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Showing posts from March, 2024

Asparagus and Gruyere Tart

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1 frozen sheet of puff pastry thawed overnight in the refrigerator 4 tbsp Dijon mustard 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1 ½  lbs medium to thin stocked asparagus, trim off tough ends Salt and pepper to taste 1 egg mixed with a tsp of water for brushing Preheat oven to 425 degrees Roll out a puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper.  Roll to 10x15 in size. Transfer paper with the puff pastry onto a baking sheet. Lightly score a one inch border around the edges. Using a fork, lightly prick the puff pastry inside the scored border. With a pastry brush, spread Dijon mustard evenly over the puff pastry inside the scored area.   Sprinkle the gruyere cheese and half the Parmesan cheese over the Dijon mustard. Arrange the asparagus over the cheese.  Alternate ends and tips.  Drizzle the top of the asparagus with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese. Brush the edges of the tart with the egg and water mixture an

Roasted Orange Carrots with an Herb Yogurt sauce

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2 lbs small carrots  1/3 cup orange juice 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 1/2 tbsp honey 1/2 tsp salt  1/4 tsp pepper Chopped parsley for garnish Yogurt Sauce: 3/4 cup plain yogurt 1 cup parsley 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped Preheat oven to 450 degrees Combine carrots, orange juice, oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Mix to combine. Pour carrots with the juice mixture onto a large lined baking sheet.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until carrots are tender. Make the herb yogurt sauce in a food processor or blender. Combine Greek yogurt, parsley, lemon juice and tarragon and pulse until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper and pulse one more time.  Drizzle over carrots.  Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Roasted Rack of Lamb with Herb Sauce

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1 6-8 rib rack of lamb (trimmed and bones frenched) 1 tbsp each salt and pepper 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Lamb coating: 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs 2 tbsp minced garlic 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard Heat the oven to 450 degrees and put the oven rack in the center of the oven. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Stir in extra virgin olive oil to moisten mixture.  Set mixture aside. Sprinkle all sides of the rack with 1 tbsp each salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a large oven safe skillet on high heat.  Sear all sides of the lamb for 1-2 minutes in the skillet.  Transfer the lamb to a plate.   Brush the lamb with the dijon mustard.  Top the rack with the bread crumbs gently pressing them into the rack.  Wrap the bones with foil so the don't burn.  Transfer the rack back into the skillet and place in the oven. Cook lamb between 15-20 m

Scallops in Linguini with a Lemon and Herb Sauce

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 1 lb. linguini pasta 1 lb. large scallops 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp butter divided  4 cloves of garlic minced 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, remove leaves from stems 1 cup Savignon Blanc 1 cup seafood or chicken stock 1 cup fresh torn basil 1/2 cup chopped chives 1 cup roughly chopped watercress, leaves only 1 lemon zested and juiced Cook linguini according to package directions. Rinse off scallops, pat them dry with paper towel and salt and pepper them on both sides. Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add scallops and sear each side until golden brown.  This will take 3-4 minutes per side. Add 2 tbsp of the butter and baste scallops for a minute in the butter.  Remove scallops to a plate and tent with foil. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme to the pan the scallops were in with the butter.  Cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and scrap the brown bits from the bottom. Reduce the win

Spring Peas and New Potato Salad with Herbs with Watercress

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1/2 lb. new potatoes cut into quarters 1 tsp salt 3  cups fresh spring peas or 2 10 ounce bag of frozen baby peas 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 2 small leeks chopped, white tender parts only 2 tbsp chopped mint 2 tbsp chopped chives 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 1/4 tsp fresh pepper 2 bunches of watercress, leaves only, roughly chopped Place quartered potatoes and1 tsp salt into a large stockpot filled halfway with water.  Bring to a boil.  Cook potatoes for 12-15 minutes or until they are fork tender. When potatoes are done, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon to a bowl or plate.  Add peas to the water and cook for 3 minutes. Before draining peas, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.  Drain peas. Meanwhile in a large saucepan, melt butter into the extra virgin olive oil.  Add leeks and red pepper flakes and cook in the sauce until the leeks are tender.  This will take 3-5 minutes. Add the reserve potato and pea liquid to the pan

Artichoke and Olive Salad with Lemony Dressing

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  10 cups chopped romaine lettuce 1 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts; drained, rinsed and cut into 1 inch pieces 1 can sliced black olives, drained 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese Dressing 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 garlic clove finely minced or grated 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until well combined OR in a mason jar with a lid, combine all the ingredients, cover and shake until well combined.   Drizzle desired amount over salad and mix well to incorporate. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

Chicken Thighs with pancetta, mushrooms in a tomato wine sauce

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  1 lb. crimini or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tbsp 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/3 cup chopped pancetta  3 tbsp chopped parsley 1/2 tsp of pepper 1/2 tsp of salt 1 cup chopped tomatoes with their juice 1/4 cup 2020 Rubino Estates Riserva Sangiovese 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs  In a large pan on medium high heat, add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive. Add the pancetta to the hot oil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add sliced mushrooms, parsley and 1/4 tsp pepper to the pancetta and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.   Add chopped tomatoes in their juices and Sangiovese wine. Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. While the sauce is simmering, season the chicken thighs with the remaining pepper and the salt.  In a saute pan on medium high heat,  add the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and brown both sides of the chicken.  This will take 3-4 minutes per side. Add chicken thighs to the pan with

Lucky Leprechaun

  1 bottle of sparkling wine 1 orange thinly sliced into rounds then slice rounds into quarters 1 large green apple, chopped into 1 inch chunks 1 cup apple liquor 3/4 cup pineapple juice In a pitcher, stir together the sparkling wine, oranges, apples, apple liqueur and pineapple juice. Fill glasses with ice and serve mixture over the ice.  Garnish with fruit.

