Saturday Night Feast: Secrets to a perfect Roast beef w/ sauce béarnaise and sugar roasted pearl onions

I remember how my mom would prepare a roast beef in the 80’ies with her cooking thermometer or totally avoid it because it was so difficult to get the nice pink center. I loved it then and I still love it now – and the best part is the leftovers for sandwiches or ‘Danish hash’.

Preparing the roast beef is easy. Pre-heat the oven to 435F and put in the roast for 15-20 for browning on a rack with matching pan. Take it out of the oven and let I sit for 20 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 385F. Put the roast beef back in for another 20 minutes. Take it out again and let it sit for 20 minutes.

Finally put it back in the oven for 20 minutes and take it out again and let it sit for 20 minutes before carving thinly and serving.

REAL Sauce Béarnaise:

4 oz (100 g) slowly melted butter
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon good vinegar – sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar or estragon vinegar
2 table spoons water
1-2 table spoons finely chopped charlottes.
1 handful of fresh, chopped tarragon
1 small handful of finely chopped chervil
Salt + fresh ground pepper

Melt the butter slowly in a casserole. Take another casserole and put in the vinegar, water, salt and egg yolks. From now on you will have to work the whisk all the time. The egg mix will start to foam a little but do not worry about that. Keep whisking as the mix heats up. The foam will disappear and the mixture becomes creamy. When you reach this point turn down the heat and add the charlottes. While whisking, add the melted butter slowly and make sure the butter ‘absorbs’ in the mixture. Add the chervil and tarragon. Adjust flavor with fresh ground pepper and perhaps salt.

Sugar roasted pearl onions:

For vegetables sugar roasted pearl onions are a nice thing. Get them frozen and thaw them out. Distribute sugar on a pan evenly so it covers the pan. Let it melt slowly so it stays clear. It’s almost impossible to keep some of the sugar from browning a little. Take a half stick of butter and put on the pan when the sugar is melted. Let the butter start browning a little before putting the onions in the pan. Keep turning them over till they have a nice golden brown surface. This takes about 10-15 minutes.

Steam baby carrots and string beans or hari coverts. When done stir in a quarter of a stick of butter, salt and pepper.

TIP: Boiled fingerling potatoes will be a great supplement for this.

Cheese - as a dessert...

From what I understand it is not very common here in the United States to have a selection of cheeses for dessert. It’s time to open your mind and embrace this easy-to-make dessert inspired by the French cuisine – and all it takes is 5 minutes to prepare and can be done ahead of time. After a very stimulating conversation with my local Kroger's cheese deli we decided to try a form of working together on how to promote this.

Go to your local cheese section and start looking for special cheeses. There should be a variety of European cheeses; Emmentahler from Germany, Brie or Camembert from France, Port Salut from Portugal, are all mild cheeses. If you dare, go stronger. What you want is cheeses that has a little more pungent flavor and have aged a little. Have the person help you taste your way through of what kind of cheeses you think is complimentary to the fruits below. The cheese itself does not make it a dessert – flavor combination does. Explain to the cheese person what you’re trying to do.

For a cheese (like aged Emmentahler, dry and sharp in the taste)
Take a small bowl and put in the amount of prunes you expect to use. Pour port wine in the bowl so it covers the prunes and let them soak in the port over night.

For a cheese (like aged Port Salut or Brie, creamy with a touch of bitterness)
Like above soak whole walnuts in light syrup over night.

For a cheese (smoked cheeses, pungent and sharp tasting)
Cranberries or blackberries from marmalade (whole berries) or caramelized orange peel.

The Easy approach:Finely cut orange peel (without the white) in match stick sizes. Put squeezed orange juice and a sugar in a casserole. Let the sugar melt completely. Add the match stick orange peels. Let them simmer and caramelize for 5 minutes. Arrange the peels on top of the cheese dices and serve.

The experienced approach:If you want to get creative, buy the berries fresh, put them in a small casserole and add a ½ cup of water and sugar to your liking. Heat up so the sugar melts completely. If you want to you can also add finely grated orange peel, lemon or lime peel and juices from the fruit. If your cheese is very pungent perhaps even add a pinch of chili powder or cinnamon depending on your cheese and flavor preference. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. If you want to thicken the fruit coulis add corn starch (mix water and corn starch and whisk it so no lumps are to be seen) and add it slowly to the simmering berries.

