Linguine Carbonara
6 Chopped bacon slices or 1 Cup of diced pancetta
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Crushed garlic cloves
1/2 Tbsp minced rosemary
1 minced/seeded jalapeno (optional)
2/3 Lb cooked linguine
3 Eggs
3/4 grated Parmesan/Agiago/Pecorino cheese blend
2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
Pinch of pepper
Combine first five ingredients and 1/4 cup of water in a skillet. Cook over medium-high heat so the water evaporates and the bacon/pancetta crisps; about 12 minutes. If using pancetta, you may want to crisp it slightly before adding the water and other ingredients just to give it a head start.
Add cooked linguine to the skillet and toss. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, cheese, parsley and pepper together and whisk in 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water. Toss with pasta until creamy.
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- Linguine cooking
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- Parsley, Jalapeno, Garlic and Rosemary
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- Crisping Pancetta
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- Combined ingredients
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- Whisking egg, parsley and cheese
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- Toss egg, cheese, pasta and other ingredients together
Basil and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
1 1-1.5 Lb Pork Tenderloin (for 2)
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
3/4 Cup chopped basil
3/4 Cup crumbled goat cheese
1 Tsp lemon pepper
1 Tsp salt
1 Cup of grape tomatoes
Cooking twine or bamboo skewers for roast
Pre-heat oven to 375. Cut tomatoes in half, toss with (olive oil - pinch of salt/pepper) and arrange on cookie sheet or roasting pan. Once the oven is ready, place the tomatoes in the over for about 10 - 15 minutes or until nicely roasted.
Butterfly pork tenderloin using a sharp knife. Place sheet of wax/parchment paper over the butterflied pork and use a mallet to flatten out the roast. Be sure to flatten the roast evenly so when you roll the roast together with the filling inside the meat will cook evenly.
Combine the garlic, basil, goat cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Spoon mixture evenly into the middle of the flattened pork roast and roll the meat until the roast is evenly closed and the mixture is sealed inside. Place the meat in a roasting pan and bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for a few minutes and top with roasted tomatoes.
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- Flatten Pork Tenderloin
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- Ingredients for stuffing
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- Insert stuffing into flattened pork roast
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- Get your mind out of the gutter…
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- Plated stuffed pork tenderloin with roasted tomatoes
Beef Roast Tacos
This recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence's "Mexican Pot Roast Tacos" from Dinner at My Place
2-3 Lbs of beef roast
1 Tsp Kosher salt
1 Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
1 Large onion, cut into wedges
3 Cloves of garlic, smashed
1 28-Oz can of whole, peeled tomatoes
1 Dried jalapeno
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tsp ancho chile powder
1/2 Bunch fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
8 Corn tortillas
1/2 Bunch fresh cilantro
1/3 Lb of Cotija cheese, crumbled
2 Limes cut into wedges
Salt and pepper beef roast on all sides. Set pot on range and heat to medium-high with a drizzle of olive oil in the bottom. Brown roast on all sides until there is a nice brown crust - roughly 2 min a side. Add garlic and onion to the bottom of the pan while browning the roast so they begin to caramelize slightly. Once browning is complete add tomatoes and juice to the pot. Also add cumin, ancho chile, smoked paprika, dried jalapeno and cilantro. Also add about 2 cups of water and lower heat to low and simmer for 2 hours - until beef is fork tender. Once cooked, use a fork or spoon to break apart the roast and allow some time for beef to soak up the juices.
To prepare the tortillas, ideally, use a cast-iron piastra on the stove top and warm the corn tortillas on each side. If you don't have a piastra, a cast-iron skillet will work. If not a regular skillet will work just fine!
Once you are ready to plate the tortillas, scoop the beef into the tacos and sprinke with Cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.
Browning the Roast
Adding Tomatoes and Cilantro
Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Thyme and Garlic
This recipe is a simple and delicious way to roast/bake a chicken with lemon, thyme and garlic cloves.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1 Cleaned and prepped roasting chicken (roughly 4 - 5 lbs)
4-6 garlic cloves
4 Thyme sprigs
2 Lemons, halved
1 Pinch of salt
1 Pinch of pepper
1/4 Tbsp of Italian seasoning
Place chicken in a roasting pan and ensure the cavity is emptied of the neck and other chicken parts. Add the garlic, lemon and thyme in sets of 2 and try to ensure a even distribution so the flavors work evenly in the roasting process.
