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Appetizer Recipes Side Dish Recipes Vegetable Recipes Vegetarian Recipes

Chef Michael Stebner’s True Food Kitchen Brussels Sprouts with Umami Sauce

Brussels sprouts chef recipe True Food Kitchen

Have you been to a True Food Kitchen restaurant? Everything, EVERY SINGLE MENU ITEM there is so freaking amazingly fresh and delicious. The brainchild of health and nutrition guru Dr. Andrew Weil, True Food’s motto is “honest food that tastes really good”. YOU MUST GO.

Onward! We are sticking with our New Year’s resolution, avoiding Trader Joe’s cookie butter, and eating all of the green things. Today we share with you True Food Kitchens recipe for Brussels Sprouts with Umami Sauce. Created by Executive Chef Michael Stebner, here is what he has to say about this dish:
” Most people who say they hate Brussels sprouts have never had them properly prepared. The secrets: Choose fresh, smallish, young sprouts; do not overcook them; and enhance them with the right seasonings. Here, halved sprouts are quickly stir fried with garlic, then tossed in True Food’s Umami sauce. Spring these on a Brussels sprouts hater and change a life.”

 

Brussels Sprouts with Umami Sauce

Brussels Sprouts:
1 ½ teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil
1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, halved
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Umami Sauce (see below)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Umami Sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup flaked nutritional yeast
3/8 cup tamari (low-sodium)
1 c olive oil
1/2 cup water
6 cloves garlic, mashed

Umami sauce instructions:
Add everything to food processor except oil.
Then, with motor running, add oil in a thin stream.
Umami sauce is great on salads, vegetables, etc. Use flaked yeast, such as Red Star brand, not powdered.

Brussels sprouts instructions:
Heat a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the oil. When hot, add the Brussels sprouts and garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Add ¼ cup water, cover, and cook for 2 minutes, tossing to cook evenly. Remove the cover and stir in the Umami Sauce, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook while occasionally tossing until the liquid is reduced to a thick sauce, about 7 minutes. Transfer to plate and serve hot.

Appetizer Recipes Vegetarian Recipes

Chef Christopher Cina’s Restaurant Recipe, White Bean Pate

{ Savory Tv is pleased to introduce you to Chef Christopher Cina.  A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Christopher is a well seasoned chef, international traveler, and food photographer.  He has worked in restaurant venues around the world, including San Francisco, Europe, and Denver.   He currently lives and works in Denver, Colorado, and has a beautiful food blog at ChristopherCina.com.  Please join us in welcoming Chef Christopher, as he shares a restaurant secret and favorite appetizer recipe with us in this very special guest post! }

©Christopher Cina

White Bean Pâté

In restaurants, the name of the game is money. In your better restaurants, this is tempered somewhat by quality, meaning that chefs and owners are willing to pay more for better quality. The most ‘high end’, well respected and nationally known restaurants have the luxury of passing the cost of quality on to the customer. Not so much for the little guy. Independent operators with talented but unfamous chefs are forced walk that fine line between being overpriced and serving lesser quality ingredients. You would expect to pay $44 for a hangar steak at Robuchon, but would you pay that at a local restaurant downtown that didn’t have a chef with 4 restaurants, a cookbook and a gaggle of Michelin stars?

“Necessity is the mother of all invention.” Never have truer words been spoken and this is a common mantra at every ‘middle-of-the-road’ restaurant trying to watch costs. If there is a cheaper way to do it without sacrificing quality, someone in that restaurant will figure it out. It could be reconfiguring a dishwasher that the chemical guys don’t know about, building a plug out of skewers for that damn Robot Coupe bowl, or a recipe like this White Bean Pate.

In the late 90’s while at my first Executive Chef position, dairy prices were through the roof. So much so that we halved the portion of butter that we served with the bread as an option to help offset the cost. The only other option would be to reprint all the menus with higher plate costs. You see, every restaurant includes a little formula while pricing out dishes, what I call the ‘Q Factor’. It is in every one of my costed out menus. A ‘Q Factor’ is a charge for everything in a restaurant the customer sees as free, because it is not on the bill. I figure in the cost per person of my bread service, meaning bread and butter, I figure in ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, coffee creamer, coffee sweetener, even salt and pepper. That number is figured into every dish on the menu. It’s never a big number, always less than a dollar per plate, but that helps me pay for the things customers see as complimentary.

Back to the pate, I needed to figure out something that would help my butter cost. Halving the butter portion only upset people, they would ask for more and they were getting more than they were originally before we adjusted the portion. I didn’t want to go back to the olive oil, everyone else at that time was doing olive oil, plus it was expensive for really good oil and I wasn’t going to skimp there. I was forced to come up with something original that would act as a butter substitute, hence the white bean pate. It was vegetarian, used a third of the butter and it was different. My guests loved it, they always asked for more, and because the ingredients were so inexpensive, it worked out well. We started getting a lot of requests for the recipe. So many that we began to put a stack of the recipes at the host stand every night.

I use a little more butter in my home version, I’m not worried about the cost as I would be making a much larger batch and who doesn’t love butter? Once made it will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Truth be told, it’s at its best about the 3rd day, when all the flavors have become intertwined.

This recipe makes about 2 quarts of pate.

