Solstice Restaurant & Lounge: 2011

Thursday, January 20, 2011

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.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

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.