by Jessica
“I think I just might.” I smiled at him. God, he was so much less stressed than I’d ever seen him. It felt wonderful to see how happy he was.
“Are Owen and Adrianna staying at your place?” Josh nuzzled my neck.
“Hmmm,” I said as a yes.
“I’m glad they’re watching the cats for you.”
“Uh-huh.” I was getting distracted.
I looked up at my gorgeous chef, the man I loved and who loved me back, and thought about everything that we’d been through in the past year. A Hawaiian escape with Josh had been a pretty good idea. Six weeks of bliss lay ahead of me. Maybe I could find a part-time job while I was here so I could continue paying off those damn bills.
I had one semester of school left and then graduation. Who knows? While I was here, maybe I’d talk to someone at the community center Josh had told me about. But I didn’t need to worry about planning too far ahead. I’d know what to do when the time came.
For now, the only thing I had to think about was what I was going to have Josh make me for dinner. . . .
RECIPES
Grilled Ohio Lamb Steak with Cannellini Beans, Anchovy, and Parsley
Jonathon Sawyer, chef at the Greenhouse Tavern
Cleveland, OH
www.thegreenhousetavern.com
Serves 7-10
Lamb Steaks: 1 whole leg of lamb
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 bulb garlic, smashed with skin still on
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, bruised
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
Have your local butcher or chef fabricate the leg of lamb into three sections: shoulder, shank, and steak (steak being the meat in between the shank and shoulder). Reserve the shank and shoulder for another preparation. The steaks should be cut across the leg, bone-in, and 1” to 2” thickness. This will yield 7 to 10 steaks.
Marinate the lamb steaks in the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.
Season lamb steaks with salt and pepper and grill to desired doneness. Allow to rest for five minutes.
Cannellini Beans: 1 qt. dried cannellini beans
6 qt. water
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig fresh bay leaf
Salt to taste
Soak cannellini beans in 4 quarts of water for at least 24 hours. Strain and rinse beans.
In a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, add beans and cover with water. On high heat, allow beans to come to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Let the beans cook until wholly cooked through without splitting. The tenderness of the bean is entirely up to you. Carefully remove the beans from the cooking liquid and place them in a sealable container with the olive oil, bay leaf, and a little salt. This will preserve the beans in the oil and allow them to absorb some of the oil. They will keep refrigerated for two weeks.
Salsa Verde: 1 bunch parsley, chopped
8 anchovy filets (salt-packed anchovies preferred), rinsed
and chopped
1 tbsp. capers (salt-packed capers preferred), rinsed and
chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. dried chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except for the salt and pepper and mix well. Mix the strained, cooked cannellini beans with an equal amount of salsa verde and allow to reach room temperature. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
To plate: Toasted bread heels or crostini
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, the highest quality you can
afford
Place some toasted bread heels or crostini on a plate. Place the sliced lamb steak on top (with any juices left over from the resting) and pour the salsa verde and beans over the top. Garnish with lemon zest and extra virgin olive oil.
Shrimp and Brie Purses with Apricot Vinaigrette
Bill Park, sous-chef at LTK Bar and Kitchen
Boston, MA
www.ltkbarandkitchen.com
Serves 4-6
Apricot Vinaigrette: ¼ cup jarred apricot chutney
8 dried cherries
½ cup apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Combine all ingredients and set aside.
Salad (per person): 2 oz. arugula
3 apple slices
1 tsp. sliced almonds
5 dried cherries
Toss ingredients with as much vinaigrette as you like and set equal portions on individual plates.
For pastry assembly: 1 package frozen puff pastry squares, thawed
1 wedge Brie, approximately 6-9 oz.
12 shrimp, cooked and roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Gently roll out each square of puff pastry dough to stretch them a bit. Poke a few holes in each piece with a fork. Place roughly 1½ oz. of Brie in the center of each square and top with 1½ tbsp. of the shrimp. Brush the corners with the egg and then pull the corners to the center and tighten around the middle to form purses.
Set purses on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve with arugula salad.
