Recipes from my last Chef’s Table

Bruschetta:(serves 6)
Red Plum tomatoes Ripe (5) Diced
Red Bell Peppers Roasted and diced
Fresh Basil Chopped
Balsamic vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh French Baguettes 5-7 (will use in Cesar dish)
Garlic 2 cloves minced

Add diced Tomatoes, Roasted Red Peppers, Minced Garlic and chopped basil into bowl, coat with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and hit with 3-4 good splashes on Balsamic Vinegar. Salt and Pepper to taste and mix to coat.

Slice French Baguettes into 1/2in slices and grill till golden brown with a hint or two char. While bread is still warm top with fresh Mozzarella cheese and spoon on the Tomato mixture. Seriously this is one HUGE way to please a crown on a budget… With just a little bit of time spent on your knife.

Real Deal Caesar

Ingredients List:

It all starts with a good wooden bowl… this (in my opinion) is the deal breaker.

Sea Salt

Anchovies

Dijon Mustard

E.V. Olive Oil

Lemon

Cracked Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

Green onions

Garlic

Shallots

Parmesan Cheese

In the bowl start with 1 chopped clove of garlic, 1 chopped shallot, a good pinch of sea salt and the juice on 1/2 a lemon. Take two metal forks and begin to pulverize the garlic /shallot mixture… the desired consistency is that of a rough paste.

Add 2 Filets of Anchovies and continue the fork mashing

A heavy tablespoon of the Mustard, Heavy dose of pepper, and red pepper flakes… and mix evenly.

This will take a good 4-6 glugs of the E.V. Olive Oil, using one fork mix furiously.

Grate in quite a bit of Parmesan cheese, continue to taste along the way. The cheese will add saltiness to the dressing so make sure you monitor the flavor.

Feel free to add more lemon to balance it out.

Finish with the chopped green onion.

Rinse, and tear a whole head of Romaine lettuce  and toss the lettuce in the bowl with the dressing. The only thing she is missing now is some croutons… maybe some chicken.

I saw Jamie Oliver do something like this… for me… it is the perfect compliment.

Line the bottom of a roasting pan with some good rolls.

Top with Chicken quarters (seasoned with Salt Pepper, Rosemary, Thyme, Red Chili’s and E.V. Olive Oil) Mike in a few whole cloves of garlic in between the chicken and rolls.

Bake for 1.2 hrs at 415 then remove chicken.

Put the rolls/soon to be the best croutons you have even had, back in the oven to crisp up a bit.

Pull the chicken, chop the rolls and toss with the salad.

Simply amazing!!!

Green with Envy:
SPINACH BASIL PESTO:

2-3 handfuls of fresh Basil Leaves

1-2 Handfuls of Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves

1 1/2 handful of fresh grated parmesan cheese

3-4 Garlic cloves (whole)

Sea Salt, Cracked Pepper,

2 big pinches of Crushed Red Pepper

heavy helping on Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

My favorite Chops to use are Rib chops, I love that the meat cooks at the same temperature and you get that perfect rind of fat on the outside that makes so much flavor. Take these chops and coat thoroughly with the Spinach Basil Pesto for best results let marinate for at least 1-2 hrs. When you are ready to grill, make sure the grill is hot, and I mean really hot. Grill each chop to a perfect med-well.
Top with your perfectly poached Egg, and if your in the mood grill up a few red onions for color.

Sweet potatoes Chips:
Super Simple, Scrub and clean sweet potatoes to make sure all soil and dust are gone. Slice them paper thin, and fry them in peanut oil 350degrees untill golden brown and delicious. As soon as they are from the fryer season with salt and pepper.

Creamy BBQ Vinaigrette:
Sour Cream 1/2 cup
Apple cider vinegar 3-4 hits
“Sonny’s” BBQ sauce (small amount needed) 3-4 tsps
Fresh Parsley Chopped small handful
Chipotle powder 1 small pinch
Salt
Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive oil 1-2 glugs

Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl, salt and pepper to taste. The feel should sweet, creamy, and fresh with a hint of heat. Super simple perfect on a chopped salad or to dip your sweet potato chips in.

Grilled Peaches and Cream
Grilling fruit is one of my favorite ways to take desert to a whole new level.
It is as easy as halving the peach removing the pit and grill for 2 min then turn 90 degrees and grill for 2 more minutes. Top with Ice-cream, Dark Cherry Rum sauce.

Vanilla Walnut Ice Cream:
Ice Cream:
Eggs (3 large)
Cream (2 cups)
Whole Milk (1 cup)
Vanilla Beans (3 split and scraped)
Sugar (1 cup)
Salt (pinch)

In a large sauce pan combine, milk, cream, eggs, vanilla, Sugar…bring up to a simmer (but no more than that) once thoroughly mixed, add toasted Walnuts Take mixture into you ice-cream maker and soon you will have something truly to right home about!

Dark Cherry Carmel Rum Sauce:
In a sauce pan melt 1 stick of butter, and 2 cups brown sugar and dissolve evenly. Add shot of vanilla, pinch of nutmeg and dark cherries. But do not forget your dark rum… This is going to give it its depth of spice 2-3 shots should be enough.