Snow Crab Eggs Benedict

April 4, 2015 Tangie Holifield

This dish is an elegant twist on a classic and is perfect for a Sunday Brunch.

Ingredients:
3 pounds Cooked Snow Crab Meat
1 pound Butter

For the Eggs:
6 Eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon White Vinegar

For the Hollandaise:
1 cup Melted Butter (from crab poaching)
4 Egg Yolks (room temperature)
1 Lemon (juiced)
1/4 cup chopped chives
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

To Serve:
3 English Muffins (split and lightly toasted)
8 ounces Philadelphia Onion and Chive Cream Spread
6 slices Canadian Bacon
Arugula

Directions:
Heat butter in a saute pan over medium-low heat until melted and warm. Place crab meat in the butter to poach for 3 minutes.

For the Eggs: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add white vinegar. Reduce to a light simmer. Line a plate with paper towels. Crack one egg at a time into a bowl and slide into the water. Do not over crowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and remove to the prepared plate with a slotted spoon.

For the Hollandaise: In a bowl over a double boiler, whisk the egg yolks, and lemon juice for 4 to 5 minutes until it begins to thicken. Once the mixture is ribbony and can coat the back of a spoon, drizzle in the melted crab butter, whisking continuously. Stir in some chopped chives and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Once muffins are toasted drizzle with some of the melted crab butter. Spread onion and chive cream cheese on the bottom of the muffin. Place the muffin on a small plate and top with Canadian Bacon,arugula, a poached egg, and drizzle with hollandaise sauce. Serve immediately.

Surf and Turf

April 2, 2015 Tangie Holifield

This roulade style dish elevates the classic grilled steak to the next level, and the pesto inside makes the steak super moist and a beautiful presentation when served along side roasted baby potatoes and snow crab legs.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
For the Herb Pesto:
1 1/2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup packed parsley
2 1/2 cups baby spinach
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 to 1 cups extra-virgin olive oil

For The Steak:
One 3-pound flank steak
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil

For the Baby Potatoes:
A variety of about 30 to 40 baby potatoes
(Red bliss, purple, Yukon gold, white)
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To roast the potatoes, place 2 sheets of parchment paper onto a roasting pan.

In a bowl, toss together the potatoes, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil, making sure that the potatoes are well coated.

Pour the potatoes onto the parchment paper-covered roasting pan, and cover with 2 more sheets of parchment paper. Fold the edges of the parchment in to seal the potatoes. Cook them in the oven for about 35 minutes, or until they are crispy.

For the pesto, combine the mint, basil, parsley, spinach, garlic, pine nuts, lemon zest, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese in a food processor and pulse to partially combine. Turn the processor on Auto and drizzle in the olive oil, a half cup at a time, until the ingredients start to come together into a chunky paste. Make sure to add the oil a little at a time to ensure a good consistency with the pesto. You do not want it to be thin and runny.

Place the flank steak flat on a work surface with the grain of the meat running perpendicular to you. Using a long, thin, very sharp knife, butterfly the meat by slicing through the long side of the steak, opening it up like the pages of a book,as you go, stopping 1/2 inch short of cutting the steak in two. Season with salt and pepper.Spread the pesto all over the meat, leaving a 1 1/2-inch space all around the edge. Roll up the steak, with the grain running the length of the roll, and tie up with kitchen twine every 2 inches. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub the steak with olive oil then sear it in a very hot, cast-iron skillet over high heat or on a very hot grill. Place it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes for medium-rare steak. Place the steak on a cutting board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the strings and carve across the grain into 1-to 2-inch slices.

Serve alongside Baby Potatoes and Snow Crab Legs for an elegant surf and turf presentation.

Smoked Catfish Salad

April 1, 2015 Tangie Holifield

Something totally unexpected brought a traditional Southern fish and European Ingredients together with fresh micro greens.

I had some smoked catfish on and with a bunch of mixed baby greens that included baby arugula, baby spinach, red leaf lettuce and frisee. A dressing was created with creme fraiche, a dollop of mayonnaise, fresh chopped dill , capers and just enough salt and pepper to taste.