fresh Zucchini Gratin
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping
1.5 pound vidallia onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)
3 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)
3 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1.5 cup hot milk
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Gruyere
1/4 cup grated aged white cheddar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into two 8 by 10-inch baking dishes. Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.



I also made some simple olive oil bread by slicing a fresh Italian loaf in half and brushing it with olive oil and cooking in the oven for 10 minutes. This was a great meal made much better by having the company of my favorite people in the world, my family. Buon Apetitio!!

Sockeye Salmon, Charred Zucchini, Shrimp & English Pea Cream Sauce

Wild caught Sockeye Salmon is at top of the chart on omegas and simultaneously tastes amazing. This feeds two people, costs $40 and takes 1 hour.

Olive Oil Roasted Sockeye Salmon
2 6oz fillets of sockeye salmon, sliced into 6 pieces
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and white pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Start a medium saute pan on medium high and add olive oil. Once very hot add all the fish, skin side down. Immediately place the whole pan in the oven and let cook for 7-10 minutes or until fish is no longer raw on top. Remove and let stand 4 minutes.

Pea, Pancetta and Shrimp Cream Sauce
2 jumbo shrimp, diced, shells reserved
1 cup fresh English peas, blanched
2 tablespoons diced pancetta
1.5 cups vegetable stock
1/8 cup heavy cream

Start and medium saucepan on medium low. Add pancetta and let render for 10 minutes. Turn up to med and add veg stock and shrimp bodies. Let cook until reduced to 1/2 a cup of liquid. Strain sauce and add cream. Let reduce to half, about 1/4 cup of liquid. Add diced shrimp and peas. Season to taste.

Charred Baby Zucchini with Red Onions
1/2 lb baby zucchini, halved
1 organic red onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 400. Brush a sheet pan with olive salt and pepper and place zucchini cut side down. Brush tops with olive oil, salt and pepper and topped with sliced onions. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until onions are soft andn zucchini are browned.

I have to thanks my friend Suzy for the inspiration in creating the dish and the help with eating it all as well, good times! Buon Apetitio!!

Pancetta Wrapped Veal Loin, Fennel Puree, Baby Potatoes and Braised Radicchio

This delicious recipe is taken from various items that I have seen done at the restaurant where I work. This way by far the tastiest dish done this year. This feeds 2 took 1.5 hours to prepare and costs $40.

Pancetta Wrapped Veal Loin
8 thin slices of pancetta, ask the deli guy
8 oz veal tenderloin, trimmed

Preheat the oven to 300. Season the veal loin with salt and pepper and sear in a medium pan on high until golden on each side. Place on an oven rack and place in the oven until 130 degrees in side, about 10 minutes. Take out and rest until cool about 15 minutes. Wrap with pancetta and pan sear again on medium until pancetta is cooked, about 3 minutes on each side.

Veal Jus
2 cups vegetable broth
1/8 cup veal trimmings
1/4 white onion
1 teaspoon rendered pancetta

Cook all ingredients in a sauce pan on medium low until reduced to 1/4 cup. Strain and reduce by half, let cool and add a teaspoon of butter.

Fennel Puree
1 organic fennel bulb, diced
1 organic leek, chopped
4 cloves organic garlic
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Boil fennel, leeks and garlic in a medium saucepan on medium high until tender, about 12 minutes. Strain an place in a food processor, add cream and blend, slowly add olive oil until puree is smooth.

Crispy Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes
2 lbs organic baby yukon golds
Olive oil, salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a sheet pan with olive oil and season. Place potatoes cut side down and spray with oil and salt and pepper. Cook for 25 minutes until golden. Turn off the oven and let stand in the oven for 15 minutes.

Braised Radicchio
1 head organic radicchio, julienned
1/8 cup pancetta, diced
1/4 red onion, diced

In a medium pan render the pancetta on low, once crisp and onion and cook 5 minutes. Turn up the heat to medium and add radicchio, let cook ten minutes and season.



I also seared some scallions in the same pan I used to finish the veal. I plated it all together and the flavor combinations were amazing. Buon Apetitio!

Pepper and Swiss Stuffed Pork Loin with Spicy Corn and Steak Fries

Pork loin is fairly cheap, tastes great and I haven't done one for the blog yet. This preparation is not that difficult but has great impact if your having guests. This recipe takes 2 hours total (about 45 minutes of work), costs $12 and feeds 3-4.

