Butternut Squash, Kale, and Goat Cheese Pie

3 Tbsp. Olive oil, more for brushing
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
1/2 small Butternut squash, roughly 1#, peeled and cut into 3/4" pieces
2 tsp. fresh Thyme, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flake
1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, thinly sliced
2 large eggs
3 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
8 oz. frozen phyllo, thawed
4 oz. fresh goat cheese or feta crumbled
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Place rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium.  Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.  6-8 minutes.  Add squash and cook stirring until tender, 8-10 minutes.  Mix in thyme and red pepper flakes and transfer to a medium bowl.  Wipe out and reserve skillet.

Add kale, eggs, parmesan cheese, and lemon zest to squash mixture and gently combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Layer phyllo sheets inside reserved skillet.  Working quickly so as to not let the phyllo dry out, Spoon kale and squash mixture into phyllo and dot the top with goat cheese.  Brush edges of phyllo lightly with olive oil and fold over the filling, overlapping slightly, leaving the center exposed.

Place skillet over medium heat until bottom of the pastry is just golden (carefully lift up on one side with a heatproof rubber spatula), about 3 minutes.  Transfer pie in oven and bake until kale is wilted and tender and phyllo is golden brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes.  Remove pie from oven, let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing into wedges.  Enjoy!

Pie can be baked 6 hours ahead. Let cool; store uncovered at room temperature.

Mexican Avocado Salad

A good friend of ours, Leslie brought this to one of our parties and it was love at first taste.  Think deconstructed Guacamole.  Super easy and a summer go to (has gone to a year rounder for us). Obviously, the key here is ripe avocados and tomatoes.  Fry up fresh tortilla chips for a next level treat.  You're going to be the hit of the party with this one! Enjoy. 

6 Avocados, diced

1 Sweet onion, diced

1 pint Grape tomatoes, diced 

1 c. Pickled Jalapeños with juice

Juice of one lime  

1 Tbsp. Mexican oregano

1 Tbsp. Cilantro (optional)

Salt & fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Garnish- fresh jalapeño slices(optional)

Freshly fried corn tortilla chips

In a large bowl combine all ingredients.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.  Top with a few fresh jalapeño slices, if using and serve! (Told you it was easy)

Ensenada Style Fish Tacos

Rick Bayless is perhaps the foremost authority on Mexican cuisine stateside.  His Frontera Grill is award winning and recipes are fantastic.  I was having a hankering for great fish tacos after reading an article about the Baja peninsula and made these incredibly satisfying tacos.  They are easy, bursting with flavor and sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Makes 6 tacos

 2 garlic cloves, peeled

Salt to taste

½ tsp. Mexican oregano
½ tsp. fresh black pepper
1 tsp. yellow mustard (like French's)
1 tsp. concentrated chicken base or chicken-flavor powdered bouillon
1 C. beer, sparkling water or water
1 tsp. baking powder
1 C. all-purpose flour
 Vegetable oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches for frying
1# boneless, skinless fish filets (practically anything will work, but I like larger-flake, lighter-flavor fish best for this preparation—think halibut, sea bass, grouper and the like)
1/3 C. mayonnaise
1/3 C. sour cream
¼ C. milk

12 warm corn tortillas

1 C. (or more) thinly sliced cabbage (I like Napa cabbage best)
About 1 C. salsa (toasted arbol chile salsa, roasted green chile salsa, roasted tomatillo salsa or even one of the Mexican hot sauces like Tamazula or Valentina)
2 or 3 limes, cut into wedges

 

Finely chop the garlic, sprinkle generously with salt, then mash back and forth with the side of your knife across your cutting board until crushed to a puree. Scrape into a medium bowl and add the oregano, black pepper, mustard, base or bouillon, beer or water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients and whisk just until combined.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet to 370 degrees. While the oil is heating, cut the fish into pieces about 3 inches long by ½” inch square. Use a pair of tongs to pick up a piece of fish, dip it completely into the batter, and lay it into the oil. Continue with a few more pieces of fish, filling the hot oil with an uncrowded layer. Fry, turning the pieces regularly, until deep golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven on a wire rack set over a sheet pan while you fry the rest of the fish.

Mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream and milk. Set out with the cabbage, salsa, warm corn tortillas, limes and the crispy fish for everyone to make tacos.  Enjoy!

