Just when you thought you have had the best sandwich ever!

Try this baby!  Chicken Mc Hobbes: Take 2

A pounded chicken breast on a bed of caramelized red onions, with kale and cambozola cheese, on grilled sourdough buns!

I don't usually mix blue cheese with chicken, but this combination works really well...

Recipe for two:

2 sourdough buns, from Bakery San Juan, sliced in half
1 organic chicken breast, pounded and cut in half, seasoned with S & P
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 handful of kale, chopped
1 wedge, cambozola cheese, rhine removed
1 t paprika
olive oil
butter
pinch cayenne
salt and pepper

Start cooking the onions with a good amount of butter and olive oil, over medium heat.  Caramelize the onions, which means cook them on high heat just before they start to brown, then lower the heat and add paprika so they are cooking slower, until they start to dissolve.  They will become really sweet and sticky if cooked this way!  When done add the greens and season with salt, pepper and cayenne, and cook them down a bit.

Put a little olive oil in a large saute pan, and place over medium high heat.  When the oil's hot place the chicken in the pan shaking the pan back and fourth to avoid sticking.  Cook until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes.

Brush the buns with olive oil and grill them or you can toast them in the oven!

Spread the cheese onto both sides of the buns, then put the onions and greens in, and place the chicken on top of them.  Serve on warm plates with a nice pint of IPA...

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Rib Eye Steak, Fingerling Potatoes, Caramelized Onions & Kale

Sometimes you can't beat a nice steak, with caramelized onions, kale and oven roasted fingerling spuds!

No recipe here, just some how to's!

Fingerling potatoes are really good if you leave the skins on and roast then at 375*

Just cut them in half, and toss in olive oil.  Then place in a roasting pan.  Now here's the trick to really good spuds!  Sprinkle them with very coarse salt such as Maldon salt from the UK, it really makes a big difference!  Cook until they are crispy and soft in the middle, about 45 minutes.  Maldon salt is available at Gourmet Galley.

To caramelize the onions, simply slice them thin, and saute them in olive oil and butter.  When they just starting to brown, turn the heat down so they caramelize and not brown.  You may have to raise the heat up again, to get them cooking and then turn it down again...  Add the kale to the onions just before serving, so the kale still bright green and just wilted.

The trick to a great steak, whether you're pan frying or grilling, you must bring the meat up to room temperature, season well with salt and pepper, and have a hot pan or grill!  It's also a good idea to let the meat rest for a few minutes, after it's done cooking.

If you pan fried your steak, you can make a simple sauce for it by deglazing the hot pan with a little red wine, and reducing it down by two thirds over high heat.  Then add some stock and do the same thing. When done, turn off the heat and add a little butter, shaking the pan back and fourth until it's melted and shines.

Always plate hot or warm food onto warm plates!

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Dover Sole With Caramelized Onions, Turnips, Brussel Sprouts & Rosemary White Wine Butter Sauce

YUM!

This dish will blow your socks off!

Recipe for two:

2 large Dover Sole Fillets, halved
1 red onion, chopped
6 small turnips, halved and sliced
10 brussel sprouts, cleaned
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 t fresh rosemary, very finely chopped
1 t paprika
1 c white wine,
1/2 c veggie stock
1 T butter
olive oil

First par boil the cleaned brussels in salted water for about 2 minutes, then drain them and cut in halve when they are cool enough, and set aside.

In a heavy saute pan, add a little olive oil over medium high heat.  When hot add the onions and turnips.  Cook until they are just starting to brown and then turn the heat all the way down to low, and add the garlic and a little butter.  Cook until they are sticky and caramelized.

When done add the paprika and a little salt and pepper, and stir.  Add the brussels and set this aside, we will finish it in a bit.

In another saute pan heat up some olive oil until hot, and then add the fish shaking the pan as you go so it doesn't stick.  Cook until it's starting to brown then turn the fish and cook only for about 30 seconds.  Remove from the pan and finish it in a warm oven.  Dover sole is a delicate fish, so handle it to much!

Place the veggies back on the stove over low heat.  Scrape out the fish pan removing the bits of fish and oil.  Place the pan back on the stove over medium high heat, and add the wine.  Reduce by two thirds then add the stock and do the same.  When you have just enough sauce add the rosemary, turn off the heat and add the butter shaking the pan to melt the butter.  Your veggies should be done by now.

Plate on to warm plates.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes