Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

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When I discover a great dish at a restaurant I have to try to recreate the recipe at home. Susan and I spent the weekend in St. Louis a couple weekends ago at the Moonrise Hotel on the Delmar Loop. While there, we ate at a wonderful restaurant called Nico where Susan ordered their Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad. It was fantastic and she immediately told me that I needed to recreate it. She thinks I came extremely close. Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts

½ ounce Maytag Blue Cheese

1 oz dates finely chopped

1 oz sliced almonds

2 tablespoons walnut oil (olive oil may be used)

1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Wash and cut the stems off of the Brussels sprouts and then remove the outer layers of leaves. These tend to be somewhat bitter. Finely slice the Brussels sprouts avoiding the very inner core. You could use a mandolin slicer set to the finest setting but I feel more comfortable using a chef’s knife. Toss into medium sized bowl to separate the layers. Crumple the blue cheese and add it to the bowl along with the chopped dates and almonds. Toss to combine. Wisk together the oil, vinegar, and lemon juice to create a vinaigrette. Drizzle vinaigrette over Brussels sprouts mixture and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

100th Blind Guy Cooks Post: Rack of Lamb

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I took a stroll through the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmer’s Market this morning and spoke briefly to a vendor selling lamb. I am always on the look out for a local vendor for my meats and this guy had some great prices on lamb, goat, pork, grass-fed beef, and duck. Forest Hill Farm As of August 13, 2013, Forest Hill is a certified organic farm.

Here is a great way to prepare a rack of lamb.

Note: This can also be cooked in a 375° F oven. I cooked this on a gas grill on a slate plancha.

Ingredients

Racks of lamb, 8 bones, chine bones removed and rib bones frenched
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 large rosemary sprigs
3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions

Light a grill and heat to 375°. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. If using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when covered in white ash. Push all the coals over to one side of the grill.

Melt the butter in the olive oil in a small saucepan. Add two of the rosemary sprigs and minced garlic to the olive oil and butter and heat until butter mixture just begins to brown and is very aromatic. , grill the lamb over indirect heat for about 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes and brushing the racks with the rosemary sprigs dipped in the butter mixture. The lamb is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 125° for rare.

When the lamb reaches about 120°, turn the rack bone side down and pour any remaining butter mixture over the rack and place the rosemary sprigs used for basting on top. Cook until the rack reaches 125°F.

Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Carve the racks into chops. Sprinkle with the chopped thyme, mint and parsley and serve.

A great alternate burger: Salmon Burger

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A burger is a burger. Or is it? Here is a great alternative burger made with salmon. Salmon burgers don’t always hold up on a grill so what I like to do is use my grill initially as a stove. I place a cast iron skillet on the grill, get it good and hot, and then give the salmon burgers a quick sear before moving them directly to the grill. Here’s what I do:

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless salmon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 shallots, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon capers, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Directions

Cut the salmon into large chunks and put about a quarter of it into the container of a food processor, along with the mustard. Process until the mixture becomes pasty, scraping the sides down as necessary.

Add the shallots and the remaining salmon, and pulse the machine until the fish is chopped and combined with the puree. No piece should be larger than a quarter inch or so; be careful not make the mixture too fine.

Transfer the salmon into a bowl, and stir in the bread crumbs, Dijon mustard, capers, and some salt and pepper. Shape into four burgers.

Place the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and place directly on a grill heated to high heat. Place the patties in the skillet when the butter is melted and just begins to brown. Cook for a minute or two on each side and then transfer directly to the grill. Cook an addition two to three minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook. Serve on a toasted bun with Blind Guy’s Fish Sauce (recipe follows) or your favorite sauce.

