What are YOUR favorite…..

…Comfort Foods or “Old School” Dishes?

Meatloaf?

Mac n Cheese?

Salisbury Steak?

What are the foods you used to it, but haven’t had in FOREVER?  Lemme know in my comments below!

-Chef Rich

Been Updating….

Hey Everyone!

Sorry for the delays, and technical issues, but you will notice that all of the recipes from classes are updated on the site.   If you don’t see what you’re looking for yet, please give it some time for the server to fully upload all of the files.

Happy Cooking!

-Chef Rich

Fruit “Tarts” a la Mode

Serves 6

• 1 Sheet Puff Pastry, thawed
• Seasonal Fruit – 3 Peaches or Pears or Mixed Berries
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
• about 6 Tbsp. Raspberry Jam
• Thinly Sliced Almonds, optional
• 1 Egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. Water
• 1 Pint Vanilla Ice Cream

Preheat the oven to 350F

1. Peel & seed the fruit, and slice thinly.  Mix with Lemon juice and Brown Sugar.  Reserve
2. Roll the Puff Pastry out and cut into 6 even pieces.  Using a paring knife, make a border indentation about 1” in from the edges (this will allow the outside puff pastry to rise more)
3. Spread some of the jam on the inner section of the puff pastry.  Then, arrange the fruit neatly, overlapping so that each piece of puff has about half of a full piece of fruit.
4. Sprinkle with almonds, if desired, and then brush the outer edge with some of the egg wash.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Serve immediately, with a scoop of the vanilla ice cream.

Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Fingerling Potatoes

Serves 6

• 4 Lbs. Fingerling Potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 cup Olive Oil, plus some for searing
• 1 Cup Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, minced
• 6 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, minced
• 6 Chicken Breasts (bone-in, skin on)
• 1 Large Onion, diced,
• 3 cloves Garlic, sliced
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350F

Heat a Large Skillet Over medium high heat.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes with half of the oil, half of the parsley, half of the rosemary and a generous sprinkle of salt & pepper.  Toss well to coat, and reserve.
2. In another mixing bowl, combine the remaining oil, parsley, rosemary, and additional salt & pepper.
3. Place a couple of tablespoons of oil in the hot skillet and swirl to coat.  Season the chicken with salt & pepper, and sear, skin side first, 3 minutes per side (skin should be brown and lift easily from the pan).
4. Remove chicken from the skillet (keep skillet on medium heat) and place in the oil and herb mixture, tossing well (with tongs) to combine.
5. In the skillet, saute the onions and garlic, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan.  Then add in the potato mixture and stir well to combine.  Finally, return chicken to the pan, placing skin side DOWN on top of the potatoes.
6. Roast 30 minutes, then remove from oven.  Remove chicken, stir potatoes, replace chicken skin side UP, and roast another 30 minutes.  Chicken should be at 165F, and potatoes should be browned.

Poached Pear & Prosciutto Salad with Burrata Cheese

Serves 6

• 1 Lb. Fresh Burrata Cheese
• 1/2 lb. Prosciutto, sliced thin
• 2 Wine-Poached Pears (see below)
• 6 oz. Baby Arugula
• 1/2 cup Toasted Pecans
• Champagne Vinaigrette (see below)
• Balsamic Vinegar, Extra Virgin olive Oil, Fleur de Sel, as needed for garnish

1. Cut the Burrata into 6 equal wedges and drizzle lightly with balsamic and olive oil.
2. Place burrata on a “bed” of the prosciutto on individual plates.
3. Cut each pear into quarters and fan (there will be 2 extra fans).
4. Toss the baby arugula in with some of the vinaigrette and place on each plate next to the cheese and prosciutto.
5. Place a pear fan on top of the greens, along with some of the toasted pecans
6. Sprinkle with Fleur de Sel, and drizzle lightly with more olive oil and balsamic, if desired.  Serve immediately.

Poached Pears:

• 375 mL White Wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1/4 lb. Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/4 c. Water
• 1/2 Zest of 1 Lemon
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1/2 Vanilla Bean, split & scraped
• 2 Anjou Pears

1. Bring the wine to a boil, and skim off any impurities.  Add the water and sugar, and stir until dissolved.  Add the remaining ingredients (except pears) and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Peel the pears, cut in half, and use a small melon baller to remove the core.  Poach in the wine liquid until tender, about 7-8 minutes (the should still be firm enough to hold their shape)
3. Remove from the poaching liquid and reserve (chill)

Champagne Vinaigrette:

• 1 oz. Champagne Vinegar
• 3 oz. Olive (Pomace) Oil
• Salt, Pepper, and Granulated Sugar, to taste

Whisk together the vinegar & oil.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and sugar (as needed)

Creamy Mushroom & Brie Soup

Makes about 6 servings

• 2 oz. Dried Wild Mushrooms
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock
• 4 Tbsp. Butter
• 3 Shallots, minced
• 1 1/2 Lbs. Mixed Mushrooms (Portobello, shiitake, etc.), chopped
• 2 Tbsp. Flour
• 2 Tbsp. Sherry
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 8 oz. Brie, cut into cubes
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

