Hello fans. I come to you today with a bit of bad news, due to some technical difficulties I am no longer able to get photos for this blog. Without photos I do not think that there is enough appeal to the blog to continue on. I hope to someday be able to remedy this [...]]]> Hello fans. I come to you today with a bit of bad news, due to some technical difficulties I am no longer able to get photos for this blog. Without photos I do not think that there is enough appeal to the blog to continue on. I hope to someday be able to remedy this situation, and I will keep the blog alive as a recipe archive. But, for now I must bid you all farewell.

If I am able to resurrect the blog I will let you know here as well as facebook and twitter, so please stay a fan to get updates as soon as I have them.

Thank you all for your loyal readership, this has been one of the best experiences of my life. I really appreciate all the feedback and support, you are the best fans in the world!

Sincerely,

Your Friend

Chef Evan Branning

One of our fans Lisa requested a yummy bruschetta recipe, so I decided to pull one together. There was a bit of a delay since with all the rain on the west coast tomatoes are just now coming into season, and you cannot make a good bruschetta without great tomatoes. Since the tomatoes are 95% [...]]]>

One of our fans Lisa requested a yummy bruschetta recipe, so I decided to pull one together. There was a bit of a delay since with all the rain on the west coast tomatoes are just now coming into season, and you cannot make a good bruschetta without great tomatoes. Since the tomatoes are 95% of the recipe, you need to get the best ones possible.  Cheap roma tomatoes will make for a bland, flat bruschetta. I recommend heirloom tomatoes. They are tasty, and you can get them in nice colors to make the bruschetta look amazing.

The rest of the recipe is basically all about balancing flavors. If the tomatoes are too sweet you, add more vinegar. If they are too tart, add more oil. If the flavors are flat, you can add a little salt, but be careful not to add too much since the parmesan is very salty. Just taste the mixture as you make it, and you should be happy.

When making the crostini for the bruschetta, I recommend either the oven or a grill. Either way, you should slice the bread thin and toast it until it is nice and crispy. I prefer on the grill when possible since the grill marks look really nice, but that is not always very practical. If you do decide to cook them on the grill, follow the steps listed here but instead of baking off the crostini, place them on a hot grill until they get great grill marks and are nice and crusty.

This makes enough for 4 people as a large appetizer.

Ingredients:

3 medium sized tomatoes

1 tsp of oil + extra for the crostini

1 tsp of apple cider vinegar

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 small bunch of basil

1 small wedge of parmesan cheese

1 loaf of nice French bread

Directions:

1)      Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2)      Slice the bread into thin slices. Diagonal cuts look really nice.

3)      Brush the bread with olive oil, sprinkling lightly with salt and pepper.

4)      Bake the bread for about 10 – 15 minutes until nice and golden brown and crusty.

5)      You have now made crostinis! Set them aside for now.

6)      Remove the seeds from the tomatoes, then dice them into small cubes.

7)      In a medium bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

8)      Mix in the tomatoes and toss to coat well.

9)      Cut the basil into long, thin strips (this type of cut is known as “chiffonade”).

10)   With a vegetable peeler, shave off thin slices of the parmesan cheese for a garnish.

11)   To assemble the final product, top the crostini with some tomato mix, a parmesan sliver and some basil just before serving. Do not let it sit long or the bread will become soggy.

12)   Serve and Enjoy!

Now to round out our three course meal, we have dessert! This is one of my favorite desserts, chocolate dipped fruit. It is perfect for a date since you can make it ahead of time, it looks amazing, and if it is a really good date you can feed them to each other.

You can use [...]]]>

Now to round out our three course meal, we have dessert! This is one of my favorite desserts, chocolate dipped fruit. It is perfect for a date since you can make it ahead of time, it looks amazing, and if it is a really good date you can feed them to each other.

You can use any fruit you want, but the chocolate only sticks to a relatively dry surface, such as the outside of a strawberry. It won’t stick well to something like a fresh mango slice or a fresh banana. You can make it work, but it is a little trickier so I recommend dried fruits. Pineapple is my favorite, or whole fruits like berries and tangerine slices.

This is a really simple recipe. The biggest thing to look out for is that you need to temper the chocolate. This is a fancy term for melting the chocolate correctly so that it is shiny and snaps when you bite it. You do this by melting the chocolate just enough but not too much. If you get it to hot, it will become chewy and soft when you cool it. If you follow my directions very closely, you will have great chocolate.

