Tag Archives: recipes

Port Wine & Beaujolais Poached Bartlett Pears

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Hard  to believe, but many folks have never come across a poached pear on a restaurant menu, much less eaten one. What a shame, since this is such a versatile culinary gem. In classic restaurants you would come across them as part of different dishes often, be it by them self with a bit of  Creme Chantilly  or vanilla sauce, or part of a cheese course, maybe part of a dessert , or served as garniture to a savory dish such as pork, poultry, game or pork. But now I suspect it has become old-fashioned? For me however, if it looks good and tastes good it will never be out of fashion, so yesterday I treated myself to this beautiful, decadent and luxurious dish. Later in the evening I added a good shot of “Schladerer Zwetschgen Schnaps” to the remaining spiced wine and enjoyed it hot as a night cup.

Life is Good !
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Port Wine & Beoujolais Poached Pears

Port Wine & Beoujolais Poached Pears

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Ingredient’s :

Bartlett pears,   peeled
Port wine,
Beaujolais
Cinnamon stick,
Sugar,
Star anise,

Method :

Mix port wine and red wine 50/50. Add a bit of orange juice, cinnamon, sugar and star anise , bring to a simmer and reduce by half. Let cool to room temperature. Add the pears,(they must be covered by the liquid),  bring to a slow simmer for one minute. Remove from heat and let cool down to room temperature. Serve with chocolate dusted whipped cream.

Bon Appetit !

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Paillard Of Chicken With Broccoli Rabe, Peppers & Sun Dried Tomatoes

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Here  is Tuesday’s no-fuss, quick, easy, tasty dinner.
Many a moron (unfortunately, there is a never-ending supply of those) will say chicken breast is dry, tasteless and boring. (Yes, if you don’t know what you are doing).
But, put some love and knowledge into your food and everything can be made enjoyable, even a simple chicken breast :-)
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Bon Appetit !  Life is Good !
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Paillard Of Chicken With Broccoli Rabe, Peppers & Sun Dried Tomatoes

Paillard Of Chicken With Broccoli Rabe, Peppers & Sun Dried Tomatoes


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Ingredient’s :

Chicken breast,   pounded thin between two oiled sheets of plastic film
Broccoli rabe,   blanched
Sun dried tomatoes,   finely julienned
Red bell pepper,   finely julienned
Onion,   finely julienned
Dijon mustard,
Cayenne pepper,
Corn meal,
Corn starch,
Garlic paste,
Butter,

Method :

Mix cornmeal cornstarch, salt and pepper. Season chicken with mustard, dredge paillard in mixture, shake of excess and saute in butter until golden brown and medium well  (the carry-over heat will take it to a safe 165F). Remove chicken to a warm serving plate. Saute onions, peppers, tomatoes and garlic until fragrant, add broccoli rabe, season with salt and pepper and saute until heated. Add to the chicken, dig in and enjoy :-)
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Sauted Strip Steak , CauliflowerTortilla & Sriracha/Garlic Butter

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Sunday’s  late lunch / early dinner (4.00pm)
After sleeping-in late (7.30am and enjoying a big breakfast of strawberry smoothies and goose liver pate stuffed croissants, I did not feel hungry at lunch time and held out until late afternoon.
But then I knew I would have to combine lunch and dinner, so it needed to be a substantial meal, otherwise the snack monster would haunt me early in the evening. This is the first time I made a Spanish Tortilla with cauliflower and tomatoes and it made me realize what a great dish I’ve been missing all my live. What a wonderful dish. It can stand on it’s own, as breakfast, snack, even a complete meal if accompanied by a small salad, served hot or at room temperature. You can of course use different vegetables, different cheeses, add protein such as sausage, bacon, shrimp, crab meat, add different herbs, etc. The possibilities are endless and only limited by your fantasy :-)
If you ever want to reproduce this dish, just make sure the cauliflower / vegetables are blanched  al dente, so that the tortilla has a bit of a bite to it. While I was cooking the tortilla, I also added grated parmesan cheese to the whisked eggs, (not featured in the mise en place picture). You can omit the cheese, but it definitely adds another level of depth to the dish.
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Sauted Strip Steak , CauliflowerTortila & Sriracha/Garlic Butter

Sauted Strip Steak , Cauliflower Tortilla & Sriracha/Garlic Butter

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Ingredients :

Tortilla :

Cauliflower rosettes,   blanched al dente
Eggs,  whole, whisked, seasoned with kosher salt, cayenne and grated parmesan
Grape tomatoes,
Butter,

Method :

Saute cauliflower and tomatoes briefly in butter, add egg mixture and cook covered on low heat until eggs have set but are not dry. Slide onto a dinner plate, top with the saute pan, invert and cook other side of tortilla until golden.
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Steak :

Season teak with salt, granulated garlic and freshly ground black pepper and saute both sides until desired doneness. Remember the carry over heat will cook it  one more level after you remove the steak from the pan! Let the steak rest for ten minutes before slicing !