  • 1 ½ # Great Northern Beans
  • 1 ¼ # butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 large red onion, julienned fine
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • ½  cup whole garlic cloves
  • olive oil, about a cup and a half
  • 1/2  cup chopped parsley
  • salt and white pepper to taste

Method

  1. Simmer (do not boil!) the white beans in unsalted water with bay leaves just until they start to split, about 2 ½ hours.
  2. While the white beans are simmering, in a small sauté pan, cover the garlic cloves with oil.  Place them on medium low heat and allow them to soften and turn golden brown.
  3. Allow the garlic to cool.
  4. Drain the oil and reserve in the fridge.
  5. In a small mixing bowl, mash the garlic with a fork.  Reserve until the beans are done.
  6. Heat a larger sauté pan with 2 Tbs. of oil, place on medium high heat.
  7. When the pan is hot, add the onions and cook until they start to develop some color, about 5 minutes.
  8. Add the balsamic vinegar to the onions, reduce by half and remove from heat.  Reserve until the beans are done.
  9. When the beans have finished, remove the bay leaves and drain.
  10. While the beans are still hot, begin to mash them with a large spoon.  You can also mash them in a mixer with the paddle.
  11. Once you’ve mashed the beans, add the butter, half pound at a time and continue to mix until all the butter has been incorporated.
  12. Add the mashed garlic, onions and vinegar, and parsley and mix well.
  13. Season with salt and white pepper.  Keep in mind while seasoning hot ingredients that will be served cold, you want  to slightly over salt as the saltiness will dissipate considerably when served cold.
  14. Remove to a serving dish and chill for at least 4 hours.
  15. Serve with breads, crackers or anything else you might use with a spread.
Appetizer Recipes Chicken Recipes

Grilled chicken with gorgonzola dressing via Mario Batali

Mario Batali’s sixth cookbook is entitled “Italian Grill”, and if you aren’t an owner or are on the fence about purchasing it, give this recipe a shot as a trial, it’s not only simple but truly amazing.   An American concept with an Italian twist, Mario describes this grilled recipe as  ” buffalo wings go to Italy”.

Mario’s Spicy Chicken Drumsticks are bathed in a deliciously spicy chipotle buttermilk marinade, and served with a gorgonzola dip rather than traditional blue cheese dressing.    In place of celery sticks, Mario uses fennel bulb sticks, which can be dipped in the dressing as well.

Read on for the video and the recipe Continue Reading

Steak Recipes

Whiskey Marinated Grilled Steak Kebabs with Rising Star Chef Nate Lippy

The summer has seduced us into perpetual travel and decadent days at mountain lakes sipping ice cold everything, but we’ve been meaning to introduce you to this gem for months! His name is Nathan Lippy, and although he looks like someone you’d encounter in an LA club or a trendy Costa Rican surf village, he is an extremely talented chef (and guitar player) who is just breaking into television receiving well deserved recognition. His passion for cooking began in childhood, and Nate says that visitors to his family’s home would “freak out seeing this little mohawk blazin’ 10 year old making rosemary and thyme crusted pork roasts or home-made beef jerky”.  He hails from Tampa Bay, Florida, attended the Culinary Institute of America, and despite his young appearance has several years of NYC restaurant experience behind him.  Currently, Nate spends his time traveling from LA to NYC for cooking demos.   Nate’s enthusiasm and amazingly simple recipes rule, and we’re 100% positive that you’ll be spotting much more of him on tv in the very near future.  Meanwhile visit his site here for delicious recipes and videos, and help spread the word!

In today’s featured video recipe, Nate whips up some delicious beef kebabs using NY strip steak marinated in Jack Daniel’s (recipe here), corn salad, and bacon fried bananas for desert, perfect Labor Day barbecue fare for this weekend.  The whiskey not only works as a flavorful marinade, but helps to tenderize the beef as well.    Beer pairing note: the Chef recommends PBR !

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnJBxlIPaa8[/pro-player]
Follow Chef Nathan on Twitter

Vegetarian Recipes

Top Chefs Take on Tofu, The Recipes

After watching Top Chef Las Vegas Wednesday night, we began to think about tofu in a different light.  Chef contestant Hector Santiago created a citrus ceviche with mango and cilantro mint pearls and tofu, a dish that impressed celebrity chef and judge Todd English, who called Hector’s tofu “beautiful”.  (The recipe may be found here.)  Several years ago we lived with a vegetarian who prepared tofu dishes almost nightly, and became quickly bored of the bland ingredient that parasitically relies on others for it’s flavor.  Perhaps it’s time to give tofu a second look we were musing, and who better than professional chefs to turn to for inspiration?

Today’s hilarious video features another top chef contestant, Fabio Viviani, as he prepares a seared tofu with roasted zucchini, with walnuts in a balsamic Grand Mariner reduction for Ellen Degeneres on her show.   We tried it and the layers of flavor are complex and delicious,  and we are tofu fans once again.  Even if you haven’t an interest in the recipe, watch the video for a guaranteed laugh!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j3B_5kXM18[/pro-player]

Seared Tofu Carpaccio with Roasted Zucchini & Grand Marnier Toasted Almonds
Chef Fabio Viviani

INGREDIENTS:
Block of tofu
3 green zucchini
Salt (kosher) and fresh pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of Grand Marnier
1 cup of toasted almonds
3 handfuls of arugula salad
Lemon
3 cloves of garlic
Mint
Balsamic vinegar
1 cup of dark or light corn syrup

Slice the tofu thin, but not too thin, marinate with a little minced garlic and mint, extra virgin olive oil, salt and fresh black pepper, reduce the balsamic vinegar to 1/2 and mix with the corn syrup. Keep reducing it and then set aside and cool it down.

Slice the zucchini pretty thin and season with olive oil salt and pepper, let them cook in a hot sauté pan until they are nice and caramelized, take the zucchini out and sear the tofu until it gets a little brown on the sides

Roughly slice the almonds and let them toast in an aluminum pan, add about a tablespoon of the balsamic glaze using a squeeze bottle, flambé it with the Grand Marnier. Now you have a kind of little thick sauce with the balsamic and Grand Marnier sliced almond, season the arugula with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place the zucchini on a plate, topped with the sliced tofu and add the salad on top, drizzle with the balsamic almond sauce and serve it.

