Holiday Recipe Book
Featuring Executive Chefs from the Max Restaurant Group
Holiday Ravioli
with Braised Veal and Spinach Filling Pasta Dough
1 pound all purpose flour (about 3 ½ c) 5 whole eggs 1 red beet Peel the beet and boil until tender. Mash the beet in a food processor and drain if watery. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and beat slightly with a fork. Add approximately 4 tablespoons of the beet mash to the eggs to reach the desired color and beat slightly. Pour the beet and egg mixture into the flour well. Using a fork, slowly mix the flour into the liquid breaking down the “walls” of the well as you stir. Once the dough has begun to come together use your hands to knead the dough into a firm, smooth mass. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest one hour. While the dough rests, prepare the filling.
Egg Wash
1 egg, slightly beaten with 1 tsp cold water
Veal Filling
7 oz braised veal finely chopped, or ground veal 11 oz spinach 4 oz wild mushrooms, sliced 2 oz chopped onion 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese 1 egg, lightly beaten salt, to taste If using leftover braised veal, set aside in a medium bowl. For ground veal, brown until fully cooked in a sauté pan and remove from pan and place in a medium bowl. Add the onions to the pan and cook over medium heat until they soften and add the mushrooms. Cook until the onions are slightly caramelized and the mushrooms have released their liquid and cooked down. Remove these from the pan and combine with the veal. Add the spinach to the pan and cook in any remaining pan juices until the leaves just wilt and turn bright green. Combine these with the veal mixture and add the remaining egg, cheese and salt. Cool completely.
Featuring Chef Ted Burnett
Making the Ravioli
Using a pasta machine, role two portions of the dough into two long sheets, graduating the thickness through the machine to a thin sheet (#6). If using a rolling pin roll a portion of the dough into a thin sheet approximately 1/16� thick. Then cut the dough into an even number of strips approximately 4� wide each. Using a cookie cutter in the desired square or round size, gently mark one sheet of dough with the cutter to mark the shape of the ravioli. Spoon a small portion of the filling into each marked piece. Using a pastry brush, cover the exposed dough around the filling with the egg wash. Carefully place the second sheet over the first sheet and press gently around the filling to seal the edges and remove any extra air. Using the cookie cutter carefully cut out the desired shape, taking care to center the filling. Cut 6 pieces of ravioli per serving, 24 pieces total. Refrigerate or freeze.
To Cook
Fill a large sauce pan with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook approximately 2-3 minutes for fresh and 4-6 minutes for frozen. The ravioli are cooked when they float to the surface.
Gremolata Sauce and Service (per serving)
For the Gremolata combine 1 bunch parsley, chopped, zest of 1 lemon, and 1 clove garlic, chopped. To serve melt 1 TBS butter in a small saucepan, add the gremolata and 2 oz. chicken stock and cook until heated, add a serving of the cooked ravioli, coat in the sauce, season with salt, remove to a serving platter and finish with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Poached Shrimp & Frisee Salad With Meyer Lemon & Pomegranate Vinaigrette 1 ounce frisee lettuce 1 ounce baby arugula ½ head fennel, shaved thinly 1 stalk celery, shaved thinly 4 each 16-20 shrimp, poached, halved lengthwise 1 tbsp meyer lemon/pomegranate vinaigrette 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds Salt & Pepper to taste ¼ ounce grated bottarga*, or substitute minced smoked salmon, or minced bacon as garnish Add all ingredients except for the pomegranate seeds and bottarga in a mixing bowl and mix well. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over and around the salad and grate bottarga over the top, or sprinkle with minced smoked salmon or bacon.
Meyer Lemon & Pomegranate Vinaigrette Juice from 2 meyer lemons, or juice from 1 ½ regular lemons, and ½ orange 1 tbsp pomegranate juice 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp minced fresh tarragon Salt & pepper to taste Pinch ground red pepper flakes, or to taste Add all ingredients and mix well.
*Bottarga is salt-cured and air-dried tuna or mullet roe. Traditional in Sardinian and Sicilian cuisine. It is available for purchase on the internet and in specialty stores.
Shrimp Poaching Liquid 1 quart purified water 1 lemon, sliced 2 tbsp sea salt 1 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning 1 tsp black peppercorns 3 each bay leaves 1 tsp yellow mustard seed 5 sprigs parsley 1 sprig rosemary 3 sprigs tarragon ¼ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp minced ginger 1 onion, sliced 1 carrot, chopped ½ tsp celery seed 3 cloves garlic
To Cook
Bring poaching liquid to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Add shrimp. Let stand until liquid reaches room temperature. Refrigerate shrimp in poaching liquid until well chilled. Remove shrimp and slice in half lengthwise. Discard poaching liquid or reserve for another use.
