Ingredients:

For the Asparagus:

• ½ bunch of asparagus, trimmed

• Salt (for blanching water)

• Olive oil, for sautéing

For the Beurre Blanc Sauce:

• 1 shallot (or ¼ small onion), finely diced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 2 oz (4 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

• 1–2 tbsp heavy cream (optional, helps stabilize the sauce)

• Salt and white pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Blanch the Asparagus

• Bring a pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil.

• Add asparagus and blanch for 1 minute until bright green and just tender.

• Immediately transfer to an ice bath or run under cold water to stop cooking.

• Drain and pat dry.

2. Sauté the Asparagus

• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil.

• Add the blanched asparagus and sauté for 1–2 minutes until lightly browned.

• Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

• Set aside and keep warm.

3. Make the Beurre Blanc Sauce

• In a small saucepan, melt a small knob of butter over medium-low heat.

• Add diced shallot (or onion) and minced garlic, and sweat until translucent (not browned), about 2–3 minutes.

• Increase heat to medium-high.

• De-glaze with the white wine, simmering until the liquid is reduced by half.

• Add white wine vinegar, and reduce again slightly (about 1–2 minutes).

• Optional: Stir in 1–2 tbsp heavy cream to stabilize the emulsion.

• Reduce heat to low, then whisk in cold butter cubes one at a time, allowing each piece to emulsify before adding the next.

• Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Note: Do not let the sauce boil once you begin adding butter, gentle heat ensures a smooth, glossy sauce.

4. Serve

• Plate the warm sautéed asparagus.

• Spoon over the beurre blanc sauce.

• Garnish with extra minced herbs, lemon zest, or microgreens if desired.

💡 Tips:

• Serve immediately, beurre blanc is best fresh and doesn’t reheat well.

• Works beautifully with fish, scallops, or chicken.

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• 1 head romaine lettuce

• Olive oil (for brushing)

• Salt & freshly cracked black pepper

• Optional garnish: fresh thyme, chopped chives, extra black pepper

For the Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• ¼ cup sour cream

• 2 tbsp olive oil (cold, if possible)

• 2–3 anchovy fillets (about two finger widths), or 1 tbsp anchovy paste

• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon or basil, chopped

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Salt & pepper, to taste

• Optional: 1 tbsp cold butter, cubed (helps emulsify and thicken)

Instructions:

1. Prep the Lettuce & Chill the Plate

• Place your serving plate(s) in the fridge, this helps keep the grilled romaine crisp and cool when serving.

• Trim the root end of the romaine just enough to keep the leaves attached.

• Cut the romaine in half lengthwise, then cut each half again to make long quarters.

• Brush all sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Make the Dressing

• In a blender or food processor, combine:

  • Mayonnaise, sour cream, olive oil, anchovies or anchovy paste, lemon juice, chives, tarragon (or basil), and a pinch of salt and pepper.

• Blend until smooth.

• Optional: Add cold butter while blending to help emulsify.

• Chill the dressing in the fridge while grilling.

3. Grill the Romaine

• Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high.

• Grill romaine cut side down for 1–2 minutes per side, just until lightly charred and wilted, but still holding shape.

4. Plate and Serve

• Remove chilled plates from the fridge.

• Arrange grilled romaine on plates.

• Drizzle with the herbed anchovy dressing.

• Garnish with fresh thyme, chives, and a final crack of black pepper.

💡 Tips:

• Great with grilled chicken, shrimp, or crispy chickpeas on top.

• Dressing keeps well for 2–3 days in the fridge.

• Want a tangier twist? Add a splash of white wine vinegar to the dressing.

Creamy Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes

Serves 4 | Comforting, savoury, and packed with flavour

Ingredients

For the Polenta:
1 cup coarse-ground polenta (or cornmeal)
1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock or white stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 oz (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (or more, to taste)
Salt, to taste

For the Roasted Tomatoes:
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (or any tomatoes chopped into bite-size pieces)
1–2 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Optional: black pepper, balsamic drizzle, or red pepper flakes for serving

How to Make It

1. Roast the Tomatoes
   Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
   Toss tomatoes with olive oil and a pinch of salt.
   Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes until blistered and caramelised. Set aside.

2. Start the Polenta Base
   In a saucepan, melt 3 tbsp of the butter over medium heat.
   Add the shallot, garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
   Sauté gently for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Don’t brown them.