If you’re making the whole meal, from appetizer to dessert, here is how I would do it:

The Day Before:

Make the spiced nuts

Slice the cheese

Toast the crostini

Make the chocolate dipped fruit

The Day of, a Few Hours Ahead of Time:

Stuff the salmon

Dice all the ingredients for the ravioli

Plate the dipped fruit and the cheese and nut plate

Just Before Serving:

Cook the ravioli

Cook the salmon

With this plan, you should be able to make almost everything ahead of time. The only thing you will have to do is cook the ravioli and the salmon before serving, neither of which should take very long.

Ingredients:

½ lb strawberries

12 pieces or 4 rings of dried pineapples

8 dried apricots

8 oz dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1)      Place ¾ of the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.

2)      Microwave the chocolate for 10 seconds.

3)      Stir the chocolate.

4)      Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the chocolate chips are just barely melted.

5)      Add in about 10 chocolate chips and stir until they melt.

6)      Dip the fruit in the chocolate.

7)      If the chocolate begins to get thick or not stick well, reheat it for 10 seconds and give it a good stir.

8)      Cool the chocolate dipped fruit in the fridge until nice and cold, about an hour.

9)      Serve and Enjoy!

Sorry for the delay between the side dish and the entre, my photographer has been away and I went on a short vacation to L.A. It was a lovely trip, I had a great time. But now we are back to continue the three course meal. Today we have the entre course, an Herb-Stuffed Salmon.

While [...]]]>

Sorry for the delay between the side dish and the entre, my photographer has been away and I went on a short vacation to L.A. It was a lovely trip, I had a great time. But now we are back to continue the three course meal. Today we have the entre course, an Herb-Stuffed Salmon.

While it seems like a very fancy main course, this dish is amazingly easy to prepare. As an added bonus, it only takes a few minutes to make. This dish will quickly be a staple, as all you need to do is swap the herbs for some of your favorites or use different citrus zest to make a whole new dish.  For example, try cilantro, oregano and lime zest to make a Mexican inspired version and a whole different take on the same basic dish.

If you try any variations on this dish, let me know how they turn out. I would love to hear the combinations you all come up with. The possibilities are endless.

This dish should serve two people.

Ingredients:

1 small bunch of dill (minced)

½ small bunch of mint (minced)

2 salmon fillets (thick center-cut)

1 lemon

Directions:

1)      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2)      Zest the lemon and set aside.

3)      Slice a pocket in the salmon, not quite all the way through.

4)      Fill the pocket with the herbs, a squeeze of lemon juice and a small sprinkle of salt and pepper.

5)      Rub the outside of the fish with lemon zest and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

6)      Sauté the salmon, skin-side up, for about two minutes, until golden brown.

7)      Flip the salmon and sauté for 1 minute more.

8)      Place the salmon into the oven and cook until it is flakey and cooked to your liking.

9)      Plate it with a slice of lemon and light sprinkling of fresh herbs.

10)   Serve and Enjoy!

Continuing our three course meal, we are going on to the entrée.  We’ll be posting the entrée in 2 installments, since the side dish actually makes an excellent entrée on its own. We are making Sautéed Raviolis; it is a nice way to make colorful, fancy ravioli without having to drown it in sauce. Another [...]]]>

Continuing our three course meal, we are going on to the entrée.  We’ll be posting the entrée in 2 installments, since the side dish actually makes an excellent entrée on its own. We are making Sautéed Raviolis; it is a nice way to make colorful, fancy ravioli without having to drown it in sauce. Another nice thing about raviolis made this way is that it is a serving of both a starch and a vegetable.

When you make this, you can use whatever store-bought raviolis you’d like. I prefer the spinach and cheese ones, personally, but anything will work. If you are feeling really adventurous, you can even make your own! Homemade raviolis are the best.

Next week we will add salmon to our dish to round out the main course.

This should make 2 servings.

Ingredients:

1 package ravioli

1 package baby spinach

½ red onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1)      Cook the raviolis according to the package instructions.

2)      While the raviolis cook, heat the oil and sauté the diced onion in a pan.

3)      When the onion is translucent, add the garlic and sauté for one more minute

4)      Add the spinach and sauté until wilted, about 2 more minutes.

5)      If there isn’t enough oil in the pan so the raviolis won’t stick, add a bit more.

6)      Sauté the raviolis for about one minute tossing to coat well.

7)      Garnish with parmesan cheese.

8)      Serve and enjoy!

