Carolina Grown carries products from surrounding local counties supporting the local economy. So it only made sense to offer my products through their company. My meals to go are ready prepared dishes that are packed in individual containers that are microwavable and oven safe. The meals are healthy, nutritious and delicious just the way I always prepare them for my clients. Now it is made available to the public as well. All meals are made from scratch using the freshest ingredients available with either weekly or bi-weekly menu changes according to what is in season.

If you have heard a lot regarding Chef Mei’s dishes but never had the opportunity to sample any of my creations, here is your chance to get a taste of my offerings. You can either order online along with the rest of the other goodies available from Carolina Grown or just stop in at their store downtown. My meals are great for lunches or dinner when time is too short to cook or even sit at a restaurant to enjoy a healthy and delicious meal.

Chef Mei meals to go are now ready for your enjoyment. Bon Appetit!

Here’s how. Instead of opting for high end cuts of steaks such as filet mignon or tenderloin, go for a different cut of steak such as ribeye, porterhouse, or even New York Strip. They are all great cuts of meat at a less expensive price. Make sure you select cuts that have as much marbling as you can find on each piece of meat. My favorite cut is the ribeye, as it has enough fat distributed throughout the surface, making it nice and tender.

A whole lobster can be expensive. Most of the lobster meat is concentrated on the tail. Unless you want to impress your guests with a whole lobster, who by the way will leave out the most priced part (in my opinion) of the lobster–the tamale, purchasing it whole will be a waste of an expense. In addition its not very sexy watching someone dig into a lobster with a bib attached to their neck. Therefore lobster tails would be a better choice in addition to being much cheaper. The tails can be broiled, grilled, sauteed, stuffed (use your imagination) served alongside the steak. You can also use the lobster meat as part of an ingredient to ramp up a dish. I have done so with my recipe of lobster risotto below. The creamy risotto is cooked to perfection with chunks of lobster meat sitting on top to tempt you to dig in.

As you will be serving both steak and lobster, a smaller portion of meat of approximately 6-8 ounce should be sufficient unless you have a very big eater. This again will help you trim cost. Don’t forget to check for specials in your grocery store. Most stores tend to run specials on their meat and even lobster on Valentine’s Day.

So go ahead treat that loved one to a memorable dinner. Make them feel and think that they are special enough to be served only the best.

Lobster Risotto

2 small lobster tails approximately  2.5 – 3 ounce each
1 1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 8 oz bottled clam juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions or chives

Method

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster tails and boil for 6 to 8 minutes until the shells curl and the lobster meat turns white. Drain, transfer to a cutting board, and cool for 15 minutes. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Remove the meat and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Place broth and clam juice in small saucepan over low heat to simmer. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Add the shallots and cook, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter/oil mixture. Add the brandy and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add half cup of broth mixture and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the stock, half cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes. Add cream; stir until heated through. Remove from the heat. Season to taste and add the 1 tablespoon chives. Plate risotto and arrange lobster on top of risotto and garnish with remaining chives.

Serves 2

Blue Cheese-crusted Rib-eye Steaks with Mushrooms

2 8-ounce rib-eye steaks (each about 1 inch thick)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 cup canned beef broth
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/3 cups crumbled blue cheese
3 tablespoon panko crumbs
Fresh rosemary sprigs

Method

Place steaks in shallow dish. Drizzle with oil; rub oil all over steaks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Melt butter and olive in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms are just tender, about 4 minutes. Next add onion and garlic; continue to saute for about 2-3 minutes. Set mushrooms aside.

Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks to skillet; cook until just below desired doneness (i.e., medium rare 131 deg F, remove steak at 128 deg F) about 3 minutes per side for near medium-rare. Using tongs, transfer steaks to a baking sheet; tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

Add broth, then brandy and minced rosemary to same large skillet and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add mushroom mixture. Boil until liquid is thick enough to coat spoon lightly, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Meanwhile preheat the broiler. Stir blue cheese and panko together in a bowl. Top ribeye with mixture. Place steaks under the preheated broiler until the cheese topping is browned and bubbly. 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with warm mushroom mixture. Spoon sauce over steaks.  Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Serves 2

Supper Clubs will return in Spring, most probably in April. I will continue to offer Supper Clubs in homes for smaller intimate groups; however, the possibility of holding it in a public venue is up for speculation. Would love feedback from you to see if there is any interest in this direction.

