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!