PeterDavis368
When CW senior editor Mark Pillsbury put together a crew for a sail of the San Juan Islands in July 2007, he sagely chose his friend Peter Davis, chef at Henrietta’s Table, in the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for a busman’s holiday. The following recipes are just a sampling of the epicurean delights upon which the crew feasted. Read Mark’s tale of the trip in the August 2008 issue of Cruising World and get more of Chef Peter’s recipes in the People & Food section of the same issue.
Seared Beef with Roasted Vegetables and Potatoes
Meat:
2 pounds hanger steak or London broil
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme or rosemary
Marinate meat in oil and thyme or rosemary for two to three hours. Grill to desired doneness and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Vegetable marinade:
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
4 chopped garlic cloves
4 chopped shallots
3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
Combine all ingredients in a deep-sided bowl and whisk thoroughly. Set aside.
Vegetables:
1/2 zucchini
1/2 summer squash
1/2 eggplant
1 carrot
6 plum tomatoes, halved
2 small to medium red onions
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt, to taste
Slice all vegetables into bite-size pieces. Place in a large pan and pour marinade over vegetables. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 to 35 minutes in a cool place, but don’t refrigerate. Drain the marinade from the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and grill over medium heat. Monitor vegetables carefully so they don’t burn.
Grilled fruit:
2 plums, peeled, pitted, and sliced
2 peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1 pineapple, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Season all fruit with salt and pepper. Grill fruit quickly over medium heat, then allow to cool.
Vinaigrette:
4 ounces red wine
2 ounces safflower oil
1 ounce rice-wine vinegar
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce the red wine by half, then add oil and vinegar to reduced wine. Remove from heat and pour over cooled fruit. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
Roasted potatoes:
12 red potatoes
2 ounces olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cut potatoes in pieces, place in roasting pan, and season with oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast potatoes in the oven at 350 F for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
To serve:
Slice meat on a bias and arrange over grilled vegetables. Pour fruit vinaigrette over meat; serve with roasted potatoes.
Tomato-Basil Spaghetti Sauce
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
4 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
1 cup hearty red wine
2 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes in juice
1/2 6-ounce can tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Heat oil in a saucepan and add garlic, onion, and half of the basil. Saute until onions are transparent. Add wine and reduce by half. Pour tomatoes, including juice, into a large bowl. Lightly crush tomatoes by hand in the juice then add to pan. Stir all ingredients together. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Stir in tomato paste and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining basil and season with salt and pepper. Best served with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Red Wine Sauce
2 tablespoons chopped shallot or red onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups veal or oxtail stock or beef bouillon
1 sprig fresh thyme
Saute shallot or onion in oil until well browned. Add tomato paste and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add red wine and reduce by half. Add stock and thyme and let slowly simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain before serving.
Grilled Asparagus
1 1/2 pounds fresh medium-thick asparagus
1 lemon
2 ounces olive or salad oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Trim asparagus and peel if tough. Zest lemon using a potato peeler but only take off yellow skin. Chop zest very fine and mix with oil. Toss asparagus in oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat, turning occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from heat when tender. Squeeze juice from half of lemon over asparagus. May be served warm or at room temperature.
