Off To See Me Mum!

See you on March 1st - Off to see me 89 year old Mum in Suffolk, England!

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Sauteed Miso Vegetables With An Egg

Just another "Killer" breakfast!

Simple mild flavors medel together in this dish, making it one of the best breakfast dishes ever!

Recipe for two:

1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 c sweet potato, chopped
1 c cabbage, thinly sliced
handful baby spinach
1 heaping spoon of miso
olive oil
butter
2 eggs

OK this is simple, saute the onion and sweet potato with a little olive oil and butter, over medium heat.

Dissolve the miso in a little warm stock or water.  When the veggies are soft add the miso liquid.  Now add the cabbage, cook until done but still firm.  Add the spinach and wilt.

Serve onto warm plates with an egg on top.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Roast Chicken With Lemons, Beets & Garlic

 This is a must do meal!  Full of flavor and a great yummy sauce.

The beets begin to disintegrate and become the sauce.  The lemons become caramelized and are completely edible.

Recipe for four:

1 whole organic chicken, quartered
3 beets, peeled and sectioned
2 lemons, cut in half
2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
3 carrots, sliced into 1/2" circles
2 heads garlic, separated, leave the skins on
1 big bunch thyme
handful of cherry tomatoes
olive oil
2/3 stick butter
salt and pepper
1 c white wine
1 c chicken stock

Turn the oven on to 350* - Place all the ingredients except the tomatoes and garlic into a heavy roasting pan.  Generously cover everything with olive oil.  Arrange the chicken so the skin side is up.  Put a good amount of sea salt on the chicken, this will help the skin crisp up and flavor the meat.

Cook for 30 minutes covered.  Then take the foil off and add the tomatoes and garlic, turn up the heat to 400* to crisp the chicken.  Cook until the chicken is done, about 45 minutes to an hour.  Add more stock if needed.

Serve with your choice of veggies and rice, onto warm plates.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

A Lovely Little Breakfast!

This breakfast has a little bit of Spanish in it!

Recipe for two:

2 mild sausages, casings removed and broken into pieces
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
2 handfuls baby spinach
1 t fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 t smoked paprika
pinch chili flakes
salt and pepper
olive oil
butter

Put some olive oil and butter into a heavy saute pan over medium heat.  When the oil and butter are good and hot, add the sausage and brown.

When done add the onion and pepper, cook until soft, then add the rosemary, chili flakes, paprika and season with salt and pepper.  Stir to toast the spice.  Turn the heat down to low and add the spinach and wilt.

Serve on warm plates with an egg on top.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Miso Soup With a Poached Egg

Breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This is simple comfort food, that will please and warm the soul!

Good quality miso is available at gourmet galley here in Friday Harbor.

I use about a tablespoon of miso per person, and I use chicken stock instead of water.

 Here's how: Add the miso to a bowl with a little boiling water.  Mix until dissolved.  Transfer to a small saucepan, add the stock and simmer of medium heat, it's important not to boil miso, so just when it's getting to that point turn the heat down to low.

Crack an egg into a steel ladle, and gently lower the egg into the soup.  Remove the ladle and cook for about 4 minutes.

Serve in bowls with a little thinly sliced Nori (seaweed) on top.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Killer Sandwich: Crispy Prosciutto & Brie On Sourdough

Crispy prosciutto, brie cheese, on sourdough, with a simple spinach salad!

For the sandwich:

Set the oven to 350* - Place a thin layer of prosciutto on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, and cook until crispy, turning once. About 20 minutes.

Spread the cheese onto the bread.  Place the crispy prosciutto on top.  Close up the sandwich, and cook in a heavy skillet, with a little olive oil and butter, over medium heat.  Cook until brown on both sides and the cheese has melted.

For the salad:

Simple is the word here.  Place a handful of baby spinach into a bowl, with a few halved cherry tomatoes.  Add a little salt and pepper.  Now pour in a splash of balsamic vinegar and a bit of extra virgin olive oil.  Toss and mix with your fingers, so you don't bruise the delicate leafs.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Simple & Wonderful, Poached Eggs On Toast

Simple & easy is sometimes the best comfort food!  Try poaching your eggs like this, for the most perfect soft egg.

Half fill a small saucepan with water, and add a little sea salt.  Bring it to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat so you have a medium rapid simmer.  Crack an egg into a steel ladle, and gently lower the egg into the water, then remove the ladle, cook the egg for three minutes for the most perfect soft egg!  When done remove the egg with a slotted spoon.

Serve onto buttered sourdough toast, on a warm plate.  Season with salt, pepper and a little cayenne.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Clean Out The Refrigerator Pasta!

Once a week, I take everything out of the refrigerator and make a pasta out of it!  It sometimes turns out to be the best meal of the week!

Broken pasta with onion, sweet potato, cauliflower, cilantro and sausage...  Fantastic!

