Atlantic Cod, Lobster Sauce, Oriental Yams, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Garlic Scapes and Jerusalem Artichoke Puree

Food, wine and great company is all I need to be happy.  In this case we had a lot of all three. Thanks Michal, Harout, Caitlin, Padraic, Tara, Dre and Kristin for making it all happen.  These recipes feed 8 people and cost about $100.  Total cooking and prep time is about 2 hours.

Cod with Lobster Sauce
8 filets of black cod, about 3 lbs
1 shallot, fine dice
1/4 stick butter
1/2 cup vegetable stock
4 oz creme fraiche
1 lb white shrimp, 25ct peeled deveined and halved long way

Preheat the oven to 400. Season cod with salt, pepper and olive oil then lay them flat on a greased, foil-lined baking tray.  Roast for about 15 minutes.  Remove with a spatula and place in a large serving tray.  Top with cream sauce.

In a medium sauce pan start the butter, shallots and garlic on medium heat and let cook until the onions are just turning brown.  Add flour and mix well, keep stiring for 10 minutes or until the flour begins to just get lightly brown.  Add the cream and the vegetable stock and mix well.  Let this cook for about 15 minutes or until reduced by half.  Now add the shrimp and let cook for 10 more minutes.  Serve over top of fish.

Jerusalem Articoke Puree
1/2 lb sunchokes, peeled and large diced
1/2 vidallia onion, rough chop
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cream fraiche (or cream cheese)
salt and pepper

Start sunchokes and shallot in a medium pot with cool water.  Bring to a boil and let cook 15 minutes more until the sunchokes are fork tender.  Remove from the heat and strain, reserving 4 teaspoons of the water. Puree in a blender with the reserved water, olive oil and cream fraiche, add salt and pepper to taste.

Yams, Chantrelles and Garlic Scapes

The yams and the mush rooms were cut in half an oven roasted at 400 degree.  The yams took about 40 minutes while the mushrooms only about 12 minutes.  The garlic scapes, which are the green tops of the garlic bulb, were blanched for 2 minutes and then sauteed in olive oil and butter for 2 minutes as well.


Organic Kale, Nectarine, Beet and Yellow Tomato Salad  

Pick thru the kale and remove all of the stems.  Cut roasted beets and nectarines in 8ths.  Halve yellow tomatoes and squeeze juice and seeds out over a fine strainer with a small bowl to catch the delicious tomato water.

Tomato Water Vinaigrette
2 oz tomato water
2 oz white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper
4 oz extra virgin olive oil

Mix everything but the oil.  Then slowly add oil while whisking until mixture comes together.

What a great meal with some great people.  Till next time... Buon apetito!!

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

I made this at Casey and Toinette's house and I need to thank Toinette for doing all the prep and the recipe. These delicious beauties are a great supplement to any meal or can be eaten as a meal unto themselves. They take 50 minutes from start to finish, feeds 4-6 people and costs about $10.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

2 Hot Italian sausages, uncased and chopped
1 Mild Italian sausage, uncased and chopped
1 package large baby bella mini portabello mushrooms, stemmed and scooped
1/2 cup mushroom stems, chopped
1 bunch scallions, peeled and chopped
1/4 white onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tablespoon crushed macadamia nuts (walnuts or pignoli or no nuts are options)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 oz creme fraiche
2 tablespoons of butter
1 handful fresh basil, chopped
4 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar

Start oven at 425.  Scoop mushrooms out with a teaspoon by holding the mushroom firmly cupped on all sides with your hand.  Once cleaned and scooped, start a large saute pan on medium heat, add olive oil and some butter.  Saute mushroom stems, onions, scallions, and garlic until softened, about 10 minutes.  Turn up heat to medium high add sausage to the pan.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until sausage is cooked. Remove from heat and fold in panko, nuts, creme fraische, basil and remaining butter plus salt and pepper.  Let stand 5 minutes.

Put mushroom caps in a large glass baking dish.  Sprinkle with sherry wine vinegar, salt and pepper.  Then scoop filing into the mushrooms.  Press it in and over stuff them a bit, top with a bit of bread crumbs and some extra virgin olive oil.  Place in oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.  Remove and let stand 5 minutes. Buon apetito!