Green Pea & Asparagus Risotto Recipe

Yield: 25 Servings

Ingredients:         
3 cups minced sweet onion
12 cloves garlic, minced
6 quarts vegetable broth or chicken broth
Kosher salt
12 tablespoons salted butter
12 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 cups dry white arborio rice
12 cups dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay*
6 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Zest from 3 lemons
12 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme (optional but recommended)
Freshly ground black pepper
3 bunches Asparagus
4 cups peas
4 cups heavy cream

Directions:

Prep the vegetables:
Prepare the onion and garlic and noted above.
Blanch / Shock asparagus and then once chilled, cut on a bias into 1 inch pieces
Blanch / Shock peas, then combine with heavy cream in a blender to make the pea puree
Heat the broth: Combine the broth with 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a saucepan and bring it to a low simmer. Reduce heat to low.

Sauté the Risotto:
In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the minced onion and cook for about 2 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and dry rice and cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes until the rice starts to turn light brown.
Add the wine: Stir in the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is fully absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Add the broth: Add two ladles of the hot broth to the risotto. Cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid is fully absorbed, then add two more ladles of both. Cook in this same manner for about 12 minutes, adding two ladles and stirring frequently. Continue to adjust the heat to make sure the risotto is at a steady simmer. After 12 minutes, taste a grain of rice. If it’s creamy but still al dente in the center, you’re ready for the final step! If not, continue to cook and add broth for a few minutes more.

Finish the risotto: When the rice is al dente, reduce the heat to low. Add two more ladles of broth, the Parmesan cheese and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes until you’ve got a thick and creamy risotto. Add the lemon zest, fresh thyme, and black pepper. Taste and add more salt as desired (we add another heaping ¼ teaspoon kosher salt).
Add in the pea puree and asparagus pieces and stir until all is warm and combined
Serve with additional Parmesan cheese on top.

Penne alla Vodka Recipe

Yield: 5 Servings

Ingredients:
1 pound penne
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 whole medium onion, chopped finely
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup vodka
One 14-ounce can tomato puree or tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 generous pinch red pepper flakes, plus more if needed
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:
Cook the pasta al dente
Sauté the garlic and onions in 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until soft.
Pour in the vodka, being careful if your stove has an open flame (remove the pan from the heat before adding).
Cook and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour in the tomato puree.
Stir the mixture until it's thoroughly combined, then reduce the heat to low.
Pour in the heavy cream.
Stir to combine, then turn heat to the lowest simmer possible.
Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and add salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Pour the drained pasta into the sauce and toss to combine.
Sprinkle on the Parmesan, then sprinkle on more red pepper flakes if desired & fresh basil leaves.
Enjoy

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Yield: ~24 mushrooms

Ingredients:
1⁄4 cup olive oil or 1/4 cup melted butter
24 large white mushrooms
12 ounces flaked crab meat
4 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup soft breadcrumbs or 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
1⁄8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon garlic salt
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1⁄2 cup melted butter
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:
Spray a 9x12-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Use an additional baking dish if needed.
Drizzle olive oil or butter in the bottom of the baking dish.
Wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel to clean.
Remove stems, set aside caps and chop stems to add to filling.
In a medium bowl, mix crabmeat, chopped mushroom stems, onion, dry mustard, 1 cup parmesan cheese, SOFT bread crumbs (fresh bread frozen and then shredded), parsley, red and black pepper, and garlic salt.
Mix well and then stir in egg and mayonnaise.
Use a small cookie scoop to mound filling onto each mushroom cap.
Melt butter and mix in garlic salt and drizzle over the filled mushrooms.
Mound a generous portion of the shredded parmesan cheese on top of each filled mushroom. Note: For softer, melted cheese, you may want to use mozzarella cheese or brick cheese for the topping.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 425°F.
Best served hot.
Can be prepared ahead, refrigerated and then baked just before serving (add 7-10 minutes additional baking time).

Caramelized Apple Cider Onion Gravy Recipe

Yield:15 cups

Ingredients:
• 20 cups thinly sliced onions from about 2 medium onions
• 5 garlic clove peeled
• 20 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into cubes
• 5 tablespoon brown sugar
• 5 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 10 tablespoons cornstarch
• 5 cup hard apple cider
• 5 cup vegetable stock
• 20 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 bay leaf
• Salt to taste

Directions:
Add the sliced onions, garlic, butter, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar to the insert of your slow cooker. Cover and set your slow cooker to low.
Cook the onions for at least 8 hours, or up to 12 hours. The onions will be very soft and browned when they are finished cooking.
Remove the cover from your slow cooker. Add the cornstarch and stir until the onions are coated. Then stir in the apple cider, vegetable stock, thyme and the bay leaf. Cover, set your slow cooker to high and cook for an additional 1 hour.
 After an hour, remove the cover from your slow cooker. Using a pair of tongs, remove and discard the thyme sprigs and the bay leaf.
Transfer the contents of your slow cooker to your blender and blend on high until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to work in batches, being very careful when transferring and blending hot liquids.
Return the gravy to the slow cooker. Taste and add salt, if desired. Keep the gravy warm (set your slow cooker to either the warm or low setting), until you are ready to serve it. Alternately, the gravy can be made 1 to 2 days in advance, refrigerated in an airtight container and then reheated before serving.

Chef Notes:
I also have a Vegan version if anyone is interested

Italian Marinara Sauce & Meatballs Recipe

MARINARA RECIPE

Yield ~120 Servings

Ingredients:
4 cups extra virgin olive oil
2 cups minced garlic
10 yellow onions, diced small
1 cup teaspoon salt
1 cup black pepper
10 28–32 ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes, crushed or high-quality canned crushed tomatoes + each can water filled
5 cans tomato paste + each can water filled
1 lb fresh basil, chopped
1 lb fresh oregano, chopped
1 1b fresh parsley, chopped
1 1lb fresh thyme, cleaned from stems
10 cans of Tomato Paste
5 tablespoons crushed red pepper
5 tablespoons garlic powder

Directions:
In a deep pan or tilt skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.
Sautee onions until onions are translucent.
Add garlic until they sweat and release flavor.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water
Add parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, salt, pepper
Bring to a boil.
Lower heat, and simmer for at least for 2-4 hours. (The longer you simmer, the thicker it will be)

MEATBALLS RECIPE

Yield: ~ 100 Meatballs

Ingredients:

3 lbs ground beef
3 lbs pound ground pork
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 cups Parmesan cheese, grated into a powder
16 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
2 cups parsley, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder


Directions:

Gently combine all meatball ingredients, (except the oil), in mixer
Mix meatball mix with the paddle attachment until all ingredients are evenly mixed (don't overwork the meat, we want tender meatballs)
Scoop meatball mix with 3-4 ounce scoop
Roll into 1+1/2 inch balls.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or tilt skillet over medium heat.
Give each meatball a final roll and add them to the pot.
Brown them in batches, for a few minutes on each side. They won't be cooked all the way through - just looking for meatballs to be brown to add texture to their profile
Remove and set aside until the sauce is prepared, then simmer them in the sauce for ~45 minutes.
Remove meatballs from the sauce, check one to ensure the center is not pink, and the center is 160 degrees F
Cool on a sheet tray until 41 degrees or cooler
Store in airtight container

Yummy...