Recipe for four:

half a packet of pasta, broken into thirds
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cauliflower, chopped
1 c sweet potato, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
4 English bangers, cut into 1/2" slices with scissors
1 c chicken or veggie stock
1 t smoked paprika
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 T butter

First get the pasta going in boiling salted water.  While that's happening, brown the sausage in a heavy saute pan with some olive oil.  Set aside when done.

Using the same pan add the onion, sweet potato, cauliflower, butter and season with s&p.  Cook until soft.  Half way through add the paprika.  When finished you with notice some brown sticky stuff in the bottom of the pan, pour in the stock and scrape all that stuff up so it combines with the veggies.  Add the sausage back to the pan.

When the pasta is almost done, drain and mix it with the veggies and sausage.  It will finish cooking and soak up some of the stock.  Add the cilantro, and serve onto warm plates.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

The Best Grilled Tuna Sandwich Ever! Honest!

Don't be lied to!  This is the best ever, trust me!

Just an awesome sandwich, full of flavor, texture and a little crunch!

Recipe for two big sandwiches:

1 can good quality island tuna, drained
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1/4 c sweet apple, finely chopped
1/4  c red bell pepper, finely chopped
mayo
salt and pepper
pinch cayenne

8 slices cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
2 slices sourdough bread
2 T olive oil
2 T butter

Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.  Spread the mixture onto the bread,and put some cheese on top.  Put the oil and butter into a skillet over medium heat.  When hot place the sandwiches into the pan and slowly brown both sides.

Serve with soup of your choice.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Teriyaki Chicken With a Asian Blood Orange Salad

Crazy good dish!

Marinade four boneless, skinless chicken thighs for at least eight hours, turning once.  Very Teriyaki is a good brand of marinade.

Recipe for the salad, for two:

2 handfuls of baby mixed lettuce greens
1/2 blood orange, peeled and sectioned
juice from the other half of orange
juice from half a lime
2 T hot sesame oil
1 t extra virgin olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 avocado, cubed
1 t lemon grass, finely chopped
1 t fresh ginger, ground in a mortar and pestle
salt and pepper
handful of dried rice noodles

First brown the chicken thighs on both sides, on the grill or in a saute pan.  Do this on medium heat, so you don't burn them, just get some color on the chicken and pop them in the oven to finish cooking.

For the salad, just combine all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and gently toss using your fingers.  Don't use tongs or spoons, they will just bruise the tender lettuce!

Serve onto plates with the chicken.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Natural Deodorant

One of the worst things we do to our bodies is to stop it from sweating -- sweating helps the body get rid of toxins!  The use of anti-perspirants and deodorants can be pretty harmful to your health.

Here's a natural deodorant recipe that may not last through a basket ball game, but it will handle the every day walking around town stuff.  And it won't harm you!

Recipe:

1/2 t baking soda
2 T witch hazel
2 T boiling water
few drops of lavender oil, sandlewood oil or tea tree oil

1 -  4 oz glass spray bottle available at drug stores

Simply add the boiling water to the baking soda to dissolve.  Let it cool and add the witch hazel and your choice of oil.  Transfer to the spray bottle.

Big thanks to Myla over on Orcas Island for the recipe.  Cheers,  Chef Hobbes

Pan Fried Chicken, With Buttery Beets and Kale

Something about the winter, and beets and kale!  Awesome combination!

Recipe for two:

4 small boneless chicken thighs
2 beets, cooked, peeled and cut into wedges
1/2 bunch dino kale, stems removed and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
olive oil
2 T butter
salt and pepper
pinch chili flakes
1/2 c veggie stock

Cooking Beets

Trim the beets by cutting the tops off, but leave about 1/2" of the stems on.  Place in a saucepan and completely cover with water.  Add a three finger pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.  When boiling turn the heat down so the water is simmering at a rapid rate.  Cook for about 45 minutes.

When done, strain and let cool.  Remove the skin and stems as soon as you can handle them.

Brown the seasoned chicken thighs in a saute pan with some olive oil over medium heat.  Brown both sides, and finish in the oven at 300*

Using the same pan add a little more oil and the butter.  When the butter has melted and is foaming add the onion and cook until soft.  Add the warm beets, stock, chili flakes and kale, and cook until the kale has wilted and the stock has reduced a bit.  You want the veggies to be a little wet or have some liquid, so don't reduce all the stock away!!

Serve onto warm plates with some rice.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Salmon in Parchment, With Roasted Cauliflower & Kale

There's nothing like fish cooked in parchment, for a wonderful moist, tender and buttery dish!

I served our salmon with roasted cauliflower and garlic, with sauteed kale, and white wine butter sauce.  You can search my blog for these recipes!

Here's how to cook fish in parchment!

First get the oven turned on and set to 350* - Place one piece of salmon (or two small pieces) into the center of a piece of parchment paper.  Brush the fish with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle on some finely sliced red onion, and a handful of halved cherry tomatoes.  Put a nice chunk of butter on top, and a tablespoon of white wine.

Close up the paper by folding.  Or you can use steel paper clips!  Place onto a baking sheet, and put it in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until done.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes