1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti squash and cook until it is al dente, about 12 minutes; drain. Place the spaghetti squash halves cut side down on a rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, spread the sliced almonds on a pie plate and toast them in the oven for about 7 minutes, until lightly golden.
3. In a mini food processor, combine the chopped olives with the sliced scallions, lemon zest, lemon juice, and canola oil and pulse until finely chopped.
4. Working over a medium bowl and using a fork, scrape the spaghetti squash into the bowl, separating the strands.
5. Add the dressing along with the crumbled feta and toasted almonds and season with salt and white pepper.
6. Toss the spaghetti squash salad and serve warm.

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients until well blended.
2. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the egg, butter, buttermilk and vinegar.
3. Incorporate the wet ingredients with the dry until well blended.
4. Form into a ball and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.  You can leave it overnight if preferred.  Roll out dough into a log and cut into 6-12 pieces.
5. In a pan, heat vegetable oil to 375 degrees. Use a candy thermometer as temperature is important.  While you are waiting for the oil to heat up, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.  Cook 6 dough balls at a time for approximately 1 minute.  Drain on paper towel then roll in cinnamon sugar.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 to 4 pounds beef sirloin or stew meat
• Kosher salt
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon corn oil
• 1/4 pound bacon, diced
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped green pepper
• 2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 2 heaping tablespoons chopped garlic
• 4 cups beef broth or stock
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick (2 1/2 to 3 inches long)
• 2 tablespoons ground ancho Chile
• 1 tablespoon ground pasilla Chile
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

The Garnish

• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Chopped red onions

Directions

1. Trim away the fat and membrane from the meat and cut into 1-inch cubes. Season the meat with 1 tablespoon each of salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Toss in the bacon and cook over medium-high heat til brown and crispy. Scoop out the bacon and drain on some paper towels. (The bacon is only for flavoring the oil in the pot, so feel free to eat up all the crispy bits while you cook.) Keep the bacon fat in the pan and add the beef in batches. Cook each batch for about 3 minutes, stirring the pieces around til browned. Scoop each batch out into a bowl when it's done.
3. Toss the onions, green peppers, and jalapenos into the pot and stir them around in the pan juices, scraping up all the tasty brown bits clinging to the bottom and sides of the pot. Season the veggies with a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and cook till soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Dump all the meat and any accumulated meat juices into the veggies. Add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, chilies, cumin, and brown sugar and give everything a good stir. Cover the pan and bring to a boil; then crack the lid, turn down the heat to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or till the beef is nice and tender but still holds its shape.
4. Finish the chili by adding the oregano, lime juice, and cilantro. Fish out the cinnamon stick and the bay leaves, then check the seasonings and add a bit more salt and pepper if you like. Ladle the chili out into bowls and top with some shredded Cheddar cheese and chopped red onions. It's lip-tinglin' good. FEEDS 8 TO 12

Steak Ingredients

• 4 8oz. skirt steaks, trimmed
• 8oz. Korean marinade (recipe below)

Sesame Roasted Red Peppers Ingredients

• 2 roasted red peppers, julienned
• 1oz. Korean marinade (recipe below)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Steak Directions

Marinate skirt steaks in Korean marinade for 4-12 hours. They can be stored in a plastic or glass container until they are ready to use.

• Preheat grill to high
• Pat dry skirt steaks

Grill steaks to desire temperature.  Estimated cook times are as follows:

• Rare: 2-3 minutes per side
• Medium: 3-4 minutes per side
• Well: 4-5 minutes per side

Let rest, cut across the grain

Sesame Roasted Red Peppers Ingredients

While the steak is grilling, mix all ingredients together and use as a garnish when the steak is done.

Korean Marinade

Ingredients

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 ⅓cup teriyaki sauce
• ⅔ cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
• ½ cup sesame oil
• 4oz. dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Directions

• Dump all the ingredients into a bowl and mix them together. Store in a plastic or glass container until ready to use.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 pounds onions, thinly sliced
• 1 Hungarian banana pepper, sliced (also known as wax peppers)
• 3 pounds lean, boneless beef round, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound Lesco, recipe follows
• Spaetzle, for serving, recipe follows (or substitute with egg noodles or short pasta like gemelli or fusilli)

Lesco

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 large onions, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3 Hungarian banana peppers, cut into strips (also known as wax peppers)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 medium, ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons Hungarian paprika

Spaetzle: (Can Substitute With Egg Noodles or Short Pasta Like Gemelli or Fusilli)

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• Salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• Goulash, for serving

Method

1. Heat the oil in medium Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-low heat.
2. Add the onions and sliced Hungarian banana peppers and saute for 2 minutes.
3. Add the beef and sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the Lesco and 1 cup water. Stir until combined and bring to a boil. Simmer, cover and let cook for 2 hours. Serve hot over Spaetzle (egg noodles in this case)
5. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
6. Saute the onions with the garlic until soft, but do not brown. 
7. Reduce the heat to low, add in the peppers and season with salt and pepper.
8. Cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Add in the tomatoes, cover and simmer until the tomatoes start to break. 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the 2 Tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil and stir gently to prevent clumping. Allow to cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 350°f (175°c).
• In a large pot, heat the butter and 1 tsp (5 mL) oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and green chili and sauté until tender and translucent, approximately 2 minutes. Add the flour and curry powder to create a roux, whisking to remove any lumps as you cook the flour, approximately 1 minute. Then over low heat, add the milk slowly while whisking to create a curried creamy sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue to whisk for 2 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat, remove the green chili, add 2 cups (500 mL) of the grated cheese and stir.
• Stir the cooked macaroni into the curry sauce, mix and season with salt. Transfer the macaroni mixture into a 9- x 9-inch (2.5 L) baking dish. Sprinkle the top with ¼ cup (60 mL) of the breadcrumbs and ¼ cup (60 mL) of the cheese. Arrange the asparagus in a line over the breadcrumbs and cheese. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs and cheese over the asparagus. Bake the curried macaroni and cheese in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Red Wine Braised Cabbage, Mustard Spaetzle, Apple Confit

The Shanks

• 1 Cs Pork Shanks
• 2 Juniper Berries
• 2 C Fennel Seeds
• 12 Star Anise
• 5 Bay Leaves
• 20 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Bunch Thyme
• 1 Lb Slab Bacon, Cut Into Llardons
• 8 White Onion, Roughly Chopped 
• 6 Carrots, Peeled And Rough Chopped
• 1 Head Celery, Washed And Rough Chopped
• Salt
• Pork Or Veal Stock

Directions

1. Season shanks well with salt and roast in a 365 degree convection oven for one hour and twenty minutes or until shanks are caramelized and brown.
2. In a separate rondeaux, caramelize onion, carrot, and celery for 8-10 minutes.  Deglaze with apple cider and reduce by 80 percent.  Add thyme, garlic, and bay leaf.  Divide mirepoix and reduced cider into two deep hotel pans. 
3. Add shanks on top of vegetables and cider, cover with veal/pork stock and bring to a boil on the stove/grill/plancha.
4. Check the seasoning of braising liquid, making sure it is balanced and not salty.  Add salt if necessary.
5. In a separate bowl, mix juniper berries, fennel seeds & star anise making sure spices are well mixed.  Divide into two equal Bouqet Garnis and place in hotel pans with shanks.
6. Double wrap with aluminum foil and braise in a 325 degree oven for 2 hours.
7. Remove shanks from oven, remove foil, and cool down shanks in the cooking liquid.  Before re-heating, skim off excess fat and reserve for the apple confit.  Re-heat the following day, removing shanks, and passing the cooking liquid through a Chinois.  Reserve 4 quarts cooking liquid for service, and reduce remaining liquid to sauce consistency.

Red Wine Braised Cabbage

• 6 Heads Purple Cabbage
• 1 Qt Red Wine
• 2 C Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 C Dark  Brown Sugar
• Salt

Directions

1. Chop cabbage finely and soak in heavily salted ice water (1 c salt: 1 gallon water) for 2 hours to remove some of the bitterness.
2. While cabbage is soaking, combine red wine, red wine vinegar and brown in a saucepan and reduce by half.
3. Drain cabbage and place in a large hotel pan with reduced wine, vinegar & sugar.
4. Double wrap with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 ½ hours, mixing the cabbage halfway through cooking.

Red Wine Braised Cabbage

• 5 granny smith or green apples
• 1 qt reserved pork fat
• ¼ lb butter

Directions

1. Peel, core, and rough chop apples.
2. Add pork fat and cook apples over low heat until apples have sweated out most of their moisture (the apples should no longer look like they’re “boiling”) roughly an hour.
3. Strain fat from apples (save the fat.  It’ll become more flavorful the second and third times it is used) and puree in vita prep.
4. Add cold butter while pureeing, season to taste.

YIELD: 12-14.

Rock Shrimp Hush Puppies 

• About 6 Cups Vegetable Oil For Frying
• 2 C Corn Meal
• 2 ½ C Ap Flour
• 4 T Salt
• 2 T Baking Powder
• 1 T Cayenne
• 1 T Chopped Thyme
• 5 Lb Fresh Florida Rock Shrimp
• 2 C Milk
• 4 Eggs
• ¼ Lb Butter, Melted
• 5 Cloves Garlic, Microplaned
• 1 Qt Corn
• 1 Pt Jalapeno

Directions

1. Heat 2 inches oil to 375°f in a wide 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat. Whisk together dry and wet ingredients. Stir in rock shrimp.
2. Working in batches of 10, carefully drop tablespoons of batter into oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden-brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 375°f between batches.
3. Serve hush puppies with scallion-garlic aioli.

Scallion-Garlic Aioli

• 5 Bunches Scallions, Charred
• 6 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Cup Lemon Juice
• 1 T Dijon Mustard
• 3 T White Wine Vinegar
• 1 ½ C Water
• 1 ½ Q Canola Oil
• Salt & Evo To Finish/Taste

Directions

1. Place egg yolks in food processor.  Emulsify oil in a steady stream.  Add other ingredients.  Season.

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Kabocha squash, rinsed, split and remove seeds
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 oz candied ginger
• 1/2c heavy cream
• 1/2c chicken stock
• S&P

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Brush a baking sheet pan with olive oil salt and pepper.
3. Place squash cut side down. Brush outside of squash with olive salt and pepper.
4. Roast in oven for approximately 45 minutes or until soft.
5. Let cool. Remove flesh from skin. Place in a saucepot  with cream stock and candied ginger. Heat and stir for about 5-8 minutes. Place all ingredients into blender and blend smooth. Season again if necessary.

Ingredients

Ingredients

• juice of 1 lemon
• 15 medium celery stalks
• 1 1⁄2 pounds fresh figs, cut into quarters (dried figs can be substituted)
• 1 pound Gorgonzola piccante, crumbled into 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 1 1⁄2 cups hazelnuts (about 2⁄3 pound), skins off, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar kosher salt and cracked black pepper 

Method

• 1.  Place the lemon juice in a large stainless-steel bowl about two-thirds filled with cold water. Using a very sharp knife, cut the celery stalks on an angle into slices about 4 inches long and as thin as possible (1/16 inch), adding the slices to the lemon water immediately. When all the celery is sliced, add a tray of ice cubes to the water and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Remove the bowl from the fridge, transfer the celery to a large strainer or colander, and drain for 20 minutes.
• 2.  Place the figs, Gorgonzola, and hazelnuts in another large stainless-steel bowl. Add the celery, dress the salad with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and toss thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large platter and serve. 

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces pancetta or 3 slices bacon, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 medium firm, ripe pears (such as Anjou or Bosc), cored and thinly sliced
• 1 5-ounce package arugula or baby arugula (about 7 cups)
• 6 very thin slices red onion, separated into rings
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1 ounce Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Method

1. For dressing, in a screw-top jar, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Cover and shake well. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, cook pancetta or bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from skillet; drain on paper towels. Set aside. Add pear slices to drippings in skillet; cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally. Keep warm.
3. In a very large bowl, combine arugula, onion slices, and dressing. Gently toss to coat with dressing.
4. Divide arugula mixture among six salad plates. Arrange pears on top. Sprinkle with pancetta, pine nuts, and Gorgonzola cheese. If desired, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Ingredients

• 1 small loaf day-old French bread, cubed
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 8oz brie cheese
• 1.5 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• 1lb sliced fully cooked turkey
• 3 Eggland’s Best eggs
• 1 cups milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Toss bread cubes with melted butter
2. Place it in a greased baking dish
3. Top with the cheese and broccoli; covered with Turkey
4. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and pepper
5. Pour over the Turkey
6. Let rest for 1 hour
7. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean
8. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. 

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp each brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 Eggland’s Best egg lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. In the oven cook the pumpkin at 375 for about 15 minutes, let cool down
2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients
3. In a small bowl, combine the milk, pumpkin, egg and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened
4. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a non stick pan coated with cooking spray
5. Turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until second side is golden brown

Ingredients

MEET BALLS

• Crisco Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 cup Hungry Jack Instant Mashed Potato Flakes
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsps. salt
• 2 tsps. ground pepper

BBQ GLAZE

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tbsps. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Shredded lettuce (optional)

Prepared mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles (optional)

Method

1.  HEAT oven to 400°F. Line large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Coat with no-stick cooking spray.
2. COMBINE ground beef, potato flakes, eggs, milk, onion, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper in large bowl. Form meatballs about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, using small cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons meat mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet.
3. BAKE 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel lined plate, if necessary.
4. For BBQ Glaze: COMBINE ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, onion, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce in small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until comes to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss cooked meatballs in glaze.  

Serving Suggestions

1. PLACE 3 to 4 meatballs over shredded lettuce if desired, in hoagie roll to make meatball subs. Sandwich individual meatballs between two halves of small potato rolls to make sliders.
2. PLACE meatballs in slow cooker to keep warm. Serve with toothpicks as appetizers.
3. SERVE over prepared Hungry Jack® Mashed Potatoes, rice or egg noodles.

Makes 40 Meatballs, Prep Time: 15 minutes

• 1 ea. Turkey Breast, semi-boneless (each about 2-3 pounds)
• 1 cup Brown sugar
• ¼ cup Sambal paste
• 3 Tbl Thai fish sauce
• 3 Tbl Rice wine vinegar
• ½ cup Water

1. Combine all the ingredients.
2. Marinate turkey overnight.
3. Wipe off excess marinade.
4. Pat Dry.
5. Season with salt and pepper and grill on a grill.

Caper Pine Nut Sauce, Serves 6 (Makes 18 rolls)

Method:

Briwat, pastry triangles with a sweet or savory filling wrapped in warqa dough and deep-fried, are the star finger food of Morocco. The sweet version, filled with cinnamony almonds, dipped in honey, and rolled in sesame seeds, was the milk-and-cookies snack of my childhood.

On the savory side, briwat are often filled with greens like purslane, chard, and beet tops cooked down with spices to make a dense herb jam. I make my spring-roll-shaped version with Bloomsdale spinach, a thick, sturdy variety that’s much less watery and more flavorful than the supermarket stuff. And, borrowing from Greek spanakotyropita, I add a bit of feta.

You can use either warqa or phyllo dough to make these. Frying warqa makes it light and crispy, which is why it’s my preferred approach. You can also bake rolls made with warqa, but they’ll be chewier. Rolls made with phyllo, on the other hand, won’t stand up to the heat of deep-frying and should only be baked. When you’re working with either kind of dough, if it tears, open the roll back up, reposition the filling so it’s not where the tear is, and reroll. Or start over with a new piece of dough if you have to—but don’t use a second sheet to cover the tear; you’ll end up with too many layers and a chewy texture.

I often finish food with a sprinkling of salt, but since salt wouldn’t stick here, I came up with a decidedly salty dipping sauce. Serve these as a first course, or cut them in half on the diagonal and pass them around on a platter with the sauce in a little bowl.

Once you’ve got the hang of making these, try some other fillings, like the cooked kefta mixture or the chicken and almond mixtures from the Basteeya (leave out the eggs). Or, for a very simple variation that’s great with the caper sauce, roll a sheet of warqa around a small thin piece of raw tuna seasoned with coarse salt and fry it. You may need to experiment a bit with the size of the piece of tuna so that when the wrapper is golden and crisp, the tuna is still rare at the center. 

Spinach Filling

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (53 grams) grapeseed or canola oil
• 2½ cups (240 grams) thinly sliced leeks
• (white and light green parts only), rinsed
• Kosher salt
• ½ cup (64 grams) thinly sliced garlic
• 1 pound (453 grams) spinach, stems removed
• 1 tablespoon (12 grams) finely chopped preserved lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon (2.4 grams) Marash pepper
• ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground black pepper
• ¹⁄8 teaspoon (0.2 gram) grated nutmeg
• 1 large egg yolk
• One 5-ounce (141-gram) piece dry-packed feta cheese, such as Mt. Vikos or Redwood Hill, crumbled
• (makes 3 cups/575 grams)

Caper–Pine Nut Sauce

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (66 grams) pine nuts
• 6 tablespoons (93 grams) half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons (35 grams) capers, with their liquid
• ¼ teaspoon (0.5 gram) ground black pepper
• Grapeseed or canola oil for deep-frying (optional)
• 18 pieces Handmade Warqa (page 74), or 9 sheets phyllo, cut crosswise in half
• About ¹⁄3 cup (61 grams) Clarified Butter, melted
• *At least ½ pound (227 grams) unsalted butter
• Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler. Skim off the foam that rises to the top. If time allows, refrigerate the butter to solidify it, which will separate the clarified butter from the liquid; then malke 2 holes in the top of the butter, and drain off the liquid. Or, if you need the butter immediately, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Discard any white milky liquid remaining the the bottom of the pan/ Store the butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

(makes ¾ cup/160 grams)

For the spinach filling:

1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, reduce the heat to medium, add 2 pinches of salt, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the leeks begin to soften. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, lowering the heat as necessary to soften the vegetables without browning them.
2. Add half the spinach, sprinkle lightly with salt, and turn the spinach as it wilts; gradually add the remaining spinach, salting it lightly, as there is room in the pan. Cook for about 8 minutes, until the spinach is tender. Remove from the heat.
3. Place a strainer over a bowl and line it with two layers of dampened cheesecloth, leaving a generous overhang. Add the spinach and let drain for several minutes.
4. Lift the edges of the cheesecloth and twist it to wring out as much moisture as possible, then transfer the spinach to a bowl. Stir in the lemon rind, Marash pepper, black pepper, nutmeg, and egg yolk, and let cool completely.
5. Stir in the feta cheese.

For the sauce:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spread the pine nuts on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool.
3. Transfer the pine nuts to a blender, add the remaining ingredients, and puree at high speed. Pour into individual dipping bowls and set aside.
4. To shape and cook the rolls: If deep-frying the rolls, fill a deep-fryer or a high-sided small pot, fitted with a thermometer, one-third full with canola oil and heat to 360°F. Set a cooling rack on a baking sheet.
5. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place the baking sheet in the oven.
6. If baking, preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. When working with warqa or phyllo, it is important to keep the sheets covered to keep them from drying out. Place a damp towel on the counter and cover it with a piece of parchment or half the sheet of paper from the phyllo. Lay the warqa on top, or open up the phyllo sheets and lay them on top. Cover with another piece of parchment or the other half of the phyllo paper and then another slightly damp towel.
8. Lay a piece of warqa or sheet of phyllo (short end facing you) on the work surface. Trim any ragged edges. Brush the warqa or phyllo generously with butter. Shape 2 tablespoons (24 grams) of the spinach into a ball, then form it into a 4-inch-long log and place it on the pastry, about ½ inch up from the bottom edge and 1 inch in from each side. Fold the bottom edge up and over the filling, fold over the sides, and brush the sides with more butter. Roll up the briwat like an egg roll; if the dough is at all brittle, brush on a bit more butter as you roll to soften it. Before making your final fold, brush the last flap of warqa or phyllo with egg white to seal it. Place seam side down on the cooling rack or one of the parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat to form the remaining briwat.
9. If frying, cook the rolls in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning the rolls from time to time, until they are crisp and
10. a rich golden brown. Drain on the cooling rack and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the remaining rolls.
11. If baking, brush the tops with clarified butter and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the rolls are hot and a rich golden brown.

Arrange 3 rolls on each serving plate and serve with the sauce on the side.

Ingredients (serves 1):

• 1.5 oz Sake Silver
• 1 oz fresh apple cider
• 3‐4 apple slices, muddled
• 1 spoon agave syrup or honey
• Prosecco

Directions:

In a shaker, muddle apples with sake. Add agave syrup and cider with ice. Shake and strain into a champagne flute and top with Prosecco.

Ingredients

• 4 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled from the bones and coarsely shredded (1 pound)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill

Method

1. In a large saucepan, season the stock with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
2. Transfer 1 cup of the hot stock to a blender.
3. Add 1/2 cup of the rice, the egg yolks and the lemon juice and puree until smooth.
4. Stir the puree into the simmering stock along with the chicken and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of rice and simmer until thickened slightly, 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the dill and serve.

Ingredients:

The Shanks

Ingredients

• 8 pork shanks
• 2 juniper berries
• 1/2 c fennel seeds
• 3 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/4 bunch thyme
• 1/4 lb slab bacon, cut into llardons
• 2 white onion, roughly chopped 
• 2 carrots, peeled and rough chopped
• 1 c celery, washed and rough chopped
• salt
• pork or veal stock

Method

1. Season shanks well with salt and roast in a 365 degree oven for one hour and twenty minutes or until shanks are caramelized and brown.
2. In a separate pot, caramelize onion, carrot, and celery for 8-10 minutes.  Deglaze with apple cider and reduce by 80 percent.  Add thyme, garlic, and bay leaf.  Divide mirepoix and reduced cider into a roasting pan. 
3. Add shanks on top of vegetables and cider, cover with veal/pork stock and bring to a boil on the stove.
4. Check the seasoning of braising liquid, making sure it is balanced and not salty.  Add salt if necessary.
5. In a separate bowl, mix juniper berries, fennel seeds & star anise making sure spices are well mixed.  Make into bouqet garnis and place in pan with shanks.
6. Double wrap with aluminum foil and braise in a 325 degree oven for 2 hours.
7. Remove shanks from oven, remove foil, and cool down shanks in the cooking liquid.  Before re-heating, skim off excess fat and reserve for the apple confit.  Reduce remaining liquid to sauce consistency.

