When you dine at James Beard nominated restaurants you taste amazing things that you might not have ever thought of before. I recently dined at Barrio Cafe Grand Reserva. The Chef is James Beard Nominated Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza and really deserves to win the award. She is among a small group of chefs in Metro Phoenix that come up with dishes from another planet delicious. One of the crazy amazing dishes I tasted was made with a delicious green sauce and was studded with fruits, chiles and ahi tuna…. I tried to remember the flavors….and put some of them into this guacamole. This guacamole taste better than it looks…My photo doesn’t pick up all the different colors it has. This guacamole is very complex with different flavors and textures in each bite. My husband didn’t expect to love it since in general he hates guacamole and avocados…..He reluctantly tried a chip with guacamole and said, “that is really good” “That really is GOOD!” and he said it a few more times….. I have to thank Fry’s supermarket for the 99 cent sale on 3lb bags of avocados.(or I wouldn’t have made guacamole)…..Of course I also have to thank the Barrio Cafe Grand Reseva for inspiring this recipe.

Ingredients for about 15 servings

9 medium avocados (about three pounds…mine were super ripe with a few brown spots I cut out…that is why they were only 99cents)

1 sweet lime – just the fresh squeezed juice (impossible to find…it taste like sweet lime-aid) sub either some lime-aid or add sugar to the juice of one lime to taste like lime-aid)

2 limes – just the fresh squeezed juice

3oz shallots – fine chopped

3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 roasted red Fresno – fine chopped – (mine was unusually hot…you can sub a jalapeño)

1/2 oz fresh cilantro – fine chopped

1/2 oz scallions – sliced thin

.03 oz fresh mint leaves – fine chopped

0.16 oz nori (one snack package of seaweed) – fine chopped

1/2 a soft ripe pear – remove skin and core – cut in small cubes about pea sized

4 chiltepin chili peppers – crush with fingers

fresh ground sea salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

finish with about a cup of pomegranate seeds

Directions

Depending on the firmest of your avocados – if very soft just scoop out. If slightly firm break up slightly…you want chunky not mush. Toss over the avocados lime juices, shallots, vinegar, Fresno, cilantro, scallions, mint, seaweed, pear and chiltepins. Stir gently. Try to keep some avocado chunky. Add salt and pepper to taste….(you don’t need much) Top with pomegranate seeds to serve.

This was very well received. You will get great compliments if you make this one. I made an extra tasty chicken meatloaf….I made it extra tasty with the jelled drippings of chicken I prepared yesterday for extra flavor but you can substitute chicken broth. I boiled eggs for 6 minutes and patted the meatloaf around each egg and that’s basically it. I thought it was pretty easy and the meatloaves re-heated with the same runny egg too! Potatoes I sort of winged….I spiral cut with the Paderno spiral slicer a red potato for each serving squirted a aroun a tablespoon of oil into the potato strings and mixed threw. They went in a 500 degree F oven for 15 minutes and then got flipped and in for another about 10 minutes and hit them with salt and pepper. That’s all there was to the potatoes…..You can fry if you prefer.  I didn’t have time to make a cooked sauce so I just made a basic common ketchup spiked with Franks Hot Sauce and Worcestershire sauce. This really did come out FORKING GREAT!

Ingredients for 6 servings

1 lb ground chicken 96% lean 

1 cup whole wheat panic bread crumbs

2 eggs – slightly beaten

1 shallot (about 2.5 oz.) – chopped fine

1 garlic clove – microplane or ground to paste

1 celery rib – chopped fine

1/2 carrot – shredded fine

2 Tablespoons dried parsley 

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons vegetable base (instead of salt..more flavorful)

4 Tablespoons jelled chicken drippings (or substitute chicken broth)

non stick spray

6 eggs

Other ingredients you might want to use.

6 potatoes

6 Tablespoons canola oil (about)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

12 tablespoons ketchup (about two a meatloaf)

Franks Red Hot Sauce to taste

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Directions

Put on a pot of water on to boil for eggs. When the water is at a medium-medium high boil carefully add the 6 eggs and set a timer for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes remove the eggs from the water and get them right away in a dish of cool water and add ice to stop the cooking and to cool the eggs. Set them to the side and let them cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl add ground chicken, panko, eggs, shallot, garlic, celery, carrot, parsley, thyme, black pepper, vegetable base, chicken drippings (or broth). Mix well and set to the side.

By now the eggs are very cold and will be easy to peel but be careful and don’t be too rough with them because they are delicate with soft centers. Put the peeled eggs to the side.

