Petite Farcis Nicoise

4 Medium Zucchini Olive oil Salt and pepper Topping ½ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs ¼ Cup Grated Parmesan 1 tsp Finely Minced Thyme 1 TBL Olive Oil Salt and pepper

Stuffing 1-2 TBL Olive Oil or Neutral Cooking Oil 1 lb Ground Lamb 1 small onion 1 egg, lightly beaten ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs ¼ cup Grated Parmesan 1 tsp Finely Chopped Fresh thyme ½ tsp Fennel Seeds 1 Small Clove Garlic, Minced ¼ tsp Crushed Red Chili Flakes 1TBL Minced Parsley Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut the zucchini into 2-3” long pieces, with a melon baller, scoop out the inside of the zucchini, but leave the walls about ¼” thick. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400°F

Make the stuffing: Bring your skillet to a medium-high temperature.  Add the olive oil, then onion and garlic, cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Remove from the heat. Next, add the fennel seeds, and crushed red chili flakes.  Once the essential oils in the spices have been activated and they become fragrant, add the ground lamb, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Cook until the lamb is no longer pink.  Remove from heat, transfer to a large mixing bowl with a slotted spoon, discarding any extra fat or oil.    

Add the egg, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.  Using your hands; combine until everything has been mixed through. Set aside.

Next brush the zucchini cups lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Now assemble the topping by combining the rest of the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Divide the meat mixture among the zucchini cups, stuffing it carefully and deeply inside each one. Stand the vegetables, on a wire rack lined sheet tray, and top with bread crumb cheese mixture.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the tops are browned.  Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, can be served lukewarm.

Quail Egg Shakshuka

3 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Large Onion minced 3 Cloves of Garlic Minced 1 Large Red Bell Pepper Diced Small 1 tsp Toasted Ground Cumin 1 tsp Sweet Pimenton 1/8 tsp Crushed Red Chilies 1 (28 oz) Can Diced Tomatoes Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Dozen Quail Eggs 1 Cup Crumbled Feta (optional) 2 TBL Chopped Cilantro Pita Bread for serving

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 375 F

Bring a large cast iron skillet to a medium temperature, add olive oil.  Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and pepper and cook until softened.  Add the garlic, after 1 minute add the spices.  Once you smell the aroma of the spices add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Simmer for about 10 minutes.  Stir in the Feta (if using), remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Using a spoon, make small evenly spaced wells in the tomato mixture.  Crack the eggs, one at a time into a small ramekin, and transfer into wells.  Season the tops of the eggs with salt and pepper, and transfer to the oven and bake until the eggs set, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with warm pita bread. 

Dried Cherry Vanilla Scones

·         2½ cups all-purpose flour ·         ½ teaspoon salt ·         1 tablespoon baking powder ·         ⅓ cup granulated sugar ·         1 egg ·         ½ cup cream ·         1 tablespoons vanilla bean paste ·         ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed ·         1 cup dried cherries ·	Glaze ·         1½ cups confectioners sugar ·         2 tablespoons milk (may need more) ·         2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste Egg wash, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon heavy cream, beaten
·

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a sheet tray with silpat or parchment paper

In a food processor pulse together the flour, salt, baking powder, and granulated sugar. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until course crumbs forms - do not to over-mix, transfer to a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and vanilla then add it to the large mixing bowl with the dry ingredients, Mix with a wooden spoon or by hand, add dried cherries and mix through. The mixture will be sticky.

Lightly flour a clean work bench and turn the dough out.  Lightly kneed until the dough comes together. Form the dough, by hand, into a large circle (or 2 circles for smaller scones) about 1” thick. Use a bench scraper to cut scones into 8 wedges. Place on the silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until edges are slightly golden. Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool.

Glaze: add all the glaze ingredients into a bowl and whisk - glaze will be thick.  Transfer to a squeeze bottle, and drizzle on top of the scones. Allow glaze to set, serve.

Lentil Salad

Lentil Salad 1 Cup Le Puy Lentils (rinsed) 2 Cups Water 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 Fennel Bulb, thinly sliced on a mandolin 1 Gala/Jazz Apple, diced 4 Scallions, thinly sliced 2 TBL Parsley, chopped Salt and Pepper to Taste

Dressing ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar ½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 small shallot finely minced 2 TBL Honey 1 TBL Lemon Juice Salt and Pepper to Taste

Cook Time 1 hour/Serves 4-6 ppl

Directions:

Preheat Convection Steam Oven to Convection Steam setting at 210 F

Spread lentils evenly into a ¼ sheet tray (deep enough to hold lentils and water), place garlic on top, cover with water, season with salt and pepper.  Carefully transfer to the oven and cook/steam for 45 min. 

Dressing:

Whisk together the Apple Cider Vinegar, Shallots, Honey, and Lemon Juice.  Slowly drizzle the Extra Virgin Olive Oil while whisking vigorously to emulsify the dressing.  Season to taste. 

Once the lentils are tender, remove them from the oven and allow to cool.

When the lentils are cool to touch, transfer to a large bowl, add remaining ingredients, toss together and dress to taste. 

Halloumi Salad with Orange and Pomegranate

1 (8 oz) pkg Halloumi Cheese sliced into ½” thick pieces 1 Pomegranate, seeded 1 Orange, supremed 1 TBL Mint Chiffoned, for garnish 1 TBL Basil Chiffoned for garnish 1 Cup Steamed Farro or Arugula (optional)

Dressing Juice of 1 Orange, strained I TBL minced shallot 1 TBL Pomegranate Molasses 1 tsp minced basil 1 tsp minced mint ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Preheat griddle to 350 F

Steam Farro in CSO on steam setting for 20 minutes (if using) and allow to cool.

Once the griddle has come to temperature, evenly distribute the Halloumi across the top.  Allow the natural sugars to caramelize and one side of the Halloumi has turned golden brown.  Flip it over and allow the other side to brown. Transfer to a plate or sheet pan and allow to cool slightly.  Cut into medium cubes.  

Dressing: In a medium size bowl, whisk together the orange juice, shallot, pomegranate molasses, mint, and basil.  While vigorously whisking, slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil until dressing has emulsified.  Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Assemble the salad by arranging the Halloumi, orange, and pomegranates together on a plate or platter, drizzle with desired amount of dressing and garnish with mint and basil. (If using Farro or Arugula, gently toss all the ingredients together with the dressing, top with mint and basil and serve)

Stonyfield Organic Frozen Yogurt Pearls launch at Cafe ArtScience

I couldn't think of a better venue than Cafe ArtScience in the heart of Kendall Square for the launch of Stonyfield Organic Frozen Yogurt Pearls!  Created by Harvard professor Dr. David Edwards using WikiPearl technology, these frozen spheres are a treat of the future. The science behind WikiPearl is to create a protective skin from natural food particles. The edible fruit coating  protects the inner frozen yogurt filling, making this an easily portable snack. Innovation at its finest, invented right here in Cambridge, MA.

Cafe ArtScience itself is also the brainchild of  Dr. David Edwards. Set in a futuristic space with a clean lines and modern laboratory aesthetic, this is a one of a kind venue in town.   

"Café ArtScience

A cafe for the sensorium

Conceived in Paris & Cambridge

Where Culinary Art, Science, & Design

Meet the sustainable future of food." 

Not only do they serve up some interesting dishes using state of the art technology, the cocktails and bar culture here is something to write home about.  Centrifuged purees, flavored ice, and smokers are commonly used to prepare the standard menu items here.  Despite the niche nature of this restaurant, they have developed a vast range of clientele, I also noticed there are some neighborhood locals making this their regular watering hole. 

