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Bloody Mary Deviled Eggs "Bar"

    • 6 eggs, boiled

    • 2 tbsp good mayonnaise

    • 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste

    • 1 heaping tbsp prepared horseradish

    • Slight squeeze of fresh lemon juice (1/2 tsp or so)

    • Couple shakes of Worcestershire (start with a ½ tsp.)

    • Couple shakes hot sauce (Tabasco)

    • 1/8 tsp onion powder

    • 1/8 tsp garlic powder

    • 1/8 tsp old bay seasoning

    • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped

    • ½ tsp celery seed

    • “Bar” accoutrements (see “assembly” tab for ideas)

    1. Start by cutting your boiled eggs (see chef’s note) in half longwise and scooping out the egg yolk into a small bowl. Set the egg white shells aside.

    2. Push all your boiled egg yolks thru a fine mesh sieve. It takes a little effort but makes for a much smoother texture.

    3. To your egg yolks, add the tomato paste, mayonnaise, horseradish, lemon juice, a bit of Worcestershire, a couple shakes of Tabasco, garlic powder, onion powder, and finely chopped celery.

    4. Give it a good mix and season with salt and pepper to taste depending on how you prefer your bloody mary.

    5. Add the egg yolk mixture to a pipping bag.

    Chef’s Note: My chef instructor in culinary school taught me to bring cold water and cold eggs to a rolling boil and then lower the temperature to about medium (maintaining a boil) and place a lid on the pot. Boil the eggs for 8 minutes and then drain and pop into an ice bath. I’ve had perfectly boiled eggs every single time since!

    • ½ tsp celery seed

    Directions

    1. Fill each egg white evenly with the bloody mary egg yolk filling.

    2. Arrange on your platter and garnish with a sprinkle of celery salt.

    3. Serve with your choice of accoutrements.

    • “Bar” accoutrements ideas, which ideally are cut into small pieces so you can easily build your bloody mary deviled egg however you like.

    • Buffalo wings

    • Capers

    • Cheeseburger

    • Cocktail onions

    • Crispy bacon

    • Cubed cheese (manchego – yes!)

    • Dill pickles (really anything pickled!)

    • Hearts of palm

    • Horseradish

    • Hot sauce

    • Kitchen sink

    • Lemon or lime wedges

    • Pepperoncini

    • Poached shrimp

    • Roast chicken

    • Salami or pepperoni

Chicken Liver Pate

  • Chicken Liver:

    • 150 grams (5 oz.) chicken livers

    • 1/2 cup milk

    • A couple sprigs of thyme and whole peppercorns

    • 1 bay leaf

    Pâté:

    • 50 grams white or red onion, chopped

    • 50 grams butter

    • 150 grams chicken liver, cleaned and trimmed

    • 125 grams heavy cream

    • Cognac-laced Apples:

    • 1 tbsp butter

    • 1 apple, peeled, cored, and small diced

    • 2 tsp brown sugar

    • Pinch of salt

    • 1/2 cup water

    • 1 - 2 tbsp cognac

    • Juice of 1/2 lemon

    • Pickled Mustard Seeds:

    • 3 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

    • 1/3 cup water

    • 1/3 cup distilled vinegar

    • 1 tsp sugar

    • 1 tsp salt

  • Chicken Liver:

    1. Place all the ingredients together in a bowl and cover. Place in the fridge for 12-24 hours.

    Pâté:

    1. Drain the chicken livers and blot dry. Clean and trim.

    2. In a saucepan over medium low heat, cook the onions in the butter until soft and tender. Add a sprinkle of salt and fresh cracked pepper

    3. Add the chicken livers and sauté just until cooked thru. Try not to overcook.

    4. Add the cooked onions and livers to a blender and buzz up. Scrape down the sides.

    5. Slowly blend in the cream.

    6. Press the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.

    7. Taste and add salt and pepper accordingly.

    8. Place in a bowl and press the top with cling film. Refrigerate to set for 24 hours.

    Cognac-laced Apples:

    1. Over medium heat, sauté the apples in the butter until they get a little color on the outside.

    2. Add the brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Cook for about a minute or so to dissolve.

    3. Add in the water and cook the apples until all the water has evaporated.

    4. Deglaze the pan with the cognac and lemon juice.

    5. Set the apples aside (the apples should be moist but not “saucy”).

    Pickled Mustard Seeds:

    1. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt together in a small jar and shake or stir until salt and sugar is dissolved.

    2. Add in the mustard seeds. Place a top on the jar and refrigerate for at least a couple hours to let the mustard seeds plump up.

  • Directions:

    1. Smear the pâté on a plate. Top with the apples and some of the mustard seeds (save the rest for topping eggs or perhaps adding into your potato salad!).

    2. Give the top a few good cracks of fresh pepper and serve with crackers, toast points, or flat bread.

Chorizo Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped, Dates

  • Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:

    • 1 large red pepper, roasted

    • 1 tbsp butter

    • 1 clove of garlic, minced

    • 1 shallot, minced

    • 1/8 tsp smoked paprika

    • 1 tsp harissa paste

    • 1 medium tomato, peeled and chopped

    • 2 tbsp heavy cream

    • Stuffed Medjool Dates:

    • 1/2 pound (225 grams) raw chorizo (not cured), casting removed

    • 4-5 slices of bacon, cut in half

    • 8-12 Medjool dates

  • Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:

    1. Roast the red pepper either over a flame or in the oven and remove the skin and seeds and give it a rough chop.

    2. In the meantime, remove the skin of the tomato (easiest way is to cut a small cross on the bottom of the tomato and put it in boiling water for 1 minute and remove. Once cooled down the skin should come off easily).

    3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and sweat the shallots and garlic for a few minutes until they become soft.

    4. Add the smoked paprika and harissa and cook for about a minute.

    5. Add the tomato, red pepper, and cream and let everything cook together for about 5-10 minutes.

    6. Add the sauce to a blender (or use an emersion blender) and blend until smooth.

    7. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

    Stuffed Medjool Dates:

    1. Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C)

    2. Make a small slice down the side of the dates and remove the pit. Stuff with 1-2 tbsp of chorizo (it should look like a meatball on top of the date).

    3. Wrap with a half slice of bacon with the ends of the bacon touching at the bottom of the date.

    4. Place all the dates on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and cook for roughly 20 minutes.

  • Assembly:

    1. To assemble, place the red pepper sauce at the bottom of a small baking dish (which can also double as a serving dish, for example, a cast iron skillet) and place the cooked dates on top. Drizzle with the excess bacon fat from the sheet pan.

    2. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the bacon is brown and crispy and the sauce is sizzling.

    3. Garnish with parsley, chives or microgreens and serve with toasted sourdough bread.

Jalepeno Ranch Cheese Straws

    • 113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

    • 2 ½ tbsp ranch powder

    • 1 jalapeño, frozen

    • 226 grams (8 oz.) sharp cheddar, freshly grated

    • 200 grams all-purpose flour

    • ½ tsp salt

    • ¼ tsp pepper

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).

    2. In a small bowl, combine the butter and ranch powder.

    3. With a microplane, grate in the frozen jalapeño. The easiest way I find is to grate it about halfway up and then go around the sides discarding the middle bit with the seeds. Alternatively, chop the jalapeño very small and add to the butter mixture.

    4. Mix everything together and add the butter mixture, cheese, flour, salt and pepper to a food processor.

    5. Pulse until the mixture comes together. Wrap in plastic and let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.

    6. Split the dough into 4 even pieces and roll out between two pieces of parchment paper to about ½ centimeter thick (maybe a bit less), ideally in a square (which is kind of a tall order; mine usually ends being a cross between an oval and a rectangle).

    7. Cut out the straws to a width of about 1-1.5 centimeters. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, gently twisting if you like, and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are turning golden brown. Let cool completely.

Moutabal

    • 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs.) eggplant (before roasting)

    • 1-2 tbsp olive oil

    • 2 tbsp labneh

    • 2 tbsp tahini

    • 1 head of garlic, roasted

    • Juice of ½ lemon

    • ¼ tsp Middle East 7 spice

    • Olive oil

    1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F / 200 °C

    2. Prick the eggplant(s) with a fork a couple times.

    3. Place on a parchment-lined baking pan and drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil.

    4. Bake for 45-60 minutes, turning one or two times, until the outside is collapsing.

    5. Once cool enough to handle, peel and scoop out the flesh using a spoon (discarding the skins). Place in a strainer to drain excess liquid for about 10 minutes.

    6. Chop the eggplant flesh until it resembles a chunky puree and place in a bowl.

    7. Mix together the labneh, tahini, roasted garlic, and 7-spice until smooth.

    8. Combine the mixture with the chopped eggplant flesh and lemon juice, along with the chopped parsley (saving a bit for garnish). Add salt and pepper to taste

    • Handful of parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)

    • 2 tbsp Pomegranate

    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Directions:

    1. Place into your serving dish and garnish with pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.

    2. Serve with toasted pita bread.

Mushroom Bruschetta

    • 1 shallot, minced

    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced

    • 1 lb. (454 grams) mushroom (any type), cut into small to medium pieces

    • Zest of 1 lemon

    • 3 – 4 sprigs of fresh thyme chopped (about 1 tsp)

    • Juice of ½ lemon

    • A few dashes of Worcestershire

    • 3 oz. (85 grams) goat cheese

    • 3 oz. (85 grams) mascarpone

    • ¾ teaspoon salt

    • Fresh ground pepper

    • 1 baguette, sliced

    Olive oil

    • A handful of chives or parsley, chopped

    1. Heat a skillet on medium heat. Add a bit of olive oil and a bit of butter and sweat the shallots and garlic for a couple minutes.

