Recipes

Cake Layers:
3 ¼ lbs Flour
4 lbs Granulated Sugar
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
3 Tbsp Baking Soda
3 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
4 ½ cups Soybean Oil
12 Eggs
3 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 lb Shredded Coconut
4 cups Pureed Cooked Carrots
1 ½ cups Crushed Pineapple (drained well)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
12 oz Softened Butter
21 oz Softened Cream Cheese
2 ½ lbs Sugar
¾ Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Caramel Sauce:
6 cups Sugar
1 ½ cups Light Corn Syrup
2 cups Water
1 lb Butter
2 ½ cups Heavy Cream

To prepare the cake layers first preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Combine oil, eggs and vanilla. Add drained pineapple, carrot puree and coconut. Mix well. Add sugar, salt and cinnamon and mix. Add flour and baking soda and mix to combine all ingredients. Spray pans and divide batter evenly between 6 prepared pans. Bake in oven for one hour. Cook until cake is fully cooked through. Cool on cooling rack upside down. Once cooled, wrap and refrigerate cake layers until later use.

Cream the butter in a bowl until smooth, no lumps. Add the cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add sugar and mix until fully incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice and mix again. Set aside for later use.

You will need to work with cold cakes and frosting to assemble the cake correctly. First cut the domes off the cakes and then cut them in half horizontally. Using the bottom sides up on all cakes to minimize crumbs and to make the cakes squared off and tall. Top each layer with a ½ cup of frosting spread evenly. Making sure there is not too much in the center pull evenly towards the sides alternating until you have 7 layers. It takes approximately 7 cups to ice the entire cake. It is a good idea to use a clean knife every frosting spread.

In a large saucepan cook sugar, corn syrup and water at medium heat. Reduce until sugar gets thick and turns an amber color. Turn off heat. Very slowly add a drop of cream and whisk in a little bit of butter. Continue using up the cream and butter. Whisk until everything is combined. Drizzle on top of cake.

To prepare Sundried Tomato Pesto simply combine all and let sit for 24 hours, reserving for service.

In preparing the Portobella Relish first marinate portobellas in balsamic, olive oil and fresh herbs for 10 minutes. Remove from marinade and grill on both sides until done. Remove from grill and cool. Cut portobellas in half and julienne, must be thin. Toss cut portobellas, tomatoes, parsley and reserved liquids together and hold for service.

To prepare the Honey Balsamic Glaze place vinegar and honey in saucepan. Reduce by ½ until it has a glaze consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Cool and reserve for service.

Cut eggplant in 3/8” discs and lay out flat on a sheet tray. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and let rest for 10 minutes (this draws the bitterness out of the eggplant). Rinse the eggplant under cold water and place in a mixing bowl. Season with olive oil, parsley and salt and pepper. Over a medium high grill, grill eggplant on one side only, turning once to create nice grill marks. Remove from grill and brush heavily with balsamic glaze. Must be glazed immediately and heavily before the eggplant cools. Cool down and reserve for service.

To prepare the grilled vegetables cut zucchini on a 3/8” bias and place in a mixing bowl. Cut peppers in half, remove the seeds and white pith, then cut in quarters. Cut the quartered bell peppers in half diagonally and place in mixing bowl. Season with olive oil, parsley and salt and pepper. Grill on medium high grill, one side only, making nice grill marks. Cool and reserve for service as well.

Arrange vegetables on cedar plank. Shingle eggplant and zucchini on bottom and top with peppers. Season salmon with olive oil and salt and pepper. Then place on cedar plank and bake to desired doneness. Once cooked, top veggies with sundried tomato pesto, portobella relish and honey balsamic glaze. Brush salmon with butter. Top veggies with salmon. Place portobella relish on top of salmon. Place asparagus behind the plank on the platter. Garnish with goat cheese and parsley.

To prepare seasoned flour simply combine all ingredients listed above.

Soak onions in milk for 30 minutes then drain. Toss in seasoned flour and deep fry at 350 degrees until golden and crunchy. Drain on paper towels.

To prepare dressing dissolve first six ingredients listed in blender. With blender running, add oil slowly. Add pepper and oregano. Thin with water as needed. Stir in shallots.

To prepare croutons sauté bread cubes in large non-stick pan with oil and butter sauce until golden brown. Keep soft. Season with Cajun and salt & pepper mix.
Next, toss vinaigrette with tomatoes and herb mix. Add crumbled goat cheese and mix until creamy. Add greens, salt & pepper, and hearts of palm. Toss well. Distribute between four chilled plates. Now top salad with fried onions. Sprinkle tomatoes on top and garnish with remaining cheese.

In a medium sized saucepan melt ½ cup butter. Once it is melted add flour to form a roux. Cook roux for 10 to 15 minutes on low heat. Do not brown. Remove from heat and reserve. Sauté 1 Tbsp. of butter in a pot over medium heat. Add celery and onions and sweat until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add clam juice and chopped clams and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in prepared roux. Be careful not to add to fast to prevent lumps. Bring soup back to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. While chowder is cooking blanch potatoes in a separate pan until tender, then drain. Add cooked potatoes and heavy cream and season with white pepper and kosher salt. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes to incorporate flavors.

yields 8 cups
 

Roast poblanos, peel and seed. In a saucepan sweat (to cook vegetables over gentle heat so they become soft but not brown) poblanos, corn, shallots and garlic in olive oil. Deglaze (remove juices carmelized at bottom of pan) with white wine. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add cream and simmer. Puree with mixer. Lightly slurry to a thin sauce consistency. Add tobasco, salt & pepper as desired and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain through mesh strainer.

For Corn Relish, grill corn until half cooked (do not char). Remove corn from cobb. Combine all ingredients.

1. Combine all ingredients except crab meat and bread crumbs.

2. Gently combine claw crab meat and crumbs.

3. Fold in Jumbo Lump. Do not break up the crab, check seasoning.

4. Label, date, and refrigerate.

5. Note: Crab mix should be well chilled before portioning.

6. Sear crab cakes with olive oil in a non-stick sauté pan. Sear until golden brown on both sides and cooked through in center. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Yield: 10-11 4-oz. cakes

To prepare scallion oil puree scallions and oil in a blender. Add salt & pepper. Do not strain.

To prepare wasabi mayonnaise mix wasabi and oil until smooth. Whisk in remaining ingredients and add salt to taste.

To prepare wasabi crust add ginger and zests to cusinart and puree. Add panko and salt and pepper, then puree. Add cilantro and wasabi powder and puree. With the cuisinart still running gradually add all the butter.

For sticky rice syrup; combine vinegar and sugar in a heavy bottom pot. Bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar. To prepare rice rinse rice with cold water until water runs clear. Place rinsed rice in rice cooker with water and salt. When rice is done, let it steam for 3 to 5 minutes. Pour sticky rice syrup over cooked rice and incorporate well.

For ponzu; in heavy stock pot, bring mirin to a boil and reduce by 1/3. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Whisk in soy sauce, lemon juice and pepper flakes.

Dip salmon in ponzu. Brush with wasabi mayo, then wasabi crust, and bake on an oiled sizzler with water. Serve on a warm platter. Place rice pyramid on right side of plate. Place stirfry vegetables on left 2/3 of plate in center. Ladle orange ginger sauce around vegetables. Top Vegetables with salmon. Garnish all with scallions and sesame seeds.

yields 4 servings

To prepare blackened shrimp skewer; skewer 5 tail on shrimp each onto 4 8” wood skewers. Brush with olive oil and lightly season with a Cajun spice. These should marinate at least one hour before serving. Grill as needed and brush with parsley butter.

To prepare sweet and sour dressing; combine first six ingredients and blend for 1 minute with mixer. Continue to mix and add oil slowly. Thin with water for proper consistency and add garlic puree.

For the salad; clean and chop 10 oz each of red leaf and iceberg lettuce in 1 inch pieces. Toss lettuce, tomato, and onion with dressing. Place in a large chilled bowl. Top salad with egg, bacon, cheese, and parsley. Place shrimp skewer on top of portioned salads.

yields 4 servings

1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Strain thru china cap
3. Label, date and refrigerate

Yield: 4 Gallons

1. Grill tuna to desired temp
2. Ladle hoisin glaze over tuna and broil
3. Place stir fry veg in center of plate, top with tuna.
4. Drizzle sauce on top of tuna and veg
5. Slice fried rice roll on bias, (drizzle 1 tbsp of hoisin sauce onto the cut surface)and place at 10 oclock
6. Garnish plate with scallions, sesame seeds and wasabi cube

1 serving

Simmer water in a double boiler. Place eggs, lemon juice, Tabasco, and white vinegar in the double boiler. Whisk vigorously until eggs begin to thicken. Remove from heat and very slowly whisk in warm butter to form emulsion. (Whisking too quickly here will cause the eggs to separate.) Reserve sauce in a warm place, not too hot and not too cold, until ready for use. Using a lemon wrap will prevent seeds from being released. A cheese cloth will substitute for a lemon wrap.

Yields 2 cups.

In a mixing bowl, beat together all ingredients. Refrigerate in an airtight reusable container for up to a month, or place in your freezer until ready to use.

In a pre-heated coffee mug combine two heaping tablespoons batter with 1 ½ oz. of Cane Rum. Top with boiling water and stir well to mix. Garnish with whipped cream and a clove-studded orange slice.

It is best to make the batter in advance so the spices have an opportunity to mingle. Be sure to remove the batter from refrigerator at least six hours prior to serving to allow it to soften.

Toss all ingredients except pine nuts. Serve on a chilled salad plate. Arrange the tomatoes around the rim. Garnish with pine nuts.

To prepare dressing combine all ingredients except poppy seeds and oil. Puree with mixer. Slowly add corn oil. Mix in poppy seeds.

yields 4 servings

1. In a large bowl whisk together egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.

2. Add lime juice. It’s important to add the lime juice last because the acid in the juice will curdle the yolks if added sooner.

3. Pour mixture into baked pie shell and bake at 250 degrees for 18 min. Rotate and bake for another 18 min. Turn oven off and let pie sit in the oven for 23 min.

4. Let cool, wrap, label and refrigerate to finish setting.

Yield 1 pie.

Lobster bodies must be thawed and rinsed before roasting.

1. Roast lobster shells in oven until shells turn pink/orange, drain liquid.
2. Carmelize veggies with herbs, spices and olive oil.
3. Add tomato paste and butter and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Then add flour to form a roux.
5. Add lobster shells and crush into small pieces.
6. Deglaze with sherry and white wine.
7. Add water and simmer for one hour.
8. Add cream and simmer for another 30 minutes.
9. Strain through china cap then the chinoise.

Makes 1-1/2 gallons.

1. Grind 4 cups Macadamia nuts with 2 cups of Graham Crumbs in Cuisinart. If you try to grind larger batches, it will turn into peanut butter.

2. Mix nuts, crumbs, butter, sugar and egg whites together. Mix nuts, crumbs, butter, sugar and egg whites together. (Amount of butter depends on amount of fat in Graham crumbs)

3. In an 11" aluminum pie pan, press approximately 3 cups of crumb mixture evenly on sides and bottom.

4. Bake crust for 7 minutes, at 300 degrees.

Yield 2 pie crusts.

Heat large saute pan, add oil and saute fish pieces then potatoes. Cook until fish is half-done. Add broth and wine, reduce slightly and add lemon juice. Add reserved vegetables and cook until mussels and clams open up. Finish with butter. Pour into bowls and garnish with parsley and croutons.

Tomato Saffron Broth
Yields 6 servings (6 ounce servings)

Cooking Tip: Broth can be used as stock in other soups or tossed with rice.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 white onion
3 tablespoons minced shallots
3 tablespoons minced garlic
4 ounces fresh fennel (tips and scraps)
1 green pepper
1 jalapeno
1 red bell pepper
2 cups clam juice
2 cups white wine
1 beefsteak tomatoes, diced
Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
Pinch saffron
Pinch dried thyme

Heat saucepan, add oil and saute onion, shallots, garlic, fennel and peppers (reserve half for garnish). Deglaze with wine, add tomatoes and saffron then thyme. Check seasonings and strain broth. Chill if using later.

Rockefeller Mix
3 pounds blanched spinach, well drained, rough chopped
3 ounces corn oil
4 ounces clarified butter
8 slices bacon, fine dice
1 cup finely diced onions
1 cup finely diced fennel
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup sherry
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan, heat oil and butter. Add bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy and well rendered. Add onions and fennel, saute for one minute. Add garlic and spinach. Cook until spinach is hot. Add sherry, salt and pepper. Bring to a light simmer for a moment. Set aside.