Pepper and Swiss Stuffed Pork Loin with Chipotle Rub
1 Pork Loin, about 1 pound
4 slices of good swiss cheese
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 Hungarian pepper, sliced thin
1 vidallia onion, sliced thin
6 cloves of garlic
Rub
2 tablespoons dried chipotle
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dry thyme

Slice the pork loin into one flat piece. This can be done by "butterflying" the loin or preferable "roll cutting" the loin. Both Methods can be seen in this video. Season both sides withe rub mixture reserving some of the spice rub for the corn. Now fill the loin with the sauteed peppers mixture along with the 4 pieces of the cheese. Roll up the loin and secure with kitchen twine or silicone ties (as seen in the picture). I use some skewers as well to ensure the roll stays tight. Place the whole loin in a 350 oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes or an internal temperature of 155 is reached. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes. Slice and serve.



Steak Fries
3 large Idaho russet potatoes, sliced into large wedges
2 cups veg oil

Heat the vegetable oil in a small saute pan over medium heat until is reaches frying temp. Add the fries and turn as they get a light brown. Once they are all done drain on paper towels and let cool. Now add them back into the oil and turn until a nice rich golden brown is achieved. Season with salt and pepper immediately.

Spicy Corn
3 fresh ears of corn, cut into three pieces each
2 tablespoons of the dry spice rub from the pork

Boil corn in a pot of water for 5 minutes. Let dry a bit. Roll the corn in the spice mix and place in the oven for 5 more minutes.

Chipotle Raspberry Sauce
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup guava juice
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
6-8 fresh raspberries
1 teaspoon butter

Reduce chicken stock and guava juice to 1/3 a cup of liquid. Add any of the pan juices left over from the pork. Then add the mustard and raspberries and let cook 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the butter and serve over the pork loin.

Buon Apetito!!

Pork Belly Hash Skillet

I had some amazing left over pork belly from dinner last night at my friends' place PubBelly. This one pan breakfast dish comes together in 20 minutes and really highlights the richness of the amazing porkbelly. It costs about $5 and feeds one.

Pork Belly Hash Skillet
1 small organic idaho potato
1/8 red bell pepper, julienne
1/8 white onion, julienne
3 oz pork belly (good substitutes are bacon, ham or turkey)
2 eggs
3 teaspoons of oil

Start a small saute pan on medium. Add oil and potatoes and cook 10 minutes or until potatoes brown. Add peppers and onions and cook 5 more minutes. Add chopped pork belly and cook a few more minutes. Top with two eggs and place it in the broiler on low for 5 minutes. Season and serve.




Buon Apetito!!

Cubano Pressed Sandwich

This is Miami and I love sandwiches so this was a natural, surprised it took this long to do this. This classic costs $7 takes 15 minutes and feeds 2.

Cuban Sandwich
2 Cuban Rolls - sorry there is no substitute
1/3 lb roasted pork
1/3 lb roasted ham
4 sliced bread and butter pickles
4 slices Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown mustard

Mustard both sides of the cut roll. Place pork on bottom followed by ham, pickles, then cheese on top. Place it on the panini press for a few minutes and press down. Slice and serve. Oye, que vola?

Wild King Salmon with Pink Rice Pilaf and Avocado Puree

This wild king salmon from Norway is a different level of quality then your average supermarket salmon. This takes 30 minutes and feeds two people, it costs about $30 because of the salmon. It can be done for much cheaper with regular salmon.

Norwegian King Salmon
2 5oz filets of king salmon
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Start a medium sautee pan on medium high heat and add butter and oil. Season fish with salt and pepper and place skin side down in the hot pan. Let cook 5 to 7 minutes and then place the whole pan in the oven. Let cook another 7 to 10 minutes until desired temperature.

Pink Madagascar Rice Pilaf
1 cup pink Madagascar rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh english peas, blanched
1/4 cup golden raisins

Cook rice as per the package instructions. Add peas and raisins and mix.

Avocado Puree
1 Haas Avocado
1/2 lime
1 teaspoon siracha or other hot sauce
salt and pepper

Mix all the ingredients and puree.

Easy and delicious, a great combo. Buon Apetito!!

Mango Cornish Game Hen with Brown Rice, Collard Green and Leek Stuffing

I have always wanted to cook one of these little guys but never got around to it until today. I will definitely be getting more. This took 2 hours total but only about 30 minutes of work. It feeds two and costs about $15.

Brown Rice Stuffing
1 cup brown Basmati rice
1 bunch organic collard greens, chopped
1 organic leek, sliced
1/8 cup organic carrots, chopped
1/4 white organic onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/8 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup dried plums, chopped

Cook brown rice as per directions on the package, do not overcook. I actually left it a bit al dente because it will cook more inside the bird. In a separate saute pan cook onions, leeks, carrots and garlic on medium low in olive oil for 15 minutes. Add collard greens and cook additional 15 minutes. Pour the vegetables into the cooked rice and mix. Season to taste and add dried plums and breadcrumbs.

Mango Glazed Cornish Game Hen
1 Honey Mango
1/8 cup peach juice
1 free range Cornish Game Hen
1 1/2 cups rice stuffing
Salt and pepper

Puree mango and peach juice, set aside. Preheat the oven to 350. Clean the hen and remove any leftover feathers. Stuff the rice mixture into the cavity of the bird making sure you pack it in hard. Tie up the legs so the stuffing stays in. Season the bird with salt and pepper and brush with the glaze. Cook for 1.5 hours glazing the bird every 20 minutes. Remove and Let rest for 15 minutes.


Mango Peach Gravy
Take the left over glaze and add the leftover pan drippings from the bird. Heat in a small saucepan and add salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and add 1 teaspoon of butter.

Buon Apetito!!

Monkfish with Collard Greens and Shallots

Monkfish is commonly referred to as "poor mans lobster". Although the fish is not as inexpensive as it once was, it does have an uncanny similarity to lobster tail. This dish takes 30 minutes, costs $10 and feeds one.

Collard Green Fettucini
8 leaves organic collard greens, destemmed, sliced into thin strips
5 cloves organic garlic, sliced
1/4 organic vidalla onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Start a medium sautee pan on low and add oil, butter, onions and garlic. Let cook for 15 minutes or until caramelized. Blanch collards in boiling water for 2 minutes then cool in an ice bath, dry and set aside. Once onions have caramelized add collards and let satuee on low for 10 minutes stirring. Add 1 tablespoon of cream, salt and pepper. Let cook 5 more minutes. Serve.

Pan Seared Monkfish
1 6oz monkfish filet
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Start a medium satuee pan on medium high heat. Once very hot and oil and butter. Season fish liberally with salt and pepper. Place the fish in the pan and let it cook about 4 minutes on each side or until a nice golden color. Place the whole pan in the oven for 8 minutes. Because of the density of the flesh it takes a few minutes longer in the pan and the oven then most other fish. Remove and let stand 3 minutes, slice and serve.

Shallots in Sherry Vinegar Sauce
1 cup organic chicken stock
4 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 whole shallot, sliced
1 tablespoon butter

In a small saucepan, reduce the chicken stock to 1/4 cup. Add vinegar and shallots and reduce until about 2 tablespoons of liquid remain, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle around the plate. Use shallots as a garnish.

Monkfish is probably the ugliest fish in the world but it sure is tasty. Buon Apetito!

Glazed Lamb Chops with Turnip Puree and Broccoli Rabe

Single cut lamb chops cook fast and tastes great. This dish takes 30 minutes to prepare, costs $20 and feeds 2 people.

Mint Peach Glaze
1 cup organic chicken stock
1/2 shallot diced
1 teaspoon peach preserves
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

In a small sauce pan reduce the stock with the shallots. Once it is reduce to 4 tablespoons of liquid add the preserves and mint. Turn off the heat and let stand, season to taste.

Pan Seared Lamb Chops
6 single cut Australian lamb chops
1/2 teaspoon coriander
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

Season chops with coriander, salt and pepper. Start a large frying pan on medium high. Once very hot add oil and butter and lamb chops. Let cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Glaze with mint peach sauce. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Turnip Puree
2 organic turnips, diced
1 shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon cream cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream
salt and pepper

Put turnips, shallots and garlic in a medium pot with cold water. Bring it to a boil and then turn to medium and cook until turnips are fork tender. Strain and place the cooked veggies into a food processor with cream cheese, butter and cream plus salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.

Broccoli Rabe
1 bunch rapini (broccoli rabe)
1/2 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

Start a medium saute pan on low and add oil, butter, shallots and garlic. Let cook for 15 minutes until it almost is melting. Blanch broccoli rabe in boiling water for 3 minutes and cool immediately in an ice and water bath. Drain and dry the broccoli rabe. Turn up the heat on the saute pan to medium high and toss in broccoli rabe and saute for 5 minutes, season and serve.

This is probably the best looking and tastiest dish anyone can make in a half hour. 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!

Breaded Turkey Breast Filet with Creamed Mushrooms and Onions

This turkey breast is a quick and tasty alternative to chicken. This recipe feeds 2 costs $10 and takes less then 30 minutes.

Breaded Turkey Breast
1 Trimmed turkey breast sliced into 3 cutlets
1/8 cup olive oil
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, scrambled
salt and pepper

Start a large saute pan on medium heat and add olive oil. Season turkey breasts with salt and pepper, dip in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. It is important the that you push down hard on both sides to get a good coating of breadcrumbs. Once the oil is hot add the cutlets in making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook about 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Set a side on paper towel to rest for 5 minutes.

Creamed Mushrooms and Onions
1 package organic white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 organic white onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (sauvignon blanc)
10 leaves fresh basil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoon butter

Start a medium saute pan on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add mushrooms and onions and let cook till caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add white wine and let it cook off. Then add the salt and pepper and crushed red pepper. Now add the cream and 1 tablespoon of butter. Let it cook down to the desired consistency. I like it a little thicker, more of a topping then a sauce.

Buon Apetito!

Guava Glazed Duck Breast with Celery Root Puree, Asparagus and Leeks

Here is an amazing slow roasted duck dish. This dish is fairly easy to make and takes less then an hour. It costs $30 and feeds 2.

Guava Glazed Duck Breast
2 Breasts of duck, scored
1 cup fresh guava juice, reduced to half
2 teaspoon peach preserves

Preheat the oven at 350. Start a medium frying pan on medium high heat. Heavily season the skin side with salt and pepper. Once very hot add the duck breast skin side down. Turn down the heat to medium low and let the fat render off of duck, cook for 15 minutes and spoon out excess fat as necessary. Reserve this fat for use later in the cooking. Mix the reduced guava and peach preserves. Turn the duck over and glaze with the guava peach mixture. Place the pan in the oven and let cook for 10 minutes. Remove glaze again and let stand for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Celery Root Puree
1 celery root, about 1/2 lb, diced
1/4 organic white onion, diced
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon cream cheese
salt and pepper

Fill a medium pot with cool water and add onion and celery root. Turn to high and bring to a boil, turn to medium and let cook for 15 minutes or until celery root is tender. Strain out the water and then add butter, cream cheese, salt and pepper to the celery root and onion and puree in a food processor.

Duck Fat Asparagus
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and washed
2 teaspoons duck fat

Blanch asparagus by placing in boiling water for 3 minutes and then plunging them into an ice bath. Start a medium saute pan on medium and add duck fat. Once hot add asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper.

Butter Poached Guava Leeks
1 large leek, sliced
1/4 white onion, sliced
2 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon duck fat
1/4 cut of guava juice
1 tablespoon of peach preserves

Start a medium saute pan on medium and add butter and duck fat. Add leeks and onions and let slow cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Turn up heat and add guava juice and peach. Let cook 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.


Buon Apetito!

Hogfish with Orange Cauliflower "Cous-Cous", Rock Shrimp and Cilantro Butter

I found some fresh hogfish (a rare find) at the local supermarket and got inspired. Hogfish are reef fish that only eat shellfish so they have a distinct rich flavor. This is also why I added the rock shrimp to the dish. The cauliflower cous-cous is simply the florets of cauliflower lightly pulsed in a food processor. Once pulsed the florets breakdown and look just like cous-cous. This dish takes 30 minutes, costs $15 and feeds one.

Pan Seared Hogfish
1 filet of fresh Hogfish
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Start a medium pan on high heat. Add butter and olive oil. Once very hot place fish skin side sown in the pan and let cook 4 minutes. Turn over and place the whole pan in the oven for 8 minutes.

