Beans poriyal

There are serveral instances in our daily lives, that we are too tired to prepare eloberate dishes, that carry a Wow! factor to it when you are back from a long day at work. The beans poriyal as it is called towards southern India, is nutritious and healthy by all means. It works great with either roti or even our famous rice. The process invovles simple methods.

Ingredients:

Fresh green beans (french beans) 1.5#

Grated coconut 3Tbsp

Chilli powder 1.5tsp

Tumeric 1tsp

Salt tt

For the tempering:

Oil

Mustard seeds 2tsp

Curry leaves 5ea

Dry red chilli 3ea

Urud dal 1Tbsp

Method:

1. Clean the beans with fresh water, and slice them.
2. In a saute pan add oil, once it sarts to shimmer.
3. Add the mustard seeds and allow time for it break and realease the flavor.
4. Add the red chilli which is recommeneded to be broken up.
5. Add the urud dal and let cook until the dal turns a golden brown.
6. Add chilli powder.
7. Add the beans and let cook.
8. Add salt and coconut to the beans and turn to a low heat, mix thoroughly and cover and cook for another 4 minutes.

Mango Pulisheri

Indian cuisine has a varied sense of taste, smell, and mouth feel. It is absolutely mouth water when you have a little bit of sweetness, tangyness, spiceness all in one dish coming at you from every sides from the taste perspective.
Mangoes are in ambundance through out south India and across various states. The aroma of a ripe mango or for that instance even a mango grove can be distinguished when you land in any vegetable maket in India. The flavor profile of a mango be it ripe or unripe has been enhanced in the cooking methods of people from different states in India. Here is a dish that would have your craving for more.

Ingredients:

Mango 2ea
Salt tt
Chilli powder 2tsp
Sugar 2tsp
Yoghurt 1.5 cups
Green chilli 2ea (cut into halfs)

Method:

1. Select medium ripe mango and cut them into bite size pieces.
2. In a pot cook the bite size pieces of mango with salt, chilli powder, green chilli & sugar with 1.5 cups of water.
3. Cook until the pieces seem to break apart.
4. Whip the yoghurt in a blender.
5. If the mangos are cooked turn off and let cool.
6. It is the right temperature to add the yoghut to the mango when it is hot enough to the touch.
7. Mix thoroughly.

For the tempering:

Mustard 1/2tsp
Curry leaves 7leaves ea
Dry red chilli 4ea (break up)
Oil 2tsp

To temper in a hot pan add oil, once it starts to shimmer, add the mustard and let it crack then add the curry leaves and the red chillis broken up and then add the mango mixture to it and mix everything together.
It is time to serve. It is going to be a great dish which would be great with rice, or roti.

Dry Fish Curry

Fish is abundant in India. It is a staple diet of the people of Keral which is a state to the southern part of India. This is a state that is rich in greenery and has a high litracy rate. Here fish is preserved in different ways, by salt curing, sun dried are a few of the techniques used by its inhabitants to preserve their catch.
Kerala fish curry is truly exceptional with taste and the method of preperation. The recipe and the method that i am going to show here is not time consuming and also has a levage to alternations to the process.

Ingredients:

Dry fish 1#
Coconut 1/2 ea
Kodam puli (gamboge) 4ea
Greend chilli cut 5ea
Turmeric 1tsp
Coriender powder 3tsp
Chilli powder 3tsp
Potato (dice or matchstick pieces) 1ea
Coconut Oil or veg oil 5tsp
Salt tt

Method:

1. Wash the dry fish and keep aside
2. Boil the kodam puli in 1/2 cup water to extact the juices for about 5 mintues.
3. In a pan add the dry fish, coconut,coriender powder, chillipowder, green chilli and tumeric and the kodampuli with the juices, potato and salt (if it is salted fish please avoid salt)with the oil.
4. Close with a lid and let cook on low heat for about 15 minutes.

You must be wondering, why do i have to put everything together and cook, but trust me on this it is a experience that you are going to enjoy.
There can be a few variations done to the process. If you are unsure of what kodam puli is, it can be substituted with un-ripe mango. Another variation can be adding plantain jardiniere (finger cut) that can be added instead of the potato or also along with the potato in equal proportion.

Vada snack

The word vada might seem confusing to some, but this is a simple snack that can be done in about 10 minutes once the urad dal or the white lentil is soaked for a minimum of 2 hours. Did i tell you this is a Indian dish, especially made in south India.

This dish can be served with a chutney which is made of coconut(the base), small onion, green chilli, ginger and saute of mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilli (broken), urud dal.

