• preparation

Dice and freeze fatback. Dice the veal and pork. Heat oil in skillet. Sauté the onions. Combine meat, onion, and seasonings in a bowl. Mix cream and egg whites. Pour over meat. Refrigerate for a few hours.
Marinate artichokes in wine, brandy. Season with salt and pepper. Puree the meat with fatback. Add the pistachios and ham.
Grease a 5 cup mold and line top and bottom with pastry dough. Alternate forcemeat and artichokes ending with forcemeat.
Cover pâté with pastry. Brush with egg yolk.
Cut an opening in the center.
Bake at 350 degree for about an hour. When cold, fill the pate with sherry wine aspic.

• preparation

Scrub mussels under cold running water.
Heat wine in a large pot. Add mussels. Cover pot and steam for about 5 minutes, or until mussels are opened.
Strain cooking liquid through cheese cloth. Save.
Remove mussels from shells.
Reserve for garnish.
In a medium saucepan, add mussel broth, shallots, onion, saffron, parsley and chicken broth.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Combine butter and flour to a paste. Whip in the cooking liquid to thicken. Add cream and seasoning. Add mussels. Heat soup, and serve hot.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan, 8-inch by 12 inch with parchment paper. Brush with butter.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine dill, parsley, parmesan cheese, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Whisk egg whites with the cream of tartar until medium stiff. Fold into the herb mixture.
Spread evenly over the surface of pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and turn the pan over a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper. Peel away the paper lining. allow to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, capers, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt. Spread over the surface of the baked roulade. Arrange the slices of smoked salmon over the cream cheese mixture.
Roll up tightly from one end, jelly roll style.
Enclose in the wax paper or parchment paper and refrigerate for 2 hours or more.
PRESENTATION
Unwrap the salmon roulade, and slice into 1/4 inch circles. Arrange on a serving tray, and serve cold.

• preparation

Snap off the woody ends of asparagus where they naturally break when you bend them or cut them off with a knife.

Boil water in a large pot or saucepan with steamer then reduce to simmer, add asparagus, cover with lid and steam asparagus until tender (about 8-10 minutes) *This will depend on your preference.

Use tongs to remove asparagus

In a small bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, oil, red wine, dijon mustard, salt and pepper together.

Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Arrange cooked asparagus tomatoes on a large platter.

Sprinkle with feta cheese and parsley.


Drizzle with ½ the dressing and serve the remainder on the side *Can be served warm, room temperature or chilled.



????Variations & Substitutions
Tomatoes- you could use cherry tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes
Asparagus -you could use grilled or oven-roasted asparagus instead of steamed
Tarragon- fresh tarragon is ideal, but you can use dried
Feta cheese - you can use regular, light or fat-free feta or use goat cheese
Add-ins- you could also sprinkle on a little parmesan cheese and/or add red onions or green onion

• preparation

Beat eggs, 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 teaspoons water, dried herbs, salt and pepper in small bowl to blend.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of egg mixture (about 1/2 cup) to skillet. Cook until eggs are just set in center, tilting pan and lifting edge of omelet with spatula to let uncooked portion flow underneath, about 2 minutes.
Top half of omelet with 1/4 cup cheese.
Using spatula, fold other half of omelet over cheese; slide out onto plate. Repeat with remaining butter, egg mixture and cheese. Sprinkle omelets with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

• preparation

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, lemon rind, lemon juice, capers, dill, mustard, and pepper until smooth. On a large sheet of wax paper, spread out the slices of salmon to form a rectangle. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the surface of the salmon.
Roll up the salmon tightly from one end, jelly roll style. Enclose in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Wash cucumber, dry and slice across into 1/4-inch slices.
Just before serving, slice the smoked salmon roll into -inch slices. Top each cucumber slice with a slice of salmon roll. Serve at once.

