Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce, Caramelized Red Onions, & Arugula

Greek Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce, Caramelized Red Onions, & Arugula

Ingredients

Burgers:

1 lb ground lamb
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 T. Oregeno
2 T. Thyme
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon.  Form in 4 patties, and bake in a 350 degree oven for approx. 50-60 minutes or pan fry for approx. 15 minutes. 

Tzatziki Sauce

8 oz fat free strained Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cucumber, finely diced
4 T. fresh parsely, diced
Splash of lemon juice
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Wrap cucumber in a kitchen towel or cheese cloth, and wring out  water from the cucumber.  Repeat until the vast majority of water is removed.  Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix well, and let rest in the refrigerator for 60 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. 

Caramelized Red Onions

1 Red Onion, juliened
2 T. EVOO
1/2 T. Sugar
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Sautee red onion in pan over medium heat with EVOO and kosher salt & pepper to taste.  When onion begins to soften, about five minutes, add in sugar, stir the pan, and cook for 5-10 minutes over medium low heat or until a nice caramel color develops.

Green Machine Soup-Inspired by Naked Juice's Green Machine Juice

Green Machine Soup-Inspired by Naked Juice's Green Machine Juice

Ingredients:

1 cup hulled barley (a true whole grain)
4 cans chicken broth
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
28 baby carrots
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch spinach
1/4 parsley
EVOO
2 T. Oregeno
2 T. Thyme
1 T. Cumin
1 t. White Pepper (only if you like a kick)
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss carrots and mushrooms with kosher salt, pepper, and 2 T. EVOO.  Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet, and roast until soft, about 30 minutes.  In a dutch oven or stock pot, sautee onion and garlic in EVOO over medium high heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Then add the roasted carrots and mushrooms along with the spices.  Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add the chicken broth and barley, stir well, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring regularly.  Add the spinach and parsley, cook for 5 minutes, puree with an immersion blender or food processor until a creamy consistency is achieved, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Enjoy a 2 cup, heart healthy serving at under 150 calories!

Meat Balls

Meat Balls

From the Henry Hill Good Fellas cookbook (think Ray Lolita)

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
3/4 lb ground veal
1/4 lb ground pork
2 eggs
4 garlic cloves
2 T. Oregano
2 T. Thyme
4 T. Fresh parsley, diced
4 T. Fresh Basil, diced
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 c. bread crumbs
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Mix all ingredients, preferably by hand, in a mixing bowl.  Roll into bite sized balls.  Bake at 350 in a baking dish lined with your tomato sauce until a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees (about 30-40 minutes) or pan fry in olive oil until cooked through.  Finish by simmering the cooked meatballs in your favorite sauce.

Bruchetta

Bruchetta

Ingredients

1 container cherry tomatoes, washed & quartered
2 cloves garlic, pressed
4 T. parsley, diced
1/8 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
4 T. balsamic vinegar
4 T. EVOO
Kosher Salt
Pepper
2 T. oregano
2 T. thyme
2 T. basil

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl, stir well, and serve with warm & toasted slices of baguette.  Enjoy!

Coho Salmon atop Avocado Salad with Parsnip Puree & Balsamic Honey Reduction

Coho Salmon atop Avocado Salad with Parsnip Puree & Balsamic Honey Reduction

Ingredients

1/2 pound Coho salmon fillet, cut into two pieces
Kosher Salt
Pepper
EVOO

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 T. honey

1 pound parsnips
2 cans low sodium Swanson chicken broth
2 cups water
Kosher Salt
Pepper

1 avocado
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/8 cup cilantro, finely diced
2 splashes lemon juice
1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Peel the parsnips, cut into 1" pieces, and boil in a stock pot with chicken broth, water, and kosher salt & pepper to taste.  Drain the parsnips and puree in a food processor or with an immersion blender.  Put puree into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the bottom corner cut off to serve as an ad hoc piping bag.

Dice the avocado and combine with red onion, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, and lemon juice, kosher salt & pepper.

Combine the honey and balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan, whisk over medium heat and reduce by half.

Heat 2 T. EVOO in a large skillet over medium high heat, place the salmon skin side down in the frying pan and cook until done, about 8 minutes.

Using a cookie or biscuit cutter OR a food ring, make a circle of avocado in the center of the plate; top with 1 piece of salmon.  Pipe the puree onto the plate.  Drizzle reduction over the salmon fillet.  Enjoy!

White Truffled Beef Carpaccio over Lemon Arugula Salad

White Truffled Beef Carpaccio over Lemon Arugula Salad


Ingredients
1/2 pound filet mignon, thinly sliced
1 cup arugula
EVOO
2 T. lemon juice
1/8 cup EVOO
Kosher Salt
Pepper
White Truffle Oil

Combine the EVOO and lemon juice; shake well.  Toss the arugula in the EVOO/lemon juice.  Using a circle food ring (or cookie/biscuit cutter), plate the arugula in the center of a plate.  Place the thinly sliced filet on top, season with kosher salt & pepper, and VERY lightly drizzle white truffle oil over the meat (less is better; in the picture we used four small drops & smeared the white truffle oil over the meat).