Red Wine Braised Cabbage

Ingredients

• 2 heads purple cabbage
• 1 c red wine
• 1/2 c red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c dark  brown sugar
• salt

Method

1. Chop cabbage finely and soak in heavily salted ice water (i c salt:1 gallon water) for 2 hours to remove some of the bitterness.
2. While cabbage is soaking, combine red wine, red wine vinegarand brown sugarin a saucepan and reduce by half.
3. Drain cabbage and place in a roasting pan with reduced wine, vinegar & sugar.
4. Double wrap with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 ½ hours, mixing the cabbage halfway through cooking.

Mustard Spaetzle

Ingredients

• 1 ½ c ap flour
• ¼  t salt
• ¼  t ground white pepper
• 1/8 t nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 c milk
• 1/4 t baking powder
• 1/3 c whole grain mustard
• ¼  c chives
• ¼ c colman’s mustard powder

Method

Combine all ingredients, mix well with a whisk.  Leave mixture out at room temperature for 1 hour.  Pass through a perforated collander into boiling water in separate batches.  Shock in ice water, drain, toss in olive oil and reserve for service.

Apple Confit

Ingredients

• 5 granny smith or green apples
• 1 qt reserved pork fat
• ¼ lb butter

Method

1. Peel, core, and rough chop apples.
2. Add pork fat and cook apples over low heat until apples have sweated out most of their moisture (the apples should no longer look like they’re “boiling”) roughly an hour.
3. Strain fat from apples and puree in a blender.
4. Add cold butter while pureeing, season to taste.

Honey Hot Chicken Glaze

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups hot sauce
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 sticks butter
• 1 tsp of lemon juice

Method

1. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan.

2. Add hot sauce, sugar ,honey and lemon juice and stir over medium heat till sugar is dissolved.

3. Take fried chicken and toss in glaze sauce and serve.

Ingredients

• 3 cups blended oil
• 2 cups flour
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Big Lou’s Dry Rub, 2 tablespoons
• Chicken tenders
• Buttermilk
• 2 cups chipotle BBQ sauce

1. Heat oil in large sauce pan.
2. Mix flour, salt, pepper and rub together in a large bowl.
3. Dip chicken tenders in buttermilk, then coat with flour mixture.
4. Place coated tenders in hot oil and deep fry for 5-8 minutes.
5. Remove from oil with strainer, place on paper towel, allow to cool for 5 minutes.
6. Toss fried tenders in Chipotle BBQ Sauce (recipe follows).

Chipotle BBQ Sauce

• 1/2 cup blended oil
• 4 medium onions, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh ginger, chopped
• 1/2 cup garlic, chopped
• 1 T ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 T black pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs brown sugar
• 24 oz water
• 16 oz orange concentrate
• 4 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 large jars seedless raspberry preserves
• 36 oz ketchup
• 3 7-oz cans chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Heat oil in a large sauce pan. Add diced onions and cook until clear, about 5-8 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, cinnamon, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 additional minutes. Add brown sugar and all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then turn heat to low. Let simmer for about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt as needed. Strain sauce through a strainer and let cool.

Vegetables

• 1 cup of diced tomatoes, canned is A-OK for more lycopene, a powerful antioxidant!
• 1 cup of zucchini, cut length-wise, diced into cubes
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• sea salt, to taste

Egg Mixture

• 6 Eggs
• 3 tablespoons low-fat milk
• 3/4 cup of finely grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 3 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
• Zest of one lemon
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Non stick cooking spray 

Pasta

• ¾ cup penne pasta noodles, leftover pasta of any shape works great here too!

Procedure:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Once boiling, add a generous amount of sea salt (it should taste like seawater). Cook penne according to package directions. Drain and set aside in a colander.
2. Spray a large (oven safe, no plastic handles) sauté pan with nonstick cooking spray, add onions and place over medium heat. After about 1 minute, add the garlic as the onions start to sweat. Add the tomatoes and zucchini and cook until zucchini is al dente (soft but still has firmness), approximately 2 minutes.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add a pinch of salt. Next, stir in the cooked pasta, herbs and lemon zest, season with sea salt. Stir until mixture is fully incorporated.
4. Pour the egg and pasta mixture over the cooked vegetables on a medium low heat. Cook approx 8-10 minutes. Finish off in the oven on a high broil for a golden brown color. Remove from the broiler after 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve straight from the pan, sliced up like a pizza pie! Garnish with additional Herbs de Provence and Parmagiano-Reggiano if desired and enjoy my friends!

PER SERVING: 330 calories, 17g fat (7g saturated fat), 17g carbohydrate, 21g protein, 2g dietary fiber, 780 mg sodium.

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:

• 20 BRUSSEL SPROUTS, washed
• 2 tablespoons, OLIVE OIL
• 1 tablespoon, SEA SALT
• 1 teaspoon, PEPPER
• 1 teaspoon, LEMON ZEST
• 2 tablespoons, PARMESAN CHEESE
• ½ cup French Fried Onions

THE STEPS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut the ends off the brussel sprouts and then cut in half, lengthwise.

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the brussel sprouts, olive oil, salt and pepper.

4. Spread on a baking sheet or pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until fork tender.

5. Plate and top with lemon zest and parmesan cheese.

6. Top with French Fried Onions.

• Large bag tortilla chips
• 1 cup chili (optional)
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• Pico de Gallo, recipe follows
• Sour cream

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees
2. Place tortilla chips on an over proof plate or pan
3. Top with chili, if desired
4. Sprinkle generously with cheddar cheese
5. Bake in 375 degree over until cheese is melted
6. Remove from oven and top with Pico de Gallo (recipe follows) and sour cream

Pico de Gallo

• 5 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 lime

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let stand for at least 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups cubed white bread with crust removed
• (or use challah or potato bread stuffing)
• 2 cups prepared pumpkin bread, cubed into 1/2 inch squares
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a 9x9 baking dish (greased) with both regular and pumpkin bread cubes. Toss a bit to combine. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, milk, salt, vanilla and cinnamon and whisk thoroughly until well mixed. Gradually whisk in butter.
3. Pour mixture over bread cubes. Press down with a spatula to allow the bread to soak up the custard mix. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before baking in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• Big Lou’s BBQ Rub
• 4 boneless, skinless, chicken cutlets
• Drizzle of olive oil
• Smoked mozzarella, sliced
• Large loaf ciabatta bread
• Lettuce
• Tomato

1. Preheat over to 165 degrees F.
2. In a blender, mix 1 cup of mayonnaise with 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce until smooth. Set aside.
3. Sprinkle chicken cutlets with Big Lou’s BBQ Rub (recipe follows) until well coated.
4. Place chicken cutlets in hot frying pan with olive oil until internal temperature of chicken is 165 degrees F, approximately 4-5 minutes per side.
5. Remove cooked chicken cutlets from stovetop and top with sliced smoked mozzarella.
6. Place chicken cutlets in oven until cheese is melted.
7. Lightly butter and toast ciabatta bread. Spread chipotle mayo on both sides, add chicken, top with lettuce and tomato.
8. Cut and serve.

Big Lou’s BBQ Rub

• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup turbinardo sugar (sugar in the raw)
• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1 T black pepper
• 1 T white pepper
• 1 T granulated onion
• 1 T granulated garlic
• 1 t ancho chili powder
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t ground celery seed
• 1 t cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Let stand 2-3 hours. Store in air-tight container.

Roasted Loin of Lamb - Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 lamb loins
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Tzatkizi (recipe below)
• 2 bags pre washed Arugula
• 1 shallot, minced

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove lamb loins from refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature. Paint the lamb loins with half of the olive oil and season liberally on both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Place the lamb loins into a roasting pan and roast until a meat thermometer reads 140 degrees (be sure to stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the lamb loin). Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
4. While lamb is resting, heat a sauté pan over medium high heat, add the other half of the olive oil and minced shallots and sauté until translucent, about 1.5 minutes.  Add arugula and wilt briefly, about 30 seconds. 
5. Divide the arugula among 4 separate plates and top with a dollop of tzatziki.
6. Slice the lamb into ½ inch pieces and place on top of tzatziki sauce and serve.

Tzatziki sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 1 English cucumber, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and fine diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely diced
• 2 tablespoons dill weed, chopped
• ½ cup distilled white vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Add yogurt, cucumber, shallots, garlic and dill weed to a bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Slowly add vinegar until the sauce becomes the consistence of a thick porridge.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Wrap with plastic wrap and reserve in the refrigerator.

• Premium Vodka

• Sacramento Tomato Juice

• Worcestershire Sauce

• Sriracha

• Whole Grain Mustard

• Prepared Horseradish

• Fresh Lemon Juice

• Fresh Lime Juice

• Dash Garlic Powder

• Dash Ground Cumin

• Dash Ginger Powder

• Pinch Smoked Sea Salt

• Pinch Black Pepper Finely Ground


• Shake all ingredients and  pour over ice in a 12oz high ball


• Garnish:
Lemon Wheel
Lime Wheel
Pitted Olive
Celery Sprig
Cube of Dill Havarti Cheese
Pickled Seasonal Vegetable (Shisito Pepper)
Cured Shrimp

This is a Greek version of hummus that captures the soul of the Mediterranean.  For this recipe, be sure to use premium-quality imported sun-dried tomatoes; they should be plump and soft with red hue.

