How you doin’? For some parts of the country, grilling season will be winding down soon so I wanted to include this recipe in before the grill is covered and tucked away.
 
This salad was on the opening menu I created for Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Las Vegas. I thought it was a simple enough entrée salad but as it turned out so many people ordered it that it turned out to be a real bottleneck in the kitchen. Last week I found it on a menu in Green Valley… and it still is one delicious salad.
 
It's easy enough to make at home. You can use leftover rotisserie chicken and store-bought bottled Caesar dressing like Paul Newman’s or Cardini’s brand, or you can you make my simple dressing recipe below.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Grill time:  1 minute
Yield:  2 servings
 
Ingredients 
1/2 head split romaine head
1/2 ounce olive oil
3-1/2 ounces grilled, chilled and chopped chicken breast
2 ounces Caesar dressing (see recipe)
1/2 coarsely chopped hard-cooked egg
3 each split mini tomatoes
1/4 cup thinly shredded carrots
2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan cheese
7 to 8 toasted croutons
 
Directions

1. Remove any wilted or damaged leaves from a head of romaine lettuce.
2. Split the head in half lengthwise.
3. Lightly brush the cut side of the romaine with olive oil.
4. Place the cut side down on a hot grill for 1 minute or until grill marks appear.
5. Place the grilled romaine on a large plate, grilled side up.
6. Top the romaine with grilled chicken.
7. Drizzle with Caesar dressing.
8. Artistically scatter the egg, tomato and carrot shreds on top.
9. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese and croutons.

                                              My Best Caesar Salad Dressing
I have been serving Caesar Salads in my restaurants for years using this made-on-premises dressing. It’s really quite easy and I think it’s the best Caesar Dressing ever. Of course, you don’t have to limit the use of this dressing to just a traditional Caesar Salad—it’s great on any green salad and even makes a nifty chicken marinade as well. Due to food safety concerns, I always suggest using pasteurized egg yolks which can be purchased in your local supermarket. However, it is easy to pasteurize eggs in your own kitchen—check out the ChefSecret at the end of this recipe.
Some people are a bit squeamish about using anchovies. They don’t like to open the tin and touch those slimy little things. Anchovies add that earthy, sweet, salty and umami flavor that cannot be found anywhere else. I keep of tube of anchovy paste in the refrigerator so I always have it on hand. I also add a couple of anchovy filets on top of the Caesar Salad, but that’s a personal option. If you are serving a Chicken Caesar Salad leave off the anchovies.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Chill time:  4 to 8 hours
Yield:  10 servings
 
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pasteurized egg yolks (see procedure for pasteurized eggs or egg substitute)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cold water
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon anchovy paste (from a tube)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Blend mayonnaise, pasteurized egg, Parmesan cheese, water, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, sugar, parsley, salt and pepper in a blender jar until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Transfer the dressing to an airtight container and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

ChefSecret:  Avoid using raw or uncooked eggs in any of your recipes. It’s really easy and very important to pasteurize eggs correctly. Here’s how:

1. Bring the eggs to room temperature (20 to 30 minutes before pasteurizing).
2. Place the eggs in a saucepan filled with cold water, fitted with a digital thermometer. 
3. Turn on the heat and bring the water up to 140°F.
4. Keep the water temperature at 140°F for 3 minutes (and no more than 142°F), reducing the heat on the burner if necessary. Set a timer.
5. Remove the eggs from hot water and rinse thoroughly with cold ice water.
6. Use right away or store in the refrigerator until needed.

​Special Note:  Jumbo sized eggs require 5 minutes in 140°F water. 

Quip of the Day:  “How do you make any salad into a Caesar salad?  Stab it twenty-three times.
(Julius Caesar -- et tu Brutus?) Got it now?
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Entree #Lunch #Dinner #GrilledRomaine #GrilledCaesarSalad #PaulNewman #Cardinis #Chicken #PasteurizedEgg #Anchovy #Covid19SurvivalBlog #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? This recipe is especially for cousin Betty Anne.
 
