Sea Bass with Parsley Cream Sauce

...and horseradish - did I mention that?

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 1 ¼ cup milk

• ⅓ cup chopped curly parsley

• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

• 4 -6oz Seabass fillets, at room temperature

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown - about 2 minutes.

2. Add milk in small amounts, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Add pinch of salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Remove from the heat - stir in parsley and horseradish

3. Drizzle each seabass fillet with olive oil and season with salt & pepper on both sides

4. Place seasoned fish fillets in a hot pan face down and sear for about 3 minutes on each side, until opaque

5. Plate fish and top with 2-3 tablespoons of the horseradish sauce

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Best Crab Sandwich

Makes 4 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound cooked crab meat
• 2 celery stalks, diced small
• ¼-⅓  cup bread crumbs
• 2-4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 4 English muffins
• Canola oil
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• ½ cup shredded romaine lettuce
• Fry sauce, see recipe

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix crab, celery, ¼ cup bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, salt and pepper well in a bowl - add more mayonnaise or bread crumbs if needed to shape into shape into 4 patties, the size of English muffins - refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes
2. Heat a non-stick pan on medium high heat and add a thin layer of oil to the pan
3. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the patties and cook until the bottom is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes
4. Flip and add 1 slice of cheese to each patty add cook an additional 2-3 minutes, until cheese is melted
5. Meanwhile toast English muffin halves, or oil lightly and cook until just golden in a  non-stick pan
6. Spread fry sauce on 4 of the muffins, add lettuce, a patty and then the  remaining muffin

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Brown Rice Shrimp Pita

So I was just in Israel and want to re-live the flavors…what’s the big deal?

Makes 2 - 3 pitas

INGREDIENTS

• ½ pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, cut into smallish pieces
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ⅓ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• juice of  ¼  lemon
• Kosher salt
• 1 small tomato, seeded and diced small
• 1 Persian cucumber, diced small
• ½ cup cooked brown rice
• 2 -3 small pitas

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl combine shrimp with oil, garlic, turmeric, cumin, red pepper flakes and pinch of salt - mix well and set aside
2. In a separate bowl mix yogurt, curry, lemon and pinch of salt -  set sauce aside
3. Heat a nonstick pan on high, cook shrimp until done (if your pan is hot enough this should be a couple minutes max) remove from heat
4. Spread sauce in the pita pocket, then fill with rice, shrimp, tomatoes and cucumbers

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Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

Makes 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½  pounds 31/40 shrimp - cooked, peeled and tail-off

• ½ cup diced white onions

• ½ cup diced cucumbers

• ½ cup diced tomatoes

• ½ cup chopped cilantro

• Juice of 1 lime

• ½ teaspoon celery salt

• 1/2  teaspoon Kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon black ground pepper

• 2 cups Clamato juice

• 2 tablespoons ketchup

• 1-2 tablespoons your favorite hot sauce (mine would be Cholula)

• 1 ripe avocado, diced

• Saltine crackers

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients except the crackers and stir gently until well combined

2. Put into a serving bowl and serve with saltine crackers...or anything crunchy

Salmon with Garlic Cream Sauce

I served this delicious sauce over salmon, but you can use it on chicken, shrimp, scallops, shoes (ok not really) - but seriously pretty much on anything!

Sauce:

1 teaspoon neutral oil, like avocado

2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons dry vermouth

2 tablespoons very cold butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

• Warm a small pot over medium heat - add oil, onion, garlic and cook until onion has softened, 2-3 minutes

• Slowly add vermouth and simmer until liquid reduces to about half

• Put in butter, whisking in until melted - then add cream and stir through to heat and until sauce slightly thickens

• Mix in lemon juice and dill - season with salt and pepper to taste - set aside

Salmon:

Four 6 - 8 ounce salmon fillets, skin off and out of the fridge at least 20 minutes

Neutral oil

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

• Lightly oil salmon and season with salt & pepper, be generous

• Heat a non-stick pan really well - until almost smoking

• Turn on the fan and carefully add salmon to pan - top side down first

• Cook until about 1/4 of the way done - and you can see this by watching the sides of the salmon change color

