October Recipes

Oregon Blueberry Hand Pie

Frozen Puff Pastry Dough……………………..1 lbs box
Oregon Blueberries……………………………2 cups
Sugar…………………………………………….1 Tbsp.
Cornstarch………………………………………1+ Tbsp.
Lemon Zest………………………………………1/2 lemon
Lemon Juice……………………………………...1/4 lemon
Salt………………………………………………pinch
Turbinado Sugar……………………………….as needed
Egg wash………………………………………..1 egg beaten

Roll thawed Puff dough to 1/8 inch thickness, cut 5"-6"round or Square)
Mix Blueberries with Sugar, cornstarch, salt Lemon juice and zest
Place desired amount of filling in the enter of the puff dough sheet
Brush edge of dough with water and fold over.
Crimp or pinch dough to seal , poke a hole in crust, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar or other coarse ground sugar if desired.
Bake 400 degrees for 20 min. or until puffed and golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool to room temp. before eating.
(opt.) Dust with Cinnamon.

Serve with ice cream if desired

Yield 8 Hand Pies

Bing Cherry Glaze

Ingredients:
                8 oz                         Bing Cherries, dried
                1 cup       Pinot Noir, Château St Michele
                1 oz                         Balsamic Vinegar

Procedure:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Cover and refrigerate for twelve hours or preferably overnight, shaking contents occasionally.
3. In a small saucepan, bring cherry mixture to a boil.
4. Reduce to simmer and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Cool mixture completely.
7. Puree mixture until smooth
8. Refrigerate until needed.

Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes

Ingredients:
                24 oz                       Yukon Gold Potatoes, small size, wedged
                2 oz                         Olive Oil
                1 tsp                        Kosher Salt
                ¼ tsp                       black pepper
                1 tsp                        Garlic, fresh, minced
                1 tsp                        Rosemary, fresh, chopped
                1 Tbl                        Italian parsley, fresh, chopped

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Combine all ingredients, except Italian parsley, in a large mixing bowl.
3. Spread seasoned potatoes onto a baking pan in a single layer.
4. Roast in oven for 30 – 45 minutes or until golden brown and tender throughout.  This is best accomplished with a paring knife.
5. Toss potatoes in Italian parsley.
6. Reserve hot until needed.

Sautéed Sugar Peas

Ingredients:
                8 oz                         Sugar peas
                1 Tbl                        Butter
                                                Kosher Salt
                                                Black Pepper

Procedure:

1. Preheat sauté pan. 
2. Add butter, swirling it around in the pan until completely melted.
3. Add sugar peas.
4. Sauté until tender, 3 – 5 minutes

Reserve hot until needed.

Cherry Glazed Duck Breasts

Ingredients:
                4 each     Duck Breasts
                1 batch    Bing Cherry Glaze,
                1 batch    Oven Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes
                1 batch    Sautéed Sugar Peas

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Trim Duck breasts of excess skin and fat.
3. Score the skin of the duck breast to ensure the   maximum possible rendering of fat.
4. Preheat large skillet, placing the breasts fat side down. 
5. Sear the duck until the skin is crispy and brown. 
6. Using a pastry brush spread a thin layer of the cherry glaze over the duck.
7. Place duck in oven,
8. Repeat step six every few minutes until returning the duck to the oven until desired doneness is achieved.
9. Remove from oven.  Let the duck rest for three to five minutes while you assemble the rest of the meal.
10. Thinly slice duck on a bias.

The Barbecue Bacon Explosion!

Approx 12 strips thick cut pepper bacon
1 lb mild Italian sausage
4 tablespoons your favorite bbq spice rub

Lay out a lattice of bacon (horizontally & vertically), spread the Italian sausage over all of it.  Layer it with plastic wrap then roll it out with a rolling pin for a consistent thickness. Sprinkle the bbq spice rub evenly over all of it then roll it like a jelly roll.  Place the roll on a sheet pan then bake @ 350 for about 45 minutes, or until crisp on the outside and cooked all the way through (160 degrees with a probe thermometer)  Allow to rest for a few minutes then slice as thick as you can stand it and serve with eggs and breakfast potatoes.

Roasted Squash Risotto

3-4 cups butternut squash cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large shallots, minced
1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
2 ounces pancetta, diced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock
¾ cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash on baking pan, drizzle on oil. Toss on salt and pepper. Roast in oven about 25 minutes until tender. Set aside. In medium pan, heat chicken stock to a simmer. Keep to side until later. In large deep pot, melt butter and sauté shallots, mushrooms and pancetta over medium-high heat about 5-7 minutes until tender. Add in rice and thyme; stir to coat. Add wine; cook 3 minutes. Add about 1 cup warm stock to rice, just to cover rice. Stir and simmer until stock is absorbed, 5-10 minutes. Add remaining stock 1 cup at a time, stirring every few minutes. When rice seems dry, add more stock. Continue cooking, stirring every few minutes until rice is cooked through and is tender about 20 -25 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in roasted squash cubes and cheese. Stir to blend. Serve.

Serves 4-6

Pear Empanadas hazelnuts, Crater Lake Blue cheese

Empanada Dough

2 ½ cups flour, all purpose
1 ½ teaspoons osher salt
½ cup cold butter, cut to small cubes
1 ea.  Lg. egg
1/3 cup  ice water
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Wisk together in a bowl the egg, ice water, vinegar. Set aside keep chilled.

