Sautéing

Soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French Onion Soup)

Onion soup is a vegetable soup made of sauteed onions and stock. Onion soup was traditionally served in poorer households and lower-class restaurants.
Onion soup is, and was, found in many countries, prepared in many different variations. What all recipes have in common are the onions and stock. From there on, anything goes……….:
Added red or white wine, beer, egg yolk, flour, cream, cheese, herbs, bread, vinegar, sugar, caramelized onions, sauteed but kept-white onions, puréed onions, sliced onion, diced onions, shallots, sausages, sherry, carrots, and probably another thousand different additions, depending on where in the world you encounter your onion soup.
Names/variations include “Pfälzer Zwiebelsuppe”, “Soupe Soubise”, “Schwaebische Zwiebelsuppe”, “Cipollata”, “Cherbah”, and countless more.
And then, of course, there is the queen of all onion soups! –
Known and loved most everywhere in the world, it is “French Onion Soup” (Soupe à l’oignon / Soupe d’oignons aux Halles/ Soupe à l’oignon gratinée)
What makes this variation so special is the addition of bread and gruyere to the top of the onion soup, then it get’s some time in the oven or under the broiler until the top is a bubbly, fragrant, addictive, gooey mass of melted bread and cheese.
Each heavenly spoonful should contain some of the bread and cheese, some soup, and some onions.
Voilà, now you know why “French Onion Soup” is the best onion soup in the world 🙂
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Onion Soup on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Soup on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French Onion Soup)

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

>
>
>

: saute 1 tblsp of garlic paste in 4 oz of whole butter

: add 7 lbs of sliced onions

: saute until onions have caramelized (about 30 minutes)

: add the rinds of the Gruyère cheese if available (optional)

: add 2 qt of beef stock, 2 bay leaves, kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste, simmer for 30 minutes, check/adjust seasoning

: while the soup simmers, slice enough baguette (or other bread of your choice), enough to cover the surface of the pot or individual oven-proof bowls

: grill or toast the bread until well browned and crisp

: remove the rind from 12 oc of Gruyère cheese, add to the soup

: grate the cheese

: picture of heaven 🙂

: remove the cheese rind and bay leaves, top the soup with the toasted bread

: top the bread with the grated cheese, bake or broil until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned; this makes 12 appetizers or 4 generous main course

: Soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French Onion Soup)

: Soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French Onion Soup)

: Soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French Onion Soup)

: Soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French Onion Soup)

: Soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French Onion Soup)

: Soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French Onion Soup)

>
>
>
>

Vanilla Crepes With Caramelized Blackberries & Pomegranate Seeds

>
One has to wonder:
Why are sweet or savory crepes not on everybody’s table at least once a week ???
I can’t recall to ever have met anybody who’d claim not to like crepes, either in its sweet or savory form, or both.
Crepes can be prepared easily by anybody, even by a child or somebody with two left hands. Even if one does not like to cook, these babies need all of a few minutes to prepare, are very economical and, have I said this already? – are easy and quick to prepare.
In its sweet, plain variation, just sprinkle some castor sugar on top and maybe a bit of whipped cream, and you have a great dessert or sweet snack.
It’s savory, plain version will make a quick meal by drizzling a bit of butter on top and serving them with a small salad on the side.
And then, you have the more elaborate stuff 🙂
Savory crepes can be filled with creamed or buttered mushrooms, vegetables, seafood, chicken, game meats, spicy sausages and a myriad of other, more or less fancy goodies.
Sweet crepes will be happy to be married to caramelized fruit, creams, chocolate sauce, puddings, cream cheese (blintzes anyone?), nutella, yogurt, nuts, etc, etc, etc.
I myself have prepared just about any combination of crepes and “stuff” under the sun. I don’t really have a favorite per se, I love ’em all 🙂
So here is a version of crepes with caramelized fruits. I have to admit that the blackberries and pomegranate are rather expensive, especially when you cook for a large family. But be assured, caramelized apples, pears, oranges, bananas, strawberries, or any other more economical fruit will be just as wonderful – yummy to taste and pretty to look at 🙂
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Pancakes on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Vanilla Crepes With Caramelized Blackberries & Pomegranate Seeds

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: melt 2 oz whole butter, add 2 tblsp sugar, cook until sugar starts to caramelize, add 2 tblsp honey

