Shall We Dine?

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It's been a great week! Accomplished a lot at work, you have the best life partner in the world, kids did well in school, no major repairs needed in the house, yard work is done, house is clean as a whistle...time to reward yourself and relax.  Oh, and one other thing, make yourself and family a delicious meal that will transport you to France with all it's charms.  Throw on some French cafe music, open a bottle of wine and have fun in the kitchen! This simple dish, with delightful layers of flavor, fits the bill and won't disappoint!

Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon extra light olive oil

4 1 1/4-inch-thick center-cut rib or loin pork chops, bone in*

Kosher or Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper**

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1/2 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup chicken or veal stock (low sodium)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoons Dijon mustard (or more to taste)

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon (or dried)

Directions

Melt butter in the oil in a large deep skillet over high heat (the olive oil help to prevent the butter from burning too fast). Season chops with salt and pepper and add them, browning well, about 2 minutes a side, reducing the heat slightly if chops brown too quickly.

Remove chops to a platter and pour off of the fat. Add shallots and saute' over medium-high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping brown bits off the bottom. Stir in the stock and return chops to the pan. Reduce the sauce to a simmer, and cook until chops are tender, about 7 minutes, flipping the chops half way through.  Remember, pork chops should have a slightly pink center for best flavor....Beware of the over cooked shoe leather pork chop!

Remove the chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Raise the heat and boil pan juices to reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add cream and boil 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces a bit and thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in mustard and the tarragon. Taste and add more mustard if desired. Immediately spoon sauce over the chops and serve.

** Be gentle with the salt, you can always add a little more at the end if needed.  The reduction of the pan juices with the addition of the Dijon mustard with result in a sauce that is already salted.....

Serve this dish with a crisp chilled green salad, roasted potatoes and lightly steamed asparagus spears with a lemon butter sauce.

*  If you can prepare a little ahead to time, brining the pork chops will really enhance the flavor of the chops.  Although not really necessary for this recipe, here is how that is done if you want to try.

Brine Cured Pork Chops

2-3 day preparation time

3/4 cup kosher salt

2/3 cup sugar

20 juniper berries

20 allspice berries

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

4 bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme

3 sprigs fresh marjoram

Dissolve the salt and sugar in 1 gallon of warm water in a large bowl. In a mortar, slightly crush juniper and allspice berries and the peppercorns along with the bay leaves and herbs; add to the brine. When the brine is cool, add pork chops and completely submerge, putting weights on top of a plate if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 2 days and up to 3 days.

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Delicata Squash – They’re Not Just for Decorating Anymore

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Make Delicata Squash – They’re Not Just for Decorating Anymore

I always look forward to seeing delicata squash appear in the Fall, but with that comes a certain amount of frustration, since I’m pretty sure there are plenty of shoppers who walk right past it, thinking it’s some sort of decorative gourd. They do look like those ornamental cornucopia fillers, which is why I’ve been tempted to walk up to people at the market, who I’ve seen look at these, but not put in their basket, and tell them what a big mistake they’re making. Of course I haven't, since that’s just not done.

The point is, not only would these dress up any holiday table, but they're also absolutely delicious, uniquely textured, and easy to prepare; as long as you don’t cut off a finger. Much like our friend the butternut squash, these are very hard, and you have to be extremely careful when cutting. I think the technique shown herein is a pretty safe way to go, since your fingers are well away from the blade.

Once prepped, season to your liking, with salt and oil being the only mandatory ingredients, and then roast in a hot oven, until tender, and as caramelized as you like. I usually don’t flip halfway through, since I’d rather have one really crusty side, than two sort of crusty sides. Once baked, these can be served hot as a side dish, room temperature as a snack, or cold in a salad. Regardless of how you enjoy them, I hope you give these roasted delicata squash a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 portions:

1 large delicata squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

cayenne pepper to taste

- Roast at 450 F., for about 12 to 18 minutes, depending on how thick your slices are.

-- My “Pumpkin Spice Aioli” was mayonnaise, seasoned with garam masala, turmeric, and hot paprika to taste.

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Something Terrific!

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Make Something Terrific!

