Tag Archives | Spring 2010 Recipes

An open bottle of beer on the counter while I cook is a staple. I take a sip and pour a bit into the pot. And then I take another sip. Why not? They both make food taste better and enhance our appreciation of different flavors.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 ounce shallot, crushed
3 ounces grape tomatoes, roasted
3 ounces crushed tomatoes
4 ounces fennel sausage, crumbled
2 ounces fennel, thinly sliced
1 ounce scallions, chopped
3 dozen mussels, scrubbed and beards removed (toss out any that are cracked or open)
½ bottle Peroni beer (drink other ½ while the mussels cook.)
Couple pinches of salt and crushed red pepper

In a deep, heavy-bottomed pot with a cover, warmed over medium-high heat, add oil, garlic, fennel, and shallot. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté about two minutes. Add sausage, and fry till lightly crisp. Arrange mussels in the pan. Pour in beer and tomatoes, and shake the pan to combine. Cover pan, and cook four minutes or until mussels open. Remove from heat, adjust seasoning, and spoon into bowl. Garnish with scallions. Serve immediately with some crusty bread for sopping.

Serves 4

Courtesy of Mark Caragiulo of Caragiulo’s Restaurant Caragiulo’s Restaurant: 69 S Palm Ave, Sarasota; 941- 951-0866
italiansoulfood.com

Owen’s Fish Camp: 516 Burns Ct, Sarasota; 941-951-6936
owensfishcamp.com

Photos by Chad Spencer

THOMAS MCKINNEY-STEHR
Executive Chef, Longboat Key Club & Resort

BRAISED PORK SHANK WITH ROASTED PORCINI
MUSHROOMS, SERVED WITH FENNEL AND APPLE
SLAW, TRUFFLE POLENTA AND ROASTED TOMATOES

Serves 6-8

For Pork Shank

6 pork shanks, or shins
Salt and pepper
¾ cup lard
1½ medium Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 rib celery, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 medium carrot, chopped into 1/4-inch coins
6 cloves garlic
3 sprig rosemary
16 juniper berries
3 cloves
6 cups dry white wine
3 cups veal stock

Rinse and dry the shanks and remove the hairs and hard skin. Season with salt and pepper. In a heavy bottom Dutch oven, heat the lard over medium heat and place the shanks in pan.

Sear until dark golden brown on all sides and remove. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, rosemary, juniper, and clove and cook until just softening, 4 to 5 minutes, then put then shanks back into pan on top of the vegetables. Add the wine and stock and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes, turning every 1/2 hour. Meat will be falling off the bone. Take the shanks out of the sauce and put a side.

Strain the rest of the sauce in a sauté pan reduce by halve and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Roasted Porcini

12 large fresh porcini mushrooms

¼  cup extra-virgin olive oil

1   tablespoon chopped garlic

½  bunch thyme, chopped

Salt and Pepper

1   tablespoon unsalted butter

To roast the porcini
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, toss the mushrooms with the olive oil, and the garlic, the thyme, salt and pepper. Place mushrooms in a roasting pan and roast until tender and juicy, about 10 minutes.

Fennel and Apple Slaw

2   tablespoons minced shallot

1   tablespoon white wine vinegar

1½teaspoons kosher salt

¼  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2   tablespoons olive oil

3   small fennel bulbs, halved lengthwise, cored, and very thinly sliced

about 3 cups

2   large Fuji apple, halved lengthwise, cored, and very thinly sliced in

julienne (about 2 ½ cups)

1   pinch of sugar

Whisk together shallot, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large, nonreactive

bowl. While constantly whisking, add oil by pouring in a thin stream

down the side of the bowl. Whisk until all oil is incorporated. Taste

and adjust seasoning as desired.

Add endive, fennel, and apple slices to the vinaigrette and toss to coat.

Taste again and adjust seasoning as desired.

Truffle Polenta

1½ cups chicken stock

1½ cups heavy cream

½   teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¾   teaspoon salt

Pinch ground white pepper

5    tablespoons polenta

5    tablespoons semolina

¼   cup freshly grated Fontina or Talegio

¼   cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for dusting

1    ounce Truffle oil

In a heavy saucepan, combine the stock, truffle oil and cream, and bring to a boil. Add the nutmeg and salt. Whisk in the polenta and semolina and cook over low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the grains are soft. Fold in the cheeses. Serve immediately or reserve.  Grate a dusting of Parmesan over the top just before serving.

