Recipes featured on Culinary WWAY

Episode aired January 4,2024

Six Ways to Make Avocado Toast

For a Classic Avocado Toast

2 pieces thick cut grainy bread
1 large ripe avocado
2-4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Toast the piece of bread until the bread is just golden brown, about 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the bread.

For the halved avocado, remove the pit from the avocado and discard. Remove the avocado from the skin and place the avocado flesh into a medium bowl and mash it with a fork and a squeeze of the fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Slather the mashed avocado on top of the toast. Add more salt and pepper is desired and serve immediately.

For the Caprese Basil Toast

1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella balls · 4 tablespoons Basil Vinaigrette

Instructions:

Toast the piece of bread until the bread is just golden brown, about 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the bread.

Slather the mashed avocado on top of the toast.

Toss together the tomatoes, Mozzarella and basil vinaigrette in a small bowl. Pile on top of the avocado toast and serve. Drizzle Balsamic Glaze on top.

Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon and Red Onions

4 thin sliced smoked salmon
4 tablespoons thinly sliced red onions

Instructions:

Toast the piece of bread until the bread is just golden brown, about 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the bread.

Slather the mashed avocado on top of the toast.

Lay the smoked salmon on top of the avocado toast, followed by the red onions and serve.

Avocado Toast with Bacon and Eggs

2 eggs, scrambled
2-4 pieces crispy bacon

Instructions:

Toast the piece of bread until the bread is just golden brown, about 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the bread.

Slather the mashed avocado on top of the toast.

Transfer the scrambled eggs on top of the avocado toast and add the bacon.

Avocado Toast with Goat Cheese and Chives

4 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoon freshly snipped chives

Instructions:

Toast the piece of bread until the bread is just golden brown, about 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the bread.

Slather the mashed avocado on top of the toast.

Sprinkle the goat cheese and chives on top of the avocado toast and serve.

Avocado Toast with Pico de Gallo

0.5 cup Pico de Gallo (see recipe below)

Toast the piece of bread until the bread is just golden brown, about 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the bread.

Slather the mashed avocado on top of the toast.

Sprinkle the Pico de Gallo on top of the avocado toast and serve.

Authentic Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

1 lb tomatoes, (3-4 medium), diced
1/2 medium onion, (1 cup chopped)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced (optional)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice, from 1 lime
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

In a medium bowl, place diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeno pepper and chopped cilantro. Stir in 2 Tbsp lime juice and lightly season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper, or season to taste. Enjoy right away or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Avocado Toast with Sunnyside Fried Egg + Chives

1 egg
Fresh chives snipped
Red Pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Toast the piece of bread until the bread is just golden brown, about 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness of the bread.

Slather the mashed avocado on top of the toast.

Place one egg, prepare with the sunny side up, and lay on top of the avocado toast. Sprinkle with red pepper flaks, chives, salt and pepper as desired and serve.

Episode aired December 21,2023

Fresh Fruit Tart

Ingredients

For the pastry cream:

2 cups whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the tart dough:

7 tablespoons butter softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour sifted
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

For the fruit tart:

1-pint Fresh cut fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, mango, and kiwi
Apricot jam melted, as needed

Instructions

To make the pastry cream:

In a medium non-aluminum saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until tiny bubbles appear on the surface, about 6 to 8 minutes (180 degrees). Stir to prevent scalding.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Whisk in cornstarch and salt. While whisking constantly, pour in half of the hot milk. Whisk in remaining hot milk and return to saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a firm consistency, about 5 to 8 minutes. Whisk in vanilla and pour in to a bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on to the surface of the pastry cream. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 to 3 hours.

To make the tart dough:

In a standing mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer by hand, cream the butter and powdered sugar together on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add egg. Continue mixing until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add vanilla and salt and mix until combined.

Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour and baking powder and blend until the dough comes together (do not over-mix). Scrape dough onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and chill at least 1 hour.

To blind-bake the tart crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a thickness of 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch. If the dough crumbles or breaks apart, press it back together with your fingertips.

Loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin, then gently unroll it over the tart pan, preferably with a removable bottom (9 inches, or substitute a pie plate).

Press the dough firmly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Trim any excess dough. Cover the dough with parchment paper or foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans (you will need about 2 pounds, see note 4). Bake 12 minutes.

Remove pie weights or beans and parchment paper or foil. Return to oven and bake until golden brown and fully cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cool completely.

To assemble the fruit tart:

Fill cooled tart crust with chilled pastry cream.

Arrange fruit in a decorative pattern.

Using a pastry brush, brush fruit with melted apricot glaze (reheat as necessary if glaze cools and becomes too sticky).

