A Day from Scratch

Concierge cooking - Tailored nutrition

Backstrap Sandwich

by Filed Under: Pork, Beef, Lamb, Recipes 1 Comment

One of the benefits of being a hunter is the amazing meat from the deer that gives me the opportunity to play around with different game recipes. Getting home from a fun weekend at the bay with my family I wanted a quick dinner that I could throw together while simultaneously doing laundry (fun fun) and getting ready for the coming week… enter the backstrap sandwich.

Starting off with a red wine marinade and some bacon wrapped filets- It was go time.

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I let these little beauties marinate in the fridge for about 3 hours- with a little fresh rosemary and bay leaf.

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Mmm mmm there is nothing like the smell of caramelizing onions! It may look like a lot of onions for a sandwich topping, but my dad taught me a little habit of eating the onions out of the pan as they cook down so I always need extra for “pan eating.”

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And into the buttered cast iron they go.

Ingredients: for 2 sandwiches

2 Bacon wrapped backstrap filets

1 cup red wine for marinating

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 bay leaf

1/2 onion sliced

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

Sandwich bun of your choosing-toasted (I used an onion bun)

About 1 cup arugula

1 Tbsp Mayonaise

Recipe:

Start by marinating the steaks with the red wine, rosemary and bay leaf in a ziploc in the fridge for about 3 hours.

30 minutes prior to cooking the steaks heat a skillet with 1 Tbsp butter and add the sliced onion. Cook down on medium-low heat.

As the onions finish cooking down heat a cast iron with the remaining 2 Tbsp butter. S&P the steaks and then on medium-high heat add the steaks to the pan. Cook on each side about 5-8 minutes depending on your preference of “doneness.” Let the steak rest about 5 minutes before slicing.

Toast your bun and assemble with arugula, steak, caramelized onions and mayo.

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Happy eating!

Carrot Ginger Soup

by Filed Under: Recipes, Vegetarian Leave a Comment

I recently went to lunch with a few girlfriends and my friend Darby (Hi Darbs!) got an amazing Carrot and Ginger soup. Now if you know me you know I already have a hard time choosing what to order at restaurants because I get nervous that I’ll order the wrong thing, especially when everything looks so enticing. So when our server brought out her soup I immediately wished that I too had ordered a little cup of that orange beauty. So when I was thinking about something to make for Sunday night dinner- I knew exactly what I was going to have.

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There was also a slight chill in the air so it was a great evening for some warm and comforting soup.

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My favorite soup tool- the immersion blender! You can also dump the veggies into a blender and mix it up if you don’t have an immersion blender, but this little guy sure is handy.

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Ta-da! Done in no time. This soup was everything I hoped it would be and more.

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped carrots

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 tablespoons peeled and chopped ginger

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges worth)

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp sea salt

Recipe:

In a large pot combine onions, ginger and coconut oil.  Sauté over medium/low heat until onions are soft and transparent.

Then, add carrots, orange juice, vegetable broth and sea salt to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook over medium/low heat until carrots are fork tender, about 20-25 minutes.

With your trusty immersion blender or regular blender puree the carrot soup.

Serve alongside some buttered toast and a glass of vino and you are good to go.

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Happy eating!

Shrimp and Cannellini Bean Salad

by Filed Under: Recipes, Seafood 5 Comments

Happy Spring! I am so happy Spring has finally sprung- it’s perfect weather in Austin to sit on a patio with friends enjoying a few brews, or taking a long run outside. One thing that definitely happens when Spring comes around is my craving for light salads kicks in.

Fresh gulf shrimp, bright leafy greens, and creamy cannellini beans are the stars today.

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Besides being tasty, this salad is also super quick and healthy.

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A little tip: don’t forget to devein the shrimp to clean out the shrimp’s… eh… never mind just trust me on this one.

Ingredients: makes 1 serving so add as needed

1 1⁄2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves fresh garlic

6 large shrimp, cleaned and deveined

4 cups arugula and spinach mix

1 tbsp sliced red onion

1⁄2 cup cooked cannellini beans

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tsp pine nuts

Directions

In a bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons of the olive oil with garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp and toss to coat well.

Spray a pan pan with nonstick cooking spray and set it over medium heat. When the pan is hot, grill the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side, just until they are a light pink color. Don’t overcook them or they will become rubbery. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the arugula, onion, and cannellini beans, then add the shrimp.

In a mini food processor, blend the lime juice, the remaining olive oil, and the parsley. Drizzle over the salad and toss to coat all the ingredients.

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Happy eating!

