Yields: 50 pieces

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brie cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) jar Melba sauce or raspberry preserves
• 1 (8 ounce) package Wonton Wrappers
• Egg Wash (optional)
• Vegetable oil for frying

Procedure:

Cut brie into pieces 2 inches long by ½ inch wide keeping them as consistent in size as possible. Place cheese onto the middle of the wonton wrapper, along with a small line of melba sauce over the top,  wet the sides with water or egg wash. Fold the two edges over, they should slightly cover the edges of the cheese. Then wet the opposite end from where you are rolling and roll the wonton from end to end tightly. Place onto a parchment lined sheet tray and freeze.

Set a heavy bottom pot with vegetable oil fill until the oil is about two inches high. Heat the oil to 350 - 375 degrees fahrenheit using an instant read thermometer. Carefully drop the frozen puffs into the oil and fry until the outside begins to brown. Remove and transfer to a cooling rack lined with paper to absorb any excess oil. Allow to stand for 1-2 minutes so the cheese can set. Serve with additional melb sauce for dipping.

Serve on plate alongside melba sauce.

Yields: 6 portions

Ingredients:

• 6 pc chicken breast skin-on
• 2 pc red bell peppers
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pectin
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 6 ears fresh corn
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 small yellow onion
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1 head escarole
• 1/2 stick butter unsalted

Procedure:

Creamy Corn: In a saucepan melt butter and sweat 1 small diced onion. Grate corn on a box grater and set aside . Add corn kernels and and cook down on low heat stirring constantly until most of the liquid is reduced and corn becomes thick. Season at the end with salt pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Before service, mix in thinly sliced scallion and another tablespoon of butter.

Red Pepper Jam: Mince Red bell peppers and yellow onion. Combine peppers in a pot with sugar,white vinegar, pectin, and sriracha. Cook the mixture on low heat until a thick syrupy consistency is achieved and peppers are tender. Place in a container to cool in the refrigerator.- Serves best at room temperature.

Wilted Escarole: Chop into 2 inch pieces using all tender leaves except the very bottom. Wash and dry escarole. Thinly slice 6 cloves garlic and set aside. In a pot, add extra virgin olive oil and sauté garlic until translucent. Add Chopped escarole and season with salt and lots of fresh pepper. Using tongs or a spoon mix the escarole well and cook just until the leaves wilt. Some chicken stock can be added to this to prevent any browning before adding the escarole. Taste and check seasoning.

Chicken breast: Season both sides of chicken with salt and fresh ground pepper. Drizzle olive oil and rub on skin of chickens. Sear chicken in a Cast iron pan skin side down until skin is golden and crispy, place chicken on a sheet pan and finish cooking in a 350 degree oven. Pull chicken at an internal temperature of 165 F in the thickest part of the breast.

Yields: 6 portions

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lbs red snapper, skin on
• 1/2 lb green beans whole
• 1/2 lb carrot
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 cup chicken stock
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Micro basil for Garnish
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 shallot
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons butter

Procedure:

Red Snapper: Portion the snapper ino 6-7 oz pieces trying to keep the thickness consistent. With a very sharp knife score only the surface of the skin 3 or 4 times to prevent the skin from curling up during cooking. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. In a cast iron skillet, sear the snapper in a smoking hot pan with soy bean oil skin side down. Hold the fish down while searing until the fish holds its shape, about 10 seconds. Remove fish after golden brown crust is achieved. Transfer to sprayed sheet pan skin side up. Finish cooking in the oven to an internal temperature of 140 degrees.

Green Beans and Carrots: Trim green beans and peel carrots. Cut the carrots into batons as close in size to the green beans possible. Heat a pot with heavily salted water and blanch the carrots and broccoli for 30 seconds or so, transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Heat a saute pan with a small amount of oil, garlic and shallot. Toss carrots and green beans until tender and season to taste.

Rice Pilaf: In a sauce pot, add olive oil and onion small diced and saute until translucent. Add Rice, bay leaf, fresh thyme sprigs, salt and pepper and stir to coat. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cover the pot. Check in 10-15 minutes that all liquid is reduced and let sit for 5 minutes off of the heat. Fold in corn and peas, finish with more fresh chopped thyme, and chives if desired. The rice should be light and fluffy.