When you have selected three cheeses you are ready to go. Cut the cheese in bite size cubes and put them on a plate – three of each kind of cheese in a row starting with the mildest cheese first. If you have square plates it’s a good way of presenting it. If not, place the cheese cubes in a circle on a round plate with the mildest cheese first.

On each cube matching your choice of cheese place a fruit on each dice. With cranberries and alike you can use 2-3. Since Red wine goes well with cheese you don’t have to worry about having dessert wine in the house.

DESSERT – by Dad is served

Chicken on warm spinach salad - for my wife Jennifer

Fast, easy, healthy and light chicken dish that is done in10 minutes. This is inspired from other recipes on this blog.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

10-12 chicken tenderloins

2-3 handfuls of baby spinach

15-20 fresh basil leaves

2-3 tablespoons capers

15 grape tomatoes

15-20 black olives

Lemon juice (2 tea spoons)
Soy sauce (2 tea spoons)

Paprika

Garlic (one clove)
Pepper
Olive oil

Pound the chicken tenders. Chop a clove of garlic and rub it on one side of the tenders. Heat up a frying pan with olive oil - use 3-4oz. Cook the tenders on high heat. Turn them over an sprinkle with paprika and pepper. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice and soy sauce over the chicken.

Take the chicken off the pan and put on the fresh tomatoes. Let them cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes. Take them off the pan. Put in the spinach, basil leaves and capers and let it cook for a 1-2 minutes.

Arrange on a plate.

Chilled Chocolate Fontant - by Chef Hermes

Chef Hermes, a phenomenon in cooking, has shared this recipe with DINNER - by Dad.

This recipe is a modern day classic in our eyes, it is so simple yet the end results are great. The recipe itself is based on Richard Neat’s recipe which appeared in the many moons ago and has been tweeked mainly because of the inability to get a regular good supply of fromage blanc, but an abundance of creme fraiche. We like to use not the french type of creme fraiche’s but the more creamy ones, generally from the south west of England. So for the inspiration, we’d like to thank. Please be aware this is an incredibly rich dessert, don’t believe us? Try it for yourselves, you won’t be disappointed.

• 230g (8oz) dark chocolate, good quality, not too bitter 55%-65% should be OK
• 120g (4oz) white chocolate
• 250g (9oz) creme fraiche (sour cream)
• 250g (9oz) double cream

Combine and melt the two chocolates together, reserve to one side.
Combine the creme fraiche & cream, bring to the boil and remove from the heat.

Pour the cream mixture on to the chocolates, whisk together, pour into desired moulds.

Chill for minimum of 2 hours.

DESSERT - by Chef Hermes is ready!

More of Chef Hermes work on http://chefhermes.wordpress.com/

Saturday Night Feast: ‘Côte de boeuf’ w/ ragout of snails, baked garlic cloves and parsley

This is a little more complicated and it is a dinner for guests. I chose to call these dinners for SATURDAY NIGHT FEASTS. Cote de Boeuf is served with Ragout of Snails, Baked Garlic and parsley, sauté of vegetables, potato pure with truffles and red wine sauce.

From time to time I will be presenting a ‘Saturday Gourmet Dinner’ with the sole purpose of impressing friends and family with your newly acquired skills in the kitchen. Here, no expenses are spared, time is not a matter and usually you would be able to pull this off while your wife is getting herself and the kids ready to receive company – so a couple of hours well spent. And a word of advice: If your wife is like any other wife on the continent she will ‘help’ you and offer to substitute ingredients so do the shopping on your own.

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

1½ lbs of beef sirloin
1 cup red wine
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups beef or veal broth
4 oz snails (from a can if needed)
25 cloves of garlic
1 ‘bouquet’ wide-leafed parsley - chopped
1 ‘bouquet’ scallions
1 ‘bouquet’ baby carrots
4 oz sugar peas
1 lb of peeled baking potatoes
½ cup of cooking cream
1 oz fresh truffles (mushroom)
1½ oz of truffle oil
Sea salt, fresh ground pepper
Olive oil

Grind some salt and pepper on the sirloin. Brown it in oil on a hot pan so it becomes a little crusty. Roast it in a pre-heated oven at 400F for about 12 minutes. Take it from the oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Red wine sauce:
Pour the red wine and balsamic in a casserole. Let it reduce until about ¼ cup remains. Pour in the broth and let the sauce boil down to half the size. Adjust flavor with salt and pepper.

