Sea Bass with Sorrel Sauce

this recipe is featured on "The F Word" season 2, episode 2.
Note: I used spinach instead of sorrel, because I forgot to get sorrel (doh!)

INGREDIENTS: 
Sea bass fillets**
salt / pepper
olive oil

fish stock: (can use store bought instead)
bones from the sea bass
water
onion
leek
celery
bay leaves
fresh parsley
fresh thyme
peppercorns
dry white wine

sorrel sauce:
butter
shallots, chopped
salt, pepper
dry white wine
fish stock (see above)
cream
sorrel, chopped (I used spinach)

DIRECTIONS:
Filet the sea bass leave skin on. Save the bones (leave whatever meat on the bones) to make stock out of.
Rub salt & cracked pepper on the filets, and set aside on a plate while you make the stock.
Make the fish stock:
Put the fish bones in a large pot. Add in some water. (I didn't use exact measurements, I made more than enough stock  froze the leftover). Use enough water to cover the bones plus all the vegetables, you can always add more.
Add in the other stock ingreds and bring to a boil. Let simmer for awhile & reduce, like 20-30min.
Strain out the liquid & set aside. Discard the bones/vegetables etc.

Now make the sauce:
Heat up a skillet & add in a few pieces of butter.
Add in the shallots & salt/pepper.
Add in some wine, and reduce.
Add in some fish stock. Reduce.
Add in some cream, and let simmer for a few min.
Sift out the liquid and add into a saucepan. Stir in the sorrel.

Cook the sea bass:
Heat up a skillet & add in olive oil.
Place sea bass fillets in skillet, skin side down.
Cook like 3-5 min each side, baste with the juices in the skillet. It cooks pretty fast.
After fish is done remove from heat, serve with the sauce.
I served with boiled broccoli & wild rice.

**note: I used a whole Mediterranean sea bass that I got from Whole Foods bc the fish market was closed. I also got some "Chilean Sea Bass" from a groc store because 2 more people made the guest list & I already left Whole Foods lol, but it was frozen with no skin. I cooked it along with the sea bass, but it wasn't near as good. Chilean Sea Bass is apparently not really a bass, it's a marketing ploy. Next time will hit up the fish market for a nice large sea bass.

more photos:

Asparagus-Stuffed Chicken

This is pretty similar to Prosciutto-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast. I found the recipe here.
This can easily be modified to be stuffed with something other than asparagus, or substitute any ingredients you like.

INGREDIENTS: (serves 4)
4 chicken breasts (I used 8 thin sliced breasts)
8 slices provel cheese, or similar (2 per serving)
thin sliced prosciutto (1 or 2 per breast)

16 pieces of asparagus
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
butter
salt/pepper

filling:
1/2 c mayo
squirt of dijon mustard
minced garlic (to taste)
grated parmesan
salt, pepper
chopped parsley
squirt of lemon juice
some zest of lemon (optional)
tarragon

crust mixture:
bread crumbs
grated parmesan

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 475F.
If you're not using thin sliced breasts, then pound each chicken breast to like 1/4" thickness.
Microwave the asparagus for 90 seconds.
Finish the asparagus off in a skillet:
Heat skillet to med heat. Add in olive oil. Add in asparagus.
Stir in some balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, then stir. Add in some butter.
After asparagus is nice n sauteed set aside.
In a bowl combine bread crumbs and parmesan (I also added some left over crumb mixture that I had from making crusted rack of lamb)

In a 2nd bowl mix together the filling ingredients. This will be spread inside the chicken, and on the outside so that the bread crumb mixture sticks to it.
Lay out a piece of prosciutto. Lay chicken breast on top of it. Set a slice of cheese on top of it.
Spread a little of the filling mixture. Set 4 pieces of asparagus on top of it, then another slice of cheese.
(add 2nd chicken breast on top of all of that if using the thin sliced breasts).
(If using pounded breasts fold it up to enclose the filling as much as possible).
Wrap prosciutto around the stuffed chicken breast.
Brush some of the filling mixture on the outside of the stuffed breast, then coat with the bread crumb mixture.
Grease a baking pan, and sprinkle on some garlic, salt, & pepper.
Place chicken breasts on baking pan & bake for 25min.

I served with sauteed mushrooms and wild rice.
note: next time I think I'll use pounded chicken breasts so that everything holds together better (cheese oozed out of it) and I may put the prosciutto on the inside instead of the outside. I dunno.

more photos:

Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb

Saw this recipe on F Word season 1 episode 1. Had to try it, the crust coating was so good.

INGREDIENTS:
Rack of lamb (I got a 2lb pack but just used 1 of the racks)
salt, pepper
dijon mustard
coating:
bread crumbs
fresh parsley
fresh rosemary
fresh thyme
grated parmesan
olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450F.
Heat up a skillet to med/high,
Cut the lamb rack into 3 segments (or adjust based on how many servings. I did 3 servings)
Rub the lamb with salt & pepper.
Add some olive oil into skillet & brown the lamb on all sides to get some color on there.
Remove skillet from heat. Place lamb in the skillet, place skillet in oven for 8min.
Meanwhile pull the leaves off the herbs and place in a blender with the bread crumbs, parm, & olive oil. Blend to make a nice crumbly green colored coating.
(The amount depends on how much you need. I kept adding more parsley till it had a nice green tint. I prob made 1.5 c of it and had half leftover).
Take the lamb skillet out of the oven, brush with dijon, & rub each piece of lamb in the green mixture (like fun dip lol).
Place lamb in skillet back in the oven for 4-8 more min (I cooked till 145F I wanted it pretty medium bc its lamb!)
Slice lamb between the bones & serve.

I served with sauteed cherry tomatoes/zucchini/garlic/balsamic vinegar and scalloped potatoes

more photos:

Prosciutto-wrapped, Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Yet another Ramsay recipe, found here

INGREDIENTS:
boneless. skinless chicken breasts (I used a pkg of 10 thin sliced breasts to make 5 total)
salt/pepper
prosciutto (1 slice per serving. I used 5 slices)
ricotta cheese
fresh parsley, chopped
fresh sage leaves
thyme (I ran out of fresh so used dried)
garlic & herb seasoning
olive oil
minced garlic

DIRECTIONS:
make the filling:
In a bowl mix ricotta (1 large scoop for each serving. I used like 2/3 of the container)
Stir in some chopped sage, chopped parsley, salt, pepper. Set aside.

If you are using regular chicken breasts, butterfly them.
Lay out a piece of plastic wrap for each breast. Lay a piece of prosciutto on the plastic wrap.
Place a sage leaf on top of the prosciutto.
Place the chicken breast on top of that, and stuff with some of the ricotta filling.
(In my case I placed a thin breast slice, then the filling, then topped with a second thin breast slice).
Fold up the ends of the chicken breast (if applicable) and wrap the prosciutto around it,
Wrap up in plastic wrap.
Place in fridge for awhile.

Heat oven to 400F. Place baking sheet in the oven so it heats up.
Heat up a skillet to med heat & add in some olive oil. Brown both sides of the chicken in the skillet.
Remove the heated baking sheet & sprinkle some garlic in it, and garlic/herb seasoning.
Place the chicken on the baking sheet, and sprinkle more seasoning on top, along with some thyme.
Bake for 15min. Chicken is done when internal temp is 165F.
Remove chicken from oven, cover with foil, & let rest for a few min.

I served with parmesan orzo and steamed vegetables.

note: Next time I'm going to try marinating the chicken beforehand

more photos:

Baked Pork Chops w Piquant Sauce

Following the Ramsay theme of late, I googled for a pork recipe. Turned out delicious, recipe video here

INGREDIENTS:
Bone-in pork chops (I used 3)
1 head of garlic
fresh thyme leaves
fresh rosemary (I have a tuscan blue plant, intense flavor on that stuff)
olive oil
salt, pepper
garlic/herb seasoning

piquant sauce:
olive oil
8oz sliced mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, chopped finely
2 red jalapenos (Im sure green is fine whatever), remove seeds, chop pepper finely
salt/pepper
1 can crushed tomatoes (I think I had a 28oz can, I used like 3/4 of it)
1 T sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400F. (in the video he's using Celcius. Because he is in his kitchen in England.*)
Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic/herb seasoning, olive oil, half of the garlic coves (smashed) onto a baking sheet.
Place pork chops on the baking sheet.
Place a smashed garlic clove on each chop.
Top with rosemary leaves, thyme leaves, salt, pepper, garlic/herb seasoning, olive oil.
Bake for 10min, then turn down heat to 375 and continue baking till the pork internal temp is 145F.

Meanwhile make the piquant sauce:
Heat up a sauce pan & add in some olive oil.
Add in the chili peppers, then add in salt & pepper.
Add in onions, then bell pepper.
Add some more olive oil. Then add in sugar.
Add in mushrooms.
Add in half of the crushed tomatoes.
Stir everything, then add in any additional seasoning. Then add in the rest of the crushed tomatoes(I didn't use the full can cuz it looked like too much tomato).

Serve with a scoop of piquant sauce under the pork chop & also on top of it.
We also ate it with some wild rice & leftover mashed potatoes.

more photos:

Poached Chicken with Morel Sauce

This recipe was featured on "The F Word" season 1, episode 5.  I loved the morel sauce. Had a bunch leftover I put it on everything lol.

INGREDIENTS:
whole chicken (I used a "young chicken", pre-gutted).
handful baby carrots, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
ground pepper
coriander (I used dried)
fresh thyme sprigs
bay leaves
olive oil
butter

(optional):
1 turnip, sliced
port wine
butter
5 spice

mashed potatoes

morel sauce:
3 shallots, chopped into chunks
1.5 oz (or more) dried morels (morels were balls expensive, so I used: 1/2oz dried morels, 1/2oz dried chanterelles, 1/2oz dried portabellas)
salt
fresh thyme
1 clove garlic
white wine (I used bottom shelf champagne)
some chicken stock (use from the stock you cook the ckn in)
1c cream (fresh unpasteurized cream is best. I couldnt obtain it that day so I used cream from the store).
fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Cut the legs and wings off the chicken. (I cooked them too, just because).
Stuff some garlic cloves in the carcass.
Fill a large pot with water & bring to a boil. Add in some ckn stock flavoring.
Place the chicken carcass & wings/legs into the water.
Add in the carrots, leeks, celery, thyme, bay leaves, pepper, coriander.
Poach for ~12 min, then remove the chicken.

While that's happening make the morel sauce:
Heat up a sauce pan & add in some olive oil.
Add in the dried mushrooms, shallots, thyme, garlic, and some salt.
Add in white wine (around 1 cup), then reduce,
Add in some stock from the pot the chicken is cooking in (around 1 cup).
Add in the cream.
Continue cooking until the sauce turns a light cafe mocha color.
Pour the mixture through a strainer, and reserve the liquid. Add parsley into the sauce.
Dispose of the mushrooms & crap.

Back to the chicken:
Cut breasts off the chicken.
Season the chicken breasts/legs/wings with desired seasoning (I used garlic& herb, but just salt/pepper works).
Heat up a skillet & add in olive oil.
Press chicken pieces in, skin side down.
Add in some butter.
Baste & cook all sides of the chicken till it's a nice golden color.
Serve with morel sauce poured over it.

(optional) Side dish, caramelized turnips:
Cut up a turnip.
Heat up a skillet & add in some olive oil. Add in turnips & cook.
Drain out liquid & add in some port wine & butter.
Mix in some five spice. Reduce.

(optional)Side dish: mashed potatoes.
This is something I always cheat on, I used instant potatoes (chipotle flavor), and when they were done & mixed in some shredded cheddar.

note: Turnips were meh. Next time I'm going to use onions instead of turnips.
Also I saved the leftover carcass & the pot of stock w vegetables etc and we made chicken noddle soup the next day.

more photos:

Coq Au Vin

Been watching a lot of Gordon Ramsay's show "The F Word" and since I've been wanting to make some more gourmet style foods rather than the usual slow cooker shenanigans I thought I'd give this a shot. This recipe was featured in Season 1 episode 2.

INGREDIENTS:
3 chicken legs, and 3 chicken thighs. (I got bone-in, skin-on, quartered leg pieces and just cut the legs off the thighs with sweet bone cutting scissors).
*you can use whatever cuts you want though*

flour, pepper
onion, cut up into chunks
whole fresh mushrooms
couple leeks, cut up
handful of baby carrots
8oz raw bacon, cut into pieces
garlic
fresh thyme
some bay leaves
few pats of butter
3c chicken broth
burgundy wine (I couldn't find any from france so I used pinot noir house wine)
vegetable seasoning

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Coat the chicken with flour and some pepper.
Sift some more flour over it.
Heat up a big skillet & add olive oil.
Press the chicken into the skillet, and cook it on all sides till it turns a nice brown color.
Set chicken aside on a plate.
Fry the bacon for a few min in the skillet. Set bacon aside.
Add some olive oil back in the skillet, & add in the onion, leeks, mushrooms, carrots. Melt in the butter. Add in some garlic & vegetable seasoning.
Bust out a big roasting pan. Add the vegetables into it.
Add in the bacon, a dash of the wine, and then the chicken.
Heat up the chicken broth (or make stock whatever) and add in the thyme & bay leaves into the broth.
Pour broth mixture over everything in the pan.
Place in oven for 30-35 min.
Scoop out some of the juice in the pan & spoon over the chicken.
Cook about 30 more minutes. (may not take this long, just make sure the chicken is fully cooked).
You can remove the chicken and reduce the broth mixture in a skillet but I skipped this for time purposes.

Serve with mashed potatoes.

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