: add 2 pint blackberries and 1 pint pomegranate seeds, cook another minute or until the fruit has warmed through, set aside, keep warm (this is enough for 5 crepes)

: in a bowl mix togetter 1 cup a/p flour, 3 med size eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tblsp sugar, mix well until there are no lumps (if too thick, add a bit of milk; if too thin, add a bit of flour) this will make 5 med size crepes

: in a medium-hot, lightly buttered pan, spread the batter thin and evenly, cook until lightly browned, flip to other side

: cook this side until lightly browned

: remove crepe to a warm platter

: fold crepe in half

: repeat with the rest of the batter

: top the crepes with the caramelized berries, sprinkle with castor sugar

: Vanilla Crepes With Caramelized Blackberries & Pomegranate Seeds

: Vanilla Crepes With Caramelized Blackberries & Pomegranate Seeds

: Vanilla Crepes With Caramelized Blackberries & Pomegranate Seeds

>
>
>
>

Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

>

Today, I like to share a dish with you that I have prepared in its basic version hundreds of times over the years. It is a “a la minute” dish, so it requires no prolonged cooking and can be prepared on short notice (a la minute) and in just a few minutes of prepping and cooking.
The ingredients for the sauce are always the same – clarified butter, curry powder, turmeric powder, cumin, garlic paste, grated ginger, kosher salt, chicken, beef or vegetable stock, and heavy cream.
On the other hand, besides the sauce, anything goes. You can replace the potatoes, chick peas and shrimp with anything your heart desires and your belly craves – any poultry, any seafood, beef, veggies-only to make the dish vegetarian, even potatoes and tomatoes only (one of my favorites), and so forth…..
The sauce is what makes this dish so delicious and unique and I usually make more than the dish actually needs, so I can use the leftover sauce to flavor some rice or pasta, usually for a simple breakfast or a tasty midnight snack 🙂
The ratio of the ingredients for the sauce is also flexible and depends on the main ingredient you use.
While the basic sauce for two portions requires 1/2 cup stock, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 pinch of cumin, 1 tblsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp garlic paste, 1/4 tsp grated ginger and kosher salt to taste, I like to use more curry powder for beef and chicken dishes, more cumin for lamb, more liquid for starchy dishes, less liquid for vegetable variations, etc.
As usual, please let the recipe I give you here serve as a guideline, which you can/should adjust according to your own preferences 🙂
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for my opinion on “Authentic Recipes” on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for “Easy Does It Curry Sauce ” on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

>

Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

>

Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: blanch, peel and slice 1 lb of small potatoes, pat dry, fry in 2 cup 375F peanut oil until lightly browned

: remove from oil with a slotted spoon, reserve

: season 1 1/2 lbs 21/32 shrimp with 1 tblsp lime juice, 1 tblsp corn starch and kosher salt to taste

: fry in 375F peanut oil for 1 minute, remove with a slotted spoon, reserve

: season the chickpeas with a pinch of curry powder, a pinch of cumin and kosher salt to taste

: saute in the remaining 275F peanut oil for one minute, remove with a slotted spoon, reserve

: slice 1 ea large jalapeno into thin slices, dust lightly with corn starch, saute in 275F peanut oil for one minute, remove with a slotted spoon, reserve, discard the peanut oil

: add 1 ea tblsp clarified butter to the pan, saute all spices and aromatics until fragrant (see the ingredients on this page)

: add the stock and heavy cream (see the ingredients on this page), simmer 2 minutes, remove from heat, check/adjust the seasoning, add all the previously sauteed ingredients except the jalapenos, mix well,

: place the curry on a deep serving bowl, top with the fried jalapenos, basil leaves, sliced chives and pickled chilies (optional); serves 4

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

: Curried Shrimp With Potatoes & Garbanzos

>
>
>
>

Roast Duck – Part One – “Duck With Dirty Noodles”

Last week I came across a special at my grocery store – $ 10.50 for a whole duck, compared to the usual price of around $17.00 for the same size bird.
Of course, I bought two, because duck – anytime 🙂
After I defrosted the first one, I realized that it might be a good idea to prepare the duck in a way which will be more suitable to a bird which had probably spend a bit of extra time in the freezer (hence the special 🙂 ) , rather than just plain roasted and eaten without any additional preparation.
(I will post part two, “Roast Duck – Part Two – Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”, within the next few days)
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Duck on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Dirty Noodles on ChefsOpinion
>
>
<