PRESENTATION
Serve this hors d'oeuvre on a tray. Arrange the cucumber and salmon rolls on the tray into two circles. Garnish center of tray with parsley or dill sprigs.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Roll puff pastry sheet on a floured work surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into 4-inch squares.
Cut cheese into fingers about the size of asparagus spears.
Spread each pastry dough evenly with mustard.
Lay an asparagus spear and a strip of cheese on each pastry square. Roll them up, seal and place seam side down on a buttered baking sheet. Brush rolls with beaten egg.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until pastry is brown and cheese is melted

• preparation

For the sponge:
In an electric mixing bowl, stir the warm water and yeast together. Allow to foam for 5 minutes.
Mix in the flour at low speed. The dough will be sticky. Cover and let rest for 12 hours at room temperature.
For the croissant dough: In a mixing bowl, combine water, milk, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Stir in the yeast to dissolve and allow to foam for about 3 minutes. Add the remaining sugar, flour, salt, soft butter and the sponge. Knead with the dough hook for about 10 to 12 minutes. (If working by hand, knead for 15 minutes.)
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to double in bulk in a draft-free area at room temperature, about 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle 12 by 14- inches. Place the dough rectangle on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic and freeze for about 30 minutes to get the consistency of chilled butter. Roll the 10 ounces of chilled butter between plastic sheet to form a rectangle 12 by 7 inches.
Square up rectangle with a spatula or dough scraper. Position the butter rectangle on one side of the dough. Fold the rest of dough over butter and seal edges to seal in butter. Roll out the dough into a 10 by 20-inch rectangle. Fold one-third of the dough towards the center. Fold the other third over the two layers. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Repeat the rolling and folding process twice more and chill. Finally, on a floured surface, roll the dough into a 19 by 25-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 20 even triangles.
Use a template for accurate measurements. To roll the crescents, start at the base and roll towards the tip. Finish the roll so that the tip is underneath the croissant.
Curve the end of each croissant and brush with egg wash. (May be frozen at this time). Arrange croissant on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Let them rise uncovered at room temperature or until doubled in bulk. Bake the croissants at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.

• preparation

In a small bowl, whisk together stock, oil and truffles.
In a deep 10 -to 12-inch skillet bring 3 inches salted water to a boil and cook asparagus until crisp tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain asparagus. Pat dry. Transfer to a serving dish and toss with butter.
Spoon truffle broth over asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Serve asparagus warm or at room temperature.

• preparation

combine apple cider, kosher salt, garlic, thyme and rosemary in a glass bowl. Add pork chops and mix well with marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes to one hour, refrigerated.
Remove chops from the marinade and pat dry.
Broil or cook pork chops on an open grill for approximately 10 minutes, turning as needed. Serve with red onion marmalade.

RED ONION MARMALADE:

(marmalade may be made up to 2 days ahead).

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 cups red onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
to taste salt and white pepper
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/4 cups red wine


Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan and add the onions. Cook over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes, then add the brown sugar and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, or bake in a 350 degree oven until the onions are golden soft and brown.
Add the vinegar and cook until it has completely evaporated, then add the red wine stirring the onions frequently to prevent sticking and burning. When the red wine has evaporated, taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from heat and keep warm

• preparation

Cut the carrots into julienne strips. Blanch in salted boiling water until barely tender. Drain and set aside.
Cut 8 slices of ginger on the diagonal, then cut into julienne strips. Snap off the stems from the snow peas and remove the string.
Chop the scallions including some of the green top. Cut the pork into thin slices and then into 1/4 inch strips. Stir-fry.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the pork and stir while cooking. After 1 minute, add the blanched carrots, the snow peas, and the ginger. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the scallions and the garlic and then the wine and the soy sauce.
Simmer for 5 minutes.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan, 8-inch by 12 inch with parchment paper. Brush with butter.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine dill, parsley, parmesan cheese, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Whisk egg whites with the cream of tartar until medium stiff. Fold into the herb mixture.
Spread evenly over the surface of pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and turn the pan over a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper. Peel away the paper lining. allow to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, capers, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt. Spread over the surface of the baked roulade. Arrange the slices of smoked salmon over the cream cheese mixture.
Roll up tightly from one end, jelly roll style.
Enclose in the wax paper or parchment paper and refrigerate for 2 hours or more.
PRESENTATION
Unwrap the salmon roulade, and slice into 1/4 inch circles. Arrange on a serving tray, and serve cold.

