The Daily Dish

Crab Cakes

2011-05-29T10:39:00.003-04:00

We picked up this really nice bottle of Portuguese Quinta Do Crasto Touriga Nacional 2006 from Wine Styles. Never had this particular grape or even a wine from Portugal for that matter. Its a smoky, spicy kind of wine so we thought of the grill and flavors that might compliment it. Keller's Ad Hoc at Home book has a great crab cake recipe using Piment D Espelette (dried smoked peppers) aioli and a piquillo peppers (Spanish roasted red pepper) vinaigrette. I also threw some veggies on the grill, just bought what was in abundance at the farmers market.

I made my own mayo from scratch for the aioli but for simplicity the recipe below just uses store bought majo for the aioli base.

Crab Cakes:

1 Lbs (16oz) Lump Crab (picked over and strained)

2 1/2 Cups Panko Bread crumbs (only 1/2 cup goes in the crab cake)

1/4 Tbs Butter

2 Tbs Finely Diced Onion

2 Tbs Finley Diced Red Pepper

1 Clove Garlic (crushed or grated)

1 Tbs Chopped Fresh Parsley

1/2 Cup Piment Aioli (recipe follows)

1 Tbs Dijon

1 Tbs Worcestershire

1 Tbs Old Bay seasoning

1 Tbs Lemon Juice

1 Tsp Kosher Salt

Pepper

1 egg beaten

Canola Oil

In a medium sauce pan melt the butter over med heat. Add the onions, red pepper and garlic. Reduce heat to low and cook until soft, 5 mins. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

In a large bowl, mix the onion mixture, 1/2 cup of the panko, parsley, aioli, dijon, worcestershire, old bay, slat, and pepper. Gentley mix in the crab meat then fold in the egg. Portion out 8 balls of crab mixture. Form each portion in to a cake and coat with the remaining panko. set aside on a wax paper lined baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large sautre pan cover the bottom with oil (1/8 of an inch) and heat over med high heat. When the oil shimmers add the crab cake, work in batches, don't over crowd the pan. These crab cakes don't have much bread or binders so they are very delicate, take your time. Brown for 3-4 minutes per side and drain on a paper towel lined plate. When they are all browned placed them on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven for 2-3 mins to ensure they are warm through out. Serve with piquillo vinaigrette.

Piment Aioli:

1 Cup Mayo

1 Tbs Lemon Juice

1 Garlic clove crushed or grated

2 Tsp Piment D Espelette

Salt and Pepper to taste

Wisk all ingredients together.

Piquillo Vinaigrette:

1 can piquillo peppers, drained

1/4 Cup olive oil

1 Tbs salt

2 Tbs Sherry vinegar

Preheat oven to 300. In a baking dish combine peppers, olive oil, and salt. Bake for 50 mins. Reomve from over and pour in to a blender. Add vinegar and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Seared Duck Breast, Glazed Cipollini Onions over Wild Mushroom Pearled Couscous

2010-08-29T10:54:00.001-04:00

I have been wanting to make duck breast for a while but it is incredibly difficult to find a store that sells fresh duck meat. After trying Whole foods, Bone Hall Farms, Harris Teeter, and Publix we finally scored at Ted's Butcher block in downtown Charleston. Turns out it was well worth the wait, even the nieces loved it!

Pearled Couscous:
2 Tbs Olive Oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 pkg Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg Shitake Mushrooms, sliced
2 Cups Pearled Couscous (its actually pasta but you find it by the rice)
1 Quart Chicken Broth

Heat a large Sauce pan over med heat. Add the oil. Add the Onions and sweat down. (5 mins) Add the garlic, cook 1 min until fragrant. Add the musrhrooms and cook down about 5 minutes (until soft). Season with salt and pepper. Add the couscous, cook 1 min. Add the Chicken broth and cook until all the liquid is absorbed (about 20 mins). Remove from heat.

Cipollini Onions:
1 pkg Cipollini Onions (blanched, peeled)
2 Tbs Olive oil
1 Cup Red Wine
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Cup Beef Broth
6 Sprigs of thyme, bundled
Salt and Pepper

In a small sauce plan blanch the onions by boiling them for 2 mins to make them easier to peel.

Heat a med skillet over med heat. Add oil. Add onions. Sauté 3 mins. Add the red wine, vinegar, broth, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer 15 mins (liquid will reduce 2/3s)

Ducks Breast:
2 Duck Breasts
Salt and Pepper

Heat your oven to 400

Score the skin side in a cross hatch pattern. Season well with salt and pepper. Put a large fry pan over med heat. Add the duck breast skin side down in the cold pan. Cook about 8 mins (check to make sure the skin is crisp. Flip over for 1 min. Flip back over skin side down and place in the over for 6 mins.

Enjoy

Seared Scallops over Beans with Sweet Corn Sauce

2010-08-28T11:54:00.000-04:00

Yeah I know the title of the dish needs work...We broke down and bought a new set of stainless steel cook ware and couldn't wait to try it out. This being the test run we wanted to make something we were familiar with (seared scallops) so we could get a feel for the new set. This had the potential to go horribly wrong, scalloper are very easy to screw up by over cooking or steaming. This one dish required us to use just about every new piece w bought (nothing like learning to swim by jumping in the deep-end, holding a brick over your head)

Corn Sauce:
3 Ears of corn, shucked and boiled
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, diced
2 Cups Chicken broth
Salt and Pepper

Heat a sauce pan over med heat. Add oil and onions. Sweat down the onions until translucent. Meanwhile remove kernels from the corn stalks with a knife. When the onions are translucent add the corn. Season well with salt an pepper. Sauté 2 mins. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, 10 mins. Use an immersion blender to puree the corn. Run the mixture through a fine sieve. (china cap). Wipe out the sauce pan and return the strained sauce to the pan. Simmer down for 5 mins on med-low.