Ragout of snails, baked garlic cloves and parsley:
Bake the cloves in the pre-heated oven (400F) with a little bit of olive oil for about 15 minutes, Put in the snails and parsley and stir it abound a little. Add salt and pepper. Continue baking it for additional 5 minutes.

Vegetable sauté:
Rinse and cut the scallions a skew in one inch sizes. Clean the baby carrots and cut them lengthy in half. Rinse the sugar peas. Put them in a hot pan with some olive oil, salt and pepper for 5-7 minutes or until they have the consistency you desire. Try not to over cook so the carrots get mushy.

Potato puree with truffles:
Boil the potatoes until tender in water with no salt. Strain the potatoes and let them dry. Pure them with a hand held mixer. Add boiling cream and stir it in. Add finely chpooed truffels, truffle oil, salt and pepper. Put the potato puree in a piping bag (the kind you use for decorating cakes) and decorate the heated serving plates with the potato puree.

Serving suggestion:
On heated dinner plates put slices of the Cote de boeuf with the warm ragout of snails, garlic cloves and parsley with the vegetable sauté and potato pure. Surround the dish with a line red wine sauce.

TIP: You can make your own broth if you have the time. Take whatever fat and bits of meat you don’t want on the sirloin and brown in a large pot with butter. Put in a quartered onion, carrots with the tops, a couple of garlic cloves and whatever vegetables you have (not potato, as it makes the broth unclear). Add a bottle of red wine and the same amount of water. Let it simmer without lid for 3-4 hours (the longer the better). Strain it and use the broth for the sauce taking about 1½ cups and reduce it to about half the amount. Save the rest of the broth (freeze it of your have to, because you’ll need it)

DINNER – by Dad is served.

Chicken in grape sauce w/ hasselbach potatoes

This is what I’m making for my beautiful wife, Jennifer, for Valentines Dinner. It’s easy to make, it’s not very messy and your can prepare in advance. Dinner can then be ready in a few minutes. This way YOU can concentrate on what really matters: HER!

Ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts (cut in half)
A half stick of butter
5 oz of chicken stock
10 oz of whipping cream
½ lb of seedless grapes cut in half
Curry, sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Rinse the chicken under cold, running water. Cut them in half and pound the out so they are about ½ inch high to terderize them. Use a saute pan with lid (if you have it) or a regular pot with a lid. Just make sure the chicken fits on the bottom side by side. Rub the chicken breasts in curry on both sides. Brown the chicken breasts in butter. Pour in the chicken stock and cream and add a little bit of salt and pepper.
Turn down the burner and let them cook with the lid on until they are done. This shouldn’t take longer than 5-7 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts.

When the chicken is done take them out of the pan. If that sauce is too runny add a bit of corn starch to thicken the sauce. Add the grapes to the sauce and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Adjust flavor with salt and pepper

Serve with Hasselbach potatoes, grilled veggies or rice. (Recipes for Hasselbach potatoes, oven roasted veggies etc are listed further down)

DINNER - by Husband is ready

'Toad in the Hole' - by Michelin Star Dad Paul Cunningham

It is with great honor that DINNER - by Dad can feature yet another Michelin Star Chef. Paul Cunningham is the owner of 'The Paul' in TIVOLI, Copenhagen. He has shared his sons and his favorite dish - and it's father/son time at it's best!

Paul is born in the United Kingdom and have won several national and international awards - not to mention the Michelin Star awarded to him shortly after opening 'The Paul'

Chef Cunningham has shared his British roots with us by his version of the traditional English dish 'Toad in the hole'

http://www.thepaul.dk/

For Dinner by Dad.

’Toad in the hole.’

For me and my son Christian – Mum’s not too keen on it and Valde would rather have porridge with honey.

Ingredients:

4 large half-roasted Cumberland – or other good sausages.

2 onions – sliced, roasted golden in butter

½ tsp chopped fresh thyme

5 oz flour

5 oz skimmed organic milk

5 oz whole organic egg

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp Colman’s English Mustard

Whisk together the flour, milk and egg. Whisk in the baking powder, mustard and chopped thyme. Season with salt & pepper, refrigerate the mixture for min. 1 hour.