Butter :

Mix softened butter with sriracha, roasted  garlic paste, a bit of lime juice and kosher salt.

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Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Pizza With Anchovies, Mascarpone, Tomato & Egg

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I did  not feel like having an elaborate meal tonight, so this quick and easy to prepare pizza was all I wanted for dinner. I actually had some pickled artichoke hearts in the fridge but I forgot to use them. Even without the artichokes, it was a very enjoyable, filling and satisfying dinner.
Looking forward though, to tomorrows braised oxtail with potato dumplings.
(Geschmorter ochsen schwanz mit kartoffel knoedeln) :-)

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Pizza With Anchovies, Mascarpone, Tomato & Egg

Pizza With Anchovies, Mascarpone, Tomato & Egg


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Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients :

Pizza dough,
Anchovy filets,   canned
Eggs,   whole
Tomato,   sliced
Chili flakes,
Mascarpone cheese,
Parmesan cheese,   finely grated
Scallions,   sliced
Olive oil,

Method :

Pull pizza dough into a thin oval. Top with anchovies, tomatoes and mascarpone, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake at 500F until bubbling, add eggs and sprinkle with chili flakes, Return to oven and bake until dough is cooked, golden and crispy.
To serve, top with arugula in honey / mustard dressing.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Rum Laced Iced Berry Soup

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What  a gorgeous sunday afternoon by the lake. Perfect temperature outside, a good book to read (WHISKEY BEACH, by Nora Roberts), great rock in the background (Big 105.9) and this wonderful concoction of berries, yoghurt and rum, topped with a bit of whipped cream.
Ahhhhhhh :-)

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Life is Good !   Cheers !

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Rum Laced Iced Berry Soup

Rum Laced Iced Berry Soup

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Best Fish Taco

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Well, at least for me they were the best in a very long line of disappointing restaurant and food truck fish tacos.
Most of the time, if you want to have the really good stuff, you’ve got to prepare it yourself :-)
The secret here is the fish batter. You don’t want to have to prep something complicated or difficult for such a simple meal. So here I give you my  ”secret”  easy and quick batter recipe:
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A/P flour, crushed ice, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, granulated garlic, chilled sparkling water (I use syfo lemon-lime, the only bottled water for me).
Mix all ingredients lightly, don’t worry about a few lumps, they fry out in the hot oil and become crispy. See the prep pic to get an idea about the texture. Then dip the fish into the batter and fry at 375F until crispy and fish just done. Remove to absorbent paper. Build your tacos with your favorit ingredients / condiments.
Voila !  Best fish taco :-)
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Viva Mexico !   Viva Los Tacos !   Viva La Vida !
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Best Fish Taco

Best Fish Taco

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Arroz Fritto ” Carlos Ayala “

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This dish is dedicated to my dear friend Carlos, who is Argentinian and loves his chorizo and chimichurri :-)

Tonight my cupboard and fridge were not exactly over stocked, so here is what I had and used to make this hearty, tasty dish:
Rice,
Argentinian chorizo,
Eggs
Scallions,
Bell peppers,
Garlic,
Onion,
Olive oil,
Chimichurri,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add the chorizo and saute until the onions and garlic start to turn golden. Add the peppers and scallions and saute for another minute. Remove, set aside. Wipe the pan ( or Wok) clean with a paper towel. Add more olive oil and saute rice until it starts to “pop”. Make a whole in the center of rice. Add a bit more oil. Scramble your whisked eggs until fairly dry. Mix with rice and sausage / vegetables, saute (stir fry) together for a few more minutes until rice is light, fluffy and fairly dry. To serve, top with more scallions and chimichurri .
And there you have it, ” the other fried rice ” :
” Argentinian Style  Fried Rice A La Carlos Ayala “
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Arroz Fritto " Carlos Ayala "

Arroz Fritto ” Carlos Ayala “

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Curried Gizzards, Herbed Potatoes & Frisse In Honey Mustard Dressing

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“Sauteed Gizzards in curry cream with buttered, herbed yukon gold potatoes and frisse salad in honey mustard dressing”
The verdict is out : I’ve got a new favorite chicken gizzard recipe, taking the #1 spot and pushing “Gizzard Adobo” to spot #2 :-)
What a great dish. Even if you are not a fan of gizzards, you can of course replace them with anything that tickles your fancy: Shrimps, scallops, mussels, sliced beef, diced chicken, shredded duck, whatever you like and whatever is available. The curry cream, potatoes, butter, herbs and frisse just go together so well, you don’t want to miss this combination.

