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GRILLED WATERMELON AND TOMATO SALAD

From Chef Les Kincaid, www.leskincaid.com

Serves 4

 

From 08.04.10 Blog

 

4 3/4 " slices seedless watermelon, as needed

4 ripe heirloom tomatoes, mixed colors, sliced into wedges

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar

8 small leaves fresh opal basil

8 small leaves of fresh green basil

Sea salt, for garnish

 

Prepare a charcoal grill outdoors for direct grilling over high heat. [Or, indoors, place a grill pan over high heat until very hot - not just warm which would cook the melon].  Cut the watermelon into 4" rounds. Grill directly over the heat on one side only until grill-marked and the melon emits a slightly smoky aroma, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill or pan.

 

Place the tomato wedges in a large bowl and toss gently with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season to taste with kosher salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

 

Place a watermelon round, grill-marked side up, in the center of each of four appetizer plates. Top each with an equal portion of tomatoes. Drizzle each salad with 1/2 tablespoon of remaining olive oil, and top each with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar. Garnish with opal basil and green basil and a few grains of sea salt.

 

 

CHANTILLY FROSTING

From Matthew Gray, www.hawaiifoodtours.com
 

From 06.16.10 Blog

 

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup white sugar

3 egg yolks, beaten

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thick, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to stir until cool and thick enough to spread on a 9x13 cake or two 8" rounds (or on "puffs").

 

 

LITTLE ITALY SAUSAGE BURGERS

From "Burger Parties" by James McNair and Jeffrey Starr/Rebecca Reese' recipe

Makes 6

 

From 05.19.10 Blog

 

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup bottled red wine vinaigrette

 

Patties

1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage

1 pound ground pork

1/2 cup chopped pickled pepperoncini

1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese

1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

9 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 6 equal slices

6 bun-sized pieces focaccia bread, sliced horizontally, or focacia buns, split

6 thin slices red onion

2 cups coarsely shredded romaine lettuce

 

Prepare a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high.

 

Combine the mayonnaise and vinaigrette in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until assembling the burgers.

 

To make the patties, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Form the mixture into 6 equal patties to fit the bread pieces.

 

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover and cook, turning once, until done to preference, about 4 minutes on each side for medium. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the cheese slices on the patties to melt and place the bread pieces, cut sides down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.

 

To assemble the burgers, spread the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of each bread piece. On each bread bottom, place a patty, an onion slice, and a portion of the lettuce. Add the bread tops and serve.

 

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BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

From Chef Les Kincaid

Serves 8

 

From 05.12.10 Blog

 

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 tablespoons strong-brewed espresso

6 large eggs, separated

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

Bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

 

In the top of a double boiler, combine the chocolate, butter and espresso and cook over simmering water over moderately low heat, stirring, until the chocolate is melted. Remove the top of the double boiler and let cool to 75° on an instant-read thermometer. Beat in the egg yolks until incorporated.

 

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites at medium-high speed until very soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the whites are slightly firm and glossy. In another bowl, beat the cream until firm. Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, then fold in half of the beaten whites until no streaks remain. Repeat with the remaining whites and whipped cream.

 

Spoon the chocolate mousse into glasses or bowls and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours. Garnish with chocolate shavings and serve chilled.

 

 

BUTTERFLIED TROUT IN LEMON CAPER BUTTER

From Wolfgang Puck

Serves 4

 

From 04.28.10 Blog

 

4 whole trout

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Flour, for dredging

Olive oil, for sauteeing

2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon

1 tablespoon capers

2 lemons, supremed* and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

* That means remove all skin, pith, and membranes

 

Lay out the trout so the skin side is down. Open the flesh like a book. With a sharp knife, carefully cut out the backbone, making sure to keep the fillets attached at the head and the tail. Season both sides of the trout with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge both sides of the trout with flour, shaking off any excess.

 

Heat a large sauce pan over high heat. When the pan is hot enough, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Heat the oil until it shimmers when swirled. Carefully add the trout, flesh-side-down, starting at the tail and lying away from you towards the head. You may need to cook the trout in batches. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a platter and keep warm.

 

Return the pan to medium-high heat and remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and cook just until it begins to brown and smell nutty, about 3 minutes. Add the capers, lemons, croutons, white wine, and lemon juice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley and pour over the trout.

 

The chef serves this with toasted, seasoned croutons, and also notes that the recipe can work as well with similar small fish such as Pacific red snapper or arctic char.

 

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ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE TART

From the California Asparagus Commission

Makes 8 servings

 

From 03.24.10 Blog

 

Puff pastry, store bought, frozen
Filling: 4 oz. log goat cheese, 1 oz. cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Topping: 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup diced onion, 12 oz. asparagus with ends discarded, salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend all filling ingredients in food processor until smooth. Slice off 1/2 of pastry sheet, approximately 10 x 5 inches.  Roll pastry out to 13 x 5 inches. Place on a parchment- lined sheet pan. Spread filling on top of puff pastry, leaving a ½ inch border. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Heat oil in a sauté pan. Add diced onion. Cover and sauté until caramelized. Chop asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Add to pan. Season with salt. Sauté 2-3 minutes. Arrange asparagus mixture on top of the pastry. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Transfer to cutting board. Slice as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
 
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MASTER RECIPE FOR BURGERS

From Les Kincaid

 

From 03.17.10 Blog

 

1 1/2 lbs freshly ground sirloin or chuck with 15-20% fat

1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Gently break the meat into large pieces, add seasonings and toss to incorporate salt, pepper and Worcestershire.  Being careful not to over handle and using wet hands, divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form patties about 1 inch thick at the edges and a little less in the center.  Chill for at least 20 minutes before grilling.  Grill over a hot fire, turning once.  For rare cook approximately 2 minutes per side, 3 minutes for medium rare and 4 minutes for medium.  (Hopefully no one will ever want a good burger cooked well done!). Serve on a bun with the traditional garnishes. 

 

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RAO'S

Famous Lemon Chicken

 

From 03.10.10 Blog

 

2 2 1/2 to 3 pound chickens, halved

¼ cup chopped Italian parsley

Lemon sauce: whisk together 2 cups fresh lemon juice, 1 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and salt & pepper to taste

 

Preheat broiler for at least 15 minutes. Broil chicken halves, turning once, for about 30 minutes or until skin is golden brown and juices run clear when bird is pierced with a fork. Remove chicken from broiler, leaving broiler on. Using a sharp knife, cut each half into about 6 pieces (leg, thigh, wing, 3 small breast pieces)

 

Place chicken on a baking sheet with sides, of a size that can fit into the broiler. Pour lemon sauce over the chicken and toss to coat well. If necessary, divide sauce in half and do this in two batches.

 

Return to broiler and broil for 3 minutes. Turn each piece and broil for an additional minute. Remove from broiler and portion onto each of 6 warm serving plates. Pour sauce into a heavy saucepan.  Stir in parsley and place over high heat for 1 minute. Pour over chicken and serve with crusty bread to absorb the sauce.

 

 

From Les Kincaid

Oatmeal Soda Bread

 

From 03.10.10 Blog

 

2 1/2 cups oatmeal

2 cups buttermilk

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

All-purpose flour for dusting

1/2 teaspoon sweet butter

 

In a mini-food processor, fitted with a metal blade, pulse the oatmeal until the meal is very fine. Remove from the processor and turn into a mixing bowl. Stir the buttermilk into the oats and cover with plastic wrap. Let the oatmeal steep in the buttermilk for 12 hours.

 

In a mixing bowl, sift the other ingredients together. Stir in the steeped oatmeal and mix well. If the mixture is too wet add a little more flour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with the butter. Lightly dust the work surface with some flour.

 

Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead the dough a couple of times to form softball like shape. Press the dough into a round about 2 inches thick. Using a sharp knife, make a criss-cross cut into the bread. Place the bread in the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve the bread warm with butter.

 

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Dos Caminos'

GUACAMOLE

 

From 03.03.10 Blog

 

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves, divided

2 teaspoons finely chopped white onion, divided

2 teaspoons minced jalapeno or serrano chilies, seeds and membranes removed if desired [this removes some of the heat - bjn], divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large ripe Haas avocados from Mexico, peeled and seeded

2 tablespoons cored, seeded and finely chopped plum tomatoes or 1 small tomato

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

 

In a medium size bowl, use the back of a spoon to mash 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, 1 teaspoon onion,1 teaspoon of the chilies, and the salt together against the bottom of the bowl.

 

Add the avocados and gently mash them with a fork until chunky smooth. Fold the remaining cilantro, onion, and chilies into the mixture. Stir in tomatoes and lime juice. Taste to adjust seasonings, and serve with a basket of warm corn tortilla chips.

 

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Little Anthony's

AUNT SARA'S LOUISIANA SHRIMP (CAKES)

 

From 02.24.10 Blog

 

(Oh, oh, like many "auntie" recipes, this one's a bit shy on specifying amounts - play a little!)

 

l pound medium shrimp, tail off, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped

2 eggs, beaten

1 sweet onion, minced

1 red pepper, minced

Aunt Jemimah pancake mix

To taste: basil, thyme, sugar, garlic powder, Accent and reduced salt Season-all

Canola oil

 

Heat oil in a large skillet. Mix all other ingredients, form into patties and fry until browed on both sides and cooked through.

 

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Chef Hubert Keller's

SMOKED SALMON "RAVOLIS"

 

From 02.17.10 Blog

 

2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

4 tablespoons tomato, peeled, seeded, diced

2 tablespoons onion, finely diced

1 pinch curry powder

1 pinch paprika

l lime, juiced

Salt & pepper

16 ounces smoked salmon, thinly sliced

1 ounce American sturgeon caviar

 

In a small mixing bowl, coarsely mash avocado with a fork. Add tomato, onion, curry powder, paprika, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix gently. Check seasoning. Refrigerate.

 

Lay slices of smoked salmon on a work surface and using a 2 1/2" cookie cutter, cut out 24 disks.  Divide avocado mix evenly among 12 salmon disks, placing it in the center of each. Cover with remaining 12 disks, gently pressing edges together to form "raviolis."

 

Transfer to a sheet pan lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  To serve, top each ravioli with caviar.  Chef Keller serves this with crusty toasted bread.

 

 

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