Avocado Persimmon Salad

What a great taste combination, combining the sweetness of a ripe persimmon with the creaminess of avocado and the crunch of pistachios, just too good not to share the recipe.

Ingredients

1/2 each    Ripe California Avocado, sliced
1 each       Ripe Jiro Persimmon, peeled, sliced and seeded
1/4 cup      Red Onion, sliced thin
1 T            Avocado Oil with lemon
1 tsp          Citrus Vinegar (Calamansi if available)
1 T            Pistachios, chopped
To Taste    Kosher Salt & Fresh Ground Black Pepper


Arrange the thin slices of persimmon intermingled with the avocado slices, scatter the red onion slices over the plate.
Drizzle the oil over entire plate, then sprinkle the vinegar
Top the salad with the chopped pistachios, season with the salt and pepper
Serve immediately! For a great bright flavor in this colder weather

"Winter" weather - means warming side dishes

Chicken Roasted Vegetables

Well the temperature has finally fallen here on the Gulf Coast to 50ish during the day, at least for a few days. Which means fall/ winter hearty cooking is happening in the Kitchen. It is time for soups, stews, braises and all those comforting dishes that signal a change of season. This has to be one of my favorite food times of year, as long as I don't have to shovel snow!

The other evening Linda cooked one of her classic roast chickens for us to enjoy with a lovely glass of Cahors Red from France.  My job was to make the sides - but I did not work to hard, so I let the chicken do the cooking. The recipe will follow - I diced up some onion, fingerling potatoes, celery root and crimini mushrooms, tossed them in olive oil with salt, pepper and thyme. Placed the entire mixture in the bottom of the roasting pan under the chicken that was on the rack above. Allowed everything to cook the full 1 hour the chicken roasted, removed the chicken. Placed the roasting pan on a medium high burner, added a 1/2 cup white wine and deglazed the pan, scrapping the good bits until the wine had almost evaporated. Transfer everything to the serving dish and "boom"one side was done, with out a lot of work. ;-)

RECIPE

1 C         Mushrooms, quartered
1/2          Medium Onion, large dice
12 ea       Fingerling potatoes, large dice
1/2 C       Celery root, large dice
1 T           Olive Oil
1/2 t         Thyme, fresh
To Taste   Kosher Salt & Blk Pepper
1/2 C        White wine

Place all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl, toss to coat and distribute evenly.
Place mixture in an even layer in the roasting pan under the roasting rack for the chicken.
Place prepared chicken on rack, roast for 1 hour
Remove chicken and let it rest
Place the roasting pan with vegetables over a medium high burner, stir add white wine, deglaze the pan until almost all the wine is evaporated
Transfer to a serving dish

What the future holds....JWD Restaurant and Food Trend forecast 2017

JWD Restaurant and Food Trend forecast 2017

Here is what I see as continuing or emerging patterns in the food world. I will update this again in June 2017

Cauliflower Rice is the future "non-rice" of rice, as vegetable centric eating more than one time a week grows in middle America, not just meatless Mondays…..

Vegetable Noodles are spiraling into the mainstream in 2017 after some successful limited introduction by regional chain players these will be the new pasta of the veg centric meal

Zatar becomes the new “it” spice as we move further east in the Mediterranean culinary pallet

Nutrient dense coconut oil becomes a favorite of boomers – millennials still prefer animal fats – yum butter, lard and beef fat will be growth areas of fats in 2017 and beyond

Indian jalfrezi becomes the new marinara for 2017 showing up as a dipping sauce, pizza and pasta sauce as well as its more traditional uses

Clean labels and products will be come table stakes as we move into 2017 and beyond, especially with the rise of Anti Biotic Free meats and proteins but also dyes, flavors and GMO

Ancient grains and heirloom varieties of wheat will lead gluten free in a different direction as gluten awareness continues amongst boomers focused on gut health

Foods of the South will continue to expand and we will see more heritage cooking move into Fast Casual and Casual channels

Consolidation will occur across the Fast Casual sector in certain cuisines – so broadening of their offerings – you see it already with Noodles & Co trying shift perception away from a purely Asian concept by changing branding elements and signage

Carrots are the new “it” vegetable of 2017 – they will be everywhere and in many  forms – grilled, BBQ, smoked, pickled, raw – the use of heirloom varieties will start to move mainstream into casual segment

Probiotic meals and food items will continue to quietly weave their way to mainstream America’s diet as we see the connection continue to grow between gut health and overall health

Non Dairy, Nut milks will continue double digit growth and this will lead to emergence of non dairy ice cream outlets serving better for you treats in 2017 mirroring the last 24 months of retail growth of these items

Brunch is so almost over now that QSR is jumping in – but the hybrid day part will still be strong since everyone loves “breakfasty” stuff all day………

Jim

www.jwd-consutlancy.com  all you Culinary consulting needs

WHAT IS NEW IN POTATOES?

WHAT IS NEW IN POTATOES?

Having fun with a new variety of fingerling potatoes – these are so buttery good cooked only with olive oil miss the calories. Give these a try next time you are grilling.

1 bag    Cinacia Crimson Goldfinger

2 T       Olive Oil

1 t        Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt

½ t       Black Pepper Fresh Ground

2 ea.    Fresh Rosemary Sprigs, chopped

1.     Split the fingerling potatoes lengthwise, add to a medium size pan, cover with water.

2.     Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, remove and drain.

3.     In a bowl, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper while still warm.

4.     Over a medium hot grill place the fingerlings cut side down and grill for 3 to 5 minutes.

5.     Turn and cook on the skin side for an additional 4 minutes, the potato should be hot throughout.

6.     Return to a large bowl and toss with fresh rosemary, place on plate/ platter and serve.

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It is Fall - what we are drinking right now?

Blackberry Mule

What we are drinking right now – for Fall

We have been really enjoying the somewhat cooler weather here in Houston. (Temps south of 90 always good with lower humidity. Blackberry Mules – a tasty way to enjoy a cooler evening on the patio. Here is our recipe

Blackberry Mule

2 oz.                Tito’s Vodka

1 oz.                Fresh Lime Juice

½ oz.                Simple Syrup

¼ oz.                Balsamic Vinegar

5 – 6 ea.          Fresh Blackberries (or substitute 1 oz. Tropics Mixology Wildberry Acai)

as needed       Crush Ice

2 oz.                Goslings Ginger Beer

1 ea.                Lime wedge

1.     Build in a copper mug, add the Tito’s, lime juice, simple syrup, balsamic and the blackberries, muddle until well combined

2.     Fill with crush ice

3.     Top with ginger beer, stir once

4.     Squeeze lime wedge and serve

*Note if using the Wildberry Acai omit muddle and simple stir to combine

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