Eyeball (or measure) the meatloaf mixture into 6 even piles.

Make a dent in each for the egg and then insert the egg.

Roll each in your hands so the meat encases each egg. Then set each on a non stick sprayed sheet pan(s).

They go in the 350 degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meat is cooked.

For baked potato string nest use the spiral cutter and mix each potato with around a Tablespoon of Canola oil and place each on a sheet tray. They go in a preheated 500 degree oven for about 15 minutes and then get flipped over and go back in for another 10 minutes.

Hit them with fresh crushed sea salt and fresh ground black pepper (these nest didn’t get flipped yet)

While everything is cooking whip up some ketchup and season it with a good amount or Worcestershire sauce and Franks Red Hot unless you have time to cook down tomatoes and basically add these seasonings and a few others.

Serve the meatloaves over the nest and drizzle with sauce.

These Meatloaves re-heat well at 300 degrees F at room temperature about 20 minutes or when chilled 350 degrees F at 30 minutes. But these don’t freeze well because of the egg center.

People will FORKING LOVE THEM!

 

Very easy to prepare meatballs that come out spicy and tasty with a slightly caramelized exterior. Just serve them with a few shakes of Franks Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce or for an extra special treat make the Matbucha (a slightly spicy Tomato and Roasted Peppers…very delicious with these meatballs). This recipe makes about 30 meatballs and serves about 6 and freezes well.

Ingredients for about 6 servings

1 lb lean ground chicken 8% fat

2 eggs – slightly beaten

1/4 cup sweet onion – mined or grated

2 garlic cloves – large and either ground to paste or microplane

1 Tablespoon chicken base – preferably low sodium Better than Bouillon Brand (this is instead of salt)

1 Tablespoon cayenne ground pepper

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

2 pinch celery seeds

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 cup fresh parsley – chopped

1/4 cup scallions – sliced thin

2 Tablespoons water

non stick spray

Instructions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray baking sheets with non stick spray

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients expect non stick spray and mix well. The mixture will be very soft.

It’s a good idea to do a tester ball……do a maybe 1/2 size ball and bake it till done about 7 minutes. Let it cool slightly so you don’t burn your mouth. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Once you got the meatballs the way you like them use a small scooper and scoop out meatballs till done.

They go in the oven and cook till done. About 15 minutes.

They go well with a little Franks Red Sauce but even better with Matbucha.

Spicy but not too spicy and tasty.

 

I watched a few different cooking shows with Chef Lidia Bastianich where she stuffed a rice mixture into an onion ring and another show where she used peppers and stuffed them with a vegetable bread stuffing. They both sound delicious but I didn’t want to use rice or bread so I came up with something completely different.  I came up with spaghetti squash nests filled with rosemary parmesan cauliflower puree. This recipe is very easy to prepare. This recipe as written makes more puree than will fit into spaghetti squash nests. I note the amount of nests and puree will differ some because produce will differ in size…..might throw off seasons slightly. I also note that I added the least amount of fat possible because I just don’t think cauliflower puree should be too heavy…..after-all that is what potatoes are for……..Feel free to adjust the amount of butter and cream cheese to your liking.

Ingredients for about 5 servings

1 spaghetti squash (I used a small one)

non stick spray

5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

fresh crushed sea salt – to taste

fresh crushed black pepper to taste

1 head cauliflower (mine was about medium size) – chopped into about one inch pieces

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon cream cheese (or mascarpone)

2 cloves garlic (mine were large)

1 cup parmesan cheese – shredded

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary – fine chopped

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

good pinch dried oregano

good pinch dried basil

few grates fresh nutmeg or a pinch of ground nutmeg

fresh crushed sea salt – to taste

Instructions

Turn oven on to 350 degrees F.

Slice off ends of spaghetti squash and peel squash.

Slice into about one inch slices and make sure you use the ends. With a spoon scoop out seeds and seed membranes.

Spray baking sheet lightly with non stick spray.

Place rings on baking sheet.

Drizzle each spaghetti squash ring with a Tablespoon of olive oil.

Place in 350 degree F oven till browned and done. (about 45 minutes)

Take out of oven when done and hit them with fresh crushed sea salt and fresh crushed black pepper to taste.

While the spaghetti squash is cooking make the Rosemary Parmesan Cauliflower Puree……….

You need to steam the cauliflower with the garlic cloves and then they get pureed.