Roast Duck

Roast Duck – Part One – “Duck With Dirty Noodles”

Dirty Noodles

>
>
>
Roast Duck Recipe:
>
Ingredients:
1 med size duck
Kosher salt to taste
>
Method:
Preheat oven to 400F
Prick skin and fat of duck all over, remove excess fat-flaps
Season duck generously inside and out side with the salt.
Place duck breast-side down on a wire rack which rests on a sheet-pan.
Place into oven, immediately turn temperature down to 300 F
Roast duck for 3 hours and 45 minutes, turning duck every 30 minutes
After 3 hours and 45 minutes, increase heat to 420F, roast duck breast side up until skin is very crisp and golden, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Let the duck rest for 10 minutes before carving.
>
>
<
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: before……. (med size duck, generously salted)

: after…… (reserve the juices and the fat from the roasting pan)

: remove the legs from the carcasse, reserve together with the carcasse

: remove the breasts from the carcasse, remove the wings

: boneless breasts and the wings; carcasse and legs

: slice the breast in thick slices, cover to keep warm

: reserve the carcass and legs for : Roast Duck, Part Two – “Duck Soup With Rice Sticks And Baby Bok Choy”

: prepare the ingredients for the sauce, 1 tblsp plum sauce, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 tblsp peanut butter, 1 tblsp chili paste, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, whisk until smooth

: chop the liver, heart and gizzards from the duck

: stir fry the offal in 2 tblsp very hot duck fat for 1 minute, add julienne of 1 med size onion, saute until the onions are translucent

: add the sauce, simmer for one minute

: add 1/2 lb cooked nodles of your choice, add 4 oz green peas, 1/2 eq bell pepper julienne and 4 stalks of finely sliced scallion, mix well, check/adjust seasoning

: Dirty Noodles

: Roast Duck – Part One – “Duck With Dirty Noodles”

: Roast Duck – Part One – “Duck With Dirty Noodles”

: Roast Duck – Part One – “Duck With Dirty Noodles”

: Roast Duck – Part One – “Duck With Dirty Noodles”

: Roast Duck – Part One – “Duck With Dirty Noodles”

: Roast Duck – Part One – “Duck With Dirty Noodles”

: Roast Duck – Part One – “Duck With Dirty Noodles”

>
>
>
>

Sliced Beef Shanks Braised In Merlot

>
Shank’s of beef, veal, lamb, or game is perfectly suitable to be braised slowly in wine. The cooking liquid and gentle heat of slowly simmering breaks down the collagen, producing a wonderful texture and great flavor, unlike any other part of the animal. One can use the shank meat for stews, soups, goulash, bulalo, braised whole, or, as shown here, braised sliced/cross-cut. But remember, no matter which dish or cooking method you choose, DO NOT overcook the meat. A big part of the appeal of shank is the superb texture of a tender, but NOT falling apart piece of muscle meat. Therefore, simmer the shank very slowly. It might take a long time, (after all the shank is pure muscle), but you will be rewarded with a spectacular texture and mouthfeel which no other cut of meat possesses 🙂
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for Bulalo on ChefsOpinion
<
Click here for more Shank on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Beef on ChefsOpinion
>
>
P.S.
Traditionally, the bone marrow is incorporated into the sauce.
>
P.P.S.
But, also traditionally, the wise cook steals the bone marrow and prepares himself a great snack of “Bone Marrow On Toast” 🙂 .
>
>

Sliced Beef Shanks Braised In Merlot

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: season 3 ea sliced beef shanks with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: saute in 2 tblsp olive oil on both sides until browned, remove meat, reserve

: cut 2 ea med sized carrots and 2 ea large onions into large dice, saute until caramelized

: add 3 cup merlot, 1 cup tomato puree, 3 ea bay leaves, 1 tblsp garlic paste, 1/2 tblsp oregano and kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: add 2 cup beef stock, cover, simmer until beef is tender but NOT falling apart, about 2-3 hours, depending on the thickness of the shank slices

: almost…….