3. Add Liquid and Cook the Polenta
   Pour in the quart of chicken stock and bring to a boil.
   Once boiling, slowly whisk in the polenta.
   Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10–15 minutes, whisking often, until it’s thick and creamy but still has a bit of bite.

4. Finish It Off
   Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, and the last bit of butter.
   Season with salt to taste.
   If it gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of warm stock or cream.

5. Serve It Up
   Spoon the polenta into bowls, top with the roasted tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil or balsamic if you fancy, and finish with a bit more cheese and herbs.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on or boneless)

• 2–3 corn tortillas (plus extra for garnish)

• 1 ripe avocado, diced

• 2 serrano peppers (or substitute with jalapeños for less heat)

• 1 lime (zest optional, juice divided)

• 1 bunch cilantro, chiffonade (finely sliced)

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 4 ripe tomatoes, quartered and large diced

• 1 quart chicken stock (or 1 bouillon spoon mixed with hot water—1 spoon per ½ gallon)

• 1 tsp dried oregano, chopped

• Oil, as needed (for cooking and frying)

• Cotija cheese, crumbled (for garnish)

• Salt, to taste

🔪 Instructions:

1. Prep the tortillas

   • Cut 2–3 corn tortillas into thin strips. Set aside for garnish later.

2. Brown the chicken

   • Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add oil.

   • Season the chicken thighs with salt and brown them on both sides.

   • Remove and set aside.

3. Build the flavor base

   • In the same pot, add diced onions, minced garlic, and sliced serrano or jalapeño peppers.

   • Sauté until soft and aromatic (about 4–5 minutes). Season with a little salt.

4. Add the tomatoes

   • Stir in the chopped tomatoes. Cook until they start to break down, about 5–7 minutes.

5. Simmer the soup

   • Return the chicken to the pot.

   • Pour in just enough stock to cover the chicken.

   • Add the chopped oregano.

   • Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and flavors have melded.

6. Season and finish

   • Adjust salt to taste. Squeeze in juice from half the lime.

   • Stir in half of the chopped cilantro.

7. Make crispy tortilla strips

   • Heat a small pan with oil and fry the tortilla strips until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

8. Assemble and serve

   • Ladle soup into bowls.

   • Top with diced avocado, crispy tortilla strips, extra cilantro, Cotija cheese, and a squeeze of the remaining lime juice.

🧂 Ingredients:

• 4–5 lbs beef bones (knuckle, marrow, and/or neck bones preferred)

• 1 lb onions, roughly chopped

• ½ lb carrots, roughly chopped

• ½ lb celery, roughly chopped

• 2–3 tbsp tomato paste

• 2–3 bay leaves

• 4–6 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 2–3 whole cloves

• Cold water (enough to cover contents in pot by 2–3 inches)

🔪 Instructions:

1. Roast the bones

   • Preheat oven to 400°F (190°C).

   • Spread beef bones on a roasting pan or sheet tray in a single layer.

   • Roast for 45mins to 1 hour, turning once halfway through, until well-browned.

2. Prepare the mirepoix

   • While bones roast, roughly chop onions, carrots, and celery.

   • After 45mins to 1 hour, remove bones from oven and transfer them to a large stock pot.

3. Roast the vegetables with tomato paste

   • In the same roasting pan, add chopped mirepoix vegetables and Roast for 20-30mins

   • Remove Vegetables from the Oven and Brush and Stir on tomato paste and return to oven and roast for 10–15 minutes, until caramelized and tomato paste has darkened slightly.

4. Build the stock

   • Add roasted vegetables to the pot with the bones.

   • Deglaze the roasting pan with a little hot water, scraping up the browned bits, and pour that into the stock pot.

   • Add bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, and cloves.

   • Cover with cold water by 2–3 inches.

5. Simmer the stock

   • Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Do not boil.

   • Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.

   • Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 8 hours, checking occasionally and adding water if needed to keep everything submerged.

6. Strain and cool

   • After 8 hours, strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container.

   • Discard solids.

7. Chill and store

   • Cool the stock quickly in an ice bath.

   • Store in airtight containers.

🧊 Storage:

• Refrigerator: Up to 1 week

• Freezer: Up to 6 months

(Pro Tip: Remove solidified fat from the surface after chilling to help preserve flavor and clarity.)

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