For me, cooking is the occasion to be open to new ideas and stimulate my imagination. The great thing about cooking is anyone can do it! When I cater, I discuss food trends, likes, dislikes and most importantly seasonal ingredients with clients. When I teach sessions we discuss shopping habits, storing and use of ingredients, for optimal pleasure. (Yes-food is pleasure!)When I present the final dish, I know my recipients obtain energy, satisfaction and are, for the most part delighted.

This week’s market excursion and recipe development inspired me to come up with some different salsas. They were to garnish/accompany some main ingredients for a future event. When I create recipes I think through the use of each ingredient in multiple ways. Of course, I try to identify the ease of preparation and yield of the recipe. Considering, most fresh ingredients once they are cut have about a three day shelf life.
Today we have salsas! What I like about them is that they provide an alternative to a sauce. They can be crisp, cold, or warm. They should compliment what you are serving. The first is a Red Bean & Green Tomato: goes well with grilled steak, chicken or fish. I mixed it with some fresh salad and served it like that as well. It was great.

Red Bean and Green Tomato Salsa

Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 1-15oz. can Red beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup diced Red onion, 1/4″ pieces
• 2 medium green tomatoes, cut in quarters, seeded and cut in 1/4″ dice pcs
• 1 Serrano pepper, seeded and diced 1/4″
• 1 large yellow squash, (use only the outside skin) and cut into 1/4″ dice pcs
• 4 scallions, rinsed, remove both ends and chopped fine,
• 1 T. Lime juice
• 2 T. garlic oil
• Salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, rough chopped

Procedure:

1. In a food processor, coarsely chopped the red beans. Transfer to a glass bowl.
2. In a medium sauté pan on high heat, add the oil. Reduce the temperature to medium and add the onion, pepper, tomato and squash. Sauté for 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the beans and season with the lime juice, salt/pepper and cilantro. Toss to combine and refrigerate for at least 1 hr or overnight.

Serve with a grilled entrée or blend with some fresh greens, for a salad. Or, serve with some crunchy blue and gold tortilla chips! You have great colors, wonderful flavors and some ingredients that you may not have combined before to make a new recipe.

Avocado-Feta Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 Large avocado, cut in half, remove the skin and seed
• 2 plum tomatoes, cut in half and seeded
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced medium
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 T. fresh chopped parsley
• 1t. fresh oregano leaves, chopped fine
• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 t. Red wine vinegar
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Procedure:

1. Slice the Avocado into thin strips, and dice. Repeat with the plum tomato and place in a glass bowl.
2. Add the next six ingredients and toss to combine.
3. Gently mix the cheese in. Serve with fish prepared any way you enjoy.

Another Salsa I came up with is a Fennel and Chayote Squash, taste great and goes well with chicken or fish. It has just a bit of curry in it for a refreshing flavor.
Another use for fruit I enjoy is salsa as a garnish for sorbets, ice-cream or a slice of angel food cake.

I think our readers would love your comments and recipes you have tried. If you would like the Fennel and Chayote squash or a fresh fruit variation let me know.

Ciao

~ Chef Bernard

Yes…I found this online this morning while killing some time avoiding meetings.  Watch it and let me know what you think.  Scroll past the video after you watch it and leave your comment there in the big box and don’t forget you have to enter the captcha word thing below your comment so we know it isn’t spam!!

So there has been this little feud going on between Eminem and Mariah Carey for a few years now and Mariah just made a video called “Obsessed” where she is directly taking a shot at him and even has him get hit by a BUS in the end!  And there is an “Eminem” looking guy in the video (even though she says it is not him) and guess who plays him? MARIAH!  It is actually a pretty good song and she looks amazing as always.  I just love that she is playing him in the video!  I can’t wait to see what Eminem says about this.  Check it out below…..

OK, so it’s not the greatest opener. But it is a great sandwich and it’s enticing any time of year. What I like about Panini’s is that it’s versatile and you can be as creative as you want to be.

What do I mean by versatile? You can use it as an appetizer, have with a salad or soup course and create a menu that pleases every palate. The best thing is we don’t have to have a Panini machine to make them. I make them on the grill; I have a pan which has a raised base which makes grill marks and also a “two sandwich” grill press which makes the perfect one every time. When I close the top it gives me the weight I need to melt the cheese and gives perfect grill marks on the bread.

Some tips to making a great Panini:

• Use crusty bread or one that is a little dry. Soft bread falls apart.
• Place the cheese first on the bread before you apply a sauce or relish. It keeps the bread from becoming too moist.
• Have all your ingredients ready, prior to assembling the Panini.

A few of my favorites to make are the Portobello mushroom which goes great with a fresh crunchy salad or the Italian ham and I enjoy it with fresh bowl of tomato soup. Our readers look forward to your recipes and always enjoy when you try a recipe and let us know how it came out.

Portobello Panini

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2-6” mushroom caps, brushed with oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled for 3 mins., on both sides until tender. Slice on a diagonal, into 6 slices.
• 2-cups baby spinach, sautéed with 1 T. of olive oil and 1 t. of minced garlic (drain the spinach when finished sautéing)
• 2-pieces of roasted red pepper, sliced thin
• ¼-cup red onion, sliced thin
• ¼-cup herbed mayonnaise (add: 1 T. chopped fresh basil, parsley or tarragon to your mayonnaise)
  6-slices baby Swiss cheese
• I-loaf cibatta bread or Italian bread sliced length wise (trim the top if the loaf is too high: remember you are going to grill the sandwich)
• 2-T. oil to brush on the top of the bread

To assemble:

1. Heat the Grill.
2. With the bread on a sheet pan or platter, place layer of cheese on one slice of bread, spread the herbed mayonnaise on the cheese (or try a hummus)
3. Add a thin layer of the drained spinach (use half), top with the onion and sliced Portobello.
4. Then top with the roasted red pepper slices and remaining spinach.
5. Add the remaining cheese and the bread top. Brush with olive oil.
6. Place on the hot grill and reduce the temperature to medium low so you don’t burn it. Place a sheet pan or 2 on top to give some weight. The weight presses the sandwich making deep grill marks.
7. Close the lid and grill for 3 minutes. Flip it over with a spatula and grill for an additional three minutes or until the cheese melts.
8. Remove and slice with a sharp chef’s knife. Make quick cuts to prevent tearing. Cut into uniform pieces.

Italian Panini

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 6-slices provolone cheese
• ¼-cup herbed mayonnaise
• ¼-cup sliced Vidalia onion

Salt and pepper to taste

• ½-cup arugula leaves (no stem)
• 3-slices each of ham, coppacola ham and salami sliced thin
• Try a baguette or round loaf of bread (with the top cut off)

Follow the same procedure in assembling the Italian Panini as above.

The key is to make them a few times and you will get good at them.

Ciao

~ Bernard