Heat your oven to 435F degrees. Heat the sausages & onions in a well oiled ovenproof dish (I use an old non-stick frying pan). When real hot pour over the chilled batter, place carefully in the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes at 435F, turn the oven down to 350F and bake for about 45 minutes – crisp and golden brown.

Serve with buttered mashed potatoes and peas. Mustard, and I’ll have a chilled glass of IPA please.  

Dinner - By Chef Cunningham is served ’Rule Britannia.’

Mussel soup

Even if you don’t like mussels, this mussel soup might be to your liking. Being in Atlanta it is fortunately not hard to get fresh mussels. Michelin Star Chef Bo Bech has one again contributed to this blog on easy cooking.

2 lbs blue mussels

2 oz of leak

2 oz of lump celery

2 oz of carrot

2 cloves of garlic

4 oz of white wine

4 oz of water

2 oz of cream

Chopped parsley

Butter

Curry (if you like)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Serves 4 bowls

Clean the mussels for sand and sea weed. Throw out the open ones!!!

Dice the Leak, lump celery and carrot – not too big. Chop the garlic.

Take out a big pot. Put in the butter and brown the veggies and garlic for about one minute. Put in the mussels and mix it up good.
 
Add wine and water and put it to boil. Bring the soup to boil. When it boils let time it to 5 minutes. Keep the lid on while the soup boils.

Throw out the mussels that haven’t opened. Remove the inside of the mussel from the shell of those who have opened.

Strain the soup to a smaller pot and add the 2oz of cream. Bring it to a boil. Turn down the burner and let the soup simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust flavor with salt and pepper – and a little bit of curry if you’d like.

Cut a carrot and half a leak ‘julienne’ (match stick size). Rinse and chop the parsily and put it in the soup with the mussels a minute before serving.

Pour the soup in a small bowl and place in on a dinner size plate with a couple of pieces of toast.

TIP: If you toast the bread in a frying pan with a little bit of butter and a couple of the mussels chopped very finely, you will get a great result.

Lamb chops w/ orange, cinnamon and bacon wrapped green asparagus.

This is a very different way of cooking lamb chops. The idea is to get an eastern Mediterranean inspired flavor to it.

Ingredients:

8 lamb chops
2 oranges
2 whole sticks of cinnamon
3-4 cloves of garlic
Asparagus
Bacon slices
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil for cooking

Heat up a pan with olive oil. Peel and slice the garlic cloves very thin. When the oil is hot put the garlic in. Wait one minute before you put the lamb chops on there.

Let the lamb chops brown 1-1½ minute on each side.

Take a piece of tin foil. Place the lamb chops like tilted dominos on the tin foil with the orange slices between them. Start and finish with an orange slice. Put the two cinnamon stick on top (If you only have ground cinnamon sprinkle a little on the orange slices). Add salt and pepper and fold up the tin foil, so the juices from the meat can’t escape like described below.

Take two opposite sides of the tin foil and let them meet over the meat. Fold it in ½ inch at the time 2-3 times. Fold up the ends of the tin foil and the ‘package’ is ready to go in the oven.

Pre-heat the oven to 350F and place the ‘package’ in the oven for 5-10 minutes depending on how pink you want the meat to be.

The Asparagus:

Wrap a piece of bacon around 2-3 fresh, green asparagus in a way so the bacon covers most of the asparagus. Put them in a pan that can go in the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 400F and place the pan in there for 15-20 minutes until the bacon is brown.  

TIP: While the asparagus cooks in the oven you will have time to prepare the lamb chops. When the asparagus are done, cover with tin foil to keep warm, turn down the oven to 350F and place the lamb chops in there.

Voo Doo Shrimp with Southern Cheese Grits and a Mango Salad

Featuring one of the great chefs of the south, Chef Duke of New Orleans. Chef Duke is the owner of Cafe Giovanni located in the French Quarter; best described as an Italien southern inspired cuisine. Chef Duke has won award after award including USA Chef Of The Year. Presenting a true southern specialty:

Ingredients: Scrimps

1 Table Spoon(s) Canola Oil 1

½one_half Table Spoon(s) Olive Oil 2

½one_half Tea Spoon(s) blackened Seasoning 3

½one_half Cup(s) Sweet Chili Glaze 4

1 Table Spoon(s) Orange Juice 5

6 Each Jumbo Shrimp, cleaned and deveined 6

½one_half Cup(s) Bell Peppers, small diced 7

1 Table Spoon(s) Parsley, chopped 8

2 Table Spoon(s) Southern Comfort 9

1 Table Spoon(s) Butter 10

In a hot saute pan, heat canola and olive oil. Season shrimp with oil and blackened seasoning. Add shrimp to hot saute pan and saute for about 2 minutes on each side. Add sweet chili glaze to the pan. Toss shrimp to coat. Add orange juice, peppers and parsley and mix to combine

Degalze pan with Southern Comfort and let reduce a bit. Finish with butter and toss to melt and incorporate. Remove pan from heat. Plate up with grilled portobello mushroom, top portobello mushrooms with grits then place shrimp on top. Serve with the mango salad on the side

Ingredients: Mango Salad

1 Cup Mixed Greens

2 Table Spoon(s) Mango, diced

Table Spoon(s) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Pinch Salt
1 Pinch Pepper

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and season to taste

Ingredients: Southern Cheese Grits

⅓ Cup(s) Instant Grits

⅓ Cup(s) Heavy Cream

2 Ounce(s) Weight Saint-Andre Cheese
½ Tea Spoon(s) Creole Seasoning
½ Tea Spoon(s) Lemon Pepper
1 Table Spoon(s) Parsley, chopped
2 Table Spoon(s) Corn Kernels
1 ⅓ Cup(s) Water

Boil water in a pot. Use instant grits box directions for water amount. Once water is boiling, add grits and whisk. Let grits come to a Boil then add heavy cream and whisk. Add all seasonings then add parsley, corn kernels and cheese. Whisk again to combine. Remove from heat.

DINNER - by Chef Duke is served

'Spanish' chocolate lava cakes w/ apricot/orange coulis, almonds and mint

This is an attempt to accommodate a request from an old friend that asked me if I could make a Spanish dessert. I don't know much about Spanish cooking (yet) but thought that I could give a classic interesting dessert by adding some of the fruits typical for southern Spain.

175 grams dark chocolate 60-70% pure cocoa (approx. 1½ plate, 6.5oz)
175 grams of butter (approx. 1½ stick, 6.5oz, salted and the exact same amount as chocolate)
3 eggs
100 grams of sugar (3.5oz)
40 grams of flour (1.5oz)
Butter for the forms. Use individual ceramic cups for baking. This should be enough for 5-6 cakes
This is how you go about it:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°C
Melt the chocolate gently with the butter in a casserole. Whip eggs and sugar in another bowl until it turns white and fluffy. Add the chocolate to the egg mixture and add the flour. Pour the batter in the buttered forms and fill them 2/3 up. 

Put them in the oven for as long as the cakes are runny in the inside has 'cakey' on the outside. This should be after approx 10 minutes. Turn the cakes on to a plate after cooling a bit. They should still be served warm. 

Apricot/Orange sauce

Ingredients:1 can apricots in juice
½ cup of water
1 cup of sugar (or as sweet as you like it)
Juice from one orange
Graded orange peel from half an orange (not too much white in there)
2 tea spoons of vanilla extract

+ 1 tablespoon of corn starch and water mixed to thicken the sauce.

Put everything in a casserole and boil. Add the corn starch and water mix a little at the time until you get the desired thickness of the sauce.

Slivered almonds, fresh mint leaves and shaved chocolate for decoration.

This sounds like a lot of work but I managed to get it all done in 20 minutes.

DESSERT - by Dad is served.

Maryland Crabcake, featured by Chef Kieth R. Esbin

Chef Keith R. Esbin is the Corporate Executive Chef Bar Harbor Seafood Corp/ Boston Lobster Feast Restaurants and has graciously shared his recipe on Maryland Crabcakes. We love Crabcakes! Us guys can easily cook this for the next big game, or for your special lady!

Ingredients:

1 lb Lump Crabmeat
1 lb Back fin Crabmeat
4 egg whites
1 fresh squeezed lemon
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp Coleman’s Dry Mustard
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
8 oz Mayonnaise
12 oz Panko Japanese Breadcrumbs


In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, egg whites, and lemon juice. Add the seasonings next (pepper, mustard, Old Bay) and mix together. Add 6 oz of the Panko and mix together once more. Finally, add your crab meats and lightly mix together as to not break up the lumps but still coat everything. It is not necessary to use those types of crabmeat, but the end result would be significantly reduced.