For more Top Chef Tofu recipes, check out Fritz Sonnenschmidt’s Grilled Tofu with Wilted Spinach,   and Carla Hall’s Tofu with a Pecan and Oats Crust.

Culinary Tips

How to Slice an Onion

Apologies as we know many of you are quite confident in your onion chopping skills!   We had a request for an onion chopping tutorial and hope that this is helpful to some.  If you watch a good deal of cooking shows on Tv, you know that there are several different types of techniques when it comes to slicing onion.  And the tough part is, the chefs slice so quickly that observation is often futile.   In our culinary tip video today, Chef Marc Bauer from the French Culinary institute demonstrates his technique for finely dicing an onion shallots, or garlic , in a nice semi slow motion.

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW3S29JtSG8[/pro-player]


Drink Recipes Latin Recipes Salsas and Dips

Rick Bayless Twitter Recipes

If you partake in Twitter, you need to follow  Top Chef Master Rick Bayless aka @Rick_Bayless.   Why?  Because unlike several celebrity chefs, Rick actually “gets” social media.   It’s really Rick behind the tweets, not an underpaid PR intern simply spitting out nightly restaurant specials.  Bayless interacts and engages, answers follower questions, and often tweets restaurant recipes, despite the 140 character limitation.  The trouble with Twitter recipes is that they are uber short and can often lead to confusion.   Here are some general tips, 3/2 means one and a half, and a big T means tbsp, while little t in lower case means tsp (usually).  If in doubt, ask the chef, he may just help out.  In this case we’ll save you the trouble of the tricky interpretation and give you our best shot via translation.   Here are a few short and simple  recipes via Rick Bayless recently, and be sure to bookmark this post, as we are updating it monthly.  Enjoy!

Green chile chimichurri:  blend smooth 6 cloves of roasted garlic, 3 roasted serranos, 2 bunches of cilantro, 1/2c oil, 2tsp salt.  Add fresh lime when ready to serve.  Stores for weeks in the fridge with a film of oil in covered container.  Use in dressings, on pasta, pizza, ceviche, soup.  (When asked about the inclusion of cilantro stems, he tweeted that he cuts of the tough lower parts of the stems. )

Raw tomatillo salsa: coarsely puree 4 medium tomatillos, 1 clove of garlic, 2 serranos, a handful of cilantro, 4 tbsp of water, add salt. Use shortly after making.

Chipotle salsa: blend 1/2 # of roasted tomatillos, 3-4 cloves of roasted garlic, 2-3 canned chipotle peppers, and salt, add a little water. Can add onion(raw or roasted), cilantro.

Roasted tomatillo salsa:  coarsely blend 4 medium roasted tomatillos, 2 cloves of roasted garlic, 2 roasted serrano peppers, and a handful of cilantro. Stir in salt, 1/2 of a chopped small onion, and 4 tbsp of water.

Simple Guajillo Salsa:  toast 2 cleaned guajillos in medium heat oil for 20-30 seconds.   Blend with 4 roasted tomatillos, 3 cloves of roasted garlic, and 1/2 cup of water.  Add salt.

Guacamole with almonds and apricots from Topolo restaurant: mash avocados with roasted garlic , chopped cilantro, chopped serrano, lime. Stir in almond butter and chopped apricots.

Guacamole tip:  use white onions rather than red for a crisper, brighter flavor.

Pesto, in the food processor: 1/4 cup of toasted pinenuts, 3 blanched cloves of garlic, 2 cups of basil, 1/3 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of fresh goat cheese, 1 Tbsp of lime juice, 1/2 tsp of salt. Add 1/2 cups of the water that you boiled the pasta in, and 3/4 cup of Parmesan. This recipe is for 1 lb pasta portion.

Slow Cooker Black Beans: In slow-cooker: add beans, onion, garlic, bacon if desired, and water; don’t soak the beans beforehand; simmer til tender; add salt at the end.

Hickory House BBQ Sauce: 1 cup Heinz ketchup, 3/4 cup of water, 1 Tbsp vinegar, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1-2 tsp of bbq spice, 1/4 tsp of black pepper; simmer for 1 hour.

ChocoFlan: First of all what is this? A classic Mexican dessert with flan and chocolate cake, smothered in caramel.  It took Rick three tweets to broadcast this recipe:

You will need a 10″ cake pan 3″ deep! First cover the bottom of the pan completely with 1 cup of cajeta. Beat 5 oz of butter, 1 cup + 2 Tbsp of sugar, 1 egg + 3 Tbsp of ground espresso; sift 1 and 2/3 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of baking soda, 6 Tbsp of cocoa and add, alternating with 1 cup + 2 Tbsp of buttermilk.  Spread over cajeta. Blend 12 oz of evaporated milk, 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, 4 eggs, and 1 tsp of vanilla. Gently pour over cake. Bake in water bath for approximately 50 minutes in a 375 degree oven.  Cool and unmold.

Summer Margarita recipe:  muddle 4 thin cucumber slices. Add cilantro sprig, 1 1/2 oz blanco tequilla, 1 oz lime, 1 oz simple syrup.  Add ice and shake.

Sizzling Mojito: First make the simple syrup. Simmer 1 and 1/2 cups of water, 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 Tbsp of lime juice, 1 tsp of chopped ginger, add 1/2 of a habanero (if desired); cool, and strain. Muddle mint sprigs + 2 slices of ginger. Add 3 Tbsp of simple syrup, 3 Tbsp of lime juice, and 2 oz blanco tequila; stir. Add ice and a splash of soda.

Scallop Ceviche: Marinate 8 oz of sliced raw scallops in 1 cup of grapefruit juice for 45 minutes, drain. Blend 2/3 cup of grapefruit juice, 1-2 chipotles, 4 roasted garlic cloves, with 2 Tbsp of brown sugar. Mix with chopped scallions, red onion ,tropical fruit, and jicama.

Soft Taco Filling: Chicken with Chard and Roasted Poblanos: Sear 1.25 pounds of boneless chicken breasts, cool, cube. Brown 1 onion, add 3 cloves of garlic, 2 poblano chilis (roast, then peel, and slice), 6 ounces of chard, 1 cup of broth, 1 cup of crema (note that you can substitute whipping cream for crema). Boil to thicken, add chicken.

New Favorite Michelada:  2 oz yuzu purée (available on line), 1 1/2 oz of lime juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup, 12 oz wheat beer,  add ice.

Basic Yucca Recipe: “I always boil, then saute with garlic oil or mash with potatoes.”

Curious as to what Rick Bayless’s favorite knife brands are?  “Santoku, and Shun for high end”. His outdoor grill? It’s from Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet.

Rick has a favorite Mole sauce, a classic red, from his cookbook “One Plate at a Time“.

On how to cure Nopales (the pads of a prickly pear cactus) with salt for a salad: “Salt raw dice, vacuum seal, refrigerate 24 hours, rinse well”

On raw Tomatillos: “compressing raw tomatillo w salt and lime (you can do it in a FoodSaver) for 2 mins takes away their raw funkiness & makes em delish”.

And here’s a tasty tip from the Twitterverse: Rick’s favorite Mexican beer available for purchase in the States?  “Bohemia”.

Rick Bayless has many detailed authentic Mexican recipes on his site, we especially love this creamy chicken enchilada recipe, which we just devoured blissfully tonight.

Also be sure to watch Rick discuss his restaurant rooftop garden, as well as his video recipe for Grilled Catfish with Chipotle Salsa.  ¡Buen apetito amigos!

Grilled Recipes Latin Recipes Seafood Recipes

Rick Bayless Presents: Grilled Catfish with Chipotle Salsa

Have you been watching Top Chef Masters Wednesday nights on Bravo Tv?   If you have then you already know him , and if you haven’t, start watching, you’re missing out!      For those not in the know, Rick Bayless has won multiple James Beard awards, is a cookbook author, and is the Chef / Restauranteur behind the wildly popular Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago. His culinary focus is devoted to modern interpretations of authentic Mexican cuisine, and he was called the “”greatest contribution to the Mexican table imaginable” by The New York Time’s Craig Claiborne.

In this video from our friends at Great Chefs, Rick prepares marinated and grilled catfish steaks with a chipotle tomatillo avocado salsa, garnished with cilantro sprigs. This recipe will involve some prep time, as Bayless recommends marinating the fish for several hours before grilling if possible, or, you may marinade the fish and make the salsa a day ahead of time. If you are not a catfish fan, he states that tuna, swordfish, or shark work can be used, and that skewered scallops are an excellent substitute as well.

Quick trivia regarding this dish:  What is a chipotle pepper exactly?  Nothing more than a smoked jalapeño, traditionally dry smoked over a wood fire. If you can’t find them, you may substitute canned chipotle chiles found in most grocery stores.

And here’s is the Spanish name for this recipe fyi:  “Bagre Asado con Salsa de Aguacate Enchipotlado”, although if your Spanish is poor you may want to bypass announcing that to your guests!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZVIv_QN86I[/pro-player]

Chipotle Salsa with Pan Roasted Tomatillos
Chef Rick Bayless

* 3 garlic cloves, peeled
* 4 medium (about 8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut in half
* 2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo (or more, if you like really spicy salsa), stemmed
* Salt

Set a large (10-inch) non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (if a non-stick skillet is unavailable, lay in a piece of foil). Lay in the garlic and tomatillos (cut side down). When the tomatillos are well browned, 3 or 4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side. (The tomatillos should be completely soft.)

Scoop the garlic and tomatillos into a blender jar or food processor with the chiles and 1/4 cup water. Process to a coarse puree. Pour into a salsa dish and cool.

Thin with a little additional water if necessary to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency. Taste and season with salt, usually a generous 1/2 teaspoon.

Rick adds diced avocado to this salsa and marinates his fish steaks in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before grilling. He sears both sides of the catfish steaks on the grill, and serves them with the remaining salsa, garnished with cilantro.

“Riffs on Chipotle Salsa: You can replace the tomatillos with roasted tomatoes (two 4-ounce plum tomatoes roasted like the tomatillos or ½ drained 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes), but keep in mind that the tomato will tip the flavor toward sweet rather than tangy. A little cilantro, fresh thyme or parsley is always welcome, as is green or white onion—especially if it’s grilled. A splash of mescal (or the less-smoky tequila) makes a borracha (drunken) salsa that’s dynamite. Instead of pureeing the chiles, you can finely chop them and add them to the pureed (green) base; they’ll show up as little red flecks, and the salsa will be less smoky.” – Rick Bayless

On Twitter?   Follow Rick Bayless at @Rick_Bayless for delicious updates and an occasional short recipe. We’ve gathered several of his twitter recipes here.

