YaDa Chef Private and Personal Chefs

Sometimes  “old” classic recipes are the best.  This recipe has to be from  at least  the 1950’s.  It was found whilst cleaning out my Nanna’s (Nonna’s) kitchen.   No need to have McIntosh apples any good baking apple will do.  Since the bottom is the top you can arrange  a couple of apples before pouring in the first amount of batter.   5 apples, peeled, sliced, cored 1/2 cup/85g granulated sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons/7ml ground cinnamon Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over apples in a medium sized bowl.  Toss to coat all the apple pieces and let sit while making the batter. 3 cups/298g all purpose flour 2 cups/383g granulated sugar 1 teaspoon/5ml baking soda 2 teaspoons/10ml baking powder 1 cup/250ml vegetable oil 4 large eggs 1/3 cup/80ml orange juice (we used triple sec) 2 teaspoons/10ml pure vanilla extract Greased bundt/tube pan Pre-heat oven to 350F/176C/Gas Mark 4 In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, baking soda,

Need a little something different and elegant - a little rustic?  This soup is the answer.  It is thickened with potatoes, not flour, and is hearty enough to serve as a luncheon main course or starter for your next dinner party. Ingredients: 1 large head white cauliflower with leaves 2 medium potatoes (about one pound) 1 handful dandelion leaves (or fresh celery leaves) 1 small onion, chopped 2 cups/500ml vegetable stock (water or chicken stock is fine) 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 2 cups/500ml cauliflower water salt and white pepper, to taste (black pepper is fine) 1/2 cup/125ml white wine 1/2 - 1 cup/125-250ml cream or milk (regular or vegan is fine), optional croutons Directions: Wash and trim the cauliflower, keeping the pale-green inner leaves that cling to the head.   Separate the head into florets and cook in a large pot of salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes.   Drain the cauliflower, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Wash, pare and dice the potatoes.  Put the potatoes,

Recently we found ourselves with a glut of field greens.  Lovely, green and deep purple, and eggplant with no one to eat them. We believe in using and eating food, not throwing it away.  So what could be done to preserve the goodness at hand?  Soup came to mind, but you can eat only so much soup and it has a tendency to get “grainy” when frozen.  Juicing was another option, but our illustrious leader (Chef Ya) decided to go a different route.    The sauce pesto originated in the northern region of Italy, Liguria, Genoa.  According to Wikipedia The name is the contracted past participle of the Genoese word pestâ (Italian: pestare), which means to pound, to crush, in reference to the original method of preparation, with marble  mortar and wooden pestle . The ingredients in a traditionally made pesto are ground with a circular motion of the pestle in the mortar. This same Latin root through Old French also gave rise to the English word pestle. Traditionally the sauce is made of basi

A staple in most Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants and bakeries.  There is no mention of it until  after 1299, which is the beginning of the Ottoman Empire.  Filo/a dough originated in what is now Turkey, but it is the Greeks that refined it into the paper thin dough we know today.  In Greece, baklava is supposed to be made with 33 dough layers, referring to the years of Christ's life. Any recipe we have ever found used no more than 24 (which is what is found in the pre-made 1 pound/450g packages. This recipe is a combination of two of our favourites.  The one from Greece adds in cinnamon which the one from Turkey did not have.  You choose.   1/2 pound/225g about 12 sheets thawed filo dough, covered with a damp towel 1 1/2 cups/174g chopped walnuts, pistachios or almonds 2 1/2 tablespoons/30g granulated sugar (you don’t need much the syrup is sweet) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional) 1 stick/1/4 pound/8 tablespoons/113g melted butter For the syrup: 2/3 cup/1

For a limited time, we are offering a superb discounted dinner for two, which includes your own chef to prepare and serve a starter salad, main course, and dessert.  You choose from a special menu created specifically for this great deal. Then... One of our Personal Chefs will travel to you, prepare and serve your special meal, clean up and leave for you to enjoy the rest of your time together. This special makes a great gift!  When payment is received we will create a specific voucher for you to give and to be redeemed at a later date for no additional fee. The price including the foods AND the chef for this limited time special is $299.99.  Just choose your selections from our crafted menu and we are set to go! BUT HURRY, THIS SALE WILL END SOON! For more information, pricing, availability and restrictions, email us at: info@yadachef.com ; Or call us at: 954-367-YADA (9232).   private chefs and event catering Palm Beach + Boca

Here is a different type of pizza.  A gluten free styled pizza if you will... Interesting, different, and a crowd pleaser.  Who wouldn't like the equivalent of a potato chip pizza?  Try it and amaze the kid in everyone. Potato Crust Pizza Recipe Makes (1) 16 inch 41 centimeter thin crust pizza 2-2 ½ lb/900-1215g potatoes, slice thin on the mandolin into rounds* corn or potato starch for dusting the rounds 1 tsp/5ml YaDa Chef’s Maya Natural Sea Salt 1 tsp/5ml fresh ground black pepper ¼ cup/59ml Parmesan cheese (optional) 1 tbsp/15ml olive oil to drizzle over potatoes 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin Toppings of your choice… Pre-heat oven to 450F/232C/GasMark 8 After slicing the potatoes place in a large bowl cover with cold water, swish around, drain repeating 2 more times.  This is removing excess starch.  Dry potatoes well using either paper towels or a clean kitchen cloth. Dust lightly with corn or potato starch.  Lightly oil a 16 inch/41 centimeter

Roast Pheasant 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. Roast Pheasant with Cabbage and Turkey Bacon 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 is 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 ta

The thought of Thanksgiving brings visions of a Norman Rockwell painting, with a table laden with all of the traditional foods. Over the past decade or so there have been those that did their best to change those traditions by not having turkey as the star.  I however am not one of those people.  In my world unless you are a vegan or vegetarian it is de rigueur to consume turkey. This does not however mean I am against “playing with the recipes”.  As a chef, this is what I love to do. Below is a fun way  to stick with the basics while making it a bit healthier, giving it a flair of elegance and keeping it gluten free. Supplies 12 - 15lb/5.54-6.8 kg  Fresh Turkey 3 carrots, cut in half lengthwise and widthwise making an elongated half circle  2 stalks celery, cut into 4 pieces each 1 large onion cut into 6 wedges turkey neck and giblets skewers kitchen twine large piece of foil to cover bird, oiled and dusted with flour, or cornstarch if going gluten free Rub Ze