Prosciutto & Asparagus Bundles

Servings:4

Ingredients

20 ea. Fresh Asparagus tips
4 slices Prosciutto [thin]
as needed salt & pepper
2 oz Olive oil
6 ea. Sage leaves
Half stick butter
1 hand full of mixed greens per-person
as needed Grated parmesan cheese

Method of Preparation:

Cut asparagus to 3-4 in. in length.
Steam until just tender and shock in cold water to stop cooking.
When cool, season with salt & pepper, wrap 5 tips in one piece of prosciutto.
Heat olive oil until it starts to smoke and sauté the bundles until golden brown on all sides.
Remove from the pan. Add the butter to the hot pan when it starts to foam add the sage
leaves. When that browns serve over the bundles and the green.

Italian Chicken & Shrimp with Rice

Italian Chicken & Shrimp with Rice
Servings:4
Ingredients
2 each boneless chicken breasts
12 each 16/20 pealed shrimp
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 & 1/2 cups water or stock
as needed salt & pepper
as desired or 2 tbls fresh Italian herbs
as desired or 2 cups fresh or frozen vegetables
4 oz oil

Method of Preparation:
Start off by marinating the chicken and shrimp with half the herbs, salt and pepper, and half the oil and let sit for at least 1 hour. Heat a high sided saute pan with some of the oil. Saute the chicken until golden brown. Remove chicken and add the rest of the oil and heat. Once the oil is hot add the vegetables and saute lightly. Add in the rice and coat with the oil. Add the water or stock, stir and bring to a slow boil. While you wait for the boil, dice the chicken to a med. to large dice. Add the chicken, shrimp, and the rest of the herbs to the water and stir. Season with salt and pepper and stir once. Place a lid on top or aluminum foil. Cook on low heat on stove top or place in a 350 degree F oven until the rice is fully cooked. Fluff with a fork and check seasonings. Serve immediately.

Italian Baked Chicken with Pasta

Servings:4

Ingredients
2 each chicken breast
2 tbl fresh herbs
as needed salt and pepper
1 box pasta cooked
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
as needed chopped vegetables
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1 each minced garlic

Method of Preparation:
Season chicken with salt and pepper and half of the herbs. Sear in hot oil until golden brown. Let cool and dice into small pieces. Combine all ingredients and place in an oven proof casserole. Cook for 30 minutes in a 350 degree preheated oven or until golden brown.

Notes
You can top with a bread crumb-Parmesan cheese topping.

Chicken Roulade

Servings:4
Ingredients
4 each pounded chicken breast
4 each prosciutto slices or ham
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbl fresh herbs
as needed salt and pepper
as needed fresh spinach
4 oz oil


Method of Preparation:
Place garlic herbs and some salt and pepper in a bowl and combine. Add to ckicken and mix well. Let the mixture sit for at least one hour. After an hour place chicken flat on a board. Place a slice of prosciutto and some spinach in the middle of the chicken. Roll tight and secure with some toothpicks. Sear in hot oil until golden brown. Place in a preheated 375 degree F oven until the chicken reaches 165 degree F internaly. Let rest for 5 minutes, remove toothpichs and slice. Serve with rice or pasta and your favorite vegetables.

Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna with Tomatillos Salsa

Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna

Servings:4
Ingredients
4 each 8 oz. yellow fin tuna steaks
as needed salt and pepper
2 oz oil

Method of Preparation:
Add enough oil to both sides of the tuna and season with salt and pepper. {Be sure to add enough salt and pepper because when you start to cook the grill or grill pan will take some off.} Let the tuna sit out for one hour before cooking to prevent ice cold center when you eat and to help browning, and prevent your grill or grill pan from getting to cold at the start of cooking. Use this time to heat your grill or 30 minutes to heat your grill pan. Add fish to the grill and let it be. This will create those nice X marks. Let cook for 2 min then turn 90 degrees and cook for 2 more minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes for rare. Cook longer for a more well done steak.

Notes
Fresh herbs can be added. It is up to you what to use. Just add them when you salt and pepper. Sesame seeds can also be use and added at that time also.


Tomatillos Salsa

Servings:4 for sauce
Ingredients

1 lbs tomatillos diced small
1/2 each lime & lemon juiced
1 each large garlic clove minced
1/2 each red pepper diced
1/2 cup minced onion or shallot
as needed salt and pepper
1 tbls cilantro

Method of Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit for at least one hour. You may need to reseason with salt and pepper.

Notes
You can add some heat as desired with a few shots of Tabasco. Also you can add some jalapeños that are fresh or for a twist you can roast and peal them.

Tuna Wrapped with Prosciutto

Servings:2

Ingredients

2 4 oz.Thick cut tuna
2 slices prosciutto
salt and pepper as needed
2 oz oil

Method of Preparation:
Season tuna with salt and pepper lightly.
Wrap tuna with prosciutto. Be sure to cover as much as possible.
Heat oil until it starts to smoke. Sear tuna fast on all sides making sure to keep the tuna rare. If you desire a more well cooked tuna just sear a little longer on all sides.
Let the tuna rest a few min. slice on a bias and serve with salad and balsamic glaze on top of the tuna.

Notes
Serve hot or cold, for a party slice thin and serve over a slice of cucumber.

Oven Roasted Whole Fish

Servings:2
Ingredients
1 2 lbs. whole fish
3 oz olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 ea. lemon zest & juiced
1 bunch fresh herbs chopped
2 Tbl butter [salted or not]

Method of Preparation:
Pan dress the fish. [Scaled and gutted. You can have the fish market do this for you]
Make X marks through the skin of the fish. [ only through the skin. This will allow proper
seasoning and faster cook time of the fish.
Season with salt, pepper, half of the lemon zest, and herbs inside and outside of the fish.
Be sure to get the seasonings into the cut marks.
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the oil in an oven proof pan and when smoking add the fish. Sear until golden brown on each side, finish in oven for about 20-30 min.
Remove fish. Heat pan, add butter, lemon juice, and zest. Bring to a boil and serve over fish.
Notes
For the fresh herbs you can use what ever you like. A mix of parsley, oregano, thyme, and rosemary will work or just one is fine also. For the fish you can use trout, black sea bass, red snapper, or any other fish that will fit the size of pan you have. Remember the larger the fish the more seasonings you will need and more time in the oven.

Puff Pastry Nepolitain

Servings:1
Ingredients

2 oz mascarpone cheese
2 oz sweet whipped cream
4 oz fresh berries
2 tbl sugar
6 ea.puff pastry triangles

Method of Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. When hot bake puff pastry until golden brown.
Add sugar to mascarpone cheese and Wisk until creamy.
Fold mascarpone cheese, and whipped cream together.
When puff pastry is cool cut in half, length wise.
Place four bottoms on a plate. Add a spoon full of the cream mixture on top. Add berries
onto that and repeat the last two steps creating a tower.
Finish with berry sauce (if in season) or more whipped cream on top.

Notes
If berries are in season to make
sauce place berries into a sauce
pan with some water and cook
for 10 min. Puree and stain.
If the berries are not sweet add
enough sugar until desired
sweetness.

Vegetable Couscous Soup

Servings:4 bowls 8 cups

Ingredients
64 oz stock [vegetable or chicken]
2 ea Fresh tomatoes [1 med can diced]
1 ea Medium onion
2 ea Peppers
2 cups Cooked Couscous
as needed salt & pepper
2 oz oil
1 lbs. Diced Vegetables

Method of Preparation:
Dice all vegetables into a medium small dice.
In a large stock pot heat oil until it starts to smoke. Sweat onions, tomatoes, and peppers
until translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the vegetables and Cook until
vegetables are soft. Keep cooked couscous cold until you serve the soup or they will absorb the liquid.
Notes
You may add any hearty vegetable to this soup. To add more flavor you can add fresh or dried herbs as well. For vegetables use whatever is in season or what you like.

Oven Roasted Lamb Rack

Servings:1-2
Ingredients:
1 ea Rack of lamb [American or Australian]
3 ea garlic clove
1 tbl salt
2 tsp pepper
1/3 c fresh herbs
4 oz olive oil

Method of Preparation:
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Chop herbs, and garlic to a fine mince, combine with salt and pepper and half the oil.
Rub onto the lamb and coat well. If more salt and pepper is desired add just before browning.
Heat a large saute pan and add the rest of the oil and bring to a smoke.
Sear lamb on all side until golden brown.
After seared place in oven until desired temperature. For best results cook for about 15 min.
Remove meat from oven and let rest for about 10 min.
Slice between the bone and serve. As an option you can add a breadcrumb crust to the top just before you add the lamb to the oven

Notes
For fresh herbs you can use whatever you like but strong herbs work best. Such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, and you can add mint if you like mint with your lamb. You can marinate the lamb 2 hours or longer before you sear the meat. For a sauce you can chop more herbs and garlic and add them to the pan you roasted the lamb in, and heat until you smell the garlic and herbs. Finish with just butter or a reduced lamb stock.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Servings:2 for entrée 4 for side
Ingredients:

1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups Stock [meat or vegetable]
1 ea. Garlic clove minced
4 oz onion minced
6 oz wild mushrooms small diced
2 oz grated parmesan cheese
as needed salt & pepper
1 bunch fresh herbs [Italian]
1 cup cream
4 oz oil
2 tbl butter

Method of Preparation:
Heat stock to a boil with the herb stems and season with salt & pepper and let simmer. With half of the oil sauté garlic, onions, mushrooms, and half the herbs until cooked. Season with salt & pepper. Remove the vegetables from the pan and add the rest of the oil. Sauté the rice till just golden brown. Add 1/3 of the stock and stir until dry. Add another 1/3 of the stock until dry[Remember to keep stirring.] Add half of the rest of the stock until absorbed. Taste for tenderness and seasoning. Add salt & Pepper if needed and the rest of the herbs. Add cream and vegetables and let it come to a slow boil. Adjust thickness with the rest of the stock and add cheese and butter. Add salt & pepper if needed.

Mini Baked Brie with Caramelizes Onions

Servings: 6
Ingredients

1 ea. baby brie wheel [12 oz.]
1 box ready to bake puff pastry sheets
2 ea. onion
1 stick butter
to taste salt and pepper

Method of Preparation:
Defrost puff pastry over night.
pre heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Thinly slice onions.
Sauté onions in 1/4 of the butter season with salt and pepper to taste.
The onions will take some time [roughly 30 min] let brown and be sure not to stir to much
because that will prevent the browning.
Cut puff pastry into 12 equal pieces. Do the same with the brie. Place brie and cool onions
on top of the pastry. Fold in the edges as best as possible leaving the center exposed.
Brush with melted butter and bake until golden brown and delicious.

Notes
In addition you can add a sweet
or tart apple to the onions to
add a crisp flavor to the onions.
Add the apples when the onions
start to fully caramelize.
Cook for 5-10 min. more.

Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup

Servings: 4 bowls/8 cups

Ingredients

1 lbs. carrot
2 oz. ginger
1 med. onion
1 qt. chicken or vegetable stock
half qt. cream
2 tbl. sugar

salt and pepper to taste
2 tbl. oil

Method of Preparation:
Rough cut pealed carrots, onion, and ginger.
Sauté over med heat with oil for 10 min.
Add a good pinch of salt, pepper and all of sugar and sauté for 5 min.
Add stock and simmer until carrots are tender.
Pure with blender until smooth.
Return to heat and add cream and bring back to boil.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Strain if desired.
Serve when thick and creamy and add crouton if desired.