• Carefully turn over, cook the same – remove

• Serve with garlic cream sauce and garnish with a touch more dill

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Asian Rice Bowl

Not to sound like a broken record, but this is super easy and super delicious. And very likely different than your everyday stuff... #justsayin

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground beef
• Neutral oil, meaning non-flavored like canola, avocado, peanut etc
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 heaping teaspoon of Asian chili garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 2 cups cooked rice

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook ground beef with about ½ tablespoon oil in a large pan until just cooked through - remove excess fat
2. Add ginger, garlic and add a little more oil if needed, stir and cook until very fragrant - about a minute
3. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili garlic sauce - mix well
4. Add the sauce to the beef mixture, stir and let thicken a little
5. Add 1 tablespoon of green onion to the mixture
6. Spoon the beef mixture over rice and garnish with more green onions.

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Grilled Steak Sandwich

Is a simple and delicious thing to make - and the addition of pesto makes it even greater.

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 boneless New York steak, at least 1 inch thick & room temperature
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 2 sandwich rolls, sliced in half & buttered
• 2 tablespoons mayo
• 2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat cast iron pan or skillet until smoking hot
2. Lightly rub steak with a little oil and season well on both sides with salt & pepper
3. Cook steak for 3 minutes, flip & continue cooking for 2 minutes (for medium rare), remove from pan and place on a plate to rest
4. In the same pan, add spinach and cook until slightly wilted - about 2 minutes
5. While steak is resting, place buns cut-side down on a flat top or large non-stick pan until lightly toasted
6. Spread mayo and pesto on bottom half of each toasted bun and top with spinach
7. Slice the steak thinly and stack on the spinach - season steak with a little more salt and pepper and top with the other bun.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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Herbed Slow Scrambled Eggs

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 eggs
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh curly parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon green onions, finely chopped
• 1 - 2 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter in a small skillet over low to medium heat, making sure it covers the bottom and sides
2. Add parsley, dill and green onions to melting butter - cook, stirring often about 2 minutes to really bring out the flavor of the herbs
3. Crack eggs into a small bowl, add salt & pepper, beat well and then add to the pan with the herbs
4. Cook slowly, stirring often making sure the eggs don’t stick to the bottom
5. When the eggs are about halfway done, add cheese - continue stirring until eggs are cooked through but still creamy
6. Serve

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Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake

Three ingredients and so damn good.

Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

• 1 slice frozen strawberry cheesecake, broken into chunks
• ⅓ cup vanilla ice cream
• ⅓ cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Put everything into a blender and blend for a couple of minutes, until smooth
2. And this next part should be really, really obvious: put in a glass and drink...unless you want to add a little rum - then you would blend it again and then drink

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Green Onion & Ginger Sauce

A classic Chinese oil based sauce - or more accurately a classic ‘Hainanese’ sauce - and it’s a simple and delicious add to almost any protein.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 cup any neutral oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Put ginger, garlic, onions and salt In a heat resistant bowl combine
2. Heat oil in a saucepan until hot but not boiling, and carefully pour on top of gingher combo (It’ll splatter a lot)
3. When it stops splattering, stir a couple times and then let it cool
4. At this point you can store it in a container in your fridge up to a couple weeks
5. Put on eggs, fish, shrimp, chicken, steak - almost anything

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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Blue Cheese BLT

Nuff said.

Makes 1 sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• 2 slices good bread bread (I like the seedy kind), lightly toasted
• Softened butter
• Mayo
• ½ cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 2-3 tomato slices
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 or 2 slices of blue cheese
• 4 slices bacon, cooked & crispy

DIRECTIONS

1. Spread a little butter and mayo one slice of bread - top with lettuce and tomatoes, then season with salt and pepper
2. Next add blue cheese and bacon - top with other bread
3. Slice in half - you’re welcome

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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Green Onion Matzo Brei

A Passover ‘must-have’, paired with my favorite vegetable ‘must-have’.

