Herbed Rack of Lamb

1 1/2 cups soy sauce
1 1/2 cups Red wine (bordeaux)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 (10 to 12-ounce) racks of lamb, frenched
Roasted Garlic Rosemary Butter, recipe follows
Balsamic Mint Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large shallow Pirex dish, to make marinade.
Place lamb in marinade and let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat a grill over medium heat. Remove lamb from marinade and grill lamb racks until desired degree of doneness.
Top with the Roasted Garlic Rosemary Butter and serve with the balsamic mint vinaigrette.

Roasted Garlic Rosemary Butter:
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
Olive oil, for roasting garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 stick butter, softened
Pinch salt

Cook the garlic in olive oil in a skillet on the stove for 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft and fragrant.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add garlic-olive oil mixture and all remaining ingredients to a food processor
 and process until thoroughly combined. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Balsamic Mint Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
2 peeled shallots
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a food processor, combine the mustard, mint, shallots, and balsamic vinegar by pulsing a few times.
With the food processor running, slowly add the olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Process the mixture again until smooth

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

1 sheet             Aluminium foil paper

¼ cup               Fresh lemon juice

2 tsp                 Worchestershire sauce

4 tsp                 Cocktail sauce

2 tsp                 Lemon pepper

1 tsp                 Dried basil

2 to 4               Cloves of garlic, minced

½ cup              Olive oil

1 pound            Medium sized uncooked shrimp, peeled and      deveined

Combine the lemon juice, the Worchestershire and cocktail sauces, the lemon pepper and the garlic. Gradually add the olive oil and mix until thick in consistency. Reserve half of the marinade for basting during cooking.

Add the shrimp to the other half of the marinade, mix well to coat. Cover with waxed paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Strain the shrimp and throw away the marinade.

Heat BBQ grill to medium-high temperature (400F). Place sheet of aluminium foil paper on grill. Place shrimp on foil in single layer. Cook 4 to 6 minutes with BBQ cover opened, flip shrimp, baste with remaining marinade and cook until shrimp are firm and rosy in color. Throw away remaining marinade.

Remove shrimp from grill and let the cooking juices cool a little before handling. Serve hot.

(Yield 4 portions)

Pecan Pie

Dough:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick), diced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Flour, for rolling the dough

Filling:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 cups chopped toasted pecans
1 to 2 tablespoons bourbon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Make the dough by hand: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles yellow cornmeal mixed with bean-sized bits of butter. (If the flour/butter mixture gets warm, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before proceeding.) Add the egg and stir the dough together with a fork or by hand in the bowl. If the dough is dry, sprinkle up to a tablespoon more of cold water over the mixture.

Form the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan and trim the edges, leaving about an extra inch hanging over the edge. Tuck the overhanging dough underneath itself to form a thick edge that is even with the rim. Flute the edge as desired. Freeze the pie shell for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put a piece of parchment paper or foil over the pie shell and bake on the center rack until the dough is set, about 20 minutes. Remove the paper and continu cooking about 10 more minutes or until lightly golden brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

While the crust is baking make the filling: In medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and stirring constantly, continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon and the vanilla. Set the mixture aside to cool slightly, about 5-10 minutes. Whisk the beaten eggs into the filling until smooth. Put the pie shell on a sheet pan and pour the filling into the hot crust.  Delicately place the pecans on the mixture in order to cover the entire surface of the pie.

Bake until the edges are set but the center is still slightly loose, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a rack. Serve slightly warm or room temperature.

Mustard and Rosemary Chicken

 4 Chicken breast, cut in two
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Country style Dijon mustard
2 tsplemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, mashed
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp fresh Rosemary
6 small zucchinis, sliced in 2 lenghtwise
1 small red pepper, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, loosely chopped

 Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade and set marinade and vegetables
aside for future use. Place chicken on a metal grill sheet over a roasting dish and roast in a hot oven for 15-25 minutes, or until golden.
Meanwhile, poor the marinade and vegetables in a pot. Bring to a boil and cook until vegetables are tender.  Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with the roasted chicken

Eggplant Parmesan

1                                            large eggplant, unpeeled, sliced in ¼ inch rounds

2                                            eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup                seasoned bread crumbs

4 tbsp               olive oil

1 jar                 Marinara sauce (700ml)

½ tsp                dried Italian herbs (seasoning)

¼ tsp                dried pepper flakes

4                          Italian (Roma) tomatoes, chopped

2 cups              shredded Mozzarella cheese

¼ cup               shredded Parmesan cheese

Dip the eggplant rounds in the beaten eggs, then coat each side with the seasoned bread crumbs, making sure both side are well coated.

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on a medium to high heat. Drop the coated eggplant rounds in the pan and fry each side for about 2 minutes or until they are golden brown. Set aside.

Let the pan cool down a little and add ¾ cup of the Marinara sauce. Place half of the eggplant rounds over the sauce.

In a bowl, mix together the Italian herbs, the pepper flakes and the chopped tomatoes. Toss to ensure all in well mixed.  Spread half of the tomato mixture over the eggplant in the pan and top with an additional cup of the Marinara sauce.

Sprinkle with 1 ½ cups of the Mozzarella cheese and 2 tbsp of the Parmesan.

 Layer the rest of the ingredients in the same fashion while ending with the cheese, in mounds over the eggplant.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until properly heated through and the cheese well melted

Clam Sauce for Linguine

3 tablespoons butter  
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) minced clams, drained and liquid reserved
8 fresh mushrooms, cleaned and diced 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup chickenstock                                                                                                        
1/2 cup white wine                                                                                                             
ground black pepper to taste
1 pound linguine, cooked and drained
Grated Parmesan cheese  

Heat 3 tablespoons butter and the olive oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute garlic, onions and mushrooms until tender. Sprinkle with flour and mix until well incorporated.