    2. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 - 10 minutes and then incorporate the thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cook until most of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated.

    3. Add the lemon juice and a few dashes of Worcestershire.

    4. Turn off the head and add the goat cheese and mascarpone.

    5. Season to taste.

  • Directions:

    1. Drizzle each slice of bread with a bit of olive oil and light sprinkle of salt and pepper.

    2. Either grill the bread over medium heat for a few minutes on either side or toast in the oven at 350 °F (176 °C)

    3. Serve the mushroom spread either in a bowl, accompanied by the toasted bread or individual toast pieces with a bit of spread on each (if you are feeling fancy, shape it into a quenelle).

    4. Garnish with parsley or chives.

    Chef’s note: if you have leftover mushrooms, cut into quarters and cook in a dry pan over medium-high heat. Once most of the moisture has evaporated, sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper and finish with a pat of butter. These larger cooked mushrooms can act as your garnish, if you like.

Trio of Tex-Mex Dips

  • Green Avocado Dip:

    • 1 large avocado (200 grams of flesh)

    • 1 medium (100 grams) tomato, large dice

    • ¼ medium red onion (30 grams) large dice

    • 15 grams cilantro

    • 2 cloves of garlic

    • Juice of 1 lime (about 8 grams of juice)

    • 2 tsp ranch powder

    Queso Blanco:

    • 2 cups whole milk

    • 5 oz. (142 grams) white American cheese

    • 5 oz. (142 grams) pepper jack cheese

    • 1 small jar (113 grams) chopped green chiles

    • Red Salsa:

    • 1 can diced tomatoes (if you can find a can of “tomatoes and hatch green chili”, use this)

    • 1 can rotel mild diced tomatoes & green chilies

    • 1 small can (113 grams) diced green chili

    • 1 clove garlic

    • 75 grams white or red onion, rough chop

    • 3 grams sugar

    • 5 grams salt

    • 1 tsp cumin

    • 10 grams cilantro

    • Juice of ½ lime

  • Green Avocado Dip:

    1. Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

    2. Thin out with a bit of extra milk, if necessary.

    3. Let all the flavors meld together for a couple hours in the refrigerator.

    Queso Blanco:

    1. Over medium low heat, reduce the milk by half. Make sure to stir every so often so the milk doesn’t burn on the bottom.

    2. Pour the reduced milk thru a sieve to remove any clumps and add it back into a clean saucepan.

    3. Return the milk to low heat and add in the cheese and the chilies.

    4. Once the cheese has melted completely, remove from the heat and serve with tortilla chips.

    Red Salsa:

    1. Blend all the ingredients together. Adjust the salt, pepper, and lime juice according to your taste.

Mains

Bread Bowl Salad

    • 100 grams/ml full fat milk

    • 75 grams/ml water

    • 4 grams instant yeast

    • 300 grams all-purpose flour

    • 1 tsp salt

    • 1 tsp white sugar

    • 2 tbsp (28 grams) soft unsalted butter

    • 1 egg whisked with a tsp of water

  • 1. Combine the milk and water and warm to 105-110°F, 40-43°C.

    2. Add the milk/water mixture and yeast to the bowl that fits into your stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, then any mixing bowl will do. Give it a little stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

    3. Add the flour, salt, sugar, and butter to the liquid mixture and, using the dough hook attachment, knead for 8-10 minutes on low speed. If you are kneading by hand, combine the ingredients and knead for 10-15 minutes.

    4. Once the dough is elastic and smooth, form it into a ball and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until it doubles in size, roughly 1 hour.

    5. Preheat the oven to 375°F, 190°C.

    6. Punch down the risen dough and divide it in half, forming 2 even dough balls (roughly 250-260 grams each). Cover with a towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.

    7. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

    8. Lightly oil or butter an 8-inch (roughly 20 cm) oven-safe bowl. Shape one of the dough balls around the outside of the bowl. The sides will most likely be a bit thicker than the bottom, which is ideal.

    9. Brush the outside of the dough with the egg wash.

    10. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until golden brown on the outside. If it starts to brown too much on top, just pop a bit of aluminium foil over it and let it continue to bake without burning the bottom (which is actually the top while it bakes).

    Chef’s notes: you could add some sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, etc. to the rim of the bowl after the egg wash. Everyone’s oven is different so best to keep an eye on these little bowls in the first instance. You can also play around with the size of your bread bowls if you prefer them a bit smaller (you'll just get more bread bowls with this recipe then).

  • Once cooled, fill the bowl with whatever salad your little heart desires but make sure to serve the dressing on the side because you'll want to dip your bread bowl!

Chef’s notes: you could add some sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, etc. to the rim of the bowl after the egg wash. Everyone’s oven is different so best to keep an eye on these little bowls in the first instance. You can also play around with the size of your bread bowls if you prefer them a bit smaller (you'll just get more bread bowls with this recipe then).

Baid Tamat (scrambled eggs with tomatoes)

    • 2 tbsp butter

    • 1 medium tomato, chopped

    • ½ jalapeno (with seeds), thinly sliced (optional)

    • ½ tsp cumin

    • 1/8 tsp cinnamon

    • 4 eggs

    • Splash of milk

    • Salt and fresh cracked pepper

    • A handful of chopped parsley

    1. Heat up 1 tbsp of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly bubbling.

    2. Add the cinnamon and cumin and let cook for about a minute, moving the spices around the pan.

    3. Add in the chopped tomato, jalapeño, and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook until a goodly amount of the liquid has evaporated, and the tomatoes have softened.

    4. Whisk your eggs with a splash of milk (or water), salt and pepper.

    5. While the tomatoes are cooking down, heat up a pan over medium heat, add a tbsp of butter and gently scramble your eggs to your liking.

    6. Once your eggs are scrambled, turn off the heat and set the pan aside until the tomatoes are done.

    7. Once the tomatoes are done, turn off the heat, and add in your scrambled eggs. Toss around to combine and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

    • 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado oil)

    • 1/2 cup cashews

    • 1 tbsp sesame oil

    • 1 pound (about 500 grams) ground chicken

    • 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine, divided

    • 1 yellow pepper, small dice

    • 1 red pepper, small dice

    • 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

    • Couple dried red chilis (optional)

    • 2-3 cm ginger, peeled and finely minced

    • 2 Persian cucumbers, seeds removed and diced

    • 2 green onions, thinly sliced and divided

    • ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce

    • 1/8 cup water

    • 1 heaping tsp cornstarch

    • 1 tbsp sugar

    • 1 head of iceberg lettuce, cleaned and seperated into cups

    1. In a bowl, combine the chicken and half the Shaoxing wine. Marinate for 15 minutes.

    2. Mix together the soy sauce, water, cornstarch, and sugar and set aside so the sugar dissolves.

    3. In a cold wok (or large sauté pan) place a bit of neutral oil over medium heat. Add the cashews and toast. Don’t add the cashews to a hot pan with hot oil because they will burn rather quickly. Remove them from the pan when they are just toasted and set aside.

    4. Add the sesame oil to the pan and let it get nice and hot. Add the chicken and cook thru. Remove and set aside.

    5. Turn the heat to low and add a bit more neutral oil along with the garlic, ginger, and dried red peppers. Let them cook for 2 or 3 minutes making sure they do not burn.

    6. Turn the heat back up to medium and add in the peppers and cook for 5 or 6 minutes. Followed by the cucumbers and half the green onions.

    7. Deglaze the pan with the rest of the Shaoxing wine and get all the bits off the bottom (if not using a nonstick pan).

    8. Add the chicken back in and toss with all the vegetables.

    9. Pour in the soy mixture and let thicken thru.

    10. Turn off the heat and add the 2/3 of the cashews back in.

    11. Pour all of the meat mixture in to a bowl and garnish with the rest of the cashews and green onion.

    12. Place some of the filling in one of your lettuce cups and enjoy!

Chicago Dog

  • Sweet Pickle Relish:

    • ¼ cup distilled white vinegar

    • 1/8 cup water

    • 3 tbsp sugar

    • ¾ tsp salt

    • 2 Persian cucumbers, finely minced

    • 1 tbsp red pepper, finely minced

    • ½ tsp mustard seed

    • Refrigerator Pickles:

    • 1 cup distilled white vinegar

    • 1 cup water

    • 1 tbsp sugar

    • 1 ½ tbsp salt

    • 4-6 Persian cucumbers (depending on he size of your jar), cut in halves or quarters

    • 1 tbsp coriander seeds

    • ½ tsp mustard seed

    • A couple cloves of garlic, peeled

    • Handful of fresh dill

    • Large pinch of red pepper flakes

    Hot Dog Buns:

    • 1 cup milk (230 grams)

    • 1 tbsp sugar

    • 1 tsp salt

    • 2 tsp instant yeast (7 grams)

    • 2 tbsp warm water

    • 1 small egg

    • 3 ½ - 4 cups all purpose flour

    • Egg wash - 1 egg with a bit of water

    • 2 tbsp poppy seeds

  • Sweet Pickle Relish:

    1. Mix together the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. In a small sauce pan, heat over low until the sugar and salt is just dissolved.

