Home   |   Starters   |   Seafood   |   Meats   |   Vegetables   |   Rick's Recipes

Section 1                   

Starters
sRoasted Squash Soup
sCaesar Salad
sHummus
s English Pea Soup
sChicken Satay
sMediterranean Fish Soup
sCheese Straws
sTomato-onion Marmalade
sFrench Chopped-liver Pâté

 

Roasted Squash Soup with Cumin      (4 to 6 servings)

1 large butternut squash (about 3½ pounds)

3 teaspoons vegetable oil

   Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

4 ½ cups rich chicken stock

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon cider vinegar

½ teaspoon sugar

    Pinch cayenne pepper

½ cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 400° and line 1 large and 1 small baking sheet with aluminum foil.  With a large knife, split the squash in half, then scoop out and reserve the seeds.  Brush the cut side of the squash with 2 teaspoons of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place cut side down on the large baking sheet and roast until very tender, about 50-55 minutes.  
2. Remove any orange fibers from seeds and rinse seeds under running water.  Drain and place on paper towels to dry.  Toss seeds with the remaining teaspoon of oil and ½ teaspoon of the cumin, and season with salt.  Place on the small baking sheet, cover loosely with foil and roast along with the squash, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Scoop the flesh from the squash shell and place in a kettle.  Add the chicken stock, garlic, vinegar, sugar, cayenne and remaining cumin.  Bring to a boil, lower temp. and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. 
4. Working in small batches, transfer the soup to the container of a blender and blend until smooth.  Return the soup to the pan.  Stir in the cream and bring back just to a simmer.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve garnished with the cumin seeds.   

 

 

Caesar Salad                                                   (4 servings)

1 scant teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic

3 or more anchovy fillets

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 lemon, juice of

1 count red wine vinegar

2 counts olive oil

4 tablespoons Parmesan reggiano cheese

9 bread croutons, crushed

   romaine lettuce, washed and dried, and torn into small pieces

   additional cheese, whole croutons, anchovies, and pepper for serving

 

1. Mash together the first four ingredients with a fork.  Then add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, eggs, lemon juice, vinegar, and oil.  Mash anchovies and garlic again and blend well with fork.  Thicken the dressing with 4 tablespoons of the cheese and crushed croutons. 

2. Add the lettuce and toss to coat leaves with dressing.  Transfer to plates, and top with

some additional cheese and whole croutons.

3. Offer additional anchovies and pepper.

 

Hummus   

1  15 ½ ounce can chick peas, drained

1/3 cup tahini

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

   juice of 2 lemons

   salt to taste

1. Place chick peas, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, and salt in a mini food processor. 
2. Blend for 30 seconds to make a smooth paste.  Add a tablespoon of the olive oil, and blend again for 15-20 seconds.
3. Place hummus is a bowl and drizzle remaining oil on top.
4. Garnish with parsley, radishes, paprika, tomatoes, and/or pickles.

 

 

English pea soup                                                      (4 servings)

 

   Salt to taste

1 pound fresh peas, shelled

   Fresh ground pepper, to taste

4 slices bacon

4 slices bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tangerines

4 teaspoons crème fraîche

4 sprigs fresh mint leaves, destemmed

 

1. Boil 1 quart well-salted water in a large pot.  Add peas; cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes.  (Go by taste rather than the time.)  Strain peas, saving blanching water, and place them in a bowl of ice water.  Purée peas in batches with a little blanching water and pass through a fine sieve or food mill into a large saucepan.  Blend; thin with a little hot water if necessary, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oven to 375°.  Cook bacon slices on a sheet pan until crisp, about 10 minutes.  Remove to paper towels.  Keep oven on.
3. Place bread cubes on the same pan.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to pick up bacon drippings.  Bake until crispy, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Set aside.
4. With a knife, peel and segment tangerines over a bowl to catch the juices.  Set aside.
5. To serve:  Reheat soup over medium heat.  Lightly crumble bacon into 4 soup bowls.  Add croutons, tangerine segments, and a little juice.  Add a dollop of crème fraîche, and a mint sprig.  Ladle in the soup and drizzle with remaining olive oil.

 

 

Chicken satay                                                           (3 to 5 servings)

 

 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons salted, roasted peanuts

¼ cup peanut oil

6 scallions, trimmed

   Zest of lemon, removed in strips

 

1. Cut chicken breast halves lengthwise into long strips, about 5 from each.  Place in a freezer storage bag, and set aside.
2. In a food processor, combine all remaining ingredients.  Process to make a smooth paste.  Add to bag of chicken, seal bag, and mix well so that chicken is well coated.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
3. About an hour before cooking, soak 10 bamboo skewers in water.  Heat grill or hibachi.  Thread two long strips of chicken onto each skewer.  Grill until lightly browned and crisp on edges.