Take a 4 ounce spoonful of the crab cake mix and drop it into the remaining 6 oz of Panko to lightly coat the outside and allow you to handle with your hands. Form into a patty and put aside. Repeat until all the crab cake mix is gone, or set the remaining mix aside covered in the refrigerator until you want to make again.

Heat a pan of oil 2/3” deep over medium heat. When oil is hot (you can sprinkle a drop of water and hear it sizzle), add your crab cakes. And allow to cook on 1 side until you see the edges become light brown. Gently turn over and heat on the other side another 30-40 seconds and remove to a paper towel to drain.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Maryland Crabcakes, by Executive Chef Esbin is ready!

Braised breast of lamb with raw cauliflower chips

Michelin Star Chef Bo Bech serves this dish at his restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark

Ingredients: (Serves two)

1 breast of lamb
½ cauliflower
½ bottle of white wine
½ cup of olive oil

Roll op the boneless breast of lamb and tie it with a string so it stays the shape of a sausage during cooking.

Brown the meat in the oven at 385F (15-20 minutes) in a pan until golden brown – then pour the wine in the pan and cover with tin foil so the liquids doesn’t evaporate. The lamb has to braise for approx 2½ hours or until it slides of a fork easily. Turn the ‘roll’ every now and then. Rinse and clean the cauliflower and cut it into little bouquets. Take a potato peeler and slice the bouquets to chip like pieces.

When the meat is done cut it in serving sizes and serve it with the raw cauliflower chips. Pour some of the drip from the pan over the meat with a bit of olive oil.
Remember to adjust flavor with a bit of salt.

TIP: DINNER - by Dad suggests to serve with Hasselbach potatoes:

Ingredients: (serves two)
8-10 midsize potatoes
2-3 cloves of garlic
Butter
Salt

Peel the potatoes and slice them 2/3 through (cut 2-3 millimeters apart end to end). Melt the butter and baste the potatoes. Chop the garlic and salt together fine. Sprinkle the garlic and salt on the potatoes and put them on a baking pan. Put the pan in the oven (on the rack above the lamb) for approx 45-55 minutes (or until done).

Filet of haddock on warm salad of tomatoes, fresh basil and black olives

This is another signature dish from Michelin Chef Bo Bech

Ingredients: (Serves two)

2-4 fillets of fresh haddock (or weevers)
14 small, red tomatoes on the stem
6 black olives without stones
1 tablespoon capers
Fresh basil
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Olive oil

Pre-heat olive oil on a frying pan and fry the tomatoes on high heat. Put the tomatoes aside, turn off the burner (if you have gas turn it down low) and put the basil leaves and capers so they warm up.

Fry the fish on a separate pan in a little bit of olive oil – but ONLY on the skin side. Fish only have to cook for a few minutes or it will get dry. Usually when the edges are getting goldenbrown and the side up is completely firm and white the fillets are done. When the fish is done place the warm salad on a plate with the black olives and place the fish on top of the salad.

TIP: When you cook fish it has to smell fresh and not ’fishy’. Also when you cook fish 10 seconds is an eternity. Be careful not to overcook so the fish gets dry!

Lobster Estetique: by Michelin Star Chef Bo Bech

You're having a dinner party! What about the appetizer? It has to be simple, easy, tasty and FUN! Michelin Star Chef Bo Bech, has been so gracious allowing me to bring his signature recipe "Lobster Estetique" here.

Ingredients: (serves two)

6 small lobster tails (virgin lobster)

approx. 20 rosemary twigs

Smoked salt

String (not to be eaten)

If you have bought the lobser whole, peel it. Only use the tail for this part. Freeze the rest for a lobster bisque or sauce for another day.

Wash the rosemary and dry it. Place the twigs side by side alost like a carpet. Put 3 of the lobster tails on top and tie up the lobster tails so they are completely covered. Heat up a frying pan so it's very hot and put the rolled up lobster on the pan. (Just the dry pan - no oil, butter or anything)

When the rosemary is black, turn it over. This should take about 6 minutes.

Serve on a plate with a pair of scissors so your friends can cut it open themselves. Put a tea spoon of smoked salt on the side of the plate in a small pile next to the lobster. A cold glass of Chardonnay will be a good match.

