Savory Grille

Coffee dry rubbed rack of lamb, panned vegetable quinoa salad:

Portion: 4

1 each Rack of lamb

For Dry rub:
2 each Lime (just zest)
¼ cup Cocoa
¼ cup Coffee
1 each Chipotle pepper
½ cup Brown sugar
½ cup Kosher salt

For quinoa salad:

1 cup Quinoa
2 cup Water
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoon Olive oil
¼ cup Parsnip (small dice)
¼ cup Carrot  (small dice
½ cup Celery (small dice)
¼ cup Red pepper (small dice)
½ cup Spanish onion (small dice)
1 tablespoon Thyme
 
To taste: salt & pepper

For the dry rub: Add all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until the ingredients are incorporated.

For the lamb: Preheat the oven to 450°F.  Rub the lamb with the coffee mixture and place on a roasting pan.  Cook for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 300°F, cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from oven allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

For the quinoa salad: Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse until water runs clean.  In a sauce pan bring water and salt to a boil.  Add the quinoa, reduce the heat and cover. Cook the quinoa for 15 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.  On high heat place a sauté pan.  Add the carrots and parsnips, stirring constantly, when color starts appearing on the vegetables add the celery, then onions, then peppers. Vegetables cook differently so add them in stages to receive the optimum color without burning.  Add the vegetables to the cooked quinoa. Incorporate thyme and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.  Quinoa can be served hot or at room temperature.

Chili rellenos, salsa verde and pico di gallo:

Portions: 4

Rellenos

4 each Poblano peppers
½ pound Monterrey jack cheese
2 tablespoons Cream cheese
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon Cilantro (chiffonade)
1 cup All-purpose flour
4 each Eggs, plus ½ cup water (for breading)
1 cup Bread crumb
½ cup Corn meal
2 quarts Vegetable oil (for frying)

Salsa verde

1 ½ pounds Tomatillo (skin or jacket removed, rinsed, quartered)
¼ cup Spanish onion (large dice)
½ cup Cilantro
2 each Lime (juice)

To taste: Salt

Pico di gallo

6 each Ripe plum tomatoes (small dice)
1 each Jalapeño (seeds and ribs removed, fine mince)
½ cup Spanish onion (small dice)
¼ cup Cucumber (peeled and seeded, small dice)
½ cup Green pepper (seeds and ribs removed, fine mince)
¼ cup Cilantro (chiffonade)
3 tablespoons Beer    
2 each Lime (juice)

To taste: Salt and pepper

For the rellenos:  Heat the oil to 350°F and submerge the poblano pepper until the skin begins to blister, remove the skin while still hot, cut around the stem and remove the seeds.  Combine the Monterrey jack cheese, cream cheese, ground cumin, cayenne pepper and cilantro together for the filling. Stuff the cheese filling in the pepper and place the cap stem back on to the pepper.          Do a standard breading procedure; roll the pepper in the flour, then the egg mixture, and (combine the bread crumb corn meal) then into the crumb mixture.  Place the pepper in the fryer until the pepper gets amber in color.  Place in a 350°F oven a cook for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the poblano pepper is hot.

For salsa verde:  Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until desired texture. Allow to chill for 30 minutes in a refrigerator before use. 

For the pico di gallo:  Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate.  Allow to chill in a refrigerator for 30 minutes to a day before use.

         
Exotic mushrooms, goat cheese and puff pastry:

Portions: 4

1 ½ pound Exotic mushrooms (royal trumpets, oyster & shiitake)
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 teaspoon Truffle oil
1 each Shallots (minced)
2 clove Garlic (minced)
2 tablespoon Madeira wine
2 cups Chicken stock (reduced to ¼ cup)
1 teaspoon Thyme (minced)
1 Tablespoon Parsley (minced)
2 each Plum tomatoes (peeled, seeded, large dice)
2 tablespoon Butter
1 cup Arugula
4 ounces Goat cheese (crumbled)
To taste Salt & pepper
4 pieces Puff pastry

For Puff pastry: Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it’s easy to handle.  Heat the oven to 400°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.  Cut into 4 uniform rectangular pieces, additional pastry can be immediately refrozen for future use.  Put the rectangles 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

For the mushrooms:  On high heat a large sauté pan.  Add the olive oil and mushrooms.  Stir mushrooms occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the shallot and garlic and cook for about only a minute. Add the thyme, rosemary, reduced chicken stock, Madeira wine and when the liquid starts to percolate remove from the heat.  Add the butter and stir until butter has been incorporated.  Add the arugula and tomato.  Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.  Pour cooked mushroom mixture into the puff pastry and top with the crumbled goat cheese.