We enjoyed a number of savory items throughout the course of the evening including this gorgeous chestnut ravioli with shaved truffle plus stuffed clams with a piquillo pepper coulis.  Upscale is an appropriate description for this restaurant, but everything we were served had a heart and soul.  The culinary team behind this operation have incorporated modern technology, but cannot be classified completely as a molecular gastronomy concept. I would say it's very tasty, technically executed food, plated to perfection.

 A great event all around, plus we received a generous tote with Frozen Yogurt Pearls to take home.  The three flavors currenlty available are strawberry/vanilla, coconut/chocolate, and peach/vanilla.  My two favorite pictured below are the peach and coconut combos.  The fruity jelly like outer coating gives these "pearls" a mochi like texture.  The inner frozen yogurt filling is lighter and airier making this a healthy sweet treat that can be enjoyed on the go! 

Stonyfield Frozen Yogurt Pearls are available at the Charles River Plaza and River Street Whole Foods market in Cambridge, MA.  Check out the website's below for more information on this fabulously innovative food product and restaurant!

Stonyfield Organic Frozen Yogurt Pearls

WikiPearl

 Cafe ArtScience

The Good Ones Boston: Eat.Play.Love Top Chef Battle Series Finale!

I attended yet another fabulous culinary event hosted by Carolyn Kim and Jennifer Brooke Co-Founders of The Good Ones, Boston!  This was the grand finale in a series of four different chef battles featuring Boston's best culinary talent.  The event took place on Sunday August 24th at Michael Schlow's Tico restaurant in Back Bay. The event was themed as a modern take on Machiavelli and raised awareness for Cape Ann Fresh Catch, to encourage and promote our local sustainable seafood market in order to benefit the economy, environment, and overall health of our community. The Red/Purple/Yellow color theme brought out costume creativity among the guests who were dressed to impress. 

The jovial guests were greeted by the gorgeous models below, Drea Elizabeth and Miss Bulgarka in the USA, Elena Kollarova both wearing dresses designed by Carlos Villami of Zero Waste Fashion. The festive floral head pieces were created by Jimmy Guzman of JNG Design plus the hair and make-up by Kashmir of Viselli Santoro Salon was impeccable.  

Tico restaurant did a wonderful job of hosting the brunch crowd prior to the start of the battle.  They passed around everything from pork belly corn dogs to mushroom quesadillas, as well as the savory lamb sandwich. The vibe for this well organized event was smooth as the throwback hip hop tunes by Team Sayles played in the backdrop and the sun shined bright on this perfect August day.  Guests sipped on craft cocktails by resident bar tender Greg Neises, brand ambassador for Cazadores and Corzo Tequila, and the diligent restaurant staff graciously passed drinks around.  

 No event would be complete without some entertainment, and since the hip hop music took control of the dance floor, these uber talented hip hop hula dancers found themselves shaking things up with their rhythmic dance moves. They danced, they spun, and twirled those hula hoops all around inspiring many of the guests to play along as well.

 Meanwhile back in the kitchen the  two talented chefs work meticulously to prepare three courses a piece for the anxious guests.  The reigning champ, Chef Brendan Burke, known as the "Silent Chef", is a California native.  He made his way over to the east coast about 3 years ago with his first position as an Executive Chef at Gem's Restaurant and Lounge.  Soon after, Chef Brendan worked his way into the local culinary rankings and is currently the Sous Chef at one of the newest hot spots in town, Bastille Kitchen.

 The challenger pictured below is Resident Sous Chef Ben Harwood of Tico restaurant.  Also hailing from the West Coast, Chef Ben started his career at Farmshop in Santa Monica, CA.  It is there where his love of the farm to table concept grew.  Having access to an ample amount of local sustainable produce, Ben tapped into his creative culinary side and carved his own niche cuisine.

 Now onto the battle!  Whole Foods sponsored the food supplies for the event, and in addition to that, both chefs had a budget of $150 to feed around 100 guests quality cuisine with their signature trademark.  The chefs were also asked to incorporate the Machiavelli theme into their dishes whether it be the Italian Renaissance stylings of the original or the modern day interpretation through the music of the late Tupac Shakur, also known as "Makaveli"......

The first course (pictured below) by the competing chefs was superb!  Artisan Italian cheese was the common ingredient for this round, supplied by one of the event sponsors, The Mozzarella House.

On the left is Chef Brendan Burke's creation, a crostini topped with delectably creamy Stracciatella, a confit of cherry tomatoes, shaved asparagus, pesto hollandaise, all topped with black salt. A relatively simple dish, but it all comes down to the execution of each ingredient which makes the difference.

On the right is Chef Ben Harwood's seasonal fig and burrata salad served with a hazelnut pesto, crispy pancetta and arugala. Chock full of flavor and textural components, this was a party on a plate! Staying true to his style Chef Ben was able to highlight the beauty of the mission fig, an abundant summer fruit, who's season is slowly coming to an end.

 (The chefs worked non stop through out the afternoon as the guests gobbled up course after course of the tasty goodness pouring out of the Tico kitchen.)

 Course number two followed soon after, Pictured on the left is Chef Brendan's Blini topped with a summery seafood sausage consisting of lobster and other fruits of the ocean served with an apricot gastrique, chive sabayon, and balsamic "caviar".  This dish really demonstrated the skill of this talented chef, who delivered the technically better dish.

However, Chef Ben's second course, a duck heart arancini served with mushrooms and pickled cherries was a robust and hearty medley of flavors.  This dish incorporated seasonal fruit and paired it with other powerful ingredients, the combination really stood out to me. An original spin on an Italian classic, which really tapped into the whole Machiavelli theme in more ways than one......

  (Chef Ben feeling at ease in his kitchen as his team helps him plate up the next course.......)

The third and final round delivered by the chefs was the deciding factor.  Up until this point, both Chef Burke and Harwood have been consistent in quality and execution of each dish.

Chef Harwood served up a flavorful dish consisting of yet more seasonal produce like the braised chard and pork belly hash along with a poached egg topped with pork belly shavings. The runny yolk smothered all the deliciousness on the plate and proved to be a memorable combination of flavors, but could it match up the the reigning champ's dish.....

Chef Burke decided to go with a dessert for his final course, a chocolate and mascarpone tortellini with espresso whipped cream.  Clean, quaint, and perfect! This was the best way to wrap up the event, and clever on the part of the chef to deliver a dessert against his competitors heavier final course.    

 

 (Chef Brendan calling the shots as he plates up his final dish......)
Another fabulous component to the event were the signature cocktails sponsored by St.Elder, a "remarkably versatile" elderflower liqueur used to add floral sweet notes to festive drinks.  Modeled here by the lovely model Drea Elizabeth in another bespoke dress designed by the talented Carlos Villami of Zero Waste Fashion.

The final touch that puts The Good Ones event a step above the rest is their attention to detail.  They think of everything from arts to entertainment and sometimes both wrapped into one.  The fantastic caricature board below was created by the uber talented Mark Penta. He can quickly capture the very essence of someone's personality and create a unique cartoon version of them.  Needless to say this was a very popular station for the afternoon, I was fortunate enough to make the cut this time around, can you spot me in the mix?

Overall there were no complaints as the event wrapped up towards the late afternoon.  The music was playing, people were eating, drinking, dancing, and enjoying every aspect of this well organized affair.  Alas, the battle was complete, and there had to be one winner.  Hats off to both chefs who went head to head through the entire competition, but it was Chef Brendan's dessert, that put him a nose ahead of Chef Ben Harwood.

A hearty congratulations to the Chef Brendan Burke of Bastille Kitchen for  a job well done, and to Chef Ben Harwood of Tico restaurant for being such a strong competitor.  Looking forward to more culinary events and battles throughout the year as the busy season begins here in Boston.