Spork or Foon?

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

 

The first time I ever heard of Buffalo Chicken Pizza was a few years back. A friend of mine was raving about it. I thought it was disgusting and slightly judged him. As an Italian, how could he like something that so bastardized pizza? This is sacred!!! 

Now, I see buffalo chicken pizza everywhere. And it never bothered me any less than it did that day. Why? Why would you do such a thing? I've seen all types of pizza - I mean, really, I live in the pizza mecca of the United States: New York City (sorry, Chicago, but it's true). I've seen pizza with ziti on it. Pizza with pineapple (gross. I mean, really. Just gross.) and at Pizza Hut in London (don't judge, I was in college, and it was a weekly thing while we studied abroad), even corn on pizza. But for some reason, nothing bothered me as much as buffalo chicken on pizza.

Until Sunday. 

Sunday, the day that would live in caloric infamy for me. The day I stuffed my face with nachos, and yes, pizza. Because this was RIDICULOUS. 

Some things get me really excited when I am able to mock familiarity. For example, I play the piano. I am not a great piano player by any means, but I used to be very good. Now, I get by. But when I start to play a song and I hear that familiar chord that I have heard played so many times before by others, but now I have played it myself, I start to squeal with excitement. 

And this is how I felt when I successfully made the buffalo sauce for this chicken.

I kid you not. It's sad, I know. But when that buffalo smell hit my nose and slightly made me want to sneeze from the spices, I started jumping up and down from excitement, and stuck my nose back in the pan to smell again. 

I tossed the chicken in the sauce, placed it atop my pizza crust, popped it in the oven, and waited with breathless anticipation.  I chopped up some celery, to add some positive nutritional value (they say that celery has negative calories, which of course is a big fat lie told by big fat liars, but if you want to believe that, then you can say that the celery cancels out the cheese calories of this pizza) and drizzled some blue cheese dressing atop the pizza.

HEA. VEN.  My Italian friend earned his Italian card back, because this pizza transcends nationalities. It is just goodness in every single bite. And SO easy to make. And SO perfect for a Super Bowl party food. 

 

 

BUFFAL CHICKEN PIZZA

• 1 lb package of chicken breasts
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup hot sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot, because they have the best slogan ever. I love the ad geniuses that came up with the little old lady sayin "I put that sh*t on everything.")
• 1 celery stick, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing (you can use more if you'd like)
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pre-made store-bought pizza crust

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet or pizza stone with parchment paper. 

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium-large saute pan over medium high heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper, and cook until cooked through, about 7 minutes.  Set aside and let cool slightly.

In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add worchestershire sauce and hot sauce and combine.  Remove from heat. 

Cut chicken into pieces (I cut them into 2" cubes).  Toss in hot sauce.  Set aside. 

Place pre-made pizza on baking sheet or pizza stone.  Top with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Top with chicken.  Place in oven and bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 18 minutes.  Remove from oven. Top with blue cheese dressing and celery. Serve immediately. 

 

 

Surf and Turf - Scallops with Filet Mignon, Caramelized Shallots and Grilled Corn

 

 

This is a dish that was born from the fact that I REALLY DIDNT WANT TO COOK DINNER the other night.  Jack had been out of town for a few days, I was sick (and I never get sick), and it snowed for the first time since Halloween (that sounds so weird).  

 When Jack got home, I was so thrilled to see him. I hate it when he is away, because I love him (I know, don't groan, it's gross), but I hated it even more because we had to put Remy in boarding at doggy daycare in NJ while he was gone. So it was a total family reunion. We were happy, laughing and petting Remy and Jack looked at me and goes "So what are you making for dinner?"

"I think you should cook for me tonight," I said. 

What was flowers and roses and unicorns and ponies, turned into a full on 5-year-old temper tantrum, complete with foot stomping and arms flailing (we are 30 years old, mind you). "What do you MEAN I should cook?" Jack asked incredulously, his voice getting higher and higher pitched with each syllable. 

"I mean that you never cook for me and I think you should cook for me - I'm sick!" 

"No, no, no, no, no!" Jack whined (I am not kidding). "Can't we cook together?"

"Jack, seriously, why do I always have to cook?"

"Because you're the cook!" 

"OK, but you can cook, too!"

"But I don't like cooking!" (at this point, his voice was at a high-F).

"If you don't cook, then I guess we're not eating."

