CHEF'S SELECTED ENTREES
I am pleased to be able to share some of my favorate Entrees with you! Through out my career as a professional chef many other chefs have shared their secrets with me. Now I'll show you the key to making your next dinner a great success is fairy simple, it's just seasoning and technique.I will be posting new recipes often so please stop back soon. Armed with the knowledge of seasoned professionals in the recipes below and my spice blends you'll alway be a hit in the kitchen in minutes not years!
Hey, I had to learn the hard way why should you?
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Cajun Blackened Salmon Filet with Black Beans & Rice Finished with Raspberry Gastrique
Ok, so most of us know the nutritional benefits of salmon with its omega 3 fatty acids and high vitamin and mineral profile. With the good it does our bodies and its versatility in applications I eat salmon once a week and suggest you do the same.
I will post many salmon recipes on this site in weeks to come.
I would also recommend adding steamed broccoli or asparagus to this entree.
Dinner For Two
- Two 6 to 8 oz. salmon filets
- 2 Tbsp. VINETTI'S CRAZY CAJUN SEASONING
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1.5 cups water
- 1/2 cups long grain rice
- 3/4 cup canned black beans (drained)
- 1/2 small onion (diced)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (diced)
- 2 cups white balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
RASPBERRY GASTRIQUE
In a medium sauce pot (or tail pot) on medium heat simmer balsamic and raspberries together .What you're looking to do here is make a "gastrique" or syrup like reduction. So simmer and reduce. Turn heat down gradually towards end and watch carefully. As the sugars concentrate it will be much easier to burn. LOW HEAT AT END!
This process should take 20 minutes.
BLACK BEANS & RICE
So while your gastrique is going on one burner you can start the rice on another.
This recipe is greatly simplified by using myCrazy Cajun Seasoning it contains the perfect blend for both the rice and the salmon. In a medium tail pot (sauce pot) over medium heat combine 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil, onion and bell pepper. Saute until edges are slightly browned (lightly caramelized) stirring often. At this point add the rice and continue sauteing for 2 minutes (rice should be evenly coated, stir often). Now add water, Cajun Seasoningand black beans, bring to a medium simmer (don't boil hard!) and cover, stirring every few minutes, add a bit more water if rice becomes too dry. Remove from heat after 20 minutes, keep covered and let rest for 10 minutes.
BLACKENED CAJUN SALMON
Keep in mind if you don't like the charred effect of the blackening process you can always simply saute the salmon with the seasoning at a lower heat or oven roast at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
So your rice and gastrique are almost done so lets get the salmon started. In a heavy saute pan or cast iron skillet place heat on high and add the rest of oil to pan right away. Now let the pan heat while you evenly coat your salmon filets on both sides with the remaining 1 Tbsp of Crazy CajunSeasoning. Keep an eye on the pan and the oil. What you're looking to achieve is "smoke point" this is when the oil starts to smoke lightly in the pan. Gently place salmon in pan an sear evenly on both sides. I find about 4 minutes on each side is an ideal medium cooked salmon filet.
PLATING
Ok, on a large white plate place 1/2 cup of rice on center, salmon filet on top of rice now drizzle salmon and plate with gastrique (remember a little goes a long way) to finish arrange broccoli or asparagus around plate...ENJOY!!!
Ok for this next entree I find that the polenta and beef tenderloin medallions go together very well with the escarole and the cherry gastrique.
Rosemary Soft Polenta
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp. Chopped Rosemary (fresh only)
2 Cups Polenta (yellow corn type)
4 Cups Vegetable Stock
2 Cups Soy or Rice Milk
In a saucepan over medium heat, add oil and garlic. Cook until slightly brown. Add two cups of stock right away to stop garlic from over browning. Retain the rest of your vegetable stock for later in the cooking process.
Add polenta when stock has come to a simmer, stirring constantly but gently for several minutes. Continue to add stock and now soy milk as polenta becomes thick or too dry. Continue to stir polenta very often to keep smooth and evenly cooked.
Keep heat medium/low after halfway point as not to burn (10 minutes). Add rosemary at this point. Total cooking time should be 20-25 minutes, depending on your desired consistency.
Pan Roasted Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Balsamic Cherries
Beef Tenderloin Medallions
(Try this one with veal or lamb as well)
4 each 3 oz beef tenderloin medallions
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic (chopped)
1 Tbsp. Fresh oregano or thyme
Light Salt & Pepper
Combine 1 Tbsp. oil, chopped garlic, and herbs with salt and pepper. Pour over Beef medallions and marinate overnight.
Beef will be pan seared in remaining olive oil on high heat at time of service.
For Balsamic Cherries
2 Cups Balsamic Vinegar
¼ Cup Sundried Cherries
In large sauté pan, reduce balsamic vinegar and cherries over medium heat until it reaches a syrup like consistency. (follow gastrique procedure in salmon recipe above).
Serve over Sautéed Escarole
Make to wash escarole very well first.
Cut escarole into 1 inch cubes. Sauté a bit of chopped shallot in olive oil, add escarole to pan and deglaze with white wine. Toss escarole in pan for a few times until cooked, but not mushy.
FIVE SPICED CHILEAN SEA BASS with GINGER MISO BROTH over BABY BOK CHOY
This is one of my favorite cooking demonstration recipes. It always got such a good response from the crowd. Remember my special FIVE SPICE BLEND is not a Chinese five spice and is like no other. It is available only on this site. Keep in mind this is a low calorie, low carb "spa" cuisine entree.
