82: Lemon Pepper Crusted Turbot / Brussels Sprouts & Wild Mushrooms / Celery Root Puree

We went grocery shopping earlier today and the idea for this dinner just popper into my head when I saw the fish. I knew I wanted to create something with a seasonal flare.

Turbot fish is absolutely amazing. It’s a big time food fish because of its delicate flavor yet meaty texture. The local markets only seem to have it for a short time over the summer, but I was able to score a couple fresh filets this time of the year.  Fresh grated lemon zest and pepper make for the perfect seasoning on the fish.

I love the delicate flavors of root vegetables such as turnips, parsnips, and celery root. I recently had rockfish with a celery root puree, and I thought it was such a great pairing that I recreated that pairing here. Milk helps enhance the mellow but full flavor of celery root.

I needed to round everything out with other vegetables, and the nutty and earthy play of brussels sprouts and cremini mushrooms worked nicely with the inadvertent theme of the dish: familiar flavors in different presentations.

Ingredients and Directions:

2 turbot filets

1 celery root head, about one pound, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup diced onion

8 brussels sprouts quartered

3/4 cup wild mushrooms, chopped

1 large lemon

1 cup milk

1 cup water

Olive oil

Salt + pepper

The fish— Season the fish well with salt and pepper. Using a microplane zester, zest the lemon well over both sides of each filet until it looks lightly coated. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the filets to the pan for 4-5 minutes on each side. It’s a meatier fish that will hold up to a longer cook time in the pan.

The puree—Bring milk, water, and salt just to boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add celery root cubes and onions, and bring to a boil once more. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until very tender. Drain cooking liquid from celery root, and then puree celery root to desired consistency.  Adjust taste with salt and pepper as you like.

The vegetables—Heat olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan, and add brussels sprouts and mushrooms once oil is hot. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté the mixture for about 8-10 minutes.

Enjoy!!

81: Lamb & Veal "Bolognese" / Fresh Spinach, Beet & Egg Fettucine

It’s starting to feel a lot like the holidays! I wanted to make something that looked seasonal, and I also wanted to continue my winter tradition of slow cooking. Even though I made this in the "holiday spirit," this is really just a great cold weather meal.

I knew exactly what I was making when I saw the tri color fresh pasta at the grocery store. I mean, fresh pasta says it all. I’ve made a lamb or veal bolognese many times before, but I had never combined the two meats into one. The result: An incredibly tender and flavorful meat sauce that dances on the palate with the different types of pasta. The beet pasta was by far my favorite of the bunch. Any meat or Italian food lover will enjoy this dinner.

Ingredients and Directions:

1 pound ground lamb

1/2 pound ground veal

Will’s Holy Trinity

--1 leek, thinly sliced

--1 medium carrot, diced

--1 small fennel bulb, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1.5 cup dry red wine

1.5 cup chicken broth

1 large tomato, seeded and diced

Tomato paste, 1 good large spoonful

Bouquet garni of rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley

1 pound fresh tri color fettuccine pasta

Parmigiano-reggiano, large shred for garnish

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Parsley, minced for garnish

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a Dutch oven, and sauté the Holy Trinity for about 10-12 minutes with good bit of salt and pepper. Increase heat to high and add veal and lamb to cook until browned, somewhere between 5-10 minutes. Stir to break up clumps.  Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, bouquet garni, and wine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 – 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper as necessary. Discard bouquet garni.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook for 2 minutes; drain. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!!

80: Will's Beef Stew

I don’t know why, but I had a serious craving for beef stew. Maybe I just wanted to do more slow cooking in December. It wasn’t cold, but I was determined to warm the house with delicious smells.

This stew is the ultimate winter season stew. I don’t use any flour or potatoes in the stew, so the sauce stays on the lighter side. I think the exclusion of flour and potatoes lets the natural flavors stand out. The addition of parsnips and fennel create a unique flavor base that is not typically found in traditional beef stew. The parsnips add a subtle sweetness, while the fennel adds that irresistible star anise flavor. I oven roasted sweet potato and green beans to go with this, but you could serve it with rice, or add potatoes to the stew for a more hearty profile.

