Shrimp and Walnut Pesto Pinwheels with Sundried Tomato Aioli

Caesar Salad

Lobster Ravioli in Lemon Cream Sauce

Pasta Rags with Mushroom Miso Butter

Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Trifle

Fresh Pasta Dough

yield: 2 servings

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

  Making fresh pasta dough is fun and very easy. Traditionally, the dough is mixed directly on a board or counter but it is acceptable to begin the dough in a bowl to limit the cleanup. Laminate counter tops are fine for kneading dough but natural or engineered stone is best as it is non-porous and maintains constant temperature, especially important when working with yeast doughs.

  In a bowl or on a countertop, combine the salt and flour. Using your fingers, create a well in the center of the mound, being sure that the well’s walls are equally thick and high. In a separate container, combine eggs and olive oil. Scramble eggs with a fork to incorporate oil.

  Add 1/3 of egg/oil mixture to center of well. Using a swirling motion, pull flour from inner walls of well into eggs and mix until it forms a thick paste. If working on a countertop, be careful not to break through the walls of the well as egg will run out over the work surface. When center is no longer runny, add half of remaining egg mixture and stir to paste. Add remaining liquid and repeat. Continue to mix until fork is no longer effective and then turn dough out onto work surface.

  Knead dough by flattening, folding it in half and pressing hard with the palm of your hand. Rotate 90’ and repeat over and over until dough is a consistent color (no patches of flour or egg mixture) and begins to feel springy. Pasta dough should be visibly bumpy but soft and smooth to the touch. To test, press a finger into dough. The depression made by your finger should spring back almost entirely. Flatten dough into a disk 1 ½ inches thick, wrap with saran and place in cooler to rest for 20-30 minutes or until finger divot does not bounce back. This means that the gluten that was excited in the kneading process has relaxed and the dough is ready to be rolled and cut.

Classic Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons

yield: 2 servings                                                                           

½ head trimmed Romaine lettuce, cut in 1 inch slices

2 ½ inch slices Italian bread, cut in cubes

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon parmesan cheese, grated

½ teaspoon anchovy paste (or 1 small filet mashed)

½ lemon, juiced

¼ teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon garlic, minced and divided

1 large egg yolk

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

Small block of parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish

  In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 teaspoon garlic, anchovy, lemon and Dijon. Whisk to thoroughly mix. Add egg yolk and lemon whisking again quickly to combine and begin drizzling oil at slowest steady stream possible while whisking vigorously. If oil begins to pool, stop pouring and whisk until excess oil is emulsified. Continue adding oil until a lightly thickened dressing is formed. Taste and add salt and pepper to eliminate acidity of lemon. Set is cooler until needed.

  In a small mixing bowl combine ½ teaspoon garlic and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix for 2 minutes to combine and extract garlic oils. Add bread cubes and toss quickly to evenly distribute garlic-oil min. Add parsley, fold in, and transfer croutons to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 3-5 minutes until cubes are golden brown but still chewy in the center. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the salad, Toss Romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing in a mixing bowl to lightly  coat, using only half of dressing to begin. Add more dressing if desired uniformly coating the lettuce. Add croutons and fold until evenly distributed. Divide salad between 2 chilled salad plates and garnish with shaved or shredded parmesan block.

Lobster ravioli

Yield 2

1 pasta recipe prepped and rolled out

FILLING

1 cup lobster chopped

2 tablespoons capers, chopped

2 tablespoons dill, chopped

1/2 cup ricotta

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 lemon zested

SAUCE

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 lemon juiced

1/4 cup parmesan

Dill garnish

In a bowl combine all filling ingredients, taste and season with salt and pepper. On four sheets of pasta place a dollop of filling, 1-2 finger width apart. Brush water around the edges of pasta as well as in-between dollops. Fold pasta onto itself and seal. Cut into pieces and set aside.

Boil water and cook ravioli. Place in a bowl with heavy cream, lemon juice, parmesan and dill. Add taste and pepper to taste, serve.

