Lake Michigan Pan Seared Yellow Perch, Wild Rice Pilaf, Summer Succotash, Almonds, Brown Butter

Brine for fish

Ingredients

4 grams of peppercorns
10 grams of fresh tarragon
1 each celery stalk
1 each orange peel
100 grams of kosher salt
400 grams of water

Steps

1. 1. Add all items to pot and bring to boil, let cool completely  

Yellow Perch Fillets (500 grams) total

Steps

1. 1. Trim fillet to 50 gram portions (keep skin on)
2. 2. Keep the trim and belly meat from fillets, remove skin and reserve for salad (recipe to follow)
3. 3. Place fish portions in cold brine, let sit 10 minutes, drain wash off and pat dry, reserve for service
4. 4. At service, heat some oil in a medium size pan suitable for holding all 8 pieces, place skin side down into the hot oil, cook three minutes on medium high heat, season flesh side with kosher salt and black pepper.
5. 5. Flip the fish and adjust heat to low, finish cooking fish for 1 minute and reserve while sauce is made, then serve at once

Smoked Perch Salad

Ingredients

3.5 oz perch trim, no skin/no bones
2 oz wood chips – any type
1 each roma tomato (take out core and X the bottom)
1.5 oz mayonnaise
1 sprig tarragon – wash, chopped fine
1 small sprig curly parsley – wash, chop fine

Steps

1. 1. Place wood chips in small aluminum pan, with wire rack on top 
2. 2. Lay perch scraps on wire rack, place tomato next 
3. 3. Cover with foil, place on low flame and begin to smoke
4. 4. Keep on fire 5-6 minutes as smoke develops the small pieces of fish will cook as well
5. 5. Wash and chop the herbs while fish is cooking/smoking
6. 6. Remove tomato from pan, peel skin off, discard skin
7. 7. Cut the tomato in half (top/bottom) squeeze out all seeds, discard liquid and seeds
8. 8. Press the half flat with your hand and chop small, reserve this as this goes into the mixture
9. 9. Once the fish is cool, place in small bowl flake fish with a fork, add chopped tomato, herbs, mayo and salt pepper.
10. 10. This will be shaped with 2 spoons to form a quenelle (3-sided shape)

Wild Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

30 grams of unsalted butter
40 grams of chopped onion
20 grams of chopped celery
100 grams of wild rice
1 small bouquet garni (thyme, parsley stem, bay leaf) tied with string
220 grams of water (fish or chicken stock is okay)
25 grams of unsalted butter to be added at the time of completion
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Steps

1. 1. Place first bit of butter in pan over med heat to melt
2. 2. Add onions and celery, cook 3-4 minutes till translucent
3. 3. Add rice, stir to coat and cook one minute, add bouquet garni
4. 4. Add the water, let this come up to simmer, cover with lid (parchment paper, foil or metal lid)
5. 5. Place in moderate oven 325-350 for 10-14 min, till cooked – check for doneness
6. 6. Add remaining butter, salt and pepper to taste 
7. 7. Remove bouquet garni reserve warm for service

Summer Succotash

Ingredients

1 each fresh summer corn (about 80 grams)
50 gram chopped onion
75 gram red pepper diced small
50 gram celery stalks, wash and dice small
100 gram fresh fava bean, remove from pod, blanched and then peeled
50 gram shallot
50 gram unsalted butter
1 small bunch parsley washed, chopped fine
1 small bunch basil chopped fine

Steps

1. 1. Remove corn from husk
2. 2. Use a knife to cut corn kernels off corn cob, reserve
3. 3. Peel and dice onion, wash and dice red pepper and celery
4. 4. Place a small pot of salted water on stove to blanch fava beans (have ice ready to stop the cooking process), once water comes to a boil add shelled fava, blanch for 5 minutes, then place into ice till cool, once cool they can be peeled and reserve.
5. 5. Peel the shallot and slice very thin into rings.
6. 6. Once all vegetables have been prepared add butter to medium size pan, med low heat, add shallots and onion. Cook 4-6 minutes till soft, add peppers celery and corn next, mix well and cook 3-4 minutes longer or until soft and add fava beans and chopped herbs. This can be kept at room temp for service
7. 7. Check seasoning with salt and pepper

Brown Butter and Almonds for fish garnish

Ingredients

1 small bunch curly parsley, washed and chopped fine ½ lemon left from above in the recipe (juiced)
3 oz unsalted butter
1.5 oz sliced toasted almonds

Steps

1. 1. Heat butter in small pan over low heat, until it starts to brown and smell like toasted hazelnuts
2. 2. Add the chopped parsley to the hot butter off the fire and quickly add a touch of the lemon juice and the almonds, this mixture will be poured over the fish just before service to the guest

The Early Boston Bruins “ Salad”

