by Kathy Douglas | Mar 27, 2017 | Entrees
Date night will never be the same. Impress your special loved one with our delicious poached lobster tail and creamy pasta. The Tarragon Truffle Pappardelle is served with a pea puree on the side to add in the pasta, as little or as much as you desire, for a delicious flavor combination.
INGREDIENTS
Lobster Tails
2 lobster tails
2 pounds butter, melted
Pasta
1 ½ cups cream
8 ounce box of Pappardelle
2 ounces black truffle butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Kosher salt
White pepper
Pea Puree
2 cups fresh spring peas
½ cup vegetable stock
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
Lobster Tails
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the lobsters in boiling water for 1-1/2 minutes. Immediately add to a bowl of ice water. When cold, remove the shells from the tails – set the shells and the lobster aside in separate bowls.
To a small pot, add enough melted clarified butter to cover all the lobster tails. Add a thermometer and heat the butter to just 140 degrees. When the butter is at the correct temperature, add the lobster tails and poach in the butter for 15-20 minutes. Watch the heat and maintain the 140-degree temperature by removing the pan from the stovetop if the heat increases and replace when it reaches the proper temperature. Remove from the butter and place on a warm plate, cover with foil to keep warm.
Pasta
While the lobster tails cook, add the cream to a medium saucepan. Add the lobster shells and bring the cream to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the shells. Keep the cream warm, discard the shells.
Heat a large pot with boiling water. Add a handful of salt and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Strain the water off the pasta.
In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the truffle butter, whisk in the cream. When combined, add the tarragon, lemon, and ¼ teaspoon salt; bring to a light simmer. Adjust the seasoning with kosher salt and white pepper. Add the pasta and stir gently to mix thoroughly.
Pea Puree
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the fresh peas and blanch for one minute. Strain off the water and add the peas to a high-speed blender. Add the stock, salt, olive oil and lemon juice; blend until very smooth. Add more salt and pepper to your taste desire. Add to a saucepan, cover, and keep warm on low on the stovetop until ready to serve.
To serve, add the pasta and top with a lobster tail. Serve the pea puree on the side.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 13, 2017 | Entrees
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style with our tasty rack of lamb. In this recipe, you baste the lamb in the sauté pan with rosemary and garlic butter, giving it a delicious seared flavor to contrast with the mint and pistachios. When it’s finished cooking, slice into single chops and serve with a green mint coulis, that’s as pretty as it is delicious, and top with pistachios.
INGREDIENTS
2 racks of lamb
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Mint Coulis, recipe below
¼ cup Pistachios, toasted and rough chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Cut the lamb racks into four bone pieces and salt each one well. Heat a cast iron skillet to very hot. Add the olive oil then add the lamb fat side down. Add the butter, rosemary, and garlic. After the butter melts, use a spoon to baste the liquid over the lamb while you sear on every side, for about 3 minutes per side. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Check the temperature; you’re looking for 135 for rare, 140 for medium-rare, or 145 for medium. If not at your desired temperature, place back in the oven for 5-minute increments until done. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and rest for 10 minutes.
Remove from the cast iron pan and slice into chops. Serve with coulis and sprinkle toasted pistachios over the top of the lamb.
Mint Coulis
INGREDIENTS
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 cup mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt the sugar in the water in a small saucepan over medium heat. When completely melted, remove from heat, and add the mint leaves. Set aside until completely cooled, then pour into a blender and process until smooth. Pour through a strainer, discard the solids, and set the coulis aside until the lamb is finished cooking.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 5, 2017 | Entrees
Perfect for your next fish dinner, this delicious crunchy coating and spicy slaw will change your opinion of fish tacos. The fish is dipped in a beer batter and shallow fried to crunchy perfection. The slaw comes together fast and can be made while the beer batter rests.
INGREDIENTS
Beer Batter
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup dark beer
Slaw
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 ½ tablespoons prepared horseradish
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 ½ cups of thinly sliced red or green cabbage
Fish Tacos
Oil, for frying
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1 pound skinned halibut cut into 5 by ½-inch strips
Freshly ground black pepper
Corn tortillas
Lime wedges
½ avocado, diced
INSTRUCTIONS
Beer Batter
Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add in the beer while whisking. Set aside and let the batter rest for 15 minutes before using.
Slaw
Whisk mayo, sour cream and horseradish in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in shredded cabbage. Refrigerate while you finish the fish.
Fish Tacos
In a large skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of 1-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when inserted into the oil.
On a large plate, combine the flour and salt. Season the fish pieces all over with salt and pepper and coat with the flour. Working in batches, dip the fillets in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Make tacos with the tortillas and fish and top each with horseradish slaw, avocado, and squeeze of a lime wedge.
by Kathy Douglas | Feb 26, 2017 | Entrees
A delight for the taste buds, our two sauces made a deliciously contrasting dish. Easy to prepare, they help get your tasty pork chop menu done in a breeze. Try serving with mashed potatoes to help soak up the yummy extra sauce.
INGREDIENTS
Seared Pork Chops
6 thick-cut pork rib chops
Salt
Pepper
2 teaspoons grape seed or vegetable oil
Tomato Gastrique
½ cup honey
½ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch of sea salt
Mushroom Cream Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Kosher salt
6 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ cup white wine
1 cup beef broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
White pepper
Pork Chops
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Season the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven-proof sauté pan over medium high heat to very hot, then add the oil. Add pork chops and cook for 3 minutes per side until well browned. Carefully, place the hot sauté pan in oven for 10 minutes or until pork chops are cooked to medium when the internal temperature reaches145 degrees.
Tomato Gastrique
Heat the honey in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes, until it becomes a deeper shade of brown.
Mix the vinegar and tomato paste together and add to the honey; it will boil vigorously but keep stirring constantly until it settles down. Continue to cook at a simmer, swirling the pan a few times, for about 12-15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, strain, and add a pinch of salt or to taste; keep warm to serve with the pork chops.
Mushroom Cream Sauce
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and shallots, sauté until soft but not browned. Add the mushrooms, season with ½ teaspoon salt and sauté for 5 minutes until they release their liquid. Sauté until the liquid is almost gone and the mushrooms are lightly browned. Add the wine and sauté until evaporated. Pour in beef broth and sauté until reduced to 2 tablespoons of liquid. Add the cream; heating until thickened. Add the lemon juice then the salt and white pepper to taste; keep warm to serve with the pork chops.
by Kathy Douglas | Feb 21, 2017 | Entrees
Using a pressure cooker, you can have this Green Chili Chicken Corn Chowder recipe ready in a little over 10 minutes. Or try our stove-top version to be completed in only 30-40 minutes. Easy and quick to make, the toasted cornbread croutons and bacon topping add a nice crunch to the creamy chowder.
INGREDIENTS
2 slices applewood smoked bacon, cut into lardons, or chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, uncooked and diced
½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups boxed unsalted chicken stock
4 ounce can green chilies
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, cubed
2 cups frozen corn
½ cup cream
1 tablespoon flour
Prepared cornbread, homemade or store purchased
Thinly sliced green onion tops
Sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the bacon in a stockpot or pressure cooker pot over medium heat. Sauté until very crisp then remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate; cool completely, crumble and set aside to use as a topping.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pot. Add the diced chicken with the ancho chili, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and a big pinch of salt and sauté until the chicken is browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pot and set on a plate.
Add butter to the cooking pot. When butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add chicken broth and stir, scraping up any remaining browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add a 4 ounce can of green chilies, corn, diced potatoes and cooked chicken, with any juices that accumulated while resting, to the cooking pot. Stir to combine.
Mix the cream with a tablespoon of flour, set aside.
Pressure Cooker Version
If using a pressure cooker; lock lid in place, select High Pressure and, after the pot has pressurized, cook 10 minutes. When time is up, remove the pressure cooker from the heat and do a quick pressure release. Stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Stockpot Version
If using a stockpot, bring to a simmer, lower the heat, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Croutons
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the cornbread into cubes and place on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Bake 10 minutes until crisp on the outside, and the middles still soft.
Serve the chowder in bowls. Sprinkle over the crumbled bacon, add a spoonful of sour cream and top with the chopped green onions.
by Kathy Douglas | Jan 31, 2017 | Entrees
These little heart shaped Pizza Margheritas are as tasty as they are cute and perfect to make as a special treat for a loved one. Or prepare them on a family night as a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Cherry tomatoes are perfect for this sweet little sauce; plus, it’s so simple it can be made while the dough rises. Short on time or you don’t want to make pizza dough? Just purchase store-bought fresh or frozen ready-made pizza dough.
INGREDIENTS
Pizza Dough
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon of honey
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to oil the pan
3 cups of bread flour, plus extra if needed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Sauce
2 8-ounce cartons of cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon of olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pizza
Olive oil
Kosher salt
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
¼ cup of small basil leaves or large leaves torn into small pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
If making your own pizza dough – In a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine the 1¼ cups of warm water (must be between 100-110 degrees for the yeast to bloom), yeast, honey, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the work bowl. Allow the yeast to dissolve and bloom for about 5 minutes, and then add 3 cups of bread flour, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and mix on medium-low until combined. Continue kneading the dough in the mixer bowl for 10 minutes, sprinkling it with the flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the sides of the bowl, so it forms into soft smooth dough. After 10 minutes, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it by hand until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow it to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees; cover 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
To make the sauce, heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the oil, then the tomatoes immediately, rolling them around the pan to cover in oil. Keep shaking them in the pan as they blister on all sides. When blistered with brown edges, reduce the heat to medium and let them simmer for about 4 minutes or until then start to pop. Crush all the tomatoes and reduce the heat to low, cook for about 4 more minutes to thicken and soften. Set aside.
Turn the dough out on a floured board. Cut the dough into 6 even pieces and let rest, covered with a towel for 10-15 minutes. Stretching the dough, shape each piece into a heart shape and place on the parchment paper. Brush lightly all over with olive oil and sprinkle over a pinch of salt. Add about 3 tablespoons of the cherry tomatoes evenly in the center of each pizza and spread, leaving an edge for the crust. Add the cheese and sprinkle over with the basil leaves.
Bake one sheet pan at a time in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes until the crust is browned on the bottom and sides.
Makes 6 small pizzas.
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