Chef Joseph Muldoon
Tired of the same old dinner routine? You can mix it up a bit and go a little gourmet easily.
Chef Joseph Muldoon of The Reserve restaurant at Bally's Atlantic City shared some recipes on Talk Philly.
Caramelized Pear Basted Pacific Halibut
Served with a Duck Confit and Butternut Squash Risotto
Thyme Roasted Yellow Oyster Mushrooms
Toasted Pumpkin Seed Oil
Serves 4
For The Fish
1 Bartlett Pear (peeled, cored, and sliced)
½ lb. Unsalted Butter (cubed and at room temperature)
4 oz. Vegetable Oil
4 6 to 8 oz Fresh Halibut Fillets (skin removed)
TT Kosher Salt
TT freshly cracked Black Pepