Beef and Sugar Snap Pea Stir-fry
Ingredients
1 pound flat iron steak
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1/2 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cups sugar snap peas
sesame seeds for serving
4 cups cooked hot rice
Instructions
Place the flat iron steak on a cutting board and thinly slice against the grain. You want slices that are 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Place the sliced steak in a bowl and sprinkle with the baking soda, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon water. Toss to combine and let marinate for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of reduced sodium soy sauce, reduced sodium beef stock, oyster sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir to dissolve the light brown sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.
Fill a medium sized pot with water, place of high heat and bring to a boil. When the water boils, add the sugar snap peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Drain the snap peas in a colander and set aside.
After the steak has marinated for 15 minutes, heat alarge saute pan or wok over medium high heat. Add the toasted sesame oil. When the oil is hot (this will take less than a minute over medium high heat) add the steak. Let the steak sauté for a minute or so and then stir to cook evenly. You want the steak to just be cooked with still a few pink spots. It should be medium rare to medium. Overcooking the steak will make it tough.
Pour the sauce into the the pan. Let come to a low boil then stir to finish cooking the steak and thicken the sauce. This will take about 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the sugar snap peas and toss to coat with the sauce.
Serve the beef stir fry over the rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Pan Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy and Lime
Ingredients
2 big handfuls fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Pinch sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (6-ounce) block sushi-quality tuna
1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and sliced
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.
Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side to form a slight crust. Pour 1/2 of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish. Serve the seared tuna with the sliced avocado and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate.
Savoy Cabbage Slaw with Cilantro and Lime
Ingredients
14 ounces thinly sliced savoy cabbage
½ small red onion, petite diced
½ cup freshly chopped cilantro
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt
fresh cracked pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Add cabbage, onion, and cilantro to a large bowl. large bowl.
In a measuring cup, combine olive oil, lime juice, honey, cumin, garlic powder and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
Pour dressing over slaw.
Mix until well combined and enjoy!
Fresh Fava Bean and Shrimp Rissoto
1 pound fava beans, shelled and skinned
1 pound medium shrimp
1 quart chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion or leek
1½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
2 large green garlic shoots, green shoots removed, minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Shell the shrimp and de-vein if necessary. Retain the shells. Salt the shrimp lightly, and set aside in a bowl (in the refrigerator, if you won’t be making and serving the risotto right away). Rinse the shells, and combine them with five cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, skim off foam, reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. Strain and add to the chicken stock or water. Taste and add enough salt to make a well-seasoned broth. Bring to a simmer in a saucepan.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan or a large, wide saucepan. Add the onion (or leek). Cook, stirring, until it softens, three to five minutes. Add the rice and the garlic. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle.
Stir in the wine, and cook, stirring, over medium heat. The wine should bubble but not too quickly. When it has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock, just enough to cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often, until it is almost absorbed. Add another couple of ladles of the stock. Continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring not too fast and not too slowly, and adding more stock whenever the rice is almost dry.
Taste a bit of the rice. It should be slightly al dente. Stir in more stock to cover, and add the favas and the shrimp. Cook, stirring, for another five to 10 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through but still moist (this will depend on the size of the shrimp) and the favas are bright. Stir in the parsley and another small ladle of stock. Remove from the heat, add pepper, stir for a few seconds and serve.
Rhubarb Chutney
Try on Pork Chops!
Ingredients
1 ½ cups rhubarb
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ orange juice and zest
2 tablespoon raisins or dried tart cherries
¼ cup onion or 1 shallot
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Cut the rhubarb into approximately ⅓-1/2 inch slices.
Finely dice the onion and mince the ginger.
Put everything in a wide non-reactive pot and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for around 10 minutes until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally.
Set aside to cool.
Stinging Nettle Pesto
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Blanched Stinging Nettle Leaves water squeezed out (about 4 cups before blanching)
5 Cloves Garlic (Large)
2/3 Cup Walnuts
1 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
3/4 Cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper about 1/4 teaspoon each
INSTRUCTIONS
Clean and trim stinging nettle leaves. I like to use a salad spinner so I can dump the leaves right into a pot of boiling water. Use a non-reactive pan or your leaves will turn black.
Get a pot of water boiling and blanch leaves for 1-2 minutes. Use a non-reactive pan or your leaves will turn black. They are now safe to handle without being stung. Drain leaves. When cool enough to handle, wrap leaves in a paper towel and squeeze out excess water.