I had a lot of fun last time we did a full menu; Pear and Blue Cheese Purses, Sweet Fennel Scallops, and Chipotle Ginger Chocolate Cake, so I thought we would do that again. Over the next few weeks, I will post a three course meal and tips on how to prepare the entire thing [...]]]>

I had a lot of fun last time we did a full menu; Pear and Blue Cheese Purses, Sweet Fennel Scallops, and Chipotle Ginger Chocolate Cake, so I thought we would do that again. Over the next few weeks, I will post a three course meal and tips on how to prepare the entire thing smoothly. The first item is a delicious Spiced Nuts and Cheese Plate. This makes a great first course since you can prepare it ahead of time and it’s best at room temperature. It is also possible (and very common) to just add some fruit and make this a nice dessert.

As you make a plate of your own, feel free to add other cheeses and little snacks to the plate. If you want to add more cheese, I find it works well to work on a theme. You might try three different goats’ milk cheeses, or a hard, soft and semi-soft cheese. Different flavors and textures make a really nice cheese plate. For the added snacks, fruit such as grapes and berries are excellent, or for a salty taste add some charcuterie (salami, prosciutto, or the likes). All of that said, if you are just making the plate for two, these sweet salty walnuts and the sharp manchego cheese is more than enough.

Ingredients:

1 small loaf of bread, sliced

1c walnuts

1 tsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp chili flakes or powder

1 wedge of manchego cheese

1 Tbsp honey

Directions:

1)      Toast the bread, if desired.

2)      Toss the walnuts in the sugar, salt and chili.

3)      In a sauté pan or in a 350 degree oven, toast the walnuts until the sugar caramelizes. Don’t let them burn.

4)      Remove the nuts from the pan and let them cool (they will burn if left in the pan).

5)      Just before serving, drizzle the nuts with honey.

6)      Plate the nuts, cheese and toast.

7)      Serve and enjoy!

It is the time of year where fresh berries begin to appear in the markets, and the sun returns to the sky. Summer is around the corner, and with it food gets so much better. I am so excited for the coming season that I am posting my favorite summer pie early. So, I present [...]]]>

It is the time of year where fresh berries begin to appear in the markets, and the sun returns to the sky. Summer is around the corner, and with it food gets so much better. I am so excited for the coming season that I am posting my favorite summer pie early. So, I present to you my citrus-infused rum berry pie, or, as I’ve taken to calling it, Boozy Berry Pie. This recipe is quick and easy, and it is so refreshing.

This pie, isn’t your traditional goopy fresh-berry pie; the sauce is thinner and when you cut into the pie, it runs over the crust and onto your plate. It makes a bit of a mess, but it coats the crust and is oh so fine.  If, however, you prefer a thicker sauce, just increase the cornstarch to 3 tablespoons and dissolve it in 3 tablespoons of rum instead of the 2 tablespoons described below.

Crust Ingredients:

1 ½ c AP Flour

1 stick Butter

1 Tbsp Sugar

¼ tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Rum

2 Tbsp Cold water

Berry Filling Ingredients:

2 lbs Strawberries, cut into halves

6 oz Blueberries

1 ½ c + 2 Tbsp Citrus-infused rum

½ c Sugar

2 Tbsp Cornstarch

¼ tsp Vanilla extract

Whipped cream

Pie Crust Directions:

1)      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2)      Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

3)      Cut in the butter with a pie cutter until well incorporated.

4)      Add in the rum and enough water to hold it all together.

5)      Refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling out into a thin disk.

6)      Place into a pie tin and crimp the edges.

7)      Cook for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

Berry Filling Directions:

1)      In a medium pot, bring 1 ½ c rum and the sugar to a boil.

2)      Reduce by half and be very careful not to set it on fire (if you do, just put a lid on it).

3)      In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and the 2 Tbsp of rum, making sure there are no lumps.

4)      Add the cornstarch mixture and the vanilla, and cook for 1 minute until nice and thick.

5)      In a large bowl, pour the hot mixture over the berries, and toss well.

6)      Add the berry mixture to the cooled pie shell, and place in the refrigerator for an hour or more.

7)      Top with whipped cream.

8)      Serve and enjoy!

Yum, beer! If there are two things that go together, it is grilling and beer. So why not grill with the beer as well? This is a really yummy recipe for Beer-Brined Carne Asada. It takes almost no time to prepare; just mix everything together the night before and then slap it on the grill [...]]]>

Yum, beer! If there are two things that go together, it is grilling and beer. So why not grill with the beer as well? This is a really yummy recipe for Beer-Brined Carne Asada. It takes almost no time to prepare; just mix everything together the night before and then slap it on the grill the next day.

If you don’t have a grill or a nice grill pan, you can cook this under the broiler. It works almost as well, but you don’t get the nice little char marks that look and taste so good. I personally recently got a cast iron grill pan, so I am using that.

