Home made Banh Mi

I know, I know, the seedy baguette isn't right but it was what I could find. I made home-made Spicy Lime Mayo, Do Chua and Black Pepper Marinade Pork Loin. Incredibly delicious. In the future I am hoping I can get the "right" bread at the best asian market.

Dinner with Kady

A little blue cheese, sliced pear and crusty bread.

A salad of spring greens and tomatoes with White Balsamic dressing, steamed Mushrooms, Jasmine rice and pan seared Halibut.

Stuffed Tomatoe Salad With Smoked Salmon

Slice Tomatoe almost all the way through but stop just short.

Slice fresh Mozzarella and insert into slices in the Tomatoes.

Insert Fresh Basil leaves and Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings also.

Top with a dressing of Balsamic and Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a small amount of brown sugar for sweetness and to balance the acidity. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Let sit 20 or so minutes to achieve flavor meld.

Add some Smoked Salmon.

Consume with wild abandon.

Oh yeah, Garlic bread goes well on the side.

Spicy crab cake, Ginger Almond Buckwheat Soba and Sesame Chard with mushroom

Yum Yum!

Greek Style Steaks with misc. Grilled Veggies and Herbed Goat Cheese

Slice assorted summer veg into 1/4 inch thick slabs for the grill.

Baste with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic using a sprig of fresh Rosemary as your brush, topping with a sprinkle of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper as they cook.

Remove from grill and allow to cool.

Rub steaks with a mix of 1/3 cup Oregano, 2 tbsp Dill, 1/3 cup Salt, 1/3 cup cracked Pepper and 2 tbsp olive oil. this makes enough for 8-10 lbs meat. save what you dont use in a jar in the fridge.

Grill.

Allow meat to rest.

Slice Baguette.

Spread Goat Cheeseinside Baguette.

Stuff Baguette with misc. grilled summer veg.

Allow veg juices to soak into bread.

Squeeze fresh lemon on top.

Serve with Greek style steak

Goat Cheese and Lemon wedges.

Mustard Lime Steaks - Part Deux

Perfectly Done.

More Steak

Slice some nice Summer Squash and Pattypans up, drizzle with Olive Oil and some S&P. Toss on the grill and watch them turn into succulent morsels of tasty goodness. Slice some homegrown Heirloom Tomatoes and hit them with some fresh cracked Pepper. Grill up some Tri Tip while the squash is relaxing. Serve it all up with some mashed potatoes and a little SUNRYE and you have an excellent dinner for a stormy summer evening.

Marinated Sweet Onions and Tomatoes

Get some good sweet onions.
I chose Walla Walla's.

Slice your onions up. I like the greens too, that's just my preference.

The view from the countertop.

Arrange your onions in a shallow dish so you can dump the marinade over them.

The marinade is:
1 cup mild olive oil
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a blender...

Blend all of the marinade ingredients for 30 seconds in a blender, or beat well with a wire whisk.
It'll look like this.

Dump the marinade over the onions and chill for 1-2 Hours.

To serve, arrange some tomato wedges in a salad bowl. Layer the onions on top and pour extra marinade over. Easy enough. Goes good with Mozzarella too.

Beer Simmered Sausage and Onions

In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with a little oil, fry Onions and Sausage seasoned with a little salt and pepper until onions are carmelized.

Add a light lager beer (dark beers do not reduce well) and butter, simmer until Sausage is cooked thru. Remove onions and reduced beer sauce. Fry Sausage again to recrisp...


Serve with Beer Grilled Onions and Salsa Mashed Potatoes.

This can easily be modified for the barbque or grill... Just grill or smoke sausage and onions toss in a foil tub with beer and butter, recrisp sausage on grill. super easy...

Kalbi again with Caesar Salad and Salsa Mashed Potatoes

Well we have done the Kalbi a couple of times so I will hit you with the mashed potatoe recipe this time... Salt and Pepper then cook 2 lbs halved red potatoes (grill em, steam em, boil em whatever. I prefer grilled) Grill 2, 1" slices of red onion ( 1/2 large red onion) then dice. Dice the other half and leave raw. Mash potatoes with 1 cup light sour cream and 1/2 tsp ground cumin and 1/2 tsp ground Coriander then fold in onions along with chopped cilantro and halved grape tomatoes. Taste. Adjust Salt and Pepper. Serve.

Holy Guacamole

This is my base guacamole recipe...

