Ingredients

• 4 ounces pancetta, or center cut bacon, chopped (optional)
• 1 large white onion, small dice or minced
• 1 tbl spoon of olive oil
• 2 celery stalks, about 3/4 cup, small dice or minced
• 2 carrots, about 3/4 cup, small dice or minced
• 2 lb lean ground beef or any 2 lb mix of ground meat
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
• 2 Quarts of your favorite sauce or see my CR sauce recipe
• 1 tbl spoon of complete seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup half & half cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Press saute on the Instant Pot, sauté the pancetta over low heat until the fat melts, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the olive oil, onion, celery and carrots and cook until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the meat and season it with 3/4 teaspoons salt and black pepper to taste and sauté until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes, breaking the meat up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
4. Add the wine and cook until it reduces down, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add sauce, 3/4 teaspoon salt and fresh cracked black pepper; cover and cook high pressure 15 minutes.
6. Natural release, stir in the half & half and garnish with parsleyOr use to layer your lasagna

Note: you can also serve over your favorite pasta, zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.

1. Ricotta cheese mixture for lasagna layers
2. 1 large ricotta cheese
3. 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
4. 1 bag or frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
5. Salt to taste

Put sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 pan, add layer of lasagna noodles, add a layer of the ricotta mixture, and repeat until the top. Add parmesan and mozzarella on top. Bake at 375 for 45-50 min

CR Jerk Sauce

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup whit vinegar
• 1 onion (medium) chopped
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 scallions (/green onion) large chop
• 4-6 garlic cloves
• 6-8 scotch bonnet (or habanero peppers)
• fresh ginger (A knuckle of) (peel skin with spoon)
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice or whole pimento
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lime juiced (freshly squeezed)
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice

Put all the ingredients in a blinder and blind until smooth. You can store in fridge for 3-4 weeks or freezer for months

Ingredients

4 (8-ounce) portions cod fish

2 wedges lemon

Salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

1 large or 2 small bulb fennel, quartered, core cut away, thinly sliced

1 small to medium yellow skinned onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves thinly sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken broth or stock

1 (15- ounce) can diced tomatoes

Black pepper

Complete Seasoning

A few large sprigs, in tact, plus 2 tablespoons chopped dill (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Rinse fish and squeeze lemon juice over it. Season the fish with a little salt and pepper then set aside.
3. Heat a large oven proof pan over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, fennel and onion and season with salt and complete seasoning. Saute fennel and onions 7 to 8 minutes then add tomatoes, saute for 2 min then add garlic. Saute 2 min then add white wine and reduce a minute, then add broth/stock. Season with salt and pepper. Set fish into pan and spoon juices over the cod. Add a few sprigs dill to the broth and set the pan into the hot oven to cook. Cook 12 -15 minutes, until fish is opaque. To serve, arrange cod on plate, top with vegetables and chopped fresh dill.

Salad
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces cooked ham hock, flaked (I believe it is common in Europe.  I have not seen them before so you may have to make the ham hocks from scratch…I believe it would taste even better)
mixed salad greens or arugula
Salt and pepper

Dressing

3 tablespoons cooked lentils

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
Salt and pepper

Ham hock cooked in beer with honey and ginger

Soak the ham hocks (2-4 ham hocks) in water for 2 days to remove excess salt, ensuring to change the water 3-4 times.

Place the hocks into a pan of fresh cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then place the pan under a cold tap and leave the tap running for around 15 minutes, until the hocks are cool enough to handle. Wash any blood or impurities off the hocks

Place the ham hocks into a vacuum bag with the honey, ginger and beer. Seal and place the bag in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and then poach for 3 1/2-4 hours

• ¼ cup of honey
• 6 slices of fresh ginger
• 1 bottle of beer you like

If you don’t have access to facilities for vac packing, simply use a heavy duty, heatproof, clean resealable bag and make sure to press out as much air as possible. Ensure to weigh down the bag with a strainer or something similar while cooking (without the hocks touching the bottom) to ensure the meat is completely submerged for the entire poaching process

Once the ham hock is cooked, remove the bag from the pan and leave to cool a little. Carefully cut the bag open, drain the liquid into a pan and reduce by half

Remove the meat from the bones and fat, and chop into chunks

Dressing:  Put dressing ingredients in a small bowl and gently mix together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss the ham hock and greens in a mound on each serving plate. Top with ham hock and drizzle over the dressing.

Ingredients

1 large tomato, diced

1/2 medium red onion, finely diced

1/4 small red bell pepper, finely diced

1/4 small yellow bell pepper, finely diced

1/4 small orange bell pepper, finely diced

1 jalapeno, finely diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/4 cup unseasoned rose wine vinegar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar (or use 1 packet of Truvia)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Two 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

Directions

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the rose wine vinegar, canola oil, sugar, and salt and pepper.

Toss all together with the black-eyed peas and let marinate for at up to 6-8 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Fish Piccata

¼ cup olive oil

4-6 small white fish fillets (snapper preferred)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup flour

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon back pepper

½ cup white wine

½ cup chicken stock

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons capers

2-3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, blot the fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Mix measured salt and pepper in flour. Dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. Sauté the fish in the oil until just cooked through, about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the fish to a platter. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, whisking for about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock then lemon juice and capers and stir. Add the butter and stir or whisk to incorporate to bring the sauce together. Put the fish back in the pan and simmer for 1 minute and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter

4-6 large onions, sliced

1 carrot sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 fresh thyme sprigs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 quarts beef broth or stock

1lb stew beef cubes (optional)

1 baguette, sliced

1/2 pound grated Gruyere

Directions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn’t burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

Season the remaining flour with salt and pepper. Toss the beef cubes and sear in a pot. Remove the beef cube. Now add the beef broth or stock, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the beef cubes and carrots and put in a 350 degree oven for 2 hour. Take out at ½ hours, add onions, season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

When you’re ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

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Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium onion diced

2 scallions sliced

1 jalapeño diced (optional

One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 packets of chili seasoning

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 packet truvia

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 bottles of beer (yuengling or dos equis)

1/4 cup masa (optional)

One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

Shredded Cheddar, for serving

Sour Cream, for serving

Chopped onions and scallion, for serving

Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

Place the ground beef in a large pot and cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat, add diced onion and cook until translucent. Pour in the diced tomato, chili powder, cumin, salt, truvia, and cayenne, then add the beer. Stir together well, cover, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring every 20-30 min.

If after an hour the chili mixture is too watery, place the masa in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir together well, and then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the beans during the last 30 min and simmer. Serve with shredded Cheddar, chopped onions, tortilla chips and sour cream.