Oui, Chef

Parchment Baked Fish with Fennel

Baking fish in parchment is a fabulous technique that I'd read about for years but didn't try myself until just the other day, inspired by having seen my chef-friend Jody Adams cook some this way in a recent cooking class I attended.  Jody, who along with her husband Ken write and shoot the fabulous home-cooking blog, The Garum Factory, prepared a similar dish in her class, and from the first bite I was hooked.

Curried Cod with Kale-Cannon and Tomato Olive Sauce

Every year around this time I am sure to find my wife standing before our open refrigerator slowly shaking her head side to side, shoulders slumped forward, already wearied by the enormity of the task ahead.  You see, my wife is big on advance planning, and about three weeks before Thanksgiving she starts to concern herself over the ability of our fridge to handle the seasonal onslaught of cooking that accompanies our holiday entertaining.  

Thai Shrimp Curry

I love curries, and I mean all curries.  Thai, Indian, Pakistani, Cambodian, you name an ethnic cuisine that boasts a curry and I'm all over it like.....well....

Like curry on rice!

It doesn't matter to me whether the curry is a long braised Indian lamb curry, or a quick to the table Thai version like this one here, there is just something special about the spice blends that define curries that I find very appealing.  Some are scorching hot, others not so much, but one thing all curries share is a complexity and depth of flavor that I find absolutely addiciting.

Cod with Roasted Tomatoes, Beans and Green Olive Broth

This meal came together on the fly the other night in an effort to rid our fridge of some produce before we left town for a week.  We had some purple romano beans (did you know they turn green when you cook them?...neither did I), some baby potatoes, half a box of organic chicken stock, and a green olive pesto that had been in residence so long that it was practically part of the family.

Peyton's "Jean-Georges" Meal

 

Today I lay down my pen (as it were) and camera, and hand over the reigns to Peyton who offered to write this guest post about an awesome meal she cooked just before heading off to summer camp.  All the words and photos are hers, and she hopes very much that you enjoy them. Cheers - Steve

One of my earliest memories about Asian food was trying to use chopsticks. I struggled, and ended up using my fingers instead. Another I have is about going to a wonderful Japanese restaurant and eating at a hibachi table. The chef cooked with huge flames, made onion volcanoes, and tossed eggs into his hat.  But what I remember most was his smile. He was enjoying the show as much as we were. Up until cooking with Steve, I hadn’t even dreamt of cooking Asian food. The techniques seemed so complicated and took years to master. 

Not long ago I was looking through his many, many cookbooks for a recipe for lamb. I went into Jean-Georges Vongerichten's cookbook, Jean-Georges: Cooking At Home with a Four-Star Chef, and it jumped out at me. No, not the lamb dish that I was looking for, but rather a picture like what you see above. It was of a whole plate of his signature appetizers, and it looked delicious.  Of course, it also looked like an intimidating challenge.  If you knew me personally, then you'd know why I couldn't just turn another page. I had to make it!

Lobster Rolls - A Tale of Summers Past

 
This post was originally written as a guest post for my friend Greg over at SippitySup.  He had asked a number of blogger friends to write some pieces on childhood summer memories that he could post in his absence while he vacationed.  I know some of you read Greg's great blog, but for those who don't I thought I'd re-post this one here for you to enjoy. Cheers - Steve

 

My early childhood summers were fabulously routine, but never boring.  I grew up in a typical New England “beach” town, so for me, summer travel required no more than a 4 mile trek.  

Each summer vacation started the same, with Mom packing coolers of food and crates full of our summer duds (really nothing more than a few bathing suits and t-shirts), and loading them all into the Jeep.  A quick stop in town for a tide chart, and a brief stint in the barber’s chair for a short, summer crew-cut, and we were on our way to Saquish.

Roasted Cod Caprese

Given that we live within spitting distance of Cape Cod, you'd think finding a beautiful piece of the fish that lends it's name to this region wouldn't be too difficult a task.  Sadly, most of the cod we see around here, even in the best retail fish markets, doesn't get me very excited these days.  Sob....sob...sniffle...

Herb and Lemon Baked Shrimp

 

Those of you searching for a delicious, easy and quick meal for your family tonight, click no further, because this is the dish for you.  In under a half hour you can be spooning these tasty shrimp over a serving of your favorite rice, or if you have a few more minutes to spare, you may want to whip up a blue-cheese polenta as we did, and prepare to be WOWED.

Cod and Cabbage Purses with Lemon-Caper Brown Butter Sauce

 
By the time I finished my training at Le Cordon Bleu, I had sworn that I would never again cook a dish that required my wrapping anything in a cabbage leaf.  Why?  Because over the course of my time there, it seemed that we spent an inordinate amount of time cooking things in cabbage, and to be honest, I wasn’t a big fan.

Training at the school is broken into three trimesters, the first concentrating on the very basics of knife skills and cuts, and learning the ins and outs of culinary building blocks such as stock, roux etc.  The second term is designed as a tour around regional France, with each week or so dedicated to exploring the classic dishes of the country’s varied regional cuisines. In the final term we stepped things up and created modern, internationally influenced “restaurant” quality dishes.

Bacon Wrapped Cod

This is another Jaime Oliver inspired dish, that although it may cause certain types a bit of trouble, is so delicious that I predict you're going to make it again and again.  I'll be the first to admit that this dish is not exactly seasonally pure, and understand that those of you who will ONLY cook what is locally and seasonally fresh may fight back on this one a bit.  I am of course talking about the inclusion of asparagus in this dish, because let me be clear, in my book there is never a season where something wrapped in bacon isn't appropriate.  Are in agreement on this point?  

Good, then let's move on.