YaDa Chef Private and Personal Chefs

After another long day, I found myself hungry and staring at the shelves in the refrigerator.  I looked down and saw a piece of salmon just sitting there, but what to do with it?  I wanted something simple and quick.   Salmon Chipotle Cakes were my first thought, but we had no corn OR chipotle, so that ruled out that!  I wasn't about to make a trip to the store.  The problem with Salmon cakes or "burgers" are they often the are dry due to over cooking etc.  You have to add moisture.  Here's how I did it.  The prep took about 5 minutes and cooking time will depend on your penchant for doneness.  I did mine "cooked through", but just. The cooking time was about 8  minutes, just the right amount of time for the potatoes to cook. Serves 4 1 pound 450g skinless salmon fillet, cut into chunks 4 baby bella or button mushrooms, cut in quarters 2 shallots or 1 small onion, diced 1 green onion/scallion, chopped Small handful of chopped parsley

This recipe was given to us by a client, Bridget Moreno. It was passed down from her Great Grandmother to her Grandmother, Elaine Gleason nee Thomas. The story is that Welsh housewives would make this for their husbands’ lunch pails/buckets, most likely to take with them down in the mines.     Make by hand or with an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Cook on an electric griddle.  Enjoy with a cup of tea.  These cookies keep well in a Ziploc bag or sealed container. 4cups/500g flour (1cup/125g for rolling out dough) 1cup/192g white sugar 1tablespoon/11g/15ml baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons/7ml cinnamon* 1cup/220g Crisco or vegetable shortening (we imagine that the original recipe used lard) 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup/125ml milk 1teaspoon/5ml vanilla 1 cup/150g raisins Combine dry ingredients.  Cut in Crisco (this can be done with a fork or a paddle attachment of a mixer).  Add wet ingredients.  Add raisins.  Do not over mix.  Roll dough on floured surface to

Chill your salad plates in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before assembling the dish. This helps to keep everything crisp. Never over dress the salad. The dressing is a complement to all the other ingredients. You should not have a puddle left over after eating your salad. Serves 4 5 ounces/142grams mixed field greens (add in those beet greens) 1 Granny Smith apple, stemmed and cored 4 large unblemished strawberries, leaves removed 3 ounces/85grams Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled juice of 1 lemon bowl of water Combine the lemon juice and water in a bowl to soak cut apple pieces in. Cut the apple in half vertically. Place the flat side on the cutting board and cut the apple width wise into ¼ inch/.64 centimeter strips. Place apple slices in the acidulated water to prevent browning. Slice strawberries vertically to make small heart shapes. Place equal amounts of the field greens (a large handful should do) on chilled salad plates in mounds.  Remove apple slices from water and p

Paris Mash is a recipe created by Joel Rubuchón.  Originally it is said the ratio was 1:1, Now it is standard to do a 2:1 potato to butter ratio.  Robuchon potatoes are cooked in lightly salted water with skins on and then drained. the potatoes are then peeled and passed through a food mill .. dried out over a low flame and then emulsified with butter and cream. And, then to achieve that velvety texture, the potatoes are passed several times through a fine drum sieve. Serves 4-6 450g “boiling”potatoes (red potatoes, yukon gold, fingerling) 250g unsaltedbutter 1 1/2 cups/200ml cream 1/2 teaspoon/2ml sea salt 1/2 teaspoon/2ml white pepper Place potatoes in a pot large enough to cover the potatoes by 1 inch/2.5 cm with water. Generously salt water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce medium low to a simmer potatoes for 25-30 minutes or potatoes are easily pierced with a sharp knife. Once cooked drain potatoes and let cool for a few minutes. While potatoes are cooling add cre

by Chef Joseph Yacino June is the the beginning of Summer here in the northern hemisphere and it is also the when we celebrate the longest day of the year,  Skt. Hans as it is known throughout Scandinavia or St. John’s Day is celebrated with bonfires, and outdoor cookery.  Originally I wanted to do typical Norwegian fare, but after speaking with a dear friend I learned that the traditional foods have given way to “International Fare”.  Spain has a huge exPat Norwegian community and  Florida was founded by the Spaniards in 1513 by Ponce de Leon who led the first European expedition.populations.  So I thought I would  offer one of my favourite dishes from Valencia Spain, Paella. Paella was originally a peasant dish, cooked over an open fire in the fields and eaten directly from the pan.  Originally snails were the main protein used as they were plentiful in the fields.  Occasionally rabbit or duck would be added and if you were really well off chicken. Every Spanish mother cla