Bangers and Mash

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  2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 lb. banger sausages or any pork link sausage  3 tbsp butter 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced  3 cloves of minced garlic 3 tbsp all purpose flour ( add another tablespoon if you want the gravy thicker) 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp ground mustard 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce 2 cups beef broth 1 cup of Guinness Stout beer Heat a large dutch oven on the stove on medium high heat.  Add extra virgin olive oil. Add sausages and brown on both sides. Once browned, remove sausages from the pot onto a plate. Add butter to the dutch oven and allow the butter to melt completely. Add onions and saute until softened and translucent. Add garlic and stir.  Cook onions and garlic together for 2 minutes. Pour the flour into the dutch oven along with the thyme, ground mustard, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine all the ingredients.  Saute for 2-3 minutes. Stir in worcestershire sauce, beef broth and Guinness. Add the sausages back into the dutch ov

Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread

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  Irish Stew 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2-2 ½ lbs stew meat 1 yellow onion coarsely chopped 2 tsp chopped garlic 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1 cup Irish stout beer like Guiness 4 cups beef broth 1/4 cup tomato paste 2 lbs small yellow potatoes cut in half 2 cups chopped carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 1/4 cup chopped parsley for garnish Preheat oven to 350 degrees In a large oven safe pot, heat extra virgin olive oil on high heat.  Season meat with ¼ tsp each salt and pepper.  Add half the meat to the pan in a single layer and cook 3-4 minutes per side until the meat is browned. Remove the meat from the pot and repeat with the rest of the meat. Once all the meat is browned and removed from the pot, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Return the meat to the pot with the onions and garlic and add flour. Stir to coat the meat with the flour and cook together for 2-3 minutes. Add the beer, b

Endive with Strawberries, Honey, Goat Cheese and Mint

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3 Endive ribs 4 ounces goat cheese 1 pint fresh strawberries, chopped 1/4 walnuts, chopped Honey for drizzling Fresh mint, finely chopped Zest of one lemon Lay the ribs of endive on a serving platter.  Sprinkle chopped strawberries on the endive leaves. Top strawberries with crumbled goat cheese. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Drizzle some honey over the top and grate lemon zest over each endive leaf.   Garnish with finely chopped mint.

Mushroom, Leek and Spinach Quiche

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1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tsp 6 ounces mushrooms; shitake, cremini, portobello or white mushrooms 2 cups fresh spinach 2 medium leeks, cleaned and sliced 3 cloves of garlic, minced 5 large eggs 3/4 cup whole milk 1/2 heavy cream 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 cup feta cheese 2 tbsp freshly chopped chives for garnish 1 frozen store bought pie crust defrosted. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke holes with a fork throughout the bottom of the pie crust so it doesn’t puff up white baking.  Bake the crust for 8 -10 minutes.  Let cool. Change oven temperature to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil on medium high heat.  Saute leeks until softened. Add mushrooms and garlic then season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.  Cook for 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Transfer veggies to a bowl. In the same saute pan, heat 1 tsp of extra virgin on medium high heat.  Add spinach and cook until wilted. Spoon the spinach into the bowl with the other ve

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

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  Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 3 bone in skin on chicken thighs 3 drumsticks 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp each salt and pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1 lb. baby potatoes cut in half 2 cups baby carrots 1/2 lb asparagus tough ends cut off  1 cup cherry tomatoes 1 yellow squash, sliced into 1/2 “ circles 1/2 red onion chopped into small chunks Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine honey and dijon mustard in a small bowl. Sprinkle chicken thighs and drumsticks with 1 tsp of salt and pepper.  In a large bowl, combine potatoes, carrots, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, squash and red onion with the rest of the salt and pepper and garlic powder. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the veggies and mix to combine. Spread all the veggies in one layer on a foil lined sheet pan.  Place chicken on top of the veggies.  Using a basting brush, cover the chicken with the honey dijon mustard.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Carefully remove the pan from the oven and ba

Cucumber and Dill Salad

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  Cucumber and Dill Salad 2 large english cucumbers, thinly sliced 1/2 medium red onion,  thinly sliced 2 tbsp freshly chopped dill 1/3 cup white wine vinegar 3 tbsp water 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper In a large mixing bowl, add sliced cucumbers, onions, chopped dill, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine vinegar water and sugar.  Whisk until sugar has completely dissolved.   Pour mixture over the cucumber mixture and gently mix to combine.  Allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before serving. Keep chilled.

Sheet Pan Ginger and Honey Salmon with Veggies

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 4 salmon filets Ginger and Honey Glaze: 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp honey 2 tsp grated fresh ginger Veggies: 3/4 lb. asparagus, tough ends removed 12 ounces cherry tomatoes cut in half 1 medium size yellow squash sliced into 1/4" circles 1 medium zucchini sliced into 1/4" circles 1/2 red onion chopped  2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees Mix together ginger and honey glaze ingredients. Brush glaze on the top and sides of the salmon filets. Place all the veggies on to a sheet pan lined with foil.  Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the veggies and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Mix well to coat all the veggies. Lay veggies in one layer on the sheet pan.   Snuggle ginger honey glazed salmon filets in between the veggies.  Roast for 20-22 minutes or until salmon is opaque and cooked through.  It may take a few extra minutes if you salmon is thicker. Serve. Wine Pai