Recipe: Seafood Enchiladas

Made this last night for a Cinco de Mayo party and it was a HUGE hit!!!

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lbs. lump dungeness crab meat (I got a 3 lb. live crab and had it cracked and cleaned)
3/4 lbs. shrimp, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped
3/4 lbs. sea scallops, coarsely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk of green garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp. cracked red pepper flakes
3 cups of fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
2 cups good quality red enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups good quality salsa verde
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
12 corn tortillas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Heat the butter and oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the green garlic, onions, and spices, saute until the onions start to become soft.  Add the mushrooms to the mixture and cook until the mushrooms start to soften.  Add all of the seafood and cook until the shrimp just starts to turn pink.  Add the spinach in a final step and cook until the spinach is wilted.  Remove the mixture from heat.

Prepare a large casserole dish by spraying with cooking spray.  Soften the corn tortillas in the microwave by placing them in on high for 40 seconds.  Put about 3/4 ladle full of the seafood stuffing into each tortilla, roll, and place into the casserole dish.  Pack the rolled tortillas in as tightly as you can.  Pour the enchilada sauce and salsa verde evenly over all of the tortillas.  Top with the shredded cheese in an even layer.  Place into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until all the cheese is melted and starts to brown.  Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Ultimate Lasagna

This recipe is just off the frackin' chart... I made this tonight for like the 4th time, but I made some modifications that sent it into the stratosphere... total comfort food :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. ground sirloin

1 large eggplant

5 cups (32 oz.) of diced tomatoes

1 cup (8 oz.) of tomato paste

1 lb. baby spinach

1 large onion, diced

1 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

6 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. red chili flakes

2 tsp. ground sage

2 tsp. ground oregano

2 tsp. dried tarragon

3 tsp. salt

2 tsp. black pepper

1 cup chicken stock

2 lbs. part-skim ricotta cheese

2 cups romano cheese, shredded

2 cups parmesan cheese, shredded

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 lb. dry wide lasagna pasta (1 box)

3 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices and place into a colander. Liberally salt all of the slices and cover with a plate. Let the eggplant sweat and drain overnight in the sink.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the eggplant and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in all of the other ingredients except for the pasta, meat, eggs, and cheeses and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until the eggplant is mushy, stirring and mashing the ingredients together using a wooden spoon about every 10 minutes.

Cook the ground sirloin over medium high heat until browned. Add to the sauce mixture and stir to combine. Add the ricotta and stir vigorously until fully combined through. Add the beaten eggs and stir vigorously to combine through. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Take a large 13 x 9 baking dish and spray down with cooking spray. Place 1/3 of the sauce/meat mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Top with 1/3 each of the parmesan and romano cheeses in an even spread. Top with 1/3 of the lasagna pasta sheets. Repeat this until you have a final layer of pasta on top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10 large servings.

Recipe: Roasted Eggplant, Scallion, and Poached Chicken Pizza

I'm sure you can find a recipe online for pizza dough if you really want to make your own dough... but, I didn't have the patience to make my own dough this evening, so I used a great refrigerated pre-made pizza dough I picked up at Whole Foods. Makes this recipe come together a LOT quicker ;)

Ingredients:

14 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried sage
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped
1 large eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast filets
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Place sliced eggplant slices flat onto a olive oil coated baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and drizzle olive oil over the top of all slices. Place into oven for about 30 minutes until the slices have browned.

In a large pot, place the chicken breasts and and fill with water until the breasts are fully covered plus 1 inch. Sprinkle kosher salt generally into the pot. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue simmering for approximately 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and using forks shred the chicken finely. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, oregano, basil, sage, and garlic together. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 12-13 inch diameter. Place the dough on a lightly oiled pizza pan and press the dough out to cover the diameter of the pan. Pour the tomato sauce mixture out onto the dough and using the bottom of a ladle, spread the sauce out evenly across the full surface of the dough. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese out evenly across the surface. Top with an evenly distributed layer of the roasted eggplant, poached shredded chicken, and the chopped scallions. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle the cracked red pepper evenly across the top.

Raise oven temperature to 450. Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 - 16 minutes until the crust browns and the cheese is melted.

Makes 8 servings/slices.

Recipe: West Coast Pot Roast

Ingredients:

4 lb. lean beef chuck or rump roast
2 tbsp. canola or other neutral oil
2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. pepper
3 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. minced ginger
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced red potatoes
2 tbsp. Sriracha
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cups of Zinfandel
1 cup beef broth
1 sweet red onion

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Finely chop the red onion by hand or in the food processor.

