Solstice Recipe Club: Carrot Ginger Soup w/ jalapeño, crème fraîche, croutons & chives

Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs peeled Carrots, cubed

1 “finger” of Ginger, diced

1 Jalapeño diced

1 Yellow Onion diced

½ cup Butter

1 tablespoon Thyme

½ cup White Wine

3 quarts of Stock (vegetable or chicken)

6 tablespoons Crème Fraiche

1 tablespoon Chive

2 tablespoons Croutons

On a medium heat, sauté onions, jalapeño, and ginger until onions are translucent. Add carrots and when soft add thyme and wine.  Cook for five minutes until the wine is fragrant.

Add stock and let simmer for 30 minutes or until the mixture reduces by a third.  Blend the mixture and pass through chinoise if you a smoother texture is preferred.

Add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with crème fraiche and croutons.

Seasonal Flavors for the week of January 11, 2011

Scallop Sashimi w/ carrot, beet, cucumber salad, red onion & capers

Roasted Duck Breast w/ plantain mash, pickled vegetables & blood orange balsamic reduction

Baby Green Salad w/ roasted butternut squash, feta & red wine vinaigrette

King Salmon w/ sautéed haricot verts, zucchini carrot & portabella mushroom

 

Carrot Ginger Soup w/ jalapeño, crème fraîche, croutons & chives

Solstice Recipe Club: Chicken Fettuccini w/ poached egg, asparagus sweet peas & chipotle crème

Here at Solstice we are always looking for new ways to pay it forward so each week we are going to provide a recipe from the previous week's Seasonal Menu.  This week is one of my personal favorites

Chicken Fettuccini w/ poached egg, asparagus sweet peas & chipotle crème

It is quite an easy dish and one where you can feel free to make substitutions if, for example, you do not have asparagus on hand.  It is also perfect if you have left over chicken lying around.

Serves: 2-4

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Fresh Fettuccine

1 Poached Egg per person (here is Thomas Keller's method if you don't have your own)

1/3 lbs Chicken

1 tablespoon Butter

Salt & Pepper

1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano

Sauce

2 tablespoons Butter

1 Onion diced

3 teaspoons Garlic minced

2 Chipotle Chiles

6 Asparagus cut in half

½ cup Peas

½ cup Wine

1 cup Cream

Sautee garlic, onion, chipotles on medium heat.  Once onions become translucent add wine.  Cook until it reduces by half. Add cream and let simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste.  Blend sauce for a smooth consistency.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and sauté in a pan until it is almost cooked through. Add peas, asparagus, and the sauce. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta till just before al dente and finish it in the sauce.

Top each portion with a poached egg and grate Parmesan on top before serving.

NEW DESSERTS!

Dark Chocolate Brownie w/ vanilla ice cream, raspberries, blueberries & chocolate sauce

Green Apple Cheese Cake w/ whipped cream & salted caramel

Strawberry Napoleon w/ chocolate dusted whipped cream

Seasonal Flavors for the week of January 4, 2010

Corvina Bass w/ sautéed spinach, butternut squash puree, roasted carrot & basil oil

Red Beet Salad w/ arugula, goat cheese, crisp fennel & balsamic oregano vinaigrette

Chicken Fettuccini w/ poached egg, asparagus sweet peas & chipotle crème

Sautéed Prawns w/ sweet peppers, garlic & rum

Kabocha Squash Soup w/ rosemary crème fraîche & crostini

Seasonal Flavors for the week of December 14, 2010 & A Brief History of Nopales

This week we are featuring a dish from Sous Chef Pedro that showcases nopales. The prepared pads of the prickly pear cactus use as food dates back to the 14th century AD Aztecs.  Marked by a light, slightly tart flavor, like green beans, and a crisp texture the vegetable has remained a staple of regional Mexican cuisine ever since.  At Solstice the nopales and its more traditional accompaniments, avocado and pomegranate, are being used in Chef Pedro’s unique take on the Greek salad.  The dish will be available through December 27th.

Avocado & Nopales Salad w/ mizuna, feta, red onion, pomegranate & red wine vinaigrette

 

Corn & Crab Bisque w/ basil oil & crostini

Lamb Chops w/ spaghetti squash, braised radicchio & citrus vinaigrette

Roasted Chicken w/ grilled asparagus, sautéed mushroom & jalapeño parmesan béchamel

Sautéed Prawns w/ caramelized leek risotto & creamed arugula

7th Annual Winter Solstice Party!