• preparation

Make the hollandaise.
To assemble the eggs benedict, place the sliced smoked salmon on each English muffin. Top with poached egg, drizzling the tops with hollandaise sauce. Serve immediately.

The controversy surrounding the "Perfect Poached Egg" is endless. The "add vinegar to water", "add salt to water" or " putting the raw egg in a sieve to strain the liquid part" before poaching are methods that do not compare to the "always perfect poached eggs" when using this egg poacher.

Egg poacher

• preparation

Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and add the milk, cream or water. Whisk until smooth and combined, with no streaks of egg white remaining.
Brush a small nonstick skillet with olive oil, or melt a little butter in a small nonstick skillet. Bring to medium heat.
Pour in the eggs, and let them cook for a few seconds without stirring. Pull a rubber spatula across the bottom of the pan to form large, soft curds of scrambled eggs.
Continue cooking over medium-low heat, folding and stirring the eggs every few seconds. Scrape the spatula along the bottom and sides of the pan often to form more curds and to prevent any part of the eggs from drying out.
Remove the pan from the heat when the eggs are mostly set, but a little liquid egg remains. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped fresh chives, if desired.

• preparation

In a large, shallow dish, separate the kataifi dough into individual threads using your fingers. Add the basil and chives and toss to distribute throughout the pastry.
In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with the water. Spread the flour in another shallow bowl. Season the salmon cubes with salt and pepper. Dredge them in the flour and shake off the excess, then dip them in the beaten egg and roll in the kataifi; press to help it adhere.
Set a rack over a baking sheet. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 350°. Fry 4 or 5 salmon pieces at a time until the kataifi is golden brown and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes minutes. Drain the salmon nuggets on the rack. Season with salt. Serve the nuggets with your favorite dipping sauce.

• preparation

Scrub mussels under cold running water.
Heat wine in a large pot. Add mussels. Cover pot and steam for about 5 minutes, or until mussels are opened.
Strain cooking liquid through cheese cloth. Save.
Remove mussels from shells.
Reserve for garnish.
In a medium saucepan, add mussel broth, shallots, onion, saffron, parsley and chicken broth.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Combine butter and flour to a paste. Whip in the cooking liquid to thicken. Add cream and seasoning. Add mussels. Heat soup, and serve hot.

• preparation

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, lemon rind, lemon juice, capers, dill, mustard, and pepper until smooth. On a large sheet of wax paper, spread out the slices of salmon to form a rectangle. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the surface of the salmon.
Roll up the salmon tightly from one end, jelly roll style. Enclose in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Wash cucumber, dry and slice across into 1/4-inch slices.
Just before serving, slice the smoked salmon roll into -inch slices. Top each cucumber slice with a slice of salmon roll. Serve at once.

PRESENTATION
Serve this hors d'oeuvre on a tray. Arrange the cucumber and salmon rolls on the tray into two circles. Garnish center of tray with parsley or dill sprigs.

• preparation

Make ham rolls stuffing the egg salad in each slice. Pour liquid aspic in an 8 by 8-inch dish.
Let set until firm. Arrange stuffed ham on a platter. Decorate with avocado and egg slices.
Decorate platter with chopped aspic jelly. Refrigerate before serving.

• preparation

In a small bowl, whisk together stock, oil and truffles.
In a deep 10 -to 12-inch skillet bring 3 inches salted water to a boil and cook asparagus until crisp tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain asparagus. Pat dry. Transfer to a serving dish and toss with butter.
Spoon truffle broth over asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Serve asparagus warm or at room temperature.