    2. Place all the ingredients together in a bowl and cover. Place in the fridge for 12-24 hours.

    Refrigerator Pickles:

    1. Mix together the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. In a small sauce pan, heat over low until the sugar and salt is just dissolved.

    2. Place all the ingredients together in a jar and cover with the liquid. Place in the fridge for 12-24 hours.

    Hot Dog Buns:

    1. Over low heat, combine the milk, sugar, and salt to 100-110 °F (37-43 °C).

    2. In a large bowl, combine the yeast and the warm water until dissolved (about 5 minutes).

    3. Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture and give it a stir. Once it has cooled to luke warm, stir in the egg.

    4. Incorporate 3 ½ cups of flour and combine either with your hands or in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Add in the rest of the flour bit by bit until you have a dough ball you can easily handle.

    5. Knead for 8-10 minutes incorporating the butter while you do so.

    6. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let the dough rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

    7. Place the dough on your countertop and divide into 8 equal parts (roughly 110 grams each) and place each in your hot dog bun pan (or whatever kind of pan you are using).

    8. Cover and let rise for another 45 minutes in a warm place. While doing so, heat your oven to 400 °F (200 °C).

    9. Brush each bun with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

    10. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

    • Hotdogs

    • Hotdog buns

    • Sweet pickle relish

    • Yellow mustard

    • Sliced tomato

    • Refridgerator pickle

    • Diced white onion

    • Sport peppers

    • Celery salt

    Directions:

    1. Steam your hotdog until warmed thru.

    2. Place the hotdog in the bun and add the yellow mustard, relish, tomato, pickle, onion, and pepper on top. Sprinkle on a bit of celery salt.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna

  • Dijon Bechamel Sauce:

    • 8 tbsp butter (4 oz./113 grams]

    • ½ cup all-purpose flour

    • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard

    • 2 whole cloves

    • 1 tsp Herbs de Provence

    • 1 ¾ cups chicken stock

    • 1 ¾ cups full fat milk

    Lasagna Noodles:

    • 12 – 15 lasagna Noodles

    Seasoned Chicken:

    • 1 ½ lbs. raw chicken breast (700 grams)

    • 1 tsp garlic powder

    • 1 tsp onion powder

    • 1 tsp dried basil

    • 1 tsp salt

    • ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper

    Crumb Topping:

    • 1 sleeve (32 crackers) ritz crackers, crushed

    • ¼ cup grated parmesan

    • 2 tbsp butter, softened

    • 1 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped

  • Dijon Bechamel Sauce:

    1. Preheat oven to 375 °F (190°C).

    2. Over medium heat on the stove, melt the butter and add flour, cooking the mixture for two or three minutes until it its bubbling.

    3. Add the mustard, Herbs de Provence, and cloves to the mixture.

    4. Pour the milk and chicken stock into the mixture and incorporate (no lumps!) and cook until the sauce starts boiling. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 minutes to thicken the sauce, making sure to stir so nothing burns on the bottom. Turn off the stove, taste, and season with salt/pepper to your liking.

    5. Set aside.

    Lasagna Noodles:

    1. Fill a large pot with water and a handful of salt and bring to a boil.

    2. Cook the lasagna noodles for 6 minutes and then drain. The pasta should be pliable but not cooked all the way thru.

    Seasoned Chicken:

    1. Cut the chicken into small/medium strips (or pieces) and place in a mixing bowl.

    2. Add the garlic, onion, basil, salt and pepper to the chicken and mix so all the chicken is seasoned evenly.

    3. Set aside.

    Crumb Topping:

    1. Place the ritz crackers in a plastic zip bag and crush with a rolling pin. The pieces can be uneven.

    2. In a small bowl, combine the crushed crackers, parmesan, parsley and butter.

    3. Set aside.

    Chef’s note: if you want to avoid the noodles sticking, rub a sheet pan with a small amount of oil and place the cooked noodles on the pan in one layer.

    • 1 tbsp butter, softened

    • 8 oz. (2 cups) Emmental cheese, grated

    • 8 oz. (2 cups) gruyere cheese, grated

    • 8-10 oz. sliced ham (9-12 pieces)

    • Dijon bechamel sauce (see above)

    • Lasagna noodles (see above)

    • Seasoned Chicken (see above)

    • Breadcrumb topping (see above)

    Directions:

    Chef’s note: your layers will depend on what size pan you use. In this instance, I used 9.5x7 inch bakeware.

    1. Combine the gruyere and Emmental cheese together in a bowl.

    2. Lightly butter your casserole dish on all sides.

    3. Place a light layer of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.

    4. Layer as follows:

    • lasagna noodles

    • 1/4 of the bechamel

    • 1/3 of the chicken

    • 1/3 of the ham

    • 1/3 of the cheese

    5. Repeat the layers 2 more times.

    6. On the last layer place an extra layer of noodles after the cheese layer. Add the remainder of the bechamel.

    7. Cover with the breadcrumb seasoning.

    8. Bake for 25-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

    9. Let sit for 15 minutes to set before serving.

Chickpea Pancakes with a Herby Salad

  • Crispy Chickpeas:

    • 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed

    • 2 tbsp Olive oil

    • Salt and pepper – to taste

    Tahini Dressing:

    • 1/3 cup (about 120 grams) tahini

    • 2 tbsp Honey

    • 1 tsp Soy sauce

    • 4 tbsp Water

    Herby Salad:

    • 1 cup (100 grams) red cabbage, thinly sliced

    • 2 medium Persian cucumbers, deseeded and julienned

    • 2 medium radishes, thinly sliced

    • 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds

    • 1/4 cup mint, roughly chopped

    • 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

    • 1 - 2 tbsp Olive oil

    • Juice of 1/2 lemon

    Chickpea Pancakes:

    • 1 can chickpeas, drained (save the liquid)

    • 3 tbsp chickpea liquid

    • 1/2 small red onion

    • 3 tbsp (60 g) tahini

    • 1 large garlic clove

    • 1 medium Egg

    • 2 tbsp corn starch

    • 1 tsp baking powder

    • 1/4 cup parsley

    • 1 tsp cumin

    • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

    • 1 tsp ground coriander

    • 1/4 tsp salt

  • Crispy Chickpeas:

    1. Heat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F.

    2. Drain 1 can of chickpeas, rinse with water and pat dry.

    3. Toss the chickpeas in the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

    4. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown and a bit crunchy.

    Tahini Dressing:

    1. To make the dressing whisk together 1/3 cup (about 120 grams) tahini, soy sauce and honey.

    2. Add 1 tbsp of water at a time until you achieve your preferred consistency. Set aside.

    Herby Salad:

    1. Combine the cabbage, cucumbers, radish, pomegranate seed, mint, and parsley.

    2. Toss in the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper (to taste). Set aside.

    Chickpea Pancakes:

    1. Drain the 2nd can of chickpeas keeping the liquid on the side.

    2. Combine the 2nd can of chickpeas, 3 tbsp chickpea liquid, 3 tbsp (about 60 grams) tahini, garlic, egg, red onion, ¼ cup parsley, cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, and ¼ tsp salt to a food processor.

    3. Pulverize for 30 seconds to a minute until all the chickpeas and ingredients are blended.

    4. Transfer to a bowl.

    5. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat for about 2 – 3 minutes

    6. Spray with cooking spray

    7. Use 1/3 cup of the pancake batter and pour into hot skillet.

    8. Cook 2 – 4 minutes on one side and flip to cook about 2 minutes on the other side.

    9. Continue with the rest of the batter – should make about 4 pancakes.

    Chef’s note: Some tahini’s are thicker than others (and may require more or less water). The cooking time for the pancakes will depend on how large you make your pancakes and what heat you are cooking. You’ll want to flip when you start to see a golden crust.

    • Crumbled feta – to taste

    • 1 scallion, thinly sliced

    Directions:

    1. Place two pancakes on a plate, follow by liberally drizzling the tahini dressing and then layering the herby salad and crispy chickpeas. Garnish with crumbled feta, sliced scallion and extra herbs, if you have leftovers.

Get Yourself a Boyfriend Minestrone Soup

    • 1 lb. Italian sausage links, sliced

    • 1 medium onion, diced

    • 2 – 3 carrots (about 1 ½ cups), diced

    • 3 – 4 celery ribs (about 1 ½ cups), diced

    • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced

    • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

    • ½ tsp red pepper flakes

    • 2 (14 oz.) cans of chopped tomatoes

    • 8 cups low sodium chicken stock

    • 1 parmesan rind (optional)

    • 1 large (roughly 1 pound) waxy potato, peeled and medium diced

    • 1 medium/large zucchini, medium diced (I usually cut around the core as it tends to get soggy)

    • 1 small container baby spinach or kale (4-6 oz)

    • 10-12 fresh basil leaves

    • Shaved parmesan cheese

    1. Over medium heat, pour a bit olive oil in a large (at least 5 quarts) soup pot. Brown the Italian sausage. Remove from the pan and set aside.

