I spent the eve of my birthday with my cooking family and whipped up a feast of mixed Aguila sausages drizzled with honey and chilies, birthday spaghetti salad, braised wagyu beef cheek and truffle, lamb tagine with couscous, brined salmon baked in Gallo Late Harvest olive oil, porchetta lechon, and French Baker croissant pudding.In thanksgiving, I am sharing some of those.
Aguila Sausages Drizzled with Honey and Chilies (Inspired by Fr. Herb Schneider)
Aguila sausages: 2 packs each of Hungarian, Andouille, Double-Smoked, Italian Garlic, sliced ½ inch thick
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp garlic
4-6 red onions sliced
6 fresh thyme sprigs
6 tbsp honey
1 k grapes
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Splash of Chef Reggie’s Red wine
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chili flakes
2 tbsp parsley
Warm olive oil and butter. Caramelize onions. Add garlic, sausages and the rest of the ingredients. Add grapes.
Splash with wine. Season with honey and pepper flakes to taste.
Cook until onions are caramelized. Garnish with chopped parsley.
To finish: Drizzle with Moonlight Harvest olive oil and serve with French bread.
Birthday Spaghetti Salad
2 packs of cooked Devela tricolor spaghetti, cooked al dente and drizzled in Gallo olive oil
2 boneless chicken thighs, sliced into strips
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onions powder
1 tbsp Chef Reggie’s Aromatic seasoning wine
2 tsp Knorr seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Marinate chicken. Sauté in olive oil.
1 kg small shrimps, peeled
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onions powder
1 tbsp Chef Reggie’s Aromatic seasoning wine
2 tsp Knorr seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Marinate shrimps. Sauté in olive oil.
Salad components:
2 red onions, diced
½ c sundried tomatoes, sliced 1 large cucumber, diced
½ kg cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c asparagus, blanched and cut into 1-inch lengths
Fresh basil leaves, handful
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
200 g Aguila pepperoni, quartered
Chicken
Shrimps
Dressing:
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 c Gallo Late Harvest olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 tsp parsley
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp oregano
1 c Parmesan, to finish
Combine wine vinegar, honey, garlic and onion powders. Pour olive oil, whisking to emulsify. Add salt, pepper, herbs. Adjust tartness, sweetness, seasoning to taste. Toss pasta in the dressing and add all other ingredients. Add Late Harvest olive oil as needed, noodles should be lightly coated in oil not dry nor dripping. Season to taste. Arrange on a serving dish.
Greens:
150 g baby arugula
150 g spinach
1 tbsp balsamic cream
4 tbsp Gallo Late Harvest olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Combine balsamic and olive oil and season. Toss greens. Add shaved Parmesan. Serve with pasta.
Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek and Truffle
2 kg beef cheeks, or short ribs2 c Chef Reggie’s Red Wine
Peppercorns
Thyme
2 bay leaves
Combine ingredients and leave overnight in the fridge.
4 tbsp Gallo extra-virgin olive oil
1 c onions, chopped
1 c carrots, chopped
1 c celery, chopped
2 tbsp garlic
Sear beef in Gallo extra-virgin olive oil. Remove beef and caramelize vegetables on the same pan, add more olive oil if necessary. Put back beef.
1 c concentrated beef stock
2 c water
6 pcs fresh frozen porcini mushrooms or portobello
2 tbsp sugar
Salt
Add stock, beef marinade (wine and herbs), porcini mushrooms. (If using portobello, add when beef is tender.)
Cook until soft.
Combine 2 tbsp softened butter with 2 tbsp flour. Mix well to combine. Use to thicken the sauce.
Season to taste. Top with truffle butter. (Mix ½ cup softened butter and ¼ cup Robo Tarfuta black truffle cream.)
Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with cauliflower or potato mash.
Cauliflower Mash
2 kg cauliflower, boiled and processed
2 tsp garlic
2/3 c butter
1 ¼ c cream
Salt
White pepper
Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until thick. Pour into puréed cauliflower.
Season to taste.
Croissant Pudding
4 eggs + 10 yolks
4 c whipping cream
1 c sour cream
1 2/3 c sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ c brandy
Raisins
1/3 c butter, melted
12 French Baker day-old croissants
Preheat oven 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whisk all ingredients except butter and croissant. Arrange croissant on a baking dish. Pour egg mixture.
Let sit 45 minutes. Brush croissants with ¼ cup melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until custard has set.
Serve with sauce.
Sauce:
3/4 c butter
1 c sugar
½ c firmly packed brown sugar
2 c cream
1 tbsp vanilla
1/3 c brandy, flambé
Combine all ingredients, except vanilla and brandy. Cook until thick. Add brandy and vanilla.
Reggie Margarita
March 6 was also the day the Reggie Dalamansi Margarita was concocted, a gift from my dear friend, mixologist Mike Canlas.
60 ml tequila gold
60 ml Chef Reggie’s Dalamansi concentrate
15 ml lime juice
150 g crushed ice
Blend. Pour in salt-rimmed glass garnished with mint.
www.reggieaspiras.com, @iamreggieaspiras