This dish has serious chops and something like it has been made in Italy since the middle ages, even if the famous story about its beginning is probably fictitious. Famous 19th century Italian chef Pellegrino Artusi reported that the dish was served at the tremendously important ecumenical meeting called the Council of Florence in 1439, attended by the Byzantine Patriarch Bessarion and most of the top members of the Catholic church in the known world –– it was HUGE. When the Greek bishops ate this roast (that had been known by a different name at the time) they said “Arista! Arista!” which translates into something like “terrific” (aristos is “the best” in Greek and root of the word aristocrat). The dish has been called Arista ever since… Served with roasted potatoes with olives… HEAVEN.

Arista, Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary
and a little Heat!

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

1 pork tenderloin  (around a pound)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 sprigs of rosemary, chopped (plus extra for exterior)

2 sprigs of thyme, chopped

1 tsp. fennel pollen 

1/2 to 1 tsp. pepper to taste 

1 tsp. smoked salt 

2 tbs. olive oil

3 tbs. demi-glace 

1/2 cup white wine

Directions

Chop all the herbs and spices together. You should have about 3 tbs. Gently slice open the tenderloin so it is flattened (around ½” thick) and put 2/3 of the mixture inside. Fold up the small end and tie the loin together. Rub the rest of the mixture over the outside. Stick extra rosemary in the strings.

Preheat oven to 425º

Brown the pork in the oil on all sides in an oven-proof skillet for 3-5 minutes. Pick up any stray bits of garlic and set aside… if you leave them in the pan they will burn. Transfer to the oven for about 15 minutes, turning once, till it registers 145º. Cut the string and let rest for 5 minutes.

While the meat is resting, add the demi-glace and wine and scrape up the brown bits in the skillet and add the garlic you had put aside… pour over the pork to serve.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes with Black Olives 

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 pounds  Yukon potatoes unpeeled and cut into chunks

4 chopped garlic cloves

3 sprigs rosemary

21/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. chili flakes

1/2 cup olive oil

24 thickly sliced olives (as in picture)

2 tbs. minced parsley

Directions

Heat oven to 425º. Toss the potatoes in the oil, rosemary, pepper and chili. Place in the oven 20 minutes, add the garlic and toss and roast for about 5 more minutes more till browned. Remove from the oven and add the olives and parsley. The olives may provide enough salt for the dish, otherwise, add salt to taste.

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Soup in This Heat? But of Course!

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Make Soup in This Heat? But of Course!

Summer is still hanging on.  Chilled soups were invented for hot days like these. Vichyssoise, a chilled creamy potato and leek soup, was created by a chef at the Ritz-Carlton in New York in the summer of 1917, to help keep patrons cool. The original Vichyssoise is a cream bomb, calling for a quart of broth, 2 cups of milk, and 3 cups of cream, for eight servings. Yikes. That’s almost a half cup of cream per serving!  This version is decidedly lighter, though still quite creamy because we use Yukon gold potatoes, which are naturally creamy potatoes (they make great mashed potatoes too).

Vichyssoise

Prep time: 15 minutes.  Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Serves 6-8. Makes 10 cups

4 Tbsp butter

4-5 cups sliced leeks, cleaned, white and pale green parts only (from about 4 large leeks)

1 medium onion, chopped or sliced

2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

6 cups water (vegetarian option), or chicken stock

2 teaspoons Kosher salt (more to taste)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Directions

Heat butter until it begins to brown

In a large (6-quart) pot, heat the butter on medium high heat until it melts and foams up. Continue to heat until the foam subsides a little and the butter just begins to brown.

Sauté leeks and onions

Immediately toss in the sliced leeks and onions. Stir to coat with the butter. Cook for several minutes, reducing the heat to medium if necessary, until the leeks and onions are translucent and wilted.

Add potatoes, water or stock, salt, bring to simmer

Add the chopped potatoes, salt, and water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook, partially covered for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are completely cooked through. Remove from heat.

Purée until smooth

Purée using an immersion blender or working in batches, blend in a blender. (Careful! With hot liquids only fill the blender 1/3 of the way full, and hold the blender top on with your hand while blending.) Purée until completely smooth.

If you want an even smoother soup, you can take the extra step of pressing the purée through a French Mill or sieve with a rubber spatula.

Cool and stir in sour cream and whipped cream

Allow to cool a bit before stirring in the sour cream and whipped cream. Allow to cool completely and chill in the refrigerator. The soup should be served just below room temperature (maybe 65°F). If it is too cold, it won't taste as good.

Add more salt to taste. Serve garnished with chopped fresh chives.

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Thai Green Chicken Curry

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Make Thai Green Chicken Curry

Thai Green Chicken Curry

This curry is incredibly easy to make and will suit all tastes as you can make it as sweet or as spicy as you want... This Thai Green Curry has to be one of the best I have ever made.

Serves 4

Prep time:  20 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the Thai green curry paste

4-6 green chillies, de-seeded and roughly chopped

2 shallots, roughly chopped

5cm of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Small bunch of fresh coriander

2 lemongrass stalks, chopped

1 lime, grated zest & juice

8 kaffir leaves, torn into pieces

1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed

2 tsp Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce

3 tbsp olive oil

For the curry

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

750g skinless, boneless chicken, cut into chunks (use breast or thighs)

6-8 kaffir leaves, torn into pieces

400ml coconut milk
400g green beans, trimmed & cut into 5cm pieces

Good splash of Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce

Small handful of coriander, roughly chopped

1 lime, juice only

Thai jasmine rice, to serve, cook as per packet instructions

Method

1.    For the curry paste, place all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz to a paste.  You can use the paste straight away or store in a jar in the fridge for 3 weeks (for this recipe you only require 2 tbsp of paste).  

2.    Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan.  Add 2 tbsp green curry paste and sugar, cook on a high heat for about a minute, stirring continuously.  Reduce the heat and stir in the chicken and lime leaves until coated in the paste.  Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and bring to a simmer.  Cook for 25-30 minutes until thickened slightly. 

3.    Stir in the coriander and lime juice.  For the last 3-4 minutes add the beans until tender. Taste for seasoning - add more fish sauce if needed.

4.    Leave the curry to rest for a few minutes so the sauce becomes creamier.  Serve with lots of fragrant Thai jasmine rice.

Cooks Tips

·         If you are unable to find kaffir lime leaves use the grated zest of an extra lime.

·         If your curry tastes too spicy add some more sugar.

·         If the curry is not spicy enough fry a little more curry paste in some oil for a minute and add to the sauce.

·         I used Thai Taste Kaffir Lime Leaves – they are amazing, as soon as you open the jar the fresh lime aroma hits you.  http://www.thaitaste.co.uk/products/view/herbs-seasonings/kaffir-lime-leaves-bai-makrut

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Lighter, Brighter, Healthier and of course Delicious!

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Make Lighter, Brighter, Healthier and of course Delicious!

This is a wonderful dish to serve for lunch or dinner.  You can serve it warm or chilled all depending on what works best for you! One of the unsung hero's of the squash family, but it really is coming on strong. This recipe shows some of the versatility of the spaghetti squash.  In making this dish I am sure your mind will come up with all kinds of great ideas.....

Creamy Kale Spaghetti Squash

Prep 20 minutes.  Cook time 1 hour.

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash (about 4.5 lbs.)

1 lb. raw boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper

4 cups chopped kale

3 tbsp. finely chopped pouched sun-dried tomatoes

2 tsp. chopped garlic

2 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

6 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese (8oz.s)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Microwave squash for 3 - 4 minutes, until soft enough to cut. Halve lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds.

Place spaghetti squash cut side up in a baking dish lined with tin foil.  Lightly cut criss cross cuts across the face of the squash. Salt and pepper surface and place a tablespoon of butter into each cavity. Cover with tin foil to keep in moisture and help even cooking. Bake for 40-60 minutes until tender. Test with fork.

While squash cools, bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper add to the skillet. Cook and stir until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large bowl, and cover to keep warm.

Use a fork to scrape out squash strands. Place in a strainer to drain excess moisture. Blot dry, if needed. Transfer 5 cups to a large bowl, and cover to keep warm. Reserve any extra squash for another time.

Clean skillet. Re-spray and bring to medium-high heat. Add kale, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook until kale is tender, about 5 minutes.