The process of making this simple but tasty snack is by soaking the white lentil for about 2 hours.

Transfer the lentil to a blender with 3 small onions, 1/2 ea ginger, and blend it to a smooth paste by adding minimal amount of water.

Once the lentils have formed a fine paste, add in 2 green chilli finely chopped, and salt to taste, mix thoroughly.

Let rest for about 20 minutes.

In a cast iron pan heat about 2/3 oil or just enough to cover the mixture.

Shape vada with hand into rounds and leave a hole in the centre for even cooking.

When it turns golden brown remove from oil and pat dry of excess oil.

It is now ready to be served with the chutney(needs to prepared before making vada).

The process of making chutney is by grating fresh cocounut (can be done with dry coconut also by adding hot water), to this add onion, ginger and blend fine with minimal water.

In a saute pan add oil and once it is hot, add mustard seeds and let it crackle, add curry leaves, broken red chillis and urud dal let it cook for little while under low heat, (do not let the curry leaves to change colour). Add the blended coconut mixture to the pan and finish with salt to taste.

This would be a dish that you will always enjoy.

A legacy

I was reading a post on turulu which is a turkish interpretation of the ratatouille, and what a co-incedence this was just the moive that i watched with my nephew this afternoon (not that i have never seen this movie but just because he insisted on it). Coming back to the fact, turulu has been famous with the rest of turkey as is with the rest of france with ratatouille. Tomatoes can play different roles in turlu, depending on the proportion and form of tomatoes used. If you add relatively few tomatoes and leave them in fairly large pieces, you get a stew of diced vegetables. Use a high ratio of tomatoes, and the turlu becomes a vegetable medley in chunky tomato sauce. I can give you the recipe for turulu which i read, the exact same as the one that i had read.

EASY EGGPLANT, ZUCCHINI AND MUSHROOM TURLU
For this simple meatless version of Turkish turlu, I use canned tomatoes to save time. Mushrooms are not classic but they give the stew a terrific taste. Serve it as a vegetarian entree with pita, green salad or Israeli salad, and, if you like, with feta cheese, labaneh or yogurt.

350 gr. eggplant
225 gr. zucchini or pale-green squash (kishuim)
110 gr. large mushrooms
2 to 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3⁄4 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
1⁄2 cup water, or more if needed
1 to 11⁄2 Tbsp. tomato paste

Cut eggplant in 2-cm. cubes, and zucchini in slightly smaller cubes than the eggplant. Halve mushrooms and cut in thick slices.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy saucepan. Add onion and sauté briefly over medium-low heat, then cover and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes or until just beginning to brown.
Add eggplant, top with 1⁄4 cup diced tomatoes, then top with zucchini, followed by remaining tomatoes and 1⁄4 cup water. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Stir once to bring top ingredients to bottom of pan. Cover and cooked over medium-low heat for 7 minutes.
Add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Mix tomato paste with 2 to 3 tablespoons water and pour over vegetables. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes or until vegetables are tender; check, and add water by tablespoons if pan becomes dry. If you like, drizzle lightly with a little more olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Makes 4 servings.

Avial a Indian dish making waves

Avial goes with rice and also with Indian bread (Chappati)Avial in its true form

When my wife called me to talk about the posts on my blog she was very much enthusiastic in her voice and she told i have a surprise for you. I was eager, to know what was in this surprise for me and here it is the surprise she gave me. My mother and wife, made sure that the photo's were taken of the dish with the accompliments and sent it to me.

Indian dishes, have a unique flavor with the addition to spices that has come down from generations. This is reflected in every households in India. Festivals that are celebrated in India, has its relation to food. It is common throughout the country to have a unique dish that gets its origin in a perticular state or region. Towards the south of India is a state called Kerala, were my parents are from, they bought with them the regions most famous dish avial, when they decided to settle in Bangalore (another state in south India).

Yield 5 portions

Ingredients:

Carrots jardiniere 2 oz

Drumstick jardiniere 2 oz

French beans jardiniere 2 oz

Turnips jardiniere 2 oz

Potato jardiniere 2 oz

Plantain jardiniere 2 oz

Yam jardiniere 2 oz

Eggplant jardiniere 2 oz

Radish jardiniere 2 oz

Curry leaves whole 1/2 oz

Coconut Oil 4 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Water 1 Cup

For the Sauce:

Coconut grated 4 oz (1 ea)

Thai bird chili 2 ea

Cumin Seeds 1/2 oz

Coriender Seeds 1/2 oz

Yoghut 1/2 cup

Method:

• Wash the vegetable thorough and cut them into jardiniere.
• Add salt, turmeric powder, curryleaves, one thai bird chili to the vegetables (except the plantains, beans and potato steam seperately), steam them in a covered pan with the water.
• In a blender add the grated coconut, 1 thai bird chili, cumin seeds, coriender seeds and yoghut and whip it up to a fine puree.
• Remove the half boiled vegetables from the pan and pour the puree and heat it up until it comes to a simmer.
• Add all the vegetables to the puree in the pan and cook it covered for about 8 minutes.
• Once cooked add Coconut oil on the top and place it covered until service.