Beans:
1 14oz Can white beans rinsed & drained
1 14oz Can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
3 strips of bacon, chopped
1/2 onion diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Cup white wine
Juice from 1/2 lemon

Heat a large skillet over med heat. Add bacon. Render down the fat until the bacon is starting to get crispy. Add the onions, cook down 5 mins until they become translucent. Add the garlic. Cook 1 min. Add the wine, lemon juice, and beans. Reduce heat to low. simmer 5 mins.

Seared Scallops:
1 lbs Sea Scallops
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

The Scallops take about 6 minutes so this is the last component to start cooking. Dry the scallops throughly with a paper towel. Heat pan over med heat, add oil. Season the scallops with slat and pepper and sear, 3 mins each side. set aside.

Assemble:
In a bowl ladle in some corn sauce. Pile some beans in the center, top with scallops. If desired you can grate some lemon zest over the plate.

Enjoy!

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle Peach Chutney

2010-07-31T09:35:00.002-04:00

Repeat after me, "I will not cook the ever living sh1t out of pork"...Some where in our American home culinary history it became the standard to over cook pork until it was so dried out you needed a chainsaw to cut it. Well no more my friends. Grill a tenderloin to an internal temp of 140 and I guarantee it will be the most tender and tasty pork you ever had...don't be scared :)

Peach Chutney:
1/4 C Sugar
2 Tbs Water
1small red onion, finely diced
4 Fresh Peaches, peeled diced
1/4 C Apple cider vinegar
1 Chipotle, finely diced
Salt and Pepper

Add water and sugar to a med saucepan. Heat over med heat until the sugar starts to caramelize and bubble. Add the onions, peaches, and vinegar. Stir and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat. Add the chipotle and season with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 10 mins stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Grilled Pork tenderloin:
2 1/2 lbs Pork tenderloin
Canola oil
salt and pepper

Heat grill to med. Brush tenderloin with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 15 mins turning frequently. When the internal tempeture reached 140 remove from grill and rest for 10 minutes.

Slice the tenderloin and top with chutney. I grilled potato slices with mine but you can accompany with any side you like. Enjoy!

Caprese Bread Salad...

2010-07-04T08:57:00.001-04:00

SCREW YOU ATKINS!..Love bread, and what better way to make a "salad" then toasting up some bread cubes with olive oil and garlic? We have been on a caprese kick for a while so I was really just looking for a new way to put it together. This was a home run on the first swing!

1/2 Artisan Loaf (I had a French loaf at the time), cubed
2 Cloves of garlic, minced
1 C Basil, torn
1 large heirloom tomato, roughly chopped
1 fresh mozzarella ball, chopped (same size as tomato)
4 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Heat your over to 400. In a bowl toss the bread cubes with 2-3 Tbs olive oil, garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake for 5 mins. Flip the cubes and bake another 5 mins until crunchy on the outside but still slightly soft on the inside. Add bread cubes to a large mixing or salad bowl. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, 1Tbs oil, vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Taste. Adjust seasoning to taste

Carb Heaven...Enjoy!

Summer Chicken Hot Pot (Chicken Stew Toped with Potatoes)

2010-06-20T08:16:00.001-04:00

Yeah Yeah I know stews are a fall/winter thing but this one is pretty light and its our kitchen so we'll make what we want :). Brea picked up Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution last weekend which inspired us to make this chicken "Hot Pot" this weekend. I like Jamie's book, it covers some very basics and it shows variations built on fundamental recipes. The concept of getting more people to cook is great and his approach in the book is accessible to any beginner.

1 1/2 Lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cubed seasoned with salt and pepper
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
2 Celery Stalks, peeled and diced
4 Shallots, diced
2 Tbs Flour
1/2 Bottle White Wine (I used sauvignon blanc)
6 Sprigs Thyme
1 14.5oz Diced Tomatoes (Fire Roasted if you can find them)
2-3(depends on size) Yukon Gold Potatoes, Peeled
1/4 C Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat your over to 350. Heat a dutch oven on the stove top over med-high heat. Add 2 Tbs olive oil. Add the chicken thighs, sear on each side until just brown (1 min each side). Remove the chicken and set aside. Add another 2 Tbs olive oil to the dutch oven. Add the shallots, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the shallots are translucent and the carrots are soft on the outside but still firm in the center. Add the chicken back in. Add the flour and stir for about 1 min, cooking off the raw flour taste. Add white wine and deglaze the pan. Add 4 sprigs of thyme and the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. Stir. Put the lid on the dutch oven and move to the oven for 1 1/2 hours. During the last 30 mins remove the lid.

While the stew is cooking prep the potato topping. Peel the potatoes and boil them whole in salted water for about 12 mins. Drain and let cool 5 mins. Slice each potato in 1/4 inch slices.

When the stew is done remove from the oven and increase oven tempeture to 400. Give the stew a stir, if it is a little dry add a cup of water. Layer the potato slices on top of the stew, drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese and the leaves from 2 Thyme sprigs over the top evenly. Bake 30 mins (until golden brown)

Enjoy!

Adult Mac and Cheese... Cheddar and Goat Cheese topped with Caramelized Shallots

2010-06-13T10:06:00.000-04:00

We had the new pasta press cranked up again, once again we made fuscilli but this time we turned it in to two kinds of mac and cheese. The first one up is the adult version, cheddar, goat cheese, and shallots; not exactly kid friendly or date food....

Fresh Pasta about 2 C(you can use 2 C of cooked dried pasta instead)
2 Shallots, sliced thin
5 Tbs Butter
1 1/2 Tbs Flour
3 Tsp Hot Sauce (texas pete)
1 1/4 C Milk (whole)
2 C Shredded Extra sharp Cheddar
8 oz Goat Cheese, crumbled

Heat a small sauté pan to med and then add 2 Tbs butter. Once the butter melts and starts to bubble add the shallots. Toss shallots and lower the heat slightly, cook the shallots until they are translucent but not browned tossing occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400

In a large sauce pan add the remaining 3 Tbs of butter. Heat over med heat. Once the butter melts whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cook for 1 min. Add the milk. Lower the heat and continue whisking. When the milk begins to steam add the cheddar cheese. Whisk occasionally as cheese melts. Remove from the heat and and combine with pasta. Dived mixture among oven safe soup bowls or in one large baking dish. Top with goat cheese and shallots. Bake for 20-25 min.

