Menu September 28th - October 4th

Saturday-
Cider Brined Free Range Chicken
Micro Greens Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette, Toasted Walnuts

Sunday-
Oven Roasted Pork Loin with Braised Fennel
Asparagus with Lemon and Shave and Parmesan

Monday-
Turkey Enchiladas
Salsa Fresco

Tuesday-
Eggplant Lasagna
Romaine with Creamy Garlic Dressing

Wednesday-
Curried Vegetable and Red Lentil Stew
Roasted Cauliflower

Thursday-
Grilled Salmon with Caramelized Shallot Jam
Italian Seasoned Green Beans

Friday-
"Steak and Martini Night"

Zucchini and Red Pepper Enchiladas

For enchiladas:
1 large white onion, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 red bell peppers, quartered
3/4 pound medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
12 (6-to 7-inch) soft corn tortillas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 ounces crumbled queso fresco or ricotta salata

For pumpkin-seed salsa:
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh serrano chile, including seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/3 cups raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cups water

For tomato salsa:
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh serrano chile, including seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Garnish: cilantro leaves

Start enchiladas:
Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat; see Grilling Procedure .
Preheat oven to 350°F .
Secure each onion round with a wooden pick for grilling. Oil grill rack, then grill vegetables, covered, turning occasionally, until tender (6 to 8 minutes for bell peppers and zucchini; 10 to 12 minutes for onion), transferring to a bowl.
Wrap tortillas in stacks of 6 in foil and heat in oven, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make pumpkin-seed salsa:
Cook chile, garlic, cumin, and pumpkin seeds in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until seeds pop, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer 3 tablespoons seeds with a slotted spoon to a bowl and reserve. Purée remaining seeds and oil with cilantro, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth.

Make tomato salsa:
Stir together tomatoes, onion, chile, lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Assemble and fry enchiladas:
Cut vegetables into strips. Spread 2 teaspoons pumpkin-seed salsa on each warm tortilla and top with some of grilled vegetables, then roll up. Heat oil (1/2 cup) in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry enchiladas, seam side down first, in 2 batches, turning once, until lightly browned and heated through, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer enchiladas to plates, then drizzle with remaining pumpkin-seed salsa and sprinkle with reserved seeds and cheese. Serve with tomato salsa and Enjoy!

Creamed Corn with Cilantro and Queso Fresco

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped scallions (about 6 large)
12 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 large garlic clove
6 ounces queso fresco or mild feta, crumbled (1 1/3 cups)
1 cup cilantro sprigs

Heat butter in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then cook scallions, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
Stir together cream and cornstarch in a small bowl until thoroughly combined, then add to corn and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups corn mixture to a blender with garlic and purée until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until just heated through.
Transfer corn to a large shallow serving bowl and sprinkle cheese and cilantro over top. Serve and Enjoy!

Caramelized Chipotle Chicken

This is a really good preparation, a delicious crowd-pleaser. There's enough chipotle here to make your lips hum, but not so much as to overshadow the the other ingredients.


1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo (from a 7-ounce can)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 whole chickens (about 3 1/2 pounds each), each cut into 8 pieces

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until golden, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown, about 15 minutes.
Add garlic and remaining ingredients, except chicken, to skillet with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 25 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
Coat chicken with half of sauce, then roast, skin side up, in a 17-by 11-inch heavy 4-sided sheet pan 25 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with remaining sauce, then continue roasting until chicken is cooked through and well browned in spots, 20 to 25 minutes more.  Serve and Enjoy!

Roasted Jalapeño Hot Sauce

With the help from my lovely wife and her exceptionally grown jalapeños, I took her bounty and created a sauce that is very addicting.  Terrific by itself on tortilla chips or a great complement to meats, fish, and eggs or anything you want to add a zip to.

Makes 2 cups

24 Jalapeños
1 shallot, peeled
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 c. Rice vinegar
3/4 c. Apple vinegar
1/2 c. Water
3 Tbsp. Grape seed oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Heat grill to hot.  Put peppers in a small bowl and add one Tbsp oil, coat well.  Put peppers on the hot grill.  Char skins very well, they will turn black, about 10-12 minutes.  Remove and return to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.  Wearing latex gloves, pull the stem and skin off of each pepper.  Put peppers, shallot, and garlic in cuisinart and purée.  Add lime juice, vinegars, and water.  Mix well.  Slowly add remaining oil to mixture while cuisinart is running.  Season with salt and pepper. Serve and Enjoy!

*If desired to increase the heat, I've added drops of habanero sauce.

Weekly Menu September 21st - September 27th

Saturday-
Meatloaf with Wild Mushrooms
Roasted Root Vegetables with Red Bliss Potato Medley

Sunday-
Grilled Salmon with Sesame Kale Chips
Asparagus with Shallots
Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette

Monday-
Braised Chicken Thighs with Onions and Peppers
Sweet Potatoes with Chives

Tuesday-
Chinese Stir Fried Vegetables
Cilantro and Spring Onion Rice

Wednesday-
Vegetable Chili

Thursday-
Leftover Night

Friday-
Grilled Aged Bone-in NY Strip Steak
Wild Mushroom Sauté
Crispy Brussels Spouts with Walnuts and Bacon
Green Beans with Roasted Red Peppers
Baked Potato

The BST

Each Summer, on the first warm weekend, we have a party by the water with our friends.  We cook up obscene amounts of food, laugh, and enjoy the company of some really terrific people.  Its tradition that we serve three different drinks for them to sample.  We ask them to vote for the one they liked the most and the winning concoction becomes our drink for the summer.  This was our winner this year, named after its creator, Brian Scott Tepper.

2 oz. Tequila
4 oz. fresh Grapefruit juice
Dash Pomegranate juice
Simple syrup to taste
Splash soda water

Over lots of ice shake the first four ingredients.  Pour into glass and top with soda.  Serve with a pink grapefruit supreme.  Enjoy!

* Supreming is a technique that removes the membrane from citrus fruit so it can be served in slices.  To supreme an orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit, begin by trimming off the very top and bottom of the fruit with a sharp knife. Next, set the fruit on end, and carefully cut the skin from its flesh, beginning at the top and following the curves down. Then, carefully cut out each section of the fruit by inserting the blade of the knife between the flesh and the membrane on both sides. The wedges should come out easily, leaving only the membrane intact.