Slow Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

Dehydrating the tomatoes is the key to huge flavor in this great appetizer.  Think sophisticated pizza and with only 7 ingredients it couldn’t be easier.  Make the day before since you need about 6 hours in an oven to do these right.  Just reheat or serve at room temperature.  Also goes great in a salad or on your favorite sandwich to “kick it up a notch!”

Makes 2 dozen

Good quality Olive oil

10 ripe Roma tomatoes, tips removed and cut in halve vertically

8-10 cloves of garlic, minced fine

1 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

1 French baguette

Sea Salt and fresh ground black pepper

¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

 

Preheat oven to 225 F.

In a large mixing bowl combine tomatoes, garlic, and basil.  Coat tomatoes liberally with olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Arrange tomatoes, cut side down, on paper.  Spoon the remaining garlic mixture on top of each.  Place tray into the oven and roast tomatoes for 5 to 6 hours or until they have shrunk in size by about 75%.  Remove tray from oven and let tomatoes cool.  This step can be done up to 3 days before.  Just make sure to cover and refrigerate.

Preheat broiler and position top shelf at highest position (closest to burner).  Slice baguette into 24, ½” slices and brush with olive oil.  Arrange on a baking sheet and place one tomato (you may have to slice tomatoes if too large for bread. I like to gently press them into the bread with the back of a fork).  Top with cheese and place tray under hot broiler until cheese has turned golden brown and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.  Serve and Enjoy!

Weekly Menu 4/1 - 4/7/2017

Saturday

Soy Glazed Chicken
Oven Roasted Broccoli and Mushrooms
 
Sunday
Barbecue Ribs
Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw
Chopped Salad with Green Olive Vinaigrette
 
Monday
Oven Roasted Salmon with a Lemon-Caper Butter Sauce

Asparagus with Chopped Egg

 

Tuesday

Pork Tenderloin with a Dijon Mustard and Herb Crust

Sautéed Apples with Thyme

Chopped Salad with Citrus-Honey dressing

 

Wednesday
Red Wine Braised Beef
Caramelized Butternut Squash, Carrots and Onions

 Thursday

Pork Chops Milanese
Spaghetti Squash and Asparagus
 

Friday

"Opening Day Party"

Pasta Bake with Pepperoni and Spinach

Mini Meatball Parmesan Sliders

Soy Glazed Chicken

I was watching a travel show and they were showing a Michelin chef in China prepare this incredible Cantonese dish and thought, "WOW, I got to make this!"  You know how sometimes you see something and say- I gotta have that!  Well, this was one of those times.  I served it with a simple steamed rice, so the sauce could shine.  By the way, the sauce is awesome on stewed eggplant (your shoe would taste great with this stuff)  You can add different spices- cinnamon, star anise, Chinese five spice, but here's the basics. 

 

1 Whole Chicken, cut into parts
1 cup Soy sauce
1 cup Water
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup smashed garlic
1/4 cup minced Ginger
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Garnish-
2 green onions, sliced thinly
Sesame seeds

 

Combine soy, water, sugar, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes in a large pot.  Place pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Using tongs carefully add chicken pieces and cook for 35 minutes, turning pieces every 5 minutes.  Once chicken is done remove from pot and reserve pieces on a plate.  Continue to reduce soy glaze until thick, maybe another 8-10 minutes.  Then, return chicken to the pot and toss with hot sauce.  Remove chicken and place on a warm serving dish, sprinkle with green onion, sesame seeds, and serve immediately.  Spoon additional sauce into a bowl and serve alone side of chicken.  Serve with white rice.  Enjoy!

Weekly Menu 3/11 - 3/17

Saturday-
Dinner out with Friends (Beer and burgers on the East-side)

Sunday-
Roast Chicken Breast stuffed with a Wild Mushroom Duxelle
Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Carrots with Tunisian spice

Monday-
Chicken Piccata
Chopped Salad with a Honey-Dijon Dressing
Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

Tuesday-
Sweet Potato and Braised Pork Hash
Roasted Broccoli and Onions

Wednesday-
Oven Roasted Salmon with Porchetta Crust
Sautéed Zucchini with Italian Herbs
Butternut Squash with Walnuts and Cranberries

Thursday-
Spanish Tapas Party

Friday-
Steak and Wine Night