Heirloom Tomato Salad & Mostaccioli Carbonara

 

OK, two great things happened: #1, My lovely super special Wife called (she reads this) and said our Mr. Stripey Heirloom tomatoes were ripe in the back yard. #2, I knew we had a chilled bottle of Barrel 27 "High on the Hog" ready to go -- a perfect combination. Time to throw together a main dish, 'cause man cannot live on salad alone, and we were ready to go. A quick & easy Carbonara was the choice. Game on...

Make the salad first so you can refrigerate for a bit to let the flavors develop.

Salad

3 to 4 Heirloom Tomatoes diced chunky

1/4 Red Onion halved then sliced 

6 oz Silver Goat Chevre (Goat Cheese) 

A good Olive Oil and Balsamic to dress 50/50

S & P

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, gently mix. Refrigerate till ready to serve. The Chevre will break down a bit to add a silky feel to the salad. You have worked hard, pour yourself a glass.

Pasta

1lb package Mostaccioli (or pasta of choice)

8 pcs Bacon (ya, ya. I had to use Turkey Bacon)

1/2 Yellow Onion diced

2 Cloves Garlic minced

2 Eggs & 1 Egg Yoke only - beaten

3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup Frozen Petite Peas

1/4 cup White Wine 

2 tbsp Olive Oil

5 to 6 leaves Fresh Basil hand shredded

1 Lemon (for Zest)

S & P

**Option 1/4 cup Heavy Cream

In large pot heat salted water. While proceeding with sauce, when water boils add Pasta and cook till done.

In large sauce pan, cook Bacon till semi crispy. Remove, drain on paper towels and dice. I pull mine apart by hand, I like the look better. Add Onion and Olive Oil to pan. Cook till Onion is almost clear, add Garlic. Saute for another minute then add Wine. Simmer for two minutes then add Bacon back to pan. Coat well. Pasta should be done. With slotted spoon remove Pasta from water and add directly to pan. Don't worry a little water is going to add flavor. Quickly coat Pasta with mixture. Add Eggs, stirring constantly. After all pasta is coated (30 seconds) add Cheese and Peas. Continue stirring till cheese is melted and blended. Keep in mind this is a "coated pasta" not a sauce. If you like, this is where you can add some Heavy Cream to make it a little more saucy. You can also add some more Olive Oil now if needed. Stir the Basil through and plate. Top with Lemon Zest, Fresh Ground Pepper and serve.

Wild Mushroom Gnocchi

 

This Gnocchi is made with a Ricotta base instead of potato. Its a lot lighter and so much easier to make.

I'm a mushroom freak, love em. With this mushroom cream sauce you will serve this as a main course not a side. Lets do this...

Gnocchi 

1 3/4 to 2 cups Flour ("00" preferred)

15 oz Ricotta Cheese drained (set on coffee filters for 15 min)

3/4 cup grated Parmesan  

1 Lrg Egg

1 Yoke only

1/2 tsp Sea Salt (fine)

1/2 tsp Olive Oil

2 tbsp finely chopped Basil 

 In a large bowl mix eggs, salt & oil thoroughly. Then add Ricotta and Parmesan. When fully mixed add the flour about a 1/2 a cup at a time. Just mix till combined. You don't want to over work it. Dough should be tacky and light feeling. Put in fridge for 15 min. Start sauce.

To finish Gnocchi, gently roll out on floured board or counter top

into finger thickness lengths. Cut into 1 inch "pillows" place on parchment paper till all are cut

Cook in gently boiling salted water stirring once so they don't stick. When they float to the top they're done (2 to 3 min). Remove with skimmer and serve immediately.

Wild Mushroom Sauce

5 cups Mixed Mushrooms (Crimini, Shiitake, Portabello, Morel, Oyster, etc)

2 cups White Wine (The same that's in the glass in my hand!)

1/2 to 3/4 pint Heavy Cream

4 cloves chopped Garlic

4 tbsp Butter

4 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tbsp fresh Thyme

1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce   

S&P

 In a large saute pan on medium heat add butter & oil. Add garlic, thyme and saute for just a couple of minutes. Add mushrooms, stir till coated  slowly add wine and worcestershire and S&P to taste. Bring to low simmer for for 5 min then reduce to low heat stirring every few minutes for 15 min. Slowly stir in heavy cream; bring heat up to simmer till a creamy consistency is achieved. Add gnocchi to pan, toss to blend and serve. Top with fresh basil.