Serves 1 - maybe 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 sheets matzo
• Butter
• 1 bunch green onions, white & light green parts only, chopped
• 2 eggs
• Kosher salt, duh & fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Break matzo sheets into thirds and cover with very hot water for about 30 seconds then drain well
2. Melt a tablespoon of the butter in large non-stick pan and add green onions, cook on low heat about 3 minutes
3. Beat eggs in a large bowl, add salt & pepper and the softened matzo - breaking up the matzo into smaller bite-sized pieces
4. Stir matzo with eggs well and add to the plan with the green onions
5. Cook over low/medium heat until lightly golden on one side, then flip and cook the other side
6. Remove to a plate and serve

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Chicken Soup

There’s something truly wonderful about making your own chicken soup. I make it, eat some, eat some more, then freeze some – if there’s any left.

Makes about 12 cups

1 whole chicken, uncooked (with bones & skin for flavor) cut into 8 parts

3 celery stalks, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 large onion, cut into slightly largish bite size pieces

4 carrots, cut into bite sized pieces

2 tablespoons garlic paste, or 4 cloves minced

2 tablespoons ginger paste, or 1 inch piece of ginger cut into thin strips

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons ‘Better Than Bouillon’ chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes

• Put chicken in a large pot, cover with cold water by about 2 inches & bring to a boil

• Let boil 20 minutes, periodically skimming off the icky foam that floats to the top

• Turn down, cover and simmer for 90 minutes

• Remove from heat and remove chicken to a baking sheet to cool

• Add the celery, onion, carrots, garlic, ginger and bouillon to the broth, bring to a low simmer, and cover for another 30 minutes

• While it does, and once the chicken has cooled enough to handle, pull the chicken off the bones, remove skin then shred then add back into the soup with the vegetables

• Season to taste with salt & pepper – be aggressive, it’ll need it

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Whiskey Apple Donut

Of course to celebrate National World Whiskey Day you can always drink some whiskey - or you could put in into whipped cream and spoon some on top of a pan fried donut with sautéed apples. We’re going with the latter.

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored & diced small
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 glazed donut, sliced in half
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat non-stick pan- melt 1 tablespoon butter and add apples, cooking just to soften
2. Add sugar to the apples, mix until sugar melts then add pinch of salt and stir in 1 tablespoon whiskey, cook out the alcohol- about a minute, set aside
3. Put cream, sugar and 1 tablespoon whiskey in a mixer or large bowl and beat until soft peaks form- You can DEFINITELY over beat whipping cream, so be careful
4. In a separate non-stick pan- melt a little butter and place the donut cut-side down until  lightly toasted
5. Plate the donut, cooked side up, add some whipped cream and top with apples & finally a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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Pasta with Bacon and Brussels Sprouts

FEATURED ON MY TV EPISODE, "NOT SO HEALTHY DAY"

Even if you hate brussels sprouts, I think you’ll like this.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ounces bacon, sliced widthwise
• 10 whole brussels sprouts, sliced thin
• 6 ounces pasta - your choice but Iike “Casarecce” for this one
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large frying pan, add bacon - cook until just the edge of crispy, take bacon out and drain on paper towels
2. Leave about 1 ½ tablespoons of grease in the pan discarding the rest and add brussel sprouts -  cook about 6-7 minutes
3. While it cooks, bring large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions
4. Add the bacon back in the brussel sprouts pan - then add garlic until fragrant and mix
5. When the pasta is ready, drain (keeping about a cup of the water) and add pasta to bacon and brussels sprouts mixture with parmesan
6. Stir to combine well and if it's too thick, add pasta water about a 1/4 cup at a time until it's where you like it
7. Season with salt & pepper
8. Add red pepper flakes - top with a little more parmesan and serve

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FEATURED ON MY TV SHOW 

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Clam Chowder

Dear (red) Manhattan Clam Chowder people, it’s time to meet the REAL clam chowder in town.

