…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? When looking for a great steak place in the greater Las Vegas area I tend to lean toward local Henderson restaurants. In fact, if you talk to most locals, the only time they venture down to the strip is when they have guests or clients in town. Green Valley Ranch’s upscale Hank’s Fine Steaks and Martinis is the perfect go-to place. The restaurant offers fine surf 'n' turf beneath crystal chandeliers with impeccable table side service. Professional table side service these days in many Las Vegas restaurants and Hanks does it well. But don’t think of a stuffy, old fashioned kind of place or service. Hank’s is contemporary in design and the service is all about hospitality, making it a comfortable go-to restaurant for special occasions or just a great night out for dinner. With all the wet and dry-aged beef options you want to start your meal with a light Wedge Salad. You don’t want to spoil your appetite with something like their excellent Lobster Chowder or French Onion Soup Gratinee—a little too rich to go with Chateaubriand. My personal preference is for the house Wedge Salad with homemade Ranch Dressing. This is not just any store-bought, bottled or dry mix ranch—it is house made Ranch Dressing at its finest. There are a couple of things that make my Ranch Dressing special. First, I redefined the mayonnaise, sour cream and buttermilk ratios so the texture is just right. It’s thin enough that you can toss it, and it’s got the perfect amount of stick-to-it-iveness so that it clings to lettuce wedge, salad goodies and is dippable without being globby. No one likes an over-dressed giant glob of dressing on their lettuce wedge. My Ranch Dressing is light, tangy and herby, thanks to a perfect blend of parsley, chives and dill. Now for the greens--Wedge Salads are just about as simple as they come but that’s their appeal as they complement the steak course to the fullest. They are sophisticated, yet simple and special at the same time. This Wedge Salad is what you might expect to order at a country club, fancy restaurant or my house. The wedge of juicy, well chilled iceberg lettuce is the perfect blank canvas for all your favorite toppings like. Seasonally sweet cherry tomatoes, black pepper rimmed bacon, some fresh-cut chives for a pretty pop of green along with options of black olives, pickled sweet red onions, toasted croutons, plenty of crumbled bleu cheese and whatever else you love. This Wedge Salad is perfect for a lunch entrée or for a great starter for a steak or lobster dinner. Remember to keep it simple, just salt and pepper, because you’re going to want to drag that steak through the leftover dressing. Ranch Dressing Prep time: 10 minutes Yield: 2 cups Ingredients 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 3/4 cup buttermilk 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives 2 teaspoons minced fresh dill 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper Directions
ChefSecret: I like to make a double recipe. Once you have a jar full of the stuff, you’re going to want to dip, dunk and drench everything in it, like blistered shishito chile peppers, air-fried pickles and jalapeño poppers. It’s also amazing on the classics, from wee baby carrots to pepperoni pizza, and of course, this wedge salad. Wedge Salad Prep time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1 firm, fresh head iceberg lettuce, cut in quarters 1 cup ranch dressing 6 strips chopped crispy-cooked peppered bacon 10 cherry tomatoes cut in half 4 teaspoons chopped chives 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese Directions
Quip of the Day: Q. Why did the cowboy ride a horse while eating salad? A. Because he loved the ranch dressing. ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Entree #Salad #WedgeSalad #RanchDressing #Lunch #Dinner #2023Recipes #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023
0 Comments
…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? There is a new French bakery and café that opened just down the street from where I live. The ladies who own the place are from Lyon. They barely speak English but have wonderful genuine French recipes. Their French almond cream is to die for. I can tell you conversing with them strains my high school French, but I was able to capture this recipe for saving stale bread—it’s called a Bostock. It is a non-discriminating recipe, whether you bake bread from scratch or source from local bakeries or the grocery store. It’s short of amazing how quickly last night’s leftover stale bread which was destined for bread crumbs and croutons is turned into something that puts French Toast for breakfast to shame. Yes, even those sad, day-old croissants that lost their flaky texture can be converted into something magnificent even, better than the original. Leave it to the French to figure out how to take a breadstuff past its prime and elevate it to cult status. Likely originating in bakeries trying to get rid of second-day stale bread, this process of adding a sugar syrup and re-baking with an almond cream topping is a genius way to make almost any stale baked bread rise to perfection again! While traditionally made with thick slabs of bread like sweet brioche, the technique can be used with great success with almost any plain or sweet bread. Ingredients 4 thick slices of stale bread 1 cup granulated sugar 2 cups water 7 ounces almond paste (not marzipan) 2 large eggs 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 1/2 cup raw slivered almonds Sliced fruit (optional) 1/4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar (optional) Directions
ChefSecret: If you have a lot of bread left, prepped Bostock can be frozen uncovered in a single layer on a sheet pan and then stashed in freezer bags. Bake straight from frozen, increasing the baking time by a couple of minutes. Any leftover baked Bostock is a great addition to bread pudding. Quip of the Day: Baking is cheaper than therapy. ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Baking #SweetAlmondBostock #Almonds #Bostock #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? This is a great soup that can even be made vegetarian with just a few substitutions… and the best part is that it is still rich and delicious (see ChefSecret). It is fast to prepare in your trusty Instant Pot. As in many cases relating to the history of foods the origin of tortellini is disputed. Both Bologna and Modena, cities in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, claim to be the birthplace. The first recipe I found for "torteletti" appears in 1570 from Bartolomeo Scappi. Vincenzo Tanara's writings in the mid-17th century may be responsible for the pasta's renaming to tortellini. In the 1800s, legends sprang up to explain the recipe's origins, offering a compromise. Castelfranco Emilia, located between Bologna and Modena, is featured in one legend in which Venus stays at an inn. Overcome by her beauty, the innkeeper spies on her through a keyhole, through which he can only see her navel. He is inspired to create a pasta in this shape. This legend would be at the origin of the term ombelico di Venere (Venus' navel), occasionally used to describe tortellini. In honor of this legend, an annual festival is held in Castelfranco Emilia. Another legend suggests that the shape comes from Modena's architecture, which resembles a turtle. No matter the history or which story you believe, my Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup is very delicious! Make it a little spicey with Italian sausage… or without. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 2 minutes, plus pressure build-up and release Natural Release: 5 minutes Yield: 6 servings Ingredients For the basic soup 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped yellow onion 1/2 cup chopped carrots 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves 4 tablespoons minced garlic 3 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup white wine 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice Added after pressure cooking 8 to 10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini (you can also use refrigerated ravioli) 1 cup loosely-packed fresh baby spinach 1/2 cup heavy cream For the garnish 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley (flat parsley) 1/2 cup ground Parmesan cheese Directions To make the stock
ChefSecret: To make this soup vegetarian, skip the sausage, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, use a veggie-filled tortellini and use almond milk instead of cream. Quip of the Day: “Wrinkles mean you have laughed, grey hair means you have thought, tears mean you have cared and scars mean you have lived.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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 and/or American Red Cross. #InstantPot #Soup #TortelliniSoup #Modena #Bologna #Emilia-Romagna #ItalianSausage #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Avocado toast is so passé these days, yet toast remains one of our most favorite foods—and we like it in all its forms. Hot toast, golden brown, buttered and delicious right out of the toaster. It’s a joy and a comfort any time of day—with a wonderful aroma-filled cinnamon shake-on, perched on the side of a breakfast plate or smothered with peanut butter. Toast is also a terrific midnight snack. But we also like fancy, grilled dinner toast, the kind that frames the sides a steaming bowl of mussels and garlic-infused broth. Mushroom & Egg Toast falls somewhere between humble home toast and restaurant toast. It’s sourdough, lovingly slathered in olive oil and a pinch of flake salt, grilled, and then piled up with a creamy herb cheese, oyster mushrooms, and a crispy fried egg. The mushrooms are cooked in miso, vinegar, herbs, and aromatics, so they’re meaty and intensely savory. Break that lush egg yolk over the top of them, and you have a rich, satisfying dish, full of flavor and chewy, crunchy, creamy texture. What more could you ask for? You can serve this dish any time of day. It makes a phenomenal brunch, and an easy, midweek dinner, served with a green salad and a bottle of wine—kind of a pleasant mix of both comfort and luxury. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Yield: 1 to 2 servings Ingredients 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon minced shallots 1 teaspoon minced garlic 4 ounces oyster mushrooms 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar 1 teaspoon honey 1 tablespoon white miso paste (found in the Asian section) 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 teaspoon minced chives 1 large egg 2 slices sourdough bread (cut on bias) 2 tablespoons garlic and herb cheese spread (I prefer Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Spread) 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, or to taste 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste 1/4 cup microgreen salad mix for garnish 1 to 2 teaspoons balsamic salad dressing Directions To prepare the mushrooms
ChefSecret: You can use whole wheat or girthy seedy or nutty breads instead of French bread if you prefer. Quip of the Day: If loving mushrooms is wrong, I don’t want to be right. ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Breakfast #Brunch #Eggs #Mushrooms #Sourdough #Mushroom-Egg-Toast #Boursin #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? Last August, Joan came back from a family reunion with a couple of loaves of Zucchini Bread made from her former neighbor Pat’s special recipe and beautiful zucchini from her garden… moist and delicious, with lots of Vitamin A. As many of you will remember from Cooking lesson #31 Nut Tree Orange Nut Bread I love baking quick breads. If you don’t remember, link in here or go to the Perspectives website and find it on the search bar. So here’s the skinny on Zucchini Quick breads—it doesn't taste much like zucchini, since zucchini doesn't really have a well-defined flavor, but there is a twinge of “green” flavor in the background. The zucchini add a nice moistness to the bread. Okay, you planted zucchini in your home garden and when it ripens it all ripens at the same time. This is a great way to use up all the ripe crop while making a tasty, sweet loaf that you can freeze for later enjoyment. I call this a bread, but it really is very cake-like. It is a beautiful and delicious loaf, not to mention super-fast and easy to make. And that, along with the fact that there is no proofing required, is why it is called “Quick Bread.” Prep time: 15-20 minutes Bake time: 50 minutes Cool time: 35 minutes Yield: 2 loaves, about 16 servings Ingredients 1 tablespoon kosher salt 4 cups grated zucchini 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg 2 large eggs, beaten 2 tablespoon molasses 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped Directions
Quip of the Day: “Question: What is a zucchini’s favorite sport? Answer: Squash.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Baking #Snack #Breakfast #Brunch #QuickBread #ZucchiniBread #Zucchini #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 |
For over 4 decades collaboration and vision have been the cornerstones of our approach to developing innovative solutions. We fuel innovation, uncover opportunities, discover trends and embrace sustainability, turning imaginative ideas into profitable realities. Categories
All
Archives
March 2024
|