Romaine Wedge Salad

Ok this is sooo simple its not even a recipe its just a reminder of how good Bacon & Blue-cheese are together. Forgot about this and had it this weekend. My all time favorite salad. Go to the store now and make it. Bacon and Blue cheese lovers, unite!!

Baby Hearts of Romaine Lettuce - 1 per person

(more flavor than the Standard Iceberg)

Red Onion Diced

Tomatoes Diced

Bacon Diced (cooked crispy)

Blue Cheese Dressing

Blue Cheese Crumbles

Fresh Ground Pepper

Chilled Plate (important) 

I'm not a big crouton fan. Use em if you wish. I can recommend Pepita's instead.

Just assemble on the plate top with fresh ground and eat!

Seriously, best salad ever.

Soyrizo Stuffed Shrimp

Soyrizo Stuffed Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto

 First things first. On a dish like this is pisses me off that my wife doesn't eat pork, hence the Soyrizo. If you do, make a couple of substitutions and it will be even better. I made this as an appetizer but it would also be good to use XXL Shrimp and do as a main course. Here we go...

1 lb Peeled/Devained Large Rock Shrimp

1 pack Jennie O Turkey Bacon (Real Bacon for Pork lovers yea!!)

1 pack Soyrizo (Chorizo if your Normal)

1/4 cup Whipped Cream Cheese

1 bunch Cilantro

1/8 cup Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

4 to 5 tbls Olive Oil

3 to 4 cloves Garlic

2 to 3 limes 

Toothpicks

S & P

Make the Pesto first as the flavor will develop more over time.

In a small food processor (go buy one if you don't have it. Trust me!)

Add the Garlic first and a bit of the Olive Oil to finely chop. Then add the Cilantro, Pepitas and remaining Oil and juice from 1 to 2 of the Limes. Mix good and S&P to taste. Yo will probably have to do this a few times to get the flavor right. Go slow adding additional Lime juice, you don't want it to be tart. If doing the dish as a main dish, I would leave it a little thicker.

Heat Soyrizo in med. saute pan so it breaks up easily. Remove and let cool. If using Chorizo you will need to degrease it. Once cool, gently mix with the Whipped Cream Cheese. Butterfly the shrimp open and cut the Bacon in half length-wise. Stuff Shrimp and wrap tightly with Bacon. If your using the Turkey Bacon, this is where you might snap. It doesn't wrap that easy so take your time. Secure with a toothpick and cook on medium high heat on the BBQ. Serve with the Cilantro Pesto and Fresh Limes. A nice cold beer goes good with this or a Pinot Gris.

Cuatro Taco's

Alright here we go....

Starting this off the right way with a jump on the street taco craze.  Really if you just give it some thought you can make just about anything into a Taco. I also love that there 3 to 4 bite size. You can rifle em down. I did all of these on the same night (impressed??) You can do the same or one at a time. I started with the following.... 

Ginger Garlic Shrimp w/ Red Pepper Flakes, Mint and Cotija

Seared Ahi w/ Red Onion, Seaweed Salad, Cabbage, Wasabi Cream, pickled ginger


Tomatillo Chicken w/ Cilantro, Cotija

Filet w/Cumin Mayo Cilantro, Green Onion, Cotija

I'm gonna do my best to give you measurements but I with out a doubt, cook by taste. For the small tortillas, if your in Orange County head up to the Mexican markets off 17th. Street in Costa Mesa. Great place to get your Cilantro, Cotija etc. 

OK, I'll break it down by taco...

Ginger Garlic Shrimp w/ Red Pepper Flakes, Mint and Cotija

1lb Peeled & Deveined Tiger Shrimp (Med. 41-50 Count)

5 cloves Finley Chopped Garlic

4 tbsp Fresh Grated Ginger  

5 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Butter

1 bottle White Wine (Pinot Gris)

1/4 cup Fresh Mint Leaves

1/4 cup Crumbled Cotija Cheese

Fresh Ground Salt, Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

Tortillas 

First things first. In a ziplock bag, add 3 to 4 oz of the wine. Then grab a wine glass and fill up to provide comfort during your cooking time. Place bottle back in fridge Also add to bag: Shrimp, Garlic, Ginger, 3 tbsp Oil and Salt/Pepper. Shake bag to get a good coat on all the shrimp. Seriously, quit now if you didn't close the bag. Open corner of the bag and get all the air out. Close up tight and put in fridge for a couple of hours. Drink wine and wait or start on other tacos.