Blue Cheese and Chicken Quesadilla

by Filed Under: Poultry, Recipes 1 Comment

Do you ever feel like the day just slips away from you? I have been feeling like that quite often lately, let’s just say I’ve been a little busy. I am in the process of moving, finishing up my last two weeks at Le Cordon Bleu, have been out of town for a few weeks in a row and also working, so sorry if I seem a little MIA. When the days seem to get away from me like they have been lately I have to squeeze in some grub when I can.

A quick quesadilla is a frequent guest in my repertoire of afternoon snacks, especially if I had a late breakfast. They are super simple and pretty much have endless ingredient options. I was running low in the grocery department today so I went with chicken, blue cheese and spinach.

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Even though I’ve been extra busy lately I have still been having a ton of fun- I got to visit my grandparents in Fredericksburg, I went to Houston for the Livestock Show and Rodeo, I also got to celebrate a dear friends father’s 60th birthday. Time flies when you’re having fun, right?

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What have you been up to lately?

Ingredients: for each quesadilla

2 corn tortillas, 1 cup shredded chicken, 2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese, and enough spinach to cover the bottom tortilla- about 1/2 cup, and 1 Tbsp butter.

Recipe:

Add your butter to a warm skillet. Place your first tortilla down on the pan once all of the butter is melted. Put down a layer of spinach, a layer of chicken and then your blue cheese. Top with another corn tortilla. Flip after 2 minutes and cook another 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is good and melted.

Next time you are in a hurry whip up a little “dilla”

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Happy eating!

Banquet Day at LCB

by Filed Under: Culinary School, Recipes, Seafood Leave a Comment

I am about half way through my catering and banquets class at Le Cordon Bleu- which also happens to be my very last class… ahh!

While in this catering in banquets we are learning all the tricks of the trade to putting on a great party. Since I also work for a caterer here in Austin, it has been fun seeing the different aspects of catering.

Today we put on a little banquet for our class. We broke up into teams for each dish and had a solid deadline time for production to be over. The menu consisted of a mixed greens salad with strawberries, ricotta balsamic dressing and candied walnuts, an airline chicken breast with mashed potatoes and leeks along side a mushroom pea cream sauce, zucchini wrapped salmon with tomato and onion sauce along with an artichoke, tomato and olive salad, and a sabayon for dessert. It was bound to be a fun day and breaking up into teams- I knew I wanted on that salmon dish.

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I worked with two other gals in my class to produce the salmon dish. Since there are 14 students in class we were splitting the entrées- half salmon plates, half chicken.

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I got going on the artichokes so that I could fabricate the salmon into slices while the other girls worked on the tomato and onion sauce and the olive and tomato salad mixture.

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They are delicate little things, especially after poaching.

Now I’m not sure how other classes are at LCB by my class is quite… unique. We are like a little band of misfit toys. We sing silly songs, tell vulgar jokes, fuss at each other but at the end of the day we put out some pretty tasty food.

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This sauce is so yummy- it would also pair great with a light white fish such as sea bass or halibut.

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I love salmon- besides being plain ole delicious they are loaded with vitamin D and selenium- which helps lower the risk of several types of cancer including breast, prostate and colorectal. Salmon are also full of omega-3’s which are great for cardiovascular health and has many eye, skin and hair benefits.

Ok moving on from the health lesson- just eat your salmon, ok? OK!

Here are the other key players in our class banquet- if you’re interested in the recipe to any just leave me a note below and I’ll be happy to share.

As for the salmon- you can have that recipe right now!

Ingredients: 4 servings

Fish and sauce: 2 tsp cumin seeds, 4 salmon fillets, 4 Tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion-sliced, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 4 garlic cloves-sliced thin, 1.5 pounds plum tomatoes- cut into chunks, 2 3-inch strips fresh orange zest (remove with vegetable peeler,) 1/4 cup dry white wine, 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, 1/3 cup parsley-mined, 2 zucchini- sliced 1/8 inch thick on a mandolin.

Artichoke, tomato and olive salad: 2 large artichokes, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 6 roma tomatoes-sliced into small chunks, 1 cup kalamata olives- seeded and quartered, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup parsley-minced, 1/2 cup basil-minced.

Recipe: 

Fish and sauce: preheat your oven to 450 degrees, toast cumin seeds in a small sauté pan, sweat onions in a large, oven proof skillet (large enough to hold the fillets) stir in the seeds, cinnamon, garlic- cook 1 minute then add wine, and zest. Reduce down until the wine is almost gone. Add tomatoes and cook until softened. Remove from the heat and add orange juice and parsley. Season to taste.