Hollandaise Sauce
Yields 2 cups

Cooking Tip: As you whisk eggs, they will double in size and turn to a pale yellow. If at the end of the process sauce is too thick, thin with hot water. Use 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.

14 egg yolks
2 pounds warm, clarified butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
12 drops Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt

Simmer water in a double boiler. Place eggs, lemon juice, Tabasco, and white vinegar in the double boiler. Whisk vigorously until eggs begin to thicken. Remove from heat and very slowly whisk in the warm butter to form emulsion. (Whisking too quickly here will cause the eggs to separate.) Reserve sauce in a warm place, not too hot and not too cold, until ready for use. Using a lemon wrap will prevent the seeds from being released. A cheese cloth will substitute for a lemon wrap.

Oyster Rockefeller
Serves one

Cooking Tip: Shuck oysters on a hard service. Wrapping a damp dish towel around the oyster will enable you to keep a firm grip. Start shucking from the back end where the hinge is located.

5 shucked oysters
5 tablespoons of Rockefeller mix
1 tablespoon butter
5 teaspoon parmesan cheese
lemon wrap
5 tablespoons Hollandaise sauce

Place 1 tablespoon of Rockefeller mix on top of each oyster. Top with Parmesan cheese and drizzle with butter. Bake until Parmesan is melted and lightly brown. Top with Hollandaise sauce (1 tablespoon each) and gratinee until lightly browned. Serve on a stainless steel shell bowl with rock salt, lemon wrap and cocktail fork.

Pan Seared Halibut with Herb Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Apple Butter Sauce and Grilled Pear Salad

4 –7 oz. pieces Halibut
12 large pieces Asparagus
4 oz. per person Herb Mashed Potatoes

Apple butter:
8 oz. Apple Juice
6 Black Peppercorns
4 oz. White Wine
2 Thyme Sprigs (whole stem on)
12 oz. Unsalted Butter
2 oz. Brown Sugar

Grilled Pear Salad:
2 Whole Pears
12 Dried Cranberries
8 sprigs Watercress
8 thin slices Red Onion
2 oz. Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Dust the halibut with parsley, salt & pepper and lay skin side up in a hot skillet for approximately 2 minutes or until crust is created. Then place in 350-degree oven for 5 minutes.

For mashed potatoes use your usual mashed potatoes recipe, but add some fresh thyme for flavor.

As far as the asparagus goes; rub them with oil, salt & pepper, and place on the grill with low heat until they are soft enough to eat (beware of burning).

Now for the sauce… first add juice, peppercorns, wine, thyme, and sugar all in a saucepan and reduce to syrup. Let cool to room temperature and then stir butter in with a whisk.

The pear salad is easy, just cut your pears into slices. Brush with a little oil, salt & pepper; and grill for 1 minute on each side. Place all ingredients for Pear Salad in a bowl and mix.

with Roasted Corn Risotto and Blue Crab Remoulade

There are several steps to this recipe requiring different ingredients. Ingredients precede the preparation steps detailed below.

8 (4-oz.) skin-on fresh fillet of yellow perch
2 ounces Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2 cup Yellow Corn Meal

Preparing the Perch:
1. Finely grind panko crumbs in food processor and combine with corn meal
2. Dredge both sides of fillet in pan fry dust
3. Season with salt and pepper
4. Heat a heavy bottom sauté pan or skillet over medium heat
5. Add oil and heat before adding fish
6. Place fish skin side up in pan
7. Turn fish over when edges begin to brown
8. Remove from heat when other side is done

Roasted Corn Risotto
2 T. Scallions, white only, minced
1 tsp. Garlic, minced
2 ounces Olive oil
2 cups Arborio Rice
4 cups Chicken Broth
2 ounces White wine
2 ears roasted fresh corn off of the cob
1/4 cup Red bell pepper diced to 1/4-inch size
1 T. Fresh thyme, rosemary, parsley, minced
1/4 cup Grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparing the Roasted Corn Risotto:
1. Sweat scallions and garlic in oil.
2. Add risotto, stir rice till translucent.
3. Deglaze with white wine
4. Add broth in small amounts, cooking each time until broth is absorbed
5. Add the rest of the ingredients while stirring over low heat until incorporated.
6. If done ahead of time, cool down the risotto on a shallow sheet tray and place in the fridge. Don’t overcook!
7. When ready to serve reheat with broth, Parmesan and a little butter.

