and this little piggy.....

Ahhh pork... you make everything better.  French cuisine has shown us that whenever there is a dish that is simply to die for... it's got something you can't totally put your finger on that makes it different... the answer almost undoubtedly is the addition of butter.  My own personal opinion is that pork can sometimes have that exact same effect.  Add bacon to just about anything and you've made it that much better.  Some of the best burgers, pastas (amatricana, carbonara, a la vodka) and many others are such fantastic dishes solely because of that perfect addition of bacon, panchetta, pork belly and beyond.   To pay tribute to my love of all things piggy - here is a recipe for...

Pork Chops with Rosemary, Apple & Onion Sauce

Ingredients: (serves 4)
4 bone in pork chops
2 onions (thinly sliced)
2 apples (cored and chopped)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper
4-5 tbsp EVOO
1.5 tbsp dried rosemary

Heat the EVOO in a small pot over medium high heat and add the onions.  Cook, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown.  Add the apples, vinegar, rosemary and salt and pepper and stir everything together.  Simmer the mixture until the apples are very soft.  Keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Pat your pork chops with EVOO and season generously with salt and pepper.  In a pan (adding another drop of oil to pan), sear your pork chops on both sides just until you have a nice brown crust (a couple minutes per side).

Transfer them to a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.

Let rest for a few minutes, top with the sauce and serve :)

Cooks tip:  I like to pair this meal with some hearty brown rice.  Add some mushrooms, onions and peas to the rice for extra flavor!

xo Chef Natty

Rack of Lamb with Port Wine Reduction, Figs, Whipped Potatoes & Roasted Carrots

Happy Sunday Morning! Last night in an effort to make hubs feel better (he's been a little under the weather), and motivated by my desire to have a good home cooked meal after last weeks Southern debauchery in Hilton Head, I decided to cook up a little Saturday night feast.  Inspired by a sudden craving for a sweet and savory combo - I opted for a delicious rack of lamb, accompanied by a port wine reduction with sweet white flesh figs.  And what better side to go with lamb other than a nice whipped potato and a simple roasted carrot. Perfect recipe for a romantic dinner for two.  Common girls give your loves a little treat one night and try this recipe that's guaranteed to put a smile on his face :)

Ingredients (serves 2):
For the Lamb **
8 bone good quality rack of lamb
4 sprigs of fresh thyme (leaves picked and chopped)
salt
freshly ground pepper
EVOO

For the Reduction & Figs**
1 cup Port wine
2 tbsp butter
3 large white flesh figs (use purple figs if you cannot find the white ones)
1/3 cup dry red wine (preferably a Bordeaux) 
3/4 cup beef stock

For the Whipped Potatoes **
4 yukon gold potatoes (peeled and quartered)
2/3 cup cream
2/3lb of butter
salt

For the Carrots **
2 handfuls chef style carrots (ends in tact)
2 tbsp good quality EVOO
salt
freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp butter

To begin, drizzle some EVOO over the lamb and season generously with the salt, pepper and thyme.  Keep cool in the fridge until 30 minutes before cooking.

Next, in a large saute pan, melt the butter for your figs on medium heat, add your figs and cook on both sides until soft (about 2 minutes). **note** you want it to be a larger pan because you will be using the same pan to sear the lamb - be sure to keep the pan and it's leftover butter from the figs available!) Remove and set aside (keep warm).  In a separate saucepan, pour your Port in and boil over medium high heat.  Reduce to low and cook until you have reduced it to about 1/4 of a cup.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Next let's get those carrots and potatoes going.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Put your potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water (just until the potatoes are covered).  Add salt (the water should taste like the sea), and bring to a boil.  Boil the potatoes until easily penetrated with a fork (about 15 minutes).  Strain them and let them dry in a colander before returning them back to the pot.  Add your cream (make sure its warm when added), the butter (also, warmed), a few pinches of salt and then mash together.  I like to use a potato masher in the beginning before whipping.  Whip until uniform and the lumps are gone - once there do not keep whipping or they will turn gummy.  Set aside and keep warm until serving.

For the carrots, place them on a baking sheet and season evenly with salt, pepper and EVOO.  Place them in your preheated oven and then let them roast (flipping them once) for 22-25 minutes.  When you put your carrots in, you can take your lamb out of the fridge to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. 