Chefs Speak

Chefs Speak: Obsessed Tv Interviews Marcus Samuelsson

If I could trade in my snowcapped Colorado mountains and skis to be a city girl in NYC for just one year, I would choose to be Samantha Ettus!   If you have been following Savory Tv, you may recall our initial introduction of Samantha and Obsessed Tv when we featured her Eric Ripert interview.   Samantha is an amazing interviewer and host of the show, and not only has she featured celebrity chefs such as Eric and Marcus, she has also recently interviewed CNN correspondent Ali Velshi, fashion designers and entrepreneurs Stacey Bendet and Liz Lange, and Real Housewives star Bethenny Frankel.  What I love about her interviews is that they capture a sincere informal intimacy, as if you are watching two friends catching up over coffee.

In todays featured interview Samantha talks with Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit, and current Top Chef Master on Bravo Tv. He discusses his unique childhood in Sweden, reconnecting with his Ethiopian culinary and family roots,  leaving Europe for a career in the US, discovering NYC for the first time, cultural and racial challenges and opportunities encountered, how he met his wife, a sushi restaurant he loves in NYC, and how he has been affected by celebrity chef status at such a young age. Marcus also speaks about food and bicultural celebrations and how it has inspired his new cookbook, The Soul of a New Cuisine.   Give the video a view, I promise you will enjoy it!

Searching for Marcus Samuelsson recipes? View our posts with his decadent Chocolate Pancakes Recipe, and his Spiced Roasted Beef Tenderloin recipe.

Dessert Recipes Ingredient Spotlights Salad Recipes

Mango Love: Top Chefs Share Their Favorite Recipes!

Today’s post is a shout out to the mango, and to our favorite chefs! Even if you’ve yawned with boredom over the plain fruit, often times mango combined with other ingredients (such as citrus or spices) creates exotic flavor combinations that will amuse your palate in surprisingly delicious ways. In addition to being a catalyst to mouth watering greatness, here’s another reason to indulge: Just one cup of mango offers 80% of Vitamin C and 25% of Vitamin A, as well as 3 grams of fiber. Here are some other mango fast facts you may not know:

  • Mango trees need a tropical, frost free environment to thrive.  Here in the US most of our mangos come from California, Florida, and Hawaii, and are of the Keitt variety, which remains green even when ripe.  There are 5 other main varieties, that typically come from Central and South America.
  • A ripe mango is slightly soft to the touch, similar to a ripe peach.  You can purchase firmer, unripe mangos, but store them at room temperature for a few days until ripe, or put them in a paper bag to hasten the ripening.  Only refrigerate ripe mangos.
  • Don’t discrimate by color!  Some mangos are green, some yellow, and some have a blush hue depending on variety.  Use the above tip to determine ripeness, regardless of color.
  • There are several ways to cut a mango, and the National Mango Board has some great cutting tips including a video here.

Chef Merrick Schoenfeld

On to the recipes! First up, Chef Merrick Schoenfeld. Merrick is a personal friend and an insanely talented chef.  In the US, he has worked for several celebrity musicians such as Beyonce, Morrissey, and Eddie Vedder.  Currently he is the executive chef of Pura Suerte on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, a 40 acre organic farm with community garden and educational center, bamboo cabins, and restaurant.  He has authored the cookbook Jungle Fusion, simple yet exotic recipes featuring fresh tropical fruits and vegetables.  Here is favorite mango delight!

Caramelized Mango Pie

1 large flaky pie shell, cooked until golden, allow to cool
4 cups ripe, but not over ripe mangos, cut into med. sized cubes
1 vanilla bean, split, remove and reserve the seeds
4-5 T. water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups sweet whipped cream

Making sure the mangos are free of excess water, put them in a bowl with the vanilla seeds and using a large spoon carefully coat the mangos with the vanilla. Set aside. Place the water and sugar and the cinnamon stick in a large soup pot. Bring to boil and watch as liquid caramelized after a few minutes. This is kind of tricky and you can’t waste any time, but you must pour the mangos into the sugar mixture as soon as it becomes caramel in color. Stir well with a spoon and coat all the mangos. Immediately remove from heat and put the mangos onto a sheet pan to cool. They should not be cooked from the heat of the pan. You want them still fresh and firm. You are just looking to coat them in stringy, crunchy caramelized sugar.
Place the sheet pan of mangos into the refrigerator to cool.
When they are cold, fill your pie crust with the caramelized mangos including any liquid, remove the cinnamon stick. Allow the mangos to rest in the shell for a 1/2 hour and then top with cold sweet whipped cream and serve.

Chef Becky Selengut

Becky Selengut is a Seattle private chef, author, instructor, and blogger of Chef Reinvented.   She offered her recipe for Mango “Potluck Crack”, how could we refuse that?!   This spicy sweet and sour mango salad turned her friends into addicts!

Mango Salad With Tofu, Herbs And Sweet Chile Sauce

1 cup Coconut, Unsweetened, Flaked — reserve small amount for garnish
1 pound Tofu, Baked, cut into small cubes
1 Mango — peeled, cut into small dice (can use an under ripe or ripe mango)
½ cup Basil — rough chopped
1 tbsp Mint — rough chopped
½ cup Cilantro — rough chopped
½ cup Peanuts, Roasted, Salted — chopped
1 cup Cucumber — medium diced
1 Lime — zested, plus juice
1 cup Thai sweet chile sauce
Lettuce cups, Rice crackers or Shrimp Chips — to serve salad on

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, toast coconut until lightly brown. In a large bowl, add tofu, mango, herbs, peanuts, toasted coconut, cucumber, lime zest and juice and 1/2 C sweet chile sauce. Toss tofu into bowl and mix everything together well. Taste and add salt if needed. Add more sweet chile sauce to your liking. Garnish with coconut flakes. Serve with lettuce cups, rice crackers, or shrimp chips.

