Braised Lamb Shanks

Michael demonstrates how relaxing cooking can be with braised lamb shanks, roasted cauliflower with almonds, orange juice braised sweet potatoes, and roasted pineapple with coconut crusted ice cream.

• Braised Lamb Shanks 3
• Orange Juice-Braised Sweet Potatoes
• Roasted Cauliflower with Almonds
• Roasted Pineapple with Coconut Crusted Ice Cream

Braised Lamb Shanks 3

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:

Braised Lamb Shanks

• 4 Tbsps vegetable oil
• 4 x lamb shanks
• 4 x carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 x celery stalks, chopped
• 2 x onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 L apple cider
• 2 cups raisins
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 4 x bay leaves
• 2 x crisp apples, cored and chunked
• Salt and pepper
• 1 x celery rib, sliced
• 1 x carrot, peeled and sliced
• 1 x apple, cored and chunked

Directions:

Braised Lamb Shanks

1. Heat a heavy bottomed stew pot over medium high heat and add oil.
2. When it begins to smoke, add lamb shanks and brown until they are a deep golden colour on all sides.
3. Remove from pan and rest on a plate.
4. Drain excess fat from pot, then return the shanks to the pot.
5. Add carrots, celery, onions, apple cider, raisins, cinnamon, bay leaves, and the apples.
6. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
7. Cover tightly and braise for 1.5 to 2 hours, until meat is very tender and almost falling off the bone.
8. Add sliced celery, carrot and apple during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Orange Juice-Braised Sweet Potatoes

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:

Orange Juice-Braised Sweet Potatoes

• 3 x sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch slices
• 2 Tbsps chopped rosemary
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 x red onion, sliced thickly
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Orange Juice-Braised Sweet Potatoes

1. Put sweet potatoes into a large sauté pan.
2. Add rosemary, orange juice, red onion and season with salt and pepper.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Roasted Cauliflower with Almonds

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:

Roasted Cauliflower with Almonds

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Roasted Cauliflower with Almonds

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Put cauliflower florets into a 9" by 13" baking pan and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Add salt and pepper and almonds.
4. Toss well and roast in oven until golden and tender, about 25 minutes.

Roasted Pineapple with Coconut Crusted Ice Cream

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:

Roasted Pineapple with Coconut Crusted Ice Cream

• 1 x pineapple, skin and ends trimmed off and cut into large chunks
• 3 Tbsps brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 3 scoops vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Roasted Pineapple with Coconut Crusted Ice Cream

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place pineapple chunks into a large bowl and add sugar, rum and allspice.
3. Toss well and pour into a 9" by 13" baking pan.
4. Roast for 1 hour, or until pineapple is caramelized and tender.
5. Place coconut into a shallow bowl and add a scoop of ice cream.
6. Roll it around until it is coated in coconut.
7. Repeat for other ice cream balls.
8. Spoon some pineapple into a serving dish and add ice cream.
9. Serve immediately.

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• Blue Cheese-Crusted Filet Mignon
• Horseradish Smashed Potatoes
• Pavlova with Orange Marmalade and Orange Whipped Cream
• Roast Tomatoes with Baby Spinach

Blue Cheese-Crusted Filet Mignon

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy.

Ingredients:

Blue Cheese-Crusted Filet Mignon

• 4 x x six-ounce filet mignons
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• 8 ounces blue cheese
• 2 x slices whole grain bread, cubed
• Half stick butter
• 2 x sprigs fresh rosemary
• Fresh ground pepper

Pan Sauce

• 1 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Blue Cheese-Crusted Filet Mignon

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Season the filets and rub with olive oil. Place in the hot pan and sear for 1 minute on each side.
4. Place on a cooling rack fitted over a baking sheet. Reserve the pan.
5. Puree the blue cheese, bread, butter, rosemary and pepper in a food processor until smooth.
6. Pack blue cheese crust onto the tops of the filets and bake in oven until meat is medium-rare, about 8-10 minutes.
7. The meat and crust may be prepared in advance, refrigerated, then baked just before serving. If so, add a little more baking time.

Pan Sauce

1. Add the wine to the searing pan over medium-high heat.
2. Scrape loose the brown bits and reduce the wine to a syrup-like consistency.
3. Whisk in the cream and continue to reduce until the mixture thickens to a sauce like consistency.
4. Season and serve with the filets.

Horseradish Smashed Potatoes

Yield: 4 servings with leftovers.
Ease of Preparation: Easy

Ingredients:

Horseradish Smashed Potatoes

• 8 x small or 4 large Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled, washed and cut into quarters
• 1 x cup milk
• 1 x stick butter
• 2 x heaping spoonfuls prepared horseradish
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Horseradish Smashed Potatoes

1. Steam potatoes in a stovetop steamer or a pot with a tight fitting lid and an inch or so of water.
2. Cook for 15-20 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife.
3. Meanwhile heat the milk, butter and horseradish in a small pot.
4. Place potatoes in a bowl and pour in hot milk mixture.
5. Smash well and season with salt and pepper.

Pavlova with Orange Marmalade and Orange Whipped Cream

Yield: 6

Ease of Preparation: Easy.