• ½ Spanish or sweet onion, thickly sliced
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• 40 large, plump sun-dried tomatoes (about 2 cups)
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 large shallots, thickly sliced
• 8 leaves basil
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups Chickpea Confit (page 266) drained (recipe below)

Brush the onion slices with a little olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper.   On a hot griddle pan or in a cast-iron skillet, grill until tender and slightly char-marked.

1. In a food processor, combine the grilled onion, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, shallots, basil, and cumin. Pulse into a chunky puree.  With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, then the lemon juice.  The mixture should be quite smooth.
2. Transfer to a large bowl and add the Chickpea Confit.  Fold together to blend.  Return to the food processor in batches, and puree until the mixture is smooth and thick. Season to taste with pepper and salt (if the sun-dried tomatoes are very salty, you may not need much).  The texture is a matter of taste; if it is very thick, add a little more olive oil to yield a creamier result.  Well covered, the spread will last for at least a week in the refrigerator.
3.  For two different textures, puree half the spread until very smooth and pale, and leave the other half chunky.
4.  If you refrigerate the spread overnight, you can return it to a nice creamy texture by rewhipping in the food processor (pulse on and off for 1 minute).
5. The Wedge: Cut a small triangle of pita and smear with Chickpea Spread.  Top with a pinch of crumbled feta and some sliced scallions, picked sprigs of parsley or dill, and a few slivers of olive.   

Serves 6 to 8

This dish has been in heavy rotation in our home as a favorite weeknight dinner option for at least twenty years. Originally made from an Italian recipe of unknown origin, it has morphed into our own, though my husband and I each make it a little differently. This much is certain, however: when the rosemary vinegar is added to the pan of golden browned chicken, alchemy occurs as the vinegar deglazes those brown bits and reduces itself into a syrup. It permeates each chicken piece with an agrodolce (sweet-and-sour) flavor. There’s no better accompaniment than polenta, soft and loose or firm and sliced. It’s a heavenly combination of textures and flavors. (Rice, pasta, or bread will also work, as long as there is something to sop up the sauce.) Like many of the dishes here, it only improves when made in advance.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup best-quality red wine vinegar
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (about 1 tablespoon minced)
• 5 1/2pounds bone-in chicken pieces (each part should be cut in half)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed

1. At least 15 minutes but up to 2 hours before cooking, combine the vinegar, garlic, and rosemary to marinate. 
2. Thoroughly season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a 14-inch skillet (or two smaller skillets) over high heat and swirl in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down. Don’t crowd the chicken; leave space around each piece. Work in batches if necessary. You should hear an immediate sizzle when the chicken pieces hit the pan. Don’t move them; it takes a couple minutes to sear the chicken so it doesn’t stick. Brown all sides; this will take 10 minutes per batch. Regulate the heat so it stays high but does not burn the chicken. Place all the browned chicken back in the skillet.
3. Add the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat, simmer, and reduce for 15 to 20 minutes. Increase the heat to high and pour in the vinegar mixture. Swirl the pan and stir around as the vinegar evaporates to form a simmering glaze, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately or reheat with some extra broth.

"Excerpted from Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2009. Photographs by Mikkel Vang."

Lentils are quick cooking to begin with, and who can resist a homemade soup ready in 8 minutes?

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish

Method

1. Preheat pressure cooker to saute setting. Add carrots, onions and garlic. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the tomatoes and water; season with salt and pepper. Add the lentils and bay leaf.
3. Set the cooker to high pressure for 8 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally.
4. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves 4 to 6

Recipe courtesy InJenniesKitchen.com

When an Argentine is in the mood for a quick and easy steak, the first thing that comes to mind is a churrasco. The exact cut for a churrasco may vary from place to place but for me it means flavorful, chewy rump steak. It is hard to find ones that I like in the United States, so I've substituted shell steak here.

Ingredients

• Four 1/2-inch-thick shell steaks, about 8 ounces each
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt
• Chimichurri

Method

Heat a chapa or one or two large cast-iron skillets over high heat. Brush the steaks with the olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. When the surface is very hot, add the steaks and sear them, without moving them, for at least 1 1/2 minutes or until well browned -- lift up an edge of one steak with tongs to check. Turn the steaks and cook for another minute, or until done to taste. Transfer to a platter and let rest for 1 minute.

Serve with the chimichurri.

Serves 4.

Excerpted from SEVEN FIRES: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann (Artisan Books, 2009).