Rum Raisin Pork

Molten chocolate cakes with coffee whipped cream headline this dinner of allspice-rubbed pork tenderloin with rum raisin sauce, pear salad with garlic oat crunch & blue cheese dressing, and sautéed spinach with nutmeg.

• Allspice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Rum Raisin Sauce
• Chocolate Molten Cakes with Coffee Cream
• Pear Salad with Garlic Oat Crunch and Blue Cheese Dressing
• Sautéed Spinach with Nutmeg

Allspice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Rum Raisin Sauce

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Allspice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Rum Raisin Sauce

• 2 x pork tenderloins, silver skin removed and thin end removed and reserved for sauce
• 1 tbsp ground allspice
• Salt and pepper
• Oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Allspice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Rum Raisin Sauce

1. Cut each tenderloin in half yielding four total pieces.
2. Sprinkle with allspice, salt and pepper, rubbing all over the pork.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and sear pork on all sides, letting it cook for a total of 15 to 20 minutes for medium to medium well.
4. Remove from the pan and let rest on a rack, covered with foil until ready to serve.
5. Remove excess oil from skillet and then place back over heat.
6. Add pork scraps and sear.
7. Add water and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits.
8. Simmer until the water has reduced and dissolved the brown bits into a quick flavourful broth.
9. Remove large pork scraps and pour in rum, cream and raisins.
10. Reduce again until the sauce has thickened.
11. Slice pork in half, on an angle and serve with the sauce.

Chocolate Molten Cakes with Coffee Cream

Yield: 6

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Cakes

• 8 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate
• 2 sticks butter (1 cup)
• 4 x eggs
• 4 tbsp brown or white sugar
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• Pinch salt
• 6 x ramekins or a muffin pan
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp sugar

The Coffee Whipped Cream

• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup 35% whipping cream
• 1 tbsp instant coffee

Directions:

The Cakes

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Fill a medium-sized pot one third full with water and bring to a simmer.
3. Fit a medium-sized bowl over the simmering water, add the chocolate and butter and let melt.
4. Meanwhile beat the eggs with brown sugar, vanilla, cocoa and salt.
5. Pour in melted chocolate and mix well.
6. Rub each ramekin or the inside of each muffin mold with a thin film of butter.
7. Lightly sprinkle each with sugar and shake to coat the inside.
8. Pour in the cake batter and place on a baking sheet.
9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the outside of the cakes are baked through but the centers are still a bit runny.
10. Let cool for a few minutes, the cakes will shrink a bit and pull away from the mold.
11. If necessary, run a paring knife around the edges of the cakes to loosen them.
12. Invert onto a plate or all at once onto another baking pan.
13. Garnish with a spoonful of coffee whipped cream.

The Coffee Whipped Cream

1. Whip together the sugar, whipping cream, and instant coffee, until stiff.

Pear Salad with Garlic Oat Crunch and Blue Cheese Dressing

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy. A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Garlic Oat Crunch

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cups rolled oats
• 3 Tbsps honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 
  

The Blue Cheese Dressing

• 4 ounces blue cheese
• 4 ounces olive oil
• 2 ounces white wine vinegar
• 2 ounces honey
• Salt and pepper

The Salad

• A few handfuls of mixed baby greens, washed
• A few handfuls of baby arugula, washed
• 1 x small bunch watercress, washed and ends trimmed
• 2 x pears, cored and sliced thinly

Directions:

The Garlic Oat Crunch

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Combine ingredients in a bowl and toss well.
3. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake until golden and crispy, about 10-12 minutes.
4. Let cool.

The Blue Cheese Dressing

1. Place dressing ingredients in a small bowl and puree with an immersion blender or puree in a blender until smooth.
2. Adjust seasoning.

The Salad

1. Place salad ingredients into a large salad bowl and sprinkle with garlic oat crunch.
2. Drizzle with blue cheese dressing and toss well before serving.

Sautéed Spinach with Nutmeg

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Sautéed Spinach with Nutmeg

• 2 Tbsps butter
• 1 x onion, minced
• 1 lb. baby spinach
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Sautéed Spinach with Nutmeg

1. Melt butter in a large sauté pan and then add onions.
2. Sauté until they are softened, then add spinach.
3. Stir until it wilts and then stir in nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

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Turkey Tacos

The everyday flavours of Mexico are the inspiration for tonight’s menu of turkey tacos, cheesy quesadillas, avocado and corn salsa, apple pie burritos, and margaritas.