Featuring Chef
Matthew Brodeur
Long Island Duck Breast
Watercress, kumquats, dried cranberries, apple cider gastrique, duck cracklin 1 duck breast trimmed and patted dry 6 kumquats 1 oz. dried cranberries Duck skin from 1 breast julienned and fried 1 oz. watercress Drizzle of olive oil 1/2 cup apple cider 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar 1 shallot quartered 1/2 oz fresh ginger 2 tbsp softened butter
To Cook
Season duck breast with salt and pepper and sear over medium heat until fat is crispy and golden brown. Turn and cook an additional 3 minutes, drain fat from pan, let rest on cutting board. Combine cider, vinegar shallot and ginger in duck pan. Reduce until syrup consistency. Remove ginger and shallot and slowly whisk in butter. Mix remaining ingredients together. Slice duck and arrange on plate, arrange salad next to duck, drizzle with sauce.
Featuring Chef
Paul Roberge
Lobster Thermidor with Thermidor Sauce
4 1 ½ Lb. Maine Lobsters 2 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 lb. Fresh Bay Scallops 1 lb. Fresh Rock Shrimp 1 cup Fennel, Diced 1 cup Celery, Diced 1 cup Onion, Diced 2 Tbsp Tarragon, Chopped Salt and Pepper, to taste 4 cups Thermidor Sauce (recipe follows) 2 cups Tarragon Crumbs (recipe follows)
For Thermidor
Steam Lobsters by Placing about 2 inches of sea water or salted fresh water in the bottom of a large pot. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Grasp the lobsters just behind the claws, and put the live lobsters in the pot, one at a time.
Return the water to a boil. THEN start timing. Allow 18 minutes for a 1 ½ pound lobster .Once cooked and chilled, cut lobster down the center (lengthwise). Clean out the lobster and reserve the tail meat. In Large Sauté pan, place Oil, once hot, add fennel, celery, onion, scallops, rock shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Once cooked, add reserved lobster tail meat and tarragon, place in the cooler to chill. Once cool, mix with half of thermidor sauce and fill the interior of cleaned out lobsters with mixture. Top filled Lobsters with Tarragon bread crumbs and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Drizzle remaining Thermidor Sauce over top. Serve Baked Lobster Thermidor with Lemon and broccoli rabe
Featuring Chef Scott Miller
Thermidor Sauce
3 lobster bodies, cleaned of gills 1 onion, cut into medium dice 1 carrot, cut into medium dice 1 celery stalk, cut into medium dice 1/2 cup medium-diced shallots 8 garlic cloves, lightly smashed 1/2 stick butter, plus 1 stick (cut into tablespoons for sauce) 2 cups brandy 6 cups white wine 2 sprigs fresh tarragon 2 bay leaves 1/4 bunch fresh parsley 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1/8 bunch fresh basil 4 cups lobster stock 1/2 cup tomato paste 1 cup heavy cream Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place lobster heads on a sheet tray and roast until slightly browned, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. In the meantime, sweat onion, carrot, celery, shallots, and garlic in 1/2 stick of butter in a large saucepan. Add brandy and reduce until almost dry. Add white wine and reduce. Add tarragon, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, basil, chicken stock, tomato paste, and roasted lobster heads. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours, skimming periodically. Strain through a chinois, return to the pan, and reduce by half until the sauce starts to thicken, approximately 30 minutes. In the meantime, reduce heavy cream by half in a small saucepan. Whisk in the heavy cream and finish sauce by slowly adding the remaining 1/2 stick of butter, 1 tablespoon at time. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Crumb Topping
4 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs ½ lb. Unsalted Butter 2 Tbsp Tarragon, Chopped 2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
For Crumb Topping
Warm butter in Saute pan, add tarragon, mustard, bread crumbs and cheese, mix well.
Apple Smoked Bacon Wrapped Scallops “Bomster Brothers” scallops with quinoa, orange, walnuts and dried cranberries Ingredients
16 U-10 diver scallops 16 slices apple smoked bacon 4 bamboo skewers 2 cups quinoa 1 yellow onion, diced 1/2 cup olive oil 2 oranges, peeled and segmented ¼ cup walnuts ¼ cup dried cranberries 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves 1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves, julienned 1 Tbsp chives, minced 1 cup Arugula leaves
Yields Four Portions Method
Lay bacon pieces on a sheet pan and cook gently in a 325 degree oven for 7 minutes. Wrap one piece of bacon around each scallop snugly and then insert the skewer through the scallop to secure the bacon, continue this process putting 4 scallops on each skewer. Finely dice walnuts and cranberries and combine with balsamic vinegar, sage, thyme and chives. Reserve. Saute diced onion in ¼ cup olive oil until translucent. Add quinoa and stir over medium flame for 3 minutes.