Orange Cauliflower Cous-Cous
1 head orange cauliflower (you can use white also)
1 ear bi-color corn
1/4 red onion
2 cups of water
salt and pepper

Remove the stems from the florets of the cauliflower so you have mainly all florets. Place the florets into a food processor and pulse lightly until the mixture is broken down and looks like cous-cous. Remove the corn from the cob and finely dice the red onion. Place water, cauliflower, corn and red onions in a medium sauce pan. Add salt and pepper and turn up the heat to medium high. Bring to a boil and then turn to simmer and let cook for 5 minutes or until tender but still firm. Drain, season again and serve.

Cilantro Butter Poached Rock Shrimp
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine
1/4 lb fresh rock shrimp
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
salt and pepper

Add butter, oil and wine to a small sauce pan and turn to medium low. Once warmed add shrimp and cilantro with salt & pepper. Let cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and serve.

The hogfish was tender with a distinct meaty flavor. The rock shrimp were soft and buttery and the poaching liquid was used as the sauce. The cauliflower added some earthyness and the corn a touch of sweetness. All in all and great and delicious dish. Buon Apetito!!

Alaskan Halibut with Wild Rice, Zucchini and Arugula Puree

I have really been getting back into eating fish. Its delicious, nutritious and easy to prepare. Halibut is a cold water fish that is very delicate. It can easily be over cooked and ruined so pay attention to the cook time and the fish itself while cooking. I had this beautiful organic wild rice also so I decided to make them a team. This dish takes 45 minutes, costs $20 and feeds one.

Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut
1 6oz Alaskan Halibut Filet
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
salt and pepper

Pre heat the oven to 350. Start a saute pan on medium high heat. Add oil and butter the season the fish with salt and pepper on each side. Once the pan is hot add the fish and let cook for 4 to five minutes or until golden. Turn the fish and place the whole pan in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and delicately serve.

Wild Rice Pilaf
1 cup long grain organic wild rice
3 cups cold water
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Rinse the rice well in cold water. Start a sauce pan with 3 cups of water and a cup of the wild rice. Bring to a boil then cover and turn down to simmer. let it cook for 45 minute to an hour or until rice grains have popped and are tender. Drain then add salt and the chopped basil. Serve warm or cold.

Butter Poached Zucchini
1/4 cup yellow squash, chopped
1/4 cup zucchini, chopped
1/8 cup red onion, chopped
1/8 cup fresh tomato, chopped
1/8 cup vegetable stock
3 tablespoon butter

Start a small saucepan on medium low. Add stock, butter, onions, zucchini and squash. Let cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Then add the tomatoes and let cook ten more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Arugula Puree
1 cup arugula, rough chopped
1/8 cup vegetable stock
1 teaspoon onion, finely chopped

Add all ingredients to a small saute pan and turn to medium. Let cook ten minutes or until arugula is very soft. Puree in a food processor then strain. You as a garnishing sauce.

After putting this all together I was pleasantly pleased at how well it all worked together. The buttery vegetable with the buttery fish was rich and the earthyness of the wild rice made a great combination. Buon Apetito!!

Scallops and Prosciutto on Whipped Potatoes with a Fig-Apricot-Mustard Vinaigrette

This savory and rich dish is a great lunch or early dinner combination. It whips up pretty quick and tastes amazing. The key to the dish is the quality and freshness of the scallops. These are u-10 scallops, or under 10 per pound so they are quite large. I also used fingerling potatoes for the whipped potatoes which gives them more body and a richer flavor than other potatoes. This take 1 hour, costs $20 and feeds one.

Pan Seared Scallops
3 u-10 sea scallops
1 teaspoon butter
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Score each scallops by cutting a 1/16 inch checker board pattern into one side of each scallops. Season with salt and pepper. Get a large frying pan very hot on medium high heat. Once really hot add the butter and then the scallops cut side down. Let them cook without moving them to 3 to 5 minutes or until a very golden brown. Turn them over and then place the whole pan in the oven for 7 minutes or until cooked to desired tenderness. Do not over cook them!