Cream-less Creamy Lentil Soup with Toasted Red Chilies and Roasted Tomatoes

Cream-less Creamy Lentil Soup with Toasted Red Chilies and Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

2 cups dried red lentils
4 cans low sodium Swanson chicken broth
2 dried red chilis
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
EVOO
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Toss cherry tomatoes in 1 T. EVOO, place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and roast for 10 minutes.  In a skillet, heat 1 t. EVOO, and over medium heat, toast the red chilies, flipping half way through, for 2 minutes.  When done toasting, cool and dice.  Combine the lentils and the chicken broth in a stock pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  After 20 minutes have elapsed, add the garlic, onion, red chillies, cherry tomatoes to the pot and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Ruth Ann's Famous Chipotle Sloppy Joes with Ground Turkey

Ruth Ann's Famous Chipotle Sloppy Joes with Ground Turkey

Ingredients

1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 chipotle pepper, diced
1 T. adobo sauce from can of chipotle peppers
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. Cumin power
Kosher Salt
Pepper
EVOO

Sautee the vegetables in EVOO, and once soften, about 5 minutes, add the ground turkey, cumin, kosher salt & pepper, to taste, and cook the meat until browned.  To the pan add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce.  Stir to combine and let simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Serve on mini buns and enjoy!

Bacon Poached Egg Open Face English Muffin Sandwich with Arugula

Bacon Poached Egg Open Face English Muffin Sandwich with Arugula

Ingredients

4 strips thick cut applewood smoked bacon
1/2 English Muffin
1 Egg
Arugula

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place bacon in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake bacon at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until desired crispness is reached.  Toasted English Muffin to desired doneness.  In a deep skillet filled 3/4 full of water, heat water to nearly boiling, crack egg into the pan, and let cook until the egg white is developed and the yolk is slightly firm, about 3-4 minutes.  Gently remove the egg using a slotted spoon.  Layer the bottom of the English muffin with a layer of arugula, snap the bacon into half pieces and place atop the arugula, place the egg on the bacon, and enjoy!

Roasted Sweet Potato "Tater Tots"

Roasted Sweet Potato "Tater Tots"

Ingredients
2 Sweet Potatoes, peeled
2 T. EVOO
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

To start, cut the whole potato into 1 large rectangle by trimming the sides of the potato so that the resulting potato is a cube with 4 flat sides.  From that large cube, cut the cube in half, then half again, and begin to cut "mini cubes."  Toss the mini cubes in EVOO, kosher salt & pepper to taste.  Roast in the oven on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 40-50 minutes.

Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese, Arugula, Fig Balsamic Vinegar /Roasted Cherry Tomato, Caramelized Red Onion, Arugula, Goat Cheese Whole Wheat Pizza

Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese, Arugula, Fig Balsamic Vinegar /Roasted Cherry Tomato, Caramelized Red Onion, Arugula, Goat Cheese Whole Wheat Pizza

1 Beet, sliced into half moons
1 cup arugula
1/2 red onion-sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup spreadable goat cheese
Splash Fig Balsamic Vinegar
EVOO
Kosher Salt
Pepper
1 whole wheat pizza crust (ours came from a farmer's market)

Toss in EVOO, Kosher salt & pepper, and roast the beet & cherry tomatoes at 400 degrees for approx. 20 minutes or until nicely caramelized on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Over medium heat, sauté the onion in EVOO for 10 minutes or until nicely caramelized.  Apply EVOO to the crust of the pizza, and assemble half of the crust with a layer of beets and balls of goat cheese.  On the other half layer tomatoes, red onion, and balls of goat cheese.  Bake accordingly to the instructions for the pizza crust.  Remove from the oven when the crust is crisp, top with arugula, and apply fig balsamic vinegar over the half of the pizza with the beets.  Allow the pizza 2 minutes to set before cutting into slices.  Enjoy!

Fish Nachos

Fish Nachos

Tortilla Chips
1 diced onion-white, red, or both
1 diced tomato
1/2 bunch minced cilantro
2 fillets of fish-cooked and diced
Salsa of your choice (we used tomatillo-Rick Bayless has a great recipe)

Assemble nachos any which way and enjoy!

Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Broccoli

1 head broccoli
2 T. EVOO
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash, cut, and toss broccoli with EVOO and kosher salt & pepper to taste.  Roast on a parchment paper lined baking sheet until slightly caramelized, 15-20 minutes.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese and/or truffle oil.