During service the avial can be garnished with fried curry leaves and grated dry coconut (not in photo)

Dover sole paupiette vin blanc

Dover sole paupiette vin blan

As i had mentioned in my earlier post there is nothing like starting the day with a good breakfast, it is the same with starting a dish with a objective that unique taste and bringing out the true flavors in them. Dover sole needs to be handled gently as it is quite tender when fresh and also once cooked. With a thin flesh the filet can be shaped into a paupiette and also hold stuffining in them. This dish that i would like to present here is served in different ways, but to bring out the uniqueness of this fish i chose this recipe.

Yield: 5 portions

Ingredients

Flounder fillets 2 lb.
Red pepper, Julienne, blanched 1 ea.
Carrot, Julienne, blanched 1.5 oz.
Yellow squash, Julienne 1 oz.
Zucchini, Julienne 1 oz.
Salt and white pepper, ground. as needed
Butter, whole 1/2 oz.
Shallots, minced 1 ea.
White wine 1/2 Cup

Fish fumet 3/4pint.
Fish Veloute 3/4 pint.

Heavy cream 1/2 Cup
Lemon juice, (optional) t.t.
Salt and white pepper, ground. t.t.

For the spinach:

Fresh spinach without stem 1 lb

Mushroom (any) sliced 10 oz

For the fish fumet:

Method:

• Trim sole fillets, portion at 2.5 oz. each (usually 1 ea. fillets). Place fillets skin-side up.Season with salt and white pepper. Place vegetable julienne across thefillet. Roll (or fold) the fillets, (tail to head).
• Briskly butter a shallow pan lightly with whole butter(reserve butter for spinach), sprinkle with shallots evenly.
• Place sole/vegetable rolls on the bed of shallots, add wine and fish fumet.
• Bring liquid to just under a simmer over direct heat. Place a piece of buttered parchment paper just enough to cover the pan for the moisture to be induced into the fillet. Place entire pan in 300-325ºF oven.
• Check the fillet after about 5 minutes, press against the flesh to check for doneness if gives to pressure then it should be done.
• Remove sole and place in warm area.
• Place pan with the liquid (seasoned) over direct heat and reduce by 2/3. Add the veloute, and simmer for 1-2 minutes Add cream, reduce to nappé’(should coat the surface of the spoon), seasoning to taste with salt, white pepper and hint of lemon juice (if needed).
• Strain through fine strainer. Hold until ready to serve.
• In a saute pan add oil, heat the oil add shallots once it is melted add the sliced muhrooms. Once it changes color, add the spinach toss it and season with salt and pepper.
• When ready for service, place the paupiette on the centre of the plate and pour the sauce around it and on the side of the fillet.
• Place the spianch on the side.

Pepper glazed pork chop with Apple chutney

This is a recipe for serving 4 people

Ingredients:

For the Pork

Olive Oil 1Cup
Garlic Chopped 5ea
Sage leaves 4ea
Salt to taste
Pork chops

For the Glaze

Apple Juice 2Cups
Honey 1/4cup
Cracked black and white pepper 2Tbsp
Grated zest of Orange 1ea

For the Chutney

Green apples chopped 8ea
Raisins 1/2cup
Cider Vinegar 1.5cups
White Sugar 1/2cup
Brown Sugar 1/2cup
Garlic peeled and chopped 2ea
Nutmeg 1/2tsp
Cinnamon 1/2tsp
Cloves 2ea
Pinch of Salt

For the Potato Pancakes

Small onion minced 1/2
Grated Potato blanched in lemon water and dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Egg beated 1ea
All-purpose flour 3Tbsp
Baking powder 1tsp
Clarified butter

For the garnish

Pork jus
Curry oil
Fried sage leaves

Directions:

For the pork: Heat the olive oil in a saute pan, add the garlic and sage and cook until the garlic is softened. Cool and pour over the pork. Marinate at least four hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

For the glaze: Combine the juice, honey, pepper and zest in a saucepan and reduce to a coating consistency. Set aside and keep warm.

