It’s Monday, the day after the Oscars and what a show that was! I actually enjoyed it this year, needless to say, and made a very special dinner to go along with it that I need to share with you all because it’s just THAT special. And amazing. And worthy of an Oscar in its own right 😉
I’ve partnered with MarDona Specialty Foods to create some recipes using their premium imported line of organic truffle oil, truffle butter, truffle rub, truffle sea salt and pasta. And, you guys – OMG. This stuff rocks. It has a beautiful bold aroma and true flavor of black and white truffles, not the scary imitation stuff that’s out there.
My recipe for Truffle Scallops Pasta with Mushrooms + Shallots is super easy to make and absolutely delicious. The scallops are bathed in white truffle oil and a black truffle rub which is a concentrated powder rub made with authentic black truffles from Italy. The pasta dish also has Baby Bella mushrooms and sweet shallots sautéed in white truffle butter and olive oil, tossed with fettuccine in a white wine cream sauce, sprinkled with fresh Italian parsley, a dash of black truffle sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmesan cheese and fresh Italian parsley. This is the stuff dreams are made of, folks.
First cook the pasta for about 8 minutes until al dente, drain and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.
Meanwhile, rinse and pat dry your scallops, and coat them a light spray of White Truffle Olive Oil and some of the Black Truffle Rub, spreading around the scallops evenly to coat.
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Melt some of the White Truffle Butter with a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the scallops for about 3 minutes on one side until they start to brown. Flip them over, and cook for another few minutes until cooked through and no longer opaque. Try to spoon some of the truffle butter/oil over the top as you are cooking them to coat the scallops and cook them evenly. Remove the scallops on to a plate and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of the White Truffle Butter into the same saute pan, add the mushrooms and shallots, sprinkle with garlic powder (or add fresh garlic in the last 2 minutes of cooking) and cook for about 5-7 minutes until soft and cooked through.
Add the scallops back into the pan along with the mushrooms and shallots.
Add the reserved pasta water (about 1/2 cup) along with some white wine, cream and let simmer together for about 5 minutes or so until it reduces a bit.
Toss in the cooked pasta and stir together to coat with the sauce.
Add some additional truffle butter, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh chopped parsley, a dash of Black Truffle sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Serve immediately with a glass of wine and some crusty Italian bread (with some more truffle butter of course!)
This recipe for Truffle Scallops Pasta with Mushrooms + Shallots is super easy to make and absolutely delicious. The scallops are bathed in a black truffle rub which is a concentrated powder rub made with authentic black truffles from Italy. It also has Baby Bella mushrooms and sweet shallots sautéed in white truffle butter and olive oil, tossed with fettuccine in a white wine cream sauce, sprinkled with fresh Italian parsley, a dash of black truffle sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmesan cheese and fresh Italian parsley. This is the stuff dreams are made of folks.
Ingredients
1 pound fettuccine pasta
1 pound sea scallops
Mardona White Truffle Olive Oil spray
1 tablespoon Mardona Black Truffle Rub
3 tablespoons Mardona White Truffle Butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1 container baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Dash of Mardona Black Truffle Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
First cook the pasta for about 8 minutes until al dente, drain and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.
Meanwhile, rinse and pat dry your scallops, and coat them a light spray of White Truffle Olive Oil and some of the Black Truffle Rub, spreading around the scallops evenly to coat.
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Melt a tablespoon of the White Truffle Butter with a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the scallops for about 3 minutes on one side until they start to brown. Flip them over, and cook for another few minutes until cooked through and no longer opaque. Try to spoon some of the truffle butter/oil over the top as you are cooking them to coat the scallops and cook them evenly. Remove the scallops on to a plate and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of the White Truffle Butter and olive oil into the same saute pan, add the mushrooms and shallots, sprinkle with garlic powder (or add fresh garlic) and cook for about 5-7 minutes until soft and cooked through.
Add the scallops back into the pan along with the mushrooms and shallots. Add the reserved pasta water (about 1/2 cup) along with some white wine, cream and let simmer together for about 5 minutes or so until it reduces a bit.