Enjoy

First Review...Bistro 536

2010-06-13T09:32:00.001-04:00

http://bistro536.com/

Bistro 536

536 Belle Station Boulevard Mount Pleasant, SC, 29464

Phone : (843)971-6663

We thought it might be fun to post small reviews of the restaurants we try on the nights we don't cook. We love eating out, first its great that we don't have to do the prep or clean up, second it is a great source of inspiration for dishes to try at home. This past Thursday we tried a new restaurant close to our place called Bistro 536. I say new because its new to us, apparently they have been open since December. The interior looks like it belongs down town Charleston rather then in a strip mall in Mt Pleasant but we didn't mind. It was clean and well appointed.We started with a Goat Cheese Crostini topped with wild mushroom saute served with a small bed of baby spinach drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette – $6. When it came out is wasn't quite what we expected, the wild mushrooms completely enveloped the crostini but is was delicious, very rich and earthy. The crostini was still crisp despite being drowned in mushrooms.

For the entrée I ordered the Mahi special, Grilled local Mahi over a crispy risotto cake and grilled zucchini. The Mahi was very well cooked and compliment by a nice butter sauce. The risotto caked was a fried ball of risotto, can' really go wrong there. It was crisp on the outside and the risotto was creamy on the inside. The zucchini seemed like an after thought, "he we need a veg....we got zucchini in the fridge...ok we'll just grill that" The zucchini was tasty but it seemed rather oily.

Brea got the Traditional Bouillabaise with grouper, scallops, clams, shrimp in a white wine saffron broth served with a slice of grilled French baguette – $18. All and all she enjoyed it but the scallops and shrimp were slightly over cooked. The flavor of the Bouillabaise was spot on, its just a shame they let the seafood cook to far.

The price was a little high for what we had and where we were (next to subway and Food Lion) but we would likely try this place again. The service was prompt and friendly and over all the food was tasty.

Grilled Scallops, Home Made Rigatoni with Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Salsa

2010-06-06T12:56:00.001-04:00

So we went down town to get a new wireless router from the Apple Store... but unfortunately for the bank account there was also a Williams-Sonoma in between the Apple store and our car. My wife says "hey hun, lets just stop in a get that strainer you wanted..." $200+ later we have a strainer and a brand new kitchen aid attachment. The pasta press, it is like playing with play-doh for grown ups. The first pasta we tried making was Rigatoni, we pretty much threw the recipe below together based on the rigatoni and wanting to use fresh tomatoes....

Grilled Scallops over Rigatoni with a Roasted Tomato Salsa
1 Lbs Sea Scallops, patted dry
1 Red pepper
5 Roma tomatoes, halved
2 Ears of corn
1 Shallot, sliced thin
1 C Red Wine
1 Lbs Fresh Rigatoni (Recipe Follows)
1/4 C Chopped Fresh Basil
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
Vegetable Oil

We are going to grill the corn in the husk but first remove the silks. Use kitchen twine to re-tie the husks around the corn and soak them in water for 30 mins prior to grilling. Heat your grill to high. Coat the red pepper in olive oil and slat and pepper. Roast on the grill ensuring each side is charred, about 15 mins. Place the pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 10 mins. Dry off the corn and coat it with vegetable oil and salt and pepper. Grill for about 15 mins, turning as it chars. In a bowl toss the tomatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill cut side down for 5 mins, turn over and grill another 5 mins. Heat a sauté pan over med heat. Add 1 Tbs olive oil. Add shallots, sauté 4 mins. Add 1 Cup of red wine, lower heat and reduce wine until almost evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

To assemble the salsa: peel and seed the red pepper, slice it thinly. Dice the roasted tomatoes. Use a knife to remove the corn from the cob. In a larger bowl toss the red pepper, tomatoes, corn, basil, shallots, and a tsp of Olive Oil. Season to taste.

For the scallops, lower the grill to med-high. Make sure the scallops are dry. Season with slat and pepper and brush with vegetable oil. Grill each side about 2-3 mins.

Fresh Rigatoni:
1 3/4C Flour
1 Tbs Water
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Salt

In your mixer, combine flour and salt. Add water and eggs on top and mix at speed 2 for 30 seconds with the flat beater. Then switch to the dough hook and mix at speed 2 for 2 minutes. Remove dough and hand knead for an additional 30 seconds. Dough will form in a nice ball and be pliable. Split the dough into walnut sized portions and feed into the pasta press. Whala! It's just like the play-doh fun factory, only now you can eat it without the nasty belly ache (or getting yelled at by mom :-D )! By the way - cleaning out the pasta press isn't nearly as fun as making the pasta. Have toothpicks ready....

Grilled Chicken Taco..my grill is gonna run out of gas soon

2010-05-30T14:06:00.002-04:00

I think my grill is going to go on strike soon, (what am I saying, SC is a non union state, back to work grill!) This time we are grilling chicken tacos. We adapted this from a Bobby Flay recipe, the grill master himself. The original spice rub called for cinnamon but I am not a fan, instead I just stuck with the heat and the brown sugar (fairly traditional BBQ flavors)

Tacos:

4 Chicken Breasts, Pounded to about 1 inch

Flour Tortillas

Roasted Peppers (below)

Cole Slaw (below)

Chedder Cheese, Shredded

Dry Rub:
2 Tsp Chili Powder
2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
2 Tsp Cumin
2 Tsp Brown Sugar
2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Tsp Garlic Powder

Roasted Peppers:
2 Poblano Peppers
Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper

Cole Slaw:
3/4 Cup Mayo
3 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbs Sugar
1 Tsp Celery Seed
Salt and Pepper
1 pkg Cole Slaw Mix
1/2 small Red Onion thinly sliced

Make the cole slaw ahead of time and refrigerate. Mix together mayo, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, and salt and pepper. Add cole slaw mix and onions. Toss to combine. Season to taste.