Slice zucchini on a mandolin- 1/8 inch thick. Arrange zucchini strips on top of filets overlapping slightly and tucking the ends under. Transfer the filets to tomato sauce and brush the top with olive oil. Bake 15- 20 minutes until medium. Discard zest and serve with artichoke salad.

Artichoke, tomato and olive salad: Slice the artichokes in half and toss with lemon juice so they done discolor. In a pot of salted simmering water add the artichokes and lemon to poach- about 5-8 minutes. Meanwhile mix together the remainder of the ingredients in a bowl. Remove the artichokes from water and transfer to the grill for another 5 minutes. Once they are done be sure to remove the choke (the fuzzy looking bit) serve with olive, tomato mixture on top.

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Happy eating!

Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops

by Filed Under: Pork, Beef, Lamb, Recipes 1 Comment

I used to think of lamb cops as a special occasion meal- maybe Valentine’s Day or a holiday, but in this case it was just a plain ole weeknight. Special treat for me? Yes please!

While this is a pretty classic recipe for lamb chops, it is delicious and why mess with perfection, right?

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While browsing through my kitchen the sidekicks to the chops became parmesan couscous and sautéed spinach with mushrooms.

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Couscous has been my go to grain lately, and I’m not even sorry about it. Adding parmesan to this makes it a great side to just about anything.

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I had every intention of stuffing the mushrooms with the spinach but my smoke alarm had already gone off three times at this point so I decided to forgo that idea and just sauté them up real quick.

Here we go:

Ingredients: 2 servings

2-4 lamb chops, fresh rosemary, 2 cloves garlic, olive oil, 3/4 cup couscous, 2 tsp butter, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan, 4-6 cups spinach, 6-10 crimini mushrooms.

Recipe:

* Season each chop with S&P, Mince rosemary and garlic and marinate in olive oil (I use a ziploc) anywhere from 2-24 hours. Marination is key here.

Set your oven to broil. In a baking non-stick baking dish add your chops and broil, about 10 minutes for medium rare. You could also grill them about 4 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan bring 1 cup water, a touch of salt and 2 tsp of butter to  boil, remove from the heat and stir in 3/4 cups couscous and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and add in 1/2 cup grated parmesan and S&P to taste.

While the couscous steeps heat a sauté pan of 1 tbsp olive oil, remove mushroom stems and slice then add to the pan, add spinach to wilt.

Once the spinach wilts and the chops are done- plate ’em up!IMG_2005

 

Happy eating!

Chickpea Salad with Spinach and Lemon

by Filed Under: Recipes, Vegetarian 1 Comment

What are your thoughts on salad? Boring? Yea, sometimes. I like to think of salads as a blank canvas to mix and match my favorite ingredients. I also love to use legumes as salad bases; lentils- yes, black beans- yes, and chickpeas- oh heck yes!

When I was thinking about what to pair the little beans with I knew exactly what I wanted. For Valentine’s day I sent my friend Jules a pasta recipe to use on her first go around with homemade pasta (Hi Jules) and I used that recipe as my inspiration here.

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Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are full of protein and very versatile.

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The lemon adds such a great citrus note to the creamy chickpeas. Definitely the superstar here.

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Let’s get cooking!

Ingredients: 

1/2 pound dried chickpeas- soaked overnight, or one can, 2 cloves garlic- minced, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 2 Tbsp toasted sunflower seeds, juice of 1 lemon, lemon zest, 2-4 cups fresh spinach, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 2 Tbsp olive oil.

Recipe:

In a sauté pan add the olive oil to heat, once warm add the garlic and red pepper flakes and allow to bloom for about 30 seconds, add the chickpeas and sunflower seeds to the pan, add lemon juice and cook for about 4-5 minutes, add the spinach and lemon zest to the pan and allow the spinach to wilt then add the parmesan and plate with a touch of zest and parm on top.

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Happy eating!

Mock Chicken Parmesan

by Filed Under: Poultry, Recipes Leave a Comment

Don’t get me wrong, I love a crispy gold piece of chicken baked with a heavy amount of cheese; but let’s get real sometimes a healthier version is in order.

I have to admit, the first time I made this I was scouring through my kitchen trying to come up with a quick dinner and had everything on hand for chicken parm except for breadcrumbs… or any bread for that matter, so I couldn’t make any myself. What turned out was surprisingly great and making it this go around definitely quenched my hunger for the real deal.

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I’ve been on quite a mushroom kick lately- which is odd, because for the longest time I was NOT a fan of the little fungi.

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This chicken breast is definitely big enough for two. I’d like to have met this bird on the farm, he must have been a pretty big guy.

