Simple sauteed carrots

Since it's so hot outside and the AC is trying to cool the inside, I don't want to stand over a hot cook top for too long preparing dinner.   Also, with the temperatures soaring past 100 degrees here in Austin, our meals have taken a turn for the LEAN as we are just not that hungry!   In addition to our grilled chicken last night, I blanched some carrots then quickly sauteed them in a little olive oil with salt and pepper.   They were a perfect accompaniment to the arugula and chicken and something I will do more often.

Simple sauteed carrots

Ingredients:

• 6 - 7 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
• 1 T olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:   Peel and diagonally slice the carrots.   Blanche in boiling salted water for 4 minutes and drain well.   In a saute pan over high heat, quickly cook the carrots and season with salt and pepper.   Perfect side dish for many meals!

 with a little olive oil 

our yummy dinner last night

Crisp Sauteed Haricot Verts

My recipe calls for blanching, shocking and sauteing haricot verts in olive oil and caramelized shallots which produces a crisp and delicious side dish.   I finished with a chili infused fleur de sel which you can easily make a home.   You'll never boil your veggies again!

Crisp Sauteed Haricot Verts

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb haricot verts, stems removed
• sea salt
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 large shallot, minced
• chili infused fleur de sel

Directions:   Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt.   In a large bowl, add cold water, ice and salt to shock after blanching.   Add the beans to boiling water and blanch for 5 or 6 minutes.   Remove from the boiling water and plunge them into the salty ice water bath.

blanching in salted boiling water

shocking in salted ice water

caramelizing the shallots

In a saute pan, add olive oil and shallots and cook until caramelized.   Add the cooled beans to the pan and saute until hot, turning to coat.   Transfer to serving platter and garnish with the chili fleur de sel.

Chili Fleur de Sel

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C Fleur de sel (available at Whole Foods)
• 2 T crushed red chilis

Directions:   Combine the fleur de sel and the chilies and place into a glass jar.   After a week the chili's will have infused the salt and it will be ready to use!

Great side dish - Mixed blend rice with artichokes

I think I'm having an artichoke experience as many of my recipes call for this wonderful vegetable.  Obviously I love the taste but I also love how versatile they are.   This is one of my off the cuff recipes where I just started cooking and this is what evolved.   It was delicious so I knew I needed to share...

Mixed blend rice with artichokes

Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large shallot, finely minced
• 1 1/2 C Royal Blend Rice (Texmati white, brown, wild and red)
• 3 C chicken stock
• 1 can artichoke quarters, drained
• salt and pepper

Directions:   In a large saute pan, heat your olive oil over med high heat and saute the shallots until soft, about 5 minutes.   Add the uncooked rice and saute for an additional 3 - 4 minutes or until you hear crackling sounds.   Add the 3 C chicken stock and reduce the heat to med - low.   Add the quartered artichoke hearts and continue to cook until 97% of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.   Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Roasted Broccoli with parmesan and almonds

We like broccoli but I wanted something unique for the summer and this is it!  The lemon zest and juice add a level of freshness, the almonds add texture and the Parmesan add flavor!  We devoured this...  Enjoy

Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan and almonds

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs broccoli
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• Olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 T lemon zest
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1/4 C toasted almonds
• 1/3 C fresh grated Parmesan
• 2 T fresh ribbons of Basil

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the broccoli into small florets, with about an inch of stalk, and no more, rendering about 8 C. Place broccoli on a sheet pan and toss the garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 20 minutes until tender but crisp.

Remove from the oven and immediately toss with a little additional olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, toasted almonds, Parmesan and basil.

Panzanella Salad - perfect for the summer!

Went to a cooking demo at Whole Foods last week and had an incredible meal prepared by Chef Josh Watkins, Executive Chef of The Carillon here in Austin.   He made a Panzanella Salad where he grilled the Focaccia Bread, cubed it and put it into the salad.   YUM!   I have added a few things to make it my own, and here is my version.

Grilled Panzanella Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 large loaf Focaccia Bread
• 4 heirloom Tomatoes, diced
• 1 shallot, diced fine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 T fresh basil, chopped into ribbons
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions: Slice the Focaccia bread and drizzle with olive oil. Mark on a hot grill on both sides until slightly charred and slightly toasted. Cut into 1 inch cubes and set aside. Dice your tomatoes and if you cannot find heirloom, using vine ripened red and yellow tomatoes will work. Place in large bowl. Add your diced shallots, minced garlic, chopped thyme and basil ribbons, toss.  Season with salt and pepper. Add the Focaccia bread cubes and then finally toss with a little olive oil and serve immediately.

Fluffiest Mashed Potatoes

In 2004 my family was chosen to host an episode of a Food Network cooking show called Food 911 with Chef Tyler Florence. From 6 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. that evening, my home was transformed into a gourmet kitchen studio with cameras, lighting, a crew, producers, stagers and Chef Florence. I had a blast cooking side by side with Tyler and we presented a great menu. One of the techniques I still use today are the mashed potatoes recipe. We made them last night as a side dish to grilled rosemary lamb chops and I knew I'd have to share!

