Filet Mignon in Porcini Sauce
(serves 2)



1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups porcini mushrooms, sliced thin
1 T. shallots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 T. balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper, to taste
2 12 oz. filets mignon
2 T. brandy
2 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup heavy cream

Prepare a large saucepan to medium. Add oil and mushrooms, saute 5-6 minutes, adding shallots and garlic midway through. Stir well.
Add 2 T. vinegar and season with salt & pepper. Simmer 1-2 minutes. Reserve.
Coat a cast iron skillet with oil and heat to medium-high. Lightly season filets and grill as prefered (2-3 minutes each side for rare to medium-rare). Set aside.
Deglaze skillet with 2 T. vinegar and brandy; add ingredients into saucepan and simmer gently. With a wooden spoon, stir cream and mustard until mixture thickens.
Plate filets on plates and smother with shallots and mushrooms. Top with sauce and serve.

Prime Rib Eye Steak with Balsamic Reduction & Gorgonzola Butter
(serves 4)

4 12 oz. Rib Eye Steaks
salt and pepper

For Steaks:
Salt and pepper steaks and grill to desired doneness. Place steak on plate and pipe butter on each steak and drizzle with Balsamic Reduction. Restaurant recipe includes a port sauce. Serve with a full-bodied and full-flavored red wine. Enjoy!

Balsamic Reduction:
2 cups Balsamic vinegar


Place vinegar in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. (Don't worry, it tastes better than it smells.) Then simmer and reduce to a syrupy consistency.

Gorgonzola Butter:
1 stick sweet cream butter (soft)
1/2 Gorgonzola cheese (room temperature)


Combine in food processor until smooth.

Shrimp Croquettes


2 lbs. chopped shrimp
5 Tbsp. Pommery Mustard
1 bunch scallions
3 Tbsp. sauteed garlic
3 Tbsp. sauteed shallots
5 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 handful parmesan
20 dashes Tabasco
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 c. bread crumbs
1 egg
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 red pepper, finely chopped
2 t. lemon pepper


Mix all ingredients together.
Shape into 3 ounce cakes.
Bread first in flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs.
Pan fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.

Serve with horseradish aioli, cocktail sauce or remoulade sauce.

Crispy Ahi

(Serves 6)


6 - 4oz. Ahi blocks, sashimi grade
1 Tbsp. Shichimi spice
6 Tbsp. wasabi paste
3 oz. pickled ginger
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
2 eggs, beaten
Oil to deep fry
3 cups panko
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup red bell pepper, juilenne
steamed jasmine rice
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, juilenne
Soy Cilantro Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 cup green papaya, julienne
Radish Sprout Aioli (recipe follows)
3 nori sheets, cut in half


Season ahi with shichimi.
Lay out the six strips of Nori and spread wasabi evenly over each sheet.
Quickly roll up a block of Ahi in each.
Dredge each roll in flour, then egg, and then the panko.
Heat oil to a temperature of 350 degrees and quickly fry each Ahi roll no more than one to two minutes. (Ahi will be rare to medium rare.)
Remove Ahi from oil to a paper towel-lined dish. Season and slice each roll.

Soy Cilantro Vinaigrette Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. garlic 1/2 cup lime juice
1 cup cilantro, loosley packed 3/4 cup pickled ginger
1/2 cup mirin 1 cup soy sauce, low salt
1/2 cup sesame oil 2 cups peanut oil
2 cups canola oil


Place all ingredients in blender except peanut and canola oil. Puree until smooth.
With blender running, add remaining oils until emulsified.
Reserve chilled.
Vinaigrette will last one week in refrigerator.

Radish Sprout Aioli Ingredients:
2 egg yolks 1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp, ginger, minced 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups radish sprouts 1 cup green onion tops
2 1/2 cups canola oil salt and pepper to taste


Place all ingredients except oil into a blender and puree smooth.
With blender running, add oil until emulsified.
Reserve chilled.
Aioli will last one week in refrigerator.

ASSEMBLY:
Mix papaya and peppers with enough soy cilantro vinaigrette to coat and season.
Arrange salad in center of plates and surround with sliced Ahi.
Drizzle sauces around Ahi, top salad with pickled ginger and sesame seeds.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Chicken Mediterranean
(serves 2)


1 chicken, pref. broiler-fryer, cut into pieces
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 in. piece rosemary, fresh, minced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 tsp. fine herbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. basil
10 Italian olives, cracked
1 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1 T. capers
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. wine vinegar

Saute chicken pieces in olive oil in a dutch oven (or very heavy bottomed pan).
Remove pieces and set aside.
In same pan, saute onions, celery and garlic until limp.
Add sugar, tomato paste, herbs, wine, vinegar and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Add chicken pieces and simmer 30 minutes.