Along the same line, I may consider conducting cooking classes in a public venue. Currently I do all my cooking classes in clients’ homes. However there is a possibility that I can conduct cooking classes at a local venue. Again this will depend on the demand and interest. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

My catered event services have tripled over the last year. The difference between hiring a caterer versus a Personal Chef who caters is the quality in service and customized menu. My philosophy regarding service is to serve and treat people the way I would like to be served and treated, giving everyone my full attention and respect. With regard to my menus, there is no standard menu (other than during the holidays) for catered events. Menus are customized to suit my client’s budget and taste in food. My menu repertoire encompass cuisines from all over the world and latest food trends, while utilizing what is in season. This concept is applied to all my services, either private or corporate.

Home dinners are still the basis of my service. This is where you will experience and truly understand the idea behind Personal Cheffing. Clients who are on a bi-weekly or monthly home dinner service benefit most from Personal Cheffing as their meals are totally customized to their diet, likes, dislikes, and health requirements. Furthermore it helps them save in the long run on grocery bills and wasteful food spending. Biggest benefit is having time to sit down and enjoy a healthy meal with the family, which is priceless, without the hassle of planning, grocery shopping, and cooking.

As a Personal Chef I believe in ongoing education. Like everything else, the food industry is always revolving. I am dedicated to keeping up with the latest culinary skills and trends to better serve my clients. Being an active member of the United States Personal Chef Association helps improve my knowledge and skills in my professional arena. In addition, being active in the community helps me be aware of what is happening locally. Other than cooking, I love to share my knowledge and expertise regarding all things food in my short food blogs on Facebook. To peruse my snippets go to: www.facebook.com/chefmei. Chef Mei Personal Chef Service is available to provide you with your personal, social, and corporate events. I look forward to serving you to the best of my capacity.

Year 2012 holds many promises for me and I hope it does for you too. I believe positive thinking and actions begets positive results. I wish all of you a wonderful and great year ahead!

As mentioned earlier, prime rib roast is easy to prepare. To determine the success of this dish follow these steps:

1. When selecting a prime rib roast make sure it is at least a three-rib bone portion. Leave at least an inch of fat on the meat to prevent the meat from drying out while roasting.
2. Bring roast to room temperature (at least 2 hours) prior to roasting.
3. Use a good digital instant-read meat thermometer to achieve the desirable cooked temperature.
4. Pat roast dry prior to roasting.
5. Place roast fat side up in a heavy stainless-steel roasting or other metal pan.
6. Roast meat initially on the highest setting (usually 500 or 450 degrees) for 15 minutes and then turn the oven down to 325 degrees and roast according to weight (check chart below).
7. Check the internal temperature of the roast at least 30 minutes prior to the estimated end of the roasting time to ensure the correct cooked temperature.
8. Most importantly let the roast rest at least 20 minutes, covered with foil, before cutting into the meat or all your hard work of  achieving a tender cut of meat is lost.

Below is the weight and times to cook a prime rib at rare.

Cooking Time for Rare (120 -124 degrees)
(3 ribs) 7-8 lbs. 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees.
(4 ribs) 9-10 lbs. 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 325 degrees.
(5 ribs) 11-13 lbs. 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 2 -2 1/2 hours at 325 degrees.
(6 ribs) 14 – 16 lbs. 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 2 3/4 – 3 hours at 325 degrees.
(7 ribs) 16-18 lbs. 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 3-3 3/4 hours at 325 degrees.
To reach medium rare, let meat come up to 125-135 degrees; medium at 135-145 degrees, medium well at 150-155 degrees.

With all the information at your fingertips, now is the time to get down to flavoring the meat for a spectacular meal to remember. Here is my favorite prime rib roast recipe

HERB-CRUSTED PRIME RIB ROAST with AU JUS

14 lbs rib roast
2 sticks butter, softened
5 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/3 cup horseradish
salt and pepper
2 teaspoon sugar

Au Jus
1-1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef stock

Method

Wipe roast dry with paper towel.

Place the rest of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to a paste. Spread paste all over surface of roast. Preheat oven to 500 degrees (or 450 degrees if that is the highest your oven can go). Place rib roast on baking sheet, fat-side up. Roast for 15 minutes and turn temperature down to 325 degrees and continue roasting for approximately 3 hours or until thermometer register 125 degrees for medium rare.  Remove roast from oven transfer to cutting board. Let stand at least 20 minutes to 1 hours before serving.

Meanwhile place roasting pan over two burners and heat over medium-high heat. Deglaze pan with red wine, scraping pan and let boil down to 1/3 of content. Add in beef stock and simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain and degrease jus. Serve jus warm over prime rib.