In a food processor add flour and salt. With the machine running slowly add  the butter until it is all incorporated to a cornmeal consistency. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet to form a smooth dough. Do not over work it.

 Pear Empanada Filling

3 ea. Ripe pears, small dice
2 tablespoons   sugar
1 ea.  Lemon, juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
¼ teaspoon  kosher salt
1 pinch nutmeg, ground
Water as needed
2 teaspoons apple pectin

Add diced pears,  lemon, sugar and spices to small  non-reactive sauce pot with a splash of water. Cook on low heat until the pears are soft and a jam like consistency,  about 15 min.  Add apple pectin mix in thoroughly and cook for 5 more min. Remove from  heat allow mixture to cool completely.  

To Assemble and Prepar

With a rolling pin roll dough thin. Use a 3-in. cookie cutter to punch out round shapes. Place a small dollop on pear mixture in the center of the dough rounds.

Fold the dough over the filling to create a half moon shape. Using a fork crimp the edges to seal the empanada. Makes up to 2 dozen.

In a 350 degree oven toast 1 cups hazelnut for 7 min. cool and reserve. Crumble blue cheese and set aside.

In a large sauté  or cast iron pan add canola oil to cover ¼ of the pan. Heat canola oil to med-high. While working in batches pan fry empanadas on each side until golden brown. Remove to paper towel to absorb excess oil.

To Plate

In a  bowl add a handful or 2 of mixed greens ( red oak, butter leaf, arugula, etc. ) Drizzle and mix lightly with sherry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Scatter the greens on plates or a platter as a base for the empanadas. Place pear empanadas randomly on top of the greens. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and hazelnuts.       

"Bacon And Eggs" Poached Farm Egg, Carlton Farms Bacon
Chanterelle Mushroom Fricassee

4 ea. Eggs, farm fresh
¼ pound apple smoked bacon, lardon or diced
½ pound chanterelle mushrooms, locally foraged, cleaned, halved
1 ea. Garlic cloves, minced
1ea. Small shallot, small dice
1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar
½ cup mushroom or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon whole butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese as needed
Melted butter as needed
Olive oil as needed
1/2cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives etc.)

For the eggs ( not as hard as it sounds )
Place a 6x6 in. piece of plastic film over a shallow ramekin or cup and form a 2 in. pocket in the inside large enough to hold a cracked egg. Be sure to keep the excess plastic draped over the edges. With a small pastry brush apply melted butter to the plastic brushing on evenly. Crack one egg onto the plastic in the center of the cup being careful not to break the yolk. Pull the excess plastic up around the egg to form a little purse giving the egg a round shape. Resting the egg in plastic in the cup tie it off with a piece of kitchen twine or cotton string. Trim the excess string and plastic. Now the egg will be easy to handle without breaking. Store back in the egg carton for up to 1 week.

To Prepare
Fill a pot of water for poaching your eggs. Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile in a large sauté pan with a small amount of oil render the bacon over medium- high heat until crispy. Add the mushrooms and cook carefully turning until the begin to color on the outside. Add the shallots and garlic to the mushrooms and bacon fat and cook until shallots are translucent. Add the vinegar to deglaze the pan followed by the stock. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer while you prepare the eggs.

Lower your egg purses into the boiling water and set a timer for 5 minutes.
As the eggs cook, finish the simmering mushroom fricassee with the whole butter and fresh herbs. Continue cooking while you wait for the eggs, it should be a stew like consistency. Adjust with salt and pepper.

After five minutes remove the eggs and set aside. They will remain hot in their purse. Using a spoon distribute the fricassee into four small bowls. One at a time place egg purses on top of the fricassee. Using a pair of scissors cut the plastic just below the knot and pull it away from the egg revealing a round beautifully poached egg.

Top with fresh shaved parmesan cheese and serve.

Camarones Mexicano

INGREDIENTS:
YIELD: 1 SERVING
1 tsp. Olive Oil
6 each Prawns – 16-20 sized, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. Garlic, Chopped
4 fl. oz. Diablo Sauce (recipe follows)
1 oz. wt. Sweet peppers, julienne cut
1 oz. wt. White Onion, julienne cut
1 tsp. Cilantro – chopped
1 Tbsp. Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

To Serve:
Steamed Rice
Cilantro - Chopped
Green Onions, sliced

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
YIELD: 1 QUART
12 oz. White Onion - Chopped
1 quart Canned Tomato
2 tsp. Garlic, Chopped
2 cups Veggie Stock
1 cup Guajillo Sauce
2 tsp. Oregano, Fresh
½ tsp. Habanero Powder
6 sprigs Cilantro - Chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste

Procedures:

1. Saute the onions with the oregano until caramelized.  Add the garlic and sauté for another 3 minutes.  Add the tomato product. 
2. Deglaze with veggie stock and add the guajillo sauce.  Add the habanero powder and simmer for a half an hour.
3. Add the cilantro and blitz with the emersion blender until smooth. 
4. Season with salt and pepper.  Chill, label and date, and place in walk-in until needed.
5. Saute the prawns with garlic, peppers and onions until they turn bright pink on the edges.  Add the sauce and cook until the prawns are cooked, the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thickened.
6. Add in the butter and cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper
7. Serve with steamed rice, sprinkling the prawns with cilantro and garnishing the rice with green onions

Smoked Salmon Cakes

Puree of Sweet Corn Soup

Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Ganache

Spice Roasted Chickpeas

Tuscan-style Steak with Fennel and Arugula

Seared Sea Scallops with Coconut Sauce