Dinner For Two
2ea. 6 oz Sea Bass Fillets
2 med. Shallots
4 cloves of garlic (peeled)
1 oz. fresh ginger root
2 stalks of lemon grass
1 qt. water
1 cup pineapple juice
2 bunches baby bok choy
1/8 cup miso paste
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
GINGER MISO SAUCE
Ok, so you want to start the sauce first. In a 2-3 qt sauce pot combine water, pineapple juice, sliced shallot, garlic & ginger root, lemon grass split and cut into three and simmer over med heat for 25 minutes. This is creating a base stock for your sauce. Now you'll want to strain your stock into another sauce pot, retaining the liquid & discarding the solid elements.
Bring stock back to a light simmer, stir in miso paste. You just made a complex sauce or broth like the pros!
TIP: If you want a thicker sauce you can thicken broth with a solution of 1/8 cup cold water & 1 Tbsp. corn starch.
FIVE SPICED CHILEAN SEA BASS
Sprinkle Sea Bass Filets with my Five Spice Blend and sear in pan in 1 Tbsp. of olive over med. heat, season bottom of sea bass at this time as well. Flip filet after 4 minutes to cook other side. A lid may have to be places on the saute pan to achieve desired doneness.
SAUTEED BABY BOK CHOY
In med saute pan on med heat add olive oil to pan and maybe some chopped garlic if you want. Rinse and cut the bottoms of the baby bok choy, add to pan, pour in a bit of water or white wine to prevent the garlic from over browning. Cover pan and just wilt the bok choy then remove from the heat.
Serve the Sea Bass Filet on a bed of the wilted Baby Bok Choy Then Finish with your ginger miso broth...ENJOY!
A Great Baked or Grilled Chicken Made Very Simple
- 3 lbs chicken (any combination -- ideal if they are similar sizes -- works great for thighs, but I've done a variety)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Vinetti's Famous Five Spice
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry (optional)
Preparation
Combine all ingredients except chicken, and use as marinade. Then, marinate chicken at least an hour, but can marinate overnight. Bake in a 375 F. oven (baste once or twice), or grill, for about 20 minutes Internal temp. is 165 degrees.
This chicken is best served over stir-fry of Asian Vegetables as follows:
Julienne a red bell pepper and a carrot, small floret broccoli, throw in some spring peas and cut scallion in a preheated wok or saute pan with one tbsp. toasted sesame oil, stir-fry your vegetables quickly at high heat add 1 tbsp. white soy sauce just before removing from wok/pan.
This recipe has little carbohydrate.
A great accompaniment to beef, veal or pork
Truffled Mushroom Ragout
In any season, you should be able to find a decent variety of mushrooms in your market.
2 Cups Wild/Specialty Mushrooms, Cleaned and Trimmed
2 Tsp. Minced Garlic
1 Small Shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/4 cup Red Wine or Sherry (I like Sweet Sherry)
Salt & Pepper to Taste
2 tsp. fresh chopped Thyme leaf
In medium sauté pan, add oil, shallots, and garlic and sauté until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and Thyme, continue to sauté, mixing with spoon or tongs often.
Use caution not to burn the garlic and shallots. When mushrooms have begun to wilt and brown slightly, add wine and reduce over medium-low heat. Stir a few times to evenly coat and cook mushrooms. Salt and pepper to taste.
After mushrooms are removed from heat, lightly drizzle a small amount of white truffle oil in and gently stir. 2 Tbsp of whole butter may be blended in after removed from heat to richen sauce.
Traditional "Filetto Di Pomarora" (Plum Tomato Sauce)
So ,Ok you may have seen the Pomodora Sauce on my
vegetarian/vegan page on this site, this one is a more traditional Sicilian style Pomadora they call " Filetto Di Pomarora" This is the simplest of all Italian/ Sicilian sauces. It is fast, it is simple, and it beats with the heart of thier summer season cooking.
Tomatoes from the backyard garden, recently
pulled onions, garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil. You can serve this with almost any type of pasta. It doesn't get much more rustic!
Serves 4 of your favorite loved ones
12 Very Ripe Plum Tomatoes (diced, include seeds, think rustic!)
1 small onion julienned (halfed then cut to thin strips)
4 cloves fresh garlic chopped
1/2 cup diced Panchetta (Italian Cured Bacon)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 tsp. chopped cherry peppers (use fresh, chop from whole yourself)
1 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Basil & Oregano ( 1 Tbsp. Total)
First off, get a medium stock pot and boil at least 5 quarts of water for your pasta.(remember the more water you cook your pasta in the more el dente pasta you'll achieve).
Julienne the onion. Then in a saute pan (over medium heat) add to the olive oil. Next, add the diced pancetta and chopped garlic, after the onions wilt and garlic has slightly caramelized, add tomatoes. After about 2 minutes add the chopped cherry peppers. Next add the tomatoes and Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
While this is happening, add the pasta to the boiling water (and only if its a rolling boil). Make sure you stir the pasta right away then every thirty seconds until cooked to desired firmness. After the pasta is almost cooked, drain well, add herbs and pasta to the pan of sauce, toss in sauce, return to heat and allow to cook for about 1 1/2 more minutes. Serve with shaved Asiago cheese.
Enjoy this rustic entree with family or friends; thats the spirit of the cuisine from this region!
