An Inspired Valentine

Here we are again, another February 14^th has arrived and the time has come to shower our loved ones with gifts, flowers, chocolates and gastronomic delights.  But you can’t bestow upon your dearest beloved the same chocolate dipped strawberries and heart shaped box of chocolates every year!  There must be some variety and spice in your offerings, and that is where we here at Inspired Occasions come to your rescue.  This Valentine’s Day we venture away from the tried and true, while still staying true to the message of the holiday.  Love is in the air, but bliss is on the plate.

We start the evening off with a modern twist on the classic strawberry salad.  Fresh plump strawberries decorate a mound of tender spring mix greens, topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, shaved red onion and dressed with a warm balsamic glaze vinaigrette.  The twist that takes this salad over the top is the addition of a warm Tri color peppercorn and goat cheese mousse.  Crushed pink, black and white peppercorns gently folded into the warm goat cheese mousse that drapes over the greens adding a creamy and light textural contrast to the crunch of the peppercorns and pumpkin seeds.  The black pepper and strawberries are a natural combination and, this is the next evolution.

What would a day all about love be without some pork, roast rack of pork to be precise, but a bit of backtracking to a historical dessert before we continue.  Cherries jubilee is one of mine, and my father’s, favorite desserts.  The flavors are so intense and bold we decided not to keep them a prisoner of the dessert plate.  Introducing our new roast rack of pork with cherries jubilee glaze, wild rice pilaf and steamed broccolini.  The glaze is prepared with all the classic flavors with fun twists, cherry preserves and orange marmalade provided the base, black peppercorns brought a spice and bite, rich chicken stock added body, brandy and triple sec added fresh and bright aromas and flavors.  After the sauce had simmered for the proper amount of time, we mounted it with a few dabs of butter and ladled it over lovely porky goodness.  Savory wild rice pilaf accented with thyme was the perfect companion for the sweet and juicy pork chops. 

Now for dessert, who says it always has to be chocolate?  Every Valentine’s Day sweethearts give chocolate as gifts, eat chocolate at dinner, and sometimes even drink chocolate beer or wine.  Enough already!  Let’s break this tradition of chocohaulism America, and here is where you can start!  Presenting our newest, and one of my recent favorites, grilled caramelized peach with vanilla Greek yogurt ice cream, toasted pistachios drizzled with chocolate (It’s a 12 step program getting over chocolate), and finished with warm dried blueberries reconstituted in honey, triple sec, lemon juice and fresh orange zest.  I can’t even begin to describe the flavor here; each bite is like happiness incarnate.  The grilled peach is sweet and juicy with a touch of char from the grill, paired with the velvety smooth vanilla Greek yogurt is a match made in heaven.  The salty crunch of the pistachios drizzled with just a touch of rich chocolate, (we cannot go cold turkey here), pair perfectly with the pop of the marinated blue berries, warm and dripping with honey and triple sec.  The only way to make this better would be to pair it with an ice cold glass of blueberry limoncello…. which we just so happen to have.

Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research and Development Department!

Weird Inspiration, Austin Style

I recently embarked on a culinary road trip to the great southern city of Austin Texas, a land best described as the last bastion of the counter culture movement in the South.  It is my belief that where ever people are pushing the boundaries of cultural norms there will be pools of talented chefs following suit.I was not disappointed, by the people or the food.  And so after gorging my way across the city I came home and set about creating dishes inspired by my travels. 

My first spot of inspiration came from the BBQ scene, specifically the emphasis on “smoke” as a flavor component.  Smoke as a flavoring is added to everything; root vegetable chips, bourbon for old fashions, even the desserts get in on the action with vanilla ice cream hit with a dusting of smoked sea salt.  While smoke is an amazing additive that brings forth complex and unique flavors, it can become very overwhelming for me, balance is a must!  So, I present our first creation:  a crisp herb crostini with whipped ricotta and fresh lemon thyme accented with crispy house cured pancetta and cold smoked honey.  The lemon bouquet from the thyme permeates the soft and airy cheese and balances the crisp and herbal pancetta bits and the sweet smoky honey.  The smoke, acid and sweet is in perfect balance.  Just enough smoke to perfume each bite, but not enough to overpower the delicate flavors in the cheese and pancetta. 

This next dish just screams fall, but has the versatility to adapt to any season.  Brussels sprouts were a hot commodity down south, appearing in everything from Thai to Italian.  But my favorite use of any cabbage comes from the Irish and their classic peasant dish Colcannon (a traditional dish made with layers of potatoes, cabbage and bacon).  While on my early morning walks I found a little Irish restaurant offering an upscale Colcannon with Brussels sprouts which kindled some creative thoughts.  After thinking and tinkering I was inspired to create our new grilled sweet potatoes and pan seared Brussels sprout salad, highlighted with whole grain mustard and white wine, and garnished with crispy bacon bits.  A huge flavor emerged!  The caramelized pan seared sprouts added a depth and complexity that paired beautifully with lightly smoky taste of the grilled sweet potatoes.  The crisp white wine was a perfect match for the spicy stone ground mustard, yielding a bright and light glaze.  Salad down, time for some lamb!

Lamb is one of my favorite meats, rich in flavor and body; it’s a comfort food no matter how you prepare it.  But I wanted to bring some new direction to the lamb experience. A different application of the classic flavor profiles was in order.  Just imagine this flavor profile:  Grilled rack of lamb lightly seasoned with Chinese five spice, topped with an orange, red onion and fresh mint relish, accented with honey, red chili flake, and fresh orange juice.  Bright, spicy and refreshing flavors abound with the hint of mint lingering as a cooling aftertaste.   The orange relish enhanced the rich, intense flavors of the five spice seasoned lamb while drawing out the sweetness of the meat.

Now I saved my favorite for last. The inspiration for this dish came to me from the very last thing I ate before leaving in Austin.  In the early morning hours of a beautiful Saturday night/Sunday morning, some new friends took me to their favorite breakfast place, a lovely dive called Magnolias.  Here, with great gusto, I enjoyed an amazing late night/breakfast treat.  This was my muse to create our newest hors d’oeuvres, green chili corn bread pancakes topped with BBQ beef shank tossed in our Signature Bourbon BBQ Sauce. A green onion garnish completes the flavor profile and adds a spot of color.    While the pancakes are very light, the cornmeal provides great texture and the green chilies add the right amount of spice. The tender smoked beef shank brings it all home and the bold flavor of the sauce provides the desired balance.  A perfect BBQ bite!

Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research and Development Department!

Channeling some Spring

Admit it, if it wasn’t for the holidays and snowball fights winter is a boring season.  This winter has just been a cold and mostly snowless void, and with the holidays over winter has no reason to still be here.  In my quest to cure myself of the wintertime blues I called on a few friends and channeled the spirits of springtime future and roused myself from this long winters nap.

Just as the approaching tide of fall and winter bring back classic dishes to my table, coq au vin and Cassoulet for example, spring screams for meals with the flame broiled taste of the grill.  With our coals glowing our team was ready to introduce the world to a seasonal sensation of “grilled flatbreads”;, grilled pita spread with a savory goat cheese Alfredo topped with balsamic caramelized onions, grilled pineapple, fire torched oranges and finished with wilted arugula.  The finishing touch of the wilted arugula provided a peppery bite to round out the party of flavors. 

While we were grilling the cold winds cut through our clothes, demanding that we abandon our quest for spring and send us back inside to hibernate.  We fought on, but required something warm and rich to enhance our strength! That’s when we created our new grilled cauliflower soup.  We grilled thick cut slabs of cauliflower seasoned with salt and cracked black pepper till they were just tender with hints of smoke and char from the flames.  To make the soup we used one of our greatest secret ingredients, smoked beef butter which adds a slight kick of smoke and body to our dish.  We sweated onions, thyme, and garlic till tender then added our cauliflower and stock.  A trip to the blender and we had a velvety smooth concoction with hints of smoke and BBQ, but there was something missing, something to add that element of spring to the dish.  Puttanesca sauce or charmoula grilled shrimp were the answer.  Both add a spice and texture so different from the soup, while the vinegar in the puttanesca and the lime/lemon juice in the shrimp cut through the richness and left the soup light and delicious.

With our grill dying down we still had the urge for something more, a dish that truly represented the essence of spring, but what could that be?  A fresh tomato tart!  But not just any tart, we changed up the rules and developed a hot bacon, lettuce and tomato tart with house cured pancetta, hot house tomatoes, wilted arugula, smoked herbed goat cheese and finished it with lemon zest.  We used a combination of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, summer savory, basil and homemade red chili flakes.  This went into our skillet with the halved tomatoes and crispy pancetta then topped with a sheet of puff pastry and into the oven to work magic.  We watched as our pastry crust slowly rose becoming crispy and golden as the tomatoes beneath wilted into the crust.  When all was ready we flipped the tart onto a plate then topped with smoked herbed goat cheese, fresh lemon zest and wilted arugula.  Ripe and tender tomatoes, yielding like a rich sauce to your fork with crispy flavor bombs of pancetta draped with the light smoke from the goat cheese was finished off by the peppery bite of the arugula.  I can almost feel that spring time air with each and every bite. 

While we still have a couple more months of winter left to battle, at least I can rest assured knowing come springtime we will be ready with some of your new favorite inspired occasion’s creations. Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research and Development Department!

Field Goal Festivities!

It’s that time of year again.  College football has just ended and the big showcase is looming around the corner.  The Feast of the Super Bowl is one of my favorite holidays every year, bringing together friends and family to eat way too much, drink ice cold beer and shout at a television for hours on a Sunday afternoon.  But like any great tradition, doing the same old same old every year can become dull and vapid.

So this year we here at Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions decided to “Tackle the Challenge” “kick off” some game day dishes destined for the highlight reel. 

Buffalo wings.  Over the years we have seen the evolution of this incredible dish, from humble bar snacks to the fodder of the finest gastro pubs.  But at their heart they are a simplistic combination of tender chicken in a rich and powerful sauce.  So why then does the form matter?  Introducing a duo of Buffy chicken goodness, our new buffalo chicken torte layered with ranch cream cheese and diced celery and carrots.  We made a batch of deeply seasoned and marinated chicken strips; hand chopped them and then tossed with a homemade wing sauce.  The ranch cream cheese layer in the middle can be adapted to suit any situation; Blue cheese ranch, blue cheese mouse, chipotle ranch and the list continues.  We served the torte with fried spinach and sun dried tomato flour tortilla wedges.  They added color, flavor and a creative twist on the classic corn tortilla chips.  Speaking of twists….

Presenting our Buffalo Chicken Wrap with a ranch and blue cheese spread, buffalo chicken tenders, lettuce, carrot and celery.   The concept was simple, take every element that makes your buffalo wing experience and pack it all into one compact bite.  The moist chicken is the perfect vehicle for the spicy and tangy sauce, the celery and carrots provide a clean and crisp crunch while the ranch spread cools your mouth from the heat of the sauce.  A perfect buffalo wing experience and no small bones to fight over!

But wings are the standard, what is our new direction?  Well since you asked, we decided to keep with the wrap direction and create a pair of Asian wraps perfect for any occasions.  For your pleasure we offer our take on a Mexican rice and bean wrap and called it “south west sushi”!  We used a bright and flavorful jasmine rice salad mixed with fresh; healthy, edamame.  The secret to this amazing salad is in the dressing, we toss the rice with diced orange, shredded napa cabbage, mint, cilantro, chives, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, orange juice and the secret kicker…. Pickled ginger.  Every bite is a burst of fresh and exciting flavors dancing on your tongue.   

While we are dabbling in Asia why not experience our new Grilled Sesame Chicken Wrap!  We marinated tender strips of chicken breast meat with chilies, garlic, sesame oil, toasted black and white sesame seeds, green onions, honey, and cilantro and lime juice.  After a few hour soak, the strips then hit the grill for some char and sweet caramelization from the marinade.  Our wrap was completed with fresh cucumbers, carrots, lettuce and a sweet and spicy Thai mayonnaise. The end result was a blast of fresh and bright flavors reminiscent of sweet and spicy lettuce wraps, without all the mess! 

So for your next game day, graduation or Thursday for that matter, step outside the wing and experience some Inspired creations!  Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research and Development Department!  Touchdown!

Preservationist Cuisine

It’s the holidays, the time of year when we all gather together with our loved ones in the spirit of love and family while creating the most stressful situation since the Cuban missile crisis!  Did you brine the turkey?  Where are the eggs and why aren’t they Deviled?!  Who made the pie; wait was I supposed to make the pie?!  When will you people leave me alone??!! 

As the last piece of dessert is served all the stress melts away and we remember why we invited all these people over in the first place.  But after all the cooking we have been doing leading up to and including the holidays we have no intention of stepping back into the heat for the next 48 hours.  And here is where we at LLIO have revitalized some foregone classics to shake up your post-holiday traditions!

I love the old world mindset of preparing for the future.  Back in my grandmothers day nothing went to waste and the bounty of summer was preserved for the lean winter times.  Her canned green beans, beets, pickles and apple butter brought us warmth and joy while the howl of winter was trying to force its way inside. 

Her inspirations led to our creation of some amazing dishes, and to start us of why not an appetizer of smoked duck breast and leg on a wild rice pancake with cranberry and plum chutney.  Here we used a cupboard staple of wild rice mixed with carrots, celery and onions and dried thyme from our garden to create a small but flavorful vessel.  The duck legs and thighs were shredded and acted as a base for our chutney while a perfectly smoked medium rare duck breast was placed on top.  Every bite was a journey of smoke and sweet mixed with fat and earthiness.  The buttery duck melted in your mouth while resting on the “al dente” texture of the pancake.  The flavors of the season in every bite.

With hors d’oeuvres behind us we now focus on the lead, and the star of my preservationist meal is the terrine.  These beautiful and artistic expressions of meat and vegetables sealed away in a shimmering coat of natural gelatin.  This dish was originally created as the perfect meal for French laborers containing everything they needed for a hard day’s work in a self-contained package.  Since its humble roots the terrine evolved to the heights of cuisine only to be discarded by modern chefs moving away from intricate and labor intense productions.  Till now.

Here we have the simple to the complex on display.  Our first dish is a classic made modern terrine of head cheese. This traditional dish was taken to another level by layering the meat with feta cheese, chives, parsley and preserved lemon.  The meat was so flavorful and tender yielding to the fork and coating your lips in rich gelatin.  The hits of herbal parsley and chive were popped by the salty bite of the preserved lemon cutting through the richness of the meat.  A slice of this and a strong beer will set even the most stressful days at ease.

But if you are in the mood for a dish to satisfy and impress those lingering relatives consider serving our new brandied duck breast, pistachio and roasted grape mustardo terrine wrapped in prosciutto.  The terrine was made with pork and veal, with a layer of brandy marinated duck breasts, crushed pistachios and our home made grape mustardo.  The dish was then wrapped in prosciutto like a beautiful Christmas present ready for the table.  The terrine was sliced and served on an arugula and spinach salad with crushed pistachios, shaved black Spanish radish, and drizzled with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.  The salad was finished with a spoonful of grape mustardo to enhance and compliment the entire dish.  Earthy, sweet, salty and rich, a beautiful and tasty way to celebrate during this holiday season.

Keeping an eye on our past helps us to create a better future, and our future is delicious. Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research and Development Department!

Colors of Winter

Winter, nature’s blah period.  Winter time in the Midwest always means one of two things; piles of snow that melt during the warm days then freeze at night leaving the city covered in an ever increasing ice shell, or a grey and boring environment where even the birds look bored.  This year we unfortunately have the latter. 

This type of season has always bummed me out, the calendar says winter but without the snow and cold…. It’s just a long fall without the beautiful foliage.  And fall is not the time for my classic winter weather dishes of Coq au Vin, Shepherd’s pie, and my mother’s hearty beef stew.  No this drab, warm and colorless season is in need of some new classics, and I have just the thing.

While the mercury may not be dropping the wind outside still carries enough of a chill for us to desire something warm.  And when I say warm I mean a dish that removes the goose bumps from your arms and the cold in your chest with every bite.

Our new Tuscan Bread Casserole layered with hearty rainbow chard, wild boar sausage, crisp pancetta, rich vegetable stock, and parmesan and gruyere cheese is just the cure.  We toasted thick slices of a locally made whole wheat sourdough bread, and layered it in a dish with sautéed rainbow chard spiked with hints of rosemary, lemon zest and a pinch of anchovies for body.

Before going into the oven we poured the vegetable stock all over the dish.  As our casserole baked the bread soaked up the liquid causing it to rise like a soufflé becoming lighter while the edges became golden brown and crispy.  Every spoonful was a “mid winter’s night flavor journey”;  the wild boar sausage burst with the flavors of game and Christmas, while the hearty greens were lightened and enhanced by the bright bite of the lemon, while texturally you were treated to a custardy smooth interior and flavorful toasty edges.  A perfect bite for any season!

 

But you can’t live all winter long on hearty greens, strong cheeses, and good breads.  You need to diversify and lighten things up to truly appreciate all the flavors of the season.  So as a perfect counter balance to our Tuscan casserole we created a light, slightly sweet and every so delicate salad of Arugula, shaved red onion, Fuyu persimmons, toasted pumpkin seeds and a fresh pomegranate vinaigrette.  The sweetness of the persimmons was cut by the sharpness of the shaved onion, and the salted and roasted pumpkin seeds created the perfect texture to round out the dish.  Adding a generous medallion of blue goat cheese will create yet another layer of intense savory flavors and creamy texture.  Cold or hot, rain or shine this salad is for you!

Winter time to me has another meaning, crisps and cobblers.  These classic dishes combine everything we love and need on cold nights. They are sweet, bubbly and always come paired with ice cream!  Keeping along my theme to brighten my winter culinary landscape we created a Persimmon, apple and pear crisp with a savory and sweet pistachio topping.  The combination of sweet flavors with three very distinct textures combined with the crisp topping prepared with salty pistachios made for a spoon full of happiness with every bite.  The crisp topping was given an added bonus with fresh orange zest creating a little holiday “taste bud surprise” on every spoonful. 