Remove lid, and reduce heat to low. Add Parm-style topping and cheese wedges, breaking the cheese wedges into pieces (melts easily). Add chicken and remaining 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook and stir until cheese has melted and coated veggies and chicken, about 3 minutes.

Add cheesy chicken and veggies to the spaghetti squash, mix well, and serve!

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Cider Braised Pork Shoulder – And by “Braised,” We Probably Mean Stewed

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Make Cider Braised Pork Shoulder – And by “Braised,” We Probably Mean Stewed

If you watched our recent spaetzle video, you saw me serve up a nice hunk of cider braised pork shoulder, during which I wondered out loud if we’d done that video yet. Turns out that we hadn’t, so as promised, here you go.

As the title may indicate, this isn’t technically a braised dish, since the meat is pretty much covered with cooking liquid, but whenever I have to choose between alliteration, and accuracy, I predominantly pick the former.

I kept things very simple here, so feel free to add extras like carrots, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and other fall veggies, if you like. There’s really no way to screw up a dish like this. Unless, of course, you stop cooking it before it’s done. I’ll never understand recipe reviewers complaining that the meat in a dish like this, never got tender.

Tough meat always gets tender, if you cook it long enough. Always. The problem is, people go by the times given, which may or may not be long enough. No matter what a recipe says, always continue cooking until it’s fork tender, and can be easily broken apart.  So, with that in mind, whether you’re topping spaetzle or not, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for four portions:

3 to 3 1/2 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut in 3 to 4-inch chunks

Enough Kosher salt to season pork generously

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or rendered pork fat

1 large onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup freshly torn sage leaves

1 bottle (750 mil) hard cider, or regular cider, or apple juice

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup crème fraiche, or heavy cream

pinch cayenne

crème fraiche and chives to garnish

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Today’s Video Delayed Due to Wisdom

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Make Today’s Video Delayed Due to Wisdom

Tooth, that is. I have a cracked wisdom tooth that needs some attention, and so I’m not exactly sure when I’ll be able to finish the voice over for today’s recipe. I ended up filming the cider-braised pork you may have seen in the spaetzle video, and look forward to posting it soon. Stay tuned!

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It's Still TOOO Hot!

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Make It's Still TOOO Hot!

Even after a wonderful day laying in the sun and dipping into a refreshingly cool pool, the heat is finally getting to me.  The idea of eating something heavy, the thought of cooking in this heat really just tires me out. So, how about something easy to fix, light, delicious and sure to keep you cool in more ways than one!  Lobster Rolls!  In this recipe, I take advantage of corn and celery and of course lobster, but not just lobster.  As rich as Lobster is, I don't want that overly full feeling and creating a salad of sorts to go with "some" lobster is just the ticket.  You certainly could substitute lump crab meat, shrimp or a firm white fleshed fish like grouper or snapper for the lobster.

Lobster Rolls With Corn and Celery

Ingredients

4 lobster tails (about 1 1/2 pounds total), thawed if frozen

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup fresh corn (from 1 ear)

2 stalks celery, sliced

1/3 cup quality mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

kosher salt and black pepper

4 potato hot dog buns, split

Directions

Fill a large saucepan with 1 inch of water and fit with a steamer basket. Bring to a simmer. Place the lobster tails in the steamer basket, cover, and steam until opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the tails. Using kitchen shears, cut straight down the central membrane (the thin, paler pink portion on the inside of the tail) and pull apart to break the tail in half. Remove the meat from the shell immediately (to stop the cooking) and coarsely chop. Let cool.

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook, tossing, until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool; reserve the skillet. Add the lobster, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper to the bowl and toss to combine.

You could always add finely diced red and green bell pepper, cucumber or onion creating another type of seafood salad ( I would add those directly from the cutting board without sauteing.)

Brush the insides of the buns with the remaining butter. Brown the buns, buttered-side down, in the reserved skillet over medium heat until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

Divide the lobster salad between the buns.

Served with Ice Cold Ice Tea!

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It May be Fall by the Calendar......But

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Make It May be Fall by the Calendar......But

With record heat hitting much of the country it's time to transport your tastebuds on a tropical holiday with this refreshing pina colada ice cream. (Begin this recipe a day ahead.)

