Chicken Thighs in Lemon Caper Sauce

Ingredients
- 9 chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small shallot diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups stock
- 1 cup white wine  (or whey/stock)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp capers

Directions
1. Salt and pepper chicken thighs. Brown skin side down with olive oil in dutch oven, may need to work in batches. Transfer to pan and cook at 350F for 15 minutes in oven.
2. Pour off oil in pan. Cook shallots and garlic in butter. When fragrant, add flour and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add in liquid whisk frequently. Cook until sauce thickens. Add lemon zest and capers.
3. Nestle thighs in sauce to warm and serve.

Lisbon Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

For Cake:
- 115g unsalted butter
- 30g unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 100g sugar (probably could cut down)
- 3 large eggs chilled

For Ganache:
- 1 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate

For Topping:
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions
1. Heat oven to 325F, line 9 inch pan with parchment paper and butter
2. Sift cocoa, corn starch, baking powder and salt into bowl
3. Melt butter and chocolate in bain maire, stirring until glossy. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously for 1 minute after last egg added. Stir in dry ingredients and pour into pan.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool for 5 minutes before unmolding. Take off parchment paper and cool cake completely. Wash and dry pan
5. Pour 1 1/4 cup cream into saucepan and scald cream on medium heat (to 180F). Stir in chocolate until melted. Transfer to bowl and refrigerate, taking out to whisk every 10 minutes for 50-60 minutes.
6. Place cake back in bottom of pan.
7. Whisk remaining cream until medium peaks. Fold into ganache with spatula, then spread over cake in pan. Refigerate for at least 2 hours.
8. Before serving, sprinkle cocoa over cake using a strainer.

Instant Pot Lentil Gremolata Soup

Ingredients
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 2 onions chopped
- 1 pound brown lentils, washed
- 1 lemon
- 1 bunch parsley finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 L chicken stock
- pinenuts/walnuts

Directions
1. Sautee carrots, celery and onions in olive oil until browning
2. In meantime, make gremolata - zest of 1 lemon, microplaned garlic, parsley, 1/4 cup olive oil
3. Add 1/2 gremolata to the pot and sautee for 1 minute
4. Add bay leaves, lentils, stock to pot. Set high pressure for 10 minutes, then natural release
5. Add 2 tbsp lemon juice. Blend soup to desired consistency, salt and pepper to taste.
6. Garnish with gremolata and nuts to serve.

Corn Souffle / pudding

**** start this early, as the batter needs to cool before you put the eggs in

Ingredients:

3 larges ears of corn shucked
1 Cup heavy cream
1/2 Cup whole milk
1 1/2 Tbsp seasalt
3 Tbsp butter unsalted room temp
2 Tbsp flour
4 large eggs whites and yolks separated

Directions:

Position rack in centre of oven, preheat to 400C,
Cut corn kernals off, use back of knife to get any extra bits
Put kernals, cream and milk into pot, and bring to boil over med heat
Simmer for 3 mins
Add salt
Transfer 1/2 of mixture into blender and puree until very smooth, then pour rest into blender
Clean the pot, then add butter, melt over med heat, add flour, stirring constantly until smooth, ladle in the corn, allowing to simmer between each ladle of corny goodness
Let mixture cool completely, Butter the souffle dish, make sure you have enough hot water to surround souffle dish

then mix in egg yolks into mixture

Beat egg whites into stiff peaks, then fold into mixture, and pour into souffle dish.  Place souffle dish into a roasting pan and fill up to 3/4 up the side with hot water

Bake for 30 mins, then add tinfoil to prevent the top from browning too much.

Bake for another 15 - 25 mins, until it is golden brown and is just set, but jiggly in the centre.  Let it cool in the waterbath until you can remove the dish with your hands.  Serve while still warm.

Blueberry cornmeal shortbread tart

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CRUST AND TOPPING:

• 1 ½ cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup/55 grams cornmeal
• ⅓ cup/50 grams confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ cup/55 grams light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly

FOR THE FILLING:

• 1 pound/455 grams blueberries
• ½ cup/110 grams light brown sugar (maybe try less sugar?)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•  Small pinch of kosher salt

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make the crust and topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, confectioners’ sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add melted butter, then use your hands or a wooden spoon to combine ingredients until no dry spots remain.
3. Press half of the cornmeal mixture into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (alternatively, use a 9-inch cake pan or springform pan, lined with parchment), making sure the mixture is evenly pressed on the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides. (Using something large and flat, like the bottom of a measuring cup, will be helpful.) Reserve the remaining mixture.
4. Make the filling: Toss blueberries, brown sugar, vinegar, flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour the fruit into the crust.
5. Crumble the remaining cornmeal mixture over the blueberries, pressing bits of the mixture together into large clumps as you go, as you would with a crisp or coffee-cake topping.
6. Bake tart until the blueberry filling is bubbly and thickened, and both the crust and top are nicely browned, 40 to 45 minutes.
7. Let tart cool completely before slicing into triangles and serving. The tart can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature or refrigerated (especially if your kitchen is hot or humid).

Coca cola chicken wings / Ribs

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 slices ginger
• 1 can of cola 
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 piece of dried orange peel (optional), star anise
• 1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
• Salt, to taste

Wash and clean the chicken wings. Cut the wings at the joint, and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.

Pre-heat the wok until it starts to smoke. Add the oil, and spread it around to coat the bottom of the wok. Now add the ginger and the chicken wings. Spread out the wing pieces in a single layer, and lightly brown them for a few minutes on each side. The wok should be over high heat.   Add the Shaoxing wing, let it cook out, 

Now add the cola…

And the  dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and (if using), the orange peel and cinnamon stick and star anise.

Bring it to a boil, cover the lid, and turn down the heat to medium.

** if doing ribs, using oven at 500 degrees, roast off ribs covered in salt and pepper (+/- five spice powder), then using saute option in instant pot, cook ginger and garlic, then add shaoxing wing and cook off, then cola and rest of seasonings, then add the ribs and cook on high pressure for 30 mins.

Crispy Smashed potatoes - Bon Appetit

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb. new or other small waxy potatoes
• 1 cup Diamond Crystal or ½ cup Morton kosher salt, plus more
• ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 Tbsp. golden raisins
• 4 tsp. Aleppo-style or other mild red pepper flakes
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ½ cup mixed tender herbs, such as parsley, dill, cilantro, and/or basil
• Lemon wedges (for serving)

RECIPE PREPARATION

• Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 450°. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add 1 cup salt and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low, bring to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are just cooked through and pierced easily with a fork, about 15 minutes (time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes; be careful not to overcook as they’ll fall apart when smashed). Drain and transfer potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet. Let cool slightly.
• Place another rimmed baking sheet on top, then push down firmly to smash potatoes (alternately, use the bottom of a mug or measuring cup to smash each one individually). Drizzle ⅓ cup oil over potatoes, then toss to coat; season lightly with salt and black pepper. Roast potatoes until crispy and golden brown, 35–40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook walnuts, anchovies, and remaining ⅓ cup oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until anchovies are disintegrated and walnuts are golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, finely grate garlic over, and toss to combine. Mix in raisins and Aleppo-style pepper; season with salt.
• Spread sour cream on a large plate. Top with potatoes and spoon walnut sauce over. Scatter herbs over and serve with lemon wedges alongside.