    2. Add the onions to the pot and cook for roughly 5 minutes until they start to soften.

    3. Incorporate the garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Cook for another few minutes.

    4. Add the carrots and celery to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes or so.

    5. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and browned sausage into the pot. Let simmer on low for roughly 30 minutes or longer if you like.

    6. About 30 minutes before you want to serve, add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Then add the zucchini and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender (but still have a bit of a bite)

    7. Turn off the heat and add the spinach and basil.

    8. Fish out the parmesan rind, if added.

    9. Salt and pepper to taste.

    10. Garnish with each bowl with shaved parmesan and additional fresh basil.

This was the first dish I ever cooked my husband and my unsolicted advice is If you want to skip the whole boyfriend stage and go directly for a marriage proposal, serve with grilled cheese or garlic bread on the side.

Miso Glazed Slamon in a Tomato Miso Broth

    • Tomato Miso Broth:

    • 3 cups water

    • 3 tbsp white miso

    • 3 tomatoes, rough chop

    • 3 large mushrooms, cut into quarters

    • 1 tbsp honey

    • 2 tsp low sodium soy sauce

    • 1 tbsp rice vinegar

    • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

    • 1 tsp sesame oil

    • 1 tbsp Sriracha

    • 2 green onion (scallion), rough chop

    • 3 lemon peels

    • 1 clove garlic

    • Handful of cilantro

    • ½ tsp salt

    • 2 whole peppercorns

    • 2 tbsp butter

    • 1 bunch asparagus, sliced to about 5 mm pieces

    • Poached Miso Salmon:

    • 4 pieces of salmon

    • ¼ cup mayonnaise

    • 1 tbsp white miso

    • 1 tbsp Sriracha

    • 1 tbsp honey

    1. Preheat the broiler in the oven to high.

    2. Position the oven rack about 6 inches from the broiling element at the top.

    3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Tomato Miso Broth:

    1. Combine all the ingredients, except the butter, into a large saucepan (that is at least 2-3 inches deep) and place over medium heat with a lid. Cook the mixture for about 30 minutes until the tomatoes are nice and soft.

    2. While the broth is simmering, blanche the asparagus. In a pot of boiling (and salted) water, blanche the asparagus for about 1-2 minutes and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Pat dry and set aside.

    3. Back to the broth. After 30 minutes, remove the mushrooms, lemon peels, and garlic. These can be discarded.

    4. Transfer the broth to a blender and give it a good buzz. Press the mixture thru a fine mesh sieve back into the large saucepan.

    5. Bring the broth back up to a simmer and stir in the butter.

    6. Prepare the salmon (see below).

    7. Once the salmon has been removed from the broth, pour the sauce thru a fine mesh sieve again and into a saucepan.

    8. Bring the broth back up to a slight simmer and season to taste.

    Poached Miso Salmon:

    1. Pat your pieces of salmon dry with a paper towel and season each side with salt.

    2. Gently nestle the salmon into the simmering broth skin side down. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Poached salmon is cooked through when it looks pale pink and flakes easily with a fork or a thermometer reads 125°F (52°C).

    3. While the salmon is poaching, combine the mayonnaise, miso, honey, and Sriracha. Set aside.

    4. Carefully remove the salmon and place on a parchment lined baking tray skin side down.

    5. Pat the top of the salmon with a paper towel to dry a bit so the miso glaze sticks easier.

    6. Brush on your desired amount of miso glaze on each piece of the salmon.

    7. Place the glazed salmon in the oven on the top rack nearest to the broiler for a couple minutes until the glaze is nice and bubbly and browned.

    • 1 package (200 grams / 7 oz.) udon noodles

    • Sesame seeds

    • Microgreens

    Directions:

    1. Make the udon noodles according to the package directions.

    2. Place some noodles on the bottom of your bowl.

    3. Ladle one fourth of the broth over the noodles.

    4. Followed by placing one piece of salmon over the noodles.

    5. Garnish with the asparagus around the salmon, followed by a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

    6. If you have microgreens, place a bit on top of the salmon.

Mostaccioli

    • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided

    • 1 onion, small dice

    • 3 cloves garlic, minced

    • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

    • 1 lb. ground Italian sausage or beef

    • 2 – 2.5 lbs. Italian sausage links cut in half

    • 2 (24 oz.) jars favorite marinara sauce

    • 1 (14 oz.) can chopped tomatoes (ideally with basil and garlic)

    • 8-10 basil leaves, torn

    • Pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy!)

    1. Over medium high heat, sprinkle 1 tbsp olive oil to a large sauté pan and cook the onions for a few minutes. Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and ground Italian sausage or beef to your pan and cook thru.

    2. Add to the ground sausage or beef mixture to your crockpot.

    3. To your sauté pan, add another tbsp olive oil and brown the sausage links. No need to cook thru, just brown on all sides. Add to your slow cooker.

    4. Add the marinara, can of tomatoes, basil, and red pepper flakes to your slow cooker and give it all a good stir.

    5. Cook on low for 3 hours. Taste and salt accordingly.

    • 1 lb. (500 grams) mostaccioli noodles, cooked according to the package directions

    • Grated parmesan

    Directions:

    1. I’m not sure you really need directions on this one - get yourself an enormous bowl and add noodles, lots of sausage, more sauce, parmesan and a bit of extra basil so you get your veggies!

Growing up in the Midwest, Mostaccioli was to many a “Sunday supper”. It simmered most of the day in a crock pot served over mostaccioli noodles and copious amounts of processed parmesan cheese on top. My Mom used to microwave the sausages on this giant weird white tray so the fat would drain to the sides. Instead of worrying about fat, I think she should have been more worried about microwaving sausages for 15 minutes in the world’s largest microwave while we stood in front of it

Thai Red Curry Chicken Satay

  • Chicken Satay:

    • 1 kilo (2.2 lbs.) chicken breast

    • 2 tbsp red curry paste

    • ½ cup coconut milk (full fat)

    • ¾ tsp salt

    • 5-10 wood skewers, soaked for 30 minutes in water

    Pineapple Salsa:

    • 1 cup (200 grams) pineapple, small dice

    • ¼ cup red pepper, small dice

    • 1 small clove garlic, minced

    • 1 small shallot, minced

    • Juice of ½ lime

    • Zest of ½ lime

    • 1 tsp. rice vinegar

    • 3 basil leaves, chopped

    • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

    • ¼ tsp salt

    • 1 Thai red chili, thinly sliced

    Red Curry Sauce:

    • 1 tbsp neutral oil, such as avocado oil

    • 2 tbsp red curry paste

    • 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk, full fat

    • ½ tsp fish sauce

    • 1-2 tsp palm sugar

    • 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn into small pieces

    • 1 Thai red chili, thinly sliced

  • Chicken Satay:

    1. Cut the chicken breast into large chunks.

    2. Combine the red curry paste, coconut milk and salt in a small bowl and then add it to a zipper bag along with the chicken and mix well together.

    3. Place in the fridge to marinate for 3-4 hours or ideally overnight. Carry on to the pineapple salsa.

    4. Drain the chicken and discard the marinade.

    5. Thread the chicken onto your desired number of skewers.

    6. When ready to cook, preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high.

    7. Cook for 4-5 minutes and then flip over.

    8. If need be, finish the chicken in an oven heated to 350 °F (176°C).

    9. Once done, let sit for 5 minutes.

    Pineapple Salsa:

    1. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients, including the Thai red chili. The more you add, the hotter it will be!

    2. Taste and season taste

    3. Set in the fridge until ready to serve.

    Red Curry Sauce:

    1. While the chicken is cooking, make the red curry sauce.

    2. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.

    3. Add the curry paste and cook for a minute or two until it starts to get fragrant.

    4. Whisk in the coconut milk.

    5. Add the fish sauce, 1 tsp of palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves, and one-fourth of the Thai red chili (more if you like it HOT!)

    6. Allow the curry to boil until it reduces by about one-half or coats the back of a wooden spoon, 10 to 15 minutes.

    7. Taste. Add more sugar, salt, Thai red chili according to taste.

    • Handful of cilantro, including stems

    Directions:

    1. Once the red curry sauce is done, place ¾ at the bottom of your serving dish.

    2. Place the chicken skewers on top.

    3. Drizzle the rest of the sauce over the top of the chicken, followed by the pineapple salsa.

    4. Garnish with the cilantro.

    5. Serve the remaining pineapple salsa on the side.

Tom Kha Gai Baked Fish

  • Tom Kha Gai Sauce:

    • 2 cups low sodium white stock (chicken, fish or vegetable)

    • 1 can (400 ml) full fat coconut milk

    • 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn

    • 1 inch galangal, peeled and sliced

    • 1 Thai red chili, thinly sliced

    • 6 inch lemongrass, rough chop

    • Fresh lime juice from ½ a lime

    • 2 tsp (10 grams) palm sugar (or brown sugar)

    • 2 ½ tsp fish sauce (start with 2)

    • 1 shallot, peeled and sliced

    Coconut Cilantro Rice:

    • 1 cup jasmine rice

    • 1 ¼ cups coconut water

    • 3 peeled strips from 1 unwaxed lime

    • ¼ tsp salt

    • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

    Whole Baked Fish:

    • 1 (2-3 pounds) head-on, whole white-fleshed fish, scaled, gutted, and cleaned

    • A couple slices each of shallots, galangal, and lime

    • 2-3 kaffir lime leaves

    • 1-2 pieces (6 in. or so) lemongrass

    • 1 large handful of cilantro, with stems

    • 1 container (10 oz.) grape tomatoes

    • 2 container (8 oz. each) oyster mushrooms

    • Neutral oil such as avocado oil

    • Chopped cilantro for garnish

  • Tom Kha Gai Sauce:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C)

    2. In a saucepan, combine the white stock, coconut milk, lime leaves, sliced galangal, Thai red chili, lemongrass (don’t forget to hit it against the counter to release its flavors before you give it a rough chop), lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, and shallot.