This should serve 4 people; you can stretch it a little farther with more garnishes.

Ingredients:

Juice of 1 orange

1 bottle amber lager beer (such as Negra Modelo)

½ onion, cut into strips

1 large clove garlic

1 handful cilantro, rough cut

1 lb flank steak

For garnish:

Tortillas

Tomatoes

Limes

Salsa

Directions:

1)      Mix all the ingredients together.

2)      Let marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.

3)      Preheat the grill or broiler.

4)      Cook for about 5 minutes per side, getting good grill marks and cooking until medium. Keep a close eye on it; the cooking time will vary depending on the heat of the grill.

5)      Remove the steak from the grill and let stand for 5 minutes.

6)      While the steak rests, serve up all the delicious garnishes.

7)      Slice the steak into thin strips.

8)      Serve and enjoy!

I have gotten some great suggestions for the site recently, and I would love to get more. Let me know what you would like to see, and we’ll see what we can do for you. You can use the suggestion box on the right, email us directly, or contact us on Facebook. Lately, I was [...]]]>

I have gotten some great suggestions for the site recently, and I would love to get more. Let me know what you would like to see, and we’ll see what we can do for you. You can use the suggestion box on the right, email us directly, or contact us on Facebook. Lately, I was asked to add more beef  and protein dishes to the site, so I wanted to do a couple twists on old classics. Today we will make Steak-Wrapped Asparagus.

I really like marinating the steak before wrapping, but you can use the marinade just as a sauce. Marinating intensifies the flavor and also tenderizes the meat. Also, if you prefer, you can bake these in a 500 degree oven for about 7 minutes, but the steak doesn’t get those nice grill marks.

This dish serves 4-6 people as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

2 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

½ tsp chili flakes

½ lb flank steak, cut into thin strips

1 lb asparagus

Directions:

1)      In a medium bowl, mix the ingredients from the garlic through the chili flakes.

2)      Add the steak and marinate, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight.

3)      Heat the grill.

4)      Wrap each piece of asparagus with a single piece of steak.

5)      Grill the pieces until the steak is well-marked and the asparagus begins to wilt, turning once.

6)      Serve and enjoy!

It is time for another Korean recipe, Dukbokki, which my photographer helped me with…or really did almost all the work as I watched and enjoyed the final product. This dish is a spicy stew with these really yummy rice sticks, called duk, and delicious fish cakes. If all of this sounds weird, it is a [...]]]>

It is time for another Korean recipe, Dukbokki, which my photographer helped me with…or really did almost all the work as I watched and enjoyed the final product. This dish is a spicy stew with these really yummy rice sticks, called duk, and delicious fish cakes. If all of this sounds weird, it is a little, but it is oh-so-delicious. Be brave and make a dish of dukbokki, and you won’t regret it. You can find all the ingredients at any Korean market and, usually, at any Asian market.

There are a few odd ingredients you may not be familiar with, so I am going to give you a brief description of each to help you find the right ones.

Duk: These are delicious rice cakes that you can usually find at any Asian market. They may go by different names, but duk or rice cakes are the two most likely. It also comes in a lot of shapes, usually little cylinders or sometimes barbell shaped, as pictured.

Fish Cakes: I wish I had a fancy name for these. I am sure they have one and the internet is right here, but let’s go with fish cakes. They are at any Asian market and come in packages of about 10 sheets, each about 6”x4” or a little larger.

Red Pepper Paste: This stuff is delicious! This one is sometimes hard to find outside of Korean markets, as you really should use the Korean variety.  Do not use the Thai variety, as it is too strong and tastes odd in such a large quantity. The Korean name for this is gochujang.

This recipe makes enough for 6 as an entrée or 10 as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

4c water

5 Tbps red pepper paste (or more)

4 Tbsp soy sauce (add 1/2tsp salt if using low sodium)

3 Tbsp Sugar

1 package duk (about 1 1/3 lbs)

1 package fish cakes (about 1 lb), chopped into bite-sized pieces

½ tsp sesame oil

2 cloves garlic

1c shredded carrots

½ head cabbage, shredded

1Tbsp corn starch

Directions:

1)      Place the ingredients from water through fish cakes in a large pot and bring to a boil

2)      Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes

3)      In a separate pan, sauté the garlic and carrots in sesame oil

4)      Add the carrot mixture and the cabbage to the pot

5)      In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with about 2 tbsp cold water

6)      Add the cornstarch to the mixture and bring to a boil

7)      Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the cabbage is soft.

8)      Serve and Enjoy!