• 1/3 pound bacon, chopped

• ½ cup onion, diced

• ½ cup celery, diced small

• 3 tablespoons dry vermouth

• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into a large dice

• 3 - 6.5 oz cans chopped baby clams

• 1 - 10oz can whole baby clams

• 1-8 oz bottle clam juice

• 1 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme

• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

• 1 pint (2 cups) whipping cream

• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

• Hot sauce (optional)

• Bread bowls for serving, see recipe here

• Cook bacon in a pot until crispy, remove bacon to a paper towle lined plate, but leave 2-3 tablespoons of the grease

• Put onion & celery into the pot and cook until just softened, 3 to 4 minutes

• Pour in vermouth and let reduce by about 1/2

• Then add in potatoes, clam juice from all the cans (but don’t throw out the clams!) and the bottle of clam juice to cover potatoes

• Bring to a boil, add thyme, liquid smoke and reduce heat then simmer until potatoes soften, about 10 minutes

• Add cream and clams (both chopped & smoked) heat through until chowder thickens

• Add 2 tablespoons of the parsley, salt and pepper to taste

• Serve in a bread bowl - topped with bacon, a little more Old Bay, parsley and a little drizzle of hot sauce if you’re using

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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Golden Curry

The epitome of Japanese comfort food - and I always have at least a couple packs of these in my house for last minute deliciousness.  Go buy a couple packs today at pretty much any Asian market or online - you’ll be glad you did. Follow the package directions for using uncooked proteins, or follow this version for already cooked:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ½ cups boiling water
• 3.5  package Golden Curry
• 1 cup cooked chopped vegetables (onions, carrots, celery - whatever
• 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken (or use any leftover protein of your choice)

DIRECTIONS

• Add all the curry cubes in the boiling water, stir until mixed well and sauce is smooth
• Turn down heat and add vegetables and chicken - stir until combined and heated through
• Serve over rice

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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Mexican Breakfast Bowl

One of my all time favorite breakfasts - and it’s not just good, it’s good for you. If this is eating healthy, call me Richard Simmons

Makes 4

INGREDIENTS

• 15 ounce can black beans, drained
• 1 pinch Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cumin, chipotle chili powder & garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup red onions, thinly sliced
• 4 eggs, beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• Hot sauce, any you prefer (I like Cholula)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat on black beans in a small pot, add salt, cumin, chipotle and garlic powder-mix well, keep warm on low heat and set aside
2. Put a non-stick pan over medium and add butter
3. As it melts add red onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes
4. Stir in eggs and cook to your desired doneness (which hopefully is not too dry) - season with salt and pepper, remove from heat and keep warm
5. Compile your bowl in thirds starting with ½ cup of rice, then ¼ of the black beans and scrambled eggs - repeat with remaining bowls
6. Top each bowl with avocado, some white onion, cilantro and a couple of dashes of hot sauce

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Mint Gremolata

Using sous vide (a constant temperature water bath) is not just simple, but makes for near perfect meat every time. And if I don’t have to worry about overcooking my lamb, I can worry about other things – like making sure my guests are happy.  

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Rack of Lamb

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours
Makes: 1 rack of lamb

INGREDIENTS

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Rosemary sprig
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil –
  vegetable, canola etc

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat sous vide cooker to135 degrees
2. Season lamb with salt & pepper, place in a vacuum bag with rosemary, seal and put in the preheated water – let cook 2 hours
3. While it cooks, make the gremolata
4. When the lamb is done, remove from the bag and carefully pat dry with paper towels
5. Add oil to a heavy pan (cast iron is ideal for this) turn on your stove vent and heat until just smoking
6. Start by carefully placing the rack meaty side down, and sear until well browned all over – should be no more than a minute
7. Put on a cutting board, slice into individual ribs and serve with the gremolata. 

Mint Gremolata

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Makes: About 1/3 cup
 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• Zest from 1 small lemon
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the mint, garlic, lemon zest, Kosher salt, red pepper flakes and olive oil in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped then set aside (you can easily make this the day before).

View fullsize

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Zucchini Fritters

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups grated zucchini
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• Vegetable or canola oil
• Sour cream & diced green onions for serving
  
  

DIRECTIONS

• Put zucchini in the center of kitchen towel, fold up sides, twist at the top to make a tight package and then squeeze like crazy removing as much liquid as possible then put in a large bowl
• Add the flour, bread crumbs, egg, cheese, red pepper flakes, garlic powder and alt - mix really well to combine
• Heat pan and add a thin layer of oil
• Scoop a couple tablespoons of batter at a time and put into the pan - flatten out and cook about two minutes on each side until crispy and gorgeous
• Serve with sour cream and green onions to garnish
  

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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