Put the blanched stinging nettle leaves, garlic, salt and pepper into a food processor and mix. Scrape the sides, add walnuts, cheese and about 1/2 cup of oil and mix some more. Taste.Add more salt and pepper if needed, mix and taste. If necessary, add more oil while machine is running until you get the right consistency. It should be about a medium paste and not too runny.
Crispy Rockfish and Sweet Potato Chips
Ingredients
Crispy Fish
1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parsley
1 egg
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pounds fresh or frozen rockfish fillets
Vegetable oil for frying
Sweet Potato Chips
5 small sweet potatoes, cut into large French fries
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Crispy Fish
Combine the Panko and parsley in a wide bowl or a pie dish.
In a separate bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, Dijon, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Pat the rockfish fillets dry with a paper towel. Optional step: cut the fillets into smaller sections about 3 inches long.
Add the rockfish fillets to the egg mixture and gently stir to coat the fish. One at a time place in the breadcrumb mixture. Coat both sides of the fish with the breadcrumbs and gently press down on the fillets to get the breadcrumbs to adhere. Repeat with all the fish fillets.
Add enough oil to a 12-inch skillet to get it about 1/4 inch deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot use tongs to gently add the fish fillets to the pan and cook for 90 seconds to 2 minutes until golden brown. Carefully flip the fish fillets over and cook the other side for another 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
When the rockfish fillets are golden brown, lay them on a cooling rack or some paper towels while you finish frying the rest of the fish.
Sweet Potato Chips
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the cut sweet potatoes into a microwave-safe dish with the water. Cook in the microwave for 5 minutes on full power. Drain off liquid, and toss with Italian seasoning, pepper, salt and olive oil. Arrange the fries on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 30 minutes, turning once, or until fries are crispy on the outside.
Simple Mustard Greens
Ingredients
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch mustard greens, stemmed and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
Directions
In a large pan with straight sides on medium heat add the oil. Add the garlic to the hot oil. Saute until garlic is softened and fragrant and has infused the oil.
Add the mustard greens. Season the greens with salt, and pepper, and saute while tossing to wilt. Once wilted add the chicken stock and stir. Raise heat to a simmer, then lower and cook for about 5 minutes more.
Stir in the ground mustard. Serve warm.
Fiddlehead Fern and Bacon Omlet
Ingredients
Filling
1/4 lb fiddlehead ferns
1/4 lb bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 small onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons half-and-half cream or milk
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cups grated Gruyère cheese (optional)
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Blanch the fiddleheads in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.
Brown the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Pour off the rendered fat. Add the onion and sauté until tender. Add the fiddleheads and chives. Sauté for 1 or 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in preheated 12-inch non-stick skillet. Pour the eggs into skillet. Cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, using a spatula to pull apart the omelet and let the uncooked eggs run to the bottom. When the edges (not the center) of the omelets are almost done, sprinkle 1 side with the filling and the Gruyère. Using the spatula, fold the omelet over the filling and slide onto plate.
Leek and Mushroom Pizza
Ingredients
16 ounces Pizza Dough enough for one 12 inch pizza (store bought or make your own)
2 leeks dark green parts removed, cut lengthwise and into half moons
8 ounces shimeji mushrooms sliced
4 slices thick cut bacon diced
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
1 tablespoon butter
3 garlic cloves minced
salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 500°F. Place pizza stone in oven while it's preheating (for at least 30 minutes). If you don't have a pizza stone, use a baking sheet (no need to preheat the baking sheet).
If refrigerated, set pizza dough on the counter for at least half an hour.
Add the mushrooms to a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sauté for 5-10 minutes, until mushrooms have released their moisture and pan is dry. Remove from pan.
Add the bacon pieces and allow to render fat and start to become crisp. Remove bacon from pan and leave fat.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to pan and allow to melt. Add the leeks and season lightly with salt and pepper (remember the bacon is salty, so you don't need much). Sauté for several minutes, until starting to soften. Add the mushrooms back to the pan and continue to cook with the leeks, until starting to turn golden. Add the bacon and the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to one minute. Taste mixture and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat.
Use your hands to work the pizza dough ball into a disc, when it gets to be 6-8 inches across, place on the pizza peel and continue to spread into a 12 inch disc.
Spread the half of shredded cheese all over the dough, leaving about an inch of space all around the outside edge of the crust. Cover with the bacon leek and mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese..
Once the oven and pizza stone have preheated for 30 minutes, transfer pizza from the pizza peel to the pizza stone in the oven. Cook pizza for 12-14 minutes, until dough is golden brown and the cheese is melted.