Heat the grill to high. Coat the peppers in oil and salt and pepper. Char each side on the grill, about 10 mins total. Remove peppers and place in a bowl and cover for 10 mins. Peel, seed, and slice peppers.

Adjust grill to med-high. Mix together dry rub ingredients. Dust the chicken with the dry rub on all sides. Coat with vegatable oil and place on the grill. Grill 5-6 mins per side until done. Let the chicken rest for 5 mins. Slice the chicken in to thin strips.

Grill the flour to tortillas, 1-2 mins per side.

Assemble the taco: tortilla, chicken, cheese, peppers, cole slaw.

Enjoy!

Grilled Margarita Pizza..everything is better on the grill!

2010-05-29T08:21:00.004-04:00

You really can cook Pizza on the grill (or at least make a big mess and possible fire hazard trying...kidding, its easy)!While we made this up there are plenty of cookbooks out there dedicated to grilled pizza. When ever we try out a new dough recipe or a different style of cooking we always try the Margarita (mozzarella, basil, tomatoes) first. Its simple, delicious, and hard to screw up. We made two versions, one with sauce, one with sliced tomatoes. Both turned out great but I prefer the sauce.

Pizza:
Pizza Dough (recipe follows)
Pizza Sauce (recipe follows)

12 oz Fresh Mozzarella

1/2 C Chopped Fresh Basil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for drizzling)

Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Heat half your grill to med-high. Roll out the dough in 8 inch rounds. Drizzle with about a tsp of Olive Oil and place dough round on the direct heat side of the grill. Grill for 1-2 mins until the dough starts to bubble and gets crusty. Flip and grill another 1-2 mins. Move the crust to the non direct heat side of the grill. Top with sauce (or sliced tomatoes), slat and pepper, fresh mozz, and basil. Turn the direct heat side up to high and close the lid. Grill about 10 mins until the mozz cheese bubbles.

Pizza Dough:

1 Tbls Dry Active yeast

3/4 C Warm Water

2 3/4 C Flour

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tbls Oil

Mix the yeast and the warm water in the bottom of a mixing bowl (we use a stand mixer). Let stand for 10 mins until mixture begins to foam. Slowly mix in the flour a small amount at a time (low on the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment). Add salt. When dough forms a ball increase the speed to med and let the machine work the dough for 10 mins. Turn the dough out in to an oiled bowl, cover with a towel and let stand in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours. (Should double in size).

Marinara:
1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 yellow onion
5 cloves garlic (pressed or very finely diced)
28 oz Crushed Tomatoes (San Marzano if you got it like that)

In a medium sauce pan heat oil over medium-high heat. Finley Chop then onions and add them to the oil. Reduce heat to medium and cook down onions until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant. Add salt and pepper then crushed tomatoes. Simmer on med-low for 20 mins. Taste, add salt and pepper if needed.

Mini Burgers 3 ways..Taco, Chipotle, Italian

2010-05-23T09:16:00.004-04:00

The grill is getting a work out and my in-laws are the brave Guinea pigs. Last year we bought Bobby Flay's Grill It! and ever since we have been inspired to try creative new combinations for burgers. This weekend we decided to try 3, the Italian one we have done before but we altered it slightly by adding a parmesan crisp instead of the normal mozzarella and topped it with our bruschetta mix. The taco burger Brea saw on the cover of Food Network Magazine, we didn't look at their recipe we just kinda guessed by the picture and the name. The Chipotle is an old stand by of ours updated with arugula and caramelized onions. While everyone seemed to like all three I think the winner was the Chipotle with the Taco burger being a very close second.

Taco Burger (4 Mini Burgers)
4 Mini Buns
1/2 Lbs Ground Sirloin (90/10)
1/2 Package Taco Seasoning (I used Ortega)
1/4 C grated Cheddar Cheese
1 ripe Avocado, cored and chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 C Sour Cream
3 Roma Tomatoes, Diced
1/4 Red Onion, Diced
1 Jalapeño Pepper, Finely Diced
1/4 C cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

Heat grill to med-high. In a bowl mix together taco seasoning and meat. Form 4 equal patties and set aside. In a mixing bowl combine the tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Season to tase with salt and pepper and set aside. In a food processor combine the avocado, lemon juice, 2 Tbp sour cream and salt and pepper. Pulse to combine. Grill the burgers for about 2-3 min per side. Remove from grill and rest 5 mins.

Assembly: bun, avocado mixture, burger, cheddar, tomato mixture. On the top half of the bun spread some sour cream and top the burger. Taco Burger Done!

Chipotle Burger (4 Mini Burgers)

4 Mini Buns

1/2 Lbs Ground Sirloin (90/10)

1 Chipotle, finely diced

salt and pepper

1 Tbs Olive Oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbs Honey

4 mini burger sized slices of Gouda

3 Strips of bacon, cooked (microwave works, or you can grill it)

1/4 C Arugula, chopped

Heat grill to med-high. In a bowl mix together chipotle, meat, salt and pepper. Form 4 equal patties and set aside. Cook the bacon and set aside. Heat a skillet over med-high heat. Add the oil. Add the onions and the honey. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to med and cook down until translucent. (not brown). Remove from heat and set aside. Grill the burgers for about 2-3 min per side adding the gouda during the last 1 min of grilling. Remove from grill and rest 5 mins.

Assembly: bun, burger, bacon, onions, arugula, and bun. Chipotle Burger Done!

Italian Burger (4 Mini Burgers)

4 Mini Buns
1/2 Lbs Ground Sirloin (90/10)
1 Tbs Tomato Paste
1/2 Tsp dried Basil
1/2 Tsp dried Oregano
1 Tsp garlic powder
1/4 C grated Romano Cheese
Salt and Pepper
1/2 C grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1/4 Cup feta, crumbled
1/4 C fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbs Olive Oil

Heat grill to med-high. In a bowl mix together tomato paste,dried basil, oregano, garlic powder, romano cheese, meat, salt and pepper. Form 4 equal patties and set aside. In a bowl combine roma tomatoes, feta, fresh basil, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Heat the over to 400. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the parm cheese in a thin layer on the parchment paper. Bake in the oven until the cheese bubbles and just starts to turn from white to slight yellow. (about 5-10 mins) Keep an eye on it cause it burns quickly. Remove from oven, let cool then cut in to squares. Grill the burgers for about 2-3 min per side. Remove from grill and rest 5 mins.

