Seared Lamb, Sauteed Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper with Rosemary Potato Cake

On my days off, I enjoy cooking and trying out some of my own ideas. I also have a small herb garden that I am trying to use more. One thing culinary school taught me was total utilization. I enjoy going through my pantry and refrigerator to see what I have and what I can use. Not only is this important in the restaurant to save money but you can save money at home too. I searched through the refrigerator and realized I had some lamb. I also bought a large bag of potatoes that needed to get utilized. I decided to make potato cakes with some fresh rosemary. I sauteed some spinach and roasted red peppers with some chicken stock and a little balsamic vinegar. The lamb was seared and finished in the oven. The dish was finished with a chiffonade of spinach, crumbled feta and natural jus.

Seared Tuna with Asian Black Rice and Pickled Vegetables

I took a trip to the Asian market in Charlotte this past weekend. I wanted to pick up some black rice, but I was just browsing thought the aisles and found black rice noodles as well. I actually cooked with both. I seared the tuna in an oil blend with some toasted sesame oil to add some flavor. I pickled some peppers and onions to top the tuna. I actually made an avocado aioli to accompany the dish but since I didn't have come of my tools, I wasn't able to reach the consistency I wanted.  You can see in the pictures the pasta and the rice. I liked the flavor, it was somewhat earthy.

Chicken Tamales with a Black Bean Cake and Ancho Cream Sauce

Today, I put together something that I have wanted to make for a while. I absolutely love tamales and I was trying to decide on a base that would go well with the tamale. I decided to go with a black bean cake. I have never made a black bean cake so I did a little research. Unfortunately, all the recipes I found online were terrible. So I winged it and it came out spectacular. The tamales I made didn't come out the way I had hoped but they tasted great. So, here is what I came up with and I hope you enjoy.

Shrimp and Grits!

Today, I was inspired by a traditional Southern dish, Shrimp and Grits. I wanted to take this dish but make it in a way that could be nicely presented. Parmesan polenta was my base. I made the polenta and sauteed it before I served it. I sweated shallots and garlic in bacon fat and then added cremini mushrooms. This mixture topped the shrimp. The shrimp themselves were seasoned and baked so that the shrimp meat would bake together and form one piece. For the sauce, I made a Parmesan and sharp cheddar cheese sauce. This was made by sweating shallots and garlic in butter and adding some cream then thickened with a roux. Lastly, it was garnished with a bruniose of tomato and a julienne of green onion. This dish came out very nice however, I believe next time, the shrimp need to be a size larger.

Pan Seared Duck with Bourbon Apple Barley and Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I wanted to make some duck breasts because it is a protein I don't use very often. I had bought some barley the other day and had some left over so I decided to use it again. Barley is high in fiber and very healthy for you. I cooked the barley with chicken stock and apple cider to give it a light apple undertone. Duck is a protein that pairs well with fruits so I figured this would work well. I decided to go with Brussels sprouts to add color to the dish but roasting them in bacon would give them a nice salty taste to counter the sweet of the barley. The dish turned out great. I really liked the pairing of the barley and Brussels sprouts. Let me know your thoughts!

Classical French

For one of my class I had to create a dish using classical french style and flavors. I made a pan seared chicken breast with sauteed asparagus, glazed parsnips and carrots and a buerre blanc sauce. It turned out great!

Smoked Gouda Chicken

Whole Foods has a great pasta salad. It is a smoked mozzarella pasta salad with spinach and roasted red peppers. I took this idea and turned it into an entree. I made a smoked Gouda orzo pasta base, sauteed off some spinach and pan seared my chicken. I made a roasted red pepper coulis to accompany the dish. I feel it came out nicely. The flavors meshed well and you could pick up all the flavors. I'm sorry for the fuzzy picture.

Puff Pastry makes everything better!

I had an idea to make beef stew one day. I really like the components of beef stew but something about stews and soups reminds me of being sick. I took the vegetable components of the beef stew and put them in puff pastry. The pastry sat on a bed of mashed potatoes and was served with a mushroom sauce. It all was topped with a horseradish sour cream and chopped parsley. They turned out delicious!

Pinky's Review

I had a chance to go eat at Pinky's the other day. This restaurant was opened by the employees of the beloved Penguin. I was excited to go because the Penguin was always a good place to get fried pickles and hamburgers. Upon arriving, it was a nightmare trying to find a parking space. They weren't crowded there was literally 6 parking spots in front of the restaurant. After parking across the street, we were seated. The service was quick and on point. I ordered the fried pickles to give us a chance to look over the menu and because they were always my favorite at the Penguin. Pinky's fried pickles were lightly breaded dill chips. They were great, just the right amount of salt and pepper. As always, they were served with ranch! After looking over the menu, my eye was drawn to the "Kinda Fried Turkey." The description was "herb coated turkey breast on a big bun, topped with melted provolone, bacon, basil, tomato & garlic-parmesan spread." Looking for a tasty sandwich, I thought this was going to be something awesome. Upon ordering the sandwich, I found out that everything is a la carte. This wasn't a problem, so I ordered some fries to go with my sandwich. Once my sandwich arrived I dug in, only to be quite disappointed. The sandwich lacked flavor. With a description like the one they gave, I would have expected a sandwich that was booming with flavor. That is not what I got. All in all, I wasn't impressed with Pinky's. I would probably return but I don't think it would be one of my top choices. Also, with the menu being a la carte, it can get expensive quick even though it is short order food. 

Chocolate Molten Cake

This was my chocolate molten cake I had to do for my practical. The camera on my phone isn't the best but the dessert tasted great!

Award Winning Ceviche

Click here for the recipe at WBTV.com

This happened in December but I wanted everyone to have the ability to enjoy my award winning dish. It is a Shrimp and Strawberry Ceviche. It is excellent and I hope you enjoy. I don't have a picture of the dish but I do have a picture of me presenting it live on WBTV.

Lamb dish

For some reason the picture didn't come out that great. But the dish was awesome.

Lamb:
Seasoned with salt, pepper and chopped rosemary. Seared and cooked to 145 degrees in the oven.


Asparagus:
Blanched and finished with melted butter, salt and pepper.

Potatoes:
Boiled and mashed with garlic, chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. Put into a ring mold and topped with cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Baked at 450 degrees until cheese melted and browned.

Red Wine Reduction:
Garlic, rosemary salt and pepper simmered with red wine until red wine thickened.

Lamb Dish

Tonight, I am going to make a lamb. I brainstormed what I wanted to do and this is what I came up with: Parmesan and rosemary potato cake with sauteed asparagus. The lamb is going to be seared with a red wine reduction. Pictures and recipe to follow!

Fruit Tart with Sugar Cage

This is a fruit tart that I made. It is filled with a vanilla pastry cream. Topped with strawberries, kiwi and blackberries. I learned how to do some sugar garnishes which are showcased.

Welcome

I am new at this but I am going to try and give insight into the cooking world not to mention new ideas that I have. Feel free to ask questions and please spread the word! Thanks.