My Menu Blog

• Olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced small
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups coconut milk
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch medium asparagus
• 2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in 1/2

In a small saucepan over medium heat put 2 tablespoons oil, then add onions, ginger, curry powder, and sugar, and saute for 1 minute. Add coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. Cook the sauce for about 10 minutes over low heat. Season the sauce with salt, and pepper. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Put 2 tablespoons oil in the pan, add the asparagus and cauliflower, and saute for 2 minutes. Add a splash of water to steam the veggies, then add 1/2 a cup of the curry sauce to coat the veggies, and cook 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes to the pan, just to warm, and season, to taste.

For the Spice Paste Mixture:
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 cardamon pods
4 cloves
2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon stick
6 black peppercorns
1 green chili (medium heat) – chopped leaving the seeds in
2.5cm (1 inch) of fresh root ginger – chopped
4 garlic cloves – peeled
3 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 skinless chicken breast fillets – cut into cubes
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves – finely chopped
2 largish onions – chopped
1 red chili pepper medium heat – de-seeded and finely chopped
2 tsp of ground turmeric
2 tsp of chili powder
1 tbsp of tomato puree
1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp of white wine vinegar
freshly ground salt and black pepper to taste
a few freshly chopped coriander leaves

• 1 head savoy cabbage (¾ head regular green cabbage can be substituted)
• 6 slices bacon, cut into 6 to 8 pieces each
• 1 onion, cut into small dice
• 8 ounces (1 cup) water, plus additional if needed
• 4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, plus additional for garnish
• 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling over roasted fish
• 4 small knobs butter (a “knob” is about 1 teaspoon)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper

For the potatoes:

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

Directions

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 a cup of plain flour
• a little salt
• a little freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg – beaten
• 1/2 a tablespoon of water
• 3/4 of a cup of Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• unsalted butter
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 a cup of freshly grated Parmesan

• 1 bottle (1 liter) plus 1 cup (225 ml) of red wine
• 1 onion, cut into a 1-inch (2.5-cm) dice
• 1 carrot, cut into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices
• 1 celery rib, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) slices
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tbsp (14 g) whole black peppercorns
• 1 bouquet garni
• 1 whole chicken, about 3.5 lb (1.35 kg) “trimmed”–meaning guts, wing tips, and neckbone removed
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp (28 ml) olive oil
• 6 tbsp (75 g) butter, softened
• 1 tbsp (14 g) flour
• ¼ lb (112 g) slab or country bacon, cut into small oblongs (lardons) about ¼ by 1 inch (6 mm by 2.5 cm)
• ½ Ib/225 g small, white button mushrooms, stems removed
• 12 pearl onions, peeled pinch of sugar

DAY ONE

The day before you even begin to cook, combine the bottle of red wine, the diced onion (that’s the big onion, not the pearl onions), sliced carrot, celery, cloves, peppercorns, and bouquet garni in a large, deep bowl. Add the chicken and submerge it in the liquid so that all of it is covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

DAY TWO

Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat it dry. Put it aside. Strain the marinade through the fine strainer, reserving the liquids and solids separately. Season the chicken with salt and pepper inside and out. In the large Dutch oven, heat the oil and 2 tablespoons/28 g of the butter until almost smoking, and then sear the chicken, turning with the tongs to evenly brown the skin. Once browned, remove it from the pot and set it aside again. Add the reserved onions, celery, and carrot to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and golden brown. That should take you about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and mix well with the wooden spoon so that the vegetables are coated. Now stir in the reserved strained marinade. Put the chicken back in the pot, along with the bouquet garni. Cook this for about 1 hour and 15 minutes over low heat.

Have a drink. You’re almost there …

While your chicken stews slowly in the pot, cook the bacon lardons in the small sauté pan over medium heat until golden brown. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain it on paper towels, making sure to keep about 1 tablespoon/14 g of fat in the pan. Sauté the mushroom tops in the bacon fat until golden brown. Set them aside.

Now, in the small saucepan, combine the pearl onions, the pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons/28 g of the butter. Add just enough water to just cover the onions, then cover the pan with the parchment paper trimmed to the same size as your pan. (I suppose you can use foil if you must.) Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the water has evaporated. Keep a close eye on it. Remove the paper cover and continue to cook until the onions are golden brown. Set the onions aside and add the remaining cup/225 ml of red wine to the hot pan, scraping up all the fond on the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper and reduce over medium-high heat until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Your work is pretty much done here. One more thing and then it’s wine and kudos …

When the chicken is cooked through—meaning tender, the juice from the thigh running clear when pricked—carefully remove from the liquid, cut into quarters, and arrange on the deep serving platter. Strain the cooking liquid (again) into the reduced red wine. Now just add the bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons/28 g of butter. Now pour that sauce over the chicken and dazzle your friends with your brilliance. Serve with buttered noodles and a Bourgogne Rouge.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 1 cup water
• 6 green bell peppers
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 lb. sliced mushrooms (white or brown), divided
2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, diced (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup hot salsa, divided
8 corn tortillas

1. Heat an oiled skillet, preferably iron, over med. high heat.
2. Add half the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, without stirring, for 5 min., until golden brown on the side, about 5 min.
3. Remove the mushrooms, and repeat the process with the remaining half. Return the cooked mushrooms to the pan, add the zucchini and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, about 2 min. Stir in half the salsa.
4. Stack the corn tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, cover with a paper towel and heat in the microwave for 30 sec., or until warm.
5. Serve the tortillas, filling and remaining salsa separately and let everyone assemble their own tacos.

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained
½ cup tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs olive oil
1/3 cup water
4 cloves garlic, optional
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine the beans, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
2. Add water a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
3. Add the garlic and cumin, and then salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with pita.

As an alternative, substitute garbanzo beans with 2 cans black beans, lime juice instead of lemon juice, and ¼ cup cilantro.

5 cups rolled oats
2 cups raw almonds, whole or sliced
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
¾ cup sesame seeds
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
½ – 1 cup unsweetened coconut, optional
¾ cup unsweetened apple sauce
½ cup agave nectar
2 tbs canola oil
½ cup chopped dried fruit (date pieces, cranberries, cherries, raisins, apricots, or mango), optional

1. Preheat over to 200°F.
2. Mix the oats, almonds, pumpkin and sesame seeds, cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, salt and coconut together in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix applesauce, nectar and oil. Combine the two mixtures. Stir well to mix thoroughly.
3. Spread the mixture evenly onto 2 9-by-13 baking dishes or rimmed cookie sheets. Bake for 35 to 50 minutes, until evenly golden brown.
4. Remove pans from the oven and stir again to keep the granola from cooling into a solid mass. The granola will crisp as it cools. If using fruit, add it once the granola has cooled.
5. Pack a ½ cup granola for a snack, along with yogurt and fresh fruit.