Real Swedish Pancakes recipes are usually handed down from mother to daughter. This recipe was given to me by Claes, one of my food clients who lives in Stockholm. He said that this is his grandmother’s recipe who was born on a lantgård (farm) in Sweden. She then passed this authentic recipe to him.
 
You’ll soon discover that kids love them and there are never any leftovers—never, in fact, and they all ask for seconds and thirds so batch-prep accordingly.
 
Spoon a little melted butter over the pancakes and sprinkle with sugar or serve with lingonberry sauce. The pancakes can be made into larger cakes; however, the yield will be smaller. You can also use the batter to make light, delicate crepes.
 
What is the difference between a crepe and a Swedish pancake, you ask? Visually it can be difficult to tell the difference, but once you take a bite it's very apparent. Crepes are denser and chewier due to the amount of flour, less eggs and no butter. Swedish pancakes are lighter and fluffier by using less flour, more eggs and real butter.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Yield:  10 to 12 servings (roughly 50 pancakes)
 
Ingredients 
3 large eggs
1-1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter, or more as needed
Granulated or confectioners’ sugar for finishing
Lemon wedge, whipped cream or lingonberry sauce garnish
 
Directions

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl with an electric mixer until thick and lemon-colored, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir in milk.
3. Sift together flour, sugar and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Add to egg mixture and mix until batter is smooth.
5. Coat a griddle with butter, heat over medium heat. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter on the griddle; spread to make thin pancakes.
6. Cook until light brown on bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until second side is light brown, 1 to 2 minutes more.
7. Repeat with remaining batter.
8. Roll the pancakes and sprinkle with granulated or confectioners’ sugar.
9. Serve with a lemon wedge, whipped cream and a ramekin of lingonberry sauce.

ChefSecret:  Never use margarine to make this recipe—use real butter.  In fact, never use margarine for any of my recipes except buffalo wing sauce.  The flavor of margarine seems to work well with Frank’s Hot Sauce.  But that’s for another time.

Quip of the Day: “When can a pancake get arrested? When it commits unwaffle activities.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Entree #Breakfast #Brunch #SwedishPancakes #Fruit #Covid19SurvivalBlog #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                         ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? Rum is an underrated spirit and yet so versatile. Rums have many different flavor profiles depending on the brand. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum is a brand of flavored rums produced by British alcohol conglomerate Diageo. This interesting historical story takes up more space than the recipe.
 
It is named after the 17th-century Welsh privateer of the Caribbean, Sir Henry Morgan. He was not only a pirate, but a plantation owner, and later, Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, he raided settlements and shipping on the Spanish Main, becoming wealthy as he did so. With the prize money from the raids, he purchased three large sugar plantations on the island.
 
Much of Morgan's early life is unknown. He was born in an area of Monmouth shire that is now part of the city of Cardiff. It is not known how he made his way to the West Indies, or how he began his career as a privateer. He was probably a member of a group of raiders led by Sir Christopher Myngs in the early 1660s during the Anglo-Spanish War.
 
Morgan became a close friend of Sir Thomas Modyford, the Governor of Jamaica. When diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of England and Spain worsened in 1667, Modyford gave Morgan a letter of marque, a license to attack and seize Spanish vessels. Morgan subsequently conducted successful and highly lucrative raids on Puerto Principe (now Camagüey in modern Cuba) and Porto Bello (now Portobelo in modern Panama). In 1668, he sailed for Maracaibo and Gibraltar, both on Lake Maracaibo in modern-day Venezuela; he raided both cities and stripped them of their wealth before destroying a large Spanish squadron as he escaped.
 
In 1671, Morgan attacked Panama City, landing on the Caribbean coast and traversing the isthmus before he attacked the city, which was on the Pacific coast. To appease the Spanish, with whom the English had signed a peace treaty, Morgan was arrested and summoned to London in 1672, but was treated as a hero by the general populace and the leading figures of government and royalty including Charles II.
 
Morgan was appointed a Knight Bachelor in November 1674 and returned to the Colony of Jamaica shortly afterward to serve as the territory's Lieutenant Governor. He served on the Assembly of Jamaica until 1683 and on three occasions he acted as Governor of Jamaica in the absence of the current post-holder. A memoir published by Alexandre Exquemelin, a former shipmate of Morgan's, accused him of widespread torture and other offences; Morgan won a libel suit against the book's English publishers, but Exquemelin's portrayal has affected history's view of Morgan. His life was romanticized after his 1688 death and he became the inspiration for pirate-themed works of fiction across a range of genres. It is thought that the refined sugar from his plantation was converted to rum. So, it might very well be one of the oldest brands of rum still available today.
 
This Rum & Ginger cocktail couldn’t be simpler… Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, a splash of spicy Ginger Ale, and a slice of lime to cut through the gingery heat. Also known as a Dark & Stormy with a lime wheel.
 
Prep time: 2 minutes
Yield:  One cocktail
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 ounces Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
3 ounces ginger ale or ginger beer
1 freshly-cut lime wheel to garnish
 
Directions

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Add the Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum.
3. Fill the glass to the top with ginger ale or ginger beer.
4. Squeeze in a wheel of lime to cut through the ginger.

ChefSecret: There may be other rums out there but none with this unique blend of Caribbean rums with notes of vanilla and caramel.

Quip of the Day:  Trust science. Studies show that if your parents didn’t have children there’s a high probability you won’t either.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide .
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 
​

 How you doin’? There are those who find traditional crème brûlée to be a little too sweet for them. What a difference a little bitter orange makes! The aromatic citrus and vanilla notes of this recipe add a gourmet touch that goes from ordinary to extraordinary.
 
Just one spoonful of the creamy custard and you can taste the bright, tangy, fruity side of the zest.  Orange is both the perfect foil for all that creamy sweetness and a wonderful complement to its burnt caramel top.
 
And who doesn’t love the way the dark caramel crackly top presents in a clean, white ramekin?   Crème brûlée just feels sophisticated, and when you set it in front of your guests (even if they’re just your family)—they’ll go wild for it. 
 
Prep time:  20-25 minutes
Bake time: 35-40 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours up to 2 days
Yield: 6 servings
 
Ingredients
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
Grated zest from two oranges
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean seeds
12 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 6 Tbsp, divided
Mint sprigs and/or Orange slices, for garnish
 
Special equipment: Fine mesh sieve, Six 4-oz ramekins, kitchen blowtorch
 
Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream, milk, orange zest and vanilla bean seeds stirring until steam begins to rise, about 10 minutes.  Do not let it boil. 
3. Remove the pot from the heat and nestle it in an ice bath, stirring occasionally, until the cream mixture cools to room temperature; 5 to 10 minutes.
4. While the cream mixture is cooling, combine the egg yolks and the 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl and whisk until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved and blended with the yolks. 
5. Gently whisk the cream mixture into the cooled egg mixture.
6. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large glass measuring pitcher or bowl with a pouring lip to strain out any solids.  Discard the solids.
7. Divide the custard evenly among six 4-oz ramekins. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and add 1 inch of hot water to the pan.  Bake until the custards are firm; about 35 to 40 minutes. 
8. Remove the ramekins from the oven and let the crème brûlée cool in the water bath to room temperature.  
9. Remove the ramekins from the water bath. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
10. To serve, remove the plastic wrap and gently lay a clean paper towel on top of each custard. Gently press down on the towel to remove any surface moisture buildup, being careful not to dent the custard. 
11. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over each custard as evenly as possible. Using a blowtorch, pass the flame above the sugar until it melts and turns golden brown. Alternatively, preheat the broiler and place the custards 4 to 6 inches under the heat source to melt the sugar. Leave the oven door open slightly and watch closely, as the sugar can scorch.
12. Let the crème brûlée stand at room temperature before serving until the sugar hardens, 1 to 2 minutes.