Oysters with Asian Pear and Fennel
Bill Park
Serves 4
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 bulb fennel, cored and finely diced
1 shallot, finely diced
1 Asian pear, peeled, cored, finely diced
¼ cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
½ tsp. turmeric
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
12 Oysters in the shell
Chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the fennel and shallot until tender. Add the pear and wine and sauté for a couple minutes and then add the cream, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
Set whole, unopened oysters on a baking sheet and bake until they pop open, approximately 7 minutes. Remove from the oven, discard the top shells, and top each oyster with a hefty spoonful of the fennel-pear mixture. Garnish each oyster with a bit of parsley before serving.
Seared Scallops on Polenta with Red Pepper and Chive Jam
Bill Park
Serves 20 as passed appetizers
Red Pepper Jam: 2 red peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
Place peppers in a blender and puree. Set the puree in a saucepan with the sugar, salt, and pepper, and cook over medium heat until almost dry. Cool and reserve.
Polenta: 3 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp. butter
2 cups polenta
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup shredded Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil or butter
Heat the chicken broth and butter in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Slowly add the polenta, stirring constantly. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes, continuing to stir constantly until the polenta has thickened. Add small amounts of cream and cheese, alternating until you have the flavor you want. Season with salt and pepper. The polenta should be very thick. Lay the polenta out on a greased cookie sheet and refrigerate overnight. Cut into 1” x 1” squares and sear in a hot sauté pan with a bit of olive oil or butter until just golden brown on both sides. Reserve unless you are serving right away.
Scallops: 40 small sea scallops
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan and cook scallops for about three minutes until done.
To plate: Heat the polenta squares in the oven if needed, then top each with a scallop and a bit of the red pepper jam.
&nb
sp; Pumpkin and Apple Bisgue
Bill Park
Makes roughly 1 gallon of soup2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced
8 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tsp. allspice
1 can pumpkin puree
1 quart chicken broth
1 pint heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. butter
1 baguette
Olive oil as needed for brushing
In a stockpot, heat oil, onion, half of the apples, and allspice and sauté over medium heat until soft. Add the pumpkin puree, chicken broth, and cream and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper. In a separate pan, sauté the rest of the apples with the cinnamon and butter over medium heat until the apples are soft. (You may add onions, too, if you like.) Slice baguette on the bias, brush with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake or grill until crispy.
Ladle soup into bowls, set a good dollop of the apple mixture into the center, and then set a baguette slice on top of the apple mixture.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts
J. B. Stanley, author of the Supper Club series www.jbstanley.com www.cozychicksblog.com
Makes 12 tarts⅔ cup crushed gingersnaps
2 tbsp. butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
One milk chocolate bar, melted
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Line a muffin pan with paper cups (enough for 12 tarts). Combine gingersnap crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Press approximately one tbsp. of the crumb mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup. Use all of the crumb mixture. Bake for five minutes. Beat together cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Add beaten eggs. Pour over baked gingersnap crusts. Bake 25-30 minutes. Drizzle melted milk chocolate over cooled tarts and serve.
Pepper Encrusted Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Horseradish
J. B. Stanley
Serves 4
4 6-oz. beef tenderloin filets
¾ tsp. salt, divided
1 tbsp. cracked black peppercorns
½ cup butter, divided in half
2 tsp. flour
¼ tsp. ground pepper
⅔ cup whipping cream
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. prepared horseradish
Sprinkle filets evenly with ½ tsp. of the salt; press cracked peppercorns on all sides of each filet. Melt ¼ cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until beef is at desired level of doneness. Melt remaining ¼ cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, remaining ¼ tsp. salt, and ground pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Whisk in whipping cream, mustard, and horseradish. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is nice and thick. Dollop over filets or serve on the side in a small bowl.
