Chef Rock’s Pan-Seared Branzino with Shallots

Branzino

Ingredients:
4 (5-oz.) Branzino fillets (with skin)

Instructions:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the skillet and let oil heat.
• Add the fish, skin side down, and sear for 3 minutes.
• Turn fish with a spatula and cook through, maybe just a few seconds more.
• Serve over salsa and garnish with roasted shallots.

Roasted Shallots

Ingredients:
1 tbs. unsalted butter
8 large shallots, roughly cut
1 tbs. fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Melt butter in an 8- to 10-inch ovenproof sauté pan and then add shallots, thyme, salt, and pepper.
• Transfer to oven and roast until lightly browned, stirring often.
• Remove pan from oven and set aside.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Ingredients:
2 (15-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
6 oz. frozen corn, thawed
1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and finely diced
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup tomato juice
1 medium red onion, finely diced
1 lime, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a mixing bowl, toss all of the ingredients together and let sit for 1 hour.

French Toast with Warm Maple Syrup and Fresh Berries

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/4 cup cream
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 oz. vanilla extract
1/2 oz. powdered sugar
4 slices potato bread
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 lb. fresh mixed berries

Instructions:

• Crack 4 large eggs into a mixing bowl with cream and whisk.
• Add the cinnamon and vanilla, and continue to mix well.
• Add the powdered sugar and continue to whisk until all ingredients are mixed and dissolved.
• Coat a skillet with olive oil and place over medium heat.
• Pour syrup into a saucepan and place over low heat.
• Dip potato bread in the egg batter mixture and make sure both sides are coated.
• Place bread on hot skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side, until bread is golden brown.
• Place French toast on a plate, cut in half, and drizzle with syrup.
• Garnish plate with fresh berries, cover with dashes of powdered sugar, and serve.

Mascarpone and Jam Sandwiches

Ingredients:
Loaf of white bread
Tub of mascarpone
Jar of strawberry jam

Instructions:

• Lay 4 slices of white bread out on a plate.
• Spread thin layer of mascarpone on 2 slices of bread.
• Next, spread strawberry jam on the other 2 slices of bread; sandwich slices together.
• Remove the crusts and cut sandwiches in fun shapes with sandwich cutters.

Turkey Ham and Swiss Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:
4 slices bread
Mayo and/or mustard
4 slices turkey ham
2 slices Swiss cheese

Instructions:

• Lay slices of bread down on a plate.
• Spread mayo and/or mustard on one side of each slice of bread.
• Place the turkey ham and cheese on the bread and sandwich together.
• Cut crust off of the bread, and cut with your favorite cookie cutter.

Chocolate Dipped Cookies with Sprinkles

Ingredients:
2 tubes sugar cookie dough (from the refrigerated section of the supermarket)
1/2 cup flour
1 bag dark chocolate morsels
1 bag milk chocolate morsels
1 container rainbow sprinkles

Instructions:

• Preheat oven according to cookie dough instructions on the package.
• Allow dough to sit out to get to room temperature.
• Lightly sprinkle flour on a flat surface.
• Remove dough from casing and roll out the dough on a floured surface (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick).
• Cut cookies out with your favorite cookie cutter shape.
• Place cookies 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet.
• Bake cookies according to package instructions and allow to cool.
• Next, place a pot of water over medium heat and bring to a boil.
• Place dark chocolate and milk chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and place bowl on top of the pot.
• Gently stir until all chocolate is evenly melted and smooth.
• Remove bowl from the heat and set on countertop.
• Take your cooled cookies and dip half of each into the melted chocolate.
• Let the extra chocolate drip from each cookie and place on parchment paper.
• Top with rainbow sprinkles and serve.

Chef Eyan Drakes's Crab Cakes Recipe

Ingredients:
4 oz. olive oil
1/4 cup small diced onions
1/4 cup small diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup small diced yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup small diced green bell pepper
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbs. minced fresh garlic
2 lbs. jumbo lump crabmeat
2 tbs. fresh thyme
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 lemons
1 lime
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions:

• Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the vegetables and season with salt, pepper, and garlic.
• Sauté vegetables until soft.
• Remove the pan from the heat and cool five minutes.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine crab, thyme, vegetables, mayonnaise, lemons, and limes.
• Refrigerate four hours.
• Gently form ingredients into balls using the bread crumbs.
• Portion the filling into 1/3-cup balls.
• Lay the cakes in the olive oil and fry four minutes each side.
• Remove the cakes from the pan.

Chef Eyan Drakes's Sesame Encrusted Sea Bass

Ingredients:
4 oz. olive oil
2 6-oz. fillets of sea bass
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. granulated garlic
3 cups white and black sesame seeds

Instructions:

• Preheat in a medium-size sauté pan with a moderate flame, then add olive oil.
• While the olive oil is heating, season the two fillets with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic.
• Take the two fillets and coat with sesame seeds; make sure that the fish is completely covered.
• Check the oil to make sure it is hot, but still at a moderate temperature.
• Overheating will cause the sesame seeds to burn before the fish is ready, and the sesame seeds will become bitter.
• Add the bass to the oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on both sides or until the sesame seeds are a beautiful golden brown and the bass center is white and flaky.
• Remove the bass from the pan and allow excess oil to drain.

Leek Buerre Blanc

Ingredients:
1/2 cup leeks
4 oz. butter
1-1/2 oz. olive oil
2 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
Pinch nutmeg

Instructions:

• Finely dice the white end of the leeks.
• Cut butter into 1/4-inch slices.
• Preheat a medium-size sauté pan to moderate heat, then add olive oil.
• Once olive oil reaches 350°F, add the diced leeks.
• Sauté leeks until they become tender, then add all ingredients except butter.
• Allow this mixture to reduce by half, using a wire whisk; add a little bit of butter at a time, whisking in the butter after each addition.
• Allow the sauce to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
• Place the bass on a plate with starch and vegetable of your choice and drizzle with the sauce.
• Last, but not least, ENJOY.