Botanical name: Beta vulgaris Grown in the Mediterranean region as far back as 2,000 B.C., beet cultivation spread to Babylonia in the eighth century, then to China around 850 A.D. Beets, along with their greens, belong to the Goosefoot family, known as Chenopodiaceae. Within the botanical family, beet greens are factored alongside spinach, Swiss chard, quinoa, lamb's quarter, and a number of other wild plants, which means that beet greens can be placed in the “dark, leafy” category. Because they are a cool season crop, beets grow quickly and can survive almost freezing temperatures, making them a favorite of northern gardeners. Beets and their greens also enjoy a longer than normal growing season. It’s best to use beet greens within two or three days after refrigeration. Enjoy beet greens by themselves as a salad or with other leafy vegetables, or sauté them in a bit of olive oil or balsamic vinegar and salt for a delicious side dish. Here’s a great tip: if you find you

German Chocolate Cak e is an American creation that contains the key ingredients of sweet baking chocolate, coconut, and pecans. This cake was not brought to the American Midwest by German immigrants. The cake took its name from an American with the last name of "German." In most recipes and products today, the apostrophe and the "s" have been dropped, thus giving the false hint as for the chocolate's origin. 1852 - Sam German (1802-1888) created the mild dark baking chocolate bar for Baker's Chocolate Company in 1852. The company named the chocolate in his honor - "Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate." 1957 -The first published recipe for German's chocolate cake showed up in a Dallas Morning Star newspaper on June 13, 1957 as Recipe of the Day. The recipe came from a Texas homemaker, Mrs. George Calay. The cake quickly gained popularity and its recipe together with the mouth-watering photos were spread all over the country. Americ

It was not until I was an adult that the realisation came to me that most people bought their sausage from a grocery store.  All of our sausages both of the Italian andPolish varieties were made by the local butcher. Every time I have this simmering it brings me back to my childhood. Oddly enough this was always a big favourite even in the heat of summer. Serves 6-8 1 pound/450g kielbasa, cut into 1-2 inch/2.5-5cm pieces 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup/225ml) 1 medium head cabbage, roughly chopped (2) 28 ounce/794g cans diced tomatoes 2 pounds/900g (4) baking potatoes, cut in 1 inch/2.5cm pieces 1 teaspoon/5ml salt (optional) 1 teaspoon/5ml black pepper 2 teaspoon/10ml caraway seeds (optional) 1 bay leaf 1-2 quarts/1-2 liters water/chicken or vegetable broth (enough to come just below top of ingredients) Combine kielbasa, onion, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, salt, pepper, caraway seeds bay leaf and water in a large sauce/stock pan.  Simmer ingredients o

With Spring just a couple of weeks away we thought we would get a jump on the celebrations.  This is quick and easy hors d’oeuvres, a great starter or even a light lunch.  We used a classic pate brisee  recipe for the crust but use what ever you are comfortable with. We did not include the dough recipe as we have shared it numerous times. 1 tablespoon/15ml olive oil 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced 1  medium shallot, minced 2 small tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced 1 pound/450g fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and blanched and cut into one inch/2.5cm pieces 2 tablespoons/30ml capers 1 ½ tablespoons/22ml dry sherry Preheat a medium sized skillet  on medium heat until hot to the touch Add the olive oil, and heat for a 20-30 seconds Add the garlic, shallot, tomatoes, asparagus, and capers Cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add the sherry and cook for one minute Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste Place mixture into precooked basil tartlet* and serve

Roast Pheasant Recipe Most game is delicious on its own.  Nothing is added by smothering or drowning it in sauces or strong flavours.  Classics are classic for a reason.  Bacon, juniper berries, onion, leeks, cabbage and even sauerkraut seem to work best with most game. Pheasant is still hunted with good results.  If you are not likely to head into the woods, process and “hang” one yourself, and most are not, find yourself a reputable butcher that keeps a variety of game in stock.  Free range birds are an excellent choice and much less work.  Be prepared game birds in the USA unlike in most countries are a bit expensive and therefore a treat, but we all deserve treats.  Pheasants have a surprising amount of meat.  A 4-5 pound/1.8-2.2kg bird will easily serve 4-6 people. Serves 4-6 1 onion cut into quarters 1 stalk celery cut into quarters 2 carrots sliced in half vertically and horizontally 1 4-5 pound/1.8-2.2kg pheasant 1 tablespoon/15ml YaDa Maya Natural Sea Sal