Shrimp pinwheels

Yield 2

1 sheet puff pastry

1 cup shrimp, chopped

1/4 cup pesto

1 tablespoon minced walnuts

2-3 cloves roasted garlic with oil

1/2 cup dill havarti diced or shredded

1/2 cup mozzarella

Salt and pepper to taste

AIOLI

2 tablespoons sun dried tomato, pureed

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1-2 cloves roasted garlic with oil

1 tablespoon basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven 400″

Mix together pesto, walnuts and roasted garlic

Lay puff pastry out on lightly floured surface. Spread over shrimp, dollop over pesto. Sprinkle both cheeses over top and season with salt and pepper.

Roll the puff pastry up like a cinnamon roll and cut into desired sizes. Place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden.

In a small bowl combine all AIOLI ingredients season with salt and pepper.

Remove pinwheels from oven and serve with AIOLI.

Miso pasta

Yield 2

1 pasta recipe prepped and rolled out

1 cup mushrooms sliced

1/2 onion sliced

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tablespoons miso paste or 1 cup miso broth

1 cup stock (if using miso paste)

4 tablespoons butter

2 green onions sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Using a pasta cutter,.cut pasta sheets into random square/triangle sizes, resembling rags. Boil pasta according to recipe.

In large skillet, over medium high heat add butter cook mushrooms and onions until soft add garlic. Cook until fragrant then add miso with stock/miso broth cook until reduced by half. Turn heat off

Add pasta rags to miso butter. Toss with green onions and serve.

Strawberry cheesecake trifle

Yield 10

1 box instant cheesecake, prepped according to box

2 cups strawberries, sliced

2 lemons juiced

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 box instant white chocolate pudding

1/2.bottle white chocolate dessert drizzle

4 cups whipped cream, prepped

2 cups of cheesecake chocolate chips or white chocolate chips

In a stand mixer combine 2 cups heavy cream, and instant white chocolate pudding. Whip on medium until Stiff. Pour in white chocolate dessert drizzle and mix two combined set aside

In a small bowl combined strawberries lemon juice and sugar.

In a glass or a ramekin put down a layer of prepped cheesecake add a layer of white chocolate cream, add another layer of chocolate chips. Finish with strawberries and whipped cream. Pour over juice from strawberry bowl. Serve.

Chorizo and Potato Spanish Tortilla Bites

Pear and Manchego Salad with Rosemary Honey

Chicken Basquaise

Churro Cobbler with Fresh made Cinnamon Gelato

Chorizo and Potato Tortilla Bites

yield: 2 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 corn or flour tortillas

2 green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup diced onions

½ teaspoon garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoons salt

1 pinch teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup Spanish chorizo

1 cup potato, diced ¼ inch

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup Cheddar, coarsely grated

1 teaspoon cilantro, chopped

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Lightly grease a small rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.

In a small pan with oil for frying heat up until 325”F and add diced potatoes. Cook until golden brown and transfer to a plate to dry In a large skillet, add oil and heat until oil shimmers. Add onions, garlic, white parts of scallions, half of salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden. Add chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, add cooked potatoes and transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool slightly. Place tortilla on prepared baking sheet. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, cheese, scallion greens, and remaining salt and pepper, then pour into center of tortilla. Sprinkle potato mixture over eggs. Cover with second tortilla, pressing slightly until mixture extends out to edges, Bake until eggs are set, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack to warm or room temperature. Trim into a square, and then cut tortilla into rectangles, diamonds or triangles.  Transfer to a warmed Dinner plate and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Pear Manchego Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1/4 cup almonds roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons + 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 5 ounces mixed baby greens
• 1 pear Bosc, Comice or Anjou, cored, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 ounce Manchego cheese shaved

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, heat the honey, rosemary and water. Simmer for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
2. In a small skillet over medium high heat, sauté the almonds in 1/4 teaspoon olive oil until they are toasted, about 5 minutes. Let the almonds cool before mixing with the lemon zest and salt and pepper.
3. For the dressing, whisk the remaining olive oil with the balsamic vinegar. Toss the mixed greens with the dressing, almonds, pears, red onions and Manchego. Remove the rosemary sprigs and drizzle with honey before serving.