    3. Simmer on high until it has reduced to about 1 cup of liquid remaining, and it has thickened a bit. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

    4. Strain it and add it back to your saucepan to gently heat up before you serve the fish.

    Coconut Cilantro Rice:

    1. Combine the rice, coconut water, lime strip, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.

    2. Reduce to low and cover so it gently simmers.

    3. Cook 10-12 minutes or until water is absorbed by the rice.

    4. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

    5. Add the cilantro and fluff with a fork.

    Whole Baked Fish:

    1. While the sauce is reducing and the rice is cooking, prepare your fish. Place the fish on a parchment lined sheet pan and gently score the top. Drizzle a small amount of avocado oil and sprinkle salt and white pepper on the outside and the inside.

    2. Stuff the inside of the fish with sliced shallots, sliced galangal, sliced lime, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro, and lemongrass. Make sure to hit the lemongrass against a hard surface to open in up before stuffing in the fish.

    3. Toss the tomatoes and mushrooms with avocado oil, salt and white pepper and place alongside the fish.

    4. Cook the fish for 20-30 minutes or until it reaches 135°F (57°C) internally.

    5. Reheat the sauce and put it in a little gravy boat and serve alongside the fish and the rice.

  • Description text goes here

Sides and Salads

Jack Squat Gravy

  • Roasting:

    • Turkey (2 legs, 2 thighs, and 2 wings)

    • 6 tbsp of butter, softened

    • 2 large carrots, large dice

    • 1 large onion, large dice

    • 3 celery stalks, large dice

    • ½ lemon, juiced

    • 3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed with skin removed

    • 4 fresh sage leaves

    • 6 fresh thyme sprigs

    • 3 tbsp olive oil

    • 2 tsp salt, divided

    • Fresh cracked pepper

    Gravy Making:

    • 2 tbsp cognac (a splash)

    • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

    • 6 cups turkey (or chicken) stock

    • 2 tsp red wine vinegar

    • 1 tsp sugar

    • Cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp water to 1 tbsp cornstarch)

    • 2-3 tbsp heavy cream

  • Roasting:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (176 °C).

    2. In a roasting pan, combine the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, sage and thyme.

    3. Add the lemon juice (and toss the lemon in the mix), olive oil, 1 tsp of salt, fresh cracked pepper, and toss together.

    4. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring a couple times.

    5. While the vegetable pre-bake, dry the turkey with a paper towel.

    6. Massage the butter all over each piece using the other tsp of salt and fresh cracked pepper to season.

    7. Once the vegetables have baked for 30 minutes, take them out of the oven and turn the oven down to 300 °F (150 °C).

    8. Place the turkey on a rack over the vegetables and cook over the vegetables until the internal temperature of the turkey is 160 – 165 °F (72 – 74 °C).

    9. Remove the lemon and discard.

    10. Save the turkey for sandwiches!

    Gravy-making:

    1. Over medium heat, place the pan of vegetables directly on 2 burners of the stove.

    2. Once the vegetables are nice and hot, take the pan off the burners and add the cognac to deglaze.

    3. Place back on the burners and let the alcohol from the cognac cook off a bit. Add the mustard and whisk around a bit. Then add the turkey stock. Cook for about 15 minutes so the vegetables are nice and soft.

    4. Take the mixture and buzz (not too intensely as not to whip air into it) in the blender.

    5. From the blender, strain thru a fine mesh sieve and put back into a saucepan.

    6. Add in the red wine vinegar and sugar.

    7. Cook on high until the gravy reduces by half.

    8. Taste and adjust the seasonings according to your liking.

    9. Add the cornstarch slurry.

    10. Cook until it reduces to your desired thickness.

    11. Finish with heavy cream and adjust the seasonings again.

    Chef’s note: If you are using store bought stock, taste as you go to make sure it is not too salty.

Brussels Sprout Slaw

    • 500 grams brussels sprouts, cleaned

    • 115 grams parmesan cheese, shredded

    • 150 grams dried cranberries

    • 115 grams hazelnuts (without skin), toasted and roughly chopped

    • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

    • Zest and juice of 1 lemon, separated

    • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

    • 2 tbsp champaign vinegar

    • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

    • 2 tbsp capers, drained

    • 1 tbsp honey

    • 1 cup olive oil

    • ¼ tsp pepper

    • ¼ tsp salt

    1. Thinly shred the brussels sprouts. I used number 2 setting on my food processor.

    2. Toss together the shaved brussels sprouts, parmesan, cranberries, and hazelnuts.

    3. For the dressing, add nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, mustard, capers, honey, and pepper into a blender. Once combined, slowly add the olive oil and then salt to taste.

    4. Pour half the salad dressing over the brussels sprouts mixture and toss to combine. Continue to add more dressing to get your desired consistency.

    5. Pour into your serving dish and garnish with the lemon zest.

Burrata (with Zucchini)

    • 2 large zucchinis

    • 1 shallot, diced

    • 1 clove garlic, minced

    • 1 tbsp butter

    • 1 tbsp olive oil

    • ¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock

    1. Slice the zucchini around the core (discarding the core). Cut the large pieces of zucchini into about 1-inch sections and set aside.

    2. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil until melted together.

    3. Add the shallots and sweat for a couple minutes followed by the garlic.

    4. Toss in the zucchini and cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring every so often. You are looking for the zucchini to be cooked on the outside but still a bit crunchy in the middle. Salt and pepper to taste.

    5. Pour in the chicken stock and cook for a couple more minutes until it creates a thick coating for the zucchini.

    6. Remove and let cool to room temperature.

  • Assembly:

    • 1 fresh burrata

    • Zest of 1 lemon

    • 5 basil leaves

    • Olive oil

    • Salt and pepper

    Directions:

    1. Place all the zucchini on a platter and top with the burrata.

    2. Cut the burrata crosswise down the middle and stretch out a bit.

    3. Garnish with lemon zest, torn basil, and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

    Chef’s note: I prefer to serve the zucchini at room temperature or slightly chilled. I find the flavor of the zucchini is brighter.

Chakalaka

    • 2 tbsp olive oil

    • 1 medium red onion, diced

    • 2 bell peppers (red, green, yellow or orange), diced

    • 2-3 cloves garlic

    • 2-3 tbsp tomato paste

    • 2 medium carrots, shredded

    • 2 tsp curry powder

    • ½ tsp smoked paprika

    • Pinch of cayenne pepper

    • 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked

    1. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.

    2. Sweat the onions and bell peppers until they have softened, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook another minute or so.

    3. Stir in the tomato paste, curry powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and thyme leaves until combined. Turn down the heat and cook for a couple minutes to release the flavor of the spices and cook off the raw flavor of the tomato paste a bit.

    4. Add in the shredded carrots along with a bit of salt and pepper.

    5. Cook over low heat until mixture is well combined and thickened but still moist, 15 minutes or so. Make sure to stir often and add 1-2 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking to the pan.

    6. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

  • Assembly:

    • 1 can cannelloni beans, drained with the liquid set aside

    • 2-3 tbsp chutney

    • 2-3 tbsp chopped parsley (save some for garnish)

    Directions:

    1. Drain the cannelloni beans, saving the liquid in a separate dish.

    2. Give the cannelloni beans a couple of mashes (so you have some mashed beans and some whole beans).

    3. Add in the beans, chutney (I use mango), and 1/3 of the bean liquid directly into the pan with the cooled vegetable mixture and combine. Add additional bean liquid until you get the consistency you want.

    4. Incorporate a bit of chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

    5. Transfer the mixture into a serving dish and garnish with more chopped parsley.

    Chef’s note: Chakalaka is meant to be served as a relish/accoutrement. I like to serve it with heavier food such as chicken ‘n’ biscuits or thick curry to give your taste buds a bit of reprieve. In South Africa, it is often included in a braai (aka BBQ) spread.

When I was in South Africa, I felt like chakalaka was being served everywhere I looked and it blew my mind (it was so delish)! It was generally served as a relish/accoutrement, particularly at a braai (aka BBQ) spread which I basically went to one braai a day over the course of 10 days (South Africans really like their meat over an open flame!). I like to serve it with heavier food such as chicken ‘n’ biscuits or a thick curry to give your taste buds a bit of reprieve.

Chayote (Filipino style)

    • 2 tbsp olive oil

    • 2 medium red onion (about 1 ½ cups), small dice

    • 3-4 cloves garlic

    • 2 large chayotes, peeled, cored, and cut into medium chunks

    • 1 cup vegetable stock

    • Salt and fresh cracked pepper

    • Zest of ½ lemon

    1. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.