Toss in the cooked pasta and stir together to coat with the sauce. Add another tablespoon of white truffle butter, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh chopped parsley, a dash of black truffle sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Serve immediately with a glass of wine and some crusty Italian bread (with some more truffle butter of course!)
Notes
The Black Truffle Rub is a fine powder, and quite concentrated, so be sure to not go too heavy handed with it. Make sure you rub it around the scallops in with the truffle oil to coat them evenly before sautéing them in the pan.
Check out MarDona Specialty Foods on Facebook for more recipe ideas and their website to shop their entire line of gourmet food products. They also have a great line of pasta sauces, balsamic glazes, olive oils, vinegars, truffle tapenade, carpaccio and more.
So it’s that time of year again…Memorial Day weekend has arrived and the beginning of Summer is not too far away!
It’s time to soak up the sun, hit the beach, break out the grill and have a cookout and a cocktail on the patio or the beach with friends and family..my favorite time of year!
I was lucky enough to be a part of a Captain Morgan Rum promotion this year to sample one of their new flavors and design a cocktail recipe featuring their delicious new Coconut Rum. It’s a little bit sweet, creamy and has hints of citrus and tropical fruit with a hint of molasses flavor.
I wanted to make a cocktail that was refreshing and flavorful but not too sweet and came up with this fun CherryCoconut Key Lime Fizz cocktail. It’s made with the Captain Morgan coconut rum, tart cherry juice, key lime seltzer and a splash of fresh Cara Cara orange juice, key lime juice and a few slices of orange and lime for garnish.
Kinda like lying on the beach soaking up the sun in the Caribbean – just my style.
The holidays are rapidly approaching, and that means plenty of parties, get-togethers and entertaining with family and friends which is why this is my favorite time of year! I always love to get together with friends and family and have a holiday brunch where we all bring a lovely dish, and sit around the table eating, drinking and talking for hours as we catch up on each other’s lives and laugh a little. That’s what the holidays are all about in my opinion. Sharing, laughing, loving, eating and drinking.
One of my favorite things to make for brunch is this Spinach, Ham and Cheese Strata, a delicious breakfast casserole, made with bread, milk, cheese, eggs, ham or bacon, and some fresh sautéed veggies all baked in to a big pot of goodness. It’s rich, creamy, hearty and incredibly delicious, a savory bread pudding, if you will – and a great way to use some of your leftover holiday ham, veggies and cheese! It goes great with a green salad, some fresh fruit and mimosas (and of course lots of coffee, tea and holiday pastries on the side!)
This recipe is really easy to make, especially with my amazing KitchenAid® Artisan® Series Stand Mixer. The best part about making a Strata is that you just throw all the wet ingredients and spices in the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk it all together on low speed for a few minutes to beat the eggs, milk and cheese together. Then you layer all the ingredients in the casserole dish the night before, allowing the bread to soak up all the luscious custard and flavors overnight, and then you just pop it in the oven and bake it in the morning. (And maybe even get to sleep in a little or go back to bed while it’s cooking!)
I used a French Bread Round Loaf, but you could also use whole wheat bread or croissants or Challah bread for a touch of sweetness. You can also substitute crumbled sausage, bacon or pancetta for the ham, and experiment with using some different cheeses if you like (I used shredded mozzarella, but any cheese that melts well like a Gruyere, Swiss or Cheddar will work great). You can also substitute broccoli or zucchini instead of spinach, or throw in some colorful peppers to add some extra color – the possibilities are endless, and all tasty using the same base recipe I created.
Entertaining with Ease: Holiday Brunch Strata w/ Ham, Spinach and Cheese
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
This is a lovely brunch casserole made with ham, spinach, cheese and french bread in an egg custard. Perfect for the holidays or Easter brunch!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
6 cups fresh baby spinach
3/4 lb. thinly sliced Virginia or Black Forest Ham
loaf of french bread, torn or cut into 1-inch cubes (about 7 cups)
Spray a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add ham and cook for a few minutes, then add spinach until wilted.
Arrange 1/2 of the bread in the bottom of the baking dish, top with half of the cooked onion, spinach and ham mixture.Next sprinkle 1/2 of the shredded cheese on top. Repeat the layering one more time without cheese on top.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper, cayenne.
Pour the custard evenly over the dish, pressing the bread down with a spatula to absorb the egg and milk mixture.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and cover with a sheet of buttered parchment paper or foil. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bake the covered strata in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the strata is cooked through and is brown around the edges.
To crisp and brown the top, remove the parchment or foil and turn on the broiler. Broil for about 3 minutes, just until the top is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.
Let rest for 10-15 minutes, then cut the strata into squares and serve hot.
Great with a green salad, fresh fruit and mimosas!
3.5.3251
Other Brunch Casserole and Strata recipes you might enjoy:
There’s nothing better in the Summer time than fresh seafood. Lobster is one of my favorites and an indulgence, at that. Lobster Rolls and Lobster Salad are great picnic and backyard BBQ dishes to serve a crowd. But once the end of Summer arrives, I start to crave some comfort food and one-pot dishes for the cooler days ahead.
This is a classic recipe for Maine Lobster Pie, something I made in a recent cooking class at the Institute of Culinary Education – it’s a luscious pie made with fresh Lobster meat, cream, sherry and butter (um, not diet-friendly!) topped with a buttery, crispy topping made of Ritz crackers, melted butter, Parmesan cheese and paprika. We made a bunch of pies in small ramekins for appetizers, but you could also make one big luscious pie in a medium pie dish and serve it as a main one-pot course with a salad and some rice or pasta on the side.
It’s perfect for entertaining guests during the holidays, or even just for a homey comforting dinner on a crisp Autumn night. Go on – indulge a little. I won’t tell anyone.
Yield: Makes 6 appetizer servings, or 1 whole pie.
Ingredients
Lobster Pie Filling
10 tablespoons butter (1 ¼ sticks), divided
½ cup good quality sherry
Meat from 2 cooked lobsters, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups half and half
4 egg yolks, beaten
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Topping
½ cup crushed Ritz crackers
½ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons melted butter
Fresh tarragon, chives or parsley, minced, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter, add sherry and boil 1 minute.
Add lobster and remove from heat. In a medium saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add flour and cook, stirring, until mixture bubbles; cook at least 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Drain and reserve the sherry from the lobster meat, then slowly whisk sherry and half-and-half into the mixture until thoroughly blended. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper, adjust to desired to taste.
Spoon 4 tablespoons of the sauce into a small bowl. Add beaten egg yolks, 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition.
Return egg mixture to sauce and mix well. Whisk constantly over low heat about 3 minutes; do not allow to boil, or the eggs will cook and get clumpy. Remove from heat and add lobster. Turn into four individual ramekins or a small, deep pie plate.
Combine topping ingredients, blend well and sprinkle over pies. Bake about 10 minutes to heat through and until the topping gets crunchy and golden brown. Garnish with some fresh tarragon, chives or parsley, if desired.
It’s that time of year again to start planning menus and recipes for the holidays. But instead of just serving traditional turkey or ham, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, why not mix it up a little bit and serve your holiday meal with an international flair? I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes and interview several Top Chefs and restaurants in NYC to get some creative ideas for non-traditional holiday menus for the holidays. Whether it have a Spanish, French, Asian, Jewish or Italian twist; here are some great international menu ideas and recipes for a fabulous holiday meal with family and friends that break the norm.
Spanish Holiday Menu – Alex Raij, Executive Chef at Txikito NYC
Executive Chef Alex Raij from the Spanish restaurant Txikito in NYC always makes a classic, festive dish for the holidays. This Canelones de Bakalao Recipe (Salted Cod Fish Canneloni with Crème Fraiche) feeds a crowd and references Basque, Catalan and Argentine family holiday traditions that Chef Raij grew up with in Spain. Serve with other traditional Spanish hot and cold tapas such as: Pikillos: roasted Navarran sweet peppers with ajoarriero; Kroketas: crispy creamy croquettes; Boquerón: marinated white anchovy with eggplant and piquillo; Cogollos: butter lettuce, Basque anchovy, and Bonito del Norte and Tutera: gratin of artichoke, Roncal, Jamón.
Canelones de Bakalao
Photo Credit: Kristen Hess
Canelones de Bakalao Recipe (Salted Cod Fish Canneloni with Crème Fraiche)
Executive Chef Alex Raij, Txikito
Serves 6
1 9×9 inch baking dish, preferably earthenware
12 – 4 inch square pieces fresh pasta sheets boiled and shocked in ice water (The Chef recommends cooking longer sheets and then cutting them after they are cooled in ice bath so they are more uniform)
Filling and topping
2.5 pounds cod
2 tablespoons Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
2 cups olive oil
1.5 cup tomato pulp pref. pomi brand
2 cups Creme fraiche
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
50 grams hackleback or other high quality caviar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Salt the cod with the 2 T. kosher salt and let stand 10 minutes.
Rinse and pat dry.
Place the cod in a small pot and cover with olive oil.
Place on medium low heat and poach the cod in the oil until it flakes when prodded
Remove the fish to a mixing bowl to cool.
Pour 1/2 cup of the poaching oil over the cooling cod to cool with it.
Heat remaining oil add the tomato fry the tomato until cooked and a little sweet, season with salt.
Pour the tomato oil mix I the bottom of the baking dish.
Break up the cooled cod and flake it with clean hands.
Whip it up with the oil with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Place 6 pasta sheets side by side and place 1/12 of the filling at the end of each sheet.
Roll away from you and place on the tomato.
Repeat with the rest of the filling and next 6 sheets.
Season the crème fraiche with salt and pour over the caneloni.
Bake at 375 until bubbly.
Sprinkle with chives and top with caviar just before serving.
Serve 2 pieces per person.
Printed with permission of Alex Raij. All rights reserved.
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French Holiday Menu – Olivier Quignon, Executive Chef at Bar Boulud
Even as Chef Olivier Quignon of Bar Boulud prepares to celebrate his seventh Christmas in NYC, he hasn’t lost touch with the French holiday traditions of his hometown, the Northern French town of Beauvais. Christmas in the Quignon household, and in the restaurant he helms on behalf of renowned French Chef Daniel Boulud, Bar Boulud, is traditional to a tee, lasting up to six hours and spanning just as many courses. What does a typical French holiday meal entail?
Oysters “Always oysters. We shuck them at lunch and the eating begins.”
Cured or Smoked Fish
Foie Gras “This can be hot, seared, or served as a terrine.”
Hot Fish or Pasta
Poultry
Beef or Game
Cheese “ALWAYS cheese. French people eat cheese at practically every meal. We may sometimes skip dessert, but we never skip cheese.”
Pastry “At Christmas this is often a Bûche de Noel. But my wife is a pastry chef, so there are usually many desserts.”
Tournedos Rossini with Truffles and Foie Gras
Photo Credit: Kristen Hess
Traditionally, Tournedos Rossini is a French steak dish, purportedly created for the composer Gioachino Rossini by French master chef Marie-Antoine Carême. The dish comprises a tournedos (beef tenderloin) pan-fried in butter, served on a crouton, and topped with a hot slice of fresh whole foie gras briefly pan-fried at the last minute. A few slices of black truffle and Madeira demi-glace sauce garnish the dish.
At Bar Boulud New York, ‘Rossini’ is a dish that makes an appearance on the menu every holiday season, and on the tables at many French holiday meals. It is rich in ingredients and flavors, hearty, and the perfect celebration dish. There are several way to prepare Rossini, but Bar Boulud sticks to the traditional preparation—seared beef tenderloin atop a brioche toast, topped with seared foie gras and Madeira-beef jus, served with Pommes Macaire dotted with a celery root puree.