Cooking Tortillas:  Well, however you want them. Some do the microwave thing, some oven wrapped in foil, some do on the burner and so on and so on. If you want street taco style you're gonna need a hot flat pan and a little coating of Veg Oil on each tortilla.

The Shrimp: Place a med to large sauce pan on med heat with the remaining 2 tbsp oil.

Add entire contents of bag, this is going to cook quick. I like to cook the shrimp till about 90% done. Remove shrimp only. Add butter, turn up the heat and reduce down the remaining liquid stirring so not to burn. I'll also add some more wine at this time (if there's any left!) When it's reduced to almost a syrup consistency, add shrimp and red pepper. Quickly coat shrimp and serve.

Taco shell/shrimp/mint leaves/Cotija - eat!

Seared Ahi w/ Red Onion,Seaweed Salad, Cabbage, Wasabi Cream, pickled ginger.

1lb Sushi Grade Ahi 

1/2 cup Shredded Cabbage

1/2 cup Seaweed Salad

1/4 cup Pickled Red Ginger (Kizami Beni Shoga)  

1/4 cup Diced Red Onion

1/4 cup Heavy cream *

2 to 3 oz Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1.5 tbsp Mayonnaise *

1.5 tbsp Grape Seed Oil

1 tbsp Sesame Seed

1 tbsp Wasabi *

1 tbsp Sugar *

Tortillas 

S & P to taste *

* = for sauce

Alright, starting the Wasabi Cream Sauce is just a pain in the ass. My measurements listed are truly estimates. I just kept adding/tasting/adding/tasting etc. I use a cold metal bowl and whipped with a fork to get some air in it. I'm gonna make again and measure exactly cause it was that good. Orange County people, there is great Japanese Market (Ebisu Supermarket) on the corner of Brookhurst & Garfield. They have everything you need except the tortillas. Their Seaweed Salad is the best.

Cube Ahi into bite-size soak in bowl with the Soy Sauce & Sesame Seed. Heat Oil on High in a large saute pan. When pan is hot, add contents of bowl. Keep it moving. You want to just lightly cook the fish. It only takes about 60 to 90 seconds. When done remove from pan immediately. 

Tortilla/Ahi/Wasabi Cream/Onion//Cabbage/Seaweed Salad/Pickled Ginger  

Tomatillo Chicken w/ Cilantro, Cotija

2 or 3 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Brest (good ones, not that hormone injected crap)

1 jar Tomatillo Salsa ***

2 cups Chicken Broth (Organic)

 S & P

Cojita Cheese

Tortillas 

Ok this one is about as simple as you can get. Especially if you use the pre-made salsa. In a covered pot heat about 3 cups of water and the Broth with S & P added. You don't have to season the water to much, as all the flavor will be coming from the salsa. Boil chicken till done, about 10 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 350. Remove chicken and set on flat surface. Hold the chicken with a hot pad and start "shredding" with a fork, pulling across the grain. Once all of it is shredded, add to oven proof bowl and stir in the salsa. Cover and place in oven for aprox 10 minutes. Remove, stir and serve.

Tortilla/Chicken mixture/Cotija that all!!  

*** OK here's the deal. The best part about this dish is its quick and easy. There are so many really good small production salsas out there. Find one that you like and use it. Do not use mass produced canned salsa. They tend to be too acidic. Remember this is where your flavor is coming from.

Filet w/Cumin Mayo Cilantro, Green Onion, Cotija

1lb Filet Mignon 

1/4 cup Real Mayonnaise *

1 bunch Cilantro

2 lengths Green Onion

1.5 tbsp Cumin Powder *

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder *

1/2 tsp Paprika *

Pad Butter

Cotija Cheese

S & P *

* = for sauce

OK another simple one. The sauce will take a bit of tasting and adding, so take your time and mix it good adding a little of the spices at a time. Relax your making a flavored mayo. Its not the end of the world if you have to start over. S & P both sides of the Filet. Chop Onions and Cilantro, cube Filet into bite-size pieces. Heat a saute pan on med-hi heat.Once pan is nice and hot, add butter and Filet at the same time. Start tossing in pan immediately. The Filet will only take a couple of minutes. Do not brown -- you want this meat tender so don't overcook. If you start browning, you're cooking too long. Remove from heat and serve.

Tortilla/Filet/Cumin Mayo/Cilantro/Green Onion/Cotija 

Dig it.