: remove the marrow from ea shank bone, set aside. Remove the bone from ea slice without ripping the shanks apart

: with a slotted spoom remove the vegetables from the sauce, reserve; strain the sauce through a fine mesh sive, check/adjust seasoning

: mix 1 tblsp sliced scallions and 1 tsp cilantro with the vegetables

: plate the shanks in a deep serving dish

: add the sauce, top with the vegetables; serve with pasta, rice, potatoes or rustic bread

: Sliced Beef Shanks Braised In Merlot

: Sliced Beef Shanks Braised In Merlot

: Sliced Beef Shanks Braised In Merlot

: Sliced Beef Shanks Braised In Merlot

: Sliced Beef Shanks Braised In Merlot

>
>
>
>

Enjoy A Super-Delicious Dish For $ 1.00 !

Chicken Liver Mousse

No, this was not at a hawker cart in Singapore, nor was it on the side of the road in Manila, it was not in the bush in Zanzibar and certainly not on the beach in Goa. This was in Miami, at “Chez Bella”.
All the ingredients for 4 portions came to about $ 4.00, which, yes, I carefully and meticulously calculated it, comes to about a buck a portion. 🙂
In all my years living in America, I have realized that the majority of Americans say they don’t like liver or any other dish prepared with offal. However, serve them a slice of “Foie Gras” in a fancy restaurant where they are too shy to ask what they are being served, and all of a sudden you get all ahhh’s and ohhh’s. And it’s usually the same with chicken liver mousse, terrine or pate. Serve it on little canapes, put a cherry or grape on top and all of a sudden it becomes great.
Speaking of chicken liver mousse and parfait. Sadly, most of what’s being served in restaurants these days can at best be described as utter garbage. I know, because I love chicken liver mousse and have tried it a hundred times, in fact, I almost always order it if I come across it on a menu. Low-quality liver, too many distracting ingredients, overseasoned, underseasoned, grainy, broken, too long in the fridge, off-putting color, you name it.
So then, for those of my readers who share the love with me, I give you a recipe which is pretty much foolproof, as long as you use top quality liver.
Of course, you can use this recipe to make any other liver mousse. Pork liver, veal liver, duck liver, game liver. You can also, if you must, add a few additional flavors, as long as you take it easy and don’t overpower the fine taste of the liver. Armaniac, calvados, grand marnier, cognac, diced apples, garlic, herbs, sauteed shallots, orange essence, etc. You can even call it a parfait if you want to, since this recipe provides a mousse so fine, it appears to have been strained through a fine hair sieve.
All in all, a spectacular tasty dish, easy to prepare, ~~cheap~~ economical, and definitely better than most of the stuff you can buy ready-made or in most restaurants.
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Liver on ChefsOpinion
>
>
P.S.
This amount of mousse serves 4 main courses or 8-12 snacks/appetizers
>
>
>

Chicken Liver Mousse

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: 18 oz thoroughly cleaned, VERY fresh liver, 3/4 cup WARM half&half, 3/4 lb cold butter

: saute liver in 1 tblsp clarified butter until medium well

: at once, put into a blender together with the half&half, blend at medium speed for 1 minute, keep running at medium speed while adding 1 tsp sweet paprika and kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, add the butter piece by piece until very smooth; check/adjust seasoning

: done…..

: fill mousse into a container, cover airtight, chill in refrigerator overnight

: voilà………

: laugen broetchen (pretzel rolls)

: slice pretzel rolls or other bread of your choice, brush lightly with garlic paste (or plain butter if you prefer), toast one side only until golden; serve with condiments of your choice

: Chicken Liver Mousse

: Chicken Liver Mousse

: Chicken Liver Mousse

: Chicken Liver Mousse

: Chicken Liver Mousse

: Chicken Liver Mousse

>
.
>
>

Malbec-Braised Pork Belly With Napa Potatoes

.
For a long time, nobody around here would touch Pork belly with a ten-foot pole.
Pork belly was deemed to be inferior, unhealthy and fattening. However, during the past couple of years, secondary meat cuts (as well as offal) have become “IN”, so all of a sudden pork belly, almost always “Asian Glazed”, has popped up on every menu in town. While this could be a good development, the sad fact is that a tiny portion of pork belly now costs as much as a steak and most preparations leave a lot to be desired.
The smart solution? Cook it at home, naturally 🙂
I grew up with pork belly and most other secondary cuts, as well as offal, so I have been eating this stuff all my life and have a number of recipes for all of them.
Yesterday I prepared pork belly in one of the most simple yet also most delicious way:
Braised in red wine and veggies, served with mashed potatoes.
When I was a kid, my Mom used to mix the mashed potatoes with fresh cabbage to make a very hearty and tasty dish. Although I don’t remember the name of this dish, it stayed in my memory because my brother and I loved it, but my Dad hated it because in his opinion it was not traditional and therefore should not be served for a proper meal. This dish approximates the Italian “Lesso di Patate e Cavolo Verza” and the Irish “Colcannon”. Apparently, my Mom was right-on with her creation 🙂
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Pork Belly on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Malbec-Braised Pork Belly With Napa Potatoes