Chef Christoper Cina

Denver chef Christopher Cina joined in as well, sharing a Cuban Mango Habanero Mojo recipe.  He told us “A mojo is a Cuban sauce/marinade consisting primarily of citrus, usually sour orange and garlic with the addition of many different types of seasonings and spices. Use for marinating pork, chicken and seafood and finishing as a sauce. It is also traditionally served over potatoes as a condiment. This version is a little sweeter and a little spicier. It works great for grilled chicken and fish and roast pork, and can also be used as a dip for breads, especially a good chewy sourdough.” Thank you chef Christopher!

Mango Habanero Mojo

1# mangos (approximately3 each) peeled and deseeded
2 oz whole garlic cloves
½ habanero, you can use more if your brave
¾ cup sour orange juice ( you can substitute ½ cup orange juice and ¼ cup lime huice)
1 ½ tspn. Ground cumin seed, toasted
4 oz. champagne vinegar
4 oz. extra virgin olive oil
1 tspn kosher salt

1. Combine all in a blender except for the oil and salt and puree until smooth.
2. While the blender is spinning on low speed, slowly add the olive oil until fully incorporated.
3. Add the salt
4. Adjust seasonings as you need.

Chef Neal Foley

And last but not least is Chef Neal Foley, aka @podchef, the hardest working chef farmer and sustainability advocate in show business!

Neal is the host of the podcast and youtube channel “Gastrocast” a cooking show about food, farming, and the politics of what we eat.  Burly as he sounds, he actually makes cookies!  Here is his recipe for White Chocolate Macadamia Mango Cookies, gracias amigo.

Mangoed out yet?  Here are more of our favorite chef recipes featuring mangos, enjoy!

Random Musings

Celebrity Chef and Foodie Expert? Prove It!

Think you know your chefs and foodies in the twitterverse? Take this quiz and show us! This is a silly post to test your skills, match the twitter tweet to the food personality! Famous celebrity chefs and foodies include restaurant critic Gael Greene, Top Chefs Fabio Viviani, Hosea Rosenberg, and Richard Blais, Top Chef Masters host Kelly Choi, Gordon Ramsey, Jamie Oliver and more!

Read on for the quiz: Continue Reading

Sandwich Recipes

Low Brow Goes High Brow! Chef Steve Ricci’s Tuna Sandwich

©Toro Magazine

Not just another tuna sandwich!  From the Prime Steakhouse in Toronto in the Windsor Arms Hotel,  Chef Steve Ricci gourmets up the classic, creating a seared ahi tuna nicoise delight on sourdough, complete with a dijon anchovy vinaigrette, hard boiled eggs, olives, artichokes, tomato, watercress, and red onion.   Throw some chips on a plate, and a nice chilled glass of white wine and voila!  Perfect picnic table fare for not only lunch but a hot summer night when you cannot bear to spend much time in the kitchen.  The written recipe can be found on Toro Magazine.

Chefs Speak

Chefs Speak: Mario Batali on Where to Eat in NYC

WWMD?  (What would Mario do?)  Visiting New York City and wondering where to go for good eats and food culture?  Here are tips from the biggest NYC foodie of all, Chef Mario Batali!

Mario discusses his favorite venues, including the Union Square Market, Despana on Broome St in Soho,  Arthur Avenue in the Bronx for Italian, Ferdinando’s Focacceria in Brooklyn, and taking the 7 train through Queens.  He’s a big fan of walking to explore the city, and venturing out of Manhattan to discover all of New York’s diverse burroughs.  For more insider tips on NYC’s hot spots, visit NYCgo.com.

Agree or disagree?  Have an insider tip of your own?  Share it with us in the comments!

Breakfast Recipes Chocolate Recipes

Brunch Bliss! Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Chocolate Pancakes

Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, Chef Marcus Samuelsson is one of  the hottest rising culinary stars in the media today.  At the tender young age of  25, Marcus was the youngest chef to receive a coveted three star review from the New York Times. (NYT restaurant reviews are rated with 4 stars at the top, an nearly impossible task with only 5 restaurants holding the title currently).  Chef Samuelsson also won a James Beard award for “Best Chef: New York City” in 2003. Currently he is involved in several restaurants including the award winning Scandinavian restaurant Aquavit in NYC.

Today’s video recipe features Marcus whipping up an order of chocolate pancakes using his highly rated Marcus Cookware, served on top of a crunchy pineapple cashew salad.   It’s not your average breakfast or brunch but this would be great for a blissful weekend splurge!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyNuesJGv48[/pro-player]

Chocolate Pancakes
Marcus Samuelsson
Serves 6

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1. Melt the chocolate and the 8 tablespoons butter in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat.
2. Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a large bowl until well mixed. Whisk in the melted chocolate and butter. Sift the flour over the top and fold it in.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter over low heat in a large nonstick sauté pan. Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter into the pan and cook for 2 minutes, then turn and cook on the other side. Transfer the pancake to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more butter to the pan as necessary.
You may make the pancakes in advance, reheat in a 350 degrees F oven until heated through.

Pineapple Cashew Salad
Marcus Samuelsson
Serves 6

1/2 cup sweet white wine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 golden pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup roasted cashews
4 mint leaves, finely shredded

1. Pour the wine into a medium bowl and add the sugar, stirring until it is dissolved. Add the pineapple cubes. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. To serve, stir the cashews into the pineapple. Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with the mint.