Ingredients:

1-2 organic chicken breasts, 2 roma tomatoes-sliced, fresh rosemary- finely minced, parmesan cheese- freshly grated. S&P to taste. 3-4 cups spinach, 6-8 crimini mushrooms- sliced, 2 cloves garlic- minced, olive oil.

Recipe: 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. With a mallet, lightly pound the chicken to an even consistency. Season with S&P and add to a greased baking dish. Layer the sliced roma tomatoes over the top of the breast and bake for about 20 minutes or until 165 degrees internal temperature. Once completely cooked- top with parmesan and return to the oven for just a minute to melt the cheese. Top with freshly minced rosemary and plate.

Meanwhile heat some olive oil in a sauté pan. Once heated add freshly minced garlic to bloom just about 30 seconds. Add the crimini mushrooms and sauté for about 3-5 minutes. Add spinach to the pan to wilt along with some S&P. Once the spinach has wilted- remove from the heat and plate with chicken.

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This would be perfect for a healthy Sunday dinner after a weekend of indulgence.

Happy eating!

Braised Chicken with Apples and Leeks

by Filed Under: Poultry, Recipes Leave a Comment

Happy Presidents Day! Hopefully you were one of the lucky ones and didn’t have to go to work today.

This past weekend I went home to Katy to meet a dear friends new little baby boy and to see another dear friend who was in town wedding dress shopping. After a few days of celebrating with mi amigas I also got to spend Sunday with my little sister. We went to Alamo Drafthouse and had a few beverages while watching Safe Haven. Then we went home and cooked up a yummy dinner.

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Working in the culinary world I tend to work most weekends so I love when I get to go back to Katy for a weekend and get to see my friends and family- it’s always very eventful.

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While my sister doctored up some baked macaroni and cheese I tackled these beauties.

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Braising may just be my favorite way to cook chicken- the skin stays nice and crisp while so much flavor is infused from the base fruits and vegetables.

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This dinner was the perfect wrap up to a wonderful weekend! Congrats to Missy and Mike on sweet baby Nate and to my lovely Kendra for finding the most beautiful wedding dress!

Now if you like sweet tender chicken, go get in your kitchen!

Ingredients:

A few chicken legs and thighs, 2-3 Braeburn apples slices, 3 leek ends sliced, a few sprigs of rosemary, 2 Tbsp olive oil and a dash of water.

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl toss the sliced apples, leeks and rosemary in olive oil and a touch of S&P.

Then in a medium flat bottom pan layer the apple and leek mixture to cover the bottom. Lightly rest the chicken pieces in the pan with a touch of room between each. Top with S&P. Add about 1/4 cup water to the pan-avoiding the chicken and cook for about 55 minutes.

Happy eating!

Homemade Naan Bread

by Filed Under: Culinary School, Pizzas, Flatbreads, Savory tarts, Recipes 1 Comment

And now for the much anticipated Naan recipe!

If you’re unfamiliar with naan, it is basically just an Indian style flat bread. Okay, maybe it’s not “just” flat bread. This stuff is AMAZING. It is soft, pillowy, full of lovely bubbles and so extremely versatile.

After making this dish from scratch to accompany my chicken tikka masala during my cooking practical, I don’t think I’ll ever buy it at the store again.

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At first I was intimidated to make this because I had never made it before, but it was so fun and easy.

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I think these little flat breads would be fun to have at a build your own pizza party.

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Ingredients: to make 8 pieces

2 tsp dry active yeast, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 cup warm water, 3 cups AP flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt, 1 egg.

Recipe:

In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water. Stir to dissolve then let sit for a few minutes or until it is frothy on top. At that point, stir in the oil, yogurt and egg until evenly combined.

In a medium sized bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour with the salt. Next, add the bowl of wet ingredients to the flour/salt mixture and stir until well combined. Continue adding flour a half cup at a time until you can no longer stir it with a spoon (about 1 to 1.5 cups later).

At that point, turn the ball of dough out onto a well floured counter top. Knead the ball of dough for about 3 minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. I ended up using about 3 cups of flour total. The dough should be smooth and very soft but not sticky.

Loosely cover the dough and let it rise until double in size (about 45 minutes). After it rises, gently flatten the dough and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small ball by stretching the dough back under itself until the top is smooth and round.

Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out until it is about 1/4 inch thick or approximately 6 inches in diameter. Place the rolled out dough onto the hot skillet and cook until the under side is golden brown and large bubbles have formed on the surface. Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden brown as well. Serve plain or brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with herbs!

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What’s your favorite way to eat naan?