"Recipes from the Chef's Kitchen"

Ingredients:
1)   Fresh Bouchot Mussels
2)   Ramp Mixture (see recipe below)
3)   1 tsp. Butter to sauté
4)   2 tsp. Shallots
5)   2 tsp. Garlic

Preparation:
1)   In sauté pan place butter. shallots and garlic.  Sweat out.
2)   Add the ramp mixture.
3)   Add the mussels.
4)   Cook until the mussels open, around 7 minutes.

The Ramp Mixture
Ingredients:
1)   2 cups chopped cleaned Ramps
2)   1 tb. carmelized Onion (see recipe below)
3)   1 tb. roasted Tomato (see recipe below)
4)   Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
1)   Add caramelized onion and roasted tomato and ramps.
2)   Cook until softened, add salt and pepper.

The Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:
1)   2 large Yellow Onions - peeled and cut ½ slice lengthwise
2)   Salt and Pepper
3)   1/2 tb. fresh Thyme
4)   Bayleaf
5)   Canola Oil
6)   Bacon or Pork Belly piece if desired for flavor

Preparation:
1)   In large sauté pan add 1/8 cup canola oil.
2)   Heat until just smoking, add pork piece if desired.
3)   Add onions which are sliced about ½ inch thick.
4)   Add salt and pepper and thyme and bayleaf.
5)   Let onions cook until they turn golden brown and translucent, stirring as you go.

The Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients:
1)   10 Plum Tomatoes - sliced in ½ inch circles
2)   Salt and Black Pepper to taste
3)   1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4)   2 tb. Basil - chopped
5)   2 tsp. Garlic - chopped

Preparation:
1)   Toss the tomato slices with the salt and pepper and also the oil, herbs and garlic.
2)   Place on a baking sheet on parchment.
3)   Bake until liquid in tomatoes starts to come out and they shrivel slightly to bring
       out natural sugar of tomatoes, about 45 minutes.
4)   Chop and use tomatoes as desired.

For the Sauce
Ingredients:
1)   ¼ cup Beer (Floral and Light)
2)   2 cups Shrimp Stock
3)   1 tb. Country Ham or Bacon - finely diced
4)   1 tsp. Shallots
5)   ½ tsp. Garlic
6)   1 tsp. Butter (to finish)
7)   1 tsp. Butter (to start)
8)   1 tsp. Basil - freshly diced
9)   ½ tsp. Parsley - freshly chopped fine
10) Salt and Black Pepper
11) 1 tsp. Braised Fennel
12) 2 tbs. Lemon Juice

Preparation:
1)   In a sauté pan place 1st butter in, sauté ham until color is achieved.  Then add garlic
       and shallots and then sauté.
2)  Add fennel, beer and reduce until all beer is absorbed, season with salt and pepper.
3)  Add shrimp stock and reduce by ½ , add basil and parsley and lemon juice, finish
      with butter and taste for desired seasoning, acidity and consistency.
4)   Don’t let break by hard simmering after butter is in, best to do right before saute
       the shrimp.

For the Ramp Mixture
Ingredients:
1)   2 cups chopped cleaned Ramps
2)   1 tb. carmelized Onion (see recipe above)
3)   1 tb. roasted Tomato (see recipe above)
4)   Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
1)   Add caramelized onion and roasted tomato and ramps.
2)   Cook until softened, add salt and pepper.

For the Polenta
Ingredients:
1)   2 cups boiling Milk
2)   2 tsp. roasted Tomato
3)   1 tsp. Scallion
4)   1 tsp. Basil
5)   1 cup Polenta or Grits
6)   1 tb. Butter
7)   Salt and Black Pepper to taste
8)   1 tb. grated Parmessan or Cheddar Cheese (choice)

Preparation:
1)   In pot have milk boiling, add polenta and whisk rapidly until is cooked and liquid is
       absorbed, may have to add more milk.
2)   Stir in the roasted tomatoes and scallions, butter, cheese and basil, season and taste.

For the Shrimp
Ingredients:
1)   4-5 head on u-10 Prawns or Shrimp - cleaned peeled and deveined
2)   Salt and Pepper to season
3)   1 tb. Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sauté

Preparation:
1)   Season lightly the shrimp on both sides.
2)   In a hot pan place oil and sauté until no longer transparent.  This is last thing you do.

Final Assembly
1)   In a bowl or plate place 2 spoons polenta.  Then place 2 spoons sautéed ramp mixture
       and top with shrimp, drizzle with sauce.
2)   Enjoy!

Good Eating!!!