Basque Chicken

• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1Tbsp butter
• 2 boneless chicken breasts – POUNDED THIN
• 1Tbsp flour
• 1 piment d’Espelette
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1-2 sprig thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, minced to a paste.
• 1 shallot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1tsp. tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
•  2 Tbsp apple cider
• 1/4 C dry vermouth
• 2 piquillo peppers, drained and halved lengthwise
• 1/4 green apple- small dice.
• 1/4 C Manzanilla olives- chopped.
• 2 T butter
•   finely chopped Italian parsley

Method.

1. Preheat pan to medium heat.
2. Combine 1/2 espelette, flour, some of the thyme, salt & pepper. Dredge chicken in this flour mixture.
3. Add oil to pan. When hot add chicken. COOK FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. Add butter. Turn and cook for 2-3 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
4. Remove chicken to a plate or foil- cover and hold while you make the sauce.
5. Add shallots, a sprig of thyme, and garlic.season with salt, pepper & pinch or two of the espellete. Add olives & tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Deglaze with vermouth- reduce by half. Add cider and chicken stock. Reduce by half.
7. Add parsley, remaining espellete and butter*. Swirl the butter until melted and forms an emulsion. *NO TOOL SHOULD STIR THE BUTTER. JUST WIRL THE PAN. A SPOON, WHISK WILL BREAK THE EMULSION.
8. Plate and serve. Garnish with diced apple.

Cinnamon Gelato

Ingredients

▢2 cups whole milk

▢1 cup heavy cream

▢4 large egg yolks

▢2/3 cup sugar

▢1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

▢2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the milk and cream and cook, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn’t form, until tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges and the mixture reaches a temperature of 170°F (77°C).

Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Gradually whisk in the sugar until it is well incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Temper the egg yolks by very slowly pouring in the hot milk mixture, whisking continuously.

Return the custard to the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and it reaches a temperature of 185°F (85°C). Do not bring to a boil.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Let cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes or so. (To hasten the cooling process, place the bowl of custard in an ice bath and stir until the custard has cooled.) Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours or overnight. Originally published June 09, 2010.

Gently whisk the vanilla and cinnamon into the custard. Pour the mixture into the container of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon into an airtight container to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Baked Churro Cobbler

  yield: 10

1 cup water

1/3 cup butter

2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

Cinnamon sugar to coat

Pie filling

Pre heat oven 350”F

In a sauce pan add butter, water, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil then turn off heat and add flour all in at once. Stir with a wooden spoon until dough has formed into a ball.

Transfer to a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Turn on high until steam is no longer rising. Add 1 egg in at a time. Finally add vanilla.

Pipe into a ramekin that has your choice of filling, sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar.  Bake 20-25 min

Seared Scallops with Beurre Blanc and Pesto Pea

Parisian Chicken

Pomme Frites with Truffle Aioli

Chocolate Souffles

Seared Scallops with Beurre Blanc and Pesto Pea

Serves 4

Ingredients

Beurre Blanc

1 shallot, minced

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup white wine

4 Tablespoon heavy cream

1 cup butter, cut into cubes

Salt and pepper

Pesto pea

1 bag frozen peas

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

3 Tablespoons pesto

2 Tablespoon Parmesan

Salt and pepper

Seared Scallops

Scallops

Salt and pepper

1 Tablespoon

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1. To make the Beurre blanc, add the shallots, vinegar and wine to a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until it is reduced by more than half. Add the cream. Add the butter chunks to the pan all at once. Turn the heat to high and whisk while moving the pan until it has completely melted. Season with salt and pepper.
2. To make the pea puree, boil 2 cups of water and garlic clove. Cook the peas until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove garlic cloves. Add to blender with pesto, and pepper. Pulse until you get consistency you like. Use a little of the cooking liquid to thin if necessary. Remove from blender and mix in Parmesan.
3. To sear scallops, pat scallops dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan over high heat. Add butter and oil. Place scallops in the pan. Leave them alone for about 3 minutes on the first side and 1 ½ minute on the second side, they will form a light crust.
4. To plate, add pea puree to a plate. Top with scallops and pour over beurre blanc.