1. In a Saucepan, bring 2 cups of the chicken stock to a boil.  Place dried mushrooms in a bowl, and immediately pour hot stock over the mushrooms to rehydrate.  Let the mushrooms soak for about 10 minutes, then squeeze out any excess moisture, cool & chop.  Transfer the stock to a tall container and reserve.
2. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter then sweat the shallots for 2-3 minutes (do not brown)  Add the fresh mixed mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes, then add in the rehydrated mushrooms with a little salt & pepper.  Cook another 3-4 minutes to help cook off some of the mushroom liquid.
3. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir until flour begins to cook – about 4-5 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
4. Whisk in some of the mushroom/chicken stock, mixing well to incorporate, and then begin to add the remaining mushroom/chicken stock (be careful to not let any of the sediment that has settled on the bottom get into the soup – it will make the soup “gritty”).  Add remaining chicken stock, stirring constantly, until the soup is smooth  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
5. Add the sherry and the heavy cream to the soup, and return to a boil, then reduce down to a simmer.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.
6. Stir in the brie, one piece at a time, letting each piece fully incorporate before adding the next.  Adjust seasonings if needed, and serve immediately.  (DO NOT allow soup to boil once cheese is added, as it will “break” and the oils from the cheese will float up to the top)

Chocolate Fondue with assorted “Dippers”

Serves 2

• 1/2 cup Cream
• 7 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 Tbsp. Liqueur of your choice (amaretto, fangelico, chambord, etc.) – optional

• Biscotti
• Pretzel Rods/Sticks
• Pound Cake, cut into cubes
• Banana Chunks
• Strawberries
• Pineapple
• Marshmallows
• Cookies
• anything else you feel like dipping!

1. Heat 1/4 cup of the cream in a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until it’s just about to boil.  Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces.  Let stand 3-4 minutes.
2. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth, and whisk in liqueur, if using.
3. Transfer to a fondue pot, mini crock pot, or small bowl over a tea candle and serve with an assortment of dippers on the side.  Enjoy!

Roasted Lamb Chops with Rosemary Demi Glace

Serves 2

• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. fresh Thyme leaves, crushed with your hands
• 2 Tbsp fresh Rosemary Leaves, crushed with your hands
• 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper, ground
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 Lamb Chops, about 1 1/4” thick
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Marinate the Lamb:

1. Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Add the lamb chops and turn in the mixture, coating well.
3. Keep at room temperature to marinate 30 minutes – 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400F.

1. In a heavy, ovenproof skillet, heat remaining oil over high heat.
2. Add lamb, and cook until browned on both sides (about 3 minutes per side).
3. Transfer skillet to the oven and cook to desired doneness (about 10 minutes for medium-rare, 13-14 for medium)
4. transfer the lamb to a serving plate and loosely cover with foil.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving

Rosemary Demi Glace

makes about 4 servings

• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Red Onion, diced
• 1 cup red Wine, Cabernet
• 2 cups Beef Stock, or prepared demi-glace
• 1 tsp. Tomato Paste
• 1 sprig Rosemary
• 2 Tbsp. Flat Leaf Parsley
• 2 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Saute onions until translucent.  Add tomato paste and cook 1-2 minutes more, until paste begins to brown slightly.
2. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping the bottom well.  Then addd the stock, rosemary, and parsley.  Cook until reduced by about half (about 15 minutes).  Remove from heat
3. Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, then return to the pan an stir in the butter to thicken (no heat needed, the sauce will melt the butter)
4. Season to taste and keep warm until ready to serve.

*This is not a TRUE demi glace, but instead a sauce that can easily be made any night of the week.*

Lovers’ Shrimp Skewers with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Serves 2, with left over pesto

• 1/2 tsp. Lemon Zest
• 1 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp. cup Lemon Juice

• 8 Jumbo Shrimp

• Wooden Skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking

• 1 Red Bell Pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 Shallot, chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
• about 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

• Basil, chiffonade (little thin ribbons)

Marinate the Shrimp:

1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients and pour into a resealable bag.  Add shrimp, seal, and shake well for 1 minute.
2. Let marinate for 30 minutes – an hour.  Then remove shrimp from marinade and skewer 2 shrimp in the same direction, then 2 in the other (loosely forming a heart shape).  Reserve until ready to prepare

For the Pesto:

1. In a food processor, combine the roasted pepper, garlic, shallot, and parmesan cheese and process until smooth, being sure to scrape down the sides so that everything is blended.
2. With the food processor still running, stream in the olive oil until the mixture thickens (but you don’t want it too thick)
3. Season to taste with Salt & Pepper, and keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

To prepare:

Heat a grill pan (or BBQ/Grill) over medium high heat.

1. Brush the pan lightly with oil to prevent sticking, and then cook the shrimp about 2-3 minutes per side, cooking shrimp through, but being careful not to over cook (they should be opaque and firm).
2. Spoon some of the pesto onto the plates and spread around into a heart shape.  Then place a skewer of the cooked shrimp (which have hopefully now formed a heart shape) on top of the sauce.  Garnish with some of the chiffonade of basil.

Mixed Greens Salad with Pear & Bleu Cheese

Serves 2

• 3 cups Spring Mix (or your choice of lettuce mix / mixed greens)
• Cherry / Grape / Teardrop Tomatoes
• 4 Tbsp Crumbled Bleu Cheese
• 1/2 Anjou or Bartlett Pear, julienned
• Toasted Pecans, optional

Pear & Raspberry Vinaigrette

• 1/2 Anjou or Bartlett Pear, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. Seedless Raspberry Preserves
• 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence
• about 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• Water or Apple Juice

To Prepare the Vinaigrette:

1. In a blender, combine pear, preserves, lemon juice, and HdP.  Process until smooth.  (You may need to add water or apple juice 1 tsp. at a time if the mixture is too thick)
2. With blender still running, stream in the oil until emulsified and thickened.
3. Season to taste with Salt & Pepper and reserve

For the Salad:

1. Toss Spring Mix, tomatoes, and julienned pears with enough dressing to coat, but not make soggy or overly wet.
2. Cut larger tomatoes in half and arrange on salads, along with some of the toasted pecans.
3. Crumble the bleu cheese over the salads and serve with additional vinaigrette on the side.