Pina Colada Ice Cream with Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

Ice Cream

3 cups sour cream

2 1/2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted

15 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup coconut cream

3 oz. Malibu or other coconut liqueur

2 1/2 cups shredded coconut, toasted

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Mint leaves, to garnish

Pineapple Salsa

1 lemongrass stalk (inner core only), bruised

1 1/2 oz. ginger, peeled, chopped

5 oz. caster sugar

4 kaffir lime leaves

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, thinly sliced

Directions

To make the pina colada ice cream, blend sour cream, 2 cups icing sugar, crushed pineapple, coconut cream and Malibu in a food processor until a smooth puree.

Transfer to an ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Alternatively, pour into a shallow container and freeze for 2 hours or until frozen at edges.

Remove from freezer and beat with electric beaters. Return to container and refreeze. Repeat 2 or 3 times). Transfer to a 2 quart terrine lined with plastic wrap and freeze overnight or until firm.

For the pineapple salsa, place lemongrass, ginger, caster sugar, kaffir lime leaves and 1 cup water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until sugar dissolves. Add pineapple and cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove pineapple with a slotted spoon and set aside. Return pan to heat and cook syrup for a further 5-6 minutes until reduced by half. Discard lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Pour over the pineapple and chill until ready to serve.

To make the crumb, place coconut, cinnamon and remaining 1/2 cup icing sugar in a small food processor and pulse to combine.

Remove ice cream from freezer 5 minutes before serving. Uncover and invert onto a plate, gently pulling on the plastic wrap to remove the ice cream from the pan. Slice into thick slices, then roll the thin edges of each slice in coconut crumb.

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With Just a Little Prep Time......

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Make With Just a Little Prep Time......

You will have a fabulous hors d' oeuvre for a party of two for a romantic night at home or with a gathering of friends and family!  In this recipe, we are taking the building block of the south, Grits, and teaming it up with Parmesan cheese and panko to create a delicious bite, but elevating it by adding a spicy mayonnaise, shrimp, pickled tomato and an asparagus tip!  The secret is have everything ready to go and lined up on your kitchen counter  creating an assembly line and.... go!

Shrimp and Grits Fritter

Shrimp and Grits Fritter

Ingredients

Makes 24

1 cup cooked stone ground grits

1/4 - 1/2 pound cooked, chopped shrimp

11/2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg (combined with water for a wash)

11/2 cups panko bread crumbs

Old Bay for dusting after cooking

24 baby shrimp lightly steamed

Directions

Combine grits, shrimp, lemon zest and cheese in a medium bowl.

Form mixture in 24 balls (using a 1/2 oz scoop makes it a bit easier if you have one). Place each ball on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Roll the balls in egg wash and then coat them in panko. coating thoroughly.

Place back on the baking sheet/parchment. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes switch the oven to broil and broil  until slightly browned.

Dust lightly with Old Bay seasoning.  

Keep warm for assembly, then serve.

Spicy Mayonnaise

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably Japanese or a quality mayonnaise.

2 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lime juice. Taste and add more Sriracha to desired spiciness. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to a month.

Pickled Tomatoes**

Ingredients

(makes 1 quart)

Takes. 90 minutes, aging time 1-2 weeks.

**You can skip the process of making your own pickled tomatoes and purchase them ready to go in most grocery or specialty food stores.

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1 1/4 cup distilled water

2 tablespoons Morton's kosher salt* 

1 pound firm green tomatoes 

1/2 serrano chile, stem removed

6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced in half

4 tablespoons dill seeds

1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

Tomato Chutney or red pepper jelly

Tomatoes. They can be any breed, they must be all green, no orange allowed, and they must be cut in half or quarters.  They must be close to full size. 

Water. You can usually find distilled water in the grocery or drug store. Distilled water is best because it it purer and impurities can impart odd flavors, but, unless you have strong tasting tap water, it usually works fine.

Salt*. If you use table salt you must to cut the quantity in half! 

Chile pepper. The idea here is you want just a little heat in the background so 1/2 a serrano works perfectly. I often use 4 to 6 small hot chiles per quart, each no bigger than a marble. If you can't find fresh peppers, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Vinegar. You must use distilled vinegar. Any other vinegar imparts too many odd flavors.

