Sweet Pepper Relish

For those of you who enjoy a pepper relish but my heat seekers pepper relish is much too hot and spicy, then this one is for you. I developed the relish using sweet peppers, garlic, basil and olive oil. The sweet peppers have less heat than a green bell pepper. This makes an excellent topping for pasta, scrambled eggs, and my favorite, crostinis. However you choose to use it, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Click here to view the video demonstration with additional tips.

For this recipe, you'll need the following:

• Sweet chili peppers (found in the produce department of most grocery stores. They look like jalapeños but are usually an assortment of red, orange and yellow peppers)
• Roasted garlic extra virgin olive oil (you can also use regular extra virgin olive oil and add sliced garlic at the end)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Several fresh basil leaves, julienned
• Sterilized mason jars

 

Washing the sweet peppers under cold running water and allow them to drain. Place them in a bowl and drizzle them with the roasted garlic olive oil. Add the sea salt and toss them until they are coated thoroughly.

 

 Then, spread the peppers out on a foil lined baking sheet. Place them under your broiler for 4 to 5 minutes until they begin to char. Once the peppers begin to char, turn them over. Continue this process until all sides are charred. Be careful not to over blacken them.

 

Once the peppers are charred on all side, in a bag and tie it closed for about 5 minutes.

Next, remove the peppers from the bag and place them back on the baking sheet. Peel the charred skin off each pepper and gently remove the green stem. Do not rinse them under running water. That will remove all of that fantastic charred flavor.

Once the peppers are peeled, place them on a cutting board and thinly slice them.

Finally, pack the peppers loosely into the mason jars leaving ½ to 1 inch at the top. Top it with the sliced basil. Next, you are going to top off the jar with the roasted garlic olive oil. If you plan to use extra virgin olive oil, Add a couple cloves of sliced garlic before topping with olive oil.

 

These will last in your refrigerator for several weeks. Continue to jar the rest of the peppers in the same manner. Allow the jars to sit for as few days so that the different flavors can mingle.

  Enjoy!

 

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Seared Ahi with Asian Slaw

Tender succulent ahi spiced and barely seared topped with a little wasabi mustard. I serve it on a bed of Asian slaw. Cool, crisp and delicious, it compliments the ahi perfectly. It’s a little bit of heaven on a plate. This makes a beautiful presentation for any occasion and will impress your guests. In addition, I’ll show you how to serve it as finger food for your next party.

Click here to view the video demonstration with additional tips.

For this recipe, you'll need the following:

• Olive oil
• 1 TB chopped fresh ginger
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped fine
• 2 TB seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 2TB sesame oil
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 2 carrots, peeled and julienned
• 1/2 red bell pepper cut into match stick size strips
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, depending on your taste
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 TB minced red onion
• 1/2 jalapeno finely chopped
• Cajun seasoning or cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 piece of sushi grade ahi
• Wasabi mustard
• Sriracha sauce (optional)

Begin by making the dressing. In a hot pan, add a little olive oil. To that, add 1 TB of chopped fresh ginger and 1 clove of garlic chopped. Lightly sauté it just to bring out the aromatics. We don’t want to brown it. After about a minute, remove it from the heat and let it cool. After the ginger garlic mixture has cooled, place it in a small jar or shaker container. To that add 2 TB of seasoned rice wine vinegar and 2 TB of sesame oil. Shake the dressing to blend.

In a medium size bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, cilantro, green onions, red onions and the jalapeno. Toss it with the dressing and set it aside.

Toast the sesame seeds in a hot pan until they're golden brown. Season your ahi with the Cajun seasoning making it as mild or as spicy as you like. Press the seasoned ahi into the sesame seeds forming a nice crust on both sides.

 Heat about 1/4 inch of vegetable in a hot pan until it's almost smoking. Carefully place the ahi in the pan and sear it for 20-30 seconds on each side. Remember, we are just searing the ahi, we are not cooking it.