I finally got him to agree on cooking and we went to the supermarket to pick up a few things. He wanted scallops and corn, so I suggested adding some filet mignon (I had some in the fridge from the day before) and other accoutrements. We got home, went into the kitchen, and I started cooking. 

Yes, you read that right. I started cooking. And it wans't even a conversation. I just started slicing the shallots, pulling out ingredients, and cooking. At least Jack hung out with me in the kitchen while I cooked. That made me happy. 

This is why I will never win these arguments. I can't help myself. I don't want anyone else to cook but me. 

Damn me!!! 

But let's talk about the dish a little - it was AMAZING. I had no idea what I was doing when I was putting it together, but it came together SO beautifully, and the addition of the filet mignon just REALLY brought this dish to another level. Sweet caramelized shallots mixed with corn, tender bay scallops, juicy filet mignon and a delicious broth just really made this dish one for the books.  

This is a perfect Valentine's day dinner that holds a core relationship lesson at its heart - I think? Something about comprimise? Selflessness? Giving back? Maybe?

I still don't get how I ended up cooking. 

SURF AND TURF - SCALLOPS WITH FILET MIGNON, CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS AND GRILLED CORN

Serves 2

1 8 oz beef tenderloin, trimmed

1/3 lb bay scallops (or if you want to splurge, diver scallops)

1 tbsp sherry

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup vegetable stock (you can just use 1/2 cup chicken or veg stock if you don't have both)

1/2 cup corn (I used canned corn (GASP! I know! But it's January!)

3 tbsp heavy cream, divided

2 shallots, sliced thin

3 tbsp butter, divided

1/4 cup diced baby bella mushrooms

2 tsp sweet paprika

chives, for garnish

1 tbsp thyme, chopped

Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Let brown (the butter will smell wonderfully nutty), but be careful not to burn it. Turn heat to medium lower and add the shallots. Cook until caramelized (this takes me about 10 minutes or so), stirring often so they do not burn. Raise heat to medium and add corn, thyme and paprika.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, until corn is warmed through, then add 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter over medium high heat. Season tenderloin well with salt and pepper. When skillet it hot, place tenderloin on skillet and let cook to medium rare (I usually cook it between 4-6 minutes a side, depending on the size of the tenderloin. For an 8-oz, it's usually closer to 6 minutes, but trust your judgement!).  Remove from skillet and let rest. 

Deglaze pan with sherry, scraping up all of the bits from the bottom.  Add stocks and 1 tbsp heavy cream and let come to a simmer.  Add chopped mushrooms and reduce slightly. Cook until mushrooms are tender (about 5 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Dry the scallops using a paper towel. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add scallops and cook until just cooked through, about 2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To Assemble:

Spoon 1-2 tbsp broth in the middle of the dish. Top with 1/3 cup corn/shallot mixture. Slice tenderloin and place 1/2 of sliced tenderloin atop the corn. Top with scallops. Sprinkle with diced chives. Repeat with other dish. Serve Immediately.

Sea Urchin (Uni) Pasta

I LOVE UNI. 

Love it. Can drink it with a straw. I know it really freaks some people out, but honestly NOMNOMNOM to Uni.

Jack and I hae been talking about making this dish ever since we saw Anthony Bourdain eat it on No Reservations in the Food Porn episode. Sexy Eric Ripert, Chef extraordinaire of Le Bernadin created this dish that actually isn't on the menu and apparently costs a fortune. 

Since that day, Jack and I swore that we would find Uni and make an uni pasta. A few weeks back, we dined at Marea, a phenomenal seafood restaurant in Manhattan helmed by Chef Michael White, who also had a sea urchin pasta. It may be the single best plate of pasta I have ever eaten. 

The next day, we were online looking for Sea Urchin. Luckily, Citerally, the supermarket around the corner from our apartment, sold it. In we went, and man, did we give those fishmongers (love that word) a run for their money. We had NO IDEA what actually was in those spiny little shells. They told us "Four or five strips of uni." OK, but what's a strip? How much does it weigh. We were informed that each only weight about 1/2 an ounce. 

So we bought 20. Wiped them clean. That's how we do it. 

I was so excited to open up the pretty box they put them in to find this. 

 I was tempted to eat it straight, but I refrained. Jack found a video in Italian of a woman making Uni pasta, so I just followed her directions. Saute lots of garlic, add parsley, add uni, serve. 

Done and done. 

The sauce was rich and creamy and delicious. We topped it with some grilled jumbo shrimp (I wish I could call them prawns. It sounds so much more elegant.) and enjoyed our pasta. 

