Heirloom Tomato Tart

Heirloom Tomato Tart



1 puff pastry sheet
2 Heirloom Tomatoes sliced ¼ in thick
¼ cup basil pesto (can be store bought)
Balsamic reduction
Parmesan cheese (whole)
Fresh basil (chiffinade cut)

Instructions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a clean surface lay out puff pastry and smooth out with a rolling pin and cut into 6 rectangle pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place puff pastry on baking sheet and place 1 Tsp of pesto on each pastry and smooth to each corner. Place 2 slices of tomato on top of pesto and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until pastry is crisp and lightly browned. Remove from oven and plate by placing a ½ Tsp of pesto on each tomato and shave a little parmesan cheese on top and a little fresh basil. Drizzle with balsamic reduction and a good olive oil and a little fresh cracked pepper.

Current Update

Well folks, I hope you haven't given up on my blog and recipes. Life has been very busy now that I'm running The Wine Guy Wine Shop Wine Bar and Bistro. With that said, I will be posting many more pics soon of what's been going on and new recipes from both our restaurants and my own new creations. I'm always looking for new recipes so if you have some recipes you love and would like me to try them, take pictures and post them I would be glad to. Please email me or comment on one of the post and let me know what you have. Looking forward to posting new and exciting recipes for you.
Chef Dave

Stuffed Adobo Chicken with Mango reduction

Grilled Stuffed Adobo Chicken with a Mango Reduction Sauce


8 Boneless Chicken thighs (skin removed) and pounded flat
½ C Chili powder
½ C Adobo Seasoning
¼ C Cumin Powder
S & P Pinch each
4 TBS Olive Oil
6 oz of herbed goat cheese

For the Sauce
3 – 12 oz cans of Mango Nectar
1 C white wine
Juice of 3 limes and 1 lemon
3 TBS Honey
1 Tsp finely chopped Jalapeño Pepper
S & P to taste

Heat Grill on high heat

Start with the sauce first, it will take a while to reduce. In a blender put the mango nectar, wine, juice from the limes and lemon, honey, Jalapeno pepper and S&P. Blend well and then put in a sauce pan. Heat to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer uncovered. Sauce will thicken as it reduces. You want to consistency of a thin gravy. Strain before serving

For the Chicken

In a small mixing bowl add the chili powder, adobo seasoning, cumin, S & P and Olive oil and mix well making a paste consistency. Lay each thigh on a cutting board flat and brush the inside with some of the mixture. Place a small spoonful ( about ¾ of an oz) of the cheese and roll up the thigh. Tie off each end of the thigh with kitchen string. Brush the outside of the thigh liberally with the mixture and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the thighs.

Oil the grill grates with a paper towel and place the thighs on the grill. Cover and reduce heat to medium turning regularly so not to burn but just browned nicely. Cook until thighs register to 165 degrees with a thermometer and take off the grill. Let rest for ten minutes covered with foil. Place with the Mango reduction and serve.

Hummus Dip with Seasoned Pita Chips

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed, plus more for garnish
1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dark Asian sesame oil

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin

12 to 15 grinds black pepper

1/4 cup water

Paprika, for garnish

In a blender combine all the ingredients except the parsley and paprika to be used for garnish. Blend on low speed until smooth. You'll have to stop the blender often to push down the ingredients. If the mixture is too dry and you're having trouble blending it, add a few more tablespoons of olive oil to help things along.
Scrape the hummus into a bowl. Sprinkle the paprika over the top, drizzle lightly with olive oil, scatter some parsley on top, and serve. You can make the hummus up to a couple of hours before you serve it. Cover the top with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.

Serve with baked pita crisps.

4 - 5 whole pitas cut into 6ths

Olive Oil spray

3 Tbs Italian Seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut up a bag of pitas into 6 pieces for each individual pita. Split each piece in half.

Lay the pita pieces out on a cookie sheet and spay with an olive oil spray.

Sprinkle the pieces with Italian seasoning herbs, salt and pepper and bake until crisp.

Serve with Hummus.

Lasagna Bolognese

Lasagna Bolognese




Today was a beautiful day for Ohio spring weather. It was mostly sunny and almost 70 degrees. As I drove to the grocery I drove by a golf course and there were several people out getting in their first round in for the year. I was thinking that I might join them but then I realized I need to get back to what my task was for the day. Fixing my last hearty cold weather meal. Lasagna! I’m not talking about your simple meat sauce, noodles and cheese dish but Lasagna Bolognese. Not for the faint of heart or weak minded. This recipe is made with a long simmered sauce that makes this a dish to envy. It takes time and patience but you’ll love the end product. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 box of lasagna noodles (cooked al dente)
1 Lg Jar of your favorite Marinara Sauce
1 15 oz tub of Ricotta Cheese
1 16 oz bag of shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 C Grated Parmesan Rigiano
1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1 lb Bulk Italian Sausage
1 Tbs crushed red peppers
1 C white wine
½ C red wine
1 C whole milk
½ C water
1 C diced tomato
1 Tb Italian Herb Seasoning
2 Carrots diced
3 Stalks Celery diced
1 Med Onion
2 TB chopped chives
2TB chopped parsley
3 clove garlic chopped
1 6 oz jar Tomato Paste
Salt and Pepper