For the Chutney: Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened; stir to prevent scroching. Col to room temperature and set aside.

For the potato Pancake: Combine the onion and potatoes and season. Beat the egg, flour and baking powder together in a seperate bowl and stir inot the potato mixture. Form eight, one-inch thick pancakes, about two-inches in diametre, refirgerate.

To assemble: Heat two tablespoon of the pork marnade in a saute pan. Remove the chops from the marinade, cook on both sides to medium doneness and season. Pour off the excess oil and spoon some of the glaze onto the chops, rolling the chops over to coat them well with the glaze. Let rest and keep warm.

To finish the pancakes: Heat a half-inch of clarified butter in a saute pan. Add the pancakes and brown, about three minutes on each side until crispy and then drain.

To serve: Place the chop on a plate and garnich with the potato pancakes and chutney. Drizzle the pork jus and any leftover glaze on the plate. Dot with the curry oil and top with the fried sage.

Grilled Tenderloin of Pork

Pigs are raised for the market in 5 to 6 months. They are much leaner now than in the past. Mainly due to their diet, in the farms. There is a huge difference between a farm raised pig and a domesticated pig. Storage time for pork cannot be extended because it is not suitable for vacuum packaging. Pork can be frozen only for a period of 3 months.
Here is a recipe for a spicy treat of pork.

This recipe serves 4
INGREDIENTS

For the barbecue sauce:

Peanut oil 1Tbsp
Mangoes, peeled and diced 2ea
Carrot peeled and diced 1ea
Habaneor Chili pepper minced 1ea
Champagne Vinegar 1/4cup
Ketchup 1/4cup
Sugar 1Tbsp
Salt to taste

For the Chutney

Peanut oil 1tsp
Shallot peeled and minced 1ea
Ginger root grated 1tsp
Mango peeled and diced 1ea
Sugar 1/2cup
Chili caribe 1tsp
Champagne vinegar 1/4cup
Chives finely cut 1Tbsp
Salt to taste

For the Posole Gratin

Cooked poslole 2Cups
Heavy cream 1/2cup
Green chillies, seeded and diced 2ea
Parmesan Cheese grated 2Tbsp
Bread Crumbs 2Tbsp
Salt to taste

For the Pork

Chili Molido 1Tbsp
Ground allspice 1Tbsp
Thyme 1/2 Tbsp
Salt 1/2 Tbsp
Pork Tenderloins 2ea (large)

For the Garnish

Wilted greens 1cup
Habanero peppers split 2ea
Black bean sauce 1Tbsp
Red chilli ground 1tsp

Directions

For the barbecue sauce: Heat the peanut oil in a saucepan and saute the diced mangoes with the carrot and the habanero chili, just long enough to bring ou the natural sugars. Pour in the vinegar and the ketchup: and in the sugar and add the salt and simmer until the mangoes, carrots and chilli are softened. Puree in a blender, and reserve.

For the Chutney: Heat the peanut oil in a saucepan and sweat the shallot with the ginger until softened; toss the diced mango in with the shallot and then add in the sugar, the chili and the vinegar. Simmer just long enough for the sugar to dissolve and reduce with the vinegar into a light syrup. Add the chives, season to taste and reserve.

For the posole gratin: In a heavy saucepan, heat the posole with the cream and the green chilies, allowing the posole to absorb the cream as it reduces; bind with the parmesan cheese and the bread crumb and season to taste.

For the pork: Combine the chili molido with the allspice, thyme and the salt. Coat the pork tenderloins with the seasoning mixture and sear them, on all sides, in a hot, lightly oiled skillet; finish cooking to the desired temperature in a hot oven.

To serve: Make a bed of the wilted greens in the centre of each plate and top the greens with the posole; slice the tenderloins and arrange the slices on top. Dribble the barbacue sauce over the sliced pork loin and around the plate with the chutney mounded on top of the sliced pork and in tlittle mounds around the sauce. Top the dish with the split peppers overflowing with more chutney and garnish the plate with drops of the black bean sauce and a sprinkling of ground red chilli.

Citrus glazed lobster with Ravioli

This morning was great with a this new idea that came to my mind of having a few recipe's costed to include in the menu that i was working on. This was one of the recipes, that i had high food cost on, this is recommended for household surprises for your families. I found this recipe to be great. I just loved it.

This recipe is for 4 people
INGREDIENTS

For the lobster and glaze:

Lobster 4ea 1.5#
Lemon 1ea
Turmeric 1Tbsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Ground white pepper 1/8tsp
Butter softened 2Tbsp

For the Ravioli:

Fennel 1bulb
Mascarpone cheese 2tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Ravioli Pasta 16ea
Egg Wash 2ea
Olive oil for brushing
Reserved Lobster claw meat

For the sauce:

Fennel Stock 3Cups
Olive Oil 1tsp
Garlic minced 2ea
Tomato Juice 6oz
Tarragon Chopped
Butter 1Tbsp
Salt and pepper

For the Fennel stock:

Fennel Scraps, coarsely chopped 2 Cups
Fennel seeds toasted 1Tbsp
Burgundy wine 1/4 cup
Chicken stock 1.25Cups
Olive oil 1Tbsp

For the Greens:

Lemon juice 1ea
Olive oil 2Tbsp
Shallot minced 1ea
Chives chopped 1tsp
Assorted Vegetables 1/2 cup

For the Fennel oil:

Fennel Stock 2Cups
Extra Virgin Olive oil 1Cup
Fennel stalk 1Cup

For the Garnish :

Fennel oil
Thinly sliced fennel
Toasted fennel seeds
Paprika powder

Directions:

For the Lobster and glaze: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the lobsters for five minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool. Combine the butter, lemon juice, turmeric, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Remove the claws of the lobster and remove the meat. Dice them for the ravioli. Split into half after removing the tail. Brush with lemon butter and set aside until ready to serve.

For the Ravioli: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the fennel until soft. Remove the fennel from the water and separate the leaves. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill (barbecue grill) and cook until charred. Remove fennel from the grill and place in a food processor with the mascarpone and puree until smooth. Pass through a fine mesh, fold in the claw meat and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cool. Lay pasta squares onto a flat surface. Place 1/2tsp of the filling on eight of the squares and brush the edges with the egg wash. Cover with the other eight squares and seal the edges well.
Refrigerate until ready for service.

For the sauce: Place the fennel stock in a sauce pan over medium heat and reduce by 3/4th. Heat the olive oil in a separate saucepan, add the garlic and saute until soft. Add the reduced fennel stock and tomato juice and reduce by 2/3. Add the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Remove saucepan from the heat and whisk in the butter. Set aside and keep warm.

For the fennel stock: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the fennel scraps and lightly saute for ten minutes. Add the fennel seeds and deglaze with the burgundy wine. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for one hour. Remove saucepan from the heat, strain and cool the stock.

For the greens: Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Add the shallot and chives and season with salt and pepper. Coat the greens with the vinaigrette and set aside.

For the fennel oil: Place the fennel stock in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce to 1/4 cup, remove pan form the heat and cool. Whisk the olive oil into the fennel reduction, transfer to a blender, add the fennel stalk and puree. Strain and set aside.

To assemble: Steam or gently boil the ravioli until cooked. Heat a saute pan, place the lobster tails, buttered side down, in the hot pan and cook until well browned. Remove the lobster from the pan.

To Serve: Place the charred fennel at one end of the plate and place the greens beside it. Cover with the split lobster tail. Place two ravioli at the other end of the plate and spoon the sauce over them. Drizzle the fennel oil onto the plate and garnish with the raw sliced fennel, fennel seeds, paprika powder.

Parmesan crusted Tilapia

Tilapia, is a fish found in ponds, lakes and rivers. It taste's great when cooked right. Here is a simple recipe which serves 3-4 people.

1# Tilapia fillet
2floz Parmesan cheese grated
1floz softened butter
1.5Tbsp Mayonnaise
1Tbsp Lime juice
1Tbsp Onion chopped
1tsp Pepper ground
1Tbsp Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Julienne of Fresh Basil (for garnish)

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F.
2. In a small bowl, mix together Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and finally add the onions.
3. Place the fillet the fresh side up, and apply the mixture to the fillet. Repeat the same on the bottom side.
4. Heat a non-stick sauté pan and place the fish with the presentation side down (flesh side).
5. Sear it just enough to give the fillet a good color.
6. Transfer to a sheet tray and place in the oven for 5 minutes.
7. Once it is cooked, take it out of the oven and drizzle with olive oil and garnish with fresh basil.

Ricotta Gnocchi with Smoked tomato sauce.