Blind Guy’s Fish Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons prepared white horseradish

Directions
Whisk together mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, lemon juice, and horseradish in a small glass bowl. Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Portabella Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper, Avocado and Chèvre

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If you are trying to cut back on the amount of red meat you eat but still crave a burger, here is a great alternative. Not only does this “burger” taste fantastic, it is also very filling. Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

1 large red bell pepper
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves finely minced garlic
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
4 Portabella mushroom caps (approximately 3 – 4 inches in diameter)
1 avocado sliced
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (allow to come to room temperature)
4 firm hamburger buns

Directions

Slice red pepper in half and remove seeds. While gas grill is heating, place red pepper on grill over direct heat to roast. After pepper has become blistered and charred in spots, remove pepper from grill and place in plastic zip lock style baggie. Allow to cool. When pepper has cooled enough to handle, remove skin, quarter, and set aside.

While peppers are cooling and grill is coming to temperature, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a non-reactive bowl. Wash and destem mushrooms. Add mushrooms to bowl and completely cover with mixture. Remove and allow to rest a few minutes to absorb seasoning.

Grill mushrooms over medium high heat with gills facing up for about 4 to 5 minutes, flip and grill an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill and place on bun so underside of mushroom is facing up. Top with red pepper, avocado slices, and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Lemon-Rosemary Grilled Yellowfin Tuna Steaks

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Lemon zest, rosemary, and garlic ready to be minced.


Lemon zest, rosemary, and garlic along with Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper ready to be pressed onto the tuna steaks.

I really like tuna but not simply out of a can, although canned tuna has its merits. When I say I like tuna, I’m referring to tuna steaks: pan seared, broiled, or grilled. They are so easy and quick to cook. A quick four to six minutes per side is all it takes. Yes, they will be pink in the middle but over cooked tuna is mortal sin.

Here’s what I did tonight:

Ingredients

2 fresh tuna steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each and approximately 1-inch thick
1 lemon, zested
fresh rosemary, about 2 large sprigs with leaves stripped from stem
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Coarse salt and black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Rinse and pat tuna steaks dry. Zest lemon on top of cutting board into a small mound. Place rosemary leaves on top of zest. Slightly crush garlic and place on top of rosemary. Finely chop the garlic, rosemary and lemon zest. About half-way through, season with Kosher salt and black pepper. Drizzle just enough olive oil over the tuna steaks to coat each side. Rub herb and garlic mixture into fish, while lightly pressing the mixture into the flesh and coating pieces evenly on each side. Let stand 10 minutes.

Grill tuna steaks no more than six minutes on each side over medium high heat on grill.

Spinach Angel Hair Pasta with Walnut-Arugula Pesto

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Pesto doesn’t have to be made from basil. Pesto is a generic Italian term for making something by pounding. The ancient Romans also ate a dish called moretum; a type of herb cheese spread eaten with bread. It was typically made with herbs, fresh cheese, salt, oil and some vinegar along with different kinds of nuts which were sometimes added. The contents were crushed together with a mortar and pestle. It is only natural that these two dishes, so closely related, would get the names moretum and pesto.

Tonight I made a pesto using walnuts and arugula. Although arugula is not a herb like basil, its color and unique peppery flavor make a great substitute. Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

2 small garlic cloves
3 ounces walnut pieces (about ¾ cup), toasted and cooled
4 ounces arugula, trimmed and roughly chopped
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1/3 cup)
1 pound spinach linguine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus extra if needed
Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Pulse garlic until very finely chopped. Add walnut pieces, arugula, Parmesan and process until a coarse paste forms. Drizzle olive oil into mixture while processing. Additional olive oil can be added if the mixture is too clumpy. It is always better to use less olive oil as it is easy to add but very difficult to remove. Transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in the salt and set aside. Even more olive oil can be added if you feel the mixture is too dry. This can be made up to an hour ahead of time. Do not chill; keep at room temperature.

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add angel hair and cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, and immediately add to bowl with walnut-arugula mixture. Drizzle with the oil, and season with pepper. Toss thoroughly until coated evenly. Serve immediately.

Cedar Planked Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

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What I really like about salmon is the infinite ways it can be cooked and the wide range of seasonings you can use. Tonight I cooked our salmon on a cedar plank, one of my favorite ways by the way, and topped it with an avocado salsa. Not only was this dish very tasty, it was a double source of omega-3. Win-win!