When your carrots are done - remove and keep warm (the butter will be added later).  Bring your oven heat up to 425 degrees. Now, using the same pan that you used for the figs, bring the heat up to medium high and sear the lamb on both sides (about 4 minutes on the fatty side, and just a quick minute sear on the bottom side).  Place the lamb on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 425 for 15 minutes for a perfect medium rare. 

While the lamb is in the oven, finish the reduction.  Pour the wine into the pan (same one you used for the lamb), and boil on high.  Stir until it is reduced to about 2-3 tablespoons.  Add your stock and reduce until 1/4 cup (about 5-7 minutes). Stir in the reduced port and your figs and keep warm.

After 15 minutes, remove the lamb from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.  While it is resting, quickly warm the final tbsp of butter for the carrots (i just quickly melted it in the microwave for convenience), and then pour over carrots.  Carve the rack of lamb and divide into 2 servings.  Plate the potatoes, carrots, lamb and drizzle with the port reduction.  Serve immediately & enjoy :)

xo Chef Natty

When in Rome... Eat fried chicken.

Attention bloggie readers.  What you are about to see is not for the faint.  It is not a joke.  And none of the images have been technologically enhanced.  Parental discretion is advised.

That's right foodie friends, it's another Hilton Head binge installment.  This time circa 2011 and this time - with more food photos to share.  I apologize in advance for the somewhat mediocre resolution of the photos as they were taken on my piece of shit garbage can camera phone - which for some reason has no flash.  But for the most part, you don't need a microscope to appreciate the deliciousness - so enjoy.

Let me just start by reminding you that when hubs and I travel south - our good intentions that we discussed en route get tossed immediately upon arrival.  You know, the whole "ok so we will eat salads every day for lunch and stay away from the fried stuff" - yah, that whole mentally got thrown out the window the second we tapped down in the good ol' south, had our first beer in a mild 107 degrees, and whipped out the classic justification "we're on vacation!".  From that moment on we were launched into 8 wondrous days of southern culinary beauty.  simply stunning.

So read on lovies - for I will now share a descriptive and visually stimulating journal of my past week's culinary gems.

Night 1 (Tuesday):

Ate at the club - tired from travels - nothing fabulous to report so let's not waste time here.... moving on

Night 2 (Wednesday): Santa Fe Cafe  http://www.santafecafeofhiltonhead.com/

At an initial attempt to go to Bonefish (a delish American fish chain that - pains me to say - is not in Canada), we realized once we got there that Wednesday is bang bang night - aka their bang bang shrimp dish - aka the main reason to go - was only 5 bucks a pop.  This led to a mob crowd that hubs and I did not wish to endure.  Plan B - we decided on Santa Fe which is an amazing Southwestern restaurant with endless guac, homemade tortilla chips, ridic filet mignon and lobster fajitas and the best chimmichanga i've ever had.  The star dish? The cowboy cut 30z rib chop with shoestring red chili onion rings and baked beans.

 
Night 3 (Thursday): Bonefish http://www.bonefishgrill.com/locator/details/hilton-head-island-south-carolina/

So obvi we had to get to bonefish in the first half of the trip seeing as its one of the top meals we look forward to when we visit.  Any American i'm sure can relate to the mouthwatering addiction that can be brought on by large amounts of their famous BANG BANG SHRIMP.  It's creamy.  It's delicious.  A seductive medley of the perfect amount of spice, tang and cream - all over a heaping bowl of rock shrimp.  It is A-MAZ-ING.  Obviously we had an order.... and then instructed our waiter to bring out a second order with our mains of seabass, rice and chimmichurri.  Justification for the unnecessary second order? Other than the fact that we felt we needed to stuff down enough bang bang to carry us over til our next visit - But also, the healthiness of the fish course clearly cancels out the extra bang bang.  It's basically like a diet.

Night 4 (Friday): Palmetto Bluff River House http://www.palmetto-bluff.com/inn_spa_wine_cuisine_river_house.asp

This is probably the dinner we most look forward to.  Palmetto Bluff is a beautiful resort that has actually been voted the #1 resort in North America.  The view is exquisite and the cuisine is gourmet perfection.  We put on our most formal and appropriate attire for this lil date night and had a magical evening of great service, a fantastic bottle of cabernet and indulgence - enough to leave you in a complete lull of happiness and contentment.  Highlights of the meal included a creamy snow crab bisque, wagu steaks and an assortment of donuts with chocolate dipping sauce for dessert.  The wagu in particular was to die for.  An amazingly marbled and buttery piece of meat, cooked to a perfect medium rare - I can barely write this with all the wagu fairies clouding my vision at the moment.  Utter perfection.