    2. Sweat the onions until they have softened a bit, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.

    3. Add in the chayote chunks and cook for about 5 minutes.

    4. Pour in the vegetable stock, a bit of salt and a healthy amount of freshly cracked pepper.

    5. Cover and cook for 15 minutes (or so), stirring occasionally.

    6. Once the chayote is cooked but still has a bite, it is done.

    7. Salt and pepper to taste.

    8. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with lemon zest.

    Chef’s note: ground pork is a delicious addition to the sauteed chayote. Cook the ground pork first and perhaps add a little fish sauce. Set aside and then add into the chayote. Serve over rice or vermicelli rice noodles!

  • Description text goes here

Chicken Noodle Soup Pasta Salad

  • Chicken Dressing:

    • 1 quart (4 cups) homemade chicken stock (no salt) or low sodium store-bought

    • 2-3 tbsp chicken base or 1 chicken bouillon cube (if using low sodium store bought stock, you might need less of the chicken base/bouillon cube)

    • 1 parmesan rind (optional)

    • ½ cup (125 grams) mayonnaise plus 2 tbsp

    • Juice of 1 lemon (roughly 2 tbsp)

    Schmaltz-y Veggies:

    • ¼ cup schmaltz (rendered chicken fat)

    • 1 medium onion, diced

    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced

    • 1 ½ cups (about 200 grams) carrots, diced

    • 1 ½ cups (about 200 grams) celery, diced

    • Couple whole sprigs of thyme

    • Salt and pepper

  • Chicken Dressing:

    1. In a saucepan, over medium high heat, combine the chicken stock, chicken base, and parmesan rind.

    2. Bring up to a rapid boil and reduce the mixture to 1 ¼ cup of liquid, stirring every so often.

    3. Pour through a sieve to get rid of any parmesan bits and set aside to cool to room temperature.

    4. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the cooled chicken liquid (save the extra ¼ cup for later) with a ½ cup mayonnaise, and the lemon juice (I usually start with the juice of ½ the lemon and then gradually add more depending on taste).

    Schmaltz-y Veggies:

    • In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt your schmaltz.

    • Sweat the onions for about 5 minutes until they start to soften.

    • Add the garlic and cook for a couple minutes more.

    • Throw in the carrots, celery, and thyme sprigs. Cook until all the vegetable have softened a bit but still maintain a bite.

    • Salt and pepper to taste.

    • Discard the thyme and set aside to cool.

  • Directions:

    1. In the large bowl with the dressing, add in the schmaltz-y veggies, noodles, chopped parsley (save some for garnish), and ½ tsp chopped dill.

    2. Combine and adjust your seasoning to taste, particularly if you need a bit more lemon juice or dill. Place in the fridge for at least an hour.

    3. Right before you are ready to serve, combine the additional ¼ cup of the chicken liquid with 2 tbsp mayonnaise.

    4. Pour over the salad and toss around to “rehydrate” a bit.

    5. Garnish with additional chopped parsley, dill sprigs, and lemon zest.

Chinese "Crack"cumbers

    • 4-6 Persian cucumbers (4 cups or so)

    • 1 tbsp sugar

    • ¾ tsp salt

    • 1-2 clove garlic, finely minced

    • A handful of cilantro, chopped

    • 2 tbsp black vinegar

    • 2 tbsp soy sauce

    • 2 tsp sesame oil

    • Small red bird’s eye chili, thinly sliced or chili crunch (optional)

    • Sesame seeds to garnish

    1. Slice the tips off the cucumbers and cut lengthwise down the middle.

    2. Take a mallet or a rolling pin and give them a gentle whack.

    3. Cut them up into bit size pieces (1/2 to 1 inch) and transfer to a mixing bowl.

    4. To the cucumbers add the sugar, salt, garlic, and cilantro. Let sit for about 5 minutes.

    5. Add the black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red chili (if you are opting in) and mix together.

    6. Taste and adjust the flavors to you liking.

    7. Let sit for an hour or so in the fridge.

    8. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with sesame seeds.

    Chef’s note: Don’t skip tasting and adjusting the flavors. The recipe above is a base and usually needs a bit of adjustment depending on your palate.

In Beijing, nearly every restaurant I ate at served some sort of variation of Chinese cucumbers. Each restaurant had its own spin like serving them in sticks or dipping the cucumber in a dark rick thick sauce instead of tossing them in a marinade. All were delicious in their own way, but this is the style I liked the most!

Cowboy Caviar (aka Texas Caviar)

    • 1 large tomato, diced

    • 1 large green pepper, diced

    • 1 large roasted red pepper, diced

    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced

    • 3 cobs of grilled corn, kernels removed or 1 can (15 oz.) sweetcorn, drained

    • 1 jalapeño, seeded, small dice

    • 2 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced

    • 1 can (15 oz.) black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

    • 1 can (15 oz.) hominy, drained and rinsed

    • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

    • 1-2 limes, juiced (about 2 tbsp)

    • ¼ cup Italian dressing

    • Salt and pepper to taste

    1. In a medium size bowl, combine all the ingredients except the lime juice and Italian dressing.

    2. Once everything is combined, add the lime juice and Italian dressing and give it a good mix. Season with salt and pepper and adjust to taste. You may need to add additional lime juice and Italian dressing based on your palate.

    3. Serve with tortilla or potato chips.

Eggplant Caprese

    • 1 eggplant

    • 1 tsp salt

    • 1/2 cup all purpose flour

    • 2 eggs, beaten

    • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

    • 1/2 cup parmesan, grated

    • Olive oil and butter

    • Assembly:

    • 2-3 pieces fresh mozzarella, sliced

    • 2-3 ripe tomato, sliced

    • 4 cups arugula, washed and dried

    • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

    • 10+ fresh basil leaves, julienned

    • Olive oil

    • Balsamic vinegar

    1. Slice the eggplant (about 5 mm).

    2. Lightly sprinkle salt on the eggplant slices and let sit in a strainer or a paper towel to release water for about 30 minutes. This will take away some of the bitterness.

    3. While your eggplant is resting, get your dredging station ready with 3 separate bowls for flour, eggs and combination of the panko breadcrumbs and the parmesan.

    4. Wipe the water and salt off the eggplant and dredge each piece in the flour and tap off excess, then the egg and let excess drip off, then the bread crumb mixture on both sides. Set aside on a plate.

    5. Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add a few pieces of the breaded eggplant and cook until golden brown – about 5 or so minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Continue cooking all the eggplant slices the same adding olive oil and butter as needed.

    • 2-3 pieces fresh mozzarella, sliced

    • 2-3 ripe tomato, sliced

    • 4 cups arugula, washed and dried

    • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

    • 10+ fresh basil leaves, julienned

    • Olive oil

    • Balsamic vinegar

    • Salt and pepper

    Directions:

    1. In a small bowl toss together the arugula with a few glugs of olive oil, a few splashes of balsamic and salt and pepper.

    2. There are two ways to serve this dish – on a platter or individual servings:

    For individual servings, layer eggplant, tomato, cheese, basil and repeat 2 more times (using 4 pieces of eggplant – top and bottom). Top with a handful of the arugula salad and garnish with toasted pine nuts, extra drizzle of olive oil and balsamic, fresh cracked pepper and a sprinkle of finishing salt.

    For serving on a platter: place the arugula on the bottom of your platter and arrange tomato, mozzarella, and eggplant slices on a platter. Arrange basil leaves between the slices. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, extra drizzle of olive oil and balsamic, fresh cracked pepper and a sprinkle of finishing salt.

Rainbow Carrots with Goat Cheese Maple Frosting and Carrot Top Pesto

  • Carrot Top Pesto:

    • 1 cup (40 grams) carrot top greens, tough stems removed

    • ½ cup (40 grams) whole hazelnuts

    • ¼ cup (10 grams) parsley

    • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

    • 2 tsp capers, drained

    • 2 tsp nutritional yeast

    • ½ lemon, juiced

    • 1 cup olive oil

    Goat Cheese Maple Frosting:

    • 6 tbsp (85 grams) butter, room temperature

    • 3 oz. (85 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

    • 2 oz. goat cheese, room temperature

    • 1 tbsp maple syrup

    • Pinch of salt

    Roasted Carrots:

    • 1 bunch rainbow carrots (or more if you like!), cut in half lengthwise

    • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • Carrot Top Pesto:

    1. Rinse the carrot top greens, discard tough stems, and dry.

    2. In a blender add the carrot tops greens, hazelnuts, parsley, chopped garlic, capers, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and a bit of salt, and pepper. Blend until combined, generally. Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula.

    3. While the blender is on low, slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady stream. Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula. Blend until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

    Goat Cheese Maple Frosting:

    1. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, and goat cheese with either beaters or ideally the whip attachment on your stand mixer. Beat for 5 minutes or until it becomes smooth and fluffy.

    2. Add in the maple syrup and salt. Beat for another 30 seconds until everything is completely incorporated.

    3. Set aside.

    Roasted Carrots:

    1. Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C).

    2. Toss the carrots in olive oil, salt and pepper.

    3. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, turning the carrots over after about 20 minutes.

    • ¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, rough chop

    • Dukkah

    Directions:

    1. Spread the frosting as your base.

    2. Place the roasted carrots on top the frosting.

    3. Drizzle your desired amount of the carrot top pesto followed by the toasted hazelnuts and a generous sprinkle of dukkah

Sourdough Bread Sauce

    • ½ cups (350 ml) whole milk

    • 3 sprigs of thyme

    • 6 black peppercorns

    • 1 bay leaf

    • 4 whole cloves

    • 1 quarter of an onion, left whole

    • 50-60 grams toasted sourdough breadcrumbs

    • 1/3 cup heavy cream

    • 2 tbsp butter

    • Zest of fresh nutmeg

    • Salt and pepper

    1. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaf, cloves, and onion.

    2. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.

    3. Either fish all the ingredients out of the milk with a slotted spoon (and discard) or strain the milk into another saucepan and return to medium heat.

    4. Add in the breadcrumbs a little at a time bringing the mixture to a simmer until it has thickened (about 2-3 minutes)

    5. Stir in the cream and the butter.

    6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    7. Pour into your serving dish and finish with freshly zested nutmeg.

    Chef’s note: a traditional bread sauce uses white bread and thus it should be made on the day of consumption because it tends to turn grey. With the sourdough, you can make the day before as it is naturally more of a brownish color due to the color of the bread.

Watermelon Fattoush

  • Arabic Croutons:

    • 2-3pieces Arabic or pita bread, cubed

    • 2-3 tbsp olive oil

    Vinaigrette:

    • 2 tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon)

    • 3 tbsp neutral oil

    • 2 tbsp feta liquid (or salt to taste)

    • 1 tbsp honey

    • ½ tsp sumac

    • A few cracks of fresh pepper

    Salad Base:

    • 4 cups (700 grams) seedless watermelon, medium dice

    • 3-4 (200 grams) Persian cucumbers, medium dice

    • 3-4 (75 grams) radish, thinly sliced

    • ½ small (50 grams) red onion, sliced thinly and soaked in water for 15 minutes or so

    • Large handful of mint, roughly chopped or torn

    • Large handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped or torn

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    • 50 grams (or more!) crumbled feta

    • 2 tsp Nigella seeds

    • Toasted Arabic croutons

    • Thinly sliced jalapenos (optional)

    • Remaining torn basil and mint

    Directions:

    1. In your serving bowl, place the watermelon mixture as a base. Add crumbled feta and the Arabic croutons on top. Drizzle with a bit more of the vinaigrette and sprinkle the remaining basil and mint, jalapeños (if you are using), and nigella seeds.

White Asparagus + Truffle + Parmesan + Egg Yolk

  • Asparagus Preparation:

    • 1 bunch white asparagus

    • salt

    1. Discard any stalks that are looking wrinkly and limp. Peel your white asparagus as the skin is quite tough and bitter. Remove the last ½ inch or so of the woody bottoms and discard.

    2. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil then lower to a simmer.

    3. While you are waiting for the water to boil, prepare an ice bath.

    4. Cook the white asparagus for 8-15 minutes. It will depend on how thick your spears are, but you should be able to pierce with a fork yet still have a bit of a bite. Do not overcook, as it might become stringy and mushy, which is not ideal.

    5. Once done, plunge into your prepared ice bath.

    6. Once cooled, pat dry with a towel.

    • Truffle salt

    • Truffle honey

    • Good parmesan

    • Boiled egg yolk

    • Olive oil

    • Fresh cracked pepper

    Directions:

    1. Arrange the asparagus on a platter.

    2. Sprinkle with truffle salt, followed by a nice drizzle of truffle honey, and shaved parmesan.

    3. Grate your boiled egg over the top followed by a couple grinds of fresh cracked pepper.

    4. Give it a drizzle of olive oil or if you are feeling frisky, a bit of truffle oil (but be careful, a little goes a long way).

Treats

Almond Butter Cookies

    • 113 grams (½ cup) unsalted butter

    • 250 grams (1 cup) creamy almond butter

    • 100 grams (½ cup) sugar

    • 100 grams (½ cup) light brown sugar

    • 2 eggs

    • ¼ tsp almond extract

    • ¾ tsp baking soda

    • 180 grams (1 ½ cups) flour

    • 50 grams (½ cup) almond flour

    • 1 tbsp milk powder

    • ¼ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter or salted almond butter)

    • ½ cup demerara sugar

    • 2-3 full chocolate bars of your choice

    1. Preheat the oven to 325 °F (165 °C)

    2. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.

    3. In a bowl, sift the flour and the baking soda. Add the milk powder and almond flour and combine. Set aside.

    4. Cream together butter and sugar until smooth.

    5. Add the almond butter followed by the almond extract and one egg at a time until all incorporated.

    6. Add the dry ingredients into the almond butter mixture and mix until just combined.

    7. Portion each cookie into about 2 tbsp balls (a bit smaller than a golf ball) and roll in the demerara sugar.

    8. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for about an hour.

    9. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned.

    10. Remove from the oven and immediately press a piece (however big you like) of a chocolate bar into each hot cookie.

    Chef’s note: I generally use a high- quality (such as Lindt, Godiva, etc.) chocolate bar with almonds. In additional to the demerara sugar, you could also roll in finely chopped almonds.

Chocolate Orange Tiramisu

  • Mascarpone Cream:

    • 100 grams egg white (2-3 large eggs)

    • 100 grams egg yolk (3-4 large eggs)

    • 1 cup (200 grams) sugar, divided

    • Zest of 1 orange (optional)

    • ¼ cup (25 grams) cocoa, sifted

    • 1 ¾ cup (400 grams) good quality mascarpone

    Ladyfingers:

    • ¾ cup (180 ml) fresh squeezed orange juice

    • ¼ cup (60 ml) Grand Marnier

    • 25-30 Ladyfingers

    For serving:

    • Terry'sChocolate Orange

  • Mascarpone Cream:

    1. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.

    2. Separate the eggs from the yolks.

    3. With either your stand mixer or beaters, whip the egg whites with half of the sugar (100 grams) to stiff peaks. Set aside.

    4. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with the other half of sugar (100 grams) until light in color, smooth and ribbony. It will be about tripled in size.

    5. To your egg yolk mixture, add in the mascarpone, orange zest, and coco powder. Beat for another minute or so until all incorporated. If you prefer your dessert to be more chocolatey and less orangey, omit the orange zest.

    6. Gently fold in your egg whites to your mascarpone mixture and set aside.

    Ladyfingers and Layering:

    1. Grab your serving dish. This recipe is based on using a 9x9 casserole dish but feel free to adjust your layering to the pan of your choosing (see my Instagram video for using a trifle dish).

    2. Combine the orange juice and the Grand Marnier (“grandma” as we used to call it in college).

    3. Dip each ladyfinger quickly (literally 1 second) into the orange juice mixer. In a 9x9 casserole dish (or whatever dish you’ve decided to use) arrange a layer of ladyfingers on the bottom.

    4. Add half your mascarpone cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers. Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.

    5. Cover with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to set or ideally, overnight.

    6. To serve, grate a generous amount of Terry'sChocolate Orange (using a microplane) over the top of your set tiramisu.

    Chef’s notes: Be quick dunking the ladyfingers. If they soak up too much liquid, the dessert will be a bit runny. If you can find Terry'sChocolate Orange Minis, place one on each portion as a garnish. It looks super cute!

Grapefruit Pie

    • 3 cups (or 2 cups crumbs) vanilla wafers

    • 6 tbsp butter, melted

    • Pinch of salt

    • 3 large egg yolks

    • 1 can sweetened condensed milk

    • Zest of 2 grapefruits (save a pinch for the whip cream)

    • 1 cup fresh grapefruit juice

    • Pinch of salt

    1. Heat oven to 350°F / 175°C

    2. In either a blender or food processor, add the wafer cookies and blend to fine crumbs (you will need about 2 cups for the crust).

    3. Combine the butter, cookies crumbs, and a pinch of salt so it looks like wet sand.

    4. In a 9-inch spring form tart pan or similar, press the crust evenly and about halfway up the side.

    5. Bake for about 8 – 10 minutes or until set.

    6. While the pie crust is baking, combine the egg yolk, condensed milk, grapefruit zest (save a pinch for the whip cream), grapefruit juice, and a pinch of salt.

    7. Add the mixture to the pie crust and bake for 15 - 20 minutes until just set.

    8. Cool completely and then cover and refrigerate until cold.

    • 1 cup heavy cream

    • 1 tbsp powdered sugar

    • 1/4 cup toasted macadamia nuts, rough chop

    Directions:

    1. Before serving whip the cream with the powdered sugar and the pinch of grapefruit zest until you get stiff peaks.

    2. Top the cold pie with whip cream and toasted macadamia nuts.

Peach Melba Donut Bread Pudding

  • Basil Whip Cream, Crispy Prosciutto, and Raspberry Coulis:

    • 2 cups heavy cream

    • 2 cups basil leaves (roughly 40 grams)

    • 2 tbsp powder sugar

    • 2 oz. (55 grams) prosciutto, chopped

    • 2 cups (500 grams) fresh or frozen raspberries

    • ½ cup sugar

    • Juice of ½ lemon

    Peach Pudding:

    • 4 large peaches (about 2 lbs.), peeled

    • ¾ cup milk

    • 2 large eggs

    • ¾ heavy cream

    • ¾ cup sugar (see chef’s note)

    • 2 tsp vanilla extract

    • 8-10 (950 grams) stale cake donuts (see chef’s note)

    • 2 tbsp demerara sugar

    • 1 tbsp butter

  • Basil Whip Cream, Crispy Prosciutto, and Raspberry Coulis:

    1. Heat the heavy cream over low heat.

    2. Once it comes to a simmer, shut off the heat and stir in all your basil leaves to combine.

    3. Allow to sit and come to room temperature and then let the mixture steep in the fridge for 2 or 3 hours.

    4. Remove from the fridge and put thru a sieve to remove the basil leaves.

    5. Whip however you normally make whip cream

    6. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    7. For the prosciutto, cook over low heat until the fat is rendered out and it turns nice and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to drain the excess grease.

