Salmon Taco Salad

      Ingredients
   Lime Crema
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk, for thinning
1 lime, juiced
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
several dashes Tapatio hot sauce
salt to taste
   Mango Avocado Salsa
1 large ripe mango, cubed
1 large ripe avocado, cubed
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 tablespoons jalapeno, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt
   Salmon
1 pound wild sockeye salmon, skin and pin bones removed, cut into four fillets
2 tablespoons oil for the pan
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
   Salad
4 cups mixed greens (i used leaf lettuce and spinach)
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups crumbled corn chips

   Lime Crema

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, lime juice, garlic powder and Tapatio until smooth and combined. More milk can be added as needed to thin the mixture so that it is a pourable consistency. Season generously with salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

   Mango Avocado Salsa

To a medium bowl, add the mango, avocado, red onion, jalapeño and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over top, season with salt and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

   Salmon

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet to medium high heat. Add the avocado oil to the pan. Pat each fillet dry and season each with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together the chili powder, cumin and sugar. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over each fillet to coat, patting the seasoning down so that it adheres to the fish. Sear the salmon fillets in the hot pan, about 2-3 minutes per side for medium (cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of your fillets), being careful not to overcook.

   Salad

Lay out four salad plates or shallow bowls. Divide the greens evenly into each of the bowls. Top the greens with the shredded cabbage, followed by black beans.Top the beans with the salmon fillets, followed by the mango avocado salsa. Drizzle everything with lime crema and sprinkle with crumbled corn chips. Serve the salad with more corn chips, lime wedges, and Tapatio hot sauce on the side. 

Fish Tacos

   Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup beer
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 teaspoon minced capers
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 quart oil for frying
1 pound cod fillets, cut into 2 to 3 ounce portions
1 (12 ounce) package corn tortillas
1/2 medium head cabbage, finely shredded

   1. To make beer batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Blend egg and beer, then quickly stir into the flour mixture (dont worry about a few lumps).

   2. To make white sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and mayonnaise. Gradually stir in fresh lime juice until consistency is slightly runny. Season with jalapeno, capers, oregano, cumin, dill and cayenne.

   3. Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

   4. Dust fish pieces lightly with flour. Dip into beer batter and fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Lightly fry tortillas, not too crisp. To serve, place fried fish in a tortilla, and top with shredded cabbage and white sauce.

Texas Pork Ribs

   Ingredients
6 pounds pork spareribs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons garlic powder
5 tablespoons pan drippings
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cups ketchup
3 cups hot water
4 tablespoons brown sugar
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup wood chips, soaked

    1. Clean the ribs, and trim away any excess fat. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, 1/4 cup salt, ground black pepper, paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Coat ribs liberally with spice mix. Place the ribs in two 10x15 inch roasting pans, piling two racks of ribs per pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

    2. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Bake uncovered for 3 to 4 hours or until the ribs are tender and nearly fall apart.

    3. Remove 5 tablespoons of drippings from the bottom of the roasting pans and place in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in pan drippings until lightly browned and tender. Stir in ketchup, and heat for 3 to 4 more minutes, stirring constantly. Next, mix in water and brown sugar and season to taste with cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour, adding water as necessary to achieve desired thickness.

   4. Preheat grill for medium-low heat.

   5. When ready to grill, add soaked wood chips to the coals or to the smoker box of a gas grill. Lightly oil grill grate. Place ribs on the grill two racks at a time so they are not crowded. Cook for 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Baste ribs with sauce during the last 10 minutes of grilling, so the sauce does not burn.

Harvest Ratatouille

   Ingredients
½ cup Jordan Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 onion, diced
2 tsp tomato paste
1 garlic clove, minced
2 black garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh marjoram
1½ cups Heirloom tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
½ tsp coriander, toasted and crushed
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp fennel pollen
1 small yellow zucchini, diced
1 small green zucchini, diced
20 basil leaves, chiffonade
Salt and pepper to taste

    Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pot or rondeaux. Sauté the onion with the tomato paste over medium heat for one minute. While occasionally stirring, add the garlic and sauté for four to five minutes or until completely translucent. Increase the heat to medium-high, add three tablespoons of olive oil, and after one minute, the diced eggplant. Continue to cook while occasionally stirring, approximately five minutes. Add the bell peppers, thyme and marjoram and cool until the eggplant is cooked through (two to three minutes). Fold in the tomatoes, coriander, fennel seed and fennel pollen. Cook for another six minutes.

    Remove pot from the heat and allow the ratatouille base to rest and for the flavors to marry and deepen. The ratatouille base will continue to improve over the next twenty-four hours. It is best to prepare one day prior to service.

    Just prior to serving, re-warm the base in a non-reactive pan. In a separate sauté pan, heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and sauté until just cooked through to retain color and bite. Season the squash with salt and pepper and fold into the warm base. To finish, stir in the sliced fresh basil, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper once more and serve either hot or at room temperature.

    For a complete meal, serve over rice, top with roasted lamb and garnish with truffles.

New York Cheesecake

   Ingredients
  For the crust
85g butter melted, plus extra for tin
140g digestive biscuit, made into fine crumbs
1 tbsp sugar, granulated or golden caster
  For the cheesecake filling
3 x 300g/11oz pack Philadelphia cheese, or other full-fat soft cheese
250g golden caster sugar
3 tbsp plain flour
1½ tsp vanilla extract
finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 2 tsp)
1½ tsp lemon juice
3 large egg, plus 1 yolk
284ml carton soured cream
For the soured cream topping
142ml carton soured cream
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
2 tsp lemon juice

   1. Position an oven shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with parchment paper. For the crust, melt the butter in a medium pan. Stir in the biscuit crumbs and sugar so the mixture is evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.

   2. For the filling, increase the oven temperature to fan 200C/conventional 240C/gas 9. In a table top mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the soft cheese at medium-low speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add the sugar, then the flour and a pinch of salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle twice.

   3. Swap the paddle attachment for the whisk. Continue by adding the vanilla, lemon zest and juice. Whisk in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, scraping the bowl and whisk at least twice. Stir the 284ml carton of soured cream until smooth, then measure 200ml/7fl oz (just over 3/4 of the carton). Continue on low speed as you add the measured soured cream (reserve the rest). Whisk to blend, but dont over beat. The batter should be smooth, light and somewhat airy.  

   4. Brush the sides of the springform tin with melted butter and put on a baking sheet. Pour in the filling - if there are any lumps, sink them using a knife - the top should be as smooth as possible. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to fan 90C/conventional 110C/gas 1⁄4 and bake for 25 minutes more. If you gently shake the tin, the filling should have a slight wobble. Turn off the oven and open the oven door for a cheesecake thats creamy in the centre, or leave it closed if you prefer a drier texture. Let cool in the oven for 2 hours. The cheesecake may get a slight crack on top as it cools.

   5. Combine the reserved soured cream with the 142ml carton, the sugar and lemon juice for the topping. Spread over the cheesecake right to the edges. Cover loosely with foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

   6. Run a round-bladed knife around the sides of the tin to loosen any stuck edges. Unlock the side, slide the cheesecake off the bottom of the tin onto a plate, then slide the parchment paper out from underneath.