For more Marcus Samuelsson recipes, check out:

Asian Recipes Chicken Recipes Salad Recipes

Asian Chicken Salad

We have a soft spot in our hearts for Chef Hari Nayak .  He is the  author of the cookbooks “Modern Indian Cooking” and “Spice” and the executive pastry chef of Halo Fete,  America’s first ice cream patisserie,  in Princeton, New Jersey.   What makes him a treasure?   He co founded “World Chefs Cooking For Life” along with NYC chef Vikas Khanna, a non profit organization that has raised funds for 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, the Tsunami, as well as multiple other causes such as assisting travelers with disabilities and art education for the blind.

Hari typically creates modern versions of traditional Indian cuisine for his viewers, but in this recipe video he shares a very easy to make Asian chicken salad with a citrus soy vinegar dressing.  And this recipe is fairly low carb as well, assuming you don’t serve it with a big piece of crusty buttered baguette like we do!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYd9exDzL3c[/pro-player]
Read on for the written recipe Continue Reading

Drink Recipes

Cooldown Recipe, Watermelon Lemonade!

via cc, babasteve's photostream

Finally summer is in full swing, and our minds are filled with visions of chilly fruit drinks for the start of Operation Cooldown!

Chef Chris Green is the Culinary Director of  the Viking Cooking School, and he share a delicious video recipe for a sparkling watermelon lemonade with raspberries.  This written recipe can be found at the P. Allen Smith site, which is a great resource for home and gardening info as well as recipes.   Feel free to tweak the sugar in the recipe to your desired level of sweetness, and add a touch of rum or vodka if it’s happy hour!

And a few watermelon tidbits FYI:

  • All water and sugar?  Yes, 92% water and 8% sugar,  however feast away without guilt, because watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as the antioxidant lycopene.
  • A yellow spot on the watermelon is perfectly normal,  it is simply the spot where the fruit was laying on the ground ripening in the sun.
  • The entire fruit is edible, including the seeds and the rind.
  • Is it a fruit or vegetable?  Botanically it’s considered a fruit, however the USDA considers it a vegetable, you can read more regarding the controversy  here.
  • And lastly we’ll leave you with this very sweet photo of a vintage watermelon party from the Montana Historical Society archives.

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvXZLdunAu8[/pro-player]

Seafood Recipes

Seared Halibut with Zesty Lemon Risotto

We are pleased to introduce to you Chef Drew Munro!   Another talented chef that we discovered via Twitter,  Chef Drew hails from BC Canada, and after culinary school and working in several high end kitchens is now operating Drew Cooks,  a personal chef and catering service as well as a delicious food blog with videos.   And he not only offers his culinary magic at events such as romantic dinners and barbecues,  he also offers Iron Chef style dinner parties in your home, how cool is that?

Drew is a natural in front of the camera, perhaps the Food Network should scoop him up as their next star!   In this episode he prepares a pan seared halibut with a tangy lemon pesto risotto, topped with sauteed cherry tomatoes, shallots, and chive oil.  Visit his blog for the written recipe, enjoy!

Chefs Speak Culinary Events

Must See Video, Hurricane Average Betty hits Aspen Chefs!

Oh my!  Diva Average Betty simply rocks this one!  Watch her interview the holy trinity of celebrity chefs in this video from the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, including Ming Tsai, Stephanie Izard, and Michael Chiarello!

Not your average hostess, and no standard questions will be heard here!  Just hilarious foodie silliness as Betty brings out the lighter side of her favorite tasty chefs, check it out!

Hungry for more Ming? Our friend Jennifer from Daily Blender scored a great interview with him as well in Aspen, check it out here.

Culinary Events Pork Recipes

Aspen Spotlight: Chef Michael Symon


The plethora of celebrity chefs attending the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen was overwhelming and enlightening.  Always in awe off all legendary chefs, several of them truly carved a footprint for being approachable, personable, and happy to talk with their fans.    In addition to Stepanie Izard, Michael Chiarello, Richard Blais,  Hosea Rosenberg, and Ming Tsai, we also fell quickly into chefophile love with Chef Michael Symon.

Owner and Executive Chef of Lola and Lolita in Cleveland and Roast in Detroit,  Michael held the title of a Food & Wine Best New Chef in 1998, and is recently was named as a James Beard Best Chef in America in the Great Lakes Region for 2009.  He has also been a winner on Iron Chef America, and a host on the Food Network show Melting Pot, as well as Dinner Impossible.  An wrestler in high school, Michael’s strong presence is softened by his frequent high pitched laugh, and even the most timid of foodies are sure to feel comfortable after a few minute of hearing him speak.   I attended his cooking demo entitled “In Praise of Pork” (who could miss that one?) with Chef John of Food Wishes to my left in our prime 2nd row seats.  Chef John caught an amusing moment on video of Michael Symon describing his conversation with Tom Colicchio on how to rename “Pork Belly” on his menu for greater customer appeal in the restaurant.  This truly is a must see,  check it out!

In the demo, Michael prepared a braised pork belly with pickled green tomatoes.  Mr “meatcentric” admitted to loving all portions of pork, such as pork tenderloin, but said that he is  partial to the fattier portions of the animal such as pork belly for having the best texture and flavor.  Here is the recipe for you to make at home, courtesy of Michael Symon, thank you!

Braised Pork Belly

Ingredients:
2 lbs of pork belly, skin removed
2 tbsp of kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 red onion sliced
1 carrot sliced
1 bay leaf
1 cup of white wine
1 quart chicken stock
1 cinnamon stick

Mix together the salt, sugar, coriander seeds, crushed red pepper, ground cinnamon and orange zest. Rinse the pork belly and pat dry. Coat the pork belly with the seasoned salt and place in a sturdy resealable plastic bag, and refridgerate overnight or for 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 275F. Rinse the seasoning off of the pork belly, pat dry. In a large pot, combine the onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaf, white wine, chicken stock and cinnamon stick, bring to a simmer. Place the belly in a casserole dish or dutch oven and pour the liquid over it. Cover and bake for 7 hours.