• Apple Pie Burrito
• Avocado and Corn Salsa
• Cheesy Quesadillas
• Margaritas
• Turkey Tacos

Apple Pie Burrito

Yield: 6

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Burrito

• 3 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into large chunks
• 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp apple juice
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 6 flour tortillas
• Dulce de Leche, for garnish

The Dulce de Leche

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk, label removed

Directions:

The Burrito

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Put apples in a pot with all but 2 tbsp of the apple juice, brown sugar and cinnamon.
3. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the apples are beginning to break down and thicken, about 15 minutes.
4. Stir cornstarch into the remaining 2 tbsp of apple juice and then stir mixture into the apples.
5. Stir in walnuts.
6. Lay a flour tortilla onto a flat work surface and spoon a large spoonful of the apple mixture along the edge closest to you.
7. Fold in the sides and then roll up the burrito.
8. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
9. Place on a baking sheet seam side down and bake until crispy and golden, about 15 minutes.
10. Spoon some Dulce de Leche over burritos and serve.

The Dulce de Leche

1. Place can of milk into a medium saucepan and fill with water, covering the top of the can with at least 2 inches of water.
2. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Simmer can for 3 hours, adding water if necessary to keep the can submerged.
3. Do not let the pan boil dry or the can could explode, as long as it is submerged in hot simmering water it is safe!
4. Remove can and let cool completely.
5. The milk will be transformed into a very thick, dark caramel. Spoon over burritos.

Avocado and Corn Salsa

Yield: 2

Ease of Preparation: Easy
Yield: 2 cups
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Avocado and Corn Salsa

• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 x avocado, pit removed and flesh chopped
• 1 x small red onion, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 x small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sea salt
• Dash hot sauce

Directions:

Avocado and Corn Salsa

1. Toss all the ingredients together and either serve immediately or refrigerate overnight.

Cheesy Quesadillas

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Cheesy Quesadillas

• 4 x flour tortillas
• 1 cup Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese, grated
• Avocado Corn Salsa (recipe from this episode) or other salsa
• Oil

Directions:

Cheesy Quesadillas

1. Lay each tortilla flat and place a large spoonful of salsa along one side.
2. Sprinkle with a quarter cup of the grated cheese and fold tortilla in half, pressing down slightly.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add oil.
4. Fry the quesadillas on one side until golden and crisp then turn over and toast the other side.
5. Slice into wedges and serve with more salsa and sour cream.

Margaritas

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy. A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Margaritas

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 cup tequila
• 1 cup Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
• 4 cups ice cubes
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 whole limes, 1 sliced into rounds

Directions:

Margaritas

1. Place all the ingredients including just one of the limes into a blender and blend until ice is crushed and drink is smooth.
2. Pour into 4 margarita glasses and garnish with a lime round.
3. Serve immediately.

Turkey Tacos

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy. A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Filling

• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 Tbsps olive oil
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 x 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 x 17 oz. can black beans
• 12 taco shells

The Salsa

• 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• Half a red onion, chopped
• Half a bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Sea salt

Toppings

• Sour cream
• Sliced green onions
• Grated cheddar
• Lettuce leaves

Directions:

The Filling

1. Sauté the onions and garlic with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until they soften, then add ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon as it begins to brown.
2. When it's browned, add tomatoes and stir, breaking them up with a spoon.
3. Add the chili powder and black beans and season with salt.
4. Let simmer until all liquid has evaporated and mixture is thickened.

The Salsa

1. Toss ingredients together and set aside to let flavours mingle.

Assembly

1. Line taco shells with a lettuce leaf and then add a spoonful of filling and some salsa.
2. Garnish with your choice of toppings and crunch away!

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Asian Chicken Salad

Michael shows how to take leftovers and make them into something new with Asian chicken salad wrapped in rice paper, potato pancakes with smoked salmon & herb sour cream dressing, baked tomatoes "Provencal", and flambeed bananas served with ice cream.

• Asian Chicken Salad Wrapped in Rice Paper
• Baked Tomatoes ‘Provencal’
• Flaming Bananas
• Potato Pancake with Smoked Salmon and Herbed Sour Cream Dressing

Asian Chicken Salad Wrapped in Rice Paper

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy.
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Dressing

• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• Dash hot sauce
• Dash sesame oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 
  

The Salad

• 1 x small bundle of rice vermicelli noodles
• 2 x cooked chicken breasts, shredded
• 1 cup snow peas, thinly sliced
• 1 x carrot, peeled and shredded
• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked
• 4 x large rice paper wrappers, soaked until soft

Directions:

The Dressing

1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together until they form a smooth dressing.