Tournedos Rossini with Truffles and Foie Gras and Pommes Macaire
Executive Chef Olivier Quignon, Bar Boulud
Serves 4
Pommes Macaire
Kosher salt, as needed
4 yellow gold potatoes
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Black truffle butter or oil
2 egg yolks
Canola oil for frying
½ cup flour
Celery Root Puree
1 small (about 3/4 pound) celery root, peeled
Salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup milk
Freshly ground white pepper
To Finish
1 ½ lbs angus beef tenderloin, tied with butchers twine
12 ounces fresh grade A foie gras
6 tablespoons beef jus or demi glace
2 ounces Madeira
1 Tablespoon chopped shallot
4 ¼ thin slices of brioche, cut into 3 ½-inch circles, toasted
8 small light green celery leaves
1 small black winter truffle
For the Pomme Macaire
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make a bed of salt on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and place potatoes on top. Bake potatoes for 45 minutes, or until tender.
Remove from the oven, and when cool enough to handle, cut potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash the potato with a fork, season to taste with salt, pepper, and truffle butter (or oil). Stir in the egg yolk to combine. Press mixture into a bread loaf pan and chill overnight.
Turn the potatoes onto a cutting board and cut into (at least 8) 3 x ½-inch batons. Lightly coat the batons in the flour and shake off excess.
Fill 1/3 of a saucepan with canola oil and heat to 350°F. When ready to serve, fry the potatoes in batches until golden brown. Strain onto a paper towel-lined tray, sprinkle with salt.
For the Celery Root Puree
Cut the celery root into medium dice. Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until browned. Add the celery root, milk, and water to cover; bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the celery root to a blender and puree with enough of the cooking liquid to make a smooth puree. Pass through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl.
When ready to serve, transfer to a small saucepan and stir over medium heat to heat through.
To Finish
Slice the tenderloin into four portions and season on all sides with salt and pepper.
Cut the foie gras into four slices and season on all sides with salt and pepper.
Place a large sauté pan over high heat. Once very hot, sear the foie gras on both sides to brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter, cover with foil and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and return the pan with the foie gras fat to the heat. Sear the beef on all sides, about 3-4 minutes each, basting the meat constantly with the fat. Brown the beef on all sides while basting the constantly with the fat in the pan, about 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 120°F for medium rare. Transfer the beef to the platter with the foie gras, cover, and rest in a warm place.
Add the shallots to the same pan over medium low heat, and cook, stirring until translucent. Add the Madeira and simmer to reduce by 2/3. Stir in the beef jus and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
For each serving, place a brioche toast on a plate and top with a portion of beef. Top the beef with a piece of roasted foie gras, and shavings of black truffle. Place two pommes macaire next to the beef and top each with a spoonful of celery puree. Garnish puree with two celery leaves. Spoon the sauce from the pan around and serve.
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Asian Holiday Menu – Hung Huynh, Executive Chef at Catch Restaurant NYC
Whole Roasted Branzino is a favorite recipe of Chef Hung Huynh of Catch NYC for the holidays. It’s simple, delicious and easy to make and great for feeding a crowd. Chef Hung also recommends adding some miso, ginger, soy and lemongrass to the seasonings to amp up the Asian flavors in this beautiful seafood holiday dish. His Asian inspired holiday menu includes:
Roasted Whole Branzino
Sautéed Green beans with EVOO and Soy Sauce
White or Brown Steamed Rice
Miso Soup
Fresh fruit
Roasted Whole Branzino
Photo Credit: Kristen Hess
Roasted Whole Branzino
Executive Chef Hung Huynh
Serves 2-4 people
Ingredients:
1.5 to 2 pound Branzino
1 tablespoon of Aged Balsamic
Seasoning Rub:
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of picked chopped thyme
3 cloves of minced garlic
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Zest of one lemon
Zest of one lime
Directions:
Before cooking, the Branzino must be scaled, gutted and scored.
Combine all the seasoning rub ingredients.
Rub entire fish with seasoning including the cavity, distributing evenly.
Make sure that the entire fish is covered in the rub.
Take a half sheet pan and roast at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Reserve the remaining olive oil in the sheet pan.
Place the fish on a platter and drizzle with the reserved olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.
