GOAT CHEESE & GARLIC POTATOES

Serves 6

This dish is not just delicious & easy, but also a great switch up from the norm. The perfect side to a juicy steak. Make em and love em!

INGREDIENTS

• 2lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes (or similar), sliced about 1/8 inch thick (I used a mandolin)

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup 2% milk

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

• 4oz goat cheese

• Kosher salt

• Fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Slice potatoes and put in a large bowl of cold water to keep from turning brown

3. Combine cream, milk, garlic, green onions and goat cheese, season well with salt & pepper - mix well.

4. Drain potatoes, add to the cream mixture and combine thoroughly / try to keep them from sticking together.

5. Pour into a 9x 13 oven proof dish

6. Cook for 1 hour or until gorgeous and you can't stand it anymore. Let sit 5 to 10 minute before serving.

TIP: If you want to make this the day before you need them, after cooking just let cool then cover and refrigerate. Then cover with foil and bake about 45 minutes at 250 to reheat.

Tomato Sauce Poached Halibut

Stupidly simple (like me) and so delicious.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Tomato Sauce, see recipe
• 2 tablespoons capers
• Four halibut fillets, about 4 ounces each

DIRECTIONS

1. Put sauce & capers in a small pot (but large enough to hold the fillets) and bring to a low simmer
2. Add fish, cover and cook until just getting firm, 8 to 10 minutes
3. Serve.

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BAKED CHEESY RATATOUILLE

Serves 4

The reason for having a really good tomato sauce at the ready is way obvious with this crazy good little baked vegetable dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red pepper, 1/2'' diced
• 10 asparagus spears, 1'' pieces
• 1/2 large red onion, 1/2'' diced
• 1 japanese eggplant, 1/2'' semi circles
• 1 zucchini, 1/2'' semi circles
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 2 cups my homemade tomato sauce
• 1 large mozzarella cheese ball, sliced
• Kosher salt and pepper for seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat broiler
2. Heat oil in wok on med/high, throw in red pepper, asparagus, red onion, eggplant cook for 7 minutes, keep it moving regularly
3. Add zucchini and garlic cook for 2-3 minutes, season with Kosher salt and pepper add dash of oil
4. Heat homemade tomato sauce in separate pan, add cooked vegetables
5. Layer mixture into cast iron skillet or oven proof dish, top with the cheese
6. Cook under the broiler (about 5 inches from heat) for 5 minutes or golden and bubbling. 

Everyday Tomato Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

Whether you use this for pasta, spooning on top of a poached egg or dipping crispy raviolis into - just make it. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

• One 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes - hey, if you like it hot - make it hot

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• Kosher salt and pepper to taste - and don't be shy about the salt for sure

Directions

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and add onion - cook about 5 minutes

2. Add garlic and cook another minute or so - just until fragrant

3. Add tomatoes, squishing each one with your hand to break it up as you add it - if using your hand is an issue break them up with a spoon but hey this is cooking so deal with it junior

4. Next put in tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, red pepper, sugar and oregano

5. Stir really well, combining everything

6. Add salt and pepper to taste

7. Bring sauce to a boil, then turn down heat and let simmer about 30 minutes

8. Serve on everything - pasta (of course) eggs, polenta, pizza, grilled bread, chicken...did I say everything?

Welsh Rarebit (aka fancy Cheese on Toast)

Serves 4 as an appetizer

THE best cheese on toast EVER, recommended by Kate, a lovely British woman. 

INGREDIENTS

• 6 slices bacon, uncooked and chopped

• 1/3 cup diced green onions

• 2 tablespoons butter + plus extra for bread

• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 3/4 cup whipping cream

• 6oz grated white cheddar cheese

• 1/2 cup dark beer

• 1 teaspoon each smoked paprika, garlic powder & cayenne

• Kosher Salt

• Fresh black pepper

• 8 thick slices crusty artisan bread

• sprinkle flat leaf parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook bacon in a medium pot medium heat in a medium pan until about 1/2 way cooked - then add green onions and cook 2 minutes

2. Add 2 tablespoons butter, and when it melts add flour, whisk well and cook 2 minutes

3. Then add mustard & Worcestershire, then gradually add the cream, cheese, beer and spices - stir until smooth and beautifully thickened

4. Butter the bread, grill or broil until golden

5. Ladle over the cheese sauce, garnish with pinch more paprika, some black pepper and parsley

Cullen Skink (hearty Scottish soup)

Serves 6

Cullen is a small town in Scotland and home to this delicious fish chowder.  But it’s traditionally made with smoked haddock that I couldn’t find, so I used smoked salmon and it was fricking delicious. 