Blue Crab Remoulade
1/4 cup Large onion, diced to 1/4-inch size
1 ounce Red pepper diced to 1/4-inch size
1 ounce Green pepper diced to 1/4-inch size
1 ounce Yellow pepper diced to 1/4-inch size
1 T. Olive oil
1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/4 lb. Maryland blue crab meat - lump
2 T. Sweet pickle relish
1/2 T. Capers, rinsed and chopped
1 tsp. Shallots, minced
1 tsp. Italian parsley washed and minced
Kosher salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
4 dashes Tabasco

Preparing the Blue Crab Remoulade:
1. Sweat onions in olive oil on medium heat.
2. Add the three colors of peppers
3. Add old bay seasoning
4. Lightly toss in blue crab meat, remove from heat and set aside
5. In a small bowl, combine all of the other ingredients remaining and mix until incorporated.
6. Fold in the blue crab mat mixture
7. Chill

Sautéed Mixed Greens
Fresh flat baby spinach, washed
Swiss Chard, washed and chopped
Fresh mustard greens, washed and chopped
1 tsp. Garlic, minced
2 ounces Chicken Broth
1 ounce Olive oil

Preparing the Mixed Greens:
1. Heat sauté pan over high heat
2. Add oil
3. Quickly add garlic and greens while mixing at the same time
4. Add a dose of broth
5. Add salt and pepper to taste
6. Remove from heat when greens are wilted
7. Cook this at the last moment before serving

Serves four.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Split squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place squash on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Let cool, then scoop squash out with a fork, keeping it in strands. Set aside.

Melt butter in large pan. Add thyme and parsley to pan; add squash to melted butter mixture and toss until well coated and thoroughly heated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4.

To prepare garlic confit blanch garlic 4 times using new water every time. After blanching garlic let sit in corn oil on low heat for 1 hour. Mix in blender and strain through a china cup.

Boil potatoes until soft and tender. Drain potatoes and whip on high speed. Add garlic confit and butter. Whip until butter melts. Add milk and season with salt and pepper and scallions.

yields 4 servings

1. Place fish of choice on perforated pan and season with salt and pepper and ginger
2. Place into the steamer to cook, each fish will have a different time, check for doneness every 2 minutes
3. Place rice in the center of a large bowl and surround it with hot spinach
4. Set cooked fish on top of rice in the center of the bowl
5. Ladle ponzu over top of the fish and around the spinach
6. There should be a puddle of sauce in the bottom of the bowl
7. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds

Serves one, multiply equally as needed for more servings.

To prepare the pie crust combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into 10” aluminum pie time. Bake 6-8 minutes at 300 degrees. Then freeze shells.

Soften ice cream. Fill shells to rim and refreeze.

Spread peanut butter over top of ice cream. Next spread fudge sauce over peanut butter. Sprinkle the fudge with ½ cup of peanuts and refreeze again. Mound remaining ice cream on top and refreeze. Top with remaining 1 ½ cups of honey roasted peanuts.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Boil the Yukon Gold potatoes in water until tender, about 15 minutes.

Cut the sweet potatotes in half lengthwise and season with oliv eoil, salt and pepper. Place in medium baking dish. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender.

Using a mixer, mash the Yukon Gold potatoes, butter, salt and pepper (to taste). Add chicken stock to the mixture a little at a time, and mix until smooth (you may not need the whole amount).

Remove the skin from the sweet potatoes. Add sweet potatoes and nutmeg to the Yukon Gold mixture, until a marbelized look is achieved. (There should be streaks). Add more salt and pepper, as needed.

Serves 4.

Take trout filet and cut into three pieces and season. Dust skin side with cornstarch and sauté in hot oil (about 2 minutes per side). In a separate pan cook arugula in hot oil for 30 seconds, remove from heat, and add goat cheese. To assemble place piece of trout down first then arugula mix, trout then mix then trout again to create a stack or napoleon.

To prepare salad first slice fresh pear, season and grill (1 minute per side). Cut bacon into bite size pieces and cook until crispy then cool. Mix grilled pears, watercress, and bacon with extra virgin olive oil and place on top of stacked trout.

For roasted potatoes; cut potatoes in half, toss with oil, salt & pepper, and fresh herbs. Cook in 350 degree oven until soft.