Generously coat all sides of the roast with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Put in the seasoned roast and brown on all sides, about 3 - 4 minutes per side. Remove the dutch oven from the heat and take the roast out and set aside. Pour in the Zinfandel to deglaze the dutch oven, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any bit stuck to the bottom of the dutch oven. Add the remaining ingredients to the dutch oven. Put the roast back in the dutch oven and put the dutch oven into the oven.

Roast for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours until the roast is fork tender and just falls apart.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Petrale Sole with Ginger-Soy-Garlic-Scallion Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup(s) panko
1 1/4 pound(s) petrale sole fillet(s)
1 egg
1/2 cup(s) soy sauce
1 cup(s) scallion(s), finely chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp ginger root, minced
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp miso paste
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450. Line the bottom of a baking sheet with tin foil. Coat the tin foil lightly with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, heat the soy sauce, scallions, garlic, ginger, and miso paste together over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Coat the fish with the salt and pepper. Whisk the egg thoroughly in one bowl to make an egg wash. In another bowl, put in the panko. Coat thoroughly first in the egg wash then coat with the panko. Fish does not need to be fully covered with the panko - just a light crusting. Place the coated fish onto the baking sheet. Spray the top of the filets with a bit of the cooking spray. Bake in the oven about 6 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

Plate the fish and top with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Moussaka My Way

For those of you who have Greek heritage, please don't stone me for making this without a true bechamel sauce - I happen to be watching my waistline, so I chose to make a savory tomato sauce instead. Since I've had a tomato-based version in Greek restaurants before, I figure I can't be THAT far off ;)

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. lamb loin
1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 1/2 cup(s) canned tomatoes
1 cup(s) canned tomato paste
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup red wine
1 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of panko
1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 large potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried mint
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

Place peeled and sliced eggplant into a colander and coat with salt, allow to drain for 30 mins. to 1 hour.

Cut the lamb loin and chicken breast into 1/4 inch cubes. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Place the lamb pieces into the saucepan and cook until cooked through, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and continue cooking for about 5 - 6 minutes. Add the red wine to deglaze the pan. Add in the chives, basil, oregano, thyme, tarragon, pepper, mint, and onion powder. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Lower heat to low to keep warm. Sauce should be the consistency of a thick pasta sauce.

In a non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the eggplant slices for about 1 minute on each side. Line the bottom of the casserole dish with the eggplant. Top with 1/2 of the tomato sauce mixture and 1/2 of the parmesan cheese. Use the sliced potatoes to make the next layer, top with the remaining tomato sauce mixture and parmesan cheese and sprinkle the panko over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Baked Eggs Provencal

This is a very simple breakfast dish... serve with toasted sliced French bread!!! :)

Ingredients:

8 large eggs
3 tsp. of minced garlic
1/2 cup of heavy cream
3 tbsp. of butter
2 tsp. Herbs de Provence
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. of grated parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Crack all the eggs into a separate bowl, being careful to keep them whole and not puncture the yolks. In a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat, melt the butter into the heavy cream. Pour the cream and butter mixture into the bottom of a medium gratin dish. Slowly pour the eggs into the gratin dish - they will start to cook immediately. Sprinkle the garlic, Herbs de Provence, salt, cracked red pepper, and parmesan over the eggs. Place the gratin dish into the oven and bake for about 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Shrimp and Crab Gratin

This dish is just absolutely decadent... I made it last night for friends of mine who were over for some wine and chit-chat. Everyone loved all the dishes I made, but this one was their favorite...

Ingredients

1 lb. of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. of lump crab meat (dungeness crab is the best! :))
3 cups of diced white potatoes
3 cups of diced parsnips
2/3 cup of fresh parsley, loosely chopped
1/4 cup of fresh chives, chopped
2 1/2 cups of Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups of Parmesan cheese, shredded
2/3 cups of bread crumbs
2 cups of heavy cream
1 stick of unsalted butter
3 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons of black pepper
3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray to coat. Put the potatoes and parsnips in a layer on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the parsley and chives over the vegetables. Place the shrimp and crab meat over the vegetables in an even layer.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter into the heavy cream. Add the salt and pepper. Add the Gruyere cheese to the cream mixture and whisk until the cheese fully melts. Whisk in the all-purpose flour. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it all over the other ingredients in the casserole dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs in an even layer over the top. Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the casserole and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the Parmesan layer on top is nice and browned. Remove from the oven and let set for a couple of minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Scalloped Tomatoes Provencal

Yeah, it's a Sunday, so I'm in a cooking mood... this is dinner :)

Ingredients:

5 - 6 large heirloom tomatoes
1 orange or yellow bell pepper
1 French baguette, cubed
2 tbsp. of olive oil
4 oz. of pancetta, diced
2 tbsp. of butter
2 tbsp. of minced garlic
1 tsp. of black pepper
1/2 tsp. of white pepper
2 tsp. of Herbs de Provence

Directions:

Spread baguette cubes out on a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or so to toast.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the diced pancetta and garlic. Cook until the pancetta browns, about 7 - 8 minutes.