Pan Fried Calamari

Pan Fried Calamari

Ingredients

1 pound squid, rings & tentacles, cleaned
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup flour
1 t. Kosher Salt
1 t. Pepper
1 T. Old Bay Seasoning
Vegetable Oil

Preheat 1" of oil in a heavy skillet over high heat.

If working with whole squid, cut the the tubes into rings and trim the tentacles.  Rinse the squid and pat dry.  Mix flour with Kosher salt, pepper, and Old Bay Seasoning.  Toss the squid in the flour and shake off any excess flour.

Fry the squid until golden brown over medium high heat, 5-7 minutes.  Remove from the pan and place in a bowl lined with a paper towel.  Shake off excess oil, remove the paper towel, toss with lemon juice and Old Bay Seasoning.  Serve with cocktail sauce and/or lemon cilantro aioli.

Florida Gulf Cioppino

Florida Gulf Cioppino

Quick Fish Stock:

1 small onion-minced
1 medium carrot-minced
2 medium ribs celery-minced
parsley-chopped
1 cup dry white wine
24 ounces clam juice
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
Juice of a lemon
Kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Bring all ingredients to a boil, and simmer about 30 minutes.  Strain the stock and reserve for later.

Cioppino

1/4 cup EVOO
1 small carrot, diced
1 small white onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 bottle red wine
2 bay leaves
2 t. red wine vinegar
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
10 cups pureed tomatoes
1/2 bunch fresh basil
1/2 bunch fresh oregano
2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound Mahi Mahi
1 pound squid, rings and tentacles, cleaned
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Fish Stock (see above)

Sautee the onion, carrot, green pepper, and celery in EVOO over medium high heat for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic & herbs and cook for 1 minute.  Add the wine, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and reduce the mixture until almost all the liquid is gone.  Add the tomatoes and the fish stock, bring to a boil, and simmer on low heat for 2 hours.

Over medium heat add the squid and cook for 35 minutes uncovered.  Add the clams and fish, cover the pot, and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the shrimp, cover the pot, and cook for 2 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Brussels Spouts

Ingredients

1 bunch Brussels Sprouts
EVOO
Kosher Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash brussels sprouts, dry in colander, slice the white end off each sprout, cut each sprout into 2 halves, and remove the tough outer leaves.  Toss with EVOO, kosher salt, and pepper before spreading evenly onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Roast at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the sprouts are golden brown and nicely caramelized.

Grouper Cheeks with Lemon Cilantro Aioli

Grouper Cheeks with Lemon Cilantro Aioli

Ingredients

Grouper Cheeks

Grouper Cheeks (the actual cheek of a fish)
1/3 cup flour
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Old Bay Seasoning
Vegetable Oil

Lemon Cilantro Aioli

1/2 cup Olive Oil Mayo
1/2 bunch Cilantro
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Juice of a Lemon

Combine the Aioli ingredients, mix well, chill for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a frying pan with 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium high heat.  Combine flour, kosher salt, pepper, and Old Bay Seasoning to taste.  Dredge fish cheeks through the flour, shaking off excess flour so that a thin coating remains.  Pan fry the checks for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.  Serve with aioli.

Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Arugula Crostini with Orange Zest and Fig Balsamic Vinegar

Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Arugula Crostini with Orange Zest and Fig Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients:

1 Baguette
Spreadable Goat Cheese
Handful of Arugula
2 Beets
Zest of an Orange
Fig Balsamic Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Pepper
EVOO

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash, peel, and cut each beet into 2 halves.  Turn each beet on its side, and thinly slice beets into "half moon" shaped pieces.  Toss with EVOO, kosher salt, and pepper, spread evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and roast until crisp, about 10-15 minutes.

Thinly slice the baguette, spread goat cheese on each slice, place a few leaves of arugula on each slice along with a 1-2 beets.  Top each crostini with orange zest and finish with fig balsamic vinegar.

Local Ft Myers Beach Seared Yellow Fin Sushi Grade Tuna

Seared Tuna for 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds of tuna fillets, 1-1.5 inches thick (ahi tuna or other quality grade tuna works as well)

EVOO

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Allow the tuna to come to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.  Pre-heat grill on high heat for 10 minutes.  Season the tuna with a liberal amount of salt and pepper before brushing tuna fillets with enough EVOO to coat both sides.  

Turn the grill down to medium high heat and sear one side of the tuna for 2 1/2 minutes with the lid closed, turning 180 degrees half way through the 2 1/2 minute cooking time to achieve a "steakhouse X" sear on the fillet.  

When 2 1/2 minutes has passed, apply more EVOO to the fillets before flipping.  Close the lid of the grill, and cook an additional 2 minutes for rare, 3 minutes for medium rare, or 4 minutes for medium; regardless of your preference for doneness (I recommend rare), remember to turn 180 degrees half way through your cooking time to get grill marks.

When the cooking is complete, pull the fillets off the grill, allow them to rest 2 minutes, and cut them in half and serve!