♥ halibut with grapefruit, parsley, red onion & shiitake mushrooms ♥

this healthy and tasty recipe is courtesy of chef jimmy bradley and can be found in "the red cat cookbook."

what you'll need...
♥1 1/2 large pink grapefruits

♥3/4 cup torn flat-leaf parsley

♥1/4 medium red onion, very thinly sliced

♥1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

♥coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

♥1 tablespoon heavy cream

♥1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, plus 1 tablespoon for fish

♥dash of hot sauce

♥1/2 cup grapeseed oil

♥10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, caps only, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

♥4 skinless halibut fillets (6 ounces each)

what you'll do...

1. slice the top and bottom of grapefruits with a paring knife. set one of the flat sides on your work surface. from top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit, cut away peel and white pith. trim off any remaining pith. holding the grapefruit over a medium bowl, cut along both sides of 12 segments, staying close to the membrane, to release; discard any seeds.

2. squeeze juice from remaining sections into a small bowl, discarding any seeds. you should have about 1/2 cup juice.

3. add parsley, onion, and olive oil to bowl with grapefruit sections; season with salt and pepper and gently toss to combine. cover and set aside.

4. pour grapefruit juice into a small nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. continue boiling juice until reduced to a thick glaze, about 5 minutes. whisk in cream and let reduce for 1 minute. remove saucepan from heat and whisk in 1/2 cup butter, one piece at a time. whisk in hot sauce and season with salt and pepper; cover and set aside.

5. heat 1/4 cup of grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until beginning to crisp, about 4 minutes. season with salt and pepper; set aside, covered, to keep warm.

6. heat remaining 1/4 cup grapeseed oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. season halibut fillets with salt and pepper and place them in skillet. add remaining tablespoon butter and let melt to prevent fish from sticking to pan. cook fish, turning once, until opaque, about 3 minutes per side.

7. divide mushrooms evenly between 4 serving plates. top each with grapefruit salad and a halibut fillet. spoon over sauce and serve immediately.

♥ eggs benedict ♥

what you'll do...

♥1 tablespoon white vinegar

♥8 large eggs
♥Hollandaise Sauce

♥16 slices bacon

♥4 english muffins, split in half, toasted

what you'll do...

1. Fill a large saucepan with about 4 inches of water, add vinegar, and bring to a boil. Fill a shallow dish or pie plate with warm water. Reduce heat under saucepan to medium, so water is just barely simmering. Break 1 egg at a time into a small heat-proof bowl. Gently tip bowl into water; carefully slide egg into water. Repeat with remaining eggs.

2. When eggs begin to become opaque, remove them from the saucepan with a slotted spoon in the order in which they were added. Transfer the eggs to the dish of warm water. This process should take about 3 minutes.

3. Prepare the hollandaise sauce, and set aside, keeping it warm.

4. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add Canadian bacon, and cook until well browned on both sides. Divide bacon among the English-muffin halves. For each serving, use a slotted spoon to remove one egg from warm water; set spoon and egg briefly on a clean cloth or paper towel to drain. Gently place the egg on a bacon-topped muffin, and spoon the reserved warm hollandaise sauce over the top

♥ spinach and gruyere souffle ♥



souffles are much simpler to make than you think. just stir egg yolks and spinach into cheese sauce to create your base. all thats left is to fold in egg whites and bake.

what you'll need...
♥2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish
♥1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs

♥5 cups (5 ounces) packed spinach, trimmed and washed

♥2 tablespoons flour

♥3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

♥1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese

♥coarse salt and ground pepper

♥2 large eggs, separated, plus 2 large egg whites

what you'll do...

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees. butter a round 1-quart tall-sided baking dish and dust with breadcrumbs; set aside. in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons water over medium-high. add spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 4 minutes. transfer to a strainer to cool; press to release liquid.

2. in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium until bubbling. add flour and whisk until a paste forms. continue to cook until pale blond in color, 2 to 3 minutes. whisking, gradually add milk. cook, whisking, until lumps are gone and mixture is thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. remove from heat. stir in cheese until melted; season with salt and pepper. transfer souffle base to a large bowl.

3. in a food processor, pulse spinach and egg yolks until coarsely pureed. add 1/4 cup souffle base; pulse until blended. stir spinach mixture into remaining souffle base. (to store, press plastic wrap against surface and keep at room temperature, up to 4 hours.)

4. in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 4 egg whites and pinch of salt on medium-high until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat), about 3 minutes. in 2 additions, gently fold egg whites into souffle base. pour batter into prepared dish and bake until souffle is tall, browned, and firm to the touch, about 35 minutes. (avoid opening oven during first 25 minutes of baking.) serve immediately.

♥ bacon, egg and toast cups ♥

try cooked, crumbled sausage in place of bacon or make a vegetarian version with sauteed spinach and dress things up with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese

what you'll need...
♥3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

♥8 slices white or whole-wheat sandwich bread

♥6 slices bacon

♥6 large eggs

♥coarse salt and ground pepper

what you'll do...

