Avocado Shrimp Toast

Happy Summer! Hello WORLD! Michael and I have been a bit off the grid for a bit, hence the no posts since February, Michael is head chef at a new fabulous restaurant, I have been doing some work with a gallery in the Santa Fe Art Colony, showing my paintings. All in all, it has been pretty busy, but a wonderful time!

That being said, we have put together a simple yet delicious dish inspired by summer and my recent trip with my family to Puerto Vallarta (Michael couldn’t make it because he is el jefe and needed). We have made avocado shrimp toast. This is such a simple dish, yet very complex in flavor, and is great for brunch or even just a snack.

Ingredients:

½ Lb. peeled and deveined shrimp (about medium size)
Sourdough baguette
Cilantro
3 avocadoes
1 lemon
1 lime
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoons kosher salt plus some pinches

Start by preheating oven to 400 degrees and slicing bread a ¼ to ½ inch thick, depends on your preference. Put bread on sheet tray and in the oven when the oven reaches temp. Toast bread about 12 minutes, flipping half way. Since all ovens are not created equal, just keep an eye out on toast burnage.

I like to buy my shrimp peeled and deveined to save the time, but check to make sure it is completely deveined because I know it's childish but it's just guhross if they are not completely cleaned. Heat oil and juice of a lemon inn a skillet on medium high heat, until it starts to slightly brown….SUPER CRUCIAL, don’t let oil burn, just let it slightly brown. Place shrimp in skillet, season with a teaspoon of salt, and cook about 3 minutes each side, or until shrimp turns pink. Remove from heat.

To assemble this glorious masterpiece get all of your ingredients ready; have your bread out, open your avocado up, pick some rinsed cilantro, slice your shrimp down the middle length wise, and roll and then slice your lime.  The reason you roll the lime is to open up the juiciness inside!

Start with your toast, then layer slices of avocado, and the pinch some salt on top. Next lay 3-4 shrimp slice on top, squeeze some lime on top, sprinkle some chili flakes, and lastly top with some cilantro!

Enjoy!!!

Valentines Day Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!  I try to spend every day like it is Valentine’s Day, telling Michael how much I love him, loving my family, my friends, my dogs, and always being kind to others. What are your Valentine’s Day plans this year?

When I think of what makes me happy when it comes to food, it isn’t something incredibly fancy or highly intricate, it is the simple comfort food that melts in your mouth and makes you feel good. We have created an elevated grilled cheese and tomato soup combo for you, a more decadent version of a loved classic. So enjoy our heirloom creamed tomato soup with a Swiss Gruyere Emmentaler grilled cheese sandwich!

*It helps to have a blender, sieve, and food brush handy, and if you cannot find a bag of grated cheese, just buy blocks and grate equal amounts.

Ingredients: serves 4

Soup:

6 large heirloom tomatoes
1 large can whole peeled tomatoes
¼ cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Yellow onion
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic
Parmesan rind
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Pinch of salt

Grilled Cheese Sandwich:
Block of soft baby Swiss cheese
Grated bag of Emmentaler and Gruyere cheese (they will be under fondue cheeses)
Sliced sourdough bread
1 Tablespoon melted butter

Start by assembling your mise en place by dicing the onion and garlic and setting aside, and then chopping the heirloom tomatoes and canned tomatoes. In a large sauce pan heat oil, then add onion and garlic and cook about 5 minutes until translucent.

Add tomatoes, then parmesan rind, thyme sprigs. When you add the rind make sure that there is no paper stuck to it. Put to medium heat and let cook 25 minutes. Remove the rind and the thyme.  

In small batches (if it is too large you may burn yourself), puree the tomato soup. Pour the mix into a sieve over a bowl, and using a spoon push through the sieve until you are only left with the fiber and no liquid. Discard of the fiber. Do this until all of the soup has been strained.

Pour the soup back into the sauce pan, turn to medium heat. Add butter, pinch of salt, and cream. Stir. Return to medium low to keep warm.

To make the sandwich melt a Tablespoon of butter in a bowl, then brush both sides of bread with butter, not so much that the bread will be soggy. Heat a pan to medium high heat.

Place first piece of bread in the pan. Let heat for 3 minutes, then add Emmentaler and Gruyere, then Baby Swiss. Let cook for 2 more minutes. Add next slice of bread then flip, cooking the next side for about 3-4 minutes. You just want the bread to brown and crisp, but not burn.

To serve, slice sandwiches in half, and serve with small bowl of soup and a kiss!

Deconstruct to Reconstruct Picnic Sandwich!

In honor of National Picnic Day which was last week and the gorgeous weather we have been having here we have made the perfect picnic sandwich which has been deconstructed…so that when you get to your picnic…you can reconstruct! Avoid gross soggy bread, and bring your components to your next picnic. Your friends will not only be impressed, but they can make their sandwich their own way, and hey, maybe you can compare tupperware.

What we have made for you today is a grilled chicken sandwich on sourdough, with a bit of arugula, gouda cheese, pickled onions, and a roasted artichoke aioli. Picnic away!

*Requires a grill pan, or grill if you feel up to it!

Ingredients: serves 2

1 loaf sourdough bread
Gouda

Chicken:
2 skinless chicken breasts
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Pickled Onion:
1 small yellow onion
½ cup vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 star anise
3 juniper berries
2 cloves

Grilled artichoke aioli:
2 artichokes
1 egg
¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup grape seed oil
Salt to taste

Open Face Thanksgiving Melt

Some of the best parts of Thanksgiving are the leftovers! Yum! Instead of making your usual boring Turkey sandwich, or just reheating your food, try a diner lovers version of Thanksgiving, pack all the deliciousness in one, and eat this Thanksgiving open face diner melt. No need to follow our recipes for stuffing or any of that good stuff, the beauty is, you already have everything you need, your own stuffing, and turkey, and cranberry sauce etc…..

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:

Sourdough bread
Swiss cheese
Cranberry sauce
Stuffing
Turkey

This sandwich is so simple and damn is it an amazing dish! You can either buy slices of sourdough bread, or a loaf which we did. In that case slice the loaf with crust side down, so you get an allover good crunch. Take a heaping spoonful of cranberry sauce and spread over your bread, now layer your stuffing, and turkey on top. Take two slices of swiss cheese lay on top. Turn your broiler on in your oven, place the sandwich under the broiler flame and let the cheese melt, about 5 minutes.

Now it is ready to serve, if you like a sweet and savory you can add another small dollop of cranberry sauce, or make a savory one all the way, add some gravy, or eat the way we do, as is!!!

Voila!

You won’t be bored with your Thanksgiving leftovers!