POMEGRANATE CHICKEN

POMEGRANATE  CHICKEN 

INGREDIENTS: 1 pack boneless chicken thighs, 2 cups pomegranate juice, 1/4 cup ras el hanout (mediterranean spice), 1 tsp salt and pepper, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 large sliced purple onion, 6 cloves chopped garlic, 1/4 cup fresh shredded ginger, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup chicken stock. 

Garnish: Cilantro & Pomegranate Arils

Boil then reduce pomegranate juice in a small saucepan for half an hour uncovered so the juice reduces.

Rub the chicken with the salt, pepper and ras el hanout and put in the fridge for at least an hour. Take it out of the fridge half hour before cooking.

Heat the oil in a dutch oven and fry the chicken so it browns 3 minutes per side. Set aside.

Sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, add the ginger and cilantro for another minute. Add the stock, juice and brown sugar and cook 10 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 30 minutes on a low heat.

POTATO GNOCCHI'S & PANCETTA

 POTATO GNOCCHI'S & PANCETTA

INGREDIENTS: 2 packages fresh potato gnocchis, 1 cup pancetta, 2 sliced shallots, 6 cloves sliced garlic, 1 stick of butter, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 bunch chopped sage leaves, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper

Garnish: Grated parmesan cheese.

Boil the gnocchi's for 1-2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

 Fry the pancetta, shallots & garlic in half the oil and butter until crispy. Set aside.

Heat the rest of the butter and oil and fry the gnocchi's on a fairly high heat so they brown.

When everybody is crispy, add the add the pancetta mix, the lemon juice, the spices and the sage. Mix thoroughly for a few minutes on a medium high heat. 

Garnish with parmesan cheese. 

PEPPERONI ROLLS

 PEPPERONI ROLLS

INGREDIENTS: 1 Tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, 1 bag sliced pepperoni, sliced pepper jack cheese (or whatever kind you like), small jar marinara sauce.

Separate the dough, put 4 slices of pepperoni and 1/2 of a slice of cheese inside it, roll it up and seal the edges.

Bake at 325 until pretty (about 10 minutes)

Garnish with parsley and serve with warm pasta sauce. 

Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Steak

 Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Steak

Ingredients: 

1 pound sliced mushrooms, 1/2 stick butter, 6 cloves chopped garlic, 1/2 diced onion, 1 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 heaping tablespoons french onion dip, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper

Garnish: Fresh Parsley

Sauté the onions, garlic and mushrooms until veggies are soft. Add everything else and simmer for half an hour uncovered stirring occasionally. 

VOKDA SAUCE WITH LOBSTER

 VODKA SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL, 2 TBS BUTTER, 1 DICED SHALLOT, 6 CHOPPED GARLIC CLOVES, 6 OUNCE TOMATO PASTE, 2/3 CUP VODKA, 1/2 CUP HEAVY CREAM, 1/2 CUP PARMESAN CHEESE, 1/2 TSP SALT AND PEPPER, 35 OUNCE CAN WHOLE TOMATOES BROKEN INTO SMALL PIECES., 1/2 CUP CHICKEN STOCK

OPTIONAL ADD ONS: PASTA & LOBSTER TAILS 

IF YOU WANT IT SPICY, ADD 1 TSP CRUSHED RED PEPPER.

GARNISH: LOTS OF FRESH BASIL, CRISPY PROSCIUTTO

SAUTE THE SHALLOT AND GARLIC IN THE BUTTER AND OIL, ADD EVERYTHING ELSE AND SIMMER FOR A HALF HOUR STIRRING OFTEN. THEN I PUT THE CHOPPED LOBSTER MEAT INTO TO THE SAUCE AND SIMMERED ON LOW FOR AN ADDITIONAL 20 MINUTES.

I BAKED PROSCIUTTO IN THE OVEN UNTIL CRISPY, CHOPPED IT UP AND SET IT ASIDE UNTIL THE END. 

I TOOK LOBSTER TAILS OUT OF THE SHELL AND BOILED THE SHELLS IN A BIG POT OF WATER WITH 1 TBS SALT FOR 2O MINUTES TO GET THE FLAVOR IN THE WATER AND THEN BOILED MY PASTA IN THAT LOBTER WATER.

ANY PASTA WILL DO. I USED FRESH BUCATINI

GARNISH WITH PROSCIUTTO AND BASIL AND EVEN SOME MORE FRESHLY SHAVED PARMESAN CHEESE

CREAMY PARMESAN DRESSING

CREAMY PARMESAN DRESSING

 INGREDIENTS: 3/4 CUP MAYO, 1/2 CUP FRESH PARMESAN CHEESE, 1/4 CUP FRESH LEMON JUICE, 2 TBS DIJON, 2 TBS WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, 1/2 TSP TABASCO, 1 TBS OLIVE OIL, 1/4 TSP SALT AND PEPPER

I PUT EVERYTHING IN A FOOD PROCESSOR AND SERVED OVER GRILLED LETTUCE AND FRESH VEGETABLES.

HADDOCK FRENCH

 HADDOCK FRENCH

INGREDIENTS: 2 PIECES OF HADDOCK

EGG WASH: 1 EGG, 1 TBS SUGAR, 1/4 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE

FLOUR MIX: 1/4 CUP FLOUR, 1/2 TSP SALT AND PEPPER

SAUCE: 4 CLOVES CHOPPED GARLIC, 1/2 STICK BUTTER, 1/4 CUP DRY SHERRY, 1/4 CUP LEMON JUICE, 1/4 CUP CHICKEN STOCK

1/4 CUP 

OLIVE OIL & PARSLEY

GENTLY SAUTE THE GARLIC IN THE BUTTER FOR 4 MINUTES, ADD EVERYTHING ELSE AND SIMMER. TASTE AND ADJUST AS NEEDED ACCORDING TO YOUR TASTE BUDS.

DIP THE HADDOCK IN THE FLOUR, THEN THE EGG. GARNISH WITH DRIED PARSLEY.

HEAT THE OIL ON A MEDIUM HIGH HEAT. FRY THE HADDOCK FOR 3 MINUTES PER SIDE. MINE TURNED BROWN BECAUSE OF THE CHEESE WHICH WAS YUMMY. ADD THE SAUCE AND SIMMER FOR 5 MORE MINUTES. 

I PUT MINE OVER A BED OF BABY BOK CHOY, PURPLE ONION AND BABY SPINACH.