Directions

Make sure you have a really clean bottle and lid. The lids must have good rubber seals. The best thing to do is buy canning jars and lids from Ball. They are in a lot of hardware and grocery stores. Sterilize them by submersing them in a boiling water bath.

Add the garlic, dill seeds, and peppercorns to the jar.

Thoroughly wash the tomatoes and slice them in halves or quarters. Cut out all bad spots and the stem ends. Gently push them into the jar leaving about 1/2" - 3/4" of space at the top.

Make the brine by combining the vinegar, water, and salt in a non-reactive sauce pan or pot. Bring to a boil, and stir until all the salt is dissolved.

Pour the hot brine over the tomatoes to within 1/4" of the top. Wipe the jar top, put the lids on and tighten. Age for at least 1 week in the refrigerator.

Beware. The brine will taste very salty at first, but don't panic. The juices from the tomatoes will dilute the concentration of salt in a week or 2.

Cut the tomatoes needed into very small cubes that will fit on top of your fritter and toss lightly in the tomato chutney or red pepper jelly.  (Just enough to help the tomato to sit on the shrimp (glue), but not so much as to mask the flavor of the pickled tomato.

Asparagus Tips  Lightly saute, steam or grill 24 asparagus spears then remove the tips for the fritter.  Use the remaining spears for a vegetable at dinner one night, omlet, frittata or soup.

Assembly

It's all about stacking. Take a fritter, place a dab of spicy mayonnaise on top, a baby shrimp, a pickled tomato cube and then the asparagus tip!

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Quick, Easy, Seasonal and Delicious!

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Make Quick, Easy, Seasonal and Delicious!

This is an easy, rustic recipe that makes a great vegetarian meal or a pretty side dish for summer or autumn. It's so simple: yellow squash layered in a jumble with sliced red potato and goat cheese. No cream needed at all.

Potato, Squash & Goat Cheese Gratin

Ingredients

Serves 6

2 medium yellow summer squash, about 1/2 pound

4 small to medium red potatoes, about 1 pound

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces goat cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup whole milk

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon thinly sliced basil or thyme leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2- to 2-quart casserole dish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Use a mandoline or chef's knife to slice the squash and potatoes into very, very thin slices, 1/8-inch thick or less. Toss the sliced vegetables with the 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl.

Place a third of the squash and potato slices in the bottom of the dish — no need to layer them squash-potato-squash; just spread them evenly — then season with salt and pepper. Top with half of the goat cheese, scattered evenly in large chunks. Repeat with another third of the vegetables, seasoning again with salt and pepper and topping with the other half of the goat cheese. Finish by layering on the final third of the vegetables and seasoning with salt and pepper.

Pour the milk over the entire dish. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 more minutes, until the top browns. Scatter on the fresh basil, if using.

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How to Make Spätzle (aka Spaetzle) – Little Sparrows for Big Meat

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Apparently “Spätzle” translates to “little sparrows” in German, which makes a lot of sense when you consider their shape. What doesn’t make sense is why these micro-dumplings are also called “spaetzle.” Is it an alternate spelling? A different recipe? I’m hoping maybe some of our German foodwishers can clear this up.

Since my favorite German restaurant calls this stuff spätzle, that’s what I went with, and they are as easy to make, as they are hard to correctly pronounce. You only need a few ingredients, all of which you generally have on hand at all times, and they take just minutes to cook.

Once boiled, you can toss in butter like I did, or sauce them any way you’d sauce similarly shaped pasta. While wonderful served as-is, they make the perfect side dish to any large hunk of slowly braised meat. I paired mine with a pork shoulder stewed in hard cider, and it was amazing.

I thought I’d posted a video for that, but it was actually a cider-braised pork cheeks recipe I was thinking of, which would work perfectly here. So, I may have to do a braised pork shoulder after all. In the meantime, I’m sure you’ll have little trouble figuring out what to serve yours with, and I really do hope you give this Spätzle recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes 2 portions:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more to adjust

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

pinch of cayenne

1 tablespoon cream fraiche, sour cream, or yogurt

3 tablespoons milk

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One of the More Perfect Casual Yet Delicious Dishes!