 

 

Mediterranean fish soup                                                   (6 to 8 servings)

 

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 pounds white-fleshed fish fillets (red snapper, grouper, monkfish, cod), cut into 1-inch  

   squares

10 to 12 large cloves garlic, peeled

2 carrots, diced

2 small onions, peeled and diced

1 leek, white part only, diced

½ cup diced fennel bulb

½ cup Pernod or Ricard

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 pinch saffron threads or powdered saffron

1 bay leaf

   Salt

1 6-inch piece of baguette, thinly sliced

1 cup mayonnaise

  Freshly ground black pepper

   Cayenne pepper

 

1. In a large (6-quart) casserole or soup pot over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil, and add fish.  Sauté until fish is opaque, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
2. Dice 6 cloves of garlic.  Rinse and dry pot, and return to medium heat.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil.  Add diced garlic, carrots, onions, leek and fennel, and sauté until tender.  Return fish to pot, and add Pernod.  Take a long kitchen match, and carefully hold it to the contents (avert your face).  When flames die, add 3 quarts water, tomato paste, saffron, bay leaf, and salt to taste.  Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
3. Purée soup using a food mill or food processor.  Strain mixture through a fine strainer into a clean pot, and set aside.  Rub baguette slices with a whole garlic clove, then brush them with remaining olive oil.  Toast slices in oven or under a broiler.  Prepare a garlic mayonnaise by mincing 2 or more cloves garlic and mixing with mayonnaise.  Thin mayonnaise with a bit of soup. 
4. To serve, reheat soup and season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Serve soup hot, garnished with a spoonful of garlic mayonnaise and toasted baguette slices.

 

 

Cheese straws                                                                        (10 servings)

 

½ pound Cheddar or other hard, flavorful cheese

1/3 pound Parmesan cheese

2 cups (about 9 ounces) all-purpose flour

   Pinch of cayenne pepper

8 tablespoons (4 ounces) chilled butter, cut into chunks, plus a little more for greasing the

   baking sheet

   Few drops ice water, if necessary

   Coarse salt

 

1. Heat oven to 450°.  Grate cheese by hand or in food processor and place in bowl.  Pulse flour and cayenne in processor.  Add butter and process until butter and flour are combined.  Pulse in cheese
2. Turn out onto counter or cutting board and knead by hand, adding a few drops of ice water if necessary.  (You may wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 days, taking it out for about a half hour before proceeding.)
3. Roll out into a rectangle about ¼-inch thick, on a lightly floured surface or between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, then cut into ½-inch wide strips as long as desired.  Place in a lightly greased baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.  Bake until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.  Serve, hot, warm, or at room temperature.

 

Tomato — onion marmalade                       (8 to 10 condiment servings)

 

1 tablespoon canola oil

½ cup diced Spanish onion

2 cups canned, diced tomatoes in their juice

   Juice and zest of 2 medium oranges

2 tablespoons sugar

   Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add tomatoes, orange juice, zest and sugar, and reduce, stirring occasionally, until mixture forms thick paste, about 25 minutes.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve at room temperature with grilled meat, fish or sandwiches.  Keeps for 2 days in refrigerator.   

 

 

French chopped-liver pâté                                     (About 20 servings)

 

1 pound chicken livers

3 tablespoons chicken fat or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing pan)

1 large onion, diced

4 large eggs, hard-boiled

4 tablespoons Cognac or other brandy

1 tablespoon cornstarch

   Salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 or 6 bay leaves, preferably fresh

   Rye bread 

 

 

1. For a strictly kosher preparation heat broiler and grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan or terrine.  Broil livers on a rack 4 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes on each side.  Take out livers, and drain.  Turn oven to 350°.
2. Heat chicken fat or vegetable oil in sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute, and sauté onion in it 20 to 25 minutes, or until very soft and lightly golden.  For non-kosher preparation add uncooked liver, and cook until just pink inside, a few minutes.
3. Place onions and liver in food processor with eggs, brandy and cornstarch, and process until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Arrange bay leaves shiny side down in loaf pan, and spoon liver mixture on top, pressing gently with spoon to get rid of any air bubbles.  Set pan in a larger pan two-thirds filled with warm water, and bake 20 minutes.  Cool, and unmold.  Serve with rye bread.