Recipes from the Road

September on Tutka Bay, Alaska

2010-09-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

Poached Pears in Port Reduction with Gargonzola

2008-12-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

4 cups water
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 small ripe but firm pears
2-1/2 cups Port
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
1/4 tsp. whole peppercorns
1/2 cup Gorgonzola
1/2 cup light cream cheese, softened)

Combine juice and water in a large bowl. Peel each pear and remove core from bottom end. leave stem on. Slice about 1/4 inch from bottom end so pear will sit upright and place in water mixture. Combine ruby port, peppercorns and cinnamon and cloves in a dutch oven and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes. Add pears and water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until pears are tender, turning fruit occasionally.

Remove pears with a slotted spoon and place in shallow dish. Bring cooking liquid to a boil, cook for 30 minutes or until reduced to about 3/4 cup. Strain and reserve liquid. Pour liquid over pears and chill for 24 hours (or longer-- i did 2.5 days) turning fruit once or twice. Remove pear , reserve liquid and set aside.

Simmer reserve liquid with 1 tbls sugar to 1/2-1/4 cup and leave at room temp.

Blend cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Spoon into decorating bag with a small tube. Cut pears lengthwise into three or four wedges and arrange on top of sauce. Pipe some of the cheese blend onto the pears.

Drizzle remaining reduction on top.

Braised Pork in Gewürztraminer

2008-10-02T22:08:00.000-07:00

4 pounds pork shoulder

1 white onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

Rosemary ( a handful)

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

Heat oven to 250.

Heat oil in skillet and sear all sides of pork shoulder about 2 minutes a side.

Transfer to baking dish. Rub with salt and pepper. Pour half a bottle of Gewürztraminer and add onions, garlic, rosemary to dish. Cover with foil and bake for 6 or more hours until meat falls apart.

Baste pork regularly with juices from the pan.

When done, transfer juices into sauce pan and reduce sauce, simmering until it is a thicker sauce. Pour on top of pork and serve.

Mediterranean Quinoa

2008-06-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

2 cups quinoa (rinsed first)
4 cups salted water

Make sure to rinse the bitter tasting natural pesticide of quinoa first. Just rinse grains in cold water. Then simmer (like rice) in salted water for 15-20 minutes-- until quinoa has plumped up and water is gone.

Let cool.

Mix in:
1 minced red onion (or shallot)
1/4-1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes soaked in olive oil-- chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnut pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsely
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh cilantro-- chopped
1/4- 1/2 crumbled up goat or sheep feta
the juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

mix all together-- and let sit in fridge for an hour for flavors to blend

Coconut Cream Pie

2008-05-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

Filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks
2 cups fresh coconut, pureed
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup coconut milk
9-inch unbaked pie shell (gluten free)
.
Meringue
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Beat 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl.

Place 2 egg whites in another bowl and set aside for meringue.

Cream sugar, butter, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Add coconut to the beaten eggs along with vanilla and coconut milk
.
Add to creamed mixture.

Mix well and pour into the unbaked pie shell. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake 30 to 40 minutes longer, or until firm in center. Top with meringue and brown lightly at 350° for 15 minutes.

To make meringue, beat the two egg whites and salt until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the 1/4 cup sugar. Fold in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until stiff and spread on the pie.

Ceviche

2008-04-28T07:29:00.000-07:00

4 limes
1 lemon
1 pound seafood (scallops, shrimp, or white fish)
1/2 bell pepper, minced
1 medium red onion, minced
1 tomato, chopped
1 chili pepper, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
2 tbls olive oil
1 avocado chopped (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze the juice from limes and lemon.

Combine juice, seafood, bell peppers, onion, chili, garlic, oil, cilantro in a mixing bowl and mix.

Marinate at room temp for an hour and then let sit in the refrigerator for an hour.

Add salt and pepper and avocado and serve.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

2008-04-16T11:43:00.001-07:00

Spring Rolls

2 ounces rice stick noodles
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup bean sprouts
6 large red leaf lettuce leaves
2 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Spring roll wrappers

Boil rice noodles in hot water for 5 minutes. Let drain and cool.

Prepare all ingredients in little bowls to wrap to rolls.

In a dish of warm water, place 1 spring roll wrapper/rice paper until it loses its stiffness, then carefully place on a wooden cutting board and place ingredients inside.