Whipped Potatoes
4 medium fingerling potatoes, sliced
1/8 of a red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme

Start sliced fingerling in a pot of cold water and salt on high heat. Bring to a boil and turn to medium high for 25 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Start a small saute pan on low and add olive oil, red onion and garlic and let cook 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain cooked potatoes and place in a strong food processor then add cooked onions, garlic and olive oil, butter heavy cream, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth, about two minutes, adjust seasoning and add more cream if they are too stiff.

Fig-Apricot-Mustard Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon, organic fig jelly
1 teaspoon, whole grain mustard
1/2 teaspoon, dijon mustard
1 teaspoon, apricot juice
1 teaspoon, white balsamic vinegar

Mix all ingredients well in a small bowl. Brush on scallops before placing them in the oven. Top scallops with this sauce when done.



To Plate this whole thing up I place three small mounds of potatoes, then topped that with the center portion of the prosciutto, topped it with a scallop and then some of the mustard sauce. My fresh marjoram is flowering so I added some fresh marjoram flowers to give the dish some added beauty. This is a great appetizer or entrée for a relativly small amount of work. Buon appetito!!

Roasted Chicken with Easter Radishes, Sunchokes, Golden Beet Puree and Pomegranate Sauce

I am making back to back posts to get back into the swing of blogging. I used the leftover golden beets from yesterday to make the puree. I also used the actual radishes today, where I used the greens from the radishes yesterday. Easter Radishes are multi colored and not so bitter radishes that can be eaten raw or cooked. Sunchokes are a tuber that taste very similar to artichoke when roasted. This dish takes 1 hour, costs $15 and feeds 2.

Roasted Chicken Legs
2 Bell & Evans Chicken leg quarters with skin on
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt, pepper, paprika, cumin and coriander

Preheat oven to 375. Seasonal legs liberally with the seasoning mix. Start a medium frying pan o medium high. Once it is very hot add the oil and place the chicken in skin side down. Let it cook about 3 minutes and then without turning to chicken, place the whole pan in the oven. Let that cook for 12 minutes and then flip over and let cook three more minutes. Remove and let rest 5 minutes and serve.

Roasted Radishes and Sunchokes
1 bunch organic easter egg radishes
4 sunchokes
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Thoroughly warm radishes and sunchokes. Slice in half and place face down of a foil lined then oiled baking sheet. Salt and pepper the tops and place in the oven for about 40 minutes. Once tender remove and serve.



Golden Beets Puree
1 cup roasted golden beets
1/4 cup fresh papaya
1/8 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Puree beets, papaya, cream, parsley, salt and pepper. Warm and serve.

Pomegranate Sauce
1 cup vegetable stock
1/8 cup pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon parsley
salt and pepper

Add stock and juice to a small sauce pan on medium low heat. Let it reduce to 1 tablespoons and then add herb and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the chicken.

This meal was packed with vitamins and minerals as well as flavor. I normally do not eat radishes in this way but they were tender and delicious. The chicken skin was perfectly crispy and the meat was moist inside. All together it was a successful dish and part of my healthier diet. Enjoy!

Grassfed NY Strip with Golden Beets and Field Greens

This is my first post on a while. Life and work have been hectic, but I found some time to make this steak and veggie plate before work yesterday. Grassfed beef is less fatty then regular, corn fed beef. I have always found it to be a bit tougher then regular meat but it has more flavor and health benefits over conventional beef. WholeFoods had great organic golden beets with the greens still attached so I used these greens along with the greens from the easter radishes I bought and some black kale to make the sauteed vegetables. This meal costs $20 take 1 hour and feeds 1.

Roasted Golden Beets
1 bunch organic golden beets
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375. Wash beets thoroughly and slice in half. Place beets flesh down on a foil lined baking sheet and add salt and olive oil. Let them bake for 45 minutes, then loosly cover with aluminum foil and let bake for 15 more minutes or until tender. Let them cool slightly and peel off the skin with your hand or with a pairing knife. Add salt and serve.



