"Recipes from the Chef's Kitchen"

The Scallops
Ingredients:
1)   4 Scallops
2)   Salt and Pepper
3)   Canola Oil

Preparation:
1)   Preheat a saute pan.
2)   Add canola oil and sear scallops until brown on each side.

The Carrot Chipotle Sauce
A classic Beurre Blanc is a butter and white wine sauce. Here we’ve replaced it
with a carrot juice reduction and added a Chipotle Pepper for a modern twist.
The sweetness of the carrot juice is intensified as it reduces, so the sweet
from the carrot mixed with the heat from the pepper just tickles the tongue !!!
Ingredients:
(makes a 1/3 cup of sauce)
1)   1 pounds of Carrots - juiced (1 cup)
2)   ½ of a small Chipotle Pepper in Adobo
3)   2 tbs. Heavy Cream
4)   1 stick of Unsalted Butter - cold

Preparation:
1)   Combine the carrot juice and the ½ of Chipotle Pepper in a small saucepan. Reduce down
       to a syrup (3 tablespoons or so should be left).
2)   Meanwhile, cut the stick of butter into about 12 equal chunks.
3)   Once the carrot juice has reduced, pull out the Chipotle Pepper and discard. Add the
       cream cook for another minute.
4)   Slowly whisk in the butter chunks, one piece at a time whisking to incorporate into the
       sauce.  It should stay emulsified and look like a thick, creamy sauce (not like simply melted
       butter!). If it gets to hot as you work, just take it on and off the heat.

The Forbidden Black Rice Pilaf
This rice is naturally black (or a dark, dark purple) and has a lovely nutty
flavor to it. It is called "forbidden" because in days of old, only the emperor
was allowed to eat it. Luckily --- it¹s available for everyone these days !!
Ingredients:
(serves 6 to 8 as a side dish)
1)   2 tbs. Butter
2)   2 Shallots - finely diced
3)   2 cups Black Forbidden Rice
4)   3 cups Water
5)   1 tsp. Salt
6)   ½ tsp. White Pepper
7)   1 Red Pepper - diced (2/3 cup)
8)   1 medium Carrot - diced (2/3 cup)
9)   1 tsp. Olive Oil

Preparation:
1)   Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, add the diced
       shallot and cook for two minutes, or until translucent. Add the rice and toast it for two
       minutes --- or until fragrant ­ stirring from time to time (be care, you won’t see a color
       change, due to the blackness of the rice!). Add the water, and salt and pepper and bring
       it to a boil. Lower the temperature and cook over a low simmer until the rice is tender
       (approximately 30 minutes +/-).
2)   Meanwhile, toss the diced red pepper and carrot and with a teaspoon of olive oil, tip on
       to a small baking sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven for 10 – 12 minutes until tender
       and golden on the edges.
3)   To serve --- toss the cooked rice with the roasted red pepper and carrots. Taste for
       seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed.

The Napolean Squares
Ingredients:
1)   3 sheets Phyllo Dough (have a few extra for back-up)
2)   3 tbs. melted Butter
3)   3 tbs. Sugar

Preparation:
1)    Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough and gently brush the entire surface with melted
        butter. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar.
2)    Top with a second sheet of phyllo, and again brush the entire surface with butter.
        Sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar.
3)    Top with the third layer of phyllo — and then press down to compress all three layers —
        this is very important — or the layers will separate later. Lightly brush the top with
        butter.
4)    Cut into 3 x 3-inch squares (i.e., three strips by six strips). You will end up with
        approximately 24 squares. Some tend to be tatty on the end; discard those.
5)    Transfer to an unbuttered baking sheet and cover with parchment paper and another
        baking sheet (to weigh it down) and weigh that down with a skillet. Bake in a 350
        degree oven for 10 minutes.

The Filling
Ingredients:
1)   1)   3/4 cup of fresh Lime Juice
2)   zest of 4 Limes
3)   2 tbs. Lemon Juice
4)   2 whole Eggs
5)   3 Egg Yolks
6)   3/4 cup granulated Sugar
7)   20 tbs. of Butter (10 oz)
8)   1 envelope of Gelatin
9)   1 tbs. of Tequila
10) 1 tsp. Grand Mariner
11) 1/2 cup of Cream - whipped

Preparation:
1)   Pour the lime juice into a 2 or 3 quart stainless steel sauce pan (be sure to choose one
       with a heavy bottom!). Add the lime juice and zest, lemon juice, eggs, and sugar and
       whisk until smooth.
2)   Add the butter and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, with a wooden spoon. Be
       careful to constantly scrape the entire bottom and sides of the saucepot. Bring to a simmer
       and cook for approximately 10 minutes until it is smooth and thick.
3)   Strain into a medium sized mixing that is set over a bowl of ice. Add the gelatin and stir
       to combine. Add the tequila and Grand Mariner and lightly stir until it is incorporated.
       It should be the consistency of a thick pudding. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled lime
       curd (you’ll need to do this once it is cool, but before it its completely set).

The Assembly
1)   ½ cup of Heavy Cream - whipped
2)   Confectioners Sugar
3)   Mint Leaves for garnish
4)   1 cup Blueberries

Ingredients:
For the Filling
1)   1 1/2 lbs. of Apples -- Jonagold, Gala or Golden Delicious
2)   2 tbs. unsalted Butter
3)   1/4 cup light Brown Sugar
4)   1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
5)   2 tbs. dried Cranberries
6)   2 oz. Walnuts - toasted and chopped

For the Crust
1)   8 sheets of Phyllo Dough
2)   3 tbs. Butter - melted
3)   1/3 cup granulated Sugar
4)   1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

For the Caramel
1)   1/3 cup granulated Sugar
2)   3 tbs. Water
3)   1/3 cup Cream

Preparation:
1)   Preheat your oven to 350 degrees f.
2)   Peel the apples, cut into quarters and core. Cut each quarter into 1/4-inch slices.
       Heat a 12” sauté pan over high heat. Add the butter --- as soon as the butter begins to
       melt, swirl it around the pan to coat the bottom and add the apple slices (work quickly
       so the butter doesn’t burn). Cook until the apples are golden on one side (3 minutes).
       Stir and cook on the other side for another 3 or 4 minutes. The apples should be golden
       on both sides, but not cooked through. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, cranberries and
       walnuts and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3)   To layer the crust --- lay one sheet of phyllo out on top of a lightly buttered flat baking
       tray and brush the phyllo lightly with melted butter (keep the other sheets covered with a
       towel while you work). Combine the sugar and remaining cinnamon and sprinkle the
       phyllo sheet with 2 heaping teaspoons of the sugar mixture. Lay out a second piece of
       phyllo at a 45o-degree angle, brush with butter and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of the
       cinnamon sugar. Continue with the remaining sheets of phyllo (buttering and sprinkling
       each layer), each time positioning the sheets at a 45o-degree angle.
4)   Tip the cooled apple mixture onto the center of the phyllo, keeping it in the center in an 8”
       round area. Roll the edges of the phyllo in towards the center, shaping it into a round tart,
       ruffling the top edge as you go. Brush the top edge of the tart with butter and sprinkle the
       remaining tablespoon of cinnamon sugar around the edges and over the top of the tart.
5)   Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until the edges are golden and the apples
       cooked through.
6)   To make the caramel: combine the 1/3-cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a
       measuring cup with a spout.  Pour it into a medium sized saucepan pouring straight down
       the middle --- keeping it off the sides of the pan (that will help cut down on crystallization
       problems). Place it on top of the stove over medium-high heat and gently stir until the sugar
       is dissolved.  Put a lid on the pot for two minutes --- this will cause water to drip back down
       the sides of the pan and give you an added insurance level against any of the sugar
       crystallizing. After three minutes, remove the lid and continue to cook until the water is
       evaporated and sugar begins to bubble and turn a golden caramel color (be very careful!!…
       caramel is very hot by definition and sticks to anything it touches --- so DO NOT get it on
       yourself!). Once the caramel reaches a deep color (but not black, that would be burnt),
       very, very carefully (stand back as you do this – it will steam and sputter) pour in the cream.
       Once the sputtering has stopped give it a quick stir with a whisk to combine. Pour into a
       medium sized bowl to cool before using.
7)   Cool the tart slightly before serving. Cut into wedges and serve with caramel sauce on
       the side.