Ingredients:

Pavlova

• 6 x egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Topping

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp Grand Marnier orange liqueur
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade

Directions:

Pavlova

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Fit a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
2. Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer until they reach soft peaks.
3. Gradually add the sugar, a half a cup at a time and continue to whip until the whites form stiff peaks.
4. Fold in vinegar and cornstarch.
5. Spoon mixture onto the baking sheet, forming a large round evenly shaped mound. Think of an extra large hockey puck.
6. Bake for 1 hour, until the Pavlova is crispy on the outside and has a soft, marshmallow center.

Topping

1. Evenly spread the marmalade onto the top.
2. Whip the cream with the Grand Marnier and spread it on the marmalade. Enjoy!

Roast Tomatoes with Baby Spinach

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy.

Ingredients:

Roast Tomatoes with Baby Spinach

• 8 x roma tomatoes
• 2 x onions, peeled and chopped
• 6 x garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lb. baby spinach

Directions:

Roast Tomatoes with Baby Spinach

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Toss the tomatoes, onions, garlic and oil together in a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper.
3. Toss well and roast until caramelized, about 45 minutes.
4. Place spinach into a salad bowl and pour in hot tomatoes, along with any juices.
5. Toss well to wilt spinach and serve immediately.

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Summer Salads

It’s a beautiful day for a picnic and Michael improvises cold salads to maximize his time outdoors. A feast of Asian spinach salad with orange dressing, Asian cabbage salad, salsa, and tuna potato salad is made complete with homemade ice cream sandwiches.

• Asian Cabbage Salad
• Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Salsa
• Spinach Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
• Tuna Potato Salad

Asian Cabbage Salad

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Asian Cabbage Salad

• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1 heads of red cabbage, sliced thinly
• 2 cups of bean sprouts
• 2 cups of snow peas, thinly sliced
• 2 x carrots, shredded
• 3 tbsp of soya sauce
• 3 tbsp of honey
• dash of sesame oil
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Asian Cabbage Salad

1. Heat oil in a large pot and add cabbage. Season with salt and pepper and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until it begins to get soft. Add bean sprouts, snow peas, carrots and stir fry for about 2 more minutes.
2. Whisk together the soya sauce, honey, sesame oil, lime juice and add to the cabbage along with the cilantro leaves. Toss well and adjust seasoning.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Yield: 6

Yield: 6 sandwiches (depending on size of cookies)

Ingredients:

Ice Cream Sandwiches

• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 x large eggs
• 2 cups of chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 2 tbsp of cocoa
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Ice Cream Sandwiches

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whiz butter and sugar together in a food processor. Add eggs and continue to whiz. Add chocolate chips and whiz until they are ground into small bits
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and add to the food processor. Pulse until incorporated.
4. Roll dough into balls the size of golf balls. Place on a baking sheet and press down to flatten. Bake for about 6-8 minutes. Let cool.
5. Place a cookie on a baking sheet and top with one heaping scoop of ice cream. Put another cookie on top and push down until the ice cream spreads out and reaches the edges. It should be about an inch thick and evenly dispersed. Continue until desired number of sandwiches have been assembled and put in the freezer. You may need to put each sandwich into the freezer immediately after assembly to avoid excessive melting.

Salsa

Ingredients:

Salsa

• 4 x ripe tomatoes
• 1 cup of tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 6 x green onions
• Juice and zest of 2 limes
• 1 x chipotle pepper
• 1 tbsp of ground cumin
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• Salt

Directions:

Salsa

1. Puree everything in a food processor until smooth. Add salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips

Spinach Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Yield: 2

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• 1 bag of baby spinach leaves
• 1 x red onion, sliced thinly

For the Vinaigrette:

• 2 tbsp of orange juice concentrate
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

For the Salad:

1. Put the spinach and onion into a large salad bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

For the Vinaigrette:

1. Whisk ingredients together until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Tuna Potato Salad

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Tuna Potato Salad

• 2 lb. of baby red potatoes, cut in half
• 1 lb. of green beans, cleaned
• 1 cup of calamata black olives
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 x heaping tbsp of Dijon mustard
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 1 x 8 oz tuna steak
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Tuna Potato Salad

1. Steam potatoes in a stovetop steamer until tender.
2. Remove potatoes to a bowl and add green beans to the steamer. Steam until bright green and still slightly crisp. Add to the potatoes along with the olives, olive oil, mustard, lemon zest and juice and season well. Toss to incorporate everything.
3. Begin to heat a cast iron pan or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Rub both sides of tuna steak with salt and pepper. When the pan is hot, sear the tuna for 2 minutes per side. It should be rare in the middle.
4. Slice the tuna and lay over the potato salad base.

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Chef At Large

7 Chocolate Courses

Dominique and Cindy Duby are Canada’s most notable pastry chefs and sought after "Sweet Ambassadors". They put it all on the line with a 7-course sweet and savoury “molecular gastronomy” meal. Each course features chocolate and the dinner is served at the famous Bel-Air Hotel in Hollywood. Michael travels with them as the Duby’s crusade in the name of science and their food is put to the test.