    8. Over medium low heat, add your raspberries to a saucepan along with the ½ cup of sugar and the juice of half a lemon.

    9. Simmer until the raspberries have soften and the sauce has thickened – 15 -20 minutes.

    10. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve (sitting on top of a bowl), pressing all the seeds down with a spatula.

    11. Discard the seeds and set the coulis aside.

    Peach Pudding:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (176°C).

    2. Butter a 9x13 in. baking dish or something similar. I use an oval dish about the same size.

    3. Peal the peaches. The easiest way to peal peaches is to make two slices crosswise on the bottom of the peach and pop them in boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute and then into an ice bath.

    4. Remove the flesh of one of the peaches and cut into even slices. Set aside.

    5. Remove the flesh of the other three peaches (discarding the seeds) and place in a blender along with the eggs and milk. Give it a buzz for 20-30 seconds.

    6. In a medium sized bowl, combine the contents from the blender with the heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar (see chef’s note).

    7. Rip your donuts (see chef’s note) into smaller chunks and add into your custard mixture. Give it a good stir and pop into your prepared dish.

    8. Let it sit for at least an hour (more is better) so the donuts can absorb the liquid. You can also make this ahead of time and place in the fridge overnight.

    9. Once you are ready to cook the peach pudding, top evenly with the sliced peaches, then the cooked prosciutto, and finally an even sprinkle of the demerara sugar.

    10. Cook uncovered for 45 – 60 minutes or until the custard is set and the donuts have crisped up a bit on top.

    Chef’s note: You may want to adjust the sugar depending on what sort of donuts you use. I made and used these sourdough donuts from King Arthur, which are probably not as sweet as donuts you’d get at the store. Trust your palate and tweak according to how sweet you like your dessert.

    1. To assemble, place some of your raspberry coulis on the bottom of your dessert dish.

    2. Place the peach pudding on top and garnish with your whip cream, prosciutto, and a small basil leave.

Puppy Chow

    • 200 grams semisweet chocolate chips

    • 100 grams butterscotch chips

    • 130 grams creamy peanut butter

    • 2 tbsp unsalted butter

    • 300 grams Chex (corn or rice) cereal

    • 250 grams icing sugar

    1. Combine the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and butter in glass bowl and melt together in either the microwave or a double boiler.

    2. In a resealable bag, add the Chex cereal and pour the melted chocolate mixture over it. Seal the bag and give it a good toss so all the cereal is coated.

    3. Place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to cool.

    4. Once cooled, add in the icing sugar and give it a good (gentle) toss around so each piece is well coated.

    Chef’s note: If you add the icing sugar when the cereal mixture is hot, it will melt the icing sugar and you won’t get that nice white powder look. Salt to taste and set aside.

Scotcheroos

    • 2 oz. (½ stick) unsalted butter

    • ½ cup (4.5 oz.) creamy peanut butter

    • ½ cup (3.5 oz.) butterscotch chips

    • 10 oz bag of marshmallows

    • 7 cups puffed rice

    • 12 oz. milk chocolate

    1. Line a 9x13 size baking pan with parchment paper

    2. Melt together the butter and marshmallows in a large heavy bottom pan over low heat.

    3. Add in the peanut butter and butterscotch chips. Stir continuously until all melted together.

    4. Take off the heat and stir in the puffed rice.

    5. Transfer mixture to the baking dish and evenly distribute. Be careful, it might be a little hot!

    6. Melt chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler.

    7. Spread melted chocolate over the top and place in a cool place until set.

    Chef’s note: make it easy on yourself and wet your hands or use a bit of parchment paper when forming in the pan.

Strawberries, Figs, Balsamic, and Pretzel Sundae

  • Strawberry, Fig, Basil, Balsamic:

    • 1 container strawberries (8 oz./250 grams), cut into fourths

    • 4 large figs, cut into about the same size as the strawberries

    • 4-5 fresh basil leaves, torn or julienne

    • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar

    • 2 tbsp sugar

    Candied Pretzels:

    • 1 ½ cups (after crushing them into small pieces) unsalted pretzels

    • ¼ cup unsalted butter

    • ¼ tsp salt (omit if using salted pretzel)

    • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed

    1. In a bowl, combine the strawberries, figs, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and basil. Give it a gentle mix and let macerate for at least 30 minutes.

    2. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (176 °C)

    3. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar and salt. Once bubbling, cook for a minute or two.

    4. Once you’ve crushed the pretzels, toss them in the butter and sugar mixture. Place evenly on a baking sheet and cook for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

    • Vanilla ice cream

    • Fresh cracked pepper

    Directions:

    1. To assemble, place a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream in a bowl, top with the strawberry, fig mixture and a copious amount of candied pretzels.

    2. Finish it with a couple nice cracks of fresh pepper.

Thanksgiving Pavlova

  • Chocolate Pavlova:

    • 5 egg whites, room temperature (use the egg yolks for frozen custard)

    • 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar

    • 1 tsp white distilled vinegar

    • 20 grams (about 3 tbsp) cocoa powder, sifted

    • 60 grams semi-sweet chocolate (I used Lindt 70% cocoa), finely chopped

    Pumpkin Mousse:

    • 1 can (425 grams) pumpkin puree

    • 225 grams cream cheese temperature, room temperature

    • 30 grams goat cheese, room temperature

    • ¾ tsp pumpkin pie spice

    • 50 grams brown sugar

    • 175 grams (3/4 cup) whipping cream

    • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

    • 1 tbsp powdered sugar

  • Chocolate Pavlova:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F / 175 °C and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

    2. Beat the eggs until soft peaks form. Then start adding the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, waiting until each round of sugar is incorporated before adding more. Once all the sugar is dissolved, add in the vinegar.

    3. Continue to whip on medium high until shiny stiff peaks form. This whole process should take about 10 minutes of whipping in a stand mixer.

    4. Fold in the cocoa powder and chopped chocolate.

    5. Spread the meringue onto your lined sheet pan in a circle with a diameter of about 7 inches or so.

    6. Place in the preheated oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 300 °F / 150 °C.

    7. Cook for 50 – 60 minutes or until it looks crispy around the edges and dry and firm to the touch. Turn off the oven and allow the Pavlova to cool in the oven. Please note, cocoa powder has a small amount of fat in it and thus it will not hold its shape (and will come out a bit flat) as opposed to a regular pavlova.

    Pumpkin Mousse:

    1. A majority of the moisture will need to be cooked out of the pumpkin puree. Over medium heat, cook the pumpkin in a sauté pan until it is reduced to about 260 grams (about 1 cup). You will need to babysit it a bit by moving it around frequently to prevent scorching. The pumpkin will look darker in color and start to stick to the side of the pan when it is nearly done. Place into a mixing bowl to cool.

    2. To the cooled pumpkin, add the cream cheese, goat cheese, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and blend together until smooth.

    3. Place in the fridge to firm up.

    4. In a cold bowl, beat your whipping cream, vanilla bean paste, and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.

    5. Fold your whip cream mixture into your pumpkin mixture. Cover and place back in the fridge until ready to put the Pavlova together.

    • 30-40 grams hazelnuts, toasted and rough chop

    • 6-8 oranges (or blood oranges if you want a pop of color), suprème cut

    Directions:

    1. Place your suprèmed oranges in a colander over a bowl and place in the fridge for a bit to drain off some of the liquid. It is not ideal to have a nice light mousse topped with super wet oranges.

    2. Gently place your cooled pavlova on your serving dish.

    3. Top with your pumpkin mousse followed by the suprèmed oranges.

    4. Sprinkle the hazelnuts on top.

Tropical (Meets the Midwest) Mocktail / Punch

    • ½ cup fresh lime juice

    • ½ cup simple syrup

    • Flesh of 1 medium ripe mango (250 grams after peeling)

    • 3 cups water

    • 6-8 mint leaves

    • 1 tbsp sugar

    • Flesh of 2 passion fruit

    • Rainbow sherbet

    1. Blend the lime juice, simple syrup, mango, and water.

    2. In your serving pitcher, muddle the sugar and the mint to break up the mint a bit and help it release its flavor.

    3. Pour your blended mixture thru a sieve into your serving pitcher.

    4. Add in the flesh of the passion fruit and mix to combine.

    5. To serve, pour your desired amount in a glass over ice and garnish with a scoop of rainbow sherbet.

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