Latest Posts
Granola
Granola was a weekly production item for me at the Inn and my batches were huge with 40+ guests for breakfast each morning. We served it with milk or yogurt, sprinkled it in Lemon Curd Trifles and used it as a crunchy coating on French Toast.
Fish en Papilotte
Cooking “en Papilotte” is an easy and nutritious way to prepare fish, seafood and vegetables. If your looking for nutritious, you may want to omit the optional beurre blanc from the recipe. The French translation for “en Papilotte” is “in paper” and refers to the parchment pouch that encases the vegetables and fish. The pouch is baked in a hot oven and the contents steam in their own moisture, creating a tender and flavorful dish that is hard to beat. Clean up is a breeze.
Grilled Romaine Salad
Romaine is an ideal lettuce for the grill with it’s dense structure and hearty texture. The charred flavor from the grill on the romaine and red onions adds another dimension to what would normally be a rather boring salad.
Michael’s Cornbread
Grilled corn kernels from fresh corn on the cob takes this cornbread recipe to the next level. The butter also helps! Another key to it’s success is the cast iron skillet which delivers a nice crusty exterior. I use either a single 10-inch (measure the bottom of the pan) or three 6-inch cast iron skillets. The honey-thyme compound butter is amazing on any bread!
Seafood Panzanella Salad
With tomatoes ripening in my garden and leftover pieces of my sourdough bread accumulating in the freezer, it’s time to whip up a Panzanella Salad. I often elevate the salad to another level with the addition of cooked seafood. You can grill, poach, steam or sauté the seafood, just be careful to not overcook it. The other option is to buy seafood that is already cooked for you like crabmeat and shrimp to simplify this recipe.
Manchego and Serrano Puffs
We make these delicious cheese “puffs” on our foodie trips to the Catalonia region of Spain, where Manchego cheese and Serrano ham is abundant.
Almond-Ricotta Semifreddo
Semifreddo, in Italian, translates to “partially frozen.” It has a lighter texture, and is more like a frozen mousse than ice cream due to the incorporation of lots of air in its preparation. I make several versions of this classical Italian dessert by adding different ingredients for various flavor and texture combinations. Some of my favorite include: Pistachio, Limoncello, Raspberry, Chocolate-Hazelnut and of course this one made with Ricotta and Almond praline.