Serves 12

As for myself, what I would typically do is brine my turkey at least two days in advance. I drain and rinse the bird after brining, wipe it down, place it on a cookie rack with a sheet pan underneath and continue to let it “dry” in the refrigerator for 24 hours so that when I roast the turkey in the oven, the skin is nice and crispy and the meat is moist and tender from the brine.

One quick advice, if you are planning to feed a big crowd, say around 20 people or more, it may be best to buy two small turkeys instead of one big bird. This helps in getting the turkey to cook faster, freeing precious oven space for other dishes, and also getting the turkey on the table on time. If carving the turkey on the table is not that important, you can also break the turkey down initially before roasting (especially if you have a big bird) to speed up the roasting process. This also will ensure that all parts of the meat are cooked evenly and not get over or underdone as you can remove whichever part is done first and let the rest finish roasting longer in the oven. In addition, roasting a turkey without stuffing is much faster than with the bird stuffed. I usually just stuff the neck cavity (my hubby likes some of the stuffing in the bird).

So here are a few different recipes for you to try out this Thanksgiving. Hopefully one of them will be your all time favorite for years to come.

Brined Herb-Roasted Turkey

Brine

• 2 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 6 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 4 lemons cut into slices
• 8 quarts cold water or enough to cover the turkey
• 1 16-pound turkey

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoon chopped sage
• 2 tablespoon chopped thyme
• pepper and 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1-2 cups turkey or chicken stock

Method

In a large saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients in 1 quart of the water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Transfer the mixture to a very large bowl or pot and add the remaining 7 quarts of cold water and sliced lemons. Add the turkey, breast side down. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 450°. *Drain and rinse the turkey and pat dry; discard the brine. Starting at the neck end of the bird, slip your hand between the skin and meat to loosen the turkey skin.

Combine the 2 sticks of butter with the parsley, sage and thyme and season with pepper and sugar in a bowl. Spread the herb butter mixture all over and under the skin of the turkey and set it on a rack in a roasting pan. Add 1- 2 cups of the stock to the pan and roast for 30 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325° and roast the turkey for about 2 1/2 hours longer, basting occasionally; the turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers **170°. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

• You can also brine the turkey and dry in the refrigerator as I mentioned above.

• * Turkey continues to cook as you remove from the oven. I like to remove my turkey at around 162° and cover with foil. The turkey will continue to cook while resting.

Serves 10-12

Bacon and Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

For those of you who will only have a small family to feed on Thanksgiving, a whole turkey breast may suffice.

• 5 thick cut bacon strips
• 1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• salt, pepper, and sugar to taste
  
• 1 51/2 to 6-pounds whole turkey breast

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a shallow roasting pan with aluminum foil. Cook bacon until crisp, remove, drain and reserve at least 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings. Chop cooled bacon finely and mix it with the garlic, fresh chopped herbs, butter, salt, sugar and pepper to taste in a bowl to form a paste.

Loosen skin on turkey breast with fingertips. Season outside of turkey breast with salt, sugar and pepper. Rub paste all over under the skin of the turkey breast. Brush the bacon dripping all over the skin and place the turkey breast in the roasting pan. Roast turkey in the oven until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 163°. This will take about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove turkey from oven and allow to rest at least 20 minutes before carving. Serve turkey with pan drippings.

Serves 6-8

Cajun Deep Fried Turkey

Taken from All Recipes

• 2 cups butter
• 1/4 cup onion juice
• 1/4 cup garlic juice
• 1/4 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 7 ounces fluid beer
• 3 gallons peanut oil for frying
• 1 12-pound turkey, neck and giblets removed

Method

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion juice, garlic juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, sugar, salt cayenne pepper and beer. Mix until well blended.

Use a marinade injecting syringe or turkey baster with an injector tip to inject the marinade all over the turkey including the legs, back, wings, thighs and breasts. Place in a large plastic bag or oven bag and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Bring turkey to room temperature, about 1 hour prior to frying. Meanwhile heat oil in turkey fryer. When it’s time to fry, measure the amount of oil needed by lowering the turkey into the fryer and filling with enough oil to cover it. Remove the turkey and set aside.

Heat the oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). When the oil has come to temperature, lower the turkey into the hot oil slowly using the hanging device that comes with turkey deep-fryers. The turkey should be completely submerged in the oil. Cook for 36 minutes, or 3 minutes per pound of turkey. The turkey is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170 degrees F. Turn off the flame and slowly remove from the oil, making sure all of the oil drains out of the cavity. Allow to rest on a serving platter for about 20 minutes before carving.

Serves 12

Where can you find such delectable offerings? Team up with CHEF MEI PERSONAL CHEF SERVICE and be the talk of the town. Chef Mei’s latest holiday offerings will surely delight you and your guests. Chef Mei Personal Chef Service will cater to any event; whether at your home or at the office, cocktail parties, open house, corporate functions, small and big. Menus are created to suit your taste and budget with quality and service in mind. Reserve your party or dinner date with Chef Mei early to avoid limited date selections.

Here is a small selection of what is being offered this holiday season. Call or e-mail Chef Mei for further menu selections.

HORS DOEUVRE
Small Plates Big Flavor. Think comfort food, think regular entrees created in mini versions. Chef Mei has a wide selection of hors doeuvre that not only will delight your taste buds but intrigue your mind.

• Mini Beef Bourguinon in Bread Boule
• Mini Soup Bread Boules (variety of soups served in mini crusty rolls)
• Lasagna Bites
• Creole Shrimp with Coconut Grits
• Mini Mac n Cheese with Tomato Relish with Bacon
• Rosemary Chicken Skewers with Dijon-Mayonnaise Sauce
• Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Charmoula Sauce
• Shrimp Fritters
• Killer Shrimp
• Burgundy Gourgeres
• Spinach and Cheese Empanadas
• Cherry Pecan Brie
• Baked Goat Cheese Dip
• Pepper-crusted Steak with Horseradish Cream Crostini
• Salmon Bites with Orange-Miso Sauce
• Brie and Raspberry Phyllo
• Southwestern Spring Rolls
• Ham and Cheese Egg Rolls with Romesco Sauce

ENTREE AND BUFFET DISHES
Whether serving buffet style or a formal sit-down, Chef Mei will create a menu just for your occasion. Below are a small selection of what is being offered this holiday season. Call or e-mail for further selections.

• Fennel-crusted Rib Roast
• Prime Rib Au Poivre
• Pork Tenderloin with Pears and Shallot
• Rosemary and Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Apples
• Whiskey Marinated Beef Tenderloin
• Rack of Lamb with Mustard-Thyme Crust
• Rosemary-rubbed Salmon with roasted Potatoes, Mushrooms and Parsnips
• Brined Turkey with Apple Cider, Herbs, and Citrus

DESSERTS
Just when you thought your meal cannot get any better, Chef Mei has a variety of desserts to end your meal on a grand sweet note. Call or e-mail for further selections.

• Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Swirl
• Pecan Pie Bites
• Chocolate Truffle Bites
• Holiday White Chocolate, Cranberry and Nut Bark
• Pumpkin Bars with White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting
• Red Velvet Cheesecake
• Spice Cake with Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting

For further information regarding menu and pricing, please call Chef Mei at 910-489-5552 or e-mail chefmei@nc.rr.com. Reservations are to be made at least 3 weeks in advance.

The food will always be dearest to my heart. I anticipate trying new ethnic cuisine or just pig out on familiar favorites.  Over the years, I have learned to pace myself and bring lots of baggies and containers so that I can take home whatever I cannot finish on sight and site There are at least 20 different countries that participate in showcasing their cuisine and I would do my best to try all of them!

To my delight just about every year a new country would participate in representing their country’s cuisine. I love to see what dishes are being prepared and taste the different and unusual ingredients if any. I feel like a little girl in a candy store. There is a dish for everyone to try; some familiar and some not so familiar.

Once the weekend is over I go through an ethnic food letdown and wish I could have some more arepas from Salvador or Vietnamese sticky rice balls. If you are like me and wish you to have these dishes more than just once a year, I have compiled some popular festival fare below so that you can try your hand at preparing them yourself and have them any time of the year.

Happy Eating!

Great Britain – Scotch Eggs

Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds bulk country-style pork sausage
1 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 hard-boiled large eggs, peeled
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for deep-frying the eggs

Method

In a large bowl combine the sausage, sage, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce until well distributed but not over mixed. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and flatten each portion into a thin round.

Enclose each hard-boiled egg in each of the sausage rounds, making sure the eggs are completely enclosed. Dredge the sausage-coated eggs in the flour, shaking off the excess, dip them in the raw eggs, letting the excess drip off, and roll them gently in the bread crumbs, coating them well.

In a deep fryer heat 2 1/2 inches of  oil to 350°F.  Fry the Scotch eggs, in batches, turning and transferring them to paper towels to drain with a slotted spoon as they are done, approximately 8-10 minutes.