Special thanks my latest Test Dinner Crew and all pictures in this article are courtesy of www.14mmview.tumblr.com.

Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research and Development Department!

The Last Harvest

The fall, a wondeful time of the year where all the leaves change color, the oppressive heat of the summer fades into memory, our culinary direction turns towards hearier fare and the cold breeze of winter can be seen over the horizon. But fall has one last treatsure for us before we dive into the long cold, a bountiful late season harvest of hearty greens and vegetables from the gardens!

Yes this year I have been blessed with a mountain of green and semi ripe cherry tomatoes, thick and beautiful heads of bok choy, and swiss chard so deep green you can lose yourself into the leaves.  These colors and flavors were my inspiration to roll down my sleeves and face the cold to harvest some creative dishes.

I know we recently talked about pumpkin here but we would be doing a great disservice to you readers if we didn’t present you with our newest pumpkin treat!  Here we have a roasted pumpkin hummus served with grilled sage pita.  The roasted pumpkin adds a body and some sweetness to the hummus while not at all reminiscent of your mothers pumpkin pie!  The earthy and rich flavor is complimented by the char and hints of sage from the grilled pita.  A perfect bite every time!

When it came to this next dish, our discovery process was a bit backwards.  When we harvested everything we could form our garden, before the frost, we ended up with pounds of green sun gold tomatoes.  Well we did the only natural thing, we pickled them all!  We made a simple rice wine pickling liquid with chili’s and herbs, pickled the tomatoes and gave them a try a few days later.  They were so good we tried coming up with new ideas on how to serve them, and that’s when it came to us.  We made a pureed tomato cognac soup, served with a grilled cheese crouton and pickled tomato skewer.  The velvety smooth soup with just a touch of cream was the perfect foil for the bright acidity of the tomatoes while the grilled cheese crouton added a beautiful texture and a bit of tasteful whimsy.

Our next dish is an example of on the spot inspiration.  We make an amazing marinated vegetable salad, tossed in a fine herbs and caper vinaigrette.  I love this dressing and so the last time we made the salad I kept some of the vinaigrette back, added a little extra virgin olive oil and fresh orange juice, and my new favorite salad.  This salad has the last of our ripe heirloom tomatoes, tossed with freshly sliced oranges, feta, shaved red onion, and baby arugula.  The sweetness of the oranges and the tomatoes played delicately with the acidity of the dressing and the salty crumbly texture of the feta while the peppery bite of the arugula evened out the entire dish. Bright and refreshing but still some body behind every bite.

One of my favorite crops this year has been our baby bok choy.  They are growing into perfect tight little bulbs packing so much flavor and color.  We harvest a few heads and developed this next taste experience, grilled bok choy risotto with fresh lemon and topped with julienned red radish.  We started this dish like a standard risotto, but instead of using just wine to start the rice we used a combination of chardonnay and mirin, a sweet rice wine.  As the rice was cooking we grilled the bok choy then finely sliced some of the heads down.  Right as the rice was almost finished we gently stirred in the grilled bok choy, lemon zest, a little shaved parmesan and a touch of butter.  The dish was a beautiful contrast of bright green and pure white with little bits of red from the radish garnishing the top.  Each bite was refreshing and light, with the lemon and mirin bringing brightness to the deep flavor of the bok choy while the raw radish added a slight hint of heat.

As we come upon winter our starches tend to become heavier and less creative.  Potatoes of all different varieties and styles show up on our tables with as much enthusiasm as a kid for candy the morning after Halloween.  So at LLIO we want to get away from the classic potato side dishes and come up with new and exciting options!  we did just that, and then some, for this dish with lentils and rainbow swiss chard.  Here we have my new go to dish, a seared filet of salmon set on a bed of orange and black lentils tossed with roasted tomatoes, and swiss chard sautéed with a touch of garlic, chili’s and lemon.  The fish is then dressed with a caramelized fennel brown butter sauce.  I just want to let all of that sink in, don’t worry I will wait.  

Each bite was an exciting journey down flavor town road, with the earthy body of the lentils mixed with the sweet roasted tomatoes then brightened and darkened by the sautéed chard was taken to another level by the delicate seared salmon.  The dark and nutty brown butter sauce carried a sweetness and body from the caramelized fennel draped over the salmon highlighting the fish with a dainty shine.

Winter is coming, but with the last of the harvest comes new and exciting inspiration for the season.   Stay tuned for more inspired dishes from Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions Research and Development Department!