Roast Beef

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

Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach
butter
shallots
garlic
spinach
cream
salt
pepper

In a large, shallow pot melt the butter. Add the shallots and garlic and sweat until softened and aromatic. Add in the spinach, stir it around, cover the pan and turn off the heat to allow the spinach to wilt.
Meanwhile, in a tall pot heat the cream and reduce until thickened and a yellow-ish color. 
Once the spinach is wilted and the cream is very thick, use a slotted spoon to spoon the spinach into the cream (to avoid getting excess liquid into the mixture and thinning it out). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sunday Roast

At the restaurant where I work, Sundays are always special. We have a live Irish music session, as well as a big, special Sunday roast dish which is unique each week. Last Sunday was my first time doing the roast, and I was super excited. This is what I came up with:

• Irish style prime rib roast (flavored with rosemary, thyme, garlic, and black pepper)
• Brown butter champ mashed potatoes (green onion, garlic, brown butter, cream, black pepper, salt)
• Yorkshire pudding
• Red Wine Jus
• Braised baby onion and shitake mushrooms
• Roasted colored cherry tomatoes
• Creamed spinach

Wilted Spinach

The name may not sound all that appealing, but wilted spinach is a good way to prepare spinach as an alternative to raw or salad or cheese dip. It is quick and easy and makes a delicious side dish to many kinds of meals. Here is my method of doing it:

spinach (also works with other greens such as kale and swiss chard)
liquid, stock is best (I usually use veg, but more more flavor use chicken or pork. Water works too, it is just less flavorful)
aromatic flavorings (I use minced shallots and garlic)
butter (or margarine or oil for a non-dairy version)
seasonings (salt and pepper; add other spices if feeling adventurous) 

Method #1
Put the greens in a pan with the liquid and aromatics. Put on high heat until they start to wilt, stirring the leaves around so they wilt evenly. Then add butter and seasonings. 

Method #2
Heat the butter or oil in a pan. Throw in the spinach then pour in stock. Stir while it wilts down and add seasonings. 

A small amount of greens will cook very quickly in a small pan. Larger amounts will take longer. Ad remember the greens will shrink by more than half once cooked - so make lots!

Lobster Ravioli Catch

• Ravioli - fresh, hand-rolled, homemade pasta dough 
• Lobster Filling - local lobster, goat cheese, lemon, tarragon
• Chanterelle Cream Sauce - butter sauteed local wild chanterelles, redued cream
• Wilted Spinach - spinach, garlic, shallots, white wine
• Lobster Cheese Toasts - lobster, cream cheese, herbs, cracked black pepper

Skills - Secondary Cooking Pork Tenderloin Entree

Cooking group one, day two - entree. The entree had to consist of a roasted pork tenderloin, glazed battonets of carrots, sauteed spinach, gratin dauphinoise (recipe provided), peppercorn sauce (recipe provided) and one garnish of choice. Other than that, there were many variations including the seasoning and sear on the pork, a stuffing or none, the doneness and presentation of the pork, how the potatoes were cut, etc. In the captions I have pointed out some key difference.

raw apple slices

fresh herbs

soft poached egg

cheese tuiles

rolled and filled pork tenederloin

bacon-wrapped pork

Big Batch Lasagna

I grew up helping my father make lasagna. Whenever we had lasagna at our house, we always made two 9x13 inch panfulls and ate it for a few days, or froze extras. It was also a favorite dish to have when company came over. If you are going to go through all that trouble, you may as well make two big lasagnas and get more than one meal out of it. Also, the lasagna noodles fit larger pans better and one container of cottage cheese was always enough for us to make two lasagnas. We always made one meat lasagna and one vegetarian - I did the meatless and my father handled the meat. We would work side by side, I preparing the cheese and sauce, and eating the broken noodle pieces, and my father cooking up the meat. At work recently, I made one really big lasagna in a much bigger pan. It was definitely a different recipe than my father and I always made together, but the techniques were the same and it certainly brought back memories, especially since I didn't have a helper and was making this all by myself. 

This lasagna consists of a spicy meat tomato and pepper sauce, four layers of noodles, a layer of cottage cheese mixed with spinach, and a top layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. I like how lasagna can be prepared in advance, stuck in the fridge, and baked shortly before serving. Pictured here is the unbaked version. I also love the layering process and don't find it to be tedious at all, as long as you have all your mise en place in order beforehand. 

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans

This is a delicious, one pan vegetarian meal that is quick and easy. It is nutritious as well - it provides a good dose of protein, calcium, and fiber, and is low in fat and sodium. Gnocchi is a fresh Italian dumpling pasta with the dough being made from mashed potatoes and flour and egg. It is fun to make from scratch, but can be a bit tedious, so it is a time saver to buy a shelf stable version. Fresh refrigerated versions are also available. It is a soft, yummy pasta that easily absorbs flavors. A friend of mine prepared this dish for me and I loved it. I would definitely make this for myself sometime. 

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 package (16 ounces) shelf stable gnocchi (potato dumpling pasta)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
1/2 cup water
6 cups Swiss chard (or spinach or kale) leaves, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes (with or without seasonings)
1 can (15 ounces) white beans
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat 3 teaspoons oil. Add the gnocchi, and cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes until it begins to soften and brown. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan, cook the onion for two minutes until softened. Add the garlic and water and cook for 4-6 minutes until soft. Add the greens and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Add in the gnocchi and sprinkle with cheese. Let stand until the cheese begins to melt. 

Falafel

I have been wanting to make, or at least try, falafels for quite some time now. I think the word is just so fun to say! For those of you who aren't sure, falafel kind of rhymes with waffle, and is not pronounced fall-a-fell. Falafels are essentially a Mediterranean-style veggie burger made with chickpeas and enriched with Eastern flavors, and served in a pita bread with vegetables. This version is not deep-fried like some traditional versions, rather this is an incredibly quick and healthy version. It only makes two servings, but quantities can easily be increased. It makes a nice light meal or a nourishing snack. The recipe could also be used as a simple veggie burger recipe.

Falafel
olive oil
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tablespoons chopped onion
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
1/2 Tablespoon whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
salt and pepper to taste

whole wheat pita breads
tzatziki
desired garnishes - fresh vegetables, cheese, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice

Heat a little oil medium skillet over medium heat.
In a medium bowl, mash together all falafel ingredients. The quickest and easiest way to do this is to put all the ingredient in, get your hands in there, and mash. It's also fun.
Form mixture into four small patties. Brown in the skillet, a few minutes per side, until golden and cooked. 

To assemble: Spread two pita breads with tzatziki. Sprinkle with chopped baby spinach. Place the falafel patties on top. Garnish with cherry tomato halves. Or, use you favorite garnishes and flavorings. 
I think my version with tzatziki and spinach and tomato is colorful and extremely tasty. Then again, I've never tried anything else. Tzatziki is a Greek sauce made with yougurt, cucumber, parsely, and lemon. It really adds some nice flavor and is a great source of calcium. The pita could be followed over and eaten like a sandwich, or just as is.