I must say, though, that I smacked my head and realized how much of an idiot I am, because I have the Le Bernadin cookbook with the recipe for Eric Ripert's Sea Urchin pasta. 

Looks like it's back to the store to wipe them out of urchin once again. 

Sea Urchin Pasta with Grilled Shrimp

serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons shallots, minced (about 2)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup of dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 4 ounces sea urchin (12 to 18 whole urchins)
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound large shrimp
• 1 box bucatini (or other thick pasta)

Directions

Set water in a pot over medium high heat to boil. Sprinkle water with salt. When boiling, cook the pasta to al dente (follow cooking time recommendation on package)

In a 9-inch saute pan over medium-high heat sweat shallots, garlic, hot pepper and oregano in the olive oil. About 2 minutes, until limp. Add wine and chicken stock, reduce this by half. Add sea urchin, cooking for 30 seconds. Whisk in butter, chunk at a time, breaking up urchins as you mix. Add parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Add lobster at the last minute. Toss in sauce, and the pour over bucatini. Toss with spaghetti. 

French Laundry Duck Roulade

Can we just talk for a second about the fact that Jack made this?

Jack. My fiance. The one who used to cook but refuses to cook anymore because he says that I am such a good cook that why should he cook?

The same Jack that, when he cooks for himself, he won't make any extra for me because I won't eat what he makes (it's true. It's pasta or something and I try to avoid pasta unless they are awesome, because I have a slow metabolism). But yet he'll get so mad at me when I ask for a bite because Jack doesn't share food?

Can we just talk about how impressive that is?

This is a dish from the French Laundry Cookbook and it is, in a word, divine. Duck is wrapped with greens, placed in a wonderful broth of  cream, corn and chives and topped with tender mushrooms. 

Jack needs to cook more. 

Duck Roulade - Adapted from The French Laundry Cookbook

Serves 4

• 1 whole duck breast
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 4-5 large chard leaves
• 6-10 fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup duck demi-glace
• 1 minced shallot
• 1 tablespoon minced chives 
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• 1/2 pound  potatoes
• 1/4 cup cream

1. Blanch the chard or cabbage leaves in a large pot of salty boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Pull them out and plunge them into a large bowl of ice water. Let them cool a few minutes and drain on a clean cloth towel.
2. Make the roulade. Trim the duck breasts of all sinew and skin and veins, then put them between two pieces of wax paper. Gently pound the thicker end of the breast with a meat mallet or empty wine bottle until it is about the same thickness as the skinny end of the breast.
3. Peel and chop the potatoes into large pieces. Boil in lightly salted water. 
4. Trim the edges of the breasts to get a rectangular shape. Generously salt and pepper them, then sprinkle on the allspice.
5. Lay out the cabbage or chard leaves on a cutting board and remove the ribs with a sharp knife.
6. Pull out a piece of plastic wrap about 15-20 inches long and lay it flat on a counter.
7. Lay out the chard leaf flat on another part of the counter. You want pieces large enough to wrap a rolled duck breast in one layer. If your leaves are too small, overlap them. This will make rolling a little harder, but you can still do it.
8. Tightly roll the duck breast lengthwise into a long cylinder. Place it on the chard leaf, then gently roll the leaf around the breast. Make sure it goes all the way around.
9. Pick up the roll gently and place it — seam side down — on the plastic wrap in a spot that is closer to you than the center of the wrap. Tightly roll the plastic wrap around the roulade.
10. To seal, twist one end of the wrap away from you until that end of the roulade is tightly sealed. Twist the opposite end of the plastic wrap toward you. Tie the ends of the wrap together over the center of the roulade. If you want, you can make these roulades several hours in advance and keep them in the fridge.
11. To assemble the dish, make sure your mashed potatoes, scorzonera or parsnips are done. Basically you cook them until soft, mash them with a fork or potato masher, run them through a ricer or food mill if you want a finer texture, then mix in 2 tablespoons butter and the cream. Taste for salt and add if needed. Keep warm on very low heat.
12. Now poach the duck. Get a saute pan with high sides, or a pot large enough to fit the roulades, and put enough water in to submerge them. Bring it to a bare simmer, about 190 degrees. Turn off the heat and drop the roulades in — the water will still be hot enough to poach them. Leave them in the water for 10 minutes.
13. Meanwhile, make the shiitake and sauce. Heat the demi-glace in a small pot until it steams.
14. Get a saute pan hot over high heat. Add the fresh mushrooms and dry-saute them until they release their water, stirring often. When most of the mushrooms’ water is gone, add a pinch of salt, the remaining butter and shallot and saute for 2-3 minutes.
15. Add half the demi-glace and let it boil down to almost a glaze.
16. Remove the roulades from the poaching water and gently take off the plastic wrap. Using your sharpest knife, slice them into stout cylinders. In a shallow bowls, pour in little pools of the remaining demi-glace, then top with a dollop of the mashed scorzonera. Place a piece of the roulade on top.
17. Mix in the parsley and garlic chives into the mushrooms, and place a little on top of the roulade. Serve at once.

Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas and Feta

This may be one of the most fun dishes to eat. I think anything that gives you an excuse to just tear into it with your hands is worthy of making. Tomatoes are simmer with chickpeas and sprinkled with feta, and then topped with eggs and baked in an oven. 

And then, you feast. no plating. No cutlery. Just your hands, and food. How it was always meant to be. 

This dish is healthy and so incredibly delicious. I honestly don't believe that healthy food has to be boring. You don't need to eat steamed chicken and asparagus every day. You can play around. You can have FLAVOR! Flavor is ok! 

Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas and Feta adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 jalapeños, seeded, finely chopped
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 3 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices reserved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup coarsely crumbled feta
• 8 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Warm pita bread

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeños; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add chickpeas, paprika, red pepper flakes (optional) and cumin and cook for 2 minutes longer.

 Add crushed tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle feta evenly over sauce. Crack eggs one at a time and place over sauce, spacing evenly apart. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 5–8 minutes. Garnish with parsley and cilantro. Serve with pita for dipping.

 

 

Steamed Sole with Butternut Squash Sauce and Rock Shrimp

Happy New Year!  To start the New Year off right, let's start off with a healthy recipe, shall we?

After all of the holiday indulgences, it's time to lighten up with this incredible, so-good-I-can't-believe-it-doesn't-have-cream-or-butter dish.  Harold Dieterle, the winner of Top Chef Season 1 actually won the 1st Top Chef Challenge ever.  The challenge of the episode, titled "Who Deserves to Be Here", was to basically cook a fantastic meal to serve to your peers.  Harold won with this dish - a steamed Thai Snapper atop braised Brussel sprout leaves and a butternut squash puree topped with chanterelle mushrooms and rock shrimp.

I made this dish a few years back (please click here and laugh at the photo) and forgot how good it was.  I revisted it a little bit - changing out the snapper for sole (whenever I get snapper, it is filled with bones. I'm not sure why. I'm not a fishmonger (I love that word, I use it whenever I get the chance), actually found Rock Shrimp (and WOW are they flavorful), and omitted the chanterelle mushrooms, which I can never find fresh. 

This dish is a snap (get it? snap? Snapper?... Anyone?) to throw together and it is so incredibly satisfying. When I say that you won't believe that it is healthy, I'm not kidding. The sauce is rich and thick and bursting with the rich, sweet flavor of butternut squash. 

Steamed Sole adapted from Top Chef Season 1: Episode One

Serves 4

4 fillets Lemon Sole

Sauce:
1 butternut squash
1 cup chicken broth
2 piece garlic
2 shallots

 Vegetables:

1 cup brussels sprouts leaves
2  oz. rock Shrimp
2 teaspoon chives 
2 teaspoon parsley

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste.

Directions:

Skin and dice butternut squash for 15 minutes at 375°. 

Sweat garlic and shallots in 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat while butternut squash is roasting. When squash is done, add squash meat. Cover with chicken stock and simmer 10 minutes. Let cool and then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Peel brussel sprout leaves (from fresh brussel sprouts) from bulbs. Sweat leaves in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium low heat until golden brown, add shrimp. Cook 2 minutes. Add parsley and chives.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Season sole with salt and pepper.  Steam sole for 5 minutes. 

Quick and Easy Dinner - Cider Glazed Chicken with Apple Fennel Salad

Here's another quick and easy dinner. Juicy, tender baked chicken topped with an apple cider glaze, accompanied by a side salad of thinly sliced Granny Smith Apples and fennel in a delightful shallot and apple vinaigrette.  A wonderful quick, easy, healthy Fall dinner. 