Parisian Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast

2 Tablespoon whole milk

2 large eggs

¼ cup dry flour

6 Tablespoon unsalted butter

2 Tablespoon of olive oil

¼ cup dry vermouth

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions

1. Lay the breasts down on a cutting board and use a sharp knife parallel to the cutting board to cut them (carefully) almost all the way in half, leaving about ½ inch attached. Open breasts like a book and cover with plastic wrap. Gently pound them with a meat mallet or heavy skillet to uniform, 1/4 –inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a shallow bowl, whisk the milk and the eggs, and spread the flour on a plate. Heat 2 Tablespoons of butter and olive oil in a skillet until foam subsides. Dredge the chicken breast in flour, shaking off the excess, then dip them in the egg and transfer to the skillet. Cook until golden, 2-3 minutes per side, in batches as necessary (add extra butter as needed).
3. Transfer the chicken to a plate tented with foil. Then add the vermouth and lemon juice to the sauté pan. Increase the heat and scrape up any brown bits, then season to taste. Reduce for a minute or so (about half) then whisk in remaining butter in pieces. Add parsley. Serve the chicken with the sauce poured over it

Pomme Frites with Truffle Ailoi

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, for frying2 large russet potatoes (about 1 ½  pounds) cleaned

Truffle Aioli

½ cup mayonnaise

½ crème fraiche or sour cream

 1 Tablespoon of white truffle oil

1 large clove, diced

Zest of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup finely chopped fresh rosemary

Mix all truffle Aioli ingredients together except herbs. Cover place in refrigerator.

1 Tablespoon white truffle oil, for drizzling

Directions:

1. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed pot 350 degrees F.
2. Carefully cut the potatoes into shoestring using a mandolin fitted with the narrowest julienne blade (about 1/8 inch wide). Rinse the cut potatoes thoroughly in a bowl of cold water to remove the surface starch. Keep to potatoes in bowl of cold water until ready to use.
3. Transfer the potatoes to a paper towel lined sheet pan and pat them dry, as dry as possible.
4. Fry the potatoes in batches until they are crisp and turn golden. 2-3 minutes per batch. As each batch of fries comes out, transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with chopped herbs, drizzle with truffle oil and salt and pepper to taste serve with truffle aioli.

Chocolate Souffle

  Souffle batter can be made up to 12 hours in advance, portioned and held in a cooler until needed. The soufflé will begin to fall the moment it leaves the oven so be sure to have powdered sugar and under liner plate ready to go.

yeild: 8 servings

Unsalted butter for greasing ramekins, softened

6 large egg yolks

8 large egg whites

16 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ cup granulated sugar plus more for ramekins

Prepare double boiler

Prepare ramekins with softened butter and sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  To a medium mixing bowl, add chocolate, vanilla, and sugar. Melt chocolate and stir to incorporate other ingredients. When chocolate is melted but not hot (110-115 degrees), remove from double fold in egg yolks. Set aside.

  In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip egg whites at high speed until they begin to froth. Add cream of tartar and gradually add sugar as meringue whips creating a bright white, glossy sheen. When meringue reaches stiff peaks, turn off mixer and remove bowl.

  Working with 1/3 at a time, gently fold meringue into chocolate mixture. When first third is fully incorporated, add half of remaining whites and fold. Repeat with remaining meringue and fold until completely incorporated but do not overmix or batter will deflate.

  Spoon batter into ramekins filling them ¾ of the way to the top. Use a clean towel to wipe excess butter from ramekin above batter line. Arrange ramekins on rimmed baking sheet and transfer to oven for 15-20 minutes. Close oven door carefully so not to disturb soufflés as this will cause them to fall. When soufflés are finished baking, remove from oven, quickly dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.