TIP: Remember a wet napkin to wipe fingers - and maybe a piece of lemon or lime.

Appetizer by Bo Bech, Michelin Star Chef

COOKING ESSENTIALS

TOOLS: Cooking is a lot easier if you have at least two good knifes (8" and 4") and two nice wooden cutting boards. The wooden cutting board keeps your knifes from getting dull fast.

- Depending on your counter top keep a dish towel under your cutting board to keep it from sliding. If you have marble, granite or high gloss surfaces the dish towel might have to be damp.

SALT & PEPPER:
Coarse sea salt: It is not as 'salty' as fine salt. It's easier to use because of that and therefore more 'forgiving'.
Fresh ground pepper: The flavor is very different from ground pepper.

- When using garlic and salt in the same dish chop the garlic with the salt. It's easier to control and the garlic won't stick to the knife as much.

SPICES: Always good to have around
Paprika, Oregano, Basil, Curry and Chili

- It's a good thing to slowly introduce more and more spices to your kitchen as your need them. Remember, just because they are there doesn't mean that you have to use them all at the same time.

FRESH THINGS
Garlic, onions, (if possible basil, oregano)

- Keep a knife sharpener around; it comes in handy.

Left over Turkey? - Here is a suggestion...

There is so much you can do with leftover chicken and turkey but all depends on how it's cooked to begin with.

Suggestion 1:
Ingredients: Left over turkey, a large can of crushed tomatoes, fresh cilantro and basil, red pesto (see recipe below), sea salt, fresh ground pepper, (cream), sugar, shredded mozzarella cheese, garlic.

If you have a roasted turkey breast cut it in thin slices. Chop some fresh cilantro and basil maybe use some of the home made pesto from the recipes below. Roll them up and put them in a pan.

Pour over a sauce made from: A can of crushed tomatoes, chopped garlic and a little bit of sugar, (maybe a little cream) salt and fresh ground pepper. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 400F until mozzarella starts getting golden. Serve with angle hair pasta.

If your turkey has a lot of little pieces of meat?

Suggestion 2:
Ingredients: Left over turkey, green peas, portabello mushrooms, tomato paste, fresh fettuchine, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic, charlots, cream, olive oil.

Heat up some olive oil in a saute pan. Put in finely chopped garlic, charlots and mushrooms. Add the turkey pieces and let them get a little color. Add the cream, two table spoons of tomato paste and green peas and let it boil until it stats getting creamy while stirring slowly. Boil the fresh fettuchine. When the pasta is almost done, strain the water from it. Put the pasta on the pan and let it cook with the sauce for additional two minutes.

TIP: If you have a little white wine left over, add that to the sauce before you add the turkey and let the onions, mushrooms and garlic cook in it for about 1-2 minutes.

DINNER - by Dad is ready

Tzatziki - easy and FATFREE!!!

Ingredients: Greek yogurt 0% (16oz), one cucumber, 3 cloves of garlic, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, milk.

Grade the cucumber into a strainer. Pour on a small handful of sea salt and let it sit for 30 minutes. Wash out the salt under cold running water. The cucumber needs to be a little salty still. Put the cucumber on a clean dish towel, fold up the towel and squeeze the water out.

Peal and mash the garlic cloves with the side of your knife. Chop them very finely. Mix yogurt, cucumber and garlic in a bowl. Add fresh ground pepper and (maybe) salt for flavor. Remember since the cucumber is already salty you will have to taste your way. If you want a runnier texture of the tzatziki you can add a little bit of milk slowly while stirring until you get the desired result.

The tzatziki is great with ANY grilled meat - beef, chicken, turkey, pork.

TIP: The Greek yogurt is a great dessert with fresh cut fruit (pineapple, peaches, mango etc) and honey. Most places does not carry Acacia honey but regular clover honey will do just fine.

SIDE - by Dad

Easy bruschetta - for snack, appetizer, side or quick lunch

Ingredients: A half baked french roll, garlic, salt, oregano, ripe roma tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, olive oil.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F

Cut the bread horizontally. Mash the garlic with the side of the knife. Chop the garlic with the salt and add a little bit of olive oil to a grainy paste Spread the garlic paste the bread on the cut surfaces. Dice the roma tomatoes and chop fresh basil leaved. Place the shredded mozzarella on top.