Ingredients and Directions:

-1 pound stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

-1 cup onion, diced

-1 cup celery, diced

-1 cup parsnips, peeled and cubed

-1 cup fennel, diced

-1 cup carrots, diced

-1 cup dry red wine

-2 1/2 cups beef stock

-generous portion of chopped rosemary, thyme, and sage

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced thin

-good handful of green beans

-olive oil

-salt + pepper

The Stew: Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a Dutch oven. When it begins to smoke slightly, about 5 minutes, add the beef and brown very well. Add salt and pepper as you brown the meat. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon once the meat is browned.

Lower heat to medium, and add the onions, carrots, celery, fennel, and garlic with a good bit of salt and pepper. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the wine to deglaze bottom, and simmer mixture for about 5 minutes. Now add the beef, the beef stock, and herbs. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 60 minutes. Add the parsnips, and simmer for another 20-30 minutes.

Veggies: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange sweet potato and green beans on a dish, and toss with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast them in oven for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!!

79: Butternut Squash Soup / Vanilla, Amaretti & Cinnamon

Here’s an update to a timeless classic soup around the holidays. This soup came out absolutely incredible. The vanilla extract and amaretti cookies add a delicate sweetness to the soup without making it sweet. This is packed with flavor, give it a try.

Ingredients and Directions:

1 three-four pound butternut squash, halved

1 large onion, diced

3 cups chicken stock

2 tbs of chopped sage

2 tbs of olive oil

1 cup amaretti snap cookies, crushed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast halved squash flesh side up for one hour. Scoop out seeds and discard when roasting is complete. Spoon out the pulp of the squash into a bowl, set aside.

In a large pot, heat oil on medium heat. Add onions and sage after a few minutes, reduce heat to low. Stir often until onions become translucent, a good 10 minutes. Now add the stock and squash pulp, bring to a boil, and cook for a few minutes to meld the flavors. I used a hand blender to puree my soup in the same pot. Reduce heat to low and puree to your liking. Now adjust seasoning with vanilla extract, amaretti cookies, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to balance the flavor out. It will probably be a little starchy tasting before you add any seasoning. Garnish with minced sage or a dollop of mascarpone cheese.  

Note: The soup will thicken while refrigerated, so you may need to add a little water when/if reheating the soup.

Enjoy!!

78: Braised Turkey Tenderloin / Maple & Cinammon-Glazed Carrots / Cornbread Stuffing w/ Sage & Proscuitto

Happy Thanksgiving!! Amber and I usually don’t go home for Thanksgiving, as our families are far away, and this year was no different. We decided to get away for a few days at a bed and breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley. We came back Thanksgiving night, and this was our dinner.

As with much of my cooking, the traditional is given a modern twist. The turkey tenderloin is treated much like a chicken breast, the maple syrup and cinnamon bring the all familiar flavors to the plate, and the dish is made complete with a cornbread stuffing that features sage, celery, and prosciutto.

Ingredients and Directions:

Turkey-

2 turkey tenderloins

Parsley, chopped

1/2 cup shallots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup turkey stock

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Butter

Salt + pepper

Flour

Stuffing-

3 ribs of celery, chopped

1/2 cup shallots, chopped

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of fresh sage, chopped

1/4 pound prosciutto, diced

Cornbread mix

1 cup turkey stock

Olive oil

Butter

Salt + pepper

Carrots-

1 baby carrots, halved lengthwise

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Dash of cinnamon

Olive oil

Salt + pepper

Turkey—Season turkey with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat in a 10 inch pan. Cook until butter stops foaming, about 3 minutes. Sweat shallots with garlic until shallots are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove shallots and garlic, set aside. Now brown the turkey in the same pan, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove turkey, set aside. Add turkey stock and reduce by half. Now add parsley to the pan, and return the turkey, shallots, and garlic as well. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove turkey and set aside when finished. Add a tablespoon of flour to the sauce and simmer on low for 5 minutes to create thickness with the sauce, stirring occasionally. Spoon sauce over turkey on plate.

Stuffing—Cook cornbread according to package, let cool, and then crumble the cornbread. Combine oil and butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Once melted, add celery and onions and season with salt and pepper. Sweat celery and onions for about 5-6 minutes. Now add the sage and prosciutto and stir to combine. Toss in the crumbled cornbread, and moisten stuffing with turkey stock. Bring to a light boil, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat, and cover with foil to keep warm until serving.

Carrots—Heat oil in a pan for a few minutes. Sauté carrots with salt and pepper for a few minutes more. Add maple syrup and cinnamon and bring to a sizzling simmer. Continue cooking, while stirring, for a few minutes more.

Enjoy!!