Try it mate, I think you’ll love it. 

Recipe donated by a proper British person, Kate (my assistant Georgie's Mum) who lives over the pond, in the smallest city in England, called Wells (see video below).

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ½ cups milk
• 1 small bunch parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1lb smoked salmon (or smoked haddock)
• ½ stick/55g butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into a medium dice
• 1 large leek, cleaned, sliced lengthwise and chopped into half rounds
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup bacon, cooked/crispy/crumbled

DIRECTIONS 

1. Put the milk, half a dozen parsley stems and bay leaf into a small pot and simmer about 5 minutes
2. While it cools, put 1 tablespoon each butter & olive oil in a small pot and with the onion & leek – cook about 5 minutes until nicely softened
3. Break up salmon, add to milk and continue to simmer about 5 more minutes – then strain and add milk and salmon to the onions & leaks
4. Carefully stir in mashed potatoes – you don’t want to break up the salmon too much
5. Add salt and pepper as needed and serve topped with bacon & chopped parsley.

THE BRITISH CULPRITS THAT DONATED THE RECIPE, GEORGIE & KATE, FROM ENGLAND.

San Diego Fish Tacos

Makes 6 tacos

While they are no hard rules for an authentic SD fish taco - I believe a few things are key. A nicely battered & crispy outside, a moist & tender inside served with a simple white sauce and of course shredded cabbage for crunch. Most any whitefish will do, but we made ours using sculpin from Tommy at Catalina Offshore.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Tempura Flour
• 3/4 soda water
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 1/4 pounds white fish, skinned, deboned and patted dry - sliced into 1" x 3" pieces
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup green salsa
• 6 corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 1/2 cups green cabbage, shredded
• Hot sauce & lime wedges  for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk flour, soda water and Old Bay in a large bowl until smooth
2. Heat a couple inches of oil to 360 degrees in a deep sided pan or pot
3. Combine sour cream & salsa in a small bowl, mix well and set aside.  
4. Dip fish into batter until well coated and gently shake off excess
5. Carefully slide into the oil and cook a couple minutes on each side or until golden brown
6. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels
7. Put sour cream sauce on a tortilla, add some cabbage, the fish and top with some hot sauce and a squeeze of lime 
    

Shrimp & BBQ Sauce

Makes about 2 dozen large shrimp

My great friend 'Tommy the Fishmonger'  whips this up in seconds and clearly it's as easy and delicious as it gets.  

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound large shrimp (21/25's would be ideal), shelled, deveined and butterflied
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup Hungry Chef Original BBQ Sauce or whatever bbq sauce you like
• Fresh rice for serving
• Lemon wedges
• Green onions, diced for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat cast iron skillet or wok on high add butter and shrimp and cook until shrimp are almost done, 2 to 3 minutes
2. Add bbq sauce to shrimp and heat until sauce is bubbly about a minute
3. Serve shrimp on rice, with a squeeze of lemon and garnished with green onions

Cottage Pie

This is the 'Dog's Bollocks' (which means "The Best" in British slang). Make it once and you'll be converted into a British food lover forever. It's the ultimate comfort food and an easy family meal pleaser.

And, this dish is originally from Ireland, making it is perfect to feed a big hungry mob for St. Pat's Day, to soak up that Guinness!

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300
2. Boil a large pot of salted water add potatoes and cook until tender, drain, mash and then stir in 4 tablespoons of the butter and 1 cup of the cheese, set aside
3. Cook ground beef in a large pan until just cooked through - remove to a bowl
4. Using the same pan, heat oil and add onion and carrots - cook until just softened, 5-7 minutes
5. Stir in flour and remaining butter, mix well to form a thick kinda paste & cook for 2 minutes more then add the tomato paste, beef broth, parsley, cooked vegetables, ground beef & season with salt and black pepper to taste - be sure to mix well
6. Grease a large 9'' x 12'' oven proof dish, add the ground beef mixture and top with the mashed potatoes and sprinkle with remaining cheese
7. Bake for 20 minutes.

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Teriyaki Mushroom Mushroom Burger

Makes 4 burgers

I shot a show at the San Diego Zoo – wait, make that ‘world famous’ San Diego Zoo.  I felt like cooking with anything 'meat' would have been in poor taste and my sister in law Cheryl suggested I make something with Portobello mushrooms cuz they taste meat-like but aren't.  So I did…and I loved it and you will too.  