Bake in oven on a piece of tin foil for about 10 minutes.

TIP: You can substitute with canned tomatoes. Put the tomatoes on the bread with a spoon so you'll get a little of the tomato juice on there too. Also you can use oregano instead of the fresh basil leaves.

Snack - by Dad

Philosophy: It's all about the taste...

If you're wondering why so little in my recipes are measured, the answer is simple. It's all about the flavors. The only way to truly learn how to cook, is to taste you way to the desired result. So if you like garlic but not Parmesan cheese I'm not going to tell you to use it; or how much. What YOU like the most is what you should use most of.

I know this can be confusing when cooking is a new challenge but this is the best way to learn how to combine flavors. After a while you will be making your own signature dishes your friends and family will love and bring new favorite flavors to the menu.

In my world I like to keep cooking simple and let every flavor play a part - just like musical instruments.

Pears steamed in red wine w/ brie and paprika

This is a very easy dessert to make.

Ingredients: A can of pears, a piece of french country brie (not too aged), any red wine and paprika

If you don't have a steamer, pour a half a bottle of red wine in a large pot. Place a strainer in there so there is space left for the red wine. Find a lid that will fit so-so.

Bing the red wine to boil and place the pears in the strainer inside the pot. Put a lid on it and let the pears steam for about 10 minutes. They will change color and become very red.

Take the pears out and let them cool off (while having your entree, maybe). Cut a couple of thin slices of brie and put them on top of each pear. Sprinkle with paprika.

TIP: If you have mint leaves you can put a couple on top.

DESSERT - by Dad is served



Fresh spinach fettuchine w/ blue cheese sauce and roasted bacon dices

If you're an fan of blue cheese you'll love this simple and reasy pasta dish.

Ingredients:
Fresh spinach fettuchine (pre-packaged), 6-7 oz of blue cheese, 1 cup of light sour cream, bacon dices, sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Melt the cheese in a caserole very slowly. Keep stirring so the cheese does not boil or bubble. When the cheese is completely melted pour in the sour cream. Do NOT let the sour cream boil. Adjust flavor with salt and pepper.

Roast the bacon dices on a pan. When done put them on a couple of pieces folded paper towel to suck up the excess fat.

Boil a gallon of water and put the pasta in. Add a table spoon of salt and a little bit of oil. Let the fresh pasta boil for 3-4 minutes. While the water is straining from the pasta heat up the sauce to boiling point.

TIPS: You can put the bacon dices in the sauce while heating it up, but if your serve as a portion on a plate it looks better that the bacon is sprinkled on to of the sauce.

DINNER - by Dad is ready.

Pork tenderloin w/ simple homemade pesto and roasted veggies

Ingredients: (All bought fresh), Feeds two adults

Broccoli, Yellow bell pepper, Asparagus, Fennel, Onion, Sweet potato, Squash, Basil (dried or fresh).

Pork tenderloin (one pound size), sun dried toamtoes in oil, store bought chopped garlic, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, parmesan cheese.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F

Cut the veggies in approximately equally large bite sizes. Put them in a large ziplock bag. Add olive oil (about 5 table spoons) sea salt and fresh gound pepper. Close the bag and shake it well until the oil is distributed. Pour the veggies in a baking pan.

Sear the port tenderloins in butter until golden brown. Chop the sun dried tomatoes, garlic, sea salt, pepper and parmesan cheese to a pasto. Put the terderloins on a piece of tin foil.

Put the pesto on the tenderloin and wrap it in the tin foil - but not too tight so it leaves room for the juices. The edges of the tin foil should be folded upwards.

Put the veggies and tenderloin in the oven. The veggies needs 45 minutes; stir them gently every 15 minutes. Put the terderloin in the oven for 35 minutes. While the veggies cook the last ten minuts, take the tenderloin out and let it sit until veggies are done.

TIPS: Be careful opening the tinfoil. There is a lot of juice in there that you want to use as a sauce.

DINNER - by Dad

Welcome to DINNER - by Dad; a cooking blog where you hopefully can find inspiration to conquer the kitchen. I'm going to try and keep things really simple here with few ingrediences but with a rich tasty outcome.

I thought my first post should be about what cooking can do for the you as a Dad but I'm not going to - I'll let you expirience that by yourself; but I'm telling you it GREAT! So on to the first challange...