 

Night 5 (Saturday): Michael Anthony's http://www.michael-anthonys.com/Menu.html

After 4 days I started to go into pasta withdrawal and decided it was time for a little italian carb injection.  Hubs happily agreed as him and I could easily eat pasta for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of our lives.  I think my angel food cake husband could have been an italian stallion in a past life.  The biggest dilemma of the week occurred when (after already deciding on our main courses of homemade tagliatelle bolognese) the daily ravioli feature made us second guess our choice.  What do you do when you've already got your heart set out on a classic bolognese but then you get swayed by a homemade ricotta ravioli in a butter sage?  For future reference people - the answer to this is always order both.  and so we did.  One ravioli to share as an appetizer (in addition to our Caesar salads with white anchovy of course), and two tagliatelle bologneses.  thankyouverymuch.

Day & Night 6 (Sunday): Paula Deen's The Lady and Sons & Paulie's Pizza

Day & Night 6 - which can also be referred to as the fattest day of my life -  was also one of the most delicious.  I think right about now you might be starting to wonder if I weigh 400 pounds, so I feel it might be an appropriate time to mention that exercise and the gym was also part of this vacay.  That being said - hubs and I decided that Sunday would be a marvelous day to drive into Savannah, Georgia to dine at the famous Paula Deen Southern Sunday Buffet.  A Bobby Flay favorite and an absolute must - this place gets a line up around the block with people just salivating to get their hands on some fried ... well... everything.  With a plate (or two) full of fried chicken, braised beef, collard greens, grits, creamed corn, sweet potatoes, biscuits, mashed potatoes & fried green tomatoes - i FINALLY had my first real Southern meal.  In all our visits, I had yet to try real Southern cuisine.  While eating I was torn between my total and complete satisfaction - and also the total shock upon the realization that some people actually eat like that every day.  It is beyond insanity to me to think that a meal I could only justify once in a blue moon - is someone else's weekly Sunday Brunch.  Insanity I tell you -  but nevertheless - crazy good.

 

As if this wasn't enough to keep you full for a couple of days - nope - not for nat and dave in the south - no no we thought a perfect way to end off the day was to go to our favorite pizza place for dinner - Paulie's Coal Fired Pizza.  Their large pie with slow roasted san marzano tomatoes in garlic, mozzarella and fresh basil was a thing of beauty.  http://pauliescoalfiredpizza.com/

Night 7 & 8 (Mi Tierra & Paulie's Part 2)
Are you still with me? Have I made you drool on what's sure to be your work computer yet?  Running low on energy after the shameless gluttony of Day 6 - we decided to go cheap and cheerful on our last two nights.  A little mexican cuisine (fajitas and chimmis again), and finally, one more round of Paulie's because..well.... it's just that good it needed an encore.

So there you have it folks.  I feel like this blog should come with some kind of a warning ... replicate only with mindful caution and loose pants for a week afterward.  But really - if any of you ever have the pleasure of visiting Hilton Head, South Carolina, I hope you refer back to this bloggie for some tips on where to eat.  I guarantee you will love it as much as I did. 

Love Love

xo Chef Natty

Crustless Broccoli, Ham, Onion & Cheddar Baby Quiche!

This weekend was my soon to be sister-in-law's high-tea themed bridal shower.  Along with a delish array of scones, jams, finger sammys, cupcakes and other goodies - I wanted to toss a little savory into the mix so I decided to bring along some homemade mini quiche babies for the soiree.  They were a huge hit and surprisingly (as this was the first time i had ever made quiche) very easy to make!  The great thing about quiche is you can pretty much toss just about anything in there.  With a countless number of varieties and the ability to make-ahead and reheat - these love bites make the perfect hor'derve for any day-time event.  With two varieties (one meat and one veg) today I decided to share the recipe for  my broccoli, ham, onion and cheddar delights. 

Ingredients: (makes about 4 dozen)

1 bundle of fresh broccoli
1/2 large onion (finely chopped)
3 heaping cups of ham (chopped into small cubes)
3 heaping cups of grated aged cheddar (via The Village Cheesemonger of course)
6 eggs
2 cups cream
salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  In a pot on the stove, steam the broccoli and then chop finely.  Place in a large bowl to cool.  Next, over medium high heat, melt the butter and then add the chopped onions.  Cook for 4-5 minutes until soft.  Add the onions, chopped ham and cheese to the broccoli, season with some salt and pepper and stir to combine.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream and then season with salt and pepper.  Combine the egg mixture with the broccoli mix and stir everything together. In a non-stick mini muffin tray, spoon out the quiche mix into the cups filling them up right to the top!  Bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes - until the middle sets.

Serve warm and enjoy!

xo Chef Natty

the big fat juicy American!

 

 

I think its about time for another mighty mans meal don't you? a no frills, hearty kitchen treat made especially for hubs from me with love.  We've done the lobster burgers with the creamy aioli - then added on the fan favorite pulled pork sammys with coleslaw - so I though it was time to plug in a recipe for a good ol' fashion American style burger.

You will need: (makes about 6 burgers)
2 lbs extra lean ground sirloin
1 spanish onion (finely chopped)
4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
2 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 tbsp garlic salt
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp freshly ground pepper
6 slices of medium cheddar
EVOO
1 egg

In a fry pan, heat up 1 tbsp of EVOO and then add your onions and garlic - cook until soft (3-5 minutes).  In a large bowl, add all of your ingredients (minus any extra olive oil).  Using your hands, mix everything together.  Form patties with the meat (about the size of a baseball) and then slightly flatten out the patties forming a little bit of a pit in the middle (this helps the patty cook evenly).  Lightly pat each patty with some EVOO using your hands and set aside on a plate. 

Heat up a non-stick pan to medium-high heat and cook the burgers for about 1-2 minutes per side (working in batches if needed).  When there is about 1 minute of cooking time left - add your cheese. 

Pile up your burger with the classic American garnishes - a nice soft bun, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, pickles, red onions, and whatever sauces you prefer (I like to mix up a little ketchup and mayo for a little "special" sauce).

Serve with your side of choice (sweet potato fries make an excellent pairing).

Serve & Enjoy!
xo
Chef Natty

Ki's got game.

If you've been a Torontonian for any decent amount of time you must be familiar with the sushi staple in the financial district - Ki.  Been around for quite some time and is probably old news to most -  However, after the recent addition of a new Blowfish location in Ki's stomping grounds, they were posed with a challenge to either step up their game - or founder among the stiff competition Blowfish brings - many of which already considered their king west location to be superior to Ki long before location #2 sprouted about. 

Well - after a fairly surprising dinner experience at Ki last weekend with hubs, I have to take my hat off to them.  I was shocked by the new levels of service they have introduced since the last time I dined there.  To start, they brought over a fantastic little amuse bouche right after we ordered (tweaking my interest already as this is only done in very few restaurants in the city - more so the very high end ones).  First course is served - and within about 30 seconds our waiter returned with a tiny dish of Kyoto miso sauce.  He said "I noticed there could have been a little more sauce with your Kiwi tuna so I brought you extra in case you wanted it".  Well done fancy waiter man because I probably would have called you back over to ask for just this - had you not attentively noticed it on your own.  Interest officially heightened. 

Moving on - as I wait for the next course to arrive, I am surprised by a little intermezzo (again - never done here before).  A delightful shot glass filled with an icey mix of prosecco, pear nectar and alot of other delish things that at the time - I could not put my finger on.  Mr. fancy must have noticed my delight because only moments later - he brings over an envelope with the recipe for the intermezzo inside.  I was thinking what an amazing frozen summer drink it would make - and now I can make pitchers and pitchers of it for all my lovlies (you're welcome ladies....and hubs).  Three pointer for Mr. fancy pants. and possibly an extra point for each drunken friend that will enjoy it this summer.

The food was top notch, service had to rank up in my top 5 & overall, I could really tell that Ki had stepped up their game to battle out blowfish part deux.  I highly suggest those who haven't tried it - do - and those that have tried it before and maybe were a tad underwhelmed - try it again now that they've brought sexy back to their tuna with crispy rice.


Bravo Ki.  Keep those gloves on - I'll be in your corner.


xo Chef Natty