Ricotta Gnocchi, is a classic dish which I truly enjoy doing. The ingredients that are used in this dish needs to be followed carefully, for good results. The ingredients are:
Ricotta Cheese 1/4 tub
Flour 6oz (can add more if needed)
Fresh chopped herbs (oregano, thyme, parsely) 2oz
Smoked tomato sauce 12oz
Fontina cheese 8oz
Egg whole 2ea
Egg yolk 1ea
Salt 2oz

The ricotta gnocchi are made by, mixing the ricotta cheese, egg yolk and whole eggs. Once you find it’s thoroughly mixed add in the flour & salt, according to consistency add more. In a large pan pour water and let it simmer for sometime. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and cut about 1 inch from the tip to make a hole in the sharp end of the piping bag (use disposable piping bag). Now gently pipe, the mixture into the simmering water. As you are piping into the water cut the gnocchi mixture about 1inch, and let it fall into the water. I would advise to check consistency by sampling one of the cooked gnocchi. Once you think it is right (the gnocchi should hold firm in the water), start to cook the rest of the batch. You can know if the gnocchi is cooked, when it starts to float on the surface of the water. Once it starts to float transfer to a sheet tray and let it cool in the refrigerator. In the meanwhile you can prepare smoked tomato sauce. (It is the same as making tomato sauce but the tomato’s are smoked before they are made into a sauce).
For serving place 1oz of smoked tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish, and place 10 each gnocchi and again cover with the sauce. Sprinkle grated fontina cheese and bake in convection oven or a clay oven at 400*F, until you get a golden brown color. Once done garnish with fresh oregano.

Beef short rib Osso Bucco

The beef short rib osso bucco is one of my favorites which tastes great. The items required for this dish are:
Polenta cake 1oz
Swiss chard ½ oz
Osso Bucco bone in 1ea (8oz)
Port wine sauce 1/2oz

The method of doing this recipe is, firstly prepare the polenta cake. The method to do polenta cake is by cooking the polenta with taleggio cheese, chicken stock and milk. It has to be cooked over low heat, until it is done. One objective is not to allow the polenta to stick to the surface of the pan when cooking.
The only way to do this, is by mixing it continuously. Once it is cooked spread on a sheet tray, or a flat pan to form a even layer. Refrigerate the polenta until ready to use. Once it is cold, cut into round shapes, with the help of a cutter or a knife by placing a overturned bowl to give a round shape. Now it is time to do the port wine sauce.
The port wine sauce consists of:
shallots ½ cup
1tsp of minced garlic
1.5 tsp of olive oil
1tsp of sugar
1 cup port wine
2.5 cups beef stock
salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a pan. Once hot, add shallots and garlic sauté until it turns golden brown, add port wine and sugar, and add the stock, season the sauce. As this is cooking put the osso bucoo inside the sauce, and let the osso bucco cook in the sauce.
In the meanwhile the swiss chard has to be cut into, ½ inch thickness and sautéed with garlic and shallots, (to give moisture add hog broth) salt and pepper.
The presentation that I would suggest is to place the polenta cake in the centre of the plate, on top of the polenta, place the sautéed swiss chard and carefully place the osso bucco. The sauce has to be poured over the meat and the bone to give it a nice sheen. The meat is garnished with gremolata with is basically orange zest, horseradish and parsley chopped (all items to be toasted). Now it is ready for service.

Grilled Swordfish italian style

Swordfish, if cooked right can be a great delight on your plate. As the Texans say grilling is the right for all meats and seafood. I give them the thumbs up when it comes to swordfish. Before you can start with the dish you need to preheat the oven at 350*F.
The swordfish streak is available in supermarkets, trimmed and individually packed.
Place the fish on a plate and season it with salt and crushed pepper on all sides. Keep the fleshy portion of the steak facing you and coat it with lime juice, leave it on the plate for a few minutes (the acid from the lime juice cooks the steak and also induces the marination into the flesh). Coat the clean, hot grill with corn oil,(as it has a smoking point of 320*F). Place the swordfish on the grill presentation side down, give two minute on each direction to give check mark, turn over and give another two minutes. Take it off the grill and place in preheated oven for about 4 minutes. In the meanwhile make a mixture of marinated artichokes, diced tomatoes, diced onion sliced olives and fennel. Drizzle with equal quantities of lime and lemon juice. In a sauté pan add ½ tsp butter once melted add the mixture and cook over high heat, add ¼ cup fish stock to the mixture, season with salt and pepper (salt should be limited as the artichokes and olives already has some). Before taking it off the heat add butter to the mixture.
For plating place the sword fish in the centre of the plate and surround it with the mixture. Garnish it with dill leaves and tomato quarters.

You can also garnish it with tear drop tomato and fennel julienne.