Wow, is that really all I'm writing today? You must be thanking the stars above!  Don't get used to it! I've got some doozies coming up! :) 

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 3/4 lb. total)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple
• 1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed into a powder, or Dijon Mustard
• 5 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 cups mixed baby lettuces
• 1/2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced lengthwise with a mandoline or sharp knife

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; set aside. Cut 1 small slice from apple; finely chop to make 1 Tbsp. minced apple. Transfer minced apple to a small bowl. Add shallot to bowl. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar and mustard. Let mixture macerate for 10 minutes. Whisk in 3 Tbsp. oil; season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.

 Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until cooked through, 12–14 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, reserving skillet; set aside.

 Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add cider, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan; boil until liquid is reduced by half, 2–3 minutes. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. vinegar. Remove pan from heat and swirl in butter. Season cider sauce with salt and set aside.

 Thinly slice remaining apple and transfer to a medium bowl; add lettuces and fennel. Drizzle some vinaigrette over, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Divide salad and chicken among plates; spoon sauce over chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

This is an incredibly quick and easy salad that is going to result in an incredibly quick and easy post (I swear!)

This salad takes all of 5 minutes to make and is definitely going to make an appearance at my Thanksgiving dinner this year. The crisp kale, shaved brussels sprouts, toasted almonds, and sweet, chewy bing cherries coated with a delicious vinaigrette with hints of mustard and lemon make an incredibly dynamic salad that serves as a side or a meal. 

Did you know that Kale is a cruciferous vegetable?  I have no idea what that means, but I bet it means crunchy. 

Actually, I just looked it up and apparently it means "bearing a cross" or "belonging to the cruciferae, the mustard family of plants".

I like my definition better. 

I know, you're bored by all of this science talk. It's like the Friends Episode "The One that Could Have Been" where Monica's boyfriend talks about nuts.

Monica's Boyfriend: Yeah. Y’know, the hazelnut actually not a nut, it’s a seed.

Joey: (not impressed) Wow!!

Monica's Boyfriend: Can anyone else name a well known seed that’s been masquerading as a nut?

Joey: Oh dear God, let me think. (Starts to sarcastically think about it.)

Monica's Boyfriend: Y’know what honey? I got to get back to the hospital.

Monica: Okay.

Monica's Boyfriend: (kisses her) Okay.

Monica: Bye.

Monica's Boyfriend: Bye-bye. (Gets up to leave.) Oh uh, by the way, the answer is, the Brazil nut. (Exits.)

Chandler: Was his question "What’s more boring than him?"

OK, I need to stop quoting Friends for everything in my life. But it's just always so apt! 

Click Here for the recipe! 

 

Top Chef Dale Talde's Iron Grilled Cheese and Filet Mignon with a Smoky Tomato Soup

First of all - I always want to add an "e" to smokey, which makes me want to add an "e" to tomato.  It's the Dan Quayle effect.

Sooo... it's been a while, huh? Life takes you in some pretty crazy directions.  I was working a job where I basically ate, slept and breathed that job (albeit, a pretty amazingly awesome job with some pretty amazingly awesome people), but I have taken a new position where I hopefully have a bit more of some work life balance and some more time to blog!

Aren't you all so excited?!?!?  More me and my long-winded posts!!!

How about I try to keep this one short, hmm?

Do you remember the episode from Top Chef All-Stars in which the cheftestants (I miss that word) had to cook using only food they found at Target (TARGET!! Or as I like to say "Tar-JAY") and Dale won by grilling a grilled cheese in which he added rib eye steak with AN IRON.

Funnily enough, in the directions for this soup, it still tells you to make this at home by grilling it with AN IRON.

Listen, as great as that sounds, I don't want my grilled cheese tasting like spray starch. Or worse, having my shirts smell like grilled cheese.

I know the photo is bad, but it's been a while since I've blogged, so I've forgotten how to set up a shot. And to be honest, I actually kind of accidentally dropped the sandwich in the soup, and when I took it out, it looked like a hot mess, so I had to just put it in and let it look like that.

Anyways...

This one is SO simple. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, smokey chipotle Tabasco sauce, some half and half. Blend. And you've got a creamy, complex soup, where the smokey chipotle and its subtle spices dance on your tongue. And don't even get me started on this sandwich. Cripsy bread, touched ever so lightly with butter, filled with ooey gooey cheese and (in my case, because I don't like ribeye), tender, juicy pieces of filet mignon are absolutely to die for. I normally don't like grilled cheese, because I don't like cheesy things ...besides my writing. BA DUM CHAAAAA.

Anyone?

Whomp, whomp.