The Salad

1. Cover the noodles with boiling water.
2. Soak until noodles are softened. Drain noodles well.
3. Place shredded chicken into a large bowl, add noodles, peas, carrot and cilantro leaves.
4. Add dressing and toss well.
5. Place a softened rice paper wrapper onto a kitchen towel and blot dry.
6. Carefully transfer it to a flat work surface and place a large spoonful of the chicken salad at the edge closest to you.
7. Fold edge over the filling, and then fold in the two ends.
8. Continue to roll up, securing loose edges so that it is sealed. Repeat for other three rolls.

Baked Tomatoes ‘Provencal’

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy.
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Baked Tomatoes 'Provencal'

• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 x cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 4 Tbsps olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Sea salt
• 4 x ripe tomatoes

Directions:

Baked Tomatoes 'Provencal'

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, parsley, olive oil, oregano and sea salt into a bowl and mix well.
3. Cut a cone shape out of the top of each tomato and then scoop out most of the seeds carefully.
4. Stuff with breadcrumb mixture and place in an 8" x 8" baking pan.
5. Bake until stuffing is golden brown and tomatoes are softened, about 20-25 minutes.

Flaming Bananas

Yield: 2

Ease of Preparation: Easy.
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Flaming Bananas

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 x bananas, peeled and sliced into 6 pieces each
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Flaming Bananas

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add butter and when it begins to foam, add bananas and sugar.
3. Sauté and let bananas caramelize.
4. When they are golden and while the pan is hot ignite them.
5. Tilt the pan away from you, pour in rum and hold a match over the simmering mixture. Be careful!
6. When the alcohol has burned off, the flame will die down.
7. Serve over vanilla ice cream.

Potato Pancake with Smoked Salmon and Herbed Sour Cream Dressing

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy.
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Pancake

• 3 x baked potatoes
• Half of an onion, grated on box grater
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 
  

The Dressing

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 Tbsps capers, lightly chopped
• 2 Tbsps chopped dill

Garnish

• 12 slices smoked salmon
• Handful of baby greens

Directions:

The Pancake

1. Grate potatoes into a large bowl.
2. Add onions and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium to low heat and add butter and oil.
4. Add potato mixture and pat down into the pan so the bottom of the pan is completely covered and the cake is about 1 inch thick.
5. As the cake cooks, pat it down along the edges to compact it.
6. Cook for about twenty minutes, until it has formed a thick, golden crust.
7. Flip pancake by inverting it onto a large plate and then sliding it uncooked-side down back into the hot pan.
8. Cook the other side until golden and firm.
9. Slide pancake onto a serving plate and garnish with slices of smoked salmon and sour cream dressing.
10. Place the greens on top and serve.

The Dressing

1. Mix ingredients in a small bowl.

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Cornflake Crusted Chicken

It's 'restaurant night' at the Smiths' and Rachel and Gabe have placed their orders. Cornflake crusted chicken with curry sauce, white beans with bacon & spinach, beet & Goats cheese salad, and an upside down apple pie are on the menu.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

• 4 x large beets, washed and ends trimmed
• 2 Tbsps olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup goats cheese
• Olive oil for drizzling
• Balsamic vinegar for drizzling
• 1 bunch of chopped Italian parsley
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place beets on a sheet of tin foil and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.
3. Wrap tightly and place on a baking sheet.
4. Roast for about an hour, or until easily pierced with a fork.
5. Unwrap and when beets are cool enough to handle, peel them and slice into even wedges.
6. Place in a salad bowl and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar to taste.
7. Crumble goat cheese over top and garnish with parsley and fresh ground pepper.
8. Toss to combine and enjoy!

Cornflake Crusted Chicken

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Cornflake Crusted Chicken

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 x eggs
• 1 x Heaping spoonful Dijon mustard
• 2 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
• 4 x boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsps olive oil

Curry Sauce

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup 35% cream
• 2 Tbsps cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• Salt

Directions:

Cornflake Crusted Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Put flour into a medium sized bowl.
3. In another bowl, put in eggs and mustard and whisk well.
4. In a third bowl, place cornflakes.
5. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and then coat them with flour.
6. Shake off any excess flour then dip into the egg mixture.
7. Allow the excess egg to run off then dip into the cornflakes and press to coat well.
8. Place the breasts on an oiled baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until crust is crispy and chicken is cooked through.
9. Serve with Curry Sauce or your favourite condiment.

Curry Sauce

1. Pour stock and cream into a small pot over medium heat.
2. Stir cornstarch into water and then whisk into the stock mixture.
3. Add curry powder and continue to whisk until sauce is thickened.
4. Season to taste with salt.