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Curried Gizzards, Herbed Potatoes & Frisse In Honey Mustard Dressing

Curried Gizzards, Herbed Potatoes & Frisse In Honey Mustard Dressing

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1.  Simmer  gizzards in salted water until tender, but still with a bit of a bite. Strain. Saute garlic paste and diced onion in butter until fragrant, add curry powder and saute on low heat for another minute. Add heavy cream and a bit of ketchup and reduce until creamy. Add the gizzards, simmer for another minute. Season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, set aside.
2.  Simmer peeled and cut potatoes until tender but still keeping their shape. Saute in LOT’S of butter without letting potatoes brown. Remove from heat, add lots of chopped italian parsley.
3.  Mix honey, dijon mustard, canola oil, lemon juice, kosher salt and freshly ground black papper. Dress frisse  with the dressing.
4.  To plate, put gizzards on the plate, add potatoes and top with frisse. Sprinkle with chili flakes. Eat. Be happy :-)

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !

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Chicken Paprikash & Spaetzle

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Paprikash is the national dish of Hungary. Which means that it has been prepared and eaten for many decades, by millions of people, in many restaurants and homes, in many different regions, with an infinite number of variations. So folks, relax, don’t call my house and say that this is not a real paprikash, because………….
Anyway, here is a version I prepared last week and, I might add, a pretty good and pretty pretty :-) version. >

Chicken Paprikash & Spaetzle

Chicken Paprikash & Spaetzle

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Ingredients :

Chicken,  your favorite parts, I prefer legs
Sweet hungarian paprika,
Chilis,   finely chopped, some left whole for garnish (optional)
Tomatoes,   finely chopped
Garlic,   paste
Onions,    finely diced
Kosher salt,
AP flour,
Chicken stock,
Sour cream,

Method :

Saute chicken in fat until golden brown. Remove. Saute onions and garlic until fragrant. Add paprika, chopped chilis and flour and saute for a short time. (Careful, paprika burns easily !)  Add tomatoes, stock, whole chili’s and salt. Return chicken to pot, cover and braise slowly until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 162F. (Carry over heat will take it to a safe 165F). Remove chicken. At this point you have the option of straining the sauce or not. You also have the option of whisking in the sour cream or not. If you don’t whisk in the sour cream at this point, add a generous dollop when serving (See picture). Adjust seasoning if necessary. To serve, add chicken to serving dish, cover with sauce and whole chili’s. Serve with  Spaetzle.

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good ! >>
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Schwäbische Spätzle Mit Schmelze (Swabian Noodles)

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” Swabian spaeztle with browned bread crumbs “.

One of the most common,simple, quick, delicious, economical and (in my biased eyes), one of the most beautiful dishes coming out of South Germany  (Swabia).
When I grew up, this was one of the more boring dishes for me and my brother Wilhelm to grace our dinner table, because it showed up with regularity a few times a week. Even today, spaetzle are one of the stables of south german cooking. But, alas, I have moved away from my homeland many decades ago, so now spaetzle have become a treat, truly enjoyed whenever possible.
Spaetzle are hard to come by even in German restaurants around here. This is probably due to the fact that more cooks in american German restaurants go by the name of Pepe instead of Fritz and have never seen real spaeztle, so what you mostly get are “Knoepfle”, not “Spaetzle”.
Knoepfle means little bottons, so they are a small spherical pasta, while spaetzle derives from “little spitz”, which means little penis. (Many folks believe spaetzle derives from the word spatz, which means sparrow and would makes no sense at all. Also, many Americans let their spaetzle or knoepfle brown while sauteeing, which is an absolute no no in Swabia!
So there you have it. One of the easiest and fastest pastas to make is actually difficult to come by (at least any good ones). Go figure :-(
But, there is hope ! Following is the recipe for original swabian spaetzle. Please note that there is no milk or water added, just AP flour, eggs and salt. In times past, when eggs where not as easily available and as affordable as now, folks have had to stretch the eggs by adding milk or even water. Today that is not necessary anymore, so just stick to flour,  eggs, and salt. With a little practice, it will take you less then 10 minutes to make about six portions.
Mix flour, salt, and eggs and beat the dough until it is elastic and forms large air bubbles. To shape the spaetzle, either use a “Spaetzle Brett” (spaeztle board) and a straight spatula, or, much easier, invest $ 20 and buy a “Spaetzle Press” online. If you are not so sure how to proceed with the dough and the shaping of the spaetzle, go online and check out one of the numerous good instructional videos ( But be aware, there is also a lot of crap online, so choose wisely ).

Fill the spaetzle press 3/4 with dough and press into boiling, salted water. After a minute or so the spaetzle will float at the surface. Remove to a bowl with cold water. Drain. To serve, saute in butter until hot, without allowing the spaetzle to brown. Top with “Schmelze”.

For the schmelze, melt butter and saute bread crumbs until golden.
(I like to use brown butter and add chives to my schmelze).

Bon Appetit !   Life is Good !
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Schwäbische Spätzle Mit Scmelze

Schwäbische Spätzle Mit Scmelze

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