Makes 4 scotch eggs

Phillipines – Pancit Bihon (Stir-fried Noodles)

Ingredients
8 ounces rice sticks or rice vermicelli
2-3 pieces chicken thighs or drumsticks
1/2  small green cabbage, shredded in 1/2 inch pieces
2 medium carrots, shredded or chopped thinly crosswise
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dark (thick) soy sauce
2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce  if not adding fish sauce)
Freshly ground black pepper

Optional Garnishes:
Lemon wedge
Thinly sliced green onions
Chili garlic oil

Method

In a medium size pot, boil chicken in 4 cups of water to make the stock. Once cooked, shred the chicken meat into thin strips. Discard the bones and set the stock aside.

Heat a large wok to medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil. Stir fry onions until the onions turn clear, about 2 minutes; add in the garlic and fry until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Next add shrimp. Cook until shrimp starts to change color; add in shredded chicken, cabbage and carrots. Lightly stir fry 2-3 minutes. Pour the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Pour the chicken stock into the heated wok. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium. Add rice sticks, sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Boil for another 5 minutes or so until there is approximately 1/4 cup stock left. Add the meat mixture back into the wok. Lightly stir fry until all the liquid has evaporated. Add freshly ground pepper to taste.

Garnish with a lemon wedge, chopped scallions, and chili garlic oil.

Makes 4-6 servings

Panama – Arroz con Pollo (Rice with Chicken)

Ingredients
2 large chicken breast halves
2 chicken thighs
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
1 package achiote spice (can be found in Hispanic section in grocery store)
3 cups rice, rinsed and let dry in sieve
3/4 cup shredded carrots
½ cup whole green olives
2 tablespoons capers (optional)
¼ cup raisins
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup frozen peas
salt, sugar and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Method

In medium saucepan, cook chicken with half each of the chopped onions, garlic and green bell pepper, 2 teaspoon salt and 4 cups water. Cook until tender. Let cool. Strain  and reserve broth; add enough water to make 5 cups broth. De-bone and shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat oil with achiote spice in a large pan; sauté remaining chopped onion, garlic and green bell pepper until tender. Add rice, carrots, olives, capers, raisins, Worcestershire sauce, salt and the 5 cups of broth. Cover and cook until rise is tender, 25-30 minutes. Stir in peas. Keep warm until ready to serve. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 8

France – French Crepes

Ingredients
2 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
Butter, for coating the pan
Strawberry preserves or Nutella hazelnut spread

Method

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator to rest for 1 hour.

Heat a small non-stick pan on medium heat. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter (about 1/4 cup) into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Repeat with rest of the batter. Spread strawberry preserves or Nutella on crepe or your favorite jam. Fold crepe in half and then in quarter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired and serve.

If storing for later, lay crepes out flat so they can cool. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

Makes 17 to 22 crepes

Greece – Souvlaki (Greek Meat and Vegetable Kebabs)

Ingredients
Marinade
2 pounds cubed lamb, beef, chicken or pork
½ cup olive oil
2 large lemons, juiced
¼ cup red wine
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 -4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
Salt, sugar and pepper to taste

Vegetables for the kebabs
1 large onion – cut into quarters
1 each green and red peppers– cut into 2 inch pieces
Cherry tomatoes – leave whole

Method

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and wine together; add the herbs, garlic and chopped onion and put the mixture into a deep dish reserving 1/4 cup marinade to coat cooked meat if desired. Add the meat cubes to the marinade and mix together well, coating meat evenly. Place in bag and refrigerated at least 6 to 24 hours.

If using wooden skewer, soak in water for 1/2 hour. Remove the meat from the marinade, the remaining marinade may be kept for basting during cooking but it must then be thrown away.

Skewer kebabs, alternating pieces of meat with vegetable.

Heat barbecue grill on medium high. Grill kebabs for 8-12 minutes (depending on kind of meat used) until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender, basting and turning meat regularly. The kebabs may be baked in the oven at 400 degrees for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Brush kebab with the reserved marinade that hasn’t been in contact with the raw meat. Serve with Tzatziki dip.

Tzatziki Dip
1 cup Greek yogurt
¼ English cucumber, chopped into small pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Salt, sugar and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients together and mix them well then cover and rest for at least an hour

India – Mango Lassi

Ingredients
2 ripe mangoes, chilled
2-3 tablespoons honey or to taste
1/2 cup milk
1 cup  Greek yogurt

Method

Peel the mango skin, discard seed and cut the mangoes into small pieces. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend well. Make sure the mangoes are completely blended into juice. Adjust the ingredients as per your taste, pour into glasses, freeze in the fridge for 30 minutes or serve immediately.