Upside-Down Apple Pie

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Pastry

• 1 cup pastry flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup frozen butter
• 4 tbsp ice water

The Apples

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 x golden delicious apples, cored and sliced into 6 pieces each

Directions:

The Pastry

1. Put flour into a large bowl and whisk in sugar and salt.
2. Grate in frozen butter and blend lightly with fingertips.
3. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time and stir until dough comes together. Pat into a flat disc and refrigerate for at least a half hour.

The Apples

1. Melt butter in an ovenproof skillet and add sugar.
2. Swirl pan around to help dissolve sugar and then let it caramelize.
3. Add apple slices in an attractive pattern and let them cook until they begin to brown and get soft.

Assembly

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Roll dough into a 10-inch round and lay it over the apples in the skillet, tucking edges around apples.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, until pastry is golden.
4. Invert onto a serving platter while tart is still warm.

White Beans with Bacon and Spinach

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

White Beans with Bacon and Spinach

• 1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
• 2 x onions, chopped
• 8 x cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 x cups dried navy beans, soaked in cold water overnight
• 3 x bay leaves
• 2 x sprigs fresh rosemary
• Fresh ground pepper
• A few handfuls of baby spinach

Directions:

White Beans with Bacon and Spinach

1. Brown the bacon in a saucepan over medium-high heat then pour off most of the fat before adding the onions.
2. Stir and cook until the onions soften and begin to brown.
3. Add the garlic and stir for a few minutes before adding the soaked beans.
4. Add bay leaves, rosemary and pepper. Add just enough water to cover the beans.
5. Simmer until the water has been absorbed and the beans are tender, about 45 minutes.
6. Stir in the baby spinach and serve.

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Southwestern Steak Salad

Michael finds inspiration everywhere and ends up with a southwestern steak salad, spicy sweet potato soup with crispy tortillas, and green rice with cilantro.

Green Rice with Cilantro

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Green Rice with Cilantro

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups water or chicken broth
• Bay leaf
• Salt
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Green Rice with Cilantro

1. Using a small pot over medium-high heat sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil.
2. Stir until they soften, then add the rice.
3. Stir to coat it well with the oil.
4. Add water or broth and bay leaf and season with salt.
5. Bring to a simmer, stir and then cover with a tight fitting lid. Turn the heat to low.
6. Let simmer until all the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
7. Fluff rice with fork and stir in cilantro.

Southwestern Steak Salad

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

The Steak

• 3 tbsp coriander seed
• 3 tbsp cumin seed
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced into a paste
• 1 1/2 cup olive oil
• Dash hot sauce
• 2 tbsp mustard
• Salt
• 1 lb. flank steak

The Dressing

• 1/4 cup salsa
• Half a lime, juiced
• 2 Tbsps olive oil
• Salt and pepper

The Salad

• 4 large handfuls of baby greens, washed and dried
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup grated cheddar

Directions:

The Steak

1. Grind coriander and cumin seed in a spice grinder, coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and place in a medium sized bowl.
2. Add garlic, oil, hot sauce and mustard and stir.
3. Place the steak into a resealable freezer bag and pour in the marinade.
4. Seal and rub the marinade into the meat, making sure it’s well coated. Put in fridge for at least 1 hour, or as long as overnight.
5. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Turn and sear on other side for 5 minutes more, or until steak is medium rare.
7. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes, and then slice thinly across the grain of the meat.

The Dressing

1. Place salad dressing ingredients into the bottom of a salad bowl and whisk together.

The Salad

1. Add greens, cilantro, red pepper, grated cheese, and flank steak to the salad bowl. Toss well and serve.

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup with Crispy Tortillas

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 large sweet potatoes, washed and grated
• 1 chipotle pepper, in adobe sauce
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Salt

The Garnish

• 1 x small bunch cilantro, minced
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper
• 1 x flour tortilla

Directions:

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add oil and onions. Sauté until golden brown.
3. Add the stock and grated sweet potatoes and stir.
4. Bring to a simmer and add chipotle pepper, cinnamon and salt.
5. Continue to simmer until potatoes have softened.
6. Puree in a blender, or with an immersion blender.
7. Adjust seasoning and, if necessary, adjust the thickness by adding a cup or so of water.

The Garnish

1. Stir cilantro into sour cream and season with salt and pepper.
2. Roll tortilla into a cigar shape and slice thinly.
3. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crispy, about 15 minutes.
4. Top each bowl of soup with a dollop of sour cream and a handful of the tortilla chips.

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