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: cut 2 lbs pork belly into 8 thick pieces, season with kosher salt and fresh-cracked pepper

: saute pork belly on all sides until golden brown

: remove pork from pan, reserve

: in the same pan, saute 1 cup diced carrots and onions until caramelized, deglaze with 3 cups malbec (or red wine of your preference)

: return the pork to the pan, add 3 cups of beef stock

: cover pan, simmer until pork is tender, about 2 ,5 hours

: meanwhile, peel and dice 2 lbs potatoes, cook in salted water, drain

: while the pork and the potatoes are cooking, saute 1 cup onion julienne in 3 oz whole butter and 3 oz olive oil until translucent

: add 1 ea sliced napa cabbage and 1 cup chicken or beef stock, saute until cabbage wilt’s

: add the cooked potatoes

: mash the potatoes coarsely, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: if the potatoes are too dry, add olive oil until the puree has the desired texture

: check/adjust the seasoning

: when the pork belly is tender, add 1/2 cup sliced scallions, check/adjust seasoning

: plate the potato puree, top with the pork belly and sauce or serve pork belly and sauce separate; serves 4

: Malbec-Braised Pork Belly With Napa Potatoes

: Malbec-Braised Pork Belly With Napa Potatoes

: Malbec-Braised Pork Belly With Napa Potatoes

: Malbec-Braised Pork Belly With Napa Potatoes

: Malbec-Braised Pork Belly With Napa Potatoes

: Malbec-Braised Pork Belly With Napa Potatoes

: Malbec-Braised Pork Belly With Napa Potatoes

>
>
>
>

Shrimp And Ricotta Ravioli With Pangrattato

>
>

Preparing your own ravioli might be a bit work-intensive, but if one put’s a little effort and love to the process, it’s well worth the trouble. The actual prep is not so bad, what takes the most time is the clean-up (at least for me, since my counter space is tiny and the flour usually goes everywhere where it is not supposed to).
But as I said, the delicious result makes up for the extra bit of time and effort 🙂
Also, if you frequently prep your own ravioli and/or vareniki, it will be wise to invest a few dollars in a ravioli mold/press/cutter, which will cut down considerably on the time and mess it takes to prepare good-looking ravioli or vareniki. I have a bunch of them, and they always come in handy.
As for the filling, a general rule is usually not to combine cheese and seafood, but in this case, the ricotta goes perfectly with the shrimp (that’s why in cooking, the word “usually” is vital). We “usually” do things this way or that way, but………..
For my personal taste, a complicated or dominating sauce would take away from the delicate taste of the ravioli, so the richness of the butter and the crispness of the crumbs is all this dish needs to shine brightly.
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Ravioli on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Pierogi/Vareniki on ChefsOpinion
>
>
Pasta Dough :
>
Ingredients :
2 ¹⁄₂cups A/P flour
3 -4 eggs (depending on size)
Kosher salt to taste>
Method :
Sift the flour onto the work surface, make a well in the center
Add the eggs, one at a time, add the salt.
Mix the eggs, then add a little flour at a time from the well, until all the flour has been used.
Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, adding flour if dough is too sticky.
>
Filling :
>
Ingredients :
1 cup ricotta cheese, softened
8 oz peeled, tailless cooked small shrimp
1 tbsp fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 whole egg, beaten
fresh-grated nutmeg, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste
>
Method :
Coarsely chop the shrimp, add all other ingredients, mix well
>
Shrimp Butter :
>
Ingredients :
8 oz peeled, tailless cooked small shrimp
4 oz whole butter
1 tblsp chopped Italian parsley
garlic paste to taste
>
Method :
Saute shrimp in butter until heated, remove from heat, add parsley, season with garlic paste, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
>
>
>

Shrimp And Ricotta Ravioli With Pangrattato

>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs of your choice (regular crumbs or panko) to 4 oz melted butter

: season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, saute until golden, remove from heat

: saute shrimp in butter

: add ravioli and parsley

: plate ravioli and shrimp butter, top with pangrattato

: Shrimp And Ricotta Ravioli With Pangrattato

: Shrimp And Ricotta Ravioli With Pangrattato

: Shrimp And Ricotta Ravioli With Pangrattato

>
>
>
>

Sauteed Flounder Fillet “Grenobloise”

Scholle Gebraten (Whole Sauteed Flounder)

>
Decades ago, when I was about 19 years old, working as a commis de cuisine on the German Seaboard (Ostsee), in Timmendorfer Strand, Hotel Seeschlösschen), this dish was one of the all time favorites on restaurant menus, either the whole fish or, for the less adventurous, fillets like I have used here.
Usually served “Meuniere” or “Grenobloise”, accompanied by “Kartoffel Salat” (potato salad) or “Dill Kartoffeln” (dill potatoes), “Scholle” (flounder) was abundant and therefore one of the most economic and popular fresh fish one could order in a restaurant.
How times have changed…………
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Fish on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Sauteed Flounder Fillet “Grenobloise”

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: clean 3 ea small red beets, cook in salted water until soft, cool, peel and slice

: add 1 small finely diced onion, 1 tblsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tblsp olive oil, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: peel, cook and cut in half 1 lb small potatoes, drain

: saute potatoes in 2 tblsp butter until hot, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste, remove from heat, add 1 tblsp sliced fresh dill

: dill potatoes and red beet salad

: fillet 2 ea lemon, reserve fillets, use juice from lemon carcasse to season the fish

: season 6 ea large flounder fillets with lemon juice, soy sauce, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: dredge the fillets in a/p flour, saute in olive oil until just cooked through but not dry, remove fillets to a serving plate

: add 6 oz of whole butter to the pan, heat until just starting to brown (beurre noisette)

: top the fish with the lemon fillets, 2 tblsp capers and 2 tblsp chopped Italian parsley

: pour the beurre noisette over the garnish

: Sauteed Flounder Fillet “Grenobloise”

: Sauteed Flounder Fillet “Grenobloise”

: Sauteed Flounder Fillet “Grenobloise”

>
>
>
>

Spinach Wrap With Smoked Spicy Sausage, Coleslaw And Black Beans

Before I started this post today, I googled “Wrap”, to see some comparison to what I had prepared for dinner.
To tell you the truth, almost all of them, especially the ones from food chains, look absolutely gorgeous – well balanced with equal amounts of protein, lettuce and other “Stuff” 🙂
The problem???
Almost all these wraps are very different from the real thing you can purchase in restaurants and deli’s. While there are a few exceptions, most commercial places serve you these monster wraps, huge and beautiful to look at. But upon closer inspection, one finds mostly shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes, sprinkled sparsely with the other ingredients listed on the menu. Even when there seems to be a lot of the goodies, the maker of the wrap usually places most of the goodies in the very center of the wrap, so when it is cut for presentation, it shows an abundance of it at the displayed center cut, while the rest of the roll contains mostly the cheap shredded lettuce. This would not be such a problem if the prices would not be so outrageous for what is actually being served (mostly lettuce) 😦
Good restaurants are usually an altogether different animal, although many serve you the same “lettuce wrap with a bit of other stuff”.
By now you will know what’s the solution – yep, make your own and pack it with the good stuff ! 🙂
Here we go:
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Wraps on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Sausage on ChefsOpinion
>
>
>

Spinach Wrap With Smoked Spicy Sausage, Coleslaw And Black Beans

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: cut 8 oz of your favorite sausage into medium size pieces

: saute sausages with 1/2 medium size onion until onion is lightly caramelized

: add 6 oz black beans, 2 tblsp grated parmesan, 1/2 tsp garlic paste and 2 oz finely sliced raw bell peppers

: sprinkle 1 large spinach tortilla with grated parmesan

: add the sausage filling

: sprinkle with 1 tsp chopped cilantro and hot sauce to taste

: roll wrap tightly

: wrap roll into alu-foil to re-heat at a later point (omit this step if you serve the wrap right away); If re-heated, serve with or without foil. If you serve with the foil, peel-back as you eat to avoid a mess 🙂