Lentil and Feta Salad

Serves 4

1 cup lentils
2 cups water
Juice of 2 lemons
1-2 T minced dill
2 cloves garlic minced
4 ounces feta
1-2 tsp minced chervil leaves (optional)
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Bring lentils and water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let simmer until tender, around 30 minutes.

Cool lentils, then mix in the remainder of the ingredients, and season with cayenne and salt.  

Caitlin's Brussel Sprouts

Caitlin's Brussel Sprouts: From Caitlin Greene
Serves 8
- 20 Large Brussels sprouts
- 1 large red onion
- 1 bushel of dill
- 1 large fennel bulb
- 8 oz butter
- Juice of 2 large lemons
- 4 oz parmiggiano reggiano cheese, grated



1. Shave brussels with a mandolin or in a food processor using the slicer attachment
2. Chop dill
3. Slice fennel very thin using the mandolin or the slicer attachment
4. Cut red onion in half moon shapes and slice it as well
5. Warm butter over medium-high heat. Whisk continuously until butter turns a light brown color and smells mildly of nuts
6. Add lemon juice to brown butter and whisk
7. Place all vegetables in large bowl and grate parmigiano over them. Sprinkle with salt and grind black pepper.
8. Drizzle brown butter and lemon juice and toss salad with dill.
9. Salt more if necessary

Seared scallop and arugula salad with pickled cranberry dressing and chocolate pearls

Serves 2

6-10 fresh sea scallops (you can use frozen, but you won't be able to get them to caramelize)
1/4 red onion, sliced into a very thin slice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
 1/4  cup vinegar, half balsamic, half red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons EVOO
2 Tablespoons Valrhona chocolate pearls (or chop up other good chocolate into small sizes, chocolate nibs also work)
1 five-ounce package arugula

In a non-stick pan, add some oil (sesame preferred) and sear scallops on high heat turning once you have achieved caremelization on one side. Sear till caramelized on the other side. In the mean time, bring the onions, the cranberries and the mixed vinegars to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to simmer until the onions are very soft, and the cranberries plump with vinegar. Use the other balsamic vinegar and oil and whisk together a vinaigrette.

Toss the arugula with the vinaigrette. Spoon "pickled" onions and cranberries over the salad, arrange the scallops on top, and sprinkle over the chocolate pearls.

Spicy shrimp, mango and avocado spoons

Don't know exact quantities, will update when next do the recipe. But it's more or less

1 pound of shrimp, poached and sliced into 2 mm, horizontal slices
1/2 mango, diced into a 1/4" dice
1 avocado, diced into a 1/4" dice (may be more)
2-3 ounces Sweet Red Chili sauce (Thai Kitchen and other brands make this)
Minced cilantro to taste

Mix together, season with salt to taste. Serve on spoons.

Gnocchi with English Peas, and a Lemon Tarragon cream sauce

Serves 4

1 Recipe basic gnocchi
2 Tablespoon butter 
1 pound English peas (weight is with shells on) shell peas
2 shallots, minced
1 package (.75 ounces) tarragon, minced
3/4 cup cream
zest of 1 lemon, minced

Saute shallots in butter until softened and becoming translucent--avoid browning. Add cream and lemon zest. Cook several minutes (3-5) until the butter and cream are emulsified together. Add peas and continue cooking until the peas are approaching desired doneness. Add tarragon at this point, and continue cooking until peas are finished (they should still be firm, but not crunchy, and with a nutty flavor, not a vegetal flavor). Season with salt and pepper.

If you would like a lighter sauce, incorporate some chicken stock or white wine, and reduce slightly. If you would like a more lemony sauce, add some lemon juice at the end.


The addition of sauteed morels would be fantastic here

Spring Dinner

Appetizer: Crab and Avocado "Ravioli"
Fish: Scallops with Parsley-Tarragon "Soup" and Morel Mushrooms
Main: Gnocchi with Truffled Wild Mushrooms
Dessert: Lemongrass-Ginger Panna Cotta

Lemongrass-Ginger Panna Cotta

Serves 8

• 3 1/3 cups heavy cream
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 T powdered gelatin
• 6" lemongrass stalk, sliced thinly; remove tough outer leaves (1-2 layers)
• 2" piece of ginger, peeled and cut into a 1/6" dice
• 2" piece of vanilla bean. Cut open lengthwise, and scrape out as many of the vanilla granules into the cream as you can.

Place 1/3 c of the milk into two wide bottom bowls and sprinkle the gelatin over the two. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. Bring the cream, sugar, lemongrass, ginger and vanilla bean to a boil. Remove from heat and let flavors develop for 10-15 minutes. Return to heat and warm slightly. Remove from heat again. Scrape the milk-gelatin mixture into the cream mixture and whisk until dissolved. Whisk in the remaining whole milk. Pour everything through a mesh strainer. Distribute evenly between receptacles (wine glasses, ramekins, whatever). Let cool to appx room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator. Let set for at least 8 hours. If desired, you may run a knife around the edge of each receptacle, and dip each cup quickly into boiling water, then flip it out onto a plate. The best way to "flip" is to place the plate directly on top of the ramekin, as a lid almost. Then invert and gentle ease off the ramekin.

Notes to self on setting: Occasionally, I have had issues with separation. After doing some research, it seems like a few things will help. Cooling in ice, and stirring, probably the stirring more than anything. A pastry chef recommende not bothering adding powedered gelatin to water first, that you could just add it directly, and that would dissolve it, which kind of makes sense. I al also going to try cooking the milk with the cream, b/c it seems like they may not be homogenizing sufficiently.