Sprinkle salt, pepper and Italian seasoning evenly over the top of the chicken. Place the chicken in the oven and bake at 400 for 60 - 70 minutes. Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes prior to carving.
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- Lemon, Garlic Cloves and Thyme Sprigs
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- Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Thyme and Garlic
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- Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Thyme and Garlic
Baked Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples and Garlic
5 Cups peeled and chopped apples (preferably Braeburn or Gravenstein)
1 Tsp chopped fresh sage
1/4 Tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 Tsp ground nutmeg
4 Cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 Tsp salt
Cooking or olive oil mister
8 Chicken thighs
1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 475
Combine apples, sage, cinnamon. nutmeg and garlic. Add salt and stir. Spread the apple mixture on the bottom of a pyrex roasting pan coated with olive oil or cooking spray.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and arrange on the top of the apple mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done and apples are tender. Remove chicken and set aside; use potato masher to slightly mash the apple mixture and serve with the chicken.
Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples
Sesame and Orange Cedar Plank Pork Tenderloin
1 to 2 Lb pork tenderloin
Zest of 1 medium orange
Juice of 1 medium orange
1 Medium shallot, diced
4 Garlic cloves, diced
1/3 Cup soy sauce
3/4 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 Cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1-2 Sprigs of rosemary
1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Soak cedar plank for at least an hour before grilling. Wash meat, pat dry with paper towels and set aside.
For the marinade, combine the orange zest, orange juice, shallot, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic powder, rosemary and thyme in a resealable plastic bag. Mix well and then add the meat. Be sure to gently move the tenderloin around so the meat is completely covered with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, ideally overnight.
Remove the meat from the refrigerator around 30 minutes before grilling to allow the meat to come to room temp.
Prepare the cedar plank by placing the plank on the hot grill. After about 1-2 minutes flip the plank over and place the meat on the side that was facing down. Close lid and grill for about 20 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads between 150 and 160 degrees. Remove meat from the grill and allow the meat to rest for at least 5 minutes.
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- Prepping for Marinade
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- We Usually Cut Planks for Individual Portions, So Just Use Two
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- Tenderloin on Cedar Plank
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- Marinade Cooks on as a Glaze
Grilled Chicken with Cucumber-Melon Salsa
4-6 (6 oz) Skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs
4 Cups of buttermilk
For Salsa:
1 Cup Cubed honeydew melon
1 Cup cubed cantaloupe
1/2 Cup Diced peeled English cucumber
1/2 Cup diced onion
1/4 Cup chopped fresh mint
1 Tsp lime zest
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tsp diced jalapeno pepper
1 Tsp light agave nectar
3/4 Tsp kosher salt
1/2 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
Pre-soak chicken in buttermilk for an hour or so. Buttermilk helps chicken retain moisture while cooking and ensures a rich flavor.
Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Combine ingredients for salsa stirring in 1/4 Tsp salt and 1/4 Tsp pepper.
Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/2 Tsp salt and 1/4 Tsp black pepper. Remove chicken from buttermilk and grill 5-7 min on each side until done. Serve with salsa; garnish with mint sprigs if desired.
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- Chicken Soaking in Buttermilk
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- Cucumber-Melon Salsa
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- Grilled Chicken after Buttermilk Pre-Soak
Grilled Chicken with Lemon, Garlic, Rosemary and Sage
2 Bone-in chicken breasts (with skin)
2 Sprigs of rosemary (or one large one halved)
1 Clove of garlic
1 Sprig of sage
1 Fresh lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 Tsp kosher salt
1/4 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
Prepare the chicken by trimming off excess fat. Slightly separate skin from flesh and lightly brush both breasts on the flesh with olive oil. Add salt, pepper and coarsely chopped garlic. Slice lemon into whole rings thin enough to slide under the skin. Insert rosemary and sage sprigs between the skin and the flesh and then add one to two lemon slices, press the skin and all ingredients to the flesh slightly to secure. Refrigerate for several hours if possible to increase flavor.
Prepare charcoal for medium to medium-high heat or pre-heat your gas grill to medium or medium-high heat. Place breasts on the grill bone side down, positioning the thicker part of the breasts over the hotter portion of the grill. After about 5-7 minutes flip the breasts so they are skin side down and position the breasts so the thicker portion is still over the hotter portion of the grill. The skin should be fine, but in case it creates flare-ups it may be good to keep a spray-bottle full of water nearby to extinguish flare-ups. After 6 Minutes flip the breasts back to bone side down position and continue to grill them for another 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. On average you will need to grill medium sized bone-in breasts for 22-25 minutes. If the meat is charring slightly you can move the meat toward the cooler sections of the grill. Remove meat from the grill and let rest for several minutes. Remove skin before serving, leaving lemon and rosemary for presentation.
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- Chicken Breasts, Lemon Slices, Garlic, Sage and Rosemary
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- Ingredients Stuffed Between Skin and Flesh
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- Ready for the Grill after Time in the Refrigerator
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- Lemon, Rosemary, Garlic and Sage Chicken Breasts Fresh from the Grill
Grilled Rack of Lamb
This is a decadent recipe we usually reserve for special occasions such as a birthday or anniversary. We usually opt for the traditional lamb chop, however, this time we decided to try the rack, and we were blown away by the results.
2 Racks of lamb with roughly 6 to 8 bones in each
1/2 Cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 Tsp ground allspice
1/2 Tsp no sodium spice mix like TJ's "21 Spice Salute" or Mrs. Dash type product
1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
Prepare rub by mixing the dry ingredients together and sprinkling on both sides of the meat. Gently press the rub into the flesh and apply evenly all over the meat.
Next prepare charcoal or preheat gas grill to medium heat. While grill is preheating carefully wrap the tips of each bone in the rack of lamb with about a 2 x 2 square of aluminum foil to prevent charring or burning. Make sure you cover those bones or you will regret burning the tips and make a mess particularly if you are serving as an hors d'oeuvre.
Place both racks on the grill facing opposite each other with the bones on the cooler side of the fire and the meat towards the hotter side. Grill lamb for 8-9 minutes a side and keep a close eye on the fire since fat drippings can intensify the fire and char the meat; you should consider keeping a small spray bottle of water next to the grill to tame the flames if necessary.
Remove meat from the grill and rest for close to 10 minutes - I know it is hard to resist, but the reward is worth the wait. After the meat has rested, using a sharp knife, carefully cut the rack up by slicing through the membrane connecting each rib. We highly suggest serving with a homemade mint sauce.
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- Rack and Rub
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- Rack and Rub
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- Pressing in the Rub
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- Wrapping Foil on Bones to Protect
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- Racks Ready for the Grill
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- Lamb Racks Positioned on the Grill
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- Meat Resting Post Grill
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- First Cut
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- Lined up and Ready for Plating
Domenick’s Chicken Marinara
1 Package of 2 split breasts of chicken (though you can use your preferred type of chicken meat)
2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
1 Small can tomato paste
1 Tbsp of butter
1/2 Yellow onion
4 Cloves of garlic
1/2 Tbsp of oregano
1/2 Tbsp of basil
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan and Romano cheese
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pan-brown chicken with garlic and onions for about 5-7 minutes flipping midway through. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil; once boiling lower heat and cover to simmer for one hour. After an hour remove chicken and separate meat from bone and skin. Discard bone and skin and add pulled chicken back to sauce; also add oregano, basil, cheese and red pepper flakes and stir. Simmer the sauce for another 30-45 minutes.
For pasta, fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and add a pinch of salt and a 1/2 tsp of olive oil cover and bring to a boil. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add pasta of your choice and lower heat. Stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking. Cook time will vary on the type of pasta, so be sure to read the directions on the pasta packaging.
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- Saute Onions and Garlic
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- Brown Chicken
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- Chicken Cooking in Sauce
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- Add Chicken Back to Sauce after Deboning and Shredding