Assembly: bun, burger, parm crisp, tomato mixture, bun. Italian Burger Done!

Italian Burgers, because anyone can make a regular old cheeseburger

2010-05-22T10:49:00.002-04:00

Its summer, summer means grill and grill means Burgers! Its time for the masses to leave behind the frozen patties and get adventurous. Don't get me wrong, there is no better simple pleasure in life then a huge grilled hunk of meat, medium rare with lettuce and tomato, heinz 57 and French fired potatoes, big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer.. (shout out to my man Jimmy Buffet). I am sure even Jimmy changes it up once in a while...so I present you the Italian Burger

Burger (makes 2)
2/3 Lbs Ground Beef (90/10)
1 Tbs Tomato Paste
1/4 C grated Romano Cheese
1/2 Tsp dried basil
1/2 Tsp dried oregano
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 small onion sliced thin
1 Tbs Honey
3 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
2 slices of fresh mozzarella
2 Kaiser Rolls

Heat your grill to med-high. In a bowl mix together tomato paste, cheese, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and ground beef. Form to equal size patties. Grill about 3-4 mins per size for med well. In the last 2 mins of grilling top with the mozz cheese.

For the onions heat a skillet over med-high. Add the oil. Add the onions and reduce the heat to med. Add the honey and sauté. You want to cook the onions down until they are translucent (not brown). Add the balsamic and cook down until almost evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Assemble the burger, bun, burger, onions bun, done!

Grilled Cubans and Mojitos...welcome to the islands

2010-05-22T10:00:00.002-04:00

Or welcome to Miami, either way its good sh*t. We love Cuban sandwiches, we got hooked on them at one of our favorite water side restaurants in Mount Pleasant call Vickery's. (If your in town I highly recommend checking it out) We decided to take the cuban beyond the normal panini press (aka a George Forman grill with my knife block on top of it) and out to the grill. Taking it one step even further we had the deli slice the meat 1/8 inch thick so we could grill the it before assembling the sandwich and panining it up (read smashing it with a brick)

Cubans (two sandwiches)
1 Loaf Cuban Bread
4 1/8" Slices roast pork
4 1/8" Slices tavern ham
4 Slices swiss cheese
8 kosher pickle sandwich slices (I took 2 whole pickles and introduced them to my mandolin)
~2 Tbs yellow mustard
Salt and Pepper

Heat your grill to med-low. Wrap two bricks in tin foil. You will want to set up a tray to work with by the grill, things cook quick. On the tray have your meat, mustard, salt and pepper, and bread (split). Grill the ham and pork for 1-2 mins on each side seasoning with pepper. On each half of the bread spread the mustard (about 1 Tbs per sandwich or more if you like). On the bottom half layer the cheese, pork, ham, then pickles. Season with salt and pepper and top with the other half of the bread. Lower the grill to low and place each sandwich on the grill. Press them down with the brick and leave it on top of the sandwich. Grill for about two mins, remove the brick, flip the sandwich, replace the brick (pressing down) and grill about 2 mins longer. (Careful bread burns quickly)

Cut the sandwiches in half, grab a glass of Mojito and enjoy!

Anniversary Dinner, Turf Course...Peppercorn crusted Filet with Truffle Whipped Potoatoes

2010-05-02T10:25:00.000-04:00

Round 2, Turf Course. What could be better then a nice peppercorn crusted Filet with a bottle of Caymus Cab? Adding truffle whipped potatoes! I took a tip from Thomas Keller and modified it. Simmering the peppercorns in oil then letting them steep for an hour takes some of the bite off them.

Peppercorns:
I used 3/4 Pink and 1/4 Black. The pink have this nice sweet and spicy flavor while the black provide that bold spice. In a small saucepan add both the pink and the black peppercorns, cover with 1 1/4 C canola oil. Bring to a simmer the remove from heat, let steep 1 hour. Strain (reserve the oil) and place in zip lock bag. With a heavy skillet smash the peppercorns.

Filet Mignon:
2 6oz Filet
Salt
Cracked Peppercorns (recipe above)
1 shallot chopped
1/2 Cup Cognac
2 Tbs Cream
1 Tbs Chopped Tarragon

Season the Filet with salt. Coat two sides with the cracked peppercorn mixture. Let stand for 30 mins in order for the steak to come to room tempeture.

Heat the oven to 350. Set up a roasting pan with a rack. Heat a med skillet over med-high heat. Add 1Tbs of the reserved oil. Heat until almost smoking. Place the steak in the pan and sear for 2 mins. Flip over (place in a new spot in the pan) and sear for 2 more mins. Remove steak to the roasting pan and finish in the oven for 15 mins (until a thermometer reads 125)

In the skillet, reduce heat to med and add 1 Tbs of canola oil. Add the shallots and and cook for 2 mins. (remove from heat if they start to brown or burn) Add 1/2 Cup of cognac (be careful this is flammable ;) simmer down for 3 mins then add the cream and tarragon. Stir and remove from heat. (I strain mine but you can use it as is.)

Potatoes:
4 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 C Butter
1/2 C Cream
1 Tbs Black Truffle Oil (add more to taste)
(Salt and Pepper)

Boil the potatoes until they fall off a fork. In a stand mixer (or use a bowl and a hand mixer) add the potatoes, butter, cream, truffle oil and salt and pepper. Whip. Taste. Add more of what ever you think it needs (don't you love cooking)

For the plate, spoon out some potatoes, top with a filet, and sauce .

Round 2, done!

Anniversary Dinner, Surf Course...Lobster Tails and Braised Onions

2010-05-02T09:53:00.001-04:00

I know its been a while, I am a big slacker, yada yada, well we're back and better then ever (well for this weekend anyway) Yesterday was our 1 year anniversary, I know "they" say its the a paper anniversary (buy a card or write a love note) but I say its Lobster and Filet anniversary (I believe my beautiful bride would agree). Rather than go out we decided it would be more fun to stay in, open really good wine (thanks Jen and Wine Styles) and just cook up a storm!