Aloha Fruit Salad
Mia King, author www.miaking.com
Serves 6
1 orange, peeled and diced
3 ripe mangoes, pits removed, peeled and sliced
3 bananas, sliced
1 Fuji apple, skin on, cored and sliced
1 small pineapple, sliced (or 1 8-oz. can pineapple chunks)
¼ cup unsweetened coconut, shredded and lightly toasted
¼ cup macadamia nuts or walnuts, lightly toasted and
coarsely chopped
½ cup date pieces
3 tbsp. honey
⅓ cup lemon juice
¼ cup pineapple juice (reserve from fresh or canned
pineapple) or orange juice
Place the orange, mangoes, bananas, apple, and pineapple in a large bowl. Reserve any pineapple juice; set aside.
Sprinkle the coconut, macadamia nuts, and date pieces on top of the fruit.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, and pineapple juice. Drizzle over fruit and serve.
Baked Tomato Nests
Mia King
Serves 4
4 large tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
4 large eggs
4 tbsp. double cream or heavy cream
4 tbsp. grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice off the tops of the tomatoes. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the pulp and seeds without piercing the sides. Turn the tomato shells upside down on a paper towel to drain for fifteen minutes.
Turn tomatoes upright and place in an ovenproof dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Season the insides with salt and pepper. Carefully break one egg into each tomato shell, then top with 1 tbsp. cream and 1 tbsp. Parmesan.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the eggs are just set. Serve hot.
Stromboli
Mia King
Yields 1 loaf, serves 6-8
Dough: 2 tsp. dry yeast
1¾ cups water (plus extra if needed), divided
3½ cups unbleached flour
1½ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. olive oil
Filling and topping: 14 oz. mozzarella or provolone cheese, cubed
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
3 sprigs rosemary, stems removed
1 tsp. pepper
Other filling options: 2 tbsp. dried thyme or dried Italian seasoning
1 handful fresh basil leaves
1 cup black olives, chopped
½ cup onion, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sprinkle yeast in 1 cup of room-temperature water. Leave for 5 minutes, then stir to dissolve.
Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast- and-water mixture and the olive oil. Mix in the flour from the sides, stirring in the reserved water as needed, to form a soft, sticky dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth, silky, and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1½ -2 hours. Punch down and chafe (see note) for 5 minutes, and then let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
Shape the dough into a 14” x 8” rectangle. Cover with a dish towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
Spread the cheese, garlic, and anything else you’d like to add evenly over the dough. Roll the dough like a Swiss roll or jellyroll, starting at one of the shorter sides, but don’t roll it too tightly. Pinch the edges of the seam and tuck the ends under.
Place on an oiled baking sheet. Use a skewer or carving fork to pierce several holes all the way through the dough to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil, salt, rosemary leaves, and pepper.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly, then drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top.
Chafing the dough: Hold the dough and curve your hands around it and use your palms to pull at the sides gently while you slowly rotate it, letting your fingers meet underneath. You should be left with a neat, smooth ball.
Watermelon Antipasti
Justin Hamilton, chef at LTK Bar and Kitchen
Boston, MA
www.ltkbarandkitchen.com
Serves 4-6
1 cup seedless watermelon, cut into 1“ cubes
8 oz. fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, sliced into ½ ” rings
¼ lb. Parma prosciutto, thinly sliced
Arrange watermelon, cheese, and prosciutto on a plate, “shingling” the ingredients (overlapping one of each). Repeat until all ingredients are used.
Sweet Balsamic Syrup: 2 cups balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
Add balsamic vinegar and sugar to a saucepan. Brin
g the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half. Turn off heat when liquid coats the back of a spoon.
Drizzle the prosciutto plate with the sweet balsamic syrup.
Salt-Crusted Chicken
Justin Hamilton
Serves 4
1 3-5-lb. chicken
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 cups coarsely ground sea salt
1 sprig of rosemary
1 bunch of basil
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Rub chicken with oil, season with freshly ground pepper and a small amount of the salt, making sure to season the inside of the chicken. Place rosemary and basil inside of chicken. Set the chicken in a roasting pan, then cover the entire chicken with the rest of the salt until it is thickly coated. Roast for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Remove from the oven and break off the salt rub before serving.