 
ChefSecret: To ensure your crème brûlée cooks evenly, fill the ramekins evenly. This can be done by weighing the amount of custard poured into each ramekin or by using a measuring cup to portion out the custard. Also, to ensure even cooking, be sure to place them on a shelf in the middle of the oven… not too close to the top and not on the bottom. This allows for even heat, air flow and cooking.

Quip of the Day: “What do you call a custard when it goes bad? Off-pudding!"
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 
#Dessert #CremeBrulee #BitterOrange #VanillaBean #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? I first discovered Fajitas at On The Border in Dallas, Texas. At the time it was a typical Tex-Mex dish not often seen in California. My assistant Annie and a blind date and I gave it a try. It became a once a week must (without the blind date) putting fajitas on the top of my list for easy, buffet-style recipes.
 
They’re quick and easy to make with ingredients you almost always have on hand. This a guide only and not a hard and fast recipe—they can be as flexible as the ingredients you have at hand. If you’re missing a pepper, substitute a zucchini or some corn. Kids (of all ages) love them. In fact, everybody does—they are fun and have that kind of deeply satisfying and comforting Tex-Mex vibe that satisfies everyone’s cravings.
 
You’ll open a whole can of chipotle peppers to make this recipe. If you don’t have an immediate use for the leftovers, you can tuck them in the freezer until you do.
 
Prep time: 15 minutes
Marinade time: 30 minutes (or overnight)
Cook time:  20 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
2 teaspoons lime zest (1 lime)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotles in adobo)
1 chipotle chile in adobo, seeded and minced
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
4 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
1-1/2 pounds sliced steak (or boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh meat)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 bell peppers (any mix of red, orange, or yellow), seeded and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 jalapeño, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
8 grilled flour tortillas
Salsa fresca and queso fresco, for serving
 
Directions

1.  In a small bowl, combine the lime zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon of the ground cumin, adobo sauce, minced chipotle chile, 1/4 cup of the olive oil and half of the garlic. Mix well. In a small bowl, reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade for later use.
2. In a large bowl, season the steak with salt and pepper, and then pour the marinade over it, coating it well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 12 hours). Flip the steak strips from time to time to redistribute the marinade.
3. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
4. Remove the steak strips from the marinade and place them on the grill rack until lightly charred and almost cooked through, about 20 minutes.
5. Flip the steak slices over and cook the second sides until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 135⁰ F to 140⁰ F.
6. Put the tortillas on the grill for 2 minutes on each side, until they puff slightly. Remove from the grill and place in clean towel; fold to cover completely. Or you can wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in low-heat oven.
7. Transfer the steak strips to a cutting board and cover with foil.
8. Meanwhile, heat a large, cast-iron skillet on the grill and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring, until they soften and begin to color, 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Stir in the bell peppers and jalapeños and cook, stirring, until the peppers begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
10. Move the skillet to indirect heat, add the remaining garlic and cumin, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the peppers are nicely charred, softened, and beginning to caramelize, 5 to 8 minutes.
11. Pour in the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze it.
12. Add half of the cilantro and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.
13. Remove the skillet from the heat but keep it warm.
14. Serve the steak and veggies buffet style—from the cutting board and skillet—with the warm tortillas, remaining cilantro, salsa fresca, and crumbled queso fresco.
15. Don't forget to ask Alexa to play sizzling fajita sounds! 

ChefSecret:  My secret to this recipe is a marinade made with cumin, adobo sauce, garlic, and loads of lime. The meat spends a half an hour in it—or a whole night, if you’re planning ahead—before it goes on the grill. This is a dish that is best served fresh, off the grill. That said, if there are leftovers, you can toss them on a rice bowl with black beans, guacamole and cheese. They’re also terrific chopped up in a salad—think romaine, queso fresco and a creamy chipotle dressing with chips crumbled over top, of course!

Quip of the Day: “What do tortillas sing at birthday parties? Fajita jolly good fellow!”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. Check out the search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Entree #Dinner #Fajitas #SteakFajitas #OnTheBorder #Adobo #Tortillas #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022