Mustard Aioli

Mustard Aioli
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
scant cup canola oil
salt, to taste

Whisk together the yolk, mustard, and vinegar. Slowly and steadily stream in the oil, whisking constantly. The mixture will gradually thicken. You may not need all of the oil. Be careful not to add oil too quickly or to add too much oil as this will cause the aioli to split. Season with salt to taste.

Roasted Baby Potatoes with Mustard Aioli & Onion Jam

White baby potatoes. Cut an "X" in the top of each potato. Do not cut all the way through the potato, just enough to make a small crown-like opening. You can also cut a small slice off the bottom of the potatoes if they are really round and roll too much. Drizzle the potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper and roast at 425◦F until tender. They can be prepared ahead of time up to this point.
Fill the centers of the potatoes with onion jam and pop back in the oven to heat through. Remove from oven and top with a dollop of mustard aioli and two thin slices of chives.

Dijon Beef Jus

Dijon Beef Jus
roast drippings
red wine
stock
cornstarch 
water
salt
pepper
dijon mustard

Strain the roast drippings into a saucepan and add the wine and stock. Bring to a boil. Make a cornstarch slurry with the cornstarch and water and whisk in. Boil until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the dijon. Do not boil after adding the dijon.

Roast Beef

• Roasted hip of beef
• Caramelized onion and old cheddar mashed potatoes
• Wilted spinach
• Roasted cherry tomatoes
• Spaghetti squash
• Dijon sauce
• Watermelon radish

Sour Cream and Grainy Mustard Mash

Sour Cream and Grainy Mustard Mash
mashed potatoes
sour cream
grainy mustard
minced garlic
brown butter
heavy cream, optional
salt
ground black pepper

Mash the potatoes with the sour cream and mustard and garlic to begin with. The sour cream should make the potatoes a smooth enough consistency to be easily able to stir them, and the mustard and garlic should add some flavor. Taste and ensure all three flavors are present but none overwhelms the others. Drizzle in some butter for extra richness and to adjust the consistency. Cream may be added as well for a thinner consistency and slightly richer flavor. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I often use brown butter for making mashed potatoes as I find it just adds another depth of flavor. Brown butter is simply butter melted, and then continue cooking until it turns a golden brown and becomes quite aromatic.

Roast Pork Loin Dinner

• Spiced roasted pork loin
• Sour cream and grainy mustard mashed potatoes
• Honey glazed carrots
• Caramelized apples and red onion
• Roasted patty pan squash
• Brown sugar apple cider gastrique

Deviled Avocado

Deviled avocado is a concept I came up with while I had some avocado and was eating it with tahini and nutritional yeast, admiring the perfectly intact shell. I decided to create a concept of 'deviled' avocado - some of the same flavors of a deviled egg, and the same procedure, but a vegan alternative. No, it doesn't taste like deviled eggs, but it does taste good and is very nutritious. 

Deviled Avocado
1 large, ripe avocado
2 Tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
squeeze of lemon or lime juice
1-2 Tablespoons nut or soy milk
salt and pepper, to taste
paprika
nutritional yeast, if desired
small dates, halved or quartered

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scrape all of the flesh into a bowl, leaving the skin halves intact. Mash the flesh, and mash in the tahini, mustard, hot sauce, juice, milk, and salt and pepper. Use a blender or immersion blender if desired to get the mixture really smooth. You can scoop it into a piping bag fitted with a star tip if desired, or simply spoon the mixture back into the avocado halves. Sprinkle with paprika, and top with yeast and dates, if desired.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

This is a sauce I whipped up on the fly to accompany my German potato dumplings, Knödel. Again, quantities will not be exact, but taste and adjust according to flavor and consistency. 

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add in half an onion, finely chopped, and 2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (any kind will do but chanterelles or wild are the best). Sweat these until softened and translucent, then add in some cream to cover. Reduce it down and add some pommery mustard, Maggi, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add more cream as needed and keep reducing down to desired consistency, then adjust seasonings. 

Honey Mustard Ham

Here is a really quick and easy recipe for a juicy and flavorful ham. This is my go-to recipe whenever I need a quick main-course meat dish that doesn't require much preparation work, and goes with a variety of different side dishes. This recipe is easily scaled up or down, depending on the size of the ham used. In fact, I never measure the ingredients, I just eyeball based on what kind of ham I have. I have always used the fully cooked hams without the bone. Since the ham is fully cooked, the method used and the amount of time for cooking the ham can vary, but you do want to ensure the ham is heated thoroughly. This is what I do:

• Steam the ham for thirty minutes.
• Prepare a simple honey mustard sauce. I heat up two parts of pure, natural, creamy honey until liquidy, then blend it with one part of prepared yellow mustard. I add any spices and seasonings as desired - paprika and garlic are particularly good.
• Place the ham in a pan, pour the sauce over top, and spread on all sides to coat the ham.
• Bake the ham for 45 minutes at 300◦F.
• Remove ham to a cutting board and slice thinly, or remove rind and cut into pieces.
• Baste with sauce again.
• Either serve immediately with a spoonful of sauce, or cover with foil to keep warm before serving.