Fluffiest Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 head garlic, top sliced off
• 3 sprigs Thyme
• 6 to 8 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 T salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 C milk
• 1/2 stick butter
• pepper

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, combine milk, butter, head of garlic, thyme, bay leaf and salt. Heat over low heat until butter melts and milk warms.  The longer you warm it, the more garlic taste it has! Meanwhile, put potatoes in large pot covered with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until they are fork tender, about 20 - 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and while still warm, press them through a potato ricer or food mill into a mixing bowl. Slowly add the warm milk mixture, leaving the garlic, thyme and bay leaf in the pan. Stir to incorporate, adding a little milk mixture at a time until fluffy. Season with pepper and serve immediately.

NOTE: I added some chopped fresh thyme to my potatoes as well as fresh chives! YUMMY!

Fluffy Mashed Potatoes with rosemary grilled Lamb Chops and artichokes.

Myself, Tyler Florence, Caitlin, my Mom, Emma as a baby and Lindsey - Feb 2004

Guest Recipe from Christchurch, New Zealand

Facebook is a great networking tool - and it's given me the opportunity to re-connect with many classmates from England. One of those classmate, Gary Miller, is a Chef living in New Zealand. He has graciously sent me one of his recipes to share on my blog - thanks Gary!!!

Chef Gary Miller's Savory Goats Cheese Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Baguettes cubes into pieces
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• 1 T Thyme, fresh and chopped
• 1 1/2 C. Goats Cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/4 C. milk
• 1 C heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat your oven to 395 degrees.  In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk and cream and whisk together. In a separate large bowl, combine your bread cubes, onion, thyme, goats cheese together. Add the egg mixture and using your hands, mix together until all the liquid is absorbed (it should resemble sloppy paste). Salt and pepper to taste.  Scoop into suitable containers that have been sprayed with cooking spray for baking. Gary uses mini loaf tins and I used a Yorkshire Pudding cup style tin. Bake for 12 minutes or until a skewer comes clean when inserted into loaf. Allow to cool slightly before removing.

Gary states that this goes really well with Duck Breast or any red game meat.   His image below is currently on his menu... Seared Canterbury Duck Breast served with warm Goats Cheese Pudding, Petite Citrus Salad, Pinot Noir reduction and Citrus butter sauce.

Gary Miller has worked as a chef in Five Star and Michelin Star restaurants and hotels in London and held the post of Executive Chef of New Zealand's Christchurch Casino from its opening in 1994 through early 2008. He is currently the Vice President of The New Zealand Chefs Association, www.nzchefs.org.nz  The Business Manager for the New Zealand Culinary Team who over the last nine years has won many awards and accolades to international worked ranking culinary competitions.

Gary is also Consultant Chef for Silver Fern Farms, New Zealand's premiere meat processing and export company. Gary can be seen demonstrating how to cook New Zealand's finest lamb at this link: http://www.silverfernfarms.co.nz/Our-Products/For-you-at-home/Cook-with-us.asp

Gary says "food is all about enjoyment, enjoyment of the meal, enjoyment of sharing with family and friends and the enjoyment of knowing that your work brings pleasure to others."

He currently works at Octagon Live Restaurant in Christchurch, New Zealand where music, entertainment and food are brought together to create a complete dining and entertainment package. www.octagonlive.co.nz

Artichokes - Amazingly easy and delicious!

Artichokes are great!   They're easy to prepare, easy to cook and look fantastic served.   We eat them all the time when they're in season.  We always serve with a side of our homemade dipping sauce which I've included in this post but you can use your imagination and create something just as delicious.

Steamed Artichokes with dipping sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 fresh artichokes, prepped 
• water
• salt and pepper
• lime juice

Directions:   In a large pot with liner, add enough salted water to give the artichokes a good steam, but not covered.   To prep the artichokes, remove any bottom leaves that are damaged and then trim the stem.   With scissors, snip the tip of each leaf off, as much as you want, removing the sharp tip.   Additionally, trim the top of each artichoke about 1/2 inch.   Place in pot, salt and pepper and give then give them a squeeze of lime juice and steam until tender, 15-20 minutes.

While the artichokes are steaming, prepare your sauce...

Ingredients:

• 1 T butter, melted
• 2 T lime juice
• 1/2 C prepared Mayonnaise
• 1 t. Cavendar's Seasoning
• 1 T Parmesan cheese

Melt butter and let cool for a minute or two then add the remaining ingredients and whisk until blended together.

Once artichokes are steamed, plate with the sauce on the side and what your family devour them!

Simple Side: Herb Roasted New Potatoes

Herb Roasted New Potatoes, a simple yet delicious side that I have forgotten about.   With the emergence of spring, my herb garden is showing signs of life though covered with Live Oak leaves.   I was able to cut a handful of thyme and rosemary... an excellent combination!

Herb Roasted New Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 16 - 18 red new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
• 2 T olive oil
• your choice fresh herbs, chopped finely
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.   Scrub and quarter your new potatoes and place in a roasting pan.   Drizzle with olive oil.   Finely chop your herbs and garlic and add to the potatoes.   Salt and pepper to taste and toss to evenly coat potatoes.   Place in oven and roast 35-45 minutes until potatoes are tender but have that delicious roasted crush.