PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS WITH ASPARAGUS ENJOY DAN:

PORTABELLA MUSHROOM STIR-FRY WITH ASPARAGUS by CHEF DAN:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 shallots, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 thumb-size fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 red roasted bell peeper, cut into strips

1/4-cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 teaspoon thyme, finely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 portabella mushrooms caps, dark gills scraped out with a spoon, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

1 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch diagonal pieces

6 scallions, (white and green parts) cut into 2-inch diagonal pieces

1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1.   In a bowl, whisk together the shallots, vinegar, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and 2 tablespoon olive oil.

2.   Heat a wok over high-heat, and when hot add I tablespoon oil, and swirl to coat.

3.   Add the asparagus, and cook stirring often, for 2 minutes.

4.   Stir in mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until just soft.

5.   Stir in roosted red bell pepper, scallions, ginger, and garlic, add the shallot mixture and stir-fry for 3 minutes.

6.   Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

ENJOY DAN:                       BON-APPETITE!!

ROASTED BEETS AND CARROT SALAD ENJOY DAN:

ROASTED BEETS AND CARROT SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE by CHEF DAN:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

6 beets, rinsed and trimmed

2 carrots

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 (13.2 Oz) package spinach plus, baby bok choy, baby red and green chard

4 whole garlic cloves, skin peeled

1/3-cup goat cheese

1/3-cup pine nuts, toasted

Lemon vinaigrette, (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS:                                 (PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 425 DEGREES)

1.   Cut beets in half.

2.   Peel carrots and cut diagonally into 1-2-inch thick wedges.

3.   Place beets, carrots and garlic in a single layer in Pam sprayed baking sheet.

4.   Drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat.

5.   Cover with foil and roasted for 25 minutes.

6.   Uncover and roast for 15 minutes.

7.   Cool; peel and slice the beets 1/4-inch thick.

8.   Set aside.

9.   Arrange green on individual plates.

10.                Top with beets, carrots, garlic and crumbled feta cheese.

11.                Drizzle with half of the lemon vinaigrette.

12.                Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

VINAIGRETTE DRESSING:

1.   In a screw-top jar combine 1/3-cup olive oil, 1/2-teaspoon shredded lemon peel, 1/4-cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh snipped tarragon, 1 tablespoon Dan’s honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, 1/4-teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8-teaspoon ground black pepper.

2.   Cover and shake well.

ENJOY DAN:                  HALLELUJAH!!

SWEET AND SOUR CAMBODIAN FISH SOUP ENJOY DAN:

CAMBODIAN SWEET AND SOUR SOUP WITH WHITE FISH by CHEF DAN:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

 1/4-cup tamarind juice

6 cups clam juice or chicken broth

3 stalks lemon grass, peeled and cut into 5-inch pieces,

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce

2 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 thumb-size fresh ginger, grated

Zest of 2 limes or 2 tablespoon lime juice

1/2-peeled and cored pineapple, cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes

1 (14.5 Oz) can diced tomatoes

3/4-pound firm white fish, cat fish, halibut, tilapia, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 (8 Oz) package rice noodles

 For garnish basil leaves, thinly sliced scallions, white and light parts and lime wedges.

DIRECTIONS:

1.   In bowl add rice noodles and add boiling water, and let rest 10 minutes, drain, drain and set aside.

2.   Slice lemon-grass diagonally into strips.

3.   Bring 6 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil in a stock pot.

4.   Combine tamarind, lemon grass, soy sauce, chili sauce, and fish sauce in a sauce pan over low-heat and cook 5 minutes.

5.   Add to stock pot; removing lemon grass.

6.   Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the garlic, ginger and shallots; cook for 2-3 minutes, transfer to soup pot.

7.   Reduce heat to simmer and add lemon juice, pineapple, and tomatoes, stirring to combine, cook for 5 minutes.

8.   Add the fish and cook another 5 minutes.

9.    Add soft rice noodles to each soup bowl and ladle fish soup over the top of the noodles.

10.                Garnish with basil, scallions, and lime wedges.

ENJOY DAN:                                  HALLELUJAH!!

SHRIMP AND TAMARIND, PLUM SAUCE ENJOY DAN:

             TAMARIND SHRIMP (TAM RANG ME) by CHEF DAN:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

TAMARIND / PLUM SAUCE

1/4-cup tamarind juice

1-cup chicken stock

1/2-cup plum sauce

1/2-cup oyster sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/4- cup brown sugar

2 tablespoon lime juice

SHRIMP:

2 pounds shrimp, shelled, and deveined

6 scallions cut on the bias in 1-inch pieces

3 red Chile peppers, finely sliced

2 tablespoon grape seed oil

1/2-cup tamarind and plum sauce

1 tablespoon cilantro roots, pounded to a paste

1 tablespoon cilantro leaves

1/4-cup dry roasted peanuts

DIRECTIONS:

1.   In a sauce pan add stock, tamarind juice, plum sauce, oyster sauce, lime juice, and sugar.

2.   Bring to a boil to combine the flavors.

3.   Set aside.

4.   In a wok add oil over medium-high heat, until oil is bubbling.

5.   Add shrimp and sauté for 3 minutes.

6.   Add the chilies’ and half the scallions and cilantro smashed roots.

7.   Toss to combine.

8.   Add tamarind and plum sauce, mixture.

9.   Cook for another 5 minutes.

10.                Garnish with remaining scallions, cilantro leaves and peanuts.

ENJOY DAN:                                                  BON-APPETITE!!