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Jewish Holiday Menu – Zach Kutsher, Proprietor, Kutsher’s Tribeca
Zach Kutsher, Chef and Owner of Kutsher’s Tribeca, always serves Latkes for the Hanukkah holiday. These crispy potato latkes are a traditional Jewish dish made of grated potatoes, onion, eggs and matzo meal, shaped into round potato pancakes and fried to a crispy golden brown. The traditional way to serve them is with a spoonful of sour cream, but Zach likes to also add ½ ounce of caviar (salmon roe, paddlefish caviar and wasabi flying fish roe) to the latkes to give them a special holiday touch. Some other fun ideas that Chef Zach does to dress up the latkes are to use some non-traditional savory toppings such as:
Peking Duck with Cucumber, Scallions and Sesame Hoisin
Wild Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Herbed Ricotta
Gravlax and Dilled Creme Fraiche
Pastrami Reuben (pastrami, sauerkraut, emmentaler and thousand island dressing)
VLT – Veal Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato
To make it a complete Jewish holiday menu, serve the latkes with: Chopped Duck and Chicken Liver, Seasonal Pickles, Golden and Red Beet Salad with Lemon Ricotta, Arugula and Pecans, Turkey or Brisket with Challah Chestnut Stuffing, Cheesy Spaetzle Kugel, Brussels Sprouts and Pumpkin Shlishkas with Amaretto Matzo and Sage Brown Butter and Babka Sticky Buns for dessert.
Grate onion on the fine side of a cheese grater and then line a strainer with some paper towels and let drain in sink as dry as possible.
Mix egg, yolk, matzo meal, salt, lemon juice, and drained onion together, set aside.
Julienne the potatoes (cut into thin small matchsticks) or grate on the large side of cheese grater, and periodically put the potato in the egg mix to prevent browning. Do not wash potato after it is cut.
Mix all together, fry in schmaltz (rendered/clarified chicken or goose fat – or you can substitute canola oil)
Take one handful of mix, twisted in the palm of your hand like you would spaghetti on a fork, till golden brown and crispy, then flip.
Finish in oven if necessary.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Italian Holiday Menu – Gabe Thompson, Executive Chef of Epicurean Group (dell’anima, L’Artusi, L’Apicio, and Anfora)
Grilled Pork Chop
Photo Credit: Epicurean Group
Chef Thompson, Executive Chef of the Epicurean Group in NYC loves creating special menus for the holidays. It is all about the food, flavors and family. His menu below puts his crave-able Italian twist on some fall favorites to make for a classic holiday menu!
Grilled Pork Chop — roasted vegetable and chestnut panzanella, pork sugo
Warm Cranberry-pumpkin Budino – served with apple cider sauce
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Roasted Acorn Squash Salad Recipe
Executive Chef Gabe Thompson, Epicurean Group
Serves 4-6
2 acorn squash (1 ½ pounds)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter
8 sage leaves
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each squash into 8-9 wedges, each wedge about 1 inch thick. Remove and discard seeds. In a large bowl, toss the squash wedges together with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season generously with salt.
Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of butter. As soon as the butter melts, add half of the squash to the pan, arranging the pieces so that they are cut-side down. Sprinkle half of the sage over the squash. Cook undisturbed until it is golden brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Turn each squash piece over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown on the other side. Remove squash from the pan and place on a half sheet tray or cookie sheet. Repeat this process with remaining olive oil, butter, squash and sage leaves.
Drizzle maple syrup over the squash segments. Place in the oven and bake until each piece of squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 25-30 minutes. Remove and set aside.
In the spirit of Mardi Gras, I was in the mood to make something spicy with seafood and rice and thought I would do something different than make the typical Jambalaya or Shrimp Etoufee dish. In one of my Italian Cooking classes at The Institute of Culinary Education, we made a Spicy Shrimp Risotto which is a typical Italian-style rice dish. Delicious as it is, I wanted to make it with a twist, by adding some Creole seasoning, lemon, red pepper and mussels steamed in white wine to the recipe. It’s super creamy and flavorful, and takes a little bit of time and patience to make. But one taste of the savory shrimp mixed with mussels, lemon and wine with a spicy kick of Creole makes it all worth the effort.
