Wednesday, July 9, 2008
This month features a recipe for Lemon Risotto from Gianni Audieri, the executive chef at Fior d'Italia in San Francisco - the country's oldest Italian Restaurant.
Ingredients:
2 cups long-grain rice
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
2 to 4 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Liquid should be added one cup at a time. Adding the extra two tablespoons of butter makes a very rich dish. If your lemon is not very juicy, you might want to add more to taste.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat. Add the rice and cook until just tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a warmed large serving bowl. Add the egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, parmesan, and butter; mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately with additional parmesan.
Serves Four
Monday, May 5, 2008
Even though the brine takes at least 30 hours to cure the pork chops, you won't be sorry once you taste them - juicy, succulent and really worth the wait.
Plan ahead. Serve this dish with grilled vegetables and mashed or roasted potatoes. The Roasted Tomato & Garlic Sauce is also fantastic over pasta or grilled fish.
Serves 6
Brine:
3 bay leaves
½ tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 clove
½ tablespoon chili flakes
¾ tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon anise seed
1 gallon water
½ cup sugar
¾ cup salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 pork chops, 10 ounces each
In an herb grinder or with a mortar & pestle, grind the bay leaves, peppercorns, clove, chili flakes, thyme and aniseed to a fine powder. In large bowl, prepare a brine by mixing together the water, sugar and salt. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolves. Stir in herb/spice mix and garlic. Cover pork chops with brine and refrigerate for at least 30 hours.
Place pork chop on preheated grill and cook for five - seven minutes on each side depending on thickness.
Roasted Tomato & Garlic Sauce
Yields: 3 cups
2 pounds tomatoes
12 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Preheat oven to 450'.
Quarter and remove top of tomatoes. In large bowl mix all the ingredients together. Lay out tomatoes on a large sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes or until soft. Place tomatoes in the blender and process until smooth. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve over grilled pork chops.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
This month features a recipe from Matthew Nagan the Executive Chef at the Schellville Grill in Sonoma.
Tuscan Sauté Chicken
½ cup flour
3Tbs olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts-- cut the thick part of the chicken to butterfly or to make a large cutlet
3 garlic cloves diced
1Tbs fresh rough cut oregano
1Tbs rough cut fresh Italian parsley
1Tbs rough cut fresh basil
Juice of two lemons
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup julienne sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
2 tsp capers
1/2 cup kalamata olives--diced small
Now the fun starts:
Put chicken in an egg wash. Dredge it in the flour, mixed with the salt and pepper and set aside. Heat olive oil in frying pan on medium heat. When hot, place chicken breasts in and brown for five minutes on each side. Add remaining ingredients in order and simmer for about five more minutes or until the chicken is tender.
After the first time, you get the hang of it, and you will be able to wow your friends "Tuscan style". Take your time and enjoy the dish!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
This month features a recipe from Peter Pahk, the Executive Chef at Silverado Resort in Napa.
Tempura Fried Cayucos Abalone With a Dashi-Mirin Sake Dipping Sauce
Serves 6
Ingredients:
12 - 1 oz. piece Abalone steaks
1-cup Tempura batter
2 cups Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
¼ cup Sesame seeds
¼ cup Chopped parsley, washed & squeezed dry
½ gallon Peanut oil for frying
Assorted Micro greens for garnish
2 cups Dipping sauce
For the Batter:
2 egg Yolks
2 cups Ice cold soda water
2 cups Sifted cake flour
Pinch Baking soda
Pinch Salt & Pepper
Preparation:
Combine egg yolks and soda water until just combined. Add flour, soda, salt and pepper all at once. Stir until just combined - should be very lumpy. Keep chilled until ready to use (make right before service and keep on ice).
For the Dipping Sauce:
1 cup Dashi stock
1/3 cup Mirin
1/3-cup Soy sauce
¼ cup Saké
½ cup Grated Daikon radish
3 tsp. Grated ginger
Combine & serve in 2 - 3 oz. portions.
For the Dashi Stock:
1 qt. Cold water
1 oz. Konbu (dried kelp)
1 oz. Dried Bonito flakes
Bring Konbu and water to a quick boil. Remove Konbu and shock with ¼ cup ice. Add Bonito flakes and bring to boil. Remove from heat immediately, let flakes settle (about 1 minute) and strain through cheesecloth. Chill.
For the Abalone:
Heat oil to 375º. Combine Panko, sesame seeds and parsley in a bowl wide enough to accommodate the abalone steaks.
Set up batter and breadcrumbs next to each other. Dip abalone into batter, drain and pass through breadcrumbs (do not pound or press - a light pass is all you need). Place on sheet paper on top of a sheet pan.
Deep fry for 30 - 40 seconds, turning very gently until golden brown. Drain on elevated meat rack on sheet pan. Assemble two to a plate with a bit of micro greens and dipping sauce.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
This month features a recipe from Gianni Audieri, the executive chef at Fior d'Italia in San Francisco - the country's oldest Italian Restaurant.
- 3 Tbl. Olive Oil
- 4 Cloves Garlic, finely sliced
- 1/2 oz. Anchovies, chopped or paste
- 1/2 Cup Cream
- 6 Bell pepper (green, red or yellow)
Heat oil, sauté garlic until just light brown. Add anchovies, stir with wood spoon. Add cream bring to a simmer. Remove from fire. Halve bell peppers, roast or burn over fire on stove. Let cool, peel. Pour sauce over peppers.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Carrot Ginger Soup as prepared by Victor Scargle for GO FISH St. Helena, CA
- 24 carrots -- peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup Ginger -- peeled with a spoon and sliced
- ½ cup Mirin
- 3 sweet onions-- peeled and sliced thin
- ¼ pound butter
- 1 cup chicken stock
Place butter in sauce pot and melt. Once melted add carrots and onions and cook until tender, no color. Season with salt and white pepper. Add ginger and mirin and reduce mirin by half. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Blend mixture. Adjust seasoning and strain through fine strainer.
Serving Size: 6
* Victor Scargle is the executive chef at Go Fish in St. Helena. Prior to Go Fish, Scargle served as executive chef of Julia's Kitchen at COPIA in Napa, and he has also worked at Aqua, Grande Café and Jardiniere in San Francisco. He has also appeared on the Food Network and the hit television show "Top Chef" on Bravo, starring chef Tom Colicchio. Be sure to check back each month for a new tasty treat!