Add the liquid from the clams, the chicken stock, the white wine and the parsley and simmer for 5 mins. Stir in clams; heat through but do not boil. Season to taste with ground pepper.

Pour over hot linguine; toss to coat. When serving, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Tips for Success

If you like lots of clams, add an additional can of drained clams during the final step of the sauce preparation.

Do not boil or heat the clams too long; they will become tough.

For maximum flavor, use Italian flat-leaf parsley in your sauce and as a final garnish to your pasta bowls.

WEST INDIAN CHICKEN ROTI

Roti (shell):

• 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 3/4 to 1 cup of water
• 1 cup oil

Chicken Curry (stuffing):

• 3 lbs chicken
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 potatoes, diced
• 2 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste

ROTI (SHELL): Sift 2 cups of flour, add baking powder and butter, mix well. Add water, knead, make a soft elastic but not sticky dough. Cut into 6 pieces. Roll each piece of dough thinly on a floured board, apply oil to dough surface, sprinkle lightly with a pinch of flour. Fold in half, then quarter, roll up into a ball. Let stand for 10 minutes. Roll out each piece thinly again, place on a hot griddle. brush each side of dough with oil to prevent sticking, turn frequently. Remove roti and clap with both hands until pliable. Fold and place on waxed paper. Serve hot stuffed with Chicken Curry.

 

CHICKEN CURRY (STUFFING): Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. In hot oil, saute onions and garlic until tender, add curry powder. Add chicken pieces, salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika: fry on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.  Add potatoes and continue to simmer.  When potatoes are done and chicken is tender, the curry is ready to serve. Serve wrapped in a warm Roti

Mediterranean Tuna Steaks with Mixed Greens and Tomato Bruschetta

Makes 4 servings

4 6 oz. Tuna steaks
4-6 cups Mixed greens (salad)

Tuna Marinade:

½ cup olive oil
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, cruched
4 tsp fresh parsley, chopped (2 tsp dried)
2 tsp fresh basil, chopped (1 tsp dried)

Marinate tuna steaks with above marinade ingredients and let sit for at least1 hour.  Season with salt and pepper if desired. Sear the steaks on a very hot grill (BBQ or stove, your choice). Cook for 2 minutes (for medium). Flip steak over, coat with aprox. 2 tbsp. of Olive Tapenade (recipe below) and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Olive Tapenade:

1 cup black olives, pitted
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp capers
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Put the olives, garlic and capers in a food processor and pulse to a rough chop. Stream in olive oil to rough puree.

Tomato Bruschetta:

12 crisp garlic croutons
1 large or 2 small tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp capers, chopped
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (1 ½ tsp dried)
2 tbsp red onion, finely diced
3 tbsp Balsamic vinaigrette - next recipe

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

Whisk together mustard, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Slowly stream the olive oil into mixture, creating emulsion. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

To assemble Bruschetta, top croutons with mixture.

For plating, place mixed greens in a bowl and mix enough dressing to coat, DO NOT DROWN.  Place the salad in each dish and add three Brushetta to each plate. Place cooked steaks in plate and garnish with freshly gated parmesan if desired.

Pasta with Shrimp and Garlic Sauce

Makes 4 to 6 servings

¼ cup                          butter

4                                            cloves garlic, finely chopped

1                                  oinion, finely chopped

¼ cup                          fresh parsley or basil, chopped

1 lb                              uncooked medium shrimp, cleaned

3                                  tomatoes, peeled and chopped

½ cup                          dry white wine

1 tsp                            salt

¼ tsp                           pepper

1 lb                              spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine

¼ cup                          butter, cut in small pieces

• In large skillet, melt ¼ cup of butter over medium heat. Cook garlic and onions until tender and fragrant, but not brown. Add half of the parsley and the shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Cook just until shrimp turn opaque and begin to curl. Remove from heat and reheat just before pasta is ready.
• Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes.

Tourtière Ho Ho HO!!!

Serves 8-10

  1 tbsp               vegetable oil

  2 lb                  ground pork

   1 ½ cups          beef stock

   3                      onions, finely chopped

   3                      cloves garlic, minced

   2 cups              sliced mushrooms

   1 cup                finely chopped celery

   ¾ tsp                salt

   ½ tsp                each Cinnamon, pepper and dried savory

   ¼ tsp                ground cloves

   1 cup                fresh bread crumbs

   ½ cup               chopped fresh parsley

                         Pastry for 9-innch double crust pie

   1                      egg, beaten

   1 tsp                 water

 *In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook pork, breaking up with wooden spoon, for 7 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain off fat.

 *Stir in stock, onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery, salt, cinnamon, pepper, savory and cloves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 35 to 45 minutes or until 2 tbsp liquid remains.

 *Stir in fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until cold or for up to 1 day.

 *On lightly floured surface, roll out bottom pastry to 1/8-inch thickness and fit into 9-inch pie plate.

 *Spoon filling into pie shell, smoothing top. Roll out top pastry. Moisten rim of pie shell with water. Cover with top pastry, pressing edges together to seal. Trim and flute pastry edge.

 *Combine egg with water and brush some over pastry. If desired, cut decorative shapes for remaining pastry and arrange on top. Brush with remaining egg mixture.