Fold up the sides of the rice paper and place seam side down.

** you can also add tofu, shrimp, or shredded chicken.

Peanut Sauce

1 cup peanuts
1tbls fish sauce
1 tea ginger
1 tea rice wine vinegar
1 tbls honey
2 garlic cloves 1 Thai chili

Blend all ingredients in blender mostly smooth.

Confits

2008-04-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

Leek Confit

2 tbls olive oil

1 large leek, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small shallot, minced

1/4 cup sun dried tomato

Fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme)

salt pepper

white wine

Heat olive oil in sauce pan. Throw in onion, garlic, shallot and leek and turn down heat to low. Stir until very soft and caramelized. If it gets dry in the pan, slowly add in white wine (you will want to continuously do this to keep moisture and for slow cooking.)

When soft add all ingredients and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes on low.

Serve with meats, fish, salad, as a side dish.

Mushroom Confit

1 tbls butter

1 yellow onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 cup assorted wild mushrooms

1 cup sherry or Port

1/2 chopped fresh parsley

1/4 chopped chopped walnuts

A squeeze of lemon

salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in sauce pan. Throw in onion, garlic and turn down heat to low. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir until very soft and caramelized. If it gets dry in the pan, slowly add in sherry(you will want to continuously do this to keep moisture and for slow cooking.)

Add mushrooms and simmer, stirring frequently until soft.

Continue to add Port/Sherry.

In the last minutes add parsley, walnuts and lemon juice.

Let cool.

I like this confit on top of white rice or served with pork.

When soft add all ingredients and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes on low.

Apple Confit (Chutney)

2 tbls olive oil

1 whole apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 onion chopped

1 shallot chopped

4 cloves garlic

1 cinnamon stick

1 tbls minced fresh ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

2 tbls honey

1/2 cup sweet white wine

salt

Heat oil in pan. Add garlic, onion, shallots and ginger. Turn down heat and stir until soft. Add apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg stir until apples are soft. Add wine and stir until liquid cooks down. Add honey and salt. Cook on low heat for 15-25 minutes, adding more wine as needed.

This is great with pates, foie gras, cheese and even on ice cream for dessert!!

For a delicious duck confit recipe with pictures click here.

Wild Elk marinated in Maple-blueberry Port Wine Reduction

2008-03-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

1 lb elk meat (any game meat such as venison would do nice with this marinade as well)

Marinade:

1 tbls olive oil

½ onion, chopped

1 shallot, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb frozen blueberries

¼ cup maple syrup

4 cups Port wine

1 sprig of fresh rosemary

2 tsp fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Tenderize elk. This is important because of its low fat content, the muscle fibers need to be broken down so the meats texture is not chewy and tough.

Poke holes throughout meat. Set aside.

In a skillet, sauté the onions, garlic, shallots in olive oil on medium heat. Add salt and pepper.

When onions, garlic and shallots are soft add blueberries and any excess juice. Stir on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until some liquid has evaporated.

Add Port wine and maple syrup and stir until reduced. Add herbs and more salt if needed. Approximately another 10 minutes.

The mixture should be somewhat syrupy. At this point allow to cool.

Once cooled, run reduction sauce with your hands all over the elk.

For best results marinade for 2-3 days.

To cook sear all sides of the elk in olive oil on high heat, 3 minutes per side. I think it tastes best rare in the center.

Chicken Liver Pate

2008-03-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

1 sticks softened salted butter, plus 4 tablespoons melted
1 large shallots, thinly sliced (1 cup)
1 pounds chicken livers, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup dry Marsala
1/8 cup chicken stock or mushroom stock
½ cups salted roasted walnuts, 1/4 cup chopped
1 teaspoon chopped thyme

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the softened butter.

Add the shallots and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Add the chicken livers, season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, turning a few times, until firm, about 4 minutes.

Add the Marsala and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add stock and simmer, turning the livers a few times, until the livers are light pink in the center.

Add remaining butter and mixture to blender and blend. Fold in chopped walnuts and thyme with a spoon and add salt and pepper.

Spoon the pâté into 2-3 1 1/2-cup ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Melt 1tbls butter for each ramekin and pour a thin layer on top to seal pate. Cover with crushed walnuts and thyme and refrigerate until the butter is firm, about 20 minutes.