The mussels take about 10-15 minutes to make, so you’ll want to get started on these when you have about 10-15 minutes left to cook the rice in the broth (or you can make them ahead of time and keep them on the burner on low to keep them warm so you can add the mussels to the risotto at the end). If you want to just eat the Shrimp Risotto with the Mussels in wine sauce on the side, you can do that too! Just add some crusty bread, a green salad and a glass of white wine and you’ve got yourself a big, fat, happy meal to celebrate Mardi Gras. Enjoy =)
Spicy Seafood Risotto w/ Shrimp and Steamed Mussels
Shell and devein the shrimp (reserve the shells). Cut each shrimp into thirds. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and reserve.
In a medium saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add half of the garlic and the shrimp shells and saute until the garlic is fragrant and the shells turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the parsley sprigs and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 6 cups of water, lemon juice and zest and the saffron; bring to a boil, reduce to heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Strain the broth and return it to the pan. Add the pureed tomatoes and season with red pepper flakes, Creole seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes. Strain and reserve over low heat.
In a large casserole or skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the onion and remaining garlic and cook until it begins to get golden, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook until it’s slightly translucent.
Add the wine and cook until absorbed. Add a 4 ounce ladle of the shrimp stock and cook, stirring until the liquid is almost absorbed.
Continue adding broth and cooking until the rice is on the firm side of al dente, 25 to 30 minutes.
Add the shrimp and cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
To prepare the mussels for cooking, sort through them and throw out any that are open or don’t close when tapped. Be sure to rinse and swirl mussels in a basin of cold water to rinse out any dirt or debris trapped inside them, but don’t let them soak too long or you’ll lose the natural sea flavor. With a brush, scrub the outsides well under running water, and pry off any barnacles with the back of a knife. Twist or cut off any beards or hair-like tufts and rinse again, keeping the mussels cold until ready to use.
Prepare and shell the steamed mussels (see recipe following) and add to the risotto. Sprinkle with minced parsley and serve immediately. Sooo delicious and great with a glass of crisp white wine and crusty bread to mop up the buttery wine sauce!
1 cup canned San Marzano tomatoes, drained and pureed
Red pepper flakes
1 tsp Creole seasoning (Tony Chacere's Creole Seasoning or Emeril's Essence is great)
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup Italian short-grain rice (Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
1/2 cup white wine
Steamed Mussels (see recipe following)
MUSSELS:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
lemon juice from 1 lemon
Pinch of saffron threads
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 pounds fresh mussels
Instructions
PREPARE THE SHRIMP RISOTTO:
Shell and devein the shrimp (reserve the shells). Cut each shrimp into thirds. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and reserve.
In a medium saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add half of the garlic and the shrimp shells and saute until the garlic is fragrant and the shells turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the parsley sprigs and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 6 cups of water, lemon juice and zest and the saffron; bring to a boil, reduce to heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Strain the broth and return it to the pan. Add the pureed tomatoes and season with red pepper flakes, Creole seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes. Strain and reserve over low heat.
In a large casserole or skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the onion and remaining garlic and cook until it begins to get golden, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook until it's slightly translucent.
Add the wine and cook until absorbed. Add a 4 ounce ladle of the shrimp stock and cook, stirring until the liquid is almost absorbed.
Continue adding broth and cooking until the rice is on the firm side of al dente, 25 to 30 minutes.
Add the shrimp and cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Shell the steamed mussels (see recipe following) and add to the risotto. Sprinkle with minced parsley and serve.
PREPARE THE MUSSELS:
In a large saucepan or pasta pot, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the wine, chicken stock and lemon juice, and season with saffron, salt and black pepper. Add the red pepper flakes to taste, depending on desired heat (if using). Add the mussels to the pot and cover with a lid; increase the heat to medium-high. Steam the mussels, until they open, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Remove mussels from the shell (or add them whole) to the shrimp risotto. You can also serve them in a big bowl in the wine sauce separately as an accompaniment to the risotto.
Serve the with some crusty garlic bread and a green salad, along with a glass of crisp white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc is great!)
Notes
Recipes adapted from The Institute of Culinary Education, Techniques of Italian Cooking