• preparation

Wash potatoes with the skin. Cook potatoes in salted boiling water until tender. Drain well. Peel and cut crosswise, into thin slices.
Slice onion thinly, crosswise.
In a frying pan, heat olive oil; add onion and sauté until lightly browned. Stir in potatoes and sauté for a minute. Stir in cheese to melt and add parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Lay out crêpes on a working surface.
Using a pastry brush, lightly coat one side with melted butter.
Divide stuffing in 6 equal portions and place a portion in the center of each crêpe. Fold the sides of the crêpe over the filling. Starting from one open end, roll up each crêpe to make a firm but not tight cylinder. Again, brush them with melted butter.
Place on small nonstick baking sheet. Bake in a 300 degree F. oven for 10 minutes.

To make crêpes, use a 6 or 7-inch crêpe or omelet non-stick pan.
Combine egg, milk, flour and salt in a blender or food processor and whip until batter is smooth. Heat crêpe or omelet pan.
Lightly brush pan with butter, and heat pan over medium heat. Pour in about 1/4 cup batter. Tilt the pan in all directions until the pan thoroughly coats the bottom.
Pour off any excess of batter (crêpe should be thin). Cook on one side over medium heat until lightly brown (about 20 seconds) then turn over and cook to brown the other side.
Turn the crêpe out onto a plate and repeat the process until all the batter is used. Stack the finished crêpes on one another; they don't stick.
Note:
crêpes can be made several days ahead. Cover the plate tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until use.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss pumpkin seeds and 1 tsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 5 minutes; let cool. Finely chop 2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds. 

Whisk chopped pumpkin seeds, lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, vinegar and remaining oil in a medium bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper.


Combine fennel, Asian pear, celery root, Granny Smith apple, most of the Manchego, and remaining pumpkin seeds in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over top and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining Manchego.

• preparation

Cook white and green asparagus separately in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes for white asparagus; about 3 minutes for green asparagus.
Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a colander and rinse under cold water (to stop cooking), then drain again. Pat dry.
Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shallots, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add morels and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, tarragon, salt, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons butter and sauté, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Serve immediately.

• preparation

Peel the potatoes and cut into uniform 1/2-inch pieces. Place into a 4-quart saucepan and cover with cold water by at least 1-inch.
Cover, set over high heat and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, remove the lid, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the potatoes can easily be crushed with a pair of tongs,
approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Put the cream, butter, salt and pepper into the now empty 4-quart saucepan and place back over
the heat until the butter has melted.
Remove from the heat and set a food mill fitted with the smallest die, on top of the pot.
Add 1 cup of potatoes at a time to the mill. Once all of the potatoes have passed through the mill, stir to combine.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Butter a baking dish about 6 by 10 inches. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch slices.
Blanch potatoes in salted boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well.
In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, garlic, milk, cream and half of the grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon into prepared dish. It should be no more than 3/4 full. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and gratin is golden brown.

• preparation

Cut potatoes into large cubes. Boil in salted boiling water until tender. Drain and put through a ricer.
Combine potatoes and choux pastry (See recipe below). Mix well. Season to taste with salt and nutmeg.
Preheat deep fryer to 350 degrees. Spoon the potato mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1-inch tip. While pressing the mixture out, cut into round balls with a small knife and carefully drop into the hot oil. Continue dropping balls into oil. Do not overload fryer.
After a few minutes, the potatoes will puff and float, and turn golden brown. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to absorb oil. Keep warm. Continue with potato mixture.

CHOUX PASTRY:
Heat water and butter in a saucepan, until butter melts and water comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and add flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon over low heat until mixture no longer sticks to pan and forms into a ball. Remove from heat.
Beat eggs in thoroughly, one by one. Beat mixture until smooth.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with a knife into a small bowl, discarding pod, and stir in sugar and cinnamon.
On a lightly floured surface roll out pastry 1/8 inch thick and drape pastry over tart pan, pressing dough gently onto pan.
On pastry arrange plum and apricot slices, overlapping them slightly, in rows and sprinkle with sugar mixture.
Bake tart in middle of oven until pastry is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool tarts on a rack and brush with jam. Serve tarts warm with ice cream.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter the soufflé molds. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of molds with sugar; shake out excess. Place dishes on a baking sheet. Do not touch the inside.
Choose ripe mangos, full of flavor. Peel and slice all the pulp into a mixing bowl. discard the pits.
Puree the mango pulp in a food processor. Whisk in the sugar and lemon juice. Pour the mixture in a saucepan, and stew over medium heat until thick. Cool the mango and transfer to a mixing bowl. Cool for 10 minutes Stir in the egg yolks.
In an electric mixing bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar. When they reach a soft peaks, gradually add the confectioners sugar, and continue beating until the whites are firm and fluffy.
Fold the egg whites into the mango mixture.
Fill the mold with the soufflé mixture. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake 12 to 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve at once. Serve with a coconut custard cream.