Chef Mei’s September Supper Club will dedicate offerings of Spanish-style tapas that are popular and similar to tapas bars all over Spain. What better way to end summer over drinks and small bites while surrounded by friends. To view the September Club Menu please click here.

Doug & Melissa Stiles

I received a call from Doug Stiles over a month ago. He wanted to surprise his wife, Melissa, by having me cook an intimate dinner to celebrate their second anniversary. Doug found me through the internet and was interested to see what I can do to make their anniversary special. I met with Doug, discussed their taste in food and had him describe what he envisioned on eating on their anniversary. With the information he provided me, I came up with a menu customized to their taste. The date was set and I took care of everything else.

Doug had a special day planned for their anniversary. Before my arrival, he had hired a masseuse to come to their home to give Melissa a relaxing massage before dinner. Melissa was pleasantly surprised by both the masseuse and myself. She was thrilled to be pampered and felt very special.

While Melissa and Doug got ready for dinner, I went ahead and started cooking their special meal. First course was Avocado Tempura; delectable bite size fried morsels of avocado fritters.

Next came Vegetable and Salad Greens with Mixed Herbed Vinaigrette. Melissa loves seafood and Doug prefers meat. They both love a variety of cuisines. Therefore to please both of them I created a surf and turf dish of Lobster Roasted in Parchment and Pan-seared Beef Tenderloin served with Charmoula sauce. Charmoula originates from North Africa which consist of fresh herbs, garlic, lemon, onions, cumin and other warm spices. Charmoula is great on seafood and meat and the surf and turf went very well with the sauce. To accompany the seafood and meat, Sour Cream and Horseradish Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Garlic Spinach were served as the sides.

To end the meal, Doug requested that I made Creme Brulee as that was their favorite dessert. I prepared Lemon Creme Brulee with Fresh Berries for a refreshing end to the meal.

Both Doug and Melissa were pleased at the outcome of their dinner. My goal was to make their day special with the meal I prepared and to take care of everything else. All they have to do is sit back, relax, enjoy the meal and each other’s company. I think I had achieved that.

Here is Doug’s comment on my service:

“I am very happy to have found you and your services.  The quality and presentation of the food parallels that of very high-end restaurants, but your charming personality really set the mood for our anniversary.  I couldn’t have planned it any better; I showed you the way to our kitchen and sat back to watch the magic.  I could focus all my attention on my wife all while not lifting a single finger to prepare dinner.  Chef Mei is a talented professional that is a must have for special occasions.”

Experiment with a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables to toss in the dressing. Salads need not be just plain old lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and bell peppers. Try mixing up the greens with arugula or watercress for a little bitterness and peppery bite, tame it down with butter lettuce and even iceberg. Mix baby lettuce and spinach gives a salad body. Add texture with jicama, cabbage, fresh fruits, avocados, waterchestnuts, and many others. For crunch, toast a variety of nuts and seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and even flax seeds. For hardier meal, add grilled fish, beef, chicken or shrimp.

The hardest part of making a salad sometimes can be finding the right dressing or dressing that will inspire you to eat a salad! Here are a few salad dressings to help stir up your creative juices. Go ahead. Create away and eat your salad!

Mexican Vinaigrette

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 minced garlic clove

1/2 minced jalapeno (opt)

Place all ingredients in bowl. Whisk until well blended. Use a variety of greens, sliced jicama, avocados, pumpkin seeds, or whatever ingredients you have on hand. To make it  hardier, add grilled steak, roast chicken or even grilled salmon.

Lowfat Mayonnaise-Yogurt Dressing

1 tablespoon low fat mayonnaise

1 tablespoon low fat Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk ingredients together until well blended in bowl. Great over any mixed greens. Used a variety of greens with different texture and flavor, i.e., arugula, romaine, butter lettuce, or even red cabbage, etc. Add some fruits to the salad and whatever toasted nuts available.

Tomato Vinaigrette

3 tablespoon tomato juice

2 tablespoon Sherry or red wine vinegar

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon each salt, sugar and pepper

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Place ingredients in boil or food processor and mix to blend. Great over chopped salads with cucumbers, bell peppers, olives, tomatoes, summer squashes, and mixed greens.

Asian Dressing

3 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon minced gingerroot

1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk ingredients together. Great over spinach, variety of greens, topped with oranges, jicama, sliced radish, fried wonton strips for crunch or sesame seeds.