LEMONGRASS WITH ORZO AND PINEAPPLE ENJOY DAN:

CAMBODIAN LEMON GRASS SOUP WITH LIZARDS AND SPIDERS

                                                                                       By CHEF DAN:

Serves 30-40

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups orzo

1/3-cup fresh ginger, grated or fresh Galangal

3 stalks lemon grass

2 tablespoons red curry paste

22 cups water or vegetarian broth

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoon fish sauce

3 tablespoon brown sugar

1 (50 Oz) can coconut milk

1 pound sliced button mushrooms

1 (20 Oz) can pineapple tidbits

1/3-cup lime juice or 5 Kaffer Lime leaves

1 teaspoon (EACH) paprika and turmeric

1 lizard

2 ants

DIRECTIONS:

1.   Heat oil in stock pot over medium-heat.

2.   Cook and stir in orzo, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste in the heated oil for 1 minute.

3.   Slowly pour in the vegetarian broth over the mixture, stirring continually.

4.   Stir in the fish sauce, spices, and brown sugar, simmer for 20 minutes.

5.   Stir in the coconut milk, pineapple, and mushrooms, cook for another 15 minutes.

6.   Stir in the lime juice, season with salt and pepper.

ENJOY DAN:                          HALLELUJAH!!

STUFFED PEPPERS WITH QUINOA ENJOY DAN:

STUFFED BELL PEPPER WITH BLACK BEAN, SWEET POTATO AND QUINOA

                                                                                                   By CHEF DAN:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 roasted jalapeno, seeded and diced

3/4-cup quinoa, uncooked

2-cups chicken broth

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 (15 Oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoons cumin

1/2-dried oregano

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 red bell peppers, seeds removed and cut vertically with stem attached

7 baby portabella mushrooms, diced

3 carrots, grated

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, (plus 4 tablespoons)

Pinch of kosher salt and pepper.

DIRECTIONS:     (PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES)

1.   On an open flame roasted jalapenos until charred.

2.   Place in paper bag and let cool, and peel skin and chop.

3.   In a sauce pan over medium- heat olive oil.

4.   Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

5.   Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes cook for 30 seconds.

6.   Stir in mushrooms, and tomatoes, and cook for 5 minutes.

7.   Stir in quinoa, sweet potato, black beans, carrots, and 2 cups chicken broth.

8.   Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

9.   Stir in 1 cup mozzarella cheese, season with salt and pepper.

10.                In a pre-heated oven fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture and place in a Pam coated baking dish.

11.                Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour.

12.                Uncover and add 1 tablespoon cheese to each pepper.

13.                Bake uncovered 15 minutes more.

14.                Let sit 5 minutes and sprinkle with pan juices.

ENJOY DAN:                           HALLELUJAH!!

NACHOS FOR FATHERS DAY ENJOY DAN:

THAI NACHOS FOR FATHERS DAY AT THE CLESENS by CHEF DAN:

Serves 10-12 

INGREDIENTS:

1 -2 chicken breasts, pre-cooked and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon grape-seed oil

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 bunch of scallions

1 (19.5 Oz) can MAE PLOY) coconut milk

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick

1 tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeno, minced

2 teaspoons brown sugar

8 ounces, Mexican blend or pepper lack cheese

A bunch cilantro

1/4-cup dry roasted peanuts

DIRECTIONS:                    (PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES)

1.   In a skillet heat oil over medium-high heat, until sizzling.

2.   Add 1 tablespoon of the curry paste and heat until bubbling.

3.   Add chicken and stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

4.   Add fish sauce, and white part of scallions, stir fry for 1 minute.

5.   Add 1/2 the coconut milk, stirring frequently and cook until meat is done and sauce is thickened, 2-3 minutes.

6.   Remove meat mixture to a plate.

7.   In the same skillet 1 tablespoon curry paste and remaining coconut milk.

8.   Bring to a boil and add lime juice and sugar.

9.   Cook until curry is dissolved and sauce is thickened.

10.                 In the pre-heated oven place the Tortilla chips on a baking sheet.

11.                Pour meat mixture, diced pepper, and tomato, green parts of scallions, jalapenos, and coconut curry sauce.

12.                Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5 minutes

13.                Sprinkle with cilantro, peanuts, and serve immediately

ENJOY DAN:                      HALLELUJAH!!