• preparation

Mix the Jello in boiling water.
Mix with pureed raspberries. Strain and refrigerate until cold, but not set.
Fold cool whip into raspberry mixture.
Pour into a decorative mold. Chill until set. Unmold on platter. Umold and serve with sauce

• preparation

Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl until creamy and white Heat cream and milk in heavy saucepan. Pour over egg yolk mixture and mix well. Stir in vanilla extract.
Pour mixture in saucepan. Heat slowly over low heat while stirring until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. DO NOT LET BOIL. Cool completely in refrigerator.
Freeze according to manufacturers instructions.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
Stir together orange juice, grated ginger, lime juice, and sugar in a bowl. Add rhubarb and let stand, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut pastry in half lengthwise, then roll out each piece into an 11-by 7-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Arrange pastry rectangles side by side on an ungreased large baking sheet.
Make a 1/2-inch border around each pastry rectangle by lightly scoring a line parallel to each edge. Prick pastry inside border all over with a fork.
Strain rhubarb mixture through a sieve set over a bowl, reserving liquid. Top 1 pastry rectangle (within border) with half of rhubarb, overlapping slices slightly. Repeat with remaining pastry and rhubarb.
Bake until pastry is puffed and golden (underside of pastry should also be golden), about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil reserved rhubarb liquid in a small saucepan, skimming foam if necessary, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 15 to 18 minutes. The glaze will become medium thick
Transfer tarts to a rack. Brush rhubarb and pastry with glaze and sprinkle with zest.

• preparation

Prepare the soufflé dish:
Wrap the outside of a 1 1/2 quart soufflé mold with foil extending about two
inches above rim. Secure with tape.
Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and cook over medium to
high heat until sugar makes big bubbles or candy thermometer registers 240 F
(soft ball stage).

Mix egg yolks in electric mixer. Whisk in the hot sugar, and continue to mix
until cool. Stir in lemon juice. Mix Jello in hot water. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin
in cold water. Heat the set gelatin over a double boiler until melted. Stir into the
Jello mixture and add to egg mixture. Stir and blend in the grated lemon.
Whip the egg whites with cream of tartar until firm.

Fold egg whites and cool whip or whipped cream into egg mixture. Fill soufflé dish with mixture.
Refrigerate until firm. Do not freeze. Garnish with whipped cream and lemon
slices and grated lemon peel. Remove the collar before serving.

• preparation

Preheat oven at 300 degrees.
Butter the inside of 10 3 1/4 -or 4-by 1-inch rings.
Use empty 6-oz pineapple cans, with tops, bottoms, and labels removed or use circles of same diameter. Set rings on a buttered baking sheet.
Melt chocolate on low heat or in double boiler. Set aside to cool. Cream the butter in an electric mixer. Beat in the cooled chocolate.
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with 6 teaspoons sugar until lemony colored. Beat in the chocolate mixture.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar to form soft peaks. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and beat at high speed to hold soft peaks. Fold in the chocolate mixture.
Fill rings 1/2 full. Recipe can be made 3 hours ahead to this point.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Set baking sheet on a rack to cool. After 10 minutes.
Twist rings and remove from the tortes.
Transfer to dessert plates. Dust with sugar. Serve with ice cream. Drizzle with bittersweet chocolate sauce.
Bittersweet chocolate sauce:
In a medium saucepan, combine 5 oz bittersweet chocolate with 1 1/4 cups warm water. Melt chocolate on low heat.
Away from heat, whisk in 2 teaspoons sweet butter. Cool and refrigerate.