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

Salmon
1 to 1 ½ lb salmon filet
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper

Avocado salsa
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
1 large jalapeño peppers, diced or sliced (red if available)
Juice from 2 limes
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs finely chopped cilantro
Salt to taste

Directions

Prior to grilling, soak a cedar plank in water for at least two hours.

In a glass bowl, mix the salt, coriander, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together. Rub the salmon with the seasoning mix and let the fish rest for at least 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the grill to medium heat: 350° to 375°.

Meanwhile combine the avocado, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt in a glass bowl and mix well, chill until ready to use.

Place the seasoned salmon on the soaked cedar plank and grill the salmon for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the salmon from the grill and allow to rest 5 to 10 additional minutes. Top with the avocado salsa and serve.

A twist on an Italian favorite: Eggplant Parmesan Pizza

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This week’s meatless meal is a twist on two Italian favorites: eggplant Parmesan and pizza. You better be hungry as this is a very filling meal.

Here is what I did:

Ingredients

2 eggs
Kosher salt and ground pepper
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking oil
1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
1 small loaf soft Italian bread (Approximately 12″ in length)
2 cups store bought tomato sauce (I prefer Barilla Tomato and Basil)
8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a shallow bowl or pie pan, lightly beat eggs and season with salt and pepper. In a second shallow bowl or pie pan, mix panko and grated Parmesan together.

Pour enough cooking oil to fill a large skillet to about ¼” depth and heat. Dip eggplant rounds in egg and then dredge in panko and Parmesan mixture. Turn to coat completely. Fry rounds until golden brown and transfer to paper towel lined platter to drain excess oil.

Cut bread lengthwise and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Spread tomato sauce over both halves of bread and then layer divide eggplant and cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and nicely browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Jazz up your fish: Mustard-Grilled Red Snapper

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Red snapper is a firm, mildly flavored, white-fleshed fish that can be prepared in a wide variety of dishes; from a very simple dish to a gourmet meal. My favorite way to prepare red snapper is grilled with a spicy Dijon mustard sauce. Here’s what I do:

Ingredients

1/3 Cup Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 Red Snapper filets (6 to 8 ounces each)

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high for direct grilling.

Meanwhile combine mustard, vinegar and red pepper in small glass bowl and whisk well. Coat both sides of fish thoroughly with mustard mixture.

Grill fish over direct heat on a covered grill over medium-high heat. Grill approximately 5 minutes and one side and then turn and grill an additional 4 to 5 minutes on the other side or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Thai Inspired Peanut Sauce

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One of the most moist, tender cuts of meat is the pork tenderloin. In some markets outside the United States, this cut is referred to as a pork filet which may be more accurate. The equivalent beef cut is the beef tenderloin used to make filet mignon. The pork tenderloin cut, though, does get confused with the pork loin eye cut which is an excellent choice for a pork roast. Adding to the confusion is the use of the pork loin to make the pork tenderloin sandwich; a great sandwich but not nearly as tender as a pork tenderloin.

Here is one way that I like to prepare a pork tenderloin:

Ingredients

½ cup chunky, unsweetened peanut putter plus 2 tablespoons additional
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 piece freshly grated ginger (1 inch cube)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 to 1 ½ pound pork tenderloin

Directions

Combine peanut butter, coconut milk, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, ginger, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon in glass bowl. Whisk until thoroughly  combined. Divide in half. Place pork tenderloin in one gallon zipper stye storage bag and pour one-half the sauce over tenderloin making sure tenderloin is completely covered. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and store in refrigerator for at least one hour or until ready to grill.

Whisk in an additional 2 tablespoons peanut butter into remaining sauce to slightly thicken and set aside keeping at room temperature.

Heat grill to medium heat. About 30 minutes before grilling, remove tenderloin from refrigerator keeping it in the plastic bag. When ready to grill, remove tenderloin from marinade and discard marinade. Grill over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes (5 to 6 minutes per side). Remove from grill and let tenderloin rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into ½ inch slices. Spoon reserved peanut sauce over slices and serve.