Garlic, Meyer Lemon, Cilantro and Honey brought together in a marinade is a flavor of flavors, not complicated or complex but bright and bursting with flavor. Fpllow this recipe for the most moist grilled chicken you will even want to sink your chops into the next day and way too simple.
Clean and cut chicken into eight pieces and set aside, in the food processor or blender  add the following ingredients.

24 ea Garlic Cloves
2 Whole Meyer Lemons ( leave rind on )
1/2 cup Cilantro
1/2 cup Flat leaf Parsley
2 tbs Honey
1 cup Water
S&P to taste

Blend ingredeants together, marinade cut chicken for 2-24 hours, grill to perfection and baste chicken with Balsamic Glaze. So simple yet so good.
Balsamic Glaze you ask?? Yes, simply reduce Balsamic Vinager in a sauce pan over med heat by half, be sure not to boil, doing so will burn the sugars in Balsamic and make it bitter. What you will have is Balsamic Syrup, as well be certain to use a true Balsamic Vinager not Balsamic that is produced by adding sugar and carmel coloring to red wine vinager that is sold in most markets. Read the lable, you will also know if it is true by the price, true Balsamic is a bit more but worth every penny.
As with all my recipies do not fear, use your own creative thoughts and try adding your own twist to create something that you can call your own.
Great weather so ENJOY!!!!

Recipe for Oyster Sautee!!

The Pacific oyster, Japanese oyster or Miyagi oyster are the most common here on the Pacific Coast. The most known of the Oyster is the Blue Point which generally come from Atlantic waters but with todays farming practices all species can be readily found in world wide waters.
I love Oysters, cooked or raw I find them to be delicious. A cold pilsner and a freshly shucked Miyagi on the half is the best. For this application one could use any Oyster but the Blue Points are larger so they are prefered by moi...

6 Blue Point or Pacific Oyster ( removed from shell)
1 cup Semolina flour
2 tbs Garlic Powder
1 tsp Wasabi Powder
1 tsp Fresh Cracked White Pepper
2 tbs Olive Oil
1 tbs Unsalted Butter
2 tbs fresh chopped Garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs Lemon Zest
2 tbs Capers
2 tbs Dry White Wine

Combine Semolina, Garlic powder, Wasabi powder & White Pepper in a bowl, add olive oil to a heated saute pan, bring to med-high heat, Dredge cleaned Oysters in the Semolina mixture and place in heated pan, sauted for 3-4 mins then turn oysters, continue to cook until golden and crisp crusted. Remove oysters from pan and set aside for a minute as you add butter, lemon, capers, lemon zest and garlic to the pan, saute for a minute or so then deglaze with wine, add oysters back to pan, toss and plate up,  garnish with micro grees and serve. Simple and so delicious !!
I shall return so until then have fun in your kitchens and be safe always !!

Recipe, Dolly Varden, Char Tartar!!

                                                 
Dolly Varden or Artic Char which are one in the same have to be my favorite of fishes, they are also one of the most beautiful. I was first introduced to these pink spotted beauties in South East Alaska while working as the chef of an exclusive lodge on the Prince of Whales Island. Spending much time on the Thorne River fly fishing for the Dolly's was part of my daily duties as for they quickly became a part of my appetizer arsenal. I have prepared them just about every way possible, from smoked to rolling there pinkish flesh in sushi rolls, there firm tender texture is one I personally seek out in todays markets. Artic Char as they are mostly known can be found either farmed or wild, wild is the best. If one can't find the wild ones be sure if farmed they are farmed organically and not from Russian fish farms. The absolute best is right out of the waters on your own fly line, need I say more.........
Here now I present to you "Char Tartar" 

1# Artic Char Filets
1 tbs fresh chopped garlic
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
2 tbs Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tbs Capers
1 tbs fresh chopped Italian Parsely
1 Banchi Chicken or Quail Egg (optional)
Sea Salt to taste

Remove bones and skin from the fish, cut flesh into 1/4 inch cubes and place into mixing bowl, add all ingredeants listed except the egg. Gently mix together using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. If presenting on platter mound the tartar in the center of platter then crack the egg atop, serve with crisp wonton chips, if presenting individually take a 2 inch round cookie cutter as a mold, push tartar through the mold and garnish with egg leaving the bright orange yolk a top, serve with crispy wonton chips.
This is a fast, simple, refreshing and delisious appitizer or as a protien for a beautiful salad with a lite Wasabi Vinaigrette.
As always put your own twist on it, recipes are suggestions or guildlines to create from and try your own additions or substitutions to. So have fun in your kitchen and enjoy using it as an arena to express yourself.

Wine into Vinegar with out a Cultured Starter!!

                                                              

I know this will be argued mostly because it is too simple for some to comprhend. Yesterday as I was picking up some supplies we began talking about vinegar as turning old wine into vinagar. There are several ways to begin the process that require a cultured starter that usually comes from fermented apple. The concept is much like a sour dough starter but is not nesesarry to turn your old wine into your own vinegar at home. I personally have used this and became aware of this process over 20 years ago when I took the Sommiliers course. This works for Red, White, and Champagnes that are on the brink of turning or that favorite bottle you keep thinking would be a great vinegar.
Here is the process. simply take 1oz of vinegar and introduce it to a 750ml bottle o wine, do not re cork the wine bottle but do place a paper towel over it. did I mention to first remove 2 oz from the bottle prior to introducing the vinegar. For champagne allow the bubbly to lose its bubbles and use a white cider vinegar rather than a finished champagne vinegar. It should go with out saying to introduce red to red and white to white but what about balsamic vinegar you might ask. Balsamic or true balsamic is the one vinegar that needs to be done old world way, if you wish to make a foe balsamic use red and color it as many of the balsamic we see at the markets have. Back to the process, after you have introduced the vinegar and wrapped a paper towel around the bottle neck, place a rubber band over the paper towel to secure it. Now the complicated process, place the uncorked bottle in a cool dark place for about 30 days and forget about it. After the 30days has passed remove the paper towel, run the liquid contents of the bottle through a filter or cheesecloth,rinse the bottle with warm water or for those purists boiling water then refill it, cork it and cellar it for at least 60 days, the longer the cellar the finer the vinegar.
Until we meet again enjoy your day!!

Green Goddess Vinaigrette Recipe!!!!

As with most recipes there are many variations from what was the "Original" or "Classic" version which really is what cooking is all about, creating an experience and having fun  as you do it. I will often get my recipe ideas by taking one flavor and thinking it about my senses, day dreaming if you will, then experimenting around in the kitchen. Another fun way to create is to taste and then figure what ingredients are combined in quantity of something I enjoyed out somewhere. Most Chefs are secretive beings, they will often give up a recipe, but not "THE" recipe and most certainly not there exact recipe which humors me because I believe anyone with an accepting palette can figure out what they are eating and with a bit of patience can recreate a gastronomical delite.
Green Goddess Dressing is one such recipe that has many, many variations though there are ingredients that are a must to be called Green Goddess. Classically this is a creamy dressing that has a mayonnaise base, rich in the flavors of anchovy and tarragon, those are the must ingredients for it to be a true Green Goddess Dressing. Utilizing those two key components I now offer my version as a Vinaigrette. For those who dislike anchovy simply leave them or it out.

Ingredients:

2 tbs Olive Oil
1 tbs Walnut Oil (true not flavored)
3 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
1 tbs Chopped Tarragon
1 tbs Chopped Basil
1 tbs Chopped Green Onion (green ends)
1 tsp Chopped Fennel or anise
1 tbs Chopped Garlic
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Anchovy Paste
Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Simply add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, blender or food processor and blend together. If you desire lesser of a consistency add 1 tablespoon of water. Allow to rest at room temp for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to blossom and meld prior to dressing your favorite greens as for me I love utilizing this vinaigrette with a Baby Greens and Herb Salad Blend.
Well it is a beautiful day out there so off I go to adventure about with my special someone, ENJOY!!

Expanding The Pallet, A Lesson for Pairing!!

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One of the great lessons I learned early on in my career was right out of culinary school some 29 years ago. I was working at a little grill in HMB, the place was a fun filled experience mostly due to the guests and the amount of wine consumed. We had a Pairing Sampler on the menu that consisted of ripe cheeses, grapes, apple swans, pears, walnut & prune wafers, chocolate and on one occasion orange wheels, OOPS!! I can recall the plate being sailed across the line, past the 8 burner Wolf Stove and smack dab to my left shoulder along with words from the Sommelier that I did not think she was capable of saying let alone knowing. Yes, all over the orange wheel garnish. Back then I was 20 years of age, sure I had drank wine but understanding it was another thing. It was then  I decided to broaden my knowledge and take the Sommelier course.
One of the exercises was to taste a Cab and a Chard with a variety of flavors from a variety of foods. I have used this over the years helping kitchen staff and servers understand how the properties of different foods respond with different varietals of wines, this is still used today in Culinary programs and Sommelier courses.
Very simple, the wines you choose need not break the bank, gather up one bottle of Red and one bottle of White wine, a simple Cab and Chardonnay will be fine, now you will need 4 slices Red Apple, 4 slices of a white neutral cheese such as Mozzarella or Provolone, 4 pieces of dark chocolate, 4 pieces of lemon and finally  pen and paper to make some notes for reference. This is a very basic lesson and by no means complete but will offer a great understanding. Pour a bit of red into your glass, now take a sip then taste some apple, note the flavors and changes of texture as they meet on your pallet, I almost forgot, have a glass of water and some bread to clear you palette between repeating the sip of wine with cheese then chocolate and then the lemon. After tasting and noting each of the foods with each of the wines, begin to combine flavors for a deeper understanding. Once you get going on this you will be amazed and understand why I got in sooo much trouble for garnishing with citrus. Do not be afraid to expand this little lesson to nuts and other foods, the more you experiment, the more you will understand, in return the richer the pairings you will serve. This  lesson can be done with beers and spirits if you want to put together the perfect cocktail pairing or beer pairing.
One of the most important things is to have fun, share this experiment with friends even make it into a gathering, just remember there is a big difference between tasting and drinking so be responsible and safe.

Salsa Verde Recipe !!

                                           


Easy and tasty this Salsa Verde is one of my favorites. I have posted the Guatemalan Chirmol before which uses tomatoes instead of tomatillos. Fun fact,  Chirmol actually translates to smashed tomatoes as I recently found out.
Another bit of info is try to find larger tomatillos, this application can also be made with green tomatoes and note I do not use Orageno in this recipe.

Ingredients

6 ea tomatillos
1 ea large white onion (slices 1/2 inch round)
2 ea red tomatoes ( I used Roma's)
12 cloves garlic
2 Serrano chilies
2 tbs red or white vinegar
1 bunch cilantro
S&P to taste

Heat a cast iron pan or grill, place tomatillos, tomatoes, onion and chili's and grill turning occasionally but allowing outside to char or turn black. Cook 10-15 mins, the ingredients should be firm not mushy.
Pull from grill and place in food processor, add garlic cloves, cilantro, chilies ( start by adding one chili and check for heat), add vinegar and blend until semi smooth, S&P to taste. There you have this simple Salsa Verde to be served hot or cold.
Last night I had this Salsa Verde atop grilled Steelhead Trout with Chimichiri Rice and grilled Asparagas, I paired it off with a 2009 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon which I find compliments the heat of the spices with its lite sweetness, Enjoy !!