Lunch and Learn LIVE! May 30 - Pan-Seared Sea bass with Broccoli Rabe Puree and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Guest Chef: Scott Richardson, Feature Writer of The Educated Palate (Park Press)

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 red pepper

1 Tbl. olive oil

1/2 shallot, minced

2 Tbl white wine

3 Tbl chicken stock

Lemon juice, to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Broccoli Rabe Puree

1 bunch broccoli Rabe, about 14 ounces

1 leek, washed and trimmed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbl. butter, plus more to taste

Zest and juice of 1 lemon, to taste

Pan-Seared Sea Bass

2 filets sea bass, about 4 ounces each

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbl butter

1 Tbl olive oil

Directions

To prepare the roasted red pepper sauce: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set the peppers on a baking sheet and roast until the flesh is soft and the skin puckered, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven and put them in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes to sweat. Remove the wrap, peel and seed the peppers. Cut the flesh into pieces and set aside.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan. Add the shallot and cook until soft. Deglaze (with chicken stock, water or white wine) and cook 1minute. Add the stock and the cooked red pepper. Cook 5 minutes. Cool slightly, and puree in the blender and strain with a fine-mesh sieve. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and transfer to a small saucepan to reheat in a few minutes. To make the broccoli rabe puree: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cut the florets off the broccoli rabe stems in even sizes. Peel the stem and thinly slice. Slice the leek into rings and rinse well.

Salt the boiling water, and add the broccoli rabe and leek. Cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Drop in the butter and puree with an immersion blender. Taste and adjust the salt. Add pepper, lemon juice and lemon zest, to taste. Serve the broccoli rabe and leek puree hot as a bed for fish.

To prepare the fish: Season the filets with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet. Fry on both sides until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Serve on a bed of broccoli puree with red pepper sauce alongside. For the plate: Add a spoonful of broccoli rabe and leek puree to a plate and top it with the fish. Swirl the red pepper sauce around the plate and enjoy!

Lunch and Learn LIVE! April 26 - Vegetable Cous Cous & Trout Almondine

Guest Chef: Jon Fleishman - Hot Olives

Menu: Vegetable Cous Cous & Trout Almondine

Trout Almondine :
8 oz Pan Seared Rainbow Trout
2 Tbls Of Toasted Almonds
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
1.5 Tbls of Butter

Vegetable Cous Cous:
1 Cup of Cous Cous
2 Cloves Garlic Minced
1/2 Green Pepper Medium Diced
1/2 Red Pepper Medium Diced
1/2 Zucchini Medium Diced
1/2 Squash Medium Diced
1 Tsp. Cilantro Diced
1/2 Cup of Artichoke Hearts
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste 

 

Lunch and Learn LIVE! March 22 - Flatbread Pizzas!

Guest Chef: Franco Esterling - Healthy Bites Fitness Cusine

Menu: Vegetable Flatbread Pizza & Chicken and Turkey Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza

Recipie Courtesy Franco Esterling

Vegetable Flatbread Pizza

¼ oz Sautéed Roasted Peppers

¼ oz Blanched Asparagus

¼ oz Sautéed Mushrooms

¼ oz Arugula

1 ½ oz Mozzarella Cheese

1 ½ oz Pizza Sauce – Pesto and Sun Dried Tomato Paste

1 Flatout Wrap

Balsamic Glaze (Optional)

Place Flatout Wrap in oven and precook the wrap for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven let cool.

Mix cheese and vegetables together in a bowl set aside.

Spread sauce evenly on Crust

Spread vegetables and cheese over the crust.

Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for 5 minutes @350⁰

Chicken and Turkey Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza

¼ oz Diced Vegetables,

1 oz Marinated and Roasted Chicken

1 oz Turkey Pepperoni

Sundried Tomato Paste

Basil Paste

1 ½ oz Pizza Sauce

Flatout Wrap

Place Flatout Wrap in oven and precook the wrap for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven let cool.

Mix cheese and vegetables together in a bowl set aside

Spread sauce evenly on Crust

Spread vegetables and cheese over the crust.

Spread Chicken and Turkey Pepperoni

Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for 5 minutes @350⁰

*Additional Flatbread Options: BBQ Flatbread, Taco Flatbread and Cheeseburger Flatbread

Lunch and Learn LIVE! - February 8, 2012

Guest Chef: Dawn Viola

Menu: Greek Salad & Chicken Tarragon Burger

Greek Salad Wedge

Recipe courtesy Dawn Viola

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:
1 large head Romaine lettuce
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut lengthwise into quarters
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped, 1/4-inch
1 small red onion, sliced paper thin
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, cut lengthwise into quarters
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup crumbled Feta, divided

1. Directions:
   Trim 1/4-inch from the bottom stem of the Romaine and discard. Cut Romaine in half, lengthwise. Cut each half in half lengthwise to create 4 wedges; set aside. In a medium bowl add tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss to coat; season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
2. Place each Romaine wedge on a serving plate. Spoon 1/4 of the dressed tomato mixture over each salad wedge. Top with 1/4 cup of Feta. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes:
Lemon juice can be used in place of vinegar. Traditional recipes incorporate green or red bell pepper, and sometimes Greek peperoncini. Feta is available with vegetable rennet or animal rennet; be sure to check labels if you want to keep it vegetarian.

 

Chicken Tarragon Burgers

Recipe courtesy Dawn Viola

Recipe Description: To make a moist, juicy chicken burger, we had to cross over to the dark side.
Despite the bad rap, poultry legs and thighs are considerably learner than ground beef, especially with the skin removed, and offer a richer flavor than the lean, often dry, breast meat. The price can't be beat either -- organic, air-chilled chicken thighs, like the ones used in this recipe, are one of the least expensive items in the meat case.

Grinding your own chicken, or shredding it in the food processor like we’ve done in this recipe, offers better flavor and better control over the amount of fat than the pre-ground chicken found in the grocer’s meat case.

Servings: 4 patties

Yield: 4 burgers

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

For the patties:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 small onion, minced
1 large rib celery, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon potato flour
sunflower or olive oil for pan frying

Buns, lettuce tomato (optional)For the topping:
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
zest of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon malt vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place chicken, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, salt, pepper, yogurt and lemon juice into the bowl of a food processor; pulse until chicken is well minced, about 10 pulses.
2. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook 30 seconds. Add onion mixture, tarragon, parsley and potato flour to chicken, pulse until well combined, about 5 pulses. Divide mixture into four equal portions and shape into patties. Place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 10 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove patties from refrigerator and season with salt and pepper. In an oven-safe skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add patties to pan and cook 4 minutes. Turn patties over in the pan and place pan in oven. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the patties registers 160 F, about 12 – 16 minutes. Remove pan from oven and loosely tent with aluminum foil. Let stand 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt, lemon zest, vinegar and garlic; add salt and pepper to taste. Top burgers with Greek yogurt mixture and, if desired, serve with buns, tomato slices and lettuce.