First Round Grilled Lobster Tails with Honey Glazed Cipollini onions

1 Large Lobster Tail
Clarified Butter with Tarragon (recipe follows)
1 Tbs Canola Oil
10 Cipollini Onions (roots trimmed, peeled and left whole)
1 Tbs Honey
3 Cloves of garlic smashed
3 sprigs of Thyme
1/2 C Chicken Stock

Clarified Butter:
In a small saucepan heat 2 sticks of unsalted butter over low heat until melted. Skim the foam off the top. Carefully pour out the butter leaving milk solids behind. Rinse the pot. Return butter to the pot and mix in 1 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon.

Onions:
Preheat the oven to 400. Heat an oven proof skillet over med heat. Add oil. Place the onions in the pan flattest side down (trim if you need to make a flat side). Brown for 3 mins on each side. Add honey, garlic and thyme to the pan. Once honey starts bubbling add chicken stock. Swirl the pan to combine and place in the oven for 10 mins. Use the pan juices as a glaze over the onions.

Lobster Tail:
Soak skewers in water 20min ahead of time.
Heat a grill to med heat. Bring a med pot of water to boil. Par boil the lobster tail for 3 mins. Using the a sharp knife, split the lobster tail along the back of the shell lengthwise. Run a skewer through each tail. Season the meat side with salt and pepper. Brush generously with clarified butter. Place on the grill. Grill 3 mins then rotate 1/4 turn. Grill 3 mins than flip. Brush meat with more clarified butter. Grill until done, about 3 mins longer.

We had this with a nice butter Chardonnay, course 1 done!

Fig Stuffed Pork Loin..almost by the book

2010-02-15T09:11:00.001-05:00

So we were trying another Thomas Keller recipe from Ad Hoc at home, this one took some adapting. Lets start off by saying there is a difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin...The tenderloin is those two skinny loins you get at public, the loin is the monster roast you get at costco. (You may be able to find them in your grocery store but I didn't) Let me follow up by saying February is not fig season, good luck finding fresh ones. Three stores later I decide F it, dried figs will work too ;) The end product was great but this dish was an all day affair. The recipe below is what I did to make it work, do yourself a favor and get the pork loin and stuff it instead of the nonsense I did with the tenderloin

The long way is to brine the pork and make your own fig jam for the stuffing. You could of course cheat and not brine (won't be as tender) and buy fig jam...

2 1/2 Lbs Pork Tenderloin
Pork Brine (recipe to follow)
2 Tbsp Oil (vegetable or other neutral)
1/2 C cubed bread (1/2" cube, ciabatta)
1 Fennel Bulb, cut 1 1/2" matchsticks (1/2 cup)
1 Shallot, minced
4 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1/4 C Chicken Stock
1 Tsp thyme, finely minced
1 Cup Fig Jam (recipe to follow, or cheat)
Salt and Pepper

Brine:
8 Cups water
1 Cup kosher salt
1/4 C honey
1/2 bunch thyme
3 Sprigs Rosemary
Handfull of chopped parsley
5 Garlic cloves smashed
2 Tsp whole peppercorns

To make the brine, combine all ingredients, bring to a boil, dissolve salt, remove from heat. Let cool completely before using.

Fig Jam:
1 Lbs Dried Figs (2 lbs of fresh would have been better)
1 1/2 C Sugar
1/2 C Balsamic vinegar
1 Tsp Peppercorns, tied in a satchel (I used a coffee filter because i didn't have cheese cloth)
1/2 Lemon, juice

To make the Jam:
Roughly chop to figs. Combine figs, sugar, vinegar, and pepper satchel in a med sauce pot. Heat over med-high heat until it just simmers, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and insert a candy thermometer. When the temp hits 215 remove from the heat. Let cool and store in an sir tight container.

To make the Roast:
Brine the pork for 6-10 hours. Remove from brine and rinse under cold water. Pat dry and let the pork sit out until it comes to room tempeture. Heat the oven to 350. Meanwhile make the stuffing. In a large skillet heat oil over med-high heat. Add the bread cubes and season with salt and pepper. Cook browning on both sides 2 mins. Remove bread and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Return pan to the heat and add the fennel. Cook until soft on the outside and crisp in the middle, 3-4 mins. Add the shallots and garlic, cook 1 min. Add the jam, thyme and chicken stock. Heat through. Remove from heat and let cool.

The tricky part with tenderloins...On a cutting board put the two loins together and fill the middle with the stuffing. Truss together the two tenderloins. (The bottom should be touching and the top will be slightly open.) Season the roast with salt and pepper. In a large skillet heat oil over med-high until smoking. Brown the roast on each side. Then place in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 30-40mins, until a instant read thermometer reads 135-140. Let rest for 30 mins then slice.

Enjoy!

This is how I know Lobsters are friggin expensive Rolls

2010-02-14T15:11:00.001-05:00

Yeah I really did poach a live lobster to make lunch on a Saturday...(this was a few weeks ago and I think we had hot dogs for dinner lol) Brea really wanted to try a lobster roll and Thomas Keller had a great recipe in his Ad Hoc at Home book. So this one is basically his except I didn't make Court Bullion to boil the lobster in (I am Nutz but not that Nutz)

1 2Lbs lobster, live then poached, shelled and chopped

3 Tbsp Mayo

2 Tbsp minced red onion

2 Tbsp celery, finely chopped

2 Tsp Tarragon, finely chopped

2 Tsp, Parsley, finely chopped
2 Tsp, Chives, finel chopped
Salt and Pepper
1/2 lime
Hot dog rolls
4 Tbsp butter
1 Celery stalk, cut in to matchsticks
1 head butter lettuce, chopped
Pickled red onions (recipe below)

For the lobster, add lobster to boiling water and cook 12 mins. Put in ice bath to cool then shell and chop meat. In a large mixing bowl add lobster, mayo, onion, celery, tarragon, parsley, and chives. Stir to combine. In a large skillet heat the butter over med heat. Toast the buns in the butter until brown.

In the bun layer lettuce, celery, lobster mixture and top with pickled red onions.

Enjoy!

Pickled Red Onions:
1 Red onion finely sliced
3/4 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C sugar

Combine in a bowl and let sit at least 2 hours.

Touch of Heat Shrimp Pasta

2010-02-14T14:37:00.000-05:00

I've been traveling for what feels like a month straight and sorry to say the blog has been neglected. So now I am back in town (for a few days) and we are back to the stove. This is a variation of Gordan Ramsey's Lobster Spaghetti. (except without lobster or spaghetti) Lobster is too friggin expensive...spaghetti is boring..

1 Lbs Shrimp, peeled, tailed, deveined
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Shallot, diced
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 C White Wine
1 Tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 C basic tomato sauce, Marinara
1/2 Lbs Bucatini pasta
1/2 Cup chopped basil

Bring large pot of water to boil for the bucatini. Cook until done.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Add Olive Oil. Add Shallots and sautee 2 mins (until soft). Add garlic, sautee 1 min until fragrant. Add tomatoes. Season with Salt and Pepper. Add white wine and reduce to 1/4th. Add crushed red pepper and stir in tomato sauce. Reduce heat to med and let simmer 2 mins. Add the shrimp and cook 4 mins. Add pasta and toss to coat, cooking 1 min. Ensure shrimp are cooked through. Remove from heat, add basil and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately...Enjoy!

Fried Chicken..it just had to happen eventually!

2010-01-24T11:09:00.002-05:00

It was only a matter of time, after all we do live in the south and the south is famous for their fried chicken (well fried everything to include pickles..yes pickles). So big shout out to my little sister Jen and her husband for getting us the Thomas Keller (think French Laundry) cooks book for Christmas. His first recipe..fried chicken! So this is his not mine (but its mine now)

Two 2 1/2 - 3 lbs chickens, broken down in to 10 pieces (or just by the pieces you like)
Chicken Brine (recipe follows)
6 C flour
1/4 C Onion powder
1/4 C Garlic powder
1 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp Ground Pepper
2 C Buttermilk
Peanut Oil for frying

Brine:
5 lemons halved
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch parsley
1/4 C peppercorns
1/4 C honey
1 head of garlic, halved
2 C kosher salt
2 gallons of water

For the brine, combine all ingredients in a large pot, boil, reduce to simmer and make sure all the salt dissolves. Let cool completely before using. Good for 3 days in the fridge.

Soak the chicken pieces in the brine for up to 12 hours. When done rinse chicken under cold water and pat completely dry. Before breading and frying allow the chicken to come up to room temperature. (even cooking)

Heat your oil to 320 (make sure not to fill any pot more then 1/3 with oil).Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Set up your dredging station, 1/2 the flour, buttermilk, then the second half of the flour. Dredge the chicken thighs, first in flour, then buttermilk, than finally more flour. Lay on a baking sheet covered with a sheet of parchment. Carefully place the chicken thighs in the oil. Fry for 12 mins until deeply golden brown and cooked through. When you remove the chicken from the oil set it on a raised cooling rack with a sheet pan under it skin side up. Sprinkle with finely ground sea salt. Repeat the dredging process with the drumsticks and fry for 10 mins. Before moving on to the white meat increase the oil temp to 350. Dredge the chicken breast pieces first and fry for 7 mins. Dredge the chicken wings about fry for 6 min.

We served this up with some mashed potatoes and spinach wilted in a bacon and onion sautee.

Enjoy!

Proper Shepherd's Pie..by special request

2010-01-18T10:26:00.000-05:00

Have to give some credit to Gordon Ramsey on this one. His kitchen nightmares show inspired the request and his two min clip on how to make shepherd's pie from the F word is the base for this recipe. The fun thing about his videos is he doesn't give you any amounts, times, or temperatures so the outcome is always exciting. We decided we aren't full on British so instead of full lamb we went 50/50 with lamb/sirloin. (use lean meat). All and all I would say its a success!

Shepherds Pie: (made this for 8)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Lbs Ground Lamb
1 Lbs Ground Sirloin (90/10)
1 Onion, shredded
2 Large carrots, shredded
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 C Red Wine (I used Cab)
1 Tbsp rosemary, finely minced
1 Tbsp thyme, finely minced
1 C Chicken Stock
3 Lbs Potatoes, peeled
1 Tbsp Butter
1/4 C Milk
1 C Grated Parm Cheese

For the beef/lamb:
Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Season lamb and beef generously with salt and pepper. Add 1 Tbps of olive oil. Add the meat and brown (breaking up along the way). Drain the meat. Return meat to the pan and add carrots and onions. Cook down 4 mins until onions just about dissolve. Add garlic. Cook 2 mins. Add tomato paste, cook 2 mins. add rosemary, thyme, and red wine. Tatse. Season with salt and pepper Simmer, reduce until almost all the wine has evaporated. Add the chicken stock, reduce until almost all the liquid is gone. Tatse. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Potatoes:
Boil the potatoes until soft. With a hand masher or a kitchen aid stand mixer mash the potatoes. Add the butter, milk and 1/2 the parm cheese. Season well with salt and pepper, tasting until you like it.

Heat the oven to 400

In a large baking dish spread the meet evenly on the bottom. Layer the potatoes evenly on top of the meet. Sprinkle the top with the remaining parm cheese. Using a fork prick holes in the top. Bake 22-25 mins, until the top crust is golden.

Enjoy!

Pizza Pizza! Broccoli Chicken, sure why not! Pepperoni don't mind if I do!

2010-01-16T09:51:00.001-05:00

Pizza is a great thing to make at home because the toppings are only limited to your imagination. If you have to have two people (eh hem Brea and I) with different tastes for pizza toppings then just cut your dough in half and make two smaller pies. Thats how we ended up with broccoli and chicken pizza as well as pepperoni and chicken. Surprisingly I liked the broccoli pie (not as much as the pepperoni though)

Garlic Wheat Pizza Dough:

1 Tbls Dry Active yeast
3/4 C Warm Water

2 C White Flour

3/4 C Wheat Flour

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tbls Garlic Powder

1 Tbls Oil

Preheat oven to 400. Place the pizza stone on the lowest rack. Needs at least 30 mins o heat up.

Sauce:
2 pints cherry tomatoes
1 head of garlic, halved
8 sprigs of thyme
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes
1/4 Tsp crushed red pepper

For the sauce, toss the garlic, cherry tomatoes, and 6 sprigs of time in 3 tbsp of olive oil. Seas very generously with salt and pepper. Arrange on a rimmed backing sheet and roast int he oven for 45 mins. Once done remove from the oven. Discard thyme. Squeeze the garlic cloves from the wrappers. Heat a med sauce pan over med high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic and drippings from the baking sheet. Add the canned tomatoes and the crushed red pepper. Strip the leaves off the remaining thyme and add to the tomato mixture. Bring to a simmer. Carefully with a stick blender or working in batches in a blender puree the tomato mixture. Taste. Season with salt and pepper and add more crushed red pepper if you like more heat.

Preheat oven to 425. Place the pizza stone on the lowest rack. Needs at least 30 mins to heat up.

Broccoli Chicken:
1 1/2 Chicken Breast
1/2 Head of Broccoli, cut in to florets
1/2 Shallot, thinly sliced
8 oz Part Skim Mozzarella, shredded
6 oz fat free feta
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Pepperoni Chicken:
1 1/2 Chicken breasts
1/2 Shallot, thinly sliced
8 oz Part Skim Mozzeralla, shredded (or more whatever)
Handful of Pepperoni

Prep all the toppings.

For the chicken, pound down to 1/2 inch and season well with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over med high. Add 2 tbsp olive oil then add the chicken. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through. Set aside and rest for 10 mins. Slice in to bite size pieces.

For the broccoli, place in a microwave safe dish, add 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper. Cover Microwave to steam for 4 minutes.

Assembly time! We made the broccoli chicken first.

Roll out the dough. Dust your pizza peal with cornmeal, dust the stone with cornmeal. Place the rolled out dough on the peal, make sure it slides. Moving quickly top with sauce, shallots, cheese, chicken, and broccoli. In the oven for 15 minutes (until crust is crisps and golden) When it comes out drizzle with balsamic.

For the pepperoni roll out the dough. Dust your pizza peal with cornmeal, dust the stone with cornmeal. Place the rolled out dough on the peal, make sure it slides. Moving quickly top with sauce, shallots, cheese, chicken, pepperoni.

Enjoy!

Shrimp and Udon..quick n easy

2010-01-14T07:40:00.000-05:00

So we had left over udon noodles in the cupboard, my directions were "grab some veggies and shrimp or scallops" I was getting home late last night so we wanted something quick. This is basically a stir fry, sort of..I added broth cause broth just makes things better :) The nice thing about dishes like these is you can just throw just about anything together, add some soy sauce and chicken stock and your there.

1 Lbs White Shrimp, peeled, deveined

1 Onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Green Pepper, julienne (match sticks)

3 Carrots, julienne

1 Jalapeño Pepper, seeded, ribs removed, finely sliced

2 C Snow Peas

1 C Chicken Broth

1/4 C Soy Sauce

1 Tsp powdered ginger

Salt and Pepper

9 oz Dry Wheat Udon Noodles

Heat a large skillet over med-high. Add oil and saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic, cook 1 min until fragrant. Add the Peppers, Carrots, and Snow peas, season with salt and pepper than Saute 5 mins. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, and ginger. Bring to a simmer. Taste. Season as needed. Simmer until vegies are just soft on the outside and still crunchy on the inside. Add the shrimp. Simmer 3 mins until shrimp is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Sea Bass and Succotash..Rock and Roll

2010-01-11T20:17:00.001-05:00

I have unknowingly ruined another healthy dish (who knew sea bass was a fatty fish?..not I ;) Brea is now a big succotash fan so it was up to me to pick a new protein... I have to say though fatty or not Chilean Sea Bass is the tastiest fish I have ever eaten. Below is my recipe for a pan seared sea bass. The succotash is the same except we swapped green beens for lima beans

Sea Bass

1 Lbs chilean sea bass cut in to two filets

4 sprigs of thyme

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Heat a skillet to med-high. Pat the sea bass dry and season with salt and pepper. Add oil to the pan then the thyme. Place the sea bass in the pan and cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes.

Top the sea bass with the basil drizzle or a pesto

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Garlic and Basil Soup...Goat Cheese Ravioli..yeah your hungry now

2010-01-11T09:32:00.002-05:00

20 degrees in Charleston???, where is some good old global warming when you need it? (yes yes I know anecdotal localized weather data hardly qualifies as empirical evidence in a global climate model evaluating long term trends... but its still funny ;) Bottom line its cold, soup is hot and roasted anything makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Not to mention the glorious smell of roasted garlic that fills the house when your making this.

Soup:
8 Plum tomatoes, halved
2 small heads or 1 large head of garlic, halved (cut across the gloves so the garlic is exposed)
6 Sprigs of Thyme
4 Tbsp Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Onion, diced
1 28oz can whole plum tomatoes
1 qt Chicken Broth
3 C Basil, torn in half
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Ravioli Recipe to follow (we made our own but you certainly don't have too)

Heat the oven to 400

Coat the tomatoes and garlic with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes (cut side up), garlic and a few sprigs of thyme on a lipped backing sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 mins. When done squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skin.

In a large stock pot, heat to med-high. Add 2 Tbsps of olive oil and then onions. Cook the onions down until translucent. Add the crushed red pepper, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, canned tomatoes, basil, (save some for serving), chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 45 mins. With a stick blender or regular blender puree the tomato mixture. Taste. Adjust seasoning (salt and pepper)

Top with ravioli, fresh basil, and parm cheese.

Enjoy!