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Make One of the More Perfect Casual Yet Delicious Dishes!

Spicy, Herbaceous, Beefy, Versatile and Delicious!  In no time at all you can create this dish and serve it over rice and have a total meal.  This is a healthy dish using many ingredients that most have on hand already.  You can substitute pork, chicken and even shrimp for the beef making this a dish one you can make many times keeping it fresh and new for your friends and family. 

Spicy Basil Beef

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1/2 lb beef, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chile, chopped

1/4 cup onion, sliced

1/4 cup red bell pepper, sliced

1 cup fresh basil leaf

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

cilantro, chopped for garnish

Directions

Heat wok with oil, add garlic and chiles.

Add beef and stir fry for 1 minute.

Add onions and basil, stir for 1 minute.

Add remaining sauce: oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and white pepper.

Stir fry until cooked, garnish with cilantro.

Server immediately with steamed rice.

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Let's Step it Up for the Dinner Party this Weekend!

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Lamb.....For most it's a love-hate relationship.  I happen to love lamb, but can certainly see where some people turn up their noses at the thought of eating lamb.  I have had lamb where it wasn't cooked properly, was a bit gamy (because is was more mutton than lamb), or the treatment, preparation was just poor.  Now, think about how many times you have had lamb and had this reaction. Once in this case is never enough.  The one bad experience may have just because who ever prepared the lamb, shouldn't have.  Don't let one bad experience taint your taste buds forever.  In saying all this, here is a recipe that may help change your ideas about lamb.  I have posted several recipes for lamb, but this one is just different enough to peak most peoples curiosity and of course tantalizes your gastronomic sensibilities!

Tea-Smoked Barbecued Lamb Chops with Spicy Korean Miso

Ingredients
Serves 4

Lamb chops

8 lamb chops

1 dash of olive oil

Barbecue marinade

1/2 red onion

1 handful of coriander seeds

2 garlic cloves

fresh ginger, 3/4" piece, peeled and roughly chopped

1 red chili, roughly chopped

3/4 oz of sea salt

Smoking mix

1 1/16 oz of rice

3 tbsp of matcha, green tea powder

Nasu miso

1 eggplant

1 lemon, juice only

2 tsp miso paste

1 tbsp of vegetable oil

salt to season

black pepper to season

Korean miso

3 1/2 oz of gochujang, red chili paste

2/3 fl oz of rice vinegar

1/3 fl oz of sake

1/2 oz of caster sugar

1/3 oz of white miso

1 egg yolk

To serve

1 bunch of chives, finely chopped

2 limes, cut in half

Directions

Begin by making the marinade for the lamb chops. Blitz together the red onion, coriander seeds, garlic, ginger, red chili and sea salt in a blender to form a purée. Coat the lamb chops with the marinade, cover and leave to infuse in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the Korean miso. Place the gochujang, rice vinegar, sake, sugar and miso paste into a small saucepan and simmer gently over a very low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolk, then leave to cool until required.

To make the nasu miso, prick the eggplant all over with the tip of a knife. Rub lightly with vegetable oil and place under the hot grill, rotating until charred and blistered all over.

Allow the eggplant to cool, then remove all the skin and chop the flesh into a rough, pulp-like texture. Season the flesh to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice, then stir through the miso paste and keep warm until ready to serve.

Preheat a barbecue until smoking hot.

Place a wok in the centre of the barbecue and fill with 5 1/3 oz of smoking chips. Once the chips are smoking add the rice and heat through before scattering with the matcha powder

Remove the lamb chops from the fridge and dab away any excess marinade with kitchen paper, then place on a wire rack covered in tin foil and smoke over the wok for 2 minutes on each side.

Remove the lamb from the heat and discard the smoking apparatus, maintaining the heat of the barbecue. Once the lamb chops have cooled a little brush them lightly with olive oil and season generously with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Grill the lamb on the barbecue for a few minutes each side until medium rare and charred on the outside, then remove from the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chargrill the lime halves flesh side down until blackened.

To serve, spoon a little of the nasu miso in the centre of each plate and top with 2 lamb chops per person. Garnish with a drizzle of the Korean miso sauce and a good handful of chopped chives, finishing with the charred lime on the side.

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