Harvard Beets

Ingredients

1 each large red beet washed
1 each large golden beet washed

Steps

1. 1. Place these 2 in a pot and bring to boil, cook until done and can be pierced with a knife
2. 2. Once cooked, cool then under cold water and peel the skin off using a small knife, skin will rub off.
3. 3. Red beet gets cut into large dice, and the golden beet gets gut into wedges, both beets will need to be kept separate and covered with hot pickling liquid once done

Pickling Liquid

Ingredients

7 oz granulated sugar
14 oz apple cider vinegar
3 grams of peppercorns
1 gram of lavender dried
1 gram of celery seed
1 gram of red pepper flakes
60 grams of honey
1 sprig fresh tarragon
3 parsley stems
1 each shallot chopped
1 each orange peel

Steps

1. Place all items in pot, bring to boil, simmer 4 minutes on low heat, remove from heat and let steep for 5 more, then strain liquid and pour over both types of beets. Reserve till service

Fresh Farmers Cheese (Paneer)

Ingredients

1 quart whole milk ( not UHT)
1.5 oz fresh lemon juice
1 pinch salt
1 piece of cheese cloth to strain
1 straight side dish to shape the cheese

Steps

1. 1. Place the milk in a med size pot, heat on fire to just below boiling (about 200) degrees
2. 2. Remove from fire add salt and lemon, stir till well mixed, make sure you get bottom well, let stand 5-10 minutes as the curds will separate from the whey.
3. 3. This mixture will them be strained through cheese cloth, discard the whey ( iquid) and keep the solids that form in the cheese cloth, let this drip for a couple minutes, then place in straight sided container and press the cheese with plastic wrap till cool (place in refrigerator).
4. 4. At service time this cheese can be cubed or crumbled onto the finished dressed salad 

Cranberry Walnut Vinaigrette

Ingredients

20 grams of Dijon mustard
20 grams of chopped shallot
35 grams of honey
1 orange zested
80 grams of cider vinegar
35 grams of dried cranberry
27 grams of toasted chopped walnuts
240 grams of blended oil
1 small bunch chopped tarragon
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Steps

1. 1. Place Dijon, shallots, honey, orange zest, vinegar, slowly add blended oil wisking constantly.
2. 2. Add herbs, nuts, dried cranberry, season with salt and pepper to taste
3. 3. This makes 16 oz. 

Lettuce (watercress, radicchio, Belgium endive)

Steps

1. 1. Watercress, pick threw pieces and place in ice water (use a colander or cheese cloth to keep ice water and lettuce separate)
2. 2. Radicchio, core and remove outer leaves, chop into small pieces and place in ice water
3. 3. You need to have a second ice bath small – with a bit of lemon in the water to keep the Belgium endive from oxidizing.
4. 4. Cut the bottom and leave the leaves whole, pick 3 nice leaves per salad and place in lemon ice water
5. 5. All lettuce should soak 15 minutes before being spun 
6. 6. Spin dry in a salad spinner, place lettuce on plate with damp paper towel in cooler 2 hours before dinner so they remain crisp (very important step)
7. 7. Assembly of the salad, place lettuce in large bowl, drizzle dressing around the edge enough to just coat, toss easy, the endive will be placed verticle in a line down the middle of plate, with the remaining lettuce on left side, remove the beets from the pickle liquid and toss with a little dressing and salt and pepper.
8. 8. Crumble a bit of the farmers cheese over the salad, also top with toasted sunflower seeds

"Salmon Creek Ranch” Sonoma County California Pan seared Bavette steak, aligot potato, roasted heirloom carrot, Portobello hash

Ingredients

Beef marinate
100 grams of carrot
100 grams of onion diced
1 each shallot chopped
1 clove garlic smashed
1 thyme sprig
2 oz white worsteshire
16 oz red wine
5 oz white wine vinegar
2 oz blended oil

Steps

1. 1. Combine all ingredients, blend well let stand overnight before using, keep refrigerated

Bavette Steak (Flank Steak)

Steps

1. 1. Portion size should be 5-6 oz, and needs to me marinated for 24 hours
2. 2. This will be removed from the marinate (save the liquid), dry steaks slightly, seasoned and pan sear cast iron pan season with salt and pepper
3. 3. After all meat has been seared place on new pan to finish cooking in oven, add marinate to pan to deglaze, use this to reduce slowly this reduction will become the sauce for the beef, 
4. 4. Upon use of the sauce, strain it well and add 3 oz of cold butter (mix to combine) to it before pouring on steak

Aligot Potato

Ingredients

2.5 lbs Yukon gold potato
4 oz unsalted butter
4 oz crème fraiche
7 oz whole milk (scalded)
4 oz cantal cheese or Lancaster or even good white cheddar
1 head roasted garlic (place whole head in 300 degree oven for 2 hours)

Steps

1. 1. Peel potato, cut into ¼ place in pot with salted water, cook till just done,
2. 2. Remove from water and place on pan, place in warm oven 250-300 for 15 minutes to dry out
3. 3. Place in food mill or ricer over bowl, process potato
4. 4. Add butter, crème fraiche and hot milk and cheese to potato
5. 5. Mix till blended, adjust seasoning with salt pepper and roasted garlic from above 

Roasted Heirloom Carrots

Ingredients

16 each small to medium size heirloom tri color carrots – peeled, cut ½ or ¼ depending on size
1 each shallot – rough chop
4 oz unsalted butter
1 oz vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
2 thyme sprigs
1 bunch chopped celery leaves
1 bunch parsley chop fine
1 pinch cumin

Steps

1. 1. Peel and shape carrots (they are going to be long) so toss ½ the carrots with salt pepper and oil, sprinkle a bit of cumin, slow roast in oven 300 for 15-20 minutes, from the oven go to sauté pan with butter and caramelize the carrots golden color.
2. 2. Add the aromatics and cook slightly 2 minutes more, use more butter at pick up to mount. Toss with herbs

Portobello Hash

Ingredients

4 each large Portobello mushrooms
1 lbs button mushrooms – wash, remove stem (save for later use), chop caps fine
2 each shallots – sliced thin
4 oz white wine
1 bunch chopped parsley
1 each red pepper (roasted in hot oven oil salt pepper, peeled and seeded) dice small
1 each smashed garlic clove
Oil as needed

Steps

1. 1. Wash Portobello mushrooms, remove stems and gills from inside, (save stems for stock) discard gills
2. 2. Cut in med size dice, slice shallots roast peppers and smash garlic
3. 3. Place a pot of salted water on stove, bring to boil, blanch dice Portobello, remove from water reserve at room temp
4. 4. Mince button mushrooms and sauté in a touch of oil, cooking slow to remove a liquid from them, add white wine, and parley stem, garlic, cover and cook till reduced almost dry, add chopped parsley, hold (remove stems)
5. 5. In new pan sauté blanched Portobello, add roasted pepper and shallots, cook till soft, add button mushroom mix to other, combine, adjust seasoning with salt pepper and lemon hold for service

Boston Bruins Stanley Cup

Chocolate Terrine

Ingredients

16 ounces semi sweet chocolate
1.5 cups butter unsalted
25 cup espresso or strong coffee
1.5 cups granulated sugar
8 whole eggs beaten – (strained)

Steps

1. 1. In a bowl over sauce pan of water melt butter and chocolate
2. 2. Add coffee and sugar to dissolve
3. 3. Heat to 120 degrees
4. 4. Remove from heat and wisk in eggs all at once
5. 5. Pour into mold, or pans lined with parchment paper or silicone molds
6. 6. Cook in water bath 325 degrees for 40 minutes (covered) 

Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients

4 each egg yolks
6 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 pinch all spice
1.25 cups whole milk
1.25 cups heavy cream
1 each vanilla bean or vanilla paste or extract

Steps

1. 1. Mix the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, wisk frothy
2. 2. Place the milk, vanilla in small pot and place on fire, bring to boil, temper the egg mixture to the hot cream and place back on stove to thicken slightly (simmer only) place in refrigerator to cool completely
3. 3. Whip the heavy cream in a bowl to soft peaks, fold this mixture into the thickened custard and place in ice-cream machine, churn as directed by machine.

Macerated Orange segments

Ingredients

3 each florida oranges, peeled with knife to remove all pith

Steps

1. 1. Section these as for supremes (individual segments) place these is a small bowl with 1 oz marsala wine, let stand 30 minutes, drain well before serving (three pieces per portion)

Maple Sabayon

Ingredients

4 each egg yolks
3 oz granulated sugar
4 oz marsala wine
1 oz 100 percent pure maple syrup

Steps

1. 1. Place all ingredients in double boiler over med low heat, whip till double in volume, will turn pale white and thick, reserve till service

Toll House Cookie

Ingredients

1.5 lbs granulated sugar
1lbs brown sugar
0.75 oz baking soda
1.75 lbs Crisco shortening
12 oz whole eggs
1.25 oz vanilla paste or extract or 2 vanilla beans
4 oz cold water
2.5 lbs cake flour
2.5 lbs chocolate chips

Steps

1. 1. Combine white sugar, brown sugar, soda, Crisco, eggs and vanilla in mixer bowl, mix to combine, add water and cake flour, mix just enough to bring together, add chocolate chips and done. 
2. 2. You want to use a small ice cream scoop to scoop and bake
3. 3. Bake 275 to 300 10-12 min or until just golden at edges.
4. 4. Left over batter can stay in refrigerator for 2 weeks or this can be frozen also in small containers
5. 5. Plating of dessert, unmold the terrine after it has been cooked and cooled overnight, slice or serve whole, I like to use graham cracker crumbs to sit the ice cream on, add oranges to the side and sauce, as desired with the maple sabayon, garnish with cookie