Episode aired December 14, 2023

Creamy Cajun Chicken and Sausage Pasta

Ingredients

3 tablespoon butter, (unsalted and divided)
1 lb. chicken breasts
6 oz. smoked sausage, (sliced into ¼ inch pieces)
8 oz. baby Bella mushrooms or Peppers
Cajun seasoning, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
Salt and pepper, (to taste, optional)
Creamy Parmesan Sauce:
4 cloves garlic, (minced)
1 cup chicken broth, (sodium free)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, (freshly grated for best results)
sea salt, (to taste)
Pasta: 8 oz. penne pasta

Instructions

Pasta
Boil pasta in salty water according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Chicken, sausage and mushrooms:
Generously season chicken with salt, pepper, Cajun and Italian seasonings. Do not slice it yet – you will be cooking it whole. Slice sausage into ¼ inch circles and slice mushrooms or peppers.

In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter and melt it over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add whole chicken breasts and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until browned for a total of 8-10 minutes. Remove chicken onto a plate and slice into strips.

Add sliced sausage pieces and brown them on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until darker in color around the edges. Remove from the skillet onto a plate.

Deglaze the pan with a splash of water and add 2nd tablespoon of butter and sliced mushrooms into the skillet (add more butter as well, if needed). Sauté until your mushrooms or pepper cooked to your desire doneness, then remove them from the pan as well.

Sauce
To make the sauce, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, allow it to melt and then cook garlic in it until slightly browned – only for a couple of minutes. Next add chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and heavy cream and bring to a light simmer. Add Cajun seasoning, paprika and garlic powder and mix into the sauce.

Add Parmesan cheese and whisk to blend for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt to taste.

Add cooked pasta into the sauce and mix in well. Next add the chicken, sausage and mushrooms back into the pan and allow them to reheat for 2-3 minutes. Close the lid to help the heat stay in. Serve immediately!

Episode aired December 7, 2023

Pan Seared NY Strip Steak

2 lbs New York Strip Steaks (2 steaks), or Ribeye or Top Sirloin Steaks (1 lb each steak, 1 1/4” thick)
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil, or any high-heat cooking oil like canola or extra light olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
1 sprig of fresh rosemary

Thoroughly pat the steak dry with paper towels. Just before cooking, generously season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper

Heat the cast iron pan until hot then add 1/2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat, swirling to coat. Once the oil is very hot, add steaks to the skillet. Sear the steaks on the first side for 4 minutes until a brown crust has formed then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the steak on its sides to render the white fat and sear the edges (1 minute per edge).

Reduce heat to medium and immediately add 2 Tbsp butter, quartered garlic cloves, and rosemary to the pan. Spoon the butter sauce over the steak, tilting the pan to get butter on your spoon. Continue spooning the sauce over the steak for a minute or until the steak is about 5-10 degrees from your desired doneness (the temperature will continue to rise another 5-10 degrees while the steaks rest).

Transfer steak to a cutting board, loosely cover, and rest 10 minutes before slicing into 1/2” strips to serve. Spoon extra butter sauce over sliced steak to serve.

Episode aired November 30, 2023

Crispy Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus and Whipped Potatoes

Whipped Potatoes

3 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes (or a mix of the two!) peeled and cut into large cubes
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2-pound unsalted butter, divided
3/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly cracked pepper and additional fine sea salt
Optional: fresh chives

Thoroughly wash and then peel the potatoes. Cube the potatoes into golf-ball-sized pieces.

Place in a strainer and rinse under cold water until the water comes out clear. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon fine sea salt and 1 bay leaf; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender; about 15-20 minutes. When a potato can easily be pierced, drain the potatoes and make sure you get rid of ALL the extra moisture. Let them dry for about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

While potatoes are still hot, put them through a ricer and add back into the pot you cooked them in.

Meanwhile, melt butter on low heat in a saucepan. Add 2 cloves of garlic (mashed) if desired. Add in the heavy cream. Once the mixture is combined and smooth, remove from the heat and discard garlic. Alternatively, you can mince the garlic and add it to the finished potatoes for extra garlicky potatoes. (We like a barely garlic-infused mashed potato, so we discard it at this point.) Pour the butter mixture over the riced potatoes. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, add fresh chives to the top and melted butter. Serve hot.

Crispy Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

6 slices prosciutto
12 asparagus spears trimmed (see below)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Fresh cracked black pepper
Optional garnish: fresh lemon zest
Prep the asparagus by removing the blunt ends (bend and snap).

Wrap half of one slice of prosciutto around each asparagus spear at an angle covering the length of the spear.

Repeat until all spears are covered.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the prosciutto wrapped asparagus spears and cook until the prosciutto is crisp and asparagus is tender. Time will vary depending upon the size of the asparagus spears, but approximately 3-5 minutes.

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