Put a pot of water on to a medium high boil. Either use a steam basket or a metal strainer and have it sit above the boiling water and cover with a loose piece of aluminum foil. Steam until cauliflower is very soft. Depending on size of cauliflower this should take 10-15 minutes. Cauliflower, garlic, butter, cream cheese, parmesan, rosemary, white pepper, nutmeg, basil, oregano all go in a blender or use a stick blender and blend till smooth. Adjust seasonings if necessary and also add fresh crushed sea salt to taste. Serve in Spaghetti squash nests.

Serve!

It looks fancy but it’s easy to prepare. These Rosemary Parmesan Cauliflower Puree in Spaghetti Squash Nests are something that’s yummy and different!

 

 

 

 

Because Costco stopped selling Tellicherry Peppercorns and now only sell the flat tasting black peppercorns I had to find them on the internet or take a long drive to the spice store and pay double. So when I found the best price for my Tellicherry Peppercorns on the internet (www.MySpiceSage.com) I also picked out Beet Powder because I was thinking about making beet gnocchi. When you make gnocchi  you want the lightest pillow of pasta possible. The secret is to use as little flour as possible. Too much flour makes a tough gnocchi. If the extra ingredients are moist like pureed beets then more flour will be added. Powdered beets works well with gnocchi dough. I thought I’d do something different and add sharp provolone to the dough because often strong cheeses like gorgonzola gets paired with beets. The rest just sort of popped in my head. The boiling water from the potatoes comes out amazing when you throw a banana pepper in the boiling water…..It’s just like magic….even if you don’t like heat in your food the banana pepper makes food delicious…..So a sauce needed to be made with that delicious flavorful well seasoned water and I came out with Green Pea Veloute. It’s just the potato water and you make a little roux, cook onions, add the peas, then add potato water and blend it up.

Ingredients for about 6 servings

1 lb brown skin potatoes (about two large) – peeled – cut in thirds – in pot covered with cold water

1 1/2 Tablespoons sea salt – to boil potatoes

1 banana pepper – cut in half diagonal – to boil with potatoes (I don’t think any other pepper will give the same flavor or that just right heat. I find these peppers at Asiana Market in Deer Valley. If you can’t find these peppers I suggest a vegetable stock but you might have to adjust seasonings a bit.

1 cup sharp provolone shredded (about 3 ounces)

1 egg – slightly beaten

2 Tablespoons beet powder

3/4 cup flour (your results may differ………you might need slightly more or less….when you are done making dough it’s important to do one tester gnocchi so you can adjust if needed)

2 teaspoons course sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

few grates fresh nutmeg

About 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to sprinkle on gnocchi as they get done to prevent sticking.

2 oz unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons flour

3 oz sweet onions minced or grated

3 cups frozen sweet green peas

4 cups potato stock (if you substitute vegetable stock the salt and pepper might need adjustments)

Directions

Boil the potatoes with salt and banana pepper till tender on a medium boil till tender. (about 15 minutes)

When the potatoes are done discard the banana pepper. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and keep the potato water off to the side.

Mash the potatoes (only if you have a really good masher where you can get lump free potatoes) or rice the potatoes. Add egg mash egg into potatoes. Mash cheese, beet powder

salt white pepper nutmeg and flour. You might have some trouble mashing all the flour into the potato mixture….DON’T WORRY…..you will get it all in….just take your time. The dough gets wetter. Then let the dough sit to the side while you make the veloute.

Melt butter with flour in a pan on medium heat till it bubbles. Add onions mix well and cook a few minutes and add peas. Cook a few minutes and add potato stock. Blend it up with a stick blender. Let it cook a few minutes and then take off the heat. ( you should do a taste test and adjust season if necessary)

Put a pot of water on to a medium boil with a tablespoon of sea salt. Put a string on the handle ********BUT BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE STRING CATCH ON FIRE!!!!!! The string is for cutting the gnocchi dough.

Insert a star tip into a disposable pastry bag and fold down the top of the bag. Add about 1/3 of the dough mixture and twist the end of bag to hold dough in.

When the water is boiling apply pressure to the end of the twisted bag and skirt out a gnocchi.

Cut with string over the boiling water.

Keep squirting out the gnocchi until you are done with dough in bag.

Gnocchi will float when they are done. I let them float about a minute or two. Then scoop them out with a slotted spoon into a large bowl. Drizzle the gnocchi with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Repeat till you are done with all the gnocchi dough.

Serve gnocchi over the veloute.

You might want to serve with grated provolone or Italian hard cheese and some fresh basil.

Something different and also delicious you might want to try!