Cherrystone Clams Shrimp and Chorizo

On 05/02/2012 (Sunday) at 4:56 pm by Benny.
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Details

• Prep Time:
  5 min
• Cook Time:
  12-15 min
• Ready Time:
  17 min

Ingredients

• 5 cherryystone clams
• 4 large shrimp
• 1/2 cup diced chorizo sausage
• olive oil
• knob of butter
• sliced scallions
• toasted crusty bread

Directions

Start by washing you clams to make sure they are clean, do the same for the shrimp shell off tails on clean out the digestive track (sh%^t sack really). and butterfly  the shrimp so it sits up in the pan.

Using a large pan olive oil in the bottom then arrange the clams and shrimp like I did i. Now sprinkle the diced Chorizo sausage around and into a 400 degree oven. After 5 min add the knob of butter. Roast until the clams pop open and take out right away.

Add some sliced scallion and eat with some nice crusty bread. You will want to sop up all that lovely broth the clams have made so so good!

Enjoy

Benny

Stuffed Baby Eggplants

On 12/08/2011 (Friday) at 3:20 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/3ha9njs

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Details

• Prep Time:
  10 min
• Cook Time:
  20 min
• Ready Time:
  30 min

Ingredients

• 4 baby eggplants

Filling

• 1/2 pound ground beef or lamb
• one cup chopped walnuts
• one cup chopped onions
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• one cup of cherry tomatoes or chopped tomato
• the scooped out insides of the 4 eggplants
• teaspoon of cinnamon
• oilve oil and a knob of butter
• kosher salt

Bechamel Sauce

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons AP Flour
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk use hot milk for the recipe
• one egg yolk
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• tablespoon grated sharp dry cheese
• kosher salt to taste

Directions

First you need to prepare the eggplants by cutting off the top  third of each eggplant (lengthwise) and then scooping out the seeds and as much filling as you can. Leave about 1/4″ wall all the way around and be careful not to puncture through the skin  (see photo). Once all of them are cleaned and prepped, set them aside and prepare the filling.

In a hot pan, add the olive oil, knob of butter, ground beef (or lamb), walnuts, chopped onion, garlic, tomato, cinnamon  and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook everything together for about 10-15 min until the mixture comes together and thickens. Set aside to cool slightly.

Next, prepare the bechamel sauce by starting with a roux which simply combines the butter and flour together  in a sauce pan. Using a whisk, make sure that both are mixed well together and there are no lumps. Allow this to cook for a few minutes and then begin adding the hot milk into the roux a little at a time until it is all incorporated.

Remove from the heat then add a pinch of salt, the nutmeg and grated cheese and whisk together again. Add a little of this  milk mixture into the egg yolk to temper it (bring it up to temperature), and then pour this back into the pan with the rest of the sauce.  Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens and then check again for seasoning. Once thickened, set aside but keep this mixture warm.

Take each baby eggplant and spoon in your meat filling leaving a little indentation in the middle as you can see in the photos. Place them into your baking dish and then generously pour the bechamel sauce on top of each one and bake in a 400°F oven until the bechamel sauce is bubbling and golden brown on top, about 10 minutes or so.

Benny

Tomato Salad with goat cheese, pancetta and walnuts

On 10/02/2011 (Thursday) at 6:36 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/6l459v8

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Details

• Prep Time:
  10 min
• Cook Time:
  3 min
• Ready Time:
  13 min

Ingredients

• one pound or so compari tomatoes or any tomato of your choice
• handful toasted walnuts
• one cup rendered pancetta
• Panko bread crumbs
• fresh chopped chives

Dressing:

• 50/50 olive oil and balsamic vinegar blend together

Herb Goat Cheese

• one cup fresh goat cheese
• one tablespoon olive oil
• any fresh herbs of your choice chopped finley and blended with the goat cheese to taste I used chives

Directions

Begin by rendering the pancetta by cutting it into lardons and frying it until almost crisp and set aside.
Now prepare the goat cheese panko fried balls, form the herb goat cheese into a melon ball size, dredge in egg wash and roll in panko and fry at 375 degrees for about a min until golden brown and set aside.

Now to assemble cut the tomato into ¼ inch size pieces scatter on the plate, followed by scattering the walnuts, then plate 3 fried goat cheese balls as shown in the photo, followed by the walnuts, pancetta and finish with the chives then spoon the dressing over and ENJOY!

This one will bring a tomato salad to a whole new place. Perfect light lunch of make a half portion for a starter.

Benny

Step by step in photos here >>

About Benny

Passion for healthy amazing food. I am on crusade to get kids eat better and people in general learning how to cook for themselves. If I here that McDonald’s is cheaper than eating homemade I will prove anyone wrong.

Miso Glazed Eggplant

On 10/02/2011 (Thursday) at 5:19 pm by Benny.
Tiny Url for this recipe → http://tinyurl.com/5wsm8rq

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Details

• Prep Time:
  14 min
• Cook Time:
  18 min
• Ready Time:
  32 min

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sake (may substitute dry vermouth or white wine)
• 4 tablespoons mellow white miso (reduced sodium, if available)
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 4 Japanese eggplants, stem end trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
• toasted sesame seeds
• sliced green onions, for garnish

Directions

Place the mirin and sake in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Simmer for about 2 minutes to allow some of the alcohol to cook off. Then add the miso and stir until smooth. Stir in the agave nectar, reduce the heat to very low, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, while you broil the eggplants: brush the cut sides of the eggplants with the sesame oil, if desired. Put the eggplants cut-side down on a baking sheet and place under the broiler of your oven for about 3 minutes, checking often to make sure that they do not burn.

Turn them over, and cook for another 3 minutes or until the tops are a light to medium brown. Do not burn! (If your eggplant still isn’t tender all the way through, try baking it–no broiler–a few more minutes; then proceed with the recipe.)

When the eggplants are tender, top each one with the miso sauce and put them back under the broiler until the sauce bubbles up–this should take less than a minute, so watch them closely.

Serve hot, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.

Enjoy!!

Benny

Step by step in photos here >>

About Benny

Passion for healthy amazing food. I am on crusade to get kids eat better and people in general learning how to cook for themselves. If I here that McDonald’s is cheaper than eating homemade I will prove anyone wrong.