Prosciutto Salmon with Cardamom and Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

4 fillets of salmon about 5 ounces each, skin brown flesh and bones removed

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground coriander seeds

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

4 large, thinly slice prosciutto di Parma

2 tablespoons of maple syrup

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons butter

Procedure:

1. Combine cardamom, coriander, pepper, salt in a small bowl. Season salmon with this mixture.

2. Wrap each salmon fillet with prosciutto. Combine the maple syrup, soy sauce, Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Heat the butter in a sauté pan, which can be put in the oven.

3. Cook the salmon a minute or so on each side. Brush each fish with the maple syrup mixture, using all of it.

4. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked. Serve hot with any juices that have accumulated in the pan.

Saffron Quinoa

Ingredients:

3 cups quinoa

4 cups water

2 tsp sea salt

¼ cup olive oil

¼ tsp ground saffron

½ tsp Kashmiri Garam Masala

Procedure:

1. Wash the quinoa by placing it in a fine mesh colander and rinsing thoroughly.

2. To cook the quinoa in a rice cooker: place all the ingredients in the rice cooker bowl. Use a long-handled wooden spoon to stir gently for 1 minute to dissolve the salt. Cover, set the rice cooker timer to 30 minutes and switch on.

3. To cook the quinoa on the stovetop: Place all the ingredients in a large pot, stir gently for 1 minute to dissolve the salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, without stirring. 

4. Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and serve as you would rice.

Apple Brown Betty

Ingredients:

4 slices of white bread, preferably slightly stale, cut int ½ inch cubes

2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch cubes

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup raisins

1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons of apple cider or apple juice

5 tablespoons of butter, melted

Nonstick spray

Sweetened whipped cream for serving

Note: Cinnamon can be substituted with our Kashmiri Garam Masala

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the first 7 ingredients.

3. Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil. Spay with nonstick spray. Spread the bread mixture evenly in the pan.

4. Bake for 1 hour or until the apples are cooked and the bread cube are lightly browned and starting to be a little bit crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream.

Gratin of Butternut Squash and Creamed Spinach

Ingredients:

2 Butternut squashes, neck only, peeled and cut int ¼ inch rounds

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

10 ounces baby spinach, washed stemmed, drained, but not dried

1 ½ cups heavy cream

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and Pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Coat the rounds of butternut squash with olive oil. 

2. Season with salt and pepper.  Arrange on a sheet pan in one layer. 

3. Place in a 425degree oven for ½ hour or until completely cooked. 

4. While the squash is cooking, prepare the spinach. In a large sauté pan, cook the spinach until just wilted. 

5. Drain and squeeze dry.  In the same pan, reduce the cream until very thick, add the spinach and nutmeg.  Season with salt and pepper.  Continue to cook until the mixture is almost thick enough to hold its shape. 

6. Let cool.  When the squash is cooked, raise the heat in the oven to 475degrees.

7.   Spoon the creamed spinach on the top of the squash, then top with the parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven and cook until the cheese is lightly brown and everything is very hot.  Serve hot.

Seared Tuna Steaks with Multi Colored Peppercorns

Ingredients:

4 tuna steaks about 5 ounces each

2 tablespoons crushed multi colored pepper corns, divided

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons shallots, chopped

1 tablespoon green peppercorns in brine drained and crushed

¼ cup brandy

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 ½ cups heavy cream

Procedure:

1. Mix one tablespoon of the multicolored peppercorns, the salt and the sesame seeds. Coat both sides of the tuna steaks with this mixture.

2. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan. When very hot, but not smoking, sear the steaks quickly about a minute on each side the salmon should be cooked very rare to medium rare.

3. Remove from the pan. Add the shallots, the remaining multicolored peppercorns and the green peppercorns. Cook until the shallots are soft over medium heat.

4. Add the brandy. Reduce until almost dry. Add the soy sauce, the vinegar and the mustard. Next add the cream and cook until the mixture reaches sauce consistency. Correct the seasoning with salt if necessary. Reheat the steaks slightly in the sauce. Serve the tuna with sauce.