Beef & Blue Cheese Toasts with Red Onion Marmalade Ingredients:
3/4 lb. beef tenderloin
3 Tbsp olive oil
To taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
36 baguette, approx. 6oz. weight (thin slices)
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled (we prefer Maytag)
4 oz. cream cheese (net weight)
3 Tbsp. chopped parsley
Beef & Blue Cheese Toasts with Red Onion Marmalade Instructions:
Slice the beef into long strips about 1/2 inch x 1 inch in diameter (to fit the baguette when sliced), season well with salt and pepper; go a little heavier on the pepper and lighter on the salt; the blue cheese will be salty). Heat a sauté pan over high heat, add 1 Tbsp of the olive oil and sear the beef strips on all sides. Ensure the beef remains rare to med. rare. Set aside to rest; when cool slice into ¼ inch thick slices. You should have 36 nice little slices.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush with the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Bake until golden brown. (Approx. 10 min.)
Combine the blue cheese and cream cheese in the work bowl of a food processor; pulse until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Spread approx.1 tsp. of the blue cheese mixture on a crostini (be generous!). Top with a slice of beef followed with a little spoonful of the Red Onion Marmalade. Spoon a little dab of Aioli on top of the onion. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Red Onion Marmalade Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large red onion (10oz) , thinly sliced (about 3-4 cups)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 heaping Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Red Onion Marmalade Instructions:
Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook gently until onions are soft.
Add the honey and cook for 5 minutes or so. Add the vinegar and cook until reduced. Cool and keep refrigerated. If mixture is really rough you may want to coarsely chop so it will stack on the beef a little neater.
Roasted Garlic Aioli Ingredients:
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 bulb roasted garlic, (about 6 large cloves) squeezed out of the skin and mashed to a paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Roasted Garlic Aioli Instructions:
In a small mixing bowl, mash together the mayonnaise and garlic with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Grilled Shrimp on Crisp Wontons Ingredients:
with Asian Slaw and Chinese Mustard Sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 ea. shallot, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 ea. large shrimp (approx. 1 oz each), peeled and deveined
½ cup vegetable oil
24 wonton rounds (1-1/2” diameter)
Togarashi (available at Asian markets, substitute chile powder) to taste
1 cup napa cabbage, chopped
2 Tbsp. carrots, cut in thin, short strips
2 Tbsp. red bell pepper, cut into thin, short strips
3 Tbsp. soy sesame vinaigrette (recipe follows)
As needed Chinese mustard sauce (recipe follows)
1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds
Grilled Shrimp on Crisp Wontons Instructions:
Combine olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, salt and pepper in a glass or stainless steel bowl; whisk together. Place shrimp in this marinade and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Grill shrimp until just done, or broil close to the flame. Do not over cook. When cool, slice each shrimp into fourths and refrigerate.
Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan until it registers at 350 degrees on a thermometer (or use a small deep fryer). Fry won ton rounds in small batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with togarashi.
Combine the cabbage, carrot and red pepper in a bowl. Toss with some of the soy sesame vinaigrette; set aside.
Assemble the hors d’oeuvre: Place some of the cabbage mixture on each won ton. Top with a slice of shrimp. Spoon a bit of the Chinese mustard sauce over the shrimp and sprinkle with a few black sesame seeds.
Yields: 24 pieces
Soy Sesame Vinaigrette Ingredients:
2 tsp. canola oil
½ Tbsp. garlic, chopped
½ Tbsp. ginger, chopped
1 Tbsp. green onion, chopped
pinch red chili flakes
3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. murin
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. sesame oil
Soy Sesame Vinaigrette Instructions:
Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, green onion and chili flake. Sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute); remove from heat.
Combine vinegar, murin, soy, water, brown sugar and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together. Add to the ginger mixture, return to the stove and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer a couple of minutes until thickened.
Remove from heat, sprinkle in the sesame oil to taste; drop by drop. Cool and refrigerate.
Yield: approx. 3/4 cup
Chinese Mustard Sauce Ingredients:
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. colemans mustard powder
1 ea. egg yolk
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Chinese Mustard Sauce Instructions:
Mix the sugar and mustard together in a stainless steel bowl and
set over a pot of simmering water (bowl should not touch water); do not over heat.
Combine the egg yolk and vinegar in a small glass or stainless steel bowl; whisk together. Whisk this mixture into the mustard until smooth.
Cook the mustard sauce over the double boiler, whisking occasionally until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat, strain and cool.
Yield: approx. 1/3 cup
Navajo Fry Bread with Pumpkinseed Cream and Avocado Salsa Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. begetable shortening
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup flour (for kneading)
Navajo Fry Bread with Pumpkinseed Cream and Avocado Salsa Instructions:
Mix all dry ingredients and cut in shortening with fingertips. Mix thoroughly to the consistency of gravel.
Add the buttermilk and make thick dough. Place on floured board and knead well, using 1/2 cup flour at a time. Place in oiled bowl and allow to rest 30 minutes.
Oil fingertips before working with dough. Fry at 350 degrees one minute on each side.
Yield: 4 dozen (halves)
Pumpkinseed Cream Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. pumpkinseeds, toasted until puffed and fragrant
1 small anaheim chile, roasted, skinned, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic, pureed
1/2 tsp. cumin, freshly toasted and ground
1/2 cup crème fraiche (substitute sour cream)
To taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pumpkinseed Cream Instructions:
Finely chop toasted pumpkinseeds in a Cuisinart; transfer to a mixing bowl. Add chile, garlic, cumin and crème fraiche; fold together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Avocado Salsa Ingredients:
1/4 red pepper, fine dice
1/4 green pepper, fine dice
1/4 medium Red onion, fine dice
1 ea. green onion, finely sliced
2 ea. plum tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 tsp. garlic, pureed
1/4 lemon, juice of
2 Tbsp. cilantro, coarsely chopped
Pinch cayenne pepper
To taste ancho chile powder
To taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 large avocado, finely diced
Avocado Salsa Instructions
Place peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, lemon, cilantro, and seasonings in a mixing bowl and mix well. Adjust seasonings.
Add avocado, fold in gently and check seasoning again.
