Recipes

Ahi Tuna Tartar

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Ingredients

Won Ton Triangles

  • 12 won ton wrappers
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Tuna

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 pound raw tuna fillet, skin and dark part removed
  • ½ European cucumber, seeded and cut into ¾-inch dice

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons wasabi powder
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • ½ medium avocado
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion, white and green parts
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Garnish

  • California Caviar, wasabi flavored caviar recommended

Instructions

Won Ton Triangles

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Cut the won ton skins on the diagonal to make 2 triangles each. Arrange on baking sheets and spray with olive oil spray evenly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for about 5 to 6 minutes or until browned but not burned. Place on wire racks to cool.
  2. To toast sesame seeds for garnish, place in skillet over high heat. Shake until light brown, about 2 minutes. Remove immediately from skillet. Reserve

Tuna Tartar

  1. Cut tuna into ¾-inch slices, then cut into ¾-inch chunks. Place in bowl with cucumber.
  2. Prepare dressing by mixing all ingredients together. Set aside:
  3. Peel avocado and cut into ¾-inch pieces. Sprinkle with lime juice and reserve.
  4. Add dressing to tuna and cucumber and stir. Add green onion and avocado and mix gently.
  5. Spoon onto crisp wonton chips and garnish with California caviar. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately.

Serves 6 people.

Shredded Kale and Romaine Salad with Quinoa, Currants, and Almonds

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces shredded kale (½ 10 ounce bag)
  • 1 medium head of Romaine lettuce, dark green leaves removed, shredded
  • 1½ cups cooked cooled quinoa
  • ⅓ cup dried currants
  • ⅓ cup toasted almonds, preferably Marcona, coarsely chopped

Dressing:

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon style whole grain mustard
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a salad bowl combine the kale, lettuce, quinoa, currants and almonds together and toss.
  2. In a food processor combine the salad dressing ingredients. Process until smooth. Taste for seasoning.
  3. Just before serving, toss the dressing with the salad ingredients and garnish with the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 6 people as a side dish, 3 to 4 people as a main dish.

Crostini with Mascarpone, Fresh Berries, and Drizzled Honey

Crostini

Ingredients

  • 12½-inch slices French Bread
  • ¼ cup Mascarpone
  • 1 pint favorite ripe berries like blackberries or raspberries
  • ¼ cup fragrant honey like orange blossom, white truffle or lavender

Instructions

  1. Toast the French bread slices. Arrange on a platter and smear about a teaspoon of Mascarpone on each bread slice. Arrange a few berries on top and then a light drizzle of honey. Serve immediately.

Tips

This recipe is very flexible. Place a soft creamy blue cheese, a strong cheddar and a Triple cream cheese on a basket. Have slices of a toasted raisin nut bread around the cheese. Place a pot of White Truffle Honey or any other unusual variety in the basket. Let your guests make their own selection and make sure to have them drizzle the cheese and bread with a bit of honey.

 

Chicken Apple Sausage, Chestnut, Dried Fruit, and Nut Dressing

Ingredients

  • 8 cups Ciabatta or French bread, cut into 1½-inch cubes, (about 1 pound)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 6 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound uncooked chicken apple sausage, casings removed
  • 1 cup cooked (vacuum packed) chestnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 11/2 cups nut and dried fruit trail mix, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped sage leaves
  • ½ cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1 cup chicken or turkey broth
  • 3 tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and let sit out overnight to dry out the bread. Turn it at least once to dry it out evenly. Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet heat the oil and butter on medium heat and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes or until nicely softened. Add the celery and continue sautéing until the celery is crisp tender, about 4 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl.
  3. In the same pan brown the sausage for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from burning. Cool and add to the vegetables. Add the chestnuts, trail mix, thyme, sage, bread cubes and parsley and mix to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Slowly add the mixing broth carefully, making sure that the stuffing is moist but not too compact, if you are planning to stuff the turkey since it will expand. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
  4. If not stuffing the turkey, grease a 10-cup baking dish and transfer the stuffing into it. Pat the top with butter. The stuffing may be compacted because it will not expand in the pan. Cover the stuffing well with foil.
  5. Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees. Bake the stuffing for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes or until the top is brown. Serve immediately.

Advance Preparation

May be prepared 2 days in advance through step 4, covered and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator one hour ahead of baking.

Serves 8 to 12 people.

Pumpkin Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients

  • Pumpkin Custard
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¾ cup pumpkin puree
  • 3 cups half and half
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 loaf of Pumpkin Chocolate Loaf (recipe here)
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small chunks
  • ¾ cup whipped cream or crème fraiche, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter a 2 quart shallow oval or round baking dish. Place the dish in a larger pan that will act as a bain marie or water bath.
  2. For the custard, in a mixer bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and egg yolks until they are frothy. Slowly add the sugar and beat the mixture until it is thick and lemon colored. Add the pumpkin puree and half and half to the egg mixture, reducing the speed to low. Add the vanilla extract and the pumpkin pie spice.
  3. Slice the pumpkin chocolate loaf into ⅛ inch slices and place the slices overlapping to fill the baking dish.
  4. Ladle the custard mixture over the pumpkin bread slices until the baking dish is filled to the top. Place the chocolate chunks all around the pudding, making sure that they are evenly distributed.
  5. Pour enough boiling water around the larger baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Place the pudding in the oven and bake it for 40-45 minutes.
  6. Open the oven using heavy oven mitts and with a large spoon push the bread down. The liquid custard will rise. With the spoon, evenly redistribute the custard over the bread slices if necessary. Bake for about 10 more minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out barely clean. Remove the pudding from the oven, sprinkle it with powdered sugar and cut it into squares. Serve with crème fraiche or whipped cream, if desired.

