4th of July

What a great weekend in NH, with the family. Weather was awesome. My dad always made these Shitake mushrooms with serrano and scotch bonnet peppers, and of course I had to make my home made rustic Italian bread. We all love this dish and eat the bread with the shitakes, you will love it also

For the Mushrooms:

1 1/2 lb ( 680 g) shitake mushrooms, remove the stems

6 serrano (you can also use habanero peppers if you wish), split the peppers in half

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to begin with, you will use more

salt & pepper to taste

Serves 4

In a heavy bottom pan, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the shitake and peppers. Stir and add salt & pepper. You will have to had some more olive oil, so about another 2 tablespoons (you can add what you want); cover and let cook over medium heat for a few minutes. When the mushrooms are tender remove to a nice dish and add some more olive oil. Have the bread with this dish to absorb the wonderful oil.

PS, the bread recipe is on my blog, if you need it please let me know and I will get it to you.

Chicken Piccata with capers and lemon

A really quick and easy dish for those who are on the run. Pounded out chicken breasts dredged in seasoned Wondra flour,pan seared and deglazed with chicken stock, lemon zest and juice and capers.
let me know if you want the recipe

Stuffed Boneless Pork Roast with Chipolte Mustard

I haven't posted anything in a while, but have been cooking a lot. Anyway, last night made a stuffed pork roast with chevre cheese, rosemary & bacon. It was yummy. I used a Chipole Mustard for a sauce.
Ingredients:
1 small log of chevre
Rosemary, minced
Bacon, 0.5 lb (230 g), cooked and cut into small pieces
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil
Twine
1. Combine the chevre, rosemary, bacon. Butterfly the pork roast and season with salt & pepper, and add the chevre mixture.
2. Roll the pork and tie with the twine, rub the meat with the crushed rosemary, salt & pepper and olive. Place on a rack and don't forget to add water to the bottom of the pan and add a few bay leaves.
3. Place into a 375 F (190 C) oven and remove when the internal temperature of the meat is 145 F( 63 C). Let it rest for a about 5 minutes.
Enjoy, it's moist and delicious

Delicata Squash with quinoa

A friend of mine just became a vegetarian and asked me to find some recipes for her. While looking through the March 2010 issue of Food & Wine, I saw this recipe and thought what a great idea. It has quinoa, raisins, honey, mint, parsley, arugula and apple. I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was and will make it again. And it's good for you.

1 delicata squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup quinoa

1 tablespoon raisins

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 granny smith, cut into small pieces

1/2 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 tablespoon parsley

2 oz (60 g) arugula

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Cut the squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Brush the inside of the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down and bake for about 45 min or until tender.

2. In a sauce pan, bring 2 cups (500 ml ) water to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the raisins and simmer covered until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, honey and olive oil, season with salt & pepper. Add the dressing to the quinoa along with the apple, shallot, garlic, mint and parsely and toss well. Add the arugula and toss gently.

4. Set the squash halves on a plate and fill with the quinoa and serve.

This serves two

Roasted Turbot with asparagus & capers

Went to the store to get sea bass, but they didn't have any so I got Turbot instead. It was delicious. I roasted the potatoes, asparagus and fish with capers.
Ingredients:
400 g (14 oz ) baby potatoes sliced (you can use larger ones if you cannot find baby
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch asparagus
1 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon chives for garnish
sea salt
Preheat oven to 200 C (400F). Slice the potatoes and mix with the olive oil and sea salt and place into the roasting pan. Roast for about 25 minutes. Add the fish, asparagus & capers to the roasting pan on top of the potatoes and roast for another 15 - 20 minutes or until the fish is done and the potatoes are golden. When done, plate and garnish with chives.
Serves 2

Boeuf Bourguignon

Superbowl Sunday and I made a Boeuf Bourguignon, the classic one over a bed of gemelli pasta that had grated parmigiano and butter. Yummy!!!!

Go Saints!

Brined Pork Chops

Brining is awesome and really adds flavor, I brine pork, chicken & turkey, you can do salmon also. There are many brining recipes so whatever you do will be good.

It was too cold to cook outside, so I used my inside grill.

Here is my brine for Pork Chops:

• 4 pork chops



• 2 litres (2 quarts) water



• 1/2 cup sea salt (you can use Kosher if you like)



• 1/4 cup sugar (or you could use honey)



• black peppercorns



• 1 bay leaf



• lemon peel from one lemon (this is optional)



• extra virgin olive oil



• juice of half a lemon

1. Mix the water, sea salt, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaf and lemon peel, when sugar is dissolved add the pork, cover and refrigerate for 5 hours of overnight.

2. Preheat a charcoal grill or you could do this inside in the broiler.

3. Get the pork chops and rinse off and pat dry. I brush a little olive onto the pork and grill on both sides. When the pork is done, drizzle some extra virgin olive onto the pork and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the pork.

I love broccoli rabe and often serve it with this dish.