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound sliced mushrooms
• 4 Portobello mushrooms, the big guys right?
• Olive oil
• 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
• 4 whole wheat buns
• 8 slices Monterey jack cheese
• 2 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into 8 slices
• Mayo

DIRECTIONS

1. Put sliced mushrooms in a pan and cook over medium heat until softened – add teriyaki sauce, mix and turn off heat
2. Heat grill to medium/high
3. Lightly oil Portobello’s, place on grill & cook 3 - 4 minutes on each side until softened, add 2 slices of cheese to each mushroom – and put the buns on the grill
4. While cheese melts and buns toast – heat the teriyaki mushrooms
5. On the bottom buns once toasted, put some mayo and a little teriyaki and mix, top with tomatoes, Portobello’s and then the sliced mushrooms and the top bun

Chicken Peanut Butter Stew

Serves 4

Using a deli-roasted chicken let’s you make this recipe in very little time.  And yes using tomatoes, sweet potatoes and peanut butter sounds very odd – but it's damn fine. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes, 1/2'' diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 – 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander (aka ground cilantro seeds)
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1.5 cups deli-roasted chicken, shredded
• For serving, fresh rice, crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oil in a large pot on medium, add sweet potatoes and onion, cook for 3-4 minutes

2. Add the ginger and garlic, cook for 1 minute
3. Add stock, tomatoes, coriander and the peanut butter (yes, peanut butter!) stir well
4. Add chicken, stir well, cover and simmer on low about 10 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until sweet potatoes are cooked though

5. Serve on rice topped with crushed peanuts and cilantro.

Fried Rice Pancakes

Serves 4

Fried rice – fantastic. 
Fried rice pancakes – ridiculously fantastic, in a weird ‘east meets west’ sorta way.   

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 
• 1 cup leftover chilled fried rice
• 1 cup prepared pancake mix (I use "just add water" kind)
• Hoisin sauce for serving
• 2 green onions, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Re-heat rice
2. Pre-heat non-stick skillet, add some oil and ¼ cup of the rice, spread out slightly
3. To about a 4 inch circle
4. When it starts to sizzle, pour just enough pancake batter slowly over the top to cover
5. Cook a couple minutes or until just set on the bottom, then flip and cook until done
6. Serve rice side up with a little drizzle of Hoisin sauce and green onions for garnish

The Hawaiian Dog

Serves 4

This tangy hot dog packs a punch full of flavor – dogs will never be the same again.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 red onion, sliced thinly

• 8 strips bacon, cooked, crispy & crumbled

• 4 slices fresh pineapple, 1/2'' slices cut lengthways 

• 4 Kosher beef hot dogs, sliced down middle leaving a hinge – aka butterflied

• 4 hot dog buns

• 6 tablespoons Kewpie (Japanese) mayonnaise

• 4 tablespoons thick teriyaki sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. In large skillet on medium heat add oil and cook red onion about 10 minutes, or until beautifully softened

2. Pre-heat griddle or skillet on medium heat, and cook hot dogs and pineapple slices, until each have good grill marks – about 5 minutes each side

3. Grill buns in pan until golden then build hot dogs: bun, 1.5 tablespoons kewpie mayo, tablespoon of teriyaki, hot dog, pineapple, bacon and top with red onions

4. Eat happily, and thank me later…

Chili Dog

Serves 4

Of course you can always put fries on a hot dog (and should) but there’s something about crispy hash browns that changes things. And then to combine them with sour cream and melty queso makes the whole thing ridiculous – in a good way of course.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 hot dogs
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 ½ cups chili, heated
• 1 cups cooked, hot, crispy, hash browns 
• 4 hot dog buns
• 1 jar Salsa Con Queso
• 4 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS

• Cook hot dogs your favorite way – mine would be to grill them to perfection 
• Open each bun, butter and cook on a flat griddle until golden brown
• Remove lid from cheese jar and microwave until melty smooth – about a minute
• Build the dog in this order:

1. Bun
2. Sour cream
3. Chili
4. Hot dog
5. Hash browns
6. Drizzle queso over the top

Greek Hot Dogs

Makes 4

Yes the tomato and cucumber are nice, refreshing & certainly delicious.  But what really makes this is the quick tzatziki. It adds a crazy amount of flavor that had us wanting a 2nd & 3rd.  

INGREDIENTS

• 4 hot dogs
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup cucumber, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 wedge lemon
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup diced tomato
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and diced small
• Butter
• 4 hot dog buns

DIRECTIONS

1. Make small diagonal slits on all sides of the dogs and cook in a non-stick pan
2. Combine yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon juice & salt - mix well
3. When dogs are almost cooked (and you'll know cuz the slits will open and it'll get gorgeous and slightly brown) butter buns and cook on a flat griddle until lightly brown
4. Spread tzatziki sauce on a bun, then place a dog, then add tomato & olives
5. Eat

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Glossy Asian Wings

Serves 4

These are so simple, and the longer you marinate them the better… I suggest you whip this up in the morning, throw 'em in the fridge, then they'll be tender and perfect to cook when you get home from work.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs raw chicken wings

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 cup soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 2 green onions, white & light green parts, chopped fine

• Toasted sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat broiler

2. In a large bowl combine brown sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil – mix well

3. Put the wings and most of the marinade (save about 1/3 for basting) in a zip lock bag and refrigerate an hour up to overnight

4. Place skin side up on backing sheet & put under broiler about 4-5" from the element and cook 10 minutes, flip and cook until done – about another 10

5. Plate wings, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds

(Shortcut version: You could make this with frozen raw wings, just coat with sauce then cook according to packaging)

Grilled Polenta with Crab

Serves 4 as appetizer

Perfect summer appetizer – totally delicious & simple crab salad on grilled polenta, you can have this on the table n 20 minutes, easy! 

INGREDIENTS

• Makes about 20 rounds
• 1 polenta chub
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 green onion chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• Kosher salt & pepper
• 1  1/2 cups fresh crab meat
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

• Pre-heat grill pan to medium/high
• Slice polenta into 1/4 inch thick rounds
• Lightly drizzle with olive oil, season with Kosher salt and pepper & cook on grill pan until crispy and well marked, 5-7 minutes on each side
• In a bowl mix diced green onions, red pepper, chili sauce, lime juice, pinch salt and crab meat
• Spoon some crab mixture on each round, top with a slice of avocado and wee bit of cilantro. 

Bucatini with Asparagus and Prosciutto

Serves 2

A perfect and satisfying lunch or dinner that you can make in under 20 mins.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb Bucatini pasta

• 1 pound asparagus, thick ends removed

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 1/2 lemons, juiced

• Pinch Kosher salt

• Fresh ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

• 4 thin slices Prosciutto

• 2 eggs

• 2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions

1. Bring 2 pots of water to a bowl

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions in one, and the asparagus in the other until just starting to get tender

3. Immediately plunge asparagus into a large bowl filled with water & ice - (this will stop it cooking), drain on paper towels - cut into 2 inch lengths

4. Whisk lemon juice, Dijon, olive oil, Kosher salt and pepper in a small bowl, set aside

5. Crack eggs into 2 small dishes being sure not to break the yolks

6. Stir vinegar into a 3rd pot of just simmering water, and using a spoon, stir water in a circular motion to create a mini whirlpool, then carefully slide egg into the center of the pot

7. Cook uncovered about 4 minutes or until poached

8. Drain pasta, return to pot with asparagus and some of the vinaigrette - mix well

9. Plate pasta, top with torn pieces of prosciutto, Parmesan and finally the poached egg

Lobster Pasta

Serves 3-4

Yum

Ingredients

• 2 lobster tails, uncooked
• 1/2 large yellow or white onion, diced
• 1 small green pepper, diced
• 1/2 pound shell type pasta
• 1 large clove, or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1/3 cup cup parsley, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil, for finishing

Directions

1. Steam lobster tails about 12 minutes or until done, let cool slightly, remove meat and cut into bite size pieces
2. Cook pasta until done
3. While the lobster steams, cook onion and green pepper in a little oil until softened
4. Put in garlic, and cook about 1 minute
5. Add red pepper, butter, lobster and season with salt & pepper
6. Stir well then put in parsley & lemon zest
7. Combine and heat through, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil

Old School Chocolate Wafer Log

Serves 6-ish

My mom used to made this years ago and I thought she was a genius for it. But when I went to make it the first time myself, I realized the recipe was right there on the wafer box. And even though she's still a genius, I think mine is a little better because I add Bailey's to the whipping and sliced almonds and shaved chocolate to the top.

Ingredients

• 1 pint whipping cream
• 2-3 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream
• 1 box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• Chocolate for shaving

Directions

1. Put cream & Bailey's in a mixer and beat until stiff, yeah I said that
2. Spread some of the whipped cream on a serving plate as a base to hold the wafers
3. Spread a layer of cream on one side of a wafer, stack another wafer on top, add cream, another wafer and so on until all the wafers are used
4. Lay the wafer stack on it's side on the plate, and fully cover with remaining cream
5. Cover loosely with saran and refrigerate overnight
6. Remove from fridge, and top with almonds and shaved chocolate
7. Now this part is critical: cut the log on a diagonal to expose the wafer & cream layers

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