Remove the casserole from the oven and let the pork belly cool in the liquid, let cool until ready to serve.

In the demo he cut the pork into sandwich friendly slices, making a savory baguette sandwich topped with pickled green tomatoes.

I had several questions to ask him after the show, but had to put on my nursing hat for 10 minutes, ask Chef John about that one!    All and all a very memorable lesson in pork, and if you are lucky enough to live in Michigan or Ohio, absolutely pay a visit to one of Michael Symon’s restaurants.  Also be sure to  visit Amazon and preorder his new cookbook due for release in November, Michael Symon’s Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen.

For more delicious Michael Symon recipes, check out:

Also be sure to feast on savory Food & Wine Classic in Aspen photos from our slideshow!

Chefs Speak Culinary Events

Aspen Highlights: Chef Michael Chiarello and Peter Jacobsen “From Farm to Fork”

On day 2 of the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen I attended the Lexus talk “The Farm to Fork Connection: Creating a Sustainable World at Your Table” featuring Top Chef Master Michael Chiarello and master organic gardener Peter Jacobsen.

Peter Jacobsen, who calls his work “tantric farming” began the talk discussing food as an agricultural act. He requested that everyone become a farmer of sorts, and suggested planting basil, in order to understand and become involved in the agricultural process. He also suggested “voting with your fork”, making your economic decisions on which restaurant to dine in, ask questions, and find out if your venue is using local and sustainable food.

Chef Michael Chiarello, cheerfully admitting to having a slight red wine hangover, took the stage next. He talked about the process of taking over a piece of land that had previously been a non organic chemical farm, and transforming the land into organic, and watching the process over 7-8 years as the plot developed a new life and an entirely new ecosystem.  He now has several new quail on the previously barren land, as well as cattails, frogs and ducks.

Michael discussed how grocery store produce, and even organic produce from places such as Trader Joe’s , create a huge carbon footprint with gas and transportation, with the added insult of bringing in goods from hundreds of miles away. He stated that his goal with his restaurants is to have every food item come from within a 100 mile radius.

During a question and answer session, I asked him a tricky question which I have always been perplexed by.  When given the choice to choose between local (non certified organic) and non local certified organic, what should we do?  Chef Chiarello said to always choose local.  He touched base on the fact that some farmers do not use chemicals however do not have the resources to become “certified organic”.  He went on to say when you know the farmer that you are buying from, (and used a tomato as an example) you will respect the tomato and will not let it go to waste.  He stressed that having a connection with the local people your food comes from will ultimately affect the flavor and the overall tasting experience as a result of the connectivity.   “Having a relationship with your food is one of the most important things you can do”. I truly love this concept, and have been musing over it ever since.

(At this point I immediately had a flashback to the Thursday night Tapas party. The roasted lamb was prepared, seasoned, and nurtured by Jacques Pepin and Jose Andres, and sliced with master skill by Jose Andres. Sliced morsels were fed by hand, from Jose, directly into several Top Chef winner’s mouths. I apologize for not capturing this on film! The sight was slightly sensual to say the least, and while not completely spot on with Michael’s points, still a delicious example of connectivity and food).

During the talk Michael made a basil infused olive oil (recipe here), and added a touch of it to an amazing pureed and strained tomato water martini (sans alcohol, recipe below) with homemade mozzarella boccacini and cherry tomatoes.  Jen from the Daily Blender,  Sara from Average Betty, Chef John from Foodwishes and  I have been craving more of it all day long.  Cheers and thank you so much Peter and Michael for enlightening us with your knowledge!

tomato-martini

©foodwishes.com

Chef Michael Chiarello’s Tomato Martini

* 3 cups clear tomato water, set aside from Tomato Puree, recipe follows, refrigerated
* 1 green zebra tomato, thinly sliced
* 4 fresh mozzarella boccacini, each 1-inch in diameter
* 4 cherry tomatoes
* Gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 8 large fresh basil leaves
* Basil oil, optional (recipe link above martini photo)

Directions

You will need enough tomato water to fill your martini glasses, so measure their capacity, probably something between 5 and 9 ounces. Chill the martini glasses in the freezer, if there is room, or refrigerate 1 hour ahead of serving. (A freezer gives a heavy frost.)

Place 1 slice of green tomato in each glass. Halve or quarter the bocconcini if they are larger than 1 inch in diameter. Thread a bocconccini, and a cherry tomato onto each of 4 wooden skewers 4 to 5 inches long. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with basil oil, if desired. Working quickly, divide the tomato liquid among the chilled martini glasses. Balance the skewers on top of the glasses, then take a leaf of basil per glass, and rub it around the glass rim, before placing on top of each glass, near skewer. Serve immediately.

*Cook’s Note: It is impossible to give a specific amount for the tomatoes because how much “water” a tomato releases depends on many factors, including the growing season and the variety. Do not let the tomato pulp go to waste. Use this recipe as an excuse to start your quick tomato sauce season. You can freeze or can your sauce and then have it on hand for quick meals.
Tomato Puree:

20 tomatoes, core removed

Bring 2 large pots of water to a boil. Lower the tomatoes into the water, blanch for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Place blanched tomatoes on a baking sheet, and peel the loosened skins. With a colander over a bowl, squeeze the seeds and innards out of each tomato. Set aside and refrigerate the clear strained liquid for other uses. Slice the peeled tomatoes into 1-inch chunks, and place chunks into blender. Puree thoroughly. Pour into bowl.

Recipe makes 10 to 12 cups.