Dale Talde's Smoky Tomato Soup and a Grilled Cheese and Filet Mignon Sandwich.

Serves 4

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can whole peeled tomatoes (preferable San Marzano)

1/4 cup Half and Half (or you can use heavy cream)

1 tablespoon smoky chipotle Tabasco

8 oz. Filet Mignon

Cheese (any kind you like - I used fontina)

Bread (again, any kind you like, I used a whole wheat boule)

Butter to spread on bread

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Olive Oil

For the soup

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. When glistening, add chopped onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add whole peeled tomatoes and half and half and lower heat to medium.  Cook over medium heat for 7 minutes, add smoky Tabasco.  Carefully transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste

For the Sandwich

Season filet mignon with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add filet mignon and cook to medium rare, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and let rest.

Butter outside of bread lightly. Slice cheese and lay on slices of bread. When readdy, slice filet mignon into thin slices and arrange on top of cheese. Assemble sandwich and cook either in panini press or on griddle until cheese is melted and bread is crispy.

Serve with soup immediately.

 

 

 

The World's Most Amazing Shrimp Burgers

 

(These burgers are actually titled "Puerto Vallarta Shrimp Burgers", but I don't know why. I don't know anything about Puerto Vallarta, except for the fact that they used to give away a trip to Puerto Vallarta on, like, every episode of Wheel of Fortune in the 80s and 90s. )

I love using sensationalistic titles like this. And using words like "sensationalistic". Is that a real word? Who knows. But I like it. Holla.

I like to workout and eat healthy. I like to change up my workouts. Elliptical. Spin class. Run a few miles. I love cardio.  But what I hate is doing weights.  So I find Jillian Michael's 30 day shred to be perfect for me.  I do a 40 minute cardio workout, and then come home and do Jillian's 20 minute circuit training. 

But a wrench is always thrown in my plan, as I have two obstacles that stop me from maximizing this workout. 

Their names are Jack and Remy.

As soon as I lay down my purple yoga mat and turn my back to prep the DVD player, Remy makes herself comfortable right on my mat and then looks at me like I am the one bothering HER when I ask her to get up. And forget about getting on the ground to do abs.  As soon as my back hits the floor, she takes it as an excuse to lick my face as if it was slathered with peanut butter.

And then there is Jack, who often wants to read the newspaper on the couch while I am working out and gives the play by play of what is going on. Say Jillian says something like, "I want you to feel like you are going to die," Jack then needs to say, "Wow, she's a bit crazy, no?"  Or he willl just spontaneously jump up next to me and mock my movement and say in a bouncy, mocking tone "And one! And two! OK! Work it out! Oh yeah! We're working!" causing me to feign mock anger when all I want to do is burst out laughing. 

So, when I feel like I haven't gotten the best workout, I can still rest assured that I can eat these burgers and not feel guilty. I can't even explain how good these burgers are. Seriously. UGH. I love them.  Shrimp is pureed and then mixed with spicy jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and garlic, and then studded with bits of whole strimp, and finally topped with a creamy avocado aioli with just the right amount of heat. Eat them on a bun, or, they are seriously just as satisfying sandwiched between two crisp pieces of Boston lettuce. Just do it.

You know you want it!

Shrimp Burgers - Adapted from Chef Marcela

Ingredients

• For the shrimp burgers:
• 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped white onion
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• Whole wheat rolls, split in half
• 2 plum tomatoes, sliced
• 6 boston lettuce leaves (or any lettuce you'd like :)) lettuce leaves
• For the avocado aioli:
• 1 Haas avocado, halved, seeded and peeled
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

To make the shrimp burgers:Divide the shrimp in half. Coarsely chop one half and set aside. Put remaining half in a food processor and grind to a coarse puree. Add egg, cilantro and garlic to processor. Process until smooth. Sprinkle mixture with breadcrumbs and process again. Transfer contents of food processor to a large bowl. Add coarsely chopped shrimp, jalapeno and onion. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix well. Chill for 15 minutes. Form patties or "burgers" and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet. When very hot, fry the shrimp burgers until golden, about 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Drain on paper towels.

To make the avocado aioli:Scoop the avocado pulp into the bowl of a food processor. Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic cloves, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Check and adjust seasoning.

To assemble:Serve shrimp burgers on buns, topped with a dollop of avocado aioli, sliced tomato and lettuce.

Serving Size

Yield: 6 servings; prep time: 20 minutes; cook time: 6 to 8 minutes