To plate this dish, cut the ahi into small slices and arrange it on top of some of the Asian slaw. To spice it up a bit, top it with some wasabi mustard and a little
Sriracha sauce.

Enjoy!

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Mexican Caesar Salad

This is the classic Caesar salad with a Mexican flare. Fresh cilantro and toasted pepitas in the salad will transport you south of the border. Simple to make yet it will still please the most discriminating palate. This recipe will leave your guests most impressed with your cooking talents.

For this recipe, you will need the following:

• 1 French baguette, cut into ¾ inch cubes
• Garlic flavored olive oil for drizzling
• White truffle oil for drizzling (optional)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 6 shots Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash white vinegar
• Juice from ½ lemon
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ anchovies
• ½ bunch of cilantro
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ to ½ cup pepitas
• 1 ½ heads of Romaine lettuce, chopped
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. To make the croutons, place the cubed baguette on a baking sheet. Be sure not to cut them too small. Drizzle them with the garlic flavored olive oil. For more flavor, you can also drizzle white truffle oil with the garlic olive oil. Bake the croutons for about 10 minutes, until they are golden brown. You want them crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Next, place the egg yolk, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, anchovies, cilantro and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend until it’s smooth and creamy.

Place the chopped Romaine in a large bowl. Drizzle about a third of the dressing on the salad (save the rest for a later use). Drizzle more if you like a wetter salad, less if you want it drier. Add the pepitas and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add the croutons and toss lightly.

Enjoy!

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Stuffed Artichoke Hearts

Tender marinated artichoke hearts are drained and stuffed with your favorite goat cheese. Breaded and fried to a golden brown, these tasty morsels are served with a zesty Pomodoro or Marinara sauce. They have been affectionately referred to as "Pillows of Love". Once you start, you can't get enough.

For this recipe, you will need the following:

• 12 Marinated and quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 8 oz of your favorite goat cheese (alternatively, you can substitute another soft cheese such as Boursin, cream cheese, etc)
• 1 cup flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg
• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
• oil for frying

Begin by removing some of the inner leaves from the artichoke hearts. This will form a pocket for the cheese. You can save the inner leaves for another use.

Take about a tablespoon of the goat cheese and form it into a small football shaped ball and press it into the pocket you made in one of the artichoke hearts. Repeat this process until all of the artichoke hearts have been filled.

Once all artichokes have been filled, its time to set up the dipping station. In the first of 3 bowls, add the flour. Season it to taste with a little salt and pepper. In the second bowl add the egg and mix thoroughly. Finally, in the third bowl, add the Panko breadcrumbs.

Start by taking one of the artichokes and thoroughly coat it with flour. Shake off the excess. Next, dip it into the egg wash. Lastly, place the artichoke in the third bowl and completely coat it with the breadcrumbs and place it on a plate. Repeat this process with the remaining artichoke hearts. 

Once you’ve finished coating the artichokes, place them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This allows the cheese to firm up and also your breadcrumbs will stick better.

After they’ve been refrigerated, fry them in hot oil. Heat the oil to about 375 degrees and carefully place them into the hot oil. Fry them on each side until they’re a golden brown. Then, allow them to drain on a paper towel.

Place the drained artichokes on a plate and dust them with Parmesan cheese. My zesty Pomodoro sauce makes an excellent dipping sauce. 

Enjoy!

I welcome your comments. Click here to add your thoughts.
 

Potato and Leek Tart with Bacon

This tasty tart is a very versatile dish. You can serve it as an appetizer, pair it with a salad for a light lunch or even use it as a side dish at your next brunch. However you serve it, its absolutely delicious.  It pairs the fresh taste of fresh Spring vegetables with the mouth watering taste of bacon. I mean c'mon... who doesn't love bacon?!

For this recipe, you will need the following:

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 4 Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 Leeks
• 1/2 large white onion
• 6 strips of bacon
• 1 TB olive oil plus more for drizzling
• 1 TB butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Pie crust for an 11 inch tart pan (either your own or a purchased crust)
• 1/2 cup diced green onions (scallions)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Spray the tart pan with cooking spray. Place the pie crust in the tart pan, pressing it halfway up the sides of the tart pan. 

Cut the root end off the leeks and and slice just the white and light green parts into 1/4 inch slices. A good rule of thumb is to slice just before the leek fans out into the dark green parts. Thoroughly rinse the leeks under running water and place them in a medium sized bowl and set them aside.

Next, slice the onion into 1/4 in slices. Cut each slice into quarters and place it in the bowl with the leeks.

Chop the bacon strips into 1/2 inch pieces and cook them in a hot skillet. Once the bacon is done, place it on a paper towel lined plate to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.

In a clean pan over medium high heat, add the reserved bacon fat, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Saute the leek and onion  mixture until tender. You do not want to caramelize the leeks and onion. You just want them tender so that they just begin to release their sugars. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and half of the Parmesan cheese. Fold in the bacon followed by the leek and onion mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into your prepared tart pan and spread it evenly.

Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Arrange the sliced potatoes in a spiral pattern on the tart until the entire surface is covered. Drizzle a little olive oil over the tart and spread it over the potatoes with a pastry brush. Top the potatoes with the remaining Parmesan cheese and the green onions.

Bake for 45 minutes until the potatoes are a golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve! Optionally, you can top the tart wedge with a poached egg for a wonderful brunch item or a late night snack.

Enjoy!

I welcome your comments. Click here to add your thoughts.

Tropical Fish Tacos

These tacos are made with Cajun seared tilapia topped with a tropical cole slaw and served in a crispy (not greasy) tortilla shell with pepper jack cheese. One bit of these tacos and you'll be picturing yourself on a white sand beach somewhere in the tropics with an ice cold beverage!

For this recipe, you'll need the following:

• 2 tilapia filets
• Your favorite Cajun seasoning
• 2 TBS vegetable oil 
• 4 lime wedges (additional wedges for garnish if so desired)
• Tropical Cole Slaw
• 4 corn tortillas
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup grated pepper-jack cheese
• Thinly sliced green onions (white and light green parts only)
• Avocado slices (optional)

Begin be generously seasoning both sides of the tilapia with the Cajun seasoning. 

Place the oil in a hot non-stick pan. Sear the tilapia for about 2 minutes on both sides until it begins to flake apart. Break the fish into small chunks, squeeze the 4 lime wedges over the fish and set aside.

If you have a griddle, preheat it to about 350 degrees. If you don't have a griddle, you can us a non-stick frying pan. Spray one side of a tortilla with cooking spray and place it sprayed side down onto the griddle or frying pan. Repeat with the other 3 tortillas.

As soon as the tortillas begin to brown (small brown spots on the underside), sprinkle 1/4 cup of pepper-jack cheese over each tortilla. Once the cheese is melted, remove from heat.

Place a tortilla shell on a plate. Top it with 1/4 of the tilapia and then some of the Tropical Cole Slaw. Finally, sprinkle the taco with the thinly sliced green onions. Optionally, you can also top them with a slice of avocado.

Grab a cold beverage, get out in the sun and enjoy!

Grilled Radicchio Salad

Radicchio is often overlooked as a salad base. Lightly grilling it adds another dimension of flavor which is complimented by the basil and capers.This salad is finished with a balsamic vinaigrette, feta and warm toasted pine nuts. 

For this recipe, you will need the following:

• 1 head of traviso radicchio
• 1 dozen basil leaves
• ½ cup feta
• ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 T capers, rinsed
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T balsamic vinegar

 

Whisk together 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside. Cut the radicchio in half and brush the cut side with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Grill the radicchio, cut side down, on a hot grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove it from the grill, chop it and place it in a large bowl. Tear the basil leaves and add them to the radicchio. Add the capers, toasted pine nuts and feta to the salad. Toss with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixture.

Enjoy!