This dish is complex and there is prep to do before assembly of the Lasagna. First, we need to make the Bolognese sauce. In a large skillet start by browning the beef and Italian sausage. Once completely browned drain excess fat and set aside in a bowl. In the same skillet heat 2 TB olive oil and add the onion, celery, crushed red pepper, Italian herb seasoning and carrots and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about another minutes until it blossoms (aroma in the air). Add the meat back to the pan and tomato paste and heat through.

Deglaze the pan with the red and white wine and then add the water and milk. Cover and simmer for 90 minutes. If mixture gets a little dry add some chicken stock or more water. The mixture will look somewhat like a sloppy Joe consistency. Take off of heat and let cool.



While the Bolognese is cooling make the Ricotta cheese mixture. In a bowl add the cheese, chives and parsley and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the dish:
Spread a ladle of marinara on the bottom of a 9X13 glass or ceramic baking dish and then cover with one layer of noodles. Add another ladle of marinara on top of the noodles then cover with a layer of the Bolognese meat sauce. Next add dollops of the ricotta cheese mixture and top with some of the shredded Mozzarella cheese.



Continue with two more layers and top with another layer of noodles. Top with more marinara and more Shredded Mozzarella and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning and fresh cracked pepper.



Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cover dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven on the middle shelf. Cook for 30 minutes and then remove the foil for the remaining 15 minutes to brown the cheese slightly. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting into 9 large pieces

To serve, heat 3 cups each of marinara and Alfredo sauces. On a plate put one small ladle of Alfredo sauce and place one of the slices of lasagna on top and spoon a small amount of marinara on top. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with chopped parsley.

Citrus Herb Roasted Chicken

Citrus Herb Roasted Chicken



1 5 to 6 lb whole Fryer Chicken
3 Tbs dried Italian Seasoning
3 Cloves Garlic crushed and minced
1 Med Orange
1 Med Lemon
1 Med Lime
3 Tbs Olive Oil
3 sprigs each Rosemary, Thyme
Salt & Pepper

1st step of prep is to brine your chicken for at least 4 to 8 hours or even over night, this will guarantee an absolutely delicious and moist bird.

For the Brine

2 gallons of water
2 cups salt
1 cup red wine vinegar

In a large enough bucket dissolve salt in water and add the vinegar. Gently lower the chicken into the brining solution making sure the bird is completely covered with the solution. Refrigerate for at least 4 to 8 hours or overnight but no more than 12 hours.

Drain and rinse the bird and then pat dry with paper towels inside and out and set aside. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

In a small bowl add the olive oil and with your fingers crush the dry Italian seasoning herbs between you fingers into the oil, add the garlic and a pinch of S & P. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.


With you fingers (I prefer to use gloves), gently push your fingers between the breast and the skin of the bird. Then put the herb mixture in between the skin and meat rubbing evenly throughout the birds surface. Rub the remaining mixture over the entire birds skin.



On a separate cutting board, cut the Orange, lemon and lime into quarters. Stuff the cavity of the bird with 3 wedges of each fruit leaving 1 quarter to the side. Truss the bird and put onto a roaster pan. Squeeze the remaining fruit quarters over the entire bird. Then add the fresh herbs to the bottom of the roasting pan and add 4 cups of water or enough water to fill to 1 inch deep.



Put chicken into oven and roast for 30 minutes at 500 degrees to brown the skin. After 30 minutes lower the oven to 325 degrees. Roast for an additional 2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees when placed between the inner part of the thigh. Let stand for at least 10 to 15 minutes before carving the bird.

Grilled Lamb Chops

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Table salt and ground black pepper (pinch of each)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8-1 inch thick Lamb Chops

Pre heat broiler to Hi.

Meanwhile, in a food processor add the first 5 ingredients. Mix on high for 30 seconds until finely chopped. Add the next 3 ingredients and mix for another 30 seconds until a paste is formed.

Apply the paste to both sides of each chop forming a crust.

Place Chops on a broiler pan and place 5 to 6 inches from the broiler. Broil 4 to 5 minutes watching not to burn. Turn Chops and broil for another 4 minutes. Check temp with a thermometer to 125 degrees. Pull chops from broiler and let rest on a cutting board tented with foil for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.