Chef’s Recipes: Cook to Impress

Girl exploring the web for delicious recipes

Making these chef recipes won’t just surprise your guests, you’ll surprise yourself!

Frosted Banana and Raspberry Shrubs
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Ingredients
  1. 2 bananas, sliced
  2. 2 cups ice cubes
  3. Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
  4. ½ cup apple juice, or pineapple
  5. 1 pint raspberry sorbet
  6. Mint sprigs, for garnish
  7. Orange slices, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Place the bananas, ice cubes, lemon juice and apple juice in a blender. Blend on low speed until the ice cubes are crushed. Blend on high until thoroughly smooth.
  2. Pour the banana mixture into chilled shrub or wine glasses.
  3. To serve, place one scoop of raspberry sorbet into each glass and garnish with mint and orange slices.
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Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon Sour Cream and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
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Ingredients
  1. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  2. 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  3. 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  4. 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
  5. 3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
  6. 7 cups vegetable stock
  7. 1 to 1 ½ pound sugar pumpkin, roasted (see directions below)
  8. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
  9. ¼ teaspoon allspice
  10. ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  11. ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  12. 2 tablespoons honey
  13. 2 teaspoons chipotle chili in adobo sauce, pureed
  14. ½ cup light sour cream, dividedSalt and freshly ground pepper
  15. Garnish:  ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Quarter and seed the sugar pumpkin. Place on a baking sheet, cut side down, and roast for 40-45 minutes, or until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
  3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Peel the skin from the pumpkin pieces.
  4. Puree the pumpkin flesh in a food processor until smooth.
  5. Measure 1 ½ cups and set aside.
  6. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
  7. Strain stock into a clean medium saucepan and whisk in the pumpkin puree until smooth.
  8. Bring to a simmer and add the ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, spices, honey, and chipotle. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. If the soup is too thick, thin it with a bit of water.
  9. Remove from heat and whisk in ¼ cup of sour cream; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Mix together the remaining sour cream and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until combined.
  11. Garnish with cinnamon sour cream and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds.
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Holiday Arugula Salad with Strawberry-Honey Vinaigrette
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups arugula, local preferred
  2. 2 ounces fresh goat cheese
  3. 1 pear peeled and sliced, grilled and diced4 strawberries, sliced
  4. 1 ounce pecans, lightly roasted and chopped
1 ounce dried and plumped cranberriesVinaigrette
  1. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  2. 4 large strawberries
  3. 2 tablespoons honey
  4. Salt and pepper
  5. 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
  1. Heat a sauté pan on the burner (medium-high) for 30 seconds. Add oil and berries. Let rest in pan for 10 seconds, then start to stir.
  2. When golden brown, add honey and cook for 1 minute on medium. Remove from stove and cool.
  3. Add to blender with vinegar and salt and pepper to taste, and adjust with water or olive oil for desired consistency.
  4. Toss salad ingredients with the vinaigrette.
  5. Excellent served with roast chicken or turkey.
Health Journal https://www.thehealthjournals.com/
Health Journal: Health Journal's mission is to educate and empower our readers to achieve optimum health. Health care professionals, together with seasoned journalists, partner with us to produce consumer-friendly content on a wide variety of health topics to boost wellness and lead a fulfilling life, including advances in medical technology, ways to manage healthy relationships and recipes to encourage healthy eating.