Reduce heat on the oven to 325 degrees. Dice the heirloom tomatoes and bell pepper and put into a large bowl. Add the baguette croutons, pancetta in butter and garlic, and the other spices to the bowl. Mix thoroughly. Coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour the tomato mixture into the casserole dish, cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 50 - 55 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Recipe: Baked Spiced Chicken

This is a twist on a baked “fried” chicken recipe I’ve been making for years. I changed up the spice mixture to reflect more of a West coast versus Southern take on the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. of boneless/skinless chicken breasts (about 4 breast halves)
1 pint of reduced-fat buttermilk
3 tsp of garlic powder
3 tsp of Chinese five spice powder
3 tsp of chipotle chili powder
3 tsp of paprika
1 cup of cornflake crumbs
1 cup of unseasoned bread crumbs
Cooking spray

Directions:

Place chicken in a large bowl and coat with all of the spices. Add the buttermilk. Using hands or a big spoon, mix everything around until the spices are fully mixed into the buttermilk, the chicken is fully coated, and the chicken submerges almost completely in the buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375. Foil a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Fill another large bowl with the cornflake and bread crumbs. Take chicken out of the buttermilk mixture and roll in the crumb mixture to fully coat. Place chicken on baking sheet and put into oven. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until cooked through and the crumb crust is nice and brown.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Stout-Braised Short Ribs

OK... so I had one bottle of Guinness and some boneless short ribs left in my refrigerator, and that was the inspiration for this recipe. Yeah, I know... kinda corny, but it turned out REALLY good. Oh, how I love short ribs :).

Ingredients:

2 1/2 - 3 lbs. of short ribs (bone-in preferred)
1 16 oz. bottle/can of Guinness or other stout beer
1/2 cup of maple syrup
1 1/2 cup of your favorite spicy/tangy BBQ sauce (choose one that is low to nil on sugar content, or lower the maple syrup amount used)
3 tbsp. of chopped garlic
2 cups of beef broth
2 - 3 tbsp. of olive oil

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, placing racks on their lowest rungs in the oven. In a medium-sized Dutch oven (I use a cast iron Dutch oven which seems to work the best... although a regular aluminum/steel one works fine, too), heat the olive oil on the stove over medium-high heat. Place the short ribs in the Dutch oven with the olive oil, brown on the non-bone sides (about 2 mins. each side). Add all other ingredients to the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer.

Once the liquid has started simmering well, cover Dutch oven with lid and transfer to the oven (the rack you place it on should be no more than two rungs from the very bottom of the oven). Bake for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. The sauce will caramelize around and infuse the meat, so it's not necessary to pour any of the sauce over the meat when serving.

Short ribs are generally quite lean, but keep in mind that almost all of the fat in them cooks out during this braising process, so while 2 1/2 - 3 lbs. sounds like a lot, it'll actually only feed 3 - 4 people (2 if they’re really hungry ;)).

Makes 3 - 4 servings.

Recipe: Salmon Caribbeane

OK... I totally made this recipe up last week, but it was so good. I used Coho Salmon because it’s what I had in the freezer, but other types of salmon filets should work just fine.

Ingredients:

2 large salmon filets
1 can (15 oz.) of diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (15 oz.) of black-eyed peas, drained or equivalent portion of frozen (if you wanna take the time to cook up fresh ones or dried ones, be my guest :))
3 tbsp. of minced garlic
1 small can (7 oz.) of black olive pieces, drained OR 2 1/2 tbsp. of black olive tapenade (I prefer to use the tapenade... or you can use half tapenade, half olive pieces)
4 strips of maple-cured bacon, diced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
Ground black pepper
Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat the bottom of a large porcelain baking dish with olive oil. Place salmon filets skin side down into the baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the filets and sprinkle them liberally with pepper.

In a mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients except for the bacon. Mix well and then pour over the top of the salmon smoothing out the mixture. Sprinkle the bacon pieces evenly over the top. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

Place in the oven and cook for 30 - 35 minutes until fish is cooked through (will be less time for thin filets). Cut the filets in half and serve over the vegetable mixture from the dish.

Makes 4 servings.