Khoresht Fesenjan

Pomegranate Stew with Chicken (Khoresht Fesenjan)
Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds chicken thighs, chunked
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound walnuts, toasted and finely ground
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups pomegranate juice (reduced to 3 cups, or water/pom molasses mix)
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoons sugar/honey

Cook onion in a dutch oven until starting to get golden. Add chicken and cook until no longer raw.
Mix in pureed walnuts, salt, pomegranate juice, and cardamom. Bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add sugar and simmer another 30 minutes. Serve with rice.

Thai Squash Soup

Thai Squash Soup
Feeds 2-3

1 smaller butternut squash, chunks
1 package frozen pho meatballs
1 can bamboo shoots
3 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 zucchini, half moons
4 cups chicken stock
2 tbs fish sauce, 1 tbs soy sauce, 2 tsp sriracha
scallions, cilantro
Juice of 1 lime

Cool onions and garlic down, maybe with some sriracha. Add squash and
stock and sauces and cook until squash is half done. Add carrots.
When squash is almost done, add meatballs and bamboo.
Cool until everything is done. Finish with herbs and lime.

Korean Tofu Stir-Fry

Korean Tofu Stir-Fry
For 2

20oz tofu, cubed
1 larger zucchini, half-moons
1.5 lbs brocolli florets
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced ginger
3 tbs gochujang
2 tbs soy sauce + 2 tbs mirin or wine+sugar
scallions, cilantro

Stir-fry garlic, ginger, and onion for a minute until no longer raw. Add
broccoli and cook for a minute, and then zucchini and cook for another
minute. Before the veg are done, add tofu and heat through.
Add sauce ingrediants, mix, and garnish.

Scallops and Chorizo with a Tomatillo-Corn Puree

Scallops and Chorizo with a Tomatillo-Corn Puree
Serves 3

1.5 lbs fresh scallops, rinsed and patted dry
8oz lb. uncooked ground chorizo (if using sausages, remove the casings)
butter

Tomatillo-Corn Puree
1.25 lb. tomatillos, fresh
1 med onion, chunked
6 cloves garlic, peeled and kept whole
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 mild chile (or hotter...)
2-3 ears corn, raw kernels removed
1 green bell pepper, chunked
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 avocado, if needed

1. Preheat an over to 425f. Line a sheet pan with foil, and put on
garlic, onion, chile, and tomatillo. Brush with a little oil and roast
until starting to get some char.

2. When the roasted vegetables have cooled enough to handle, place in a
food processor or blender. Add half of the vegetables, puree, then add
the other half. Add in the raw corn kernels and bell pepper and puree.
Add the salt and pepper, puree one more time, taste, and adjust
seasonings as necessary. Add avocado to thicken. Keep at room temp.

3. Render the chorizo and reserve, leaving 1tbs of fat in the pan.

4. Cook the dried and seasoned scallops in butter, touching only twice
(to turn and to remove). Plate a mount of puree, then some chorizo, and
then some scallops.

Sancocho de Gallina (Chicken Soup)

Sancocho de Gallina (Chicken Soup)
Serves 6-8

1.5 lbs chicken thighs, cubed
1 small onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet sazon
6 cups chicken stock, plus 1c or so water
1.5 lbs yucca, chunked
2 green plantain, chunked
1 cob's worth of corn niblets
cornstarch slurry
1 florida avocado or 2 haas avocado, cubed
juice of 1 lime
cilantro

Saute the onion/pepper/garlic (sofrito) until done. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and brown.
Deglaze with the stock, and add sazon and yucca and water if necessary to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.
Add the plantains and water if necessary and simmer 20 minutes or until yucca and plantains are almost done. Add corn and cook another few minutes.
Add rest of ingredients as garnishes. Thicken up some with slurry if desired.

Spanish Style Garlic Shimp and Potatoes

Spanish Style Garlic Shimp and Potatoes
Serves 2-3

1 lbs shrimp
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, sliced
3 yukon gold potatoes, diced
Olive oil
3 Tbs Mayo
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt, pepper, paprika
Parsley

Potatoes:
Saute potatoes and 3/4 of the shallot in olive oil until crispy and done. Mix 3 cloves of garlic with mayo, salt, pepper, some paprika, and 1 Tbs lemon juice. Dress potatoes with aoili and 1 Tbs chopped parsley and keep warm.

Shrimp:
Season shrimp with salt, pepper, and paprika. Start a very hot pan with olive oil and rest of the shallot and one clove of minced garlic, Once softened and pan is back to high heat, add shrimp. Cook over high heat until shrimp are done. Deglaze pan with a squeeze of lemon juice, add about 1 Tbs parsley.

Serve all together with salad.

Corn Chowder with Shrimp and Bacon

Corn Chowder with Shrimp and Bacon
Serves 4

6 slices bacon, lardons
6 cups fresh corn kernels (or about 24oz frozen)
1 chopped fennel bulb
2 smaller yellow squash, diced
2 cups cubed potatoes
4 cups chicken broth
8oz Small shrimp, raw
1/2 cup cream
Pinch cayenne, cumin
2 scallions, sliced thin
preparation

Saute bacon in a soup pot until crispy. Remove.
Re-heat the bacon fat and saute the vegetables for 5 minutes. Season. Add stock and simmer until potatoes are done, about 15-20 minutes.
Blend 3+ cups of the soup and add back to the pot. Add shrimp and cream and spices and simmer until shrimp are cooked. Season and add scallions and fennel fronds and bacon to finish.