Roasted Tomato

18  grape tomatoes

Sea salt, preferably gray salt, and freshly ground black pepper

3    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storing

1    tablespoons herbes de provence

1    clove garlic minced

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the tomato close together on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the 6 tablespoons olive oil, the herbs, and the garlic. Spoon a little over each tomato, stirring the mixture as you go.

Broil until the tomatoes are soft and shriveled but still retain some moisture, 10 to 15 minutes. Timing will
depend on how large, meaty and juicy the tomatoes are. Let cool completely, then peel.

Photo by Chad Spencer

GREG HOWE
Executive Chef, Vernona Room

BRAISED PORK SHANK WITH EXOTIC GINGER LIME JUS,
SERVED WITH A BUTTERED POACHED LOBSTER
TAIL AND HOMEMADE RAVIOLI

Serves 6-8

For Pork Shank

2 large pork shank – sliced into 6 pieces (ask your butcher to do this)
Wondra flour
1 blanched, diced sweet potato
1 cup Chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups pork jus
1 minced shallot
1 fuji apple
2 cups sherry
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 star anise clove
1 small carrot, chopped
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

Bring a large saute pan to high heat. Dust the pork shanks in the flour and shake to remove excess flour. Add oil to pan and then add pork shanks, cooking on both sides until golden brown. Remove shanks from pan and keep on a dry plate, drying off any excess grease with a paper towel. Place the shallot, apple, garlic and carrot in the pan and cook for an additional 7-8 minutes, or until the onion is cooked (lower the heat if necessary to avoid burning). Add the sherry to the pan to “deglaze” and then turn heat down very low. Add pork jus, vinegar and star anise and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the shanks back to the pan, cover, and place in a 350˚ oven until tender, about 2 ½ hours. Saute sliced mushrooms and the blanched sweet potato with unsalted butter until both are tender, season with salt and pepper. Place the shank in the center of the plate and spoon the sweet potato and mushroom mixture beside. Place the ravioli and half of the lobster tail on the plate and then drizzle plate with ginger sauce.

This recipe is a restaurant recipe that makes about 50 ravioli.  However, this is just a guideline for the ingredients – adjust as you see fit or make the whole thing and pack it away in your freezer for a later use.

Ravioli Filling

3  cloves garlic, minced

1  yellow onion, minced

10pounds dandelion greens,chopped

½ cup duck fat

8 ounces cured pork belly

3 pounds ricotta cheese

2 egg yolks

2 cups parmesan cheese

Zest of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Pasta dough recipe or wonton wrappers

Sauté the pork belly, onions and garlic in the duck fat until tender.  Add the greens and cook down for about 10 minutes.  Place the mixture in the food processor and “pulse” the machine to create a chunky puree.  In a large mixing bowl, combine this mixture with the ricotta, egg yolk, parmesan cheese, lemon zest , salt and pepper and mix until thoroughly combined.  This will make your ravioli filling that can be stuffed into any homemade pasta dough you choose or wonton wrappers are a good substitute. For wontons, lay small amount of filling in center of wrapper, moisten edges with egg wash and pinch together to seal. Lay on floured sheet pan to prevent sticking, add to boiling water.

Ginger-Lime Sauce

¹⁄₃cup sugar

Juice of 3 limes

Zest of 2 limes, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger; peeled and chopped

3 cups veal jus

Soy sauce to taste

Place lime zest and ginger in separate sauce pans and cover with cold water.  Bring water to a boil, then drain off zest and ginger.  Repeat this process one more time, or until all bitterness is removed.  Juice all of the limes, and strain out the pulp.  Place the sugar in a cold sauce pan.  Turn heat on high and cook sugar until a light caramel is formed.  Deglazed the pan with lime juice, add veal jus, ginger and lime zest.  Reduce this mixture by half and then season with soy sauce.  Reserve for use.

Skamp Grouper is my favorite Floridian fish. It is a deepwater black grouper, the meat is white and the flavor is unique. It can be recognized by it’s fork shaped tail.

1 skamp about 2 pounds
Extra virgin oil
Salt, pepper

For Samoriglio Sauce:

½ red bell pepper, diced
½ yellow pepper, diced
½ red onion, diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 handful of capers
15 black pitted olives
1 handful of pine nuts
1 tablespoon basil and parsley, chopped
Salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, juice from half of a lemon

Warm the oil, brown all the ingredients, add salt, pepper and lemon juice and at the last moment the chopped parsley and basil. Filet the fish, remove the skin (cut into 4 pieces about 6 ounces each) drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper then grill for approximately 2.5 minutes each side and then serve with the samoriglio sauce on top.

Serves 4

Courtesy of Chef Andrea Bozzolo , Owner Andrea’s