Serves 8 to 12 people.

Grilled Pesto Scallops with Balsamic Glaze

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons All-Purpose Basil Pesto (recipe here) or favorite commercially made pesto
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds large sea scallops
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze (homemade or store-bought), plus more for drizzling

Instructions

  1. Combine pesto, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place scallops in a lock-top plastic bag and pour in marinade. Make sure marinade is evenly distributed. Close bag and refrigerate for 1/2 to 2 hours.
  2. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for 1 hour to prevent them from burning while grilling. When ready to grill, thread scallops onto skewers.
  3. Prepare barbecue or grill pan for medium-high heat grilling. If using a barbecue, grill scallops about 3 inches from flame for 3 to 4 minutes per side until cooked as desired. If using a grill pan, place the threaded scallops on a hot grill pan and grill for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until cooked as desired. (They should be seared on the outside and just cooked in the center.) Place brochettes on a serving platter and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.

Tips

  • You can use any pesto variation you like: mixed herbs, walnut, pistachio or even sun-dried tomato pesto (recipe here).
  • Skewering the scallops on short wooden sticks makes them easier to cook evenly on both sides.
  • Begin this meal with a green salad with avocado and grapefruit sections. Alongside the scallops I like to serve cooked orzo, fusilli pasta or quinoa, and broccoli or asparagus.
  • Here is a demonstration of how to make Balsamic Syrup (link here).

Serves 4 to 6 people.

Roasted Asparagus
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Ingredients
Hazelnut Vinaigrette
  • ½ cup hazelnuts or ½ cup toasted chopped hazelnuts
  • 3 tablespoons hazelnut oil
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon finely ground pepper
  • 1½ pounds fresh medium asparagus spears, peeled and trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Red Pepper Vinaigrette
  • 2 medium garlic cloves
  • 1 medium shallot
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped sweet red pepper, seeded
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil leaves
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • Garnish
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped, seeded, sweet red pepper
 Instructions

For Hazelnut Vinaigrette;

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Toast hazelnuts in oven for 10 minutes. Remove and rub off skins with a dish towel and coarsely chop. Reserve.
  2. Whisk together ingredients. Reserve.

For Red Pepper Vinaigrette

  1. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the garlic, shallot, and red pepper until minced. Add the vinegars, lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and basil. Process until combined. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350F. Toast the pine nuts until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

For Asparagus

  1. Increase oven temperature to 450F. Place the asparagus spears on a baking sheet and toss with the oil and salt and pepper so they are evenly coated.
  2. Roast for about 12 minutes or until tender, very slightly browned. The time will depend upon how thick the asparagus are.
  3. Using tongs, place the asparagus on a platter and spoon vinaigrette over. Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts; serve warm. When ready to serve, pour the vinaigrette evenly over the asparagus. Sprinkle the diced red pepper and toasted pine nuts on top and serve immediately.

Serves 4 people.

Pasta with Asparagus, Ricotta, and Prosciutto

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Ingredients

  • Water
  • Salt
  • 1 pound orecchiette, penne, fusilli or bow-tie pasta

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
  • 1⁄2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
  • 12 teardrop tomatoes, halved, optional
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and sauté, tossing with tongs, for about 3 minutes or until slightly softened.
  2. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook only a minute, making sure the garlic does not burn.
  3. Lower the heat and add the stock, ricotta, lemon zest, prosciutto and tomatoes (if using), and mix to combine completely. Season with salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.
  4. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
  5. When the pasta is cooked, drain, saving a half of a cup of cooking water for later. Add the pasta to the ricotta mixture. If it is too dry, add a bit of the saved cooking water. Mix. Cook for a minute on low heat.
  6. Serve in shallow pasta bowls with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Tips

  • Select young pencil-thin asparagus wit bright green stalks and tight tips. This way, you won’t have to bother peeling each stalk. This really cuts down on your preparation time. Just cut or snap off the tough bottoms and then cut the stalks into 2-inch pieces, making sure to keep the whole tip as one piece.
  • When making pasta, add a bit of the pasta cooking water to the sauce to control the thickness.
  • Also, when cooking pasta, combine the cooked, drained pasta and the sauce over heat for a minute to marry the flavors. It allows all of the ingredients to blend together.

Serves 4-6 people.

Classic Waldorf Salad and Variation

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon creme fraiche
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced small
  • 1 Gala apple, peeled and diced small
  • 1/4 cup sliced grapes
  • 2 Gala apples, tops removed and insides hollowed out

Instructions

  1. Add mustard, honey and creme fraiche to a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add apples and grapes. Toss well. Spoon into apples and serve.

Variation

Wright’s Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
  • 1 Gala apple, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
  • 1/2 cup peeled and diced celery root
  • 6 candied walnut halves
  • 1/4 cup grapes, cut in half
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
  • 3 celery leaves, diced
  • 2 tablespoons walnut oil

Instructions

  1. Add apples, celery root, candied walnuts and grapes to a large mixing bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, add yogurt, honey, sugar, creme fraiche, celery leaves and walnut oil. Mix dressing until well blended. Add to apple mixture and toss well. Serve immediately.

Tips

  • Remember to sample the apples in advance to make sure they are crisp and delicious and not mealy.
  • Don’t cut up the apples until just before you’re ready to serve because they oxidize quickly and will turn dark.

Serves 2 people.