Seared Washington Elk in Wine-Molasses Sauce

2008-03-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

1 lb elk meat

½ cup olive oil

1 cup red wine

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbls mustard

1 tbls molasses

10 leaves fresh sage

1 tbls mustard seed

1 tbls fresh ginger, minced

Sea salt

Pepper

Pound meat with wooden spoon for a few minutes on each side.

Poke holes all over both sides of meat with a fork.

Blend the rest of the of the ingredients to marinate.

Cover elk with marinade and let sit 8 hours or longer.

Heat 1 tbls olive oil in a skillet until hot and sear each side of elk for 3-5 minutes.

Serve rare in the center.

Cauliflower Mash

2008-03-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

1 head of cauliflower
3 cloves garlic, roasted
Fresh herbs
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
broth, water or liquid for blending

Steam cauliflower

In a skillet dry roast whole garlic cloves with skin on until lightly browned. Remove cloves from skin.

In a blender ad steamed cauliflower, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and a little liquid (I used the water from dried mushrooms I had rehydrated)

Blend until creamy.

Simply Shrimp

2008-03-02T13:10:00.001-08:00

25 bay shrimp
6 cloves garlic minced
2 tbls olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 shallot chopped
4 roma tomatoes chopped
1 tbls capers, chopped
Fresh herbs: rosemary, sage, oregano,Italian parsley
1 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper

Heat oil in skillet.

Saute onion, garlic, shallots on medium heat until soft.

Add chopped herbs

Return to high heat and add shrimp, searing both sides

Add tomatoes, capers and white wine, lower to medium heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Salmon with Peach-ginger-maple-balsamic Glaze

2008-01-26T15:19:00.000-08:00

1/2 pound fresh salmon
1 tbls olive oil
1 tbls chopped ginger root
1 minced onion
2 small peaches, skinned and sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sweet white wine
1/8 cup maple syrup
sea salt and herbs to taste

Heat oven to 350F

Rub salmon with salt, a tiny bit of olive oil, and herbs and set aside.

Pour 1 tbls olive oil in skillet with salt. Saute the onions, ginger until soft.

Add peach slices, balsamic, and salt and lower heat.

Simmer until liquid is halved and add wine and maple syrup.

Keep cooking on low heat, for a long time, making a reduction sauce, add more wine and balsamic as needed.

Once it is a thick, syrupy sauce, add fresh herbs and then pour mixture over the salmon.

Bake salmon and sauce for 20 minutes.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

2008-01-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

7 ounces 85% dark chocolate
1/4 cup espresso
10 tbls butter
3/4 cup sugar + 2 tbls
6 eggs, separated
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven 375 F

Grease 9 inch cake pan

Melt chocolate and espresso in a double broiler

Mix sugar and butter with a wooden paddle and then with mixer once soft. Add egg yolks and beat with electric mixer.

Fold melted chocolate into butter mixture.

In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with salt until stiff peaks form. Then add remaining 2 tbls sugar and beat until glossy.

Fold chocolate mixture into egg whites.

Pour into pan and bake at 350F for 15 minutes, turn down to 325F and bake 45 minutes, then turn down to 300F and bake for 15 min. Let cool inside oven when finished.

Serve with Prunes in Red Wine (see below) and whipped cream.

Or frost with Chocolate Mousse Frosting; recipe here.

Prunes Drenched in Red Wine

2008-01-26T15:04:00.000-08:00

This is so easy and relatively cheap to make and goes well with chocolate, cheese, or even cooked with meats (I am thinking duck or venison)

24 dried prunes
1.5 cups Red Wine
1 tbls sugar

Mix together and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Spiaggia's Baccala Alla Calabrese

2008-01-12T20:38:00.000-08:00

2 pounds salt cod
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1.5 cups dry white wine
1 28 ounce can plum tomatoes
1.5 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1 cup low sodium chicken stick
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Soak the cod in cold water in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, changing the water twice a day to remove excess salt. Pat dry and cut into 6 equal pieces.

In a large oven-proof saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Add garlic and cook until lightly browned, 2 minutes.

Add wine and stir, scraping thr bottom of the pan. Cook the wine until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.

Add tomatoes, crushing them with the side of the wooden spoon.

Add the capers, and then add the cod pieces to the pan.

Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to maintain the simmer for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Transfer to the oven and cook until the cod is tender and cooked through, 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.