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees. lightly butter 6 standard muffin cups. with a rolling pin, flatten bread slices slightly and, with a 4 1/4-inch cookie cutter, cut into 8 rounds. cut each round in half, then press 2 halves into each muffin cup, overlapping slightly and making sure bread comes up to edge of cup. use extra bread to patch any gaps. brush bread with remaining butter.

2. in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium, until almost crisp, 4 minutes, flipping once. (it will continue to cook in the oven.) lay 1 bacon slice in each bread cup and crack an egg over each. season with salt and pepper. bake until egg whites are just set, 20 to 25 minutes. run a small knife around cups to loosen toasts. serve immediately.

note:
standard muffin pans come in 6- or 12-cup size; if baking 6 items in a 12-cup pan, leave empty space in between. nonstick pans are nice but not essential. beware of very thin pans, which often lead to burning. place pans on a baking sheet to make them easier to get in and out of the oven.

♥ herbed mushroom custards ♥

for smooth and creamy custards, bake them in a bain marie. this method ensures even, gentle cooking.

what you'll need...
♥4 tablespoons butter
♥2 and 1/2 pound mixed mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
♥3 garlic cloves, minced
♥1 cup heavy cream
♥1 large egg
♥1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
♥coarse salt and ground pepper

what you'll do...

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to brown, 18 to 20 minutes. let cool slightly.

2. in a large bowl, whisk together cream, egg, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. stir in mushrooms, and divide among eight 6-ounce ramekins.

3. line a roasting pan (just large enough to hold ramekins) with a dish towel; place ramekins on towel. transfer to oven, and pour enough boiling water in pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins. bake until custards are just set, about 30 minutes. carefully remove ramekins from water.

♥ potatoes anna ♥

this classic french dish can be baked up to eight hours ahead. let it cool completely, then cover loosely with foil, and refrigerate. to serve, reheat in a 350-degree oven...

what you'll need...
♥6 medium russet potatoes
♥6 tablespoons butter
♥coarse salt and ground pepper

what you'll do...

1. preheat oven to 450 degrees. using a food processor with a slicing blade or a sharp knife, slice potatoes as thinly as possible, 1/4 inch thick or thinner. (do not place sliced potatoes in water; the starch is needed to bind the layers.).

2. brush bottom of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. starting in center of pan, arrange potato slices, slightly overlapping, in circular pattern, covering surface. brush with another 1 1/2 tablespoons butter; season well with salt and pepper. repeat for two more layers.

♥ goats-cheese stuffed mushrooms ♥

what you'll need...
♥olive oil for baking sheet
♥3 slices white sandwich bread
♥1 small garlic clove, coarsley chopped
♥5 ounces goats cheese, crumbled
♥1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
♥1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
♥coarse salt
♥2 packages white button mushrooms, stems removed

what you'll do...

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.

2. In a food processor, pulse bread and garlic until fine crumbs form; set 1/2 cup aside. To food processor, add goat cheese, parsley, and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt, and pulse filling until combined.

3. Spoon filling into each mushroom, and roll filled side in reserved breadcrumbs. Place on prepared baking sheet; bake until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

♥ fried mozzarella ♥

what you'll need...
♥1 cup flour
♥2 large eggs
♥1 cup dried breadcrumbs
♥1 teaspoon dried thyme
♥coarse sea and ground pepper
♥1 pound bite size mozzarella balls
♥2 cups vegetable oil
♥tomato sause for serving

what you'll do...
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place flour in a bowl. In another bowl, beat eggs. In a third bowl, combine panko with thyme. Season each with salt and pepper. Working with 2 bocconcini at a time, dredge in flour, shaking off excess, coat in egg, and roll in breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere.

2.In a small saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high until pinch of breadcrumbs sizzles and floats to the top when added. Fry bocconcini, 4 at a time, until golden brown, turning occasionally, 2 minutes per batch. With a slotted spoon, transfer balls to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Keep warm in oven and repeat with remaining bocconcini. Serve with tomato sauce for dipping.

♥ peanut butter toffee cookies ♥

what you'll need...

♥3/4 cup flour plus more for fingertips

♥1/4 teaspoon baking soda

♥1/8 teaspoon salt

♥4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

♥1/2 cup sugar

♥1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

♥1 large egg

♥2 chocolate-covered toffee candy bars (1.4 ounces each), chopped

what you'll do...

1. preheat oven to 350F. in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking sode and salt

2. in a large bowl, with a electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. add peanut butter and egg and beat until smooth. with mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture. stir in toffee

3. using 1 level tablespoon batter per cookie, drop onto baking sheet, about 1 inch apart, flatten slightly with floured fingertips. bake until edges are golden brown, 16 - 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. transfer cookies immediately to a wire rack to cool completely.