Nut Relish: Sautéed shallots until translucent. Add red wine vinegar and reduce ¾. Add pecans and mix then cook for one minute. Fold in butter and honey until evenly mixed. Cook on low heat until the butter and honey begin to bubble and create a syrup. Cool completely, serve at room temp over the fish.

Yields: 6 portions

Ingredients:

• 6 ea 8 oz filet medallion
• 1 lb bacon, raw chopped
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pancake syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin whole or ground
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic Vinegar
• 2 pc spanish onion
• 4 lbs Idaho potato
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 bunch scallions or chives
• 1 bunch kale, de stemmed, finely chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1/4 grated parmesan cheese

Procedure:

Bacon Jam: Render chopped bacon in a pot under medium heat until 75% rendered. Add 5 small diced onions and 1 clove garlic chopped and cook until translucent, drain off all fat. Add vinegar to deglaze. Add smoked paprika, cumin and pancake syrup and cook for 5 minutes until the syrup becomes slightly thicker. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Caramelized Onion Potato Stack: Wash and peel Idaho potatoes. Slice on mandolin into rounds very thin and rinse starch off in cold water. Thin slice 4 onions and cook over low heat until caramelized- season with salt pepper and sugar. Combine raw potatoes with onions, melted butter, garlic chopped, fresh thyme, 1 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spray 4 oz aluminum cups and fill to the top with the potato mixture keeping potatoes flat. Cook on a sheet pan in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Creamed Kale: Into a large pan add ½ cup butter and a small diced onion and garlic. Sauté until translucent, add heavy cream and bring to boil. Add very thinly sliced kale and cook mixture down on low heat until kale wilts and cream reduces slightly. Add parmesan Cheese then season with salt and pepper. Mixture should be very creamy. Melt ¾ lb butter and combine with Panko, season panko with salt, add very thinly sliced scallions and combine. Fill small ramekins with spinach mixture and top with breadcrumbs. Cook in a 375 degree oven until the crust is golden brown.

Filet: Place steaks on sheet pan and season both sides very well with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. On a hot grill steaks internal temp of 125 F is achieved for Med Rare. allow to rest before serving. Top steaks with bacon jam before serving.

Yields: 6 portions

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1 bunch sage
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 lb duck confit (see recipe below)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup white wine (dry)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Olive oil (as needed)

Procedure:

Medium dice squash and toss with chopped thyme, chopped sage, salt, pepper and sugar, roast in an oven at 350 degrees until fork tender. Remove and set aside

Small dice an onion and sweat in a pot with olive oil on low heat until translucent, no color. Add Arborio rice and continue to cook, stirring slowly to coat the grains with the oil. Add white wine and bay leaf and stir constantly. Add chicken stock 1 cup at a time  to cover and continue to cook and stir adding more as the last cup is absorbed. The rice should be tender but have a slight bite to them. Add heavy cream, 1 tsp butter, parmesan cheese, and fold in the fresh chopped herbs, duck confit, and cooked squash. Taste and season if necessary. Top with fried sage leaves and additional parmesan if desired. Serve immediately.

Duck Confit

Yields: 10 legs

Ingredients:

• 10 duck legs
• 3 lbs duck fat rendered
• 2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed atar anise
• 1 tablespoon crushed juniper berries
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1.5 cup kosher salt

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Liberally coat each duck leg with the curing mixture. Place duck in a perforated pan with a pan underneath to catch any liquid. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the duck and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Remove duck from the refrigerator and rinse the legs very well under cold water removing any salt. Pat dry with a towel.Place on a sheet pan preferably on a cooling rack and allow the duck legs to dry overnight in the refrigerator uncovered.

Melt duck fat on low heat in a pot large enough to hold all of the duck legs. Carefully add all of the duck legs so that they are all submerged in the fat. Cook very low ( barely bubbling) until duck legs are completely cooked and very tender, almost falling off the bone. Scoop out duck legs and allow to cool slightly before removing the meat. Be sure to check for bones. Fold into butternut squash risotto just before serving!