Sauteed Field Greens
1 bunch of organic beet greens
1 bunch of organic radish greens
1 bunch organic black kale
5 cloves garlic
1/4 organic white onion
1 tablespoon olive oil

Thoroughly clean and wash the greens. Chiffonade or shred the greens into thin strips. Start and sautee pan on medium low and add oil, onion and garlic. Let that cook for 15 minutes or until tender and then turn up the heat to medium high. Add the greens and sautee quickly, about 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Grassfed NY Strip
1 8oz grassfed NY strip or sirloin

Season steak with salt and pepper. Place the steak on a baking rack and place in the oven with the beets for 10 minutes. Remove the steak and sear in a hot frying pan, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes. you can sear it first or last, I did it last to experiment with a suggestion a friend made. It came out ok but I will sear it first in the future so I can control the internal temperature better.

This healthy, vitamin and protein packed lunch was easy to make and the beets were delicious. The greens came from parts of the vegetables that most people throw away so it was a side dish for free. Check out the close up on the golden beet to see how beautiful they turned out. Enjoy!

Avocado, Tomato, Grapefruit and Lime Salad

This refreshing salad is a great for a light lunch or snack. The citrus works perfectly with the rich Florida avocado and the micro herbs from my garden added some freshness, a key ingredient for the freshricks blog. This costs about $5 takes 15 minutes or less and feeds 1.

Avocado Grapefruit Salad
1 organic roma tomato
1/2 ripe Florida avocado
1/2 grapefruit, segmented
1 lime, segmented
1 tablespoon micro basil, thyme, and marjoram

Meyer Lemon Citrus Vinaigrette
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fresh grapefruit juice
dash white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon meyer lemon olive oil (or EVOO)
pinch of finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Slice the avocado and tomatoes and place on the plate. Season well with salt and pepper. With a knife cut the skins of the grapefruit and limes off. Using a small pairing knife cut out the segments of fruits so there is no white, these are called supremes. Mix the grapefruit and lime supremes and place over the avocado and tomato. Use some juice from the grapefruit and limes to make the vinaigrette. Mix all the listed ingredients and spoon over the plate. Garnish with the micro greens.

This quick and easy dish was perfect for after a day at the beach. try this before a fish dinner or when you need a healthy alternative to the norm. Buon Apetito!

Strawberry Banana Papaya Smoothie

I just got out of the gym and needed to feed the beast. This is frozen strawberries, banana & papaya with almond milk, coconut water, pea protein powder and some ice. Great taste plus great for you. Enjoy!

Turkey and Provolone on an English Muffin

This quick and easy open face sandwich is a good change of pace from my grilled sandwiches. I first toasted the english muffins then I used mesquite turkey breast, fresh tomatoes, some agave dijonaise (dijon, mayo and agave nectar) then some fresh thai basil from my herb garden. Finally I topped it with some great provolone cheese and melted the cheese for a few minutes to create the see through effect. A great lunch on a rainy day like today. Enjoy!

Mustard Crusted Swordfish with Brocolini

Swordfish is amazing. The supermarket had some really fresh pieces so I picked up a single steak and made a quick and delicious lunch. Swordfish can be overcooked quickly which ruins the taste so be careful to follow the cook times. Brocolini is a cross between regular broccoli and Chinese broccoli and can be bitter if not cooked properly. This dish cost $15, takes 30 minutes and feeds one.

Garlic Brocolini
6 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 package brocolini, washed
salt and pepper

Start a medium saute pan on medium low and add the garlic and oil, let cook 15 minutes or until garlic is lightly toasted. Start a large pot of heavily salted water as well. When water is boiling and the brocolini and let cook for 4 minutes. Remove and plunge into and ice bath (1/2 ice and 1/2 cold water in a large bowl). Once cooled remove and drain. Add brocolini to the garlic and olive oil and let cook for 5 minutes, add salt & pepper to taste.

Mustard Crusted Swordfish
1 teaspoon of butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
1 teaspoon siracha hot sauce
1 6oz piece of swordfish
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Start a small saute pan on medium high heat. Season swordfish fillet with salt and pepper. Once pan is very hot add the oil and butter. Then add the swordfish and let cook 2 minutes on one side and then flip. Add mustard and siracha mixture to the top of the fish and place the whole pan in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and place fish on a rack to rest. In the same pan add the extra tablespoon of butter and a teaspoon of the mustard. let cook for 2 minutes and stir. Spoon on the side of the fish as a mustard brown butter sauce.

This was a quick and easy dish that made me remember why I love swordfish so much. The brocolini was tender and not bitter at all. Overall this was the best tasting dish I have had in a while. Enjoy!