Rosemary, Garlic and Black Pepper-Grilled Lamb Chops
Local, pastured lamb is marinated overnight in olive oil, fresh rosemary, garlic and black pepper, then grilled to medium-rare over a smoky wood fire. Served with crimini mushroom wild rice and grilled yellow tomatoes..
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Lay lamb chops in a glass dish and cover with fresh rosemary, garlic, black pepper and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours, turning once. Allow to come to room temperature before grilling over a hot, smoky wood fire until just medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to stand 5 minutes before serving (they will continue to cook a little). Lightly oil tomatoes and grill until the first split appears.
To prepare wild rice, soak dried crimini mushrooms in hot chicken or vegetable stock for 30 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a side dish to drain and use the soaking liquid to cook the rice until just tender, about 45-60 minutes. Melt butter over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sauté until golden brown. Stir into rice and serve hot.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Stinging Nettles and Parmesan Cream
Sweet and russet potatoes are boiled and mashed with sprouted wheat flour, pastured egg, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and served in a sauce of fried sage, shallots and garlic with fresh cream, steamed nettles and grated Parmesan. Topped with toasted pine nuts and shaved Asiago..
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Stinging Nettles and Parmesan Cream
For the Gnocchi
3/4 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup sprouted wheat flour
1 large, pastured egg
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
bowl of ice water
olive oil
Boil potatoes until soft then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a cutting board (reserve cooking water). Mash the still-hot potatoes with ricer or a large fork until mostly smooth, then allow to cool 5-10 minutes.
Gather the potatoes into a mound and create a well in the center. Sprinkle the flour over the top, then crack an egg into the center. Add salt and pepper and stir into the flour and potatoes as you would regular pasta. Knead gently until nearly dry, about 4 minutes.
Roll dough into 3/4″ diameter cylinders, then cut into 1″ lengths. Squish each gnocchi against the back of a fork then drop into boiling water and cook until they float, about 1 minute. Transfer to ice bath and allow to cool. Drain, lightly coat with olive oil and hold until ready to use.
For the Cream Sauce
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 clove garlic, slivered
8 fresh sage leaves, torn
1 tablespoon butter
1 oz white wine
1 cup fresh cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups fresh nettles, steamed, drained and chopped as you would for fresh spinach
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot, garlic and sage and fry until slightly crisp. Add wine and reduce until nearly dry. Reduce heat to medium low and slowly whisk in cream. Cook until reduced in volume by about 1/3, then stir in Parmesan and nettles. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the gnocchi to the pan and heat through.
To serve, spoon gnocchi and cream sauce onto a plate or shallow bowl and garnish with toasted pine nuts and shaved asiago.
This post is part of Meatless Monday!
Shrimp and Grits
Gigantic gulf shrimp are sautéed in sweet butter with fresh lemon, celery, tomatoes, white wine and parsley and served over stone-ground yellow grits with fresh thyme, shrimp stock, garlic and cream..
Shrimp and Grits
Adapted from recipes by Chef Chris Hastings, Coastal Living
For the Grits
1/2 cup stone-ground yellow grits
1 tablespoon cultured butter
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup shrimp stock (substitute fish fumét or vegetable stock)
1/2 cup water
1 clove garlic, slivered
1 tablespoon shallot, diced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Add thyme, garlic and shallots and sauté until soft and fragrant. Whisk in broth and cream, reduce heat and cook until done, adding water as you go, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.
For the Shrimp
4 very fresh jumbo Gulf shrimp, peeled, de-veined and patted dry
2 tablespoons sweet butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons red or green bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoon celery, diced
1 small plum tomato, chopped
2 green onions, slivered
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (substitute Old Bay)
1/4 dry white wine
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Heat half of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add celery, bell pepper and shallots and cook 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook without moving until lightly browned on the outside and opaque on the inside, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Remove shrimp from pan and add wine, cook and reduce until only a little liquid remains, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice and shrimp and heat through, about 2 minutes.
To serve, spoon grits into a bowl and arrange shrimp over the top. Pour the remaining butter sauce over the top and serve with Tabasco if desired.
Shiitake and Leek Flower Soup
Sautéed fresh shiitake mushrooms, garlic, shelled ginkgo nuts, young bamboo sprouts, fresh leek flowers and a fried quail egg in a flavorful vegetable broth with fermented soy..
Shiitake and Leek Flower Soup
3 cups vegetable broth (recipe follows)
1 pinch ground star anise
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground Szechuan pepper
1/4 cup traditionally fermented organic soy sauce
1 palmful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 palmful fresh leek flowers, sliced
1/4 cup slender bamboo shoots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shelled ginkgo nuts, halved
2 tablespoons pastured butter
1-2 fresh red chilies
fresh quail eggs
Bring vegetable broth to a boil, reduce heat and simmer with anise, fennel, cloves, pepper, chilies and soy.
Sauté mushrooms, ginkgo, and garlic in butter until golden brown and add to the soup along with the leek flowers. Simmer 5 minutes, then add chopped cilantro. Ladle into warm bowls and top with a fried quail egg.
Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Garlic-Lime Butter and Chili-Fried Onion Rings
Local, pastured bone-in rib-eye steak is basted with garlic-lime butter as it is grilled over a wood fire, then served with crispy chili-fried onion rings..
Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Garlic-Lime Butter and Chili-Fried Onion Rings
For the Compound Butter
1/4 cup pastured butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white onions, finely diced and rinsed
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
sea salt and smoked black pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
For the Onion Rings
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 cup fresh milk
1 cup sprouted wheat flour
2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
beef tallow for frying
Soak the onion rings in the milk for 30 minutes. Combine flour and seasonings in a bowl and set aside. Heat tallow in a heavy, high-walled skillet over medium heat just until a wisp of smoke appears, then quickly drain the onions and toss in the seasoned flour. Working in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the pan, fry the onions until golden brown. Drain briefly on a clean kitchen cloth before serving hot.
For the Steaks
Lightly oil the steaks with peanut oil and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour while the fire is prepared. Grill the steaks on the hottest part of the grill for 3 minutes without moving them, then turn 90 degrees and grill 2 minutes more. Turn the steaks over, move them to the cooler side of the grill and cook to the desired degree of doneness (approximately 8 minutes for medium-rare, depending on thickness), basting frequently with compound butter.
Remove from grill, baste again and allow to stand 10 minutes before serving topped with onion rings.
Conchiglie con Salsiccia di Pollo
Coarsely-ground pastured chicken, spinach, sweet onions, garlic and yellow tomatoes tossed with conchiglie pasta, cream, saffron, Grana Padano and fresh herbs..
Conchiglie con Salsiccia di Pollo
Serves 2
10-12 oz chicken meat (I use thigh meat), coarsely ground with 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
2 sweet bulb onions, sliced
2 fresh yellow cluster tomatoes, cored and choped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz spelt conchiglie
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in water
1/3 cup fresh cream
1/3 cup grated Grana Padano
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
fresh lemon
Grind chicken meat with fresh spinach and stir in 1 tablespoon cold rendered chicken fat. Heat the other tablespoon of chicken fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Pinch off pieces of chicken sausage and sauté until lightly browned and crispy on the outside. Add garlic, tomatoes, onions and herbs and sauté, stirring continuously until the tomatoes release their moisture, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta al denté in 1 1/2 quarts salted boiling water, about 8 minutes. Drain, then return to burner over medium-low heat. Stir in cream and saffron, then slowly stir in grated cheese until sauce is thick and creamy.
Toss sausage mixture with pasta and sauce, brighten with a squeeze of lemon and serve immediately.