Add 3.5 Cups of water, season with salt and pepper, turn down heat and cover, simmering until the liquid has absorbed and quinoa is cooked through. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear in a hot sautĂŠ pan with Âź cup of olive oil until well browned on one side, flip and finish in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. Meanwhile mix the warm quinoa with orange segments and arugula, check for seasoning. Divide the quinoa mixture among 4 plates equally and garnish with the cooked scallops. Spoon the walnut, cranberry vinaigrette over the scallops and enjoy.
Featuring Chef David Sellers
Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa Sliders For the squash 2 whole butternut squash peeled, seeded and diced 1/4 pound butter 2 cups brown sugar 1/4 cup sage rough chop Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup water
Method
Preheat oven to 400 Place all ingredients in an oven proof dish, cover with tin foil and roast for 1 hour to an hour and a half( till squash is soft to the touch) set aside and cool Quinoa 2 cups quinoa 1 clove garlic minced salt and pepper 4 cups water
Method
Bring all ingredients to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes until water is evaporated. Take off heat and steam for 10 minutes.
Sauteed red onions
3 red onions sliced 1/4 inch thin 4 tbs oil Heat saute pan to medium heat, add oil till hot than onions, after onions have browned a little(about 5 minutes turn heat down and cook till soft and sweet.
Brown butter mayonnaise 2 cups mayonnaise one lemon 1 tbs reserved cooked red onion 1/4 pound of butter 5 diced sage leaves
Featuring Chef Neil Rogers
Method
Heat butter in pan over moderate heat, add sage and onion. cook till butter and sage starts to brown, add lemon juice to pan. take off heat. when slightly cooled add butter to mayonnaise, check for seasoning.
Sliders
4 cups matzo meal ( 2 reserved for breading) 2 eggs 1/4 cup sage diced salt and pepper cooked quinoa roasted squash goat cheese 1 bag of arugula martins potato rolls onions
To Finish
Mix first 6 ingredients together in a bowl till thoroughly incorporated. If mix is too loose add more matzo meal to bind. Form 1 inch patties by hand and dredge in matzo meal to cover. Heat non stick pan to medium heat and brown them on both sides. Place on sheet tray with a dollop of goat cheese on each one and a little red onion.
Place in the 400 oven until goat cheese is soft, and slider is warmed through. Place on a Martin’s Potato Roll with a teaspoon of mayo and a couple leaves of arugula.
Sunfish with Ginger Basmati with spicy cucumber red onion salad
8oz Sunfish filet Fried leeks for garnish
For the ginger basmati
1 cup basmati rice 1/2 cup minced Vidalia onions - sautĂŠed 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger - minced 1 cup cold water Place all ingredients in a rice cooker, stir well and steam until done.
For spicy cucumber red onion salad 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 2.5 Tbsp granulated sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 Tbs sambal oleek 1 Tbsp fish sauce 1 red onion - julienned fine
Method
Stir the dressing ingredients until the salt and sugar dissolve. Toss in the onions and press down so they are covered with the liquid and pickle for at least four hours. Strain the liquid To finish the salad peel, split and seed the cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers thinly on the bias. Toss equal parts of cucumber to pickled red onions. To plate sautĂŠ the seasoned sunfish in olive oil and butter until golden and just cooked. Mound a cup of the cooked rice in the center of a plate, garnish the plate with three piles of the cucumber salad. Then top the fish with fried julienne leeks for some texture.
Featuring Chef Chris Torla
“Baked Potato” Agnolotti Serves- 4
½ pound unsalted butter 1 russet potato peeled, diced and blanched 2 shallots, minced 2 Tbsp chives 20 agnolotti 1 Tbsp Truffle oil Salt and pepper Brown butter in saute pan, add potatoes, shallot, and chives. Cook angolotti in boiling water drain add to pan, season with salt and pepper
Featuring Chef
Hunter Morton
Divide cooked potatoes, agnolotti, among four plates, drizzle with truffle oil and parmesan cheese.
Agnolotti-yeild 20 Pasta dough 2 cups flour 2 eggs 2 Tbsp water 2 Tbsp evoo Pinch of salt
Combine flour, eggs, water, olive oil, in cuisinart. Combine to make stiff dough, let rest 20 min. Roll out on pasta roller to thinnest setting. Pipe filling into pasta and roll dough over filling. Press down to seal dough, cut with flutter pizza cutter. Filling- 2 ½ c 2 cups crème fraiche 2 Tbsp chives, chopped 1 Tbsp shallots chopped 1 lemon zested 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese grated ¼ cup cooked bacon, chopped Combine all ingredients. Chill.
PHOTOS BY BRIAN AMBROSE