5 ripe avocados
2 clove garlic, pressed
2 tsp ground cumin
2 ripe medium Roma tomato, chopped
½ Cup minced onion
¼ Cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

And here's how I do it...

Split the avocado, cutting and twisting them apart.

Did I just cut through that seed?

The easiest way to remove the seed is to just give it a good thump sinking your blade deep into it. Then twist and the seed will pop out. Keep in mind you don't want to miss on this step and take off a finger...

Next, scoop out the avocado skins and mash the flesh in a bowl.

After pressing in the garlic and adding the cumin, juice a lime. I usually only do one lime, it'll typically give you + - 2 Tbsp of juice.

Also add your onion. Today I grated my onion instead of chopping or dicing it.

And don't forget the tomato. They're always nice.

Taste it!

Then season. Usually a 3-4 second pour with the salt shaker, and about 80 cranks on the pepper mill for me.

And if you notice... I have no Cilantro! Crap.

Brb, I'm off to the store...

Lookie Lookie what they had at the store.

Riding the crest of a wave breaking just west of Hollywood.

Cumin-Pepper Flank Steak with Red Quinoa Swiss Chard and Chimichurri

Rub your flank steak with Cumin, a little salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.

Make a nice Chimichurri, think Parsley, Garlic, Green Onion, Horseradish, Salt, Pepper, Vinegar and a little Olive Oil. puree till thick and pungent. Steam some Chard. Cook up your Quinoa. Grill your Flank Steak.

Eat.

Pan Grilled Yellowfin with Bok Choy

Cover a beautiful piece of Yellowfin Tuna with Sesame Seeds.

Us a grill pan to sear on both sides. Tuna steak should be pink in the middle and taste sweet.

Nothing like that crap in a can.

Serve on Grilled Bok Choy drizzled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Salt and Pepper.Top with scallions.

Spinach and Mushroom Omelette with Feta

Mix 1 Egg + 3 Egg whites with 1 cup chopped Spinach, 1/2 cup Sliced Mushrooms, Salt and Pepper to taste. Fry in a skillet top with 1 oz. Feta. Cover and cook til eggs are just set.

Rosemary Garlic Chicken

Spray a sheet of foil with cooking spray, throw on some Chicken, top with minced Garlic, fresh chopped Rosemary and S&P to taste. Wrap up and bake at 375 15-20 min.

Serve with steamed Brussel Sprouts. I know, I know. I got lazy so there is no rice or anything. So sue me.

Spinach and Watercress salad with sauted Mushrooms, Onions, Walnuts, thyme, stir fried Pork and Curried Prawns

Saute Mushrooms, Onions and Garlic seasoned graciously with S&P and crushed red pepper.

Deglaze with a little white wine. Toss in some chopped Thyme and some crushed Walnuts.

Stir Fry some thin sliced Pork Chops with S&P. Sautee some Shrimp in Curry and oil.

Throw it all on a bed of Spinach and top with Watercress.

Eat.

Garlic Shrimp and Wilted Spinach Salad

Fry 1 lb fresh veined, shelled Shrimp in a high quality E.V.O. Oil(think fruity) with Garlic, Kosher Salt and fresh cracked Pepper to taste.

Drizzle hot oil on Fresh Spinach. Toss. Top with Garlic Shrimp and fresh Grape Tomatoes.
Serve with Crusty Whole Grain Bread

Garlicky Shrimp and Guacamole Fajitas

Dice a Shallot

Add minced Garlic and several ground Chipotles and a touch of Crushed Red Pepper.

Smash an Avacado into this mixture.


Fry 1 lb fresh veined and shelled Shrimp with Garlic and Kosher Salt and fresh cracked Pepper to taste.

Top Whole Wheat Tortillas with Garlic Guacamole, Garlic Shrimp and the cheese of your choice. I prefer the fat free sharp Cheddar.

Melissa's Salsa Fresca Verde

Even though I lost the salsa competition, I'll willingly accept defeat for this recipe.
(It was the fudge contest I was screwed on!)

Anyway, this salsa has become a staple with fish tacos...

3 c. tomatillo, chopped
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
3 green onions, chopped
1 c. chopped onion
1-1 ½ c. cucumber, chopped (about ½ English)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. oregano
2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 chopped jalapeno, seeded & veined (about 2 Tbsp.)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ c. chopped cilantro