Compound Butter

 Started with about 1 stick of softened butter (unsalted), half a small shallot (minced), small handful of Sun-dried Tomato (minced), about the same amount of bacon ♥ slices> (minced), 2 TB Blue Cheese, 14 stalks of parsley (de-stemmed & minced), 4 stalks of Green Onion (sliced thins or minced) and salt/pepper to taste.

Compound Butter

(French: "Beurre composé")

Compound Butter's bring additional flavor and moisture (causing a pleasant, mouth feel and taste), they can be made fairly simple using butter and what ever flavors you wish.  Simplist of Compound Butters can be as simple as Butter, Garlic, Parsley, and Salt/Pepper to taste, this goes well when eating a lot of Italian type dishes and when making Garlic Bread!

Most people use Compound Butters on meats or to season vegetables, when using add at the time just before you take them off the heat source or when you are plating them up and they should always be room temp so that they melt.  (Do not want a cold piece of butter on your beautiful food! Unless you are serving something cold?)  The potential for different flavor combinations and concoctions is limitless, what are you serving?  Steak, Fish, Lamb, Pork, Asparagus, Green Beans (haricots verts), Baked Potato???

What will you use?  Butter (unsalted), Parsley, Garlic, Shallots, Onions, Ginger, Tomatoes, Wine, Cilantro, Basil... I think you get the picture!!!

This Compound Butter was just something I threw together in anticipation of a nicely grilled Rib Eye Steak!  It about tripled in size to a regular stick of butter.

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Redskin Mashed Potatoes

Today at work, had a customer asking about how to make mashed potatoes.  These were the potatoes we served at the restaurant where I was GM.

Redskin Mashed Potatoes


5 pounds Redskin Potatoes, quartered or halved
2 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened room temp
1 cup Whipping Cream, warmed (more if needed)
1/3 cup Green Onion, small dice, loosely packed
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp White Pepper, fresh ground
1/2 Cup Sour Cream (optional)

1. Quarter the potatoes and place in a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 25 minutes or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and dry on a sheet pan in a 350 F oven for about 10 minutes to remove any moisture from water.
2. Return the potatoes to the pot they were boiled in and place over low heat. Begin to mash the potatoes and add the butter, and then the cream little by little until you reach the desired consistency you wish to have.
3. Fold in the Green Onion and sauteed Garlic if desired.
4. Adjust Salt & Pepper to taste.
5. Finish with Sour Cream. (optional)
6. Serve or hold hot until ready for service.
   

Prepare ahead: You can prepare the day ahead and reheat slowly over low heat adding whole milk or more cream slowly to keep them from being too firm and stiff.

Variations:  You can add, cream cheese instead of sour cream or grated parmesan cheese when finishing by folding in, even a sharp cheddar could be used.

Blue Cheese Burgers

I made these burgers, they were okay but as for myself, I think they could use some improvement.

(I know the pic is not of a burger but I like the grilled aspect.)




Blue Cheese Burgers

2 oz. cream cheese
2 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1/8 t. onion powder (or ¼ cup Chopped Green Onion)
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound ground beef (I use 85% lean)
salt and pepper
Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)
1. In a small bowl, mash together cream cheese and blue cheese then stir in the onion powder and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
2. Divide ground beef into 8 equal pieces. I first divide it into four pieces then divide each piece again. Form the pieces into balls then sprinkle the balls lightly with salt and pepper, rolling them around a bit to make sure all sides are covered. Flatten each ball to form thin patties of equal size. I find it easiest to form the patties on a sheet of waxed paper.
3. To fill burgers, place a tablespoonful of cream cheese mixture in the center of each of four patties. Spread the filling out evenly to within half an inch of the edge of each patty. Place the remaining patties on top to form four filled burgers. Gently press the edges of each burger together to form a seal.
4. Sprinkle burgers liberally with coarsely ground black pepper (optional).
5. Prepare your grill and cook burgers until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees (USDA recommendation) or until desired degree of doneness. Let rest for ten minutes.
6. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes: I recommend cutting these burgers in half before eating to avoid ‘burger blowout.’ I don’t add anything besides salt and pepper to the meat because the filling is so flavorful, but you are more than welcome to add extra seasoning to the meat if that’s what you like. Feel free to experiment with different seasonings in the filling, too!

Serving Suggestion: Whole Wheat Bun, Baby Spinach or Arugula, Sliced Red Onion, & Sliced Tomato

As found on:

http://pinchmysalt.com/2007/11/08/blue-cheese-burger-recipe/

Creamy Herb Chicken Soup

Creamy Herb Chicken Soup

2 TB Olive Oil
4 TB Butter

1/8 cup Roux
3-4 prepared Chicken Breast - chopped (Boiled, Grilled, or Baked)
2-3 slices Bacon (crumbled)
1 medium sized Onion (chopped) - could use Green Onion
1 TB Fresh Garlic (chopped) - I used 2 cloves
1 qt Whipping Cream (Heavy Cream)

1 qt Milk -Less to make thicker

1 can low sodium Chicken Broth
1/8 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
Pinch of Sea Salt
1/8 cup of Chives (reserve for garnish)

3 Sage Leaves
1/8 cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese (reserve 1/2 for Garnish)
Fresh Parsley (for Garnish) can use vivid green freeze dried

Using a heavy bottomed Stock Pot, melt butter and add Olive Oil, heat til oil is hot. Saute' onion, stirring frequently about 3-4 minutes until almost translucent. Add chicken and continue saute' another 2-3 minutes to heat through then add garlic. Make a roux by adding about an 3 TB flour to pan, then slowly add Cream or Milk and can of Chicken Broth. Add seasonings, bring to a low boil, if you bring it to a full boil you risk the chance of curdling the milk & creeam, reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in 1/2 of Parmesan Cheese and continue simmering for 10 minutes until thickened.

Serve in large bowls and garnish with Parmesan Cheese, Chives, and Parsley and a side of Garlic Cheese Bread.

Fish Marinade

Simple little marinade I wrote and used last year (2008) when my brother and father returned from a Salmon Fishing trip to the Great Lakes.

Grilled over a medium heat and used wood chips in a packet.

Fish Marinade

1 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 Cup Chardonay

1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

4 tspn. Old Bay Seasoning

4 tspn. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 tspn. Liquid Smoke (Hickory or Mesquite)

1 Tbl. of Sea Salt

2 tspn. Parsley Flakes

2 tspn. Garlic Powder

1 tspn. Onion Powder

2 tspn. Crushed Red Pepper

Zest of 1 Lime or Lemon (Sqeeze Juice into marinade)

Blend all ingredients and pour over fish until it is covered, let marinade for 30-45 minutes. Preheat grill to 400 degrees F. Place heavy foil on grill surface and on foil that fish will be placed on, spray with or brush with Olive Oil. Using Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper season fish and place Lime or Lemon slices on fish while cooking.

Grill or smoke fish until done, fish will flake with a fork.(About 12-15 minutes)

Enough Marinade for 4-5 6oz. fresh fish portions.

Suggested sides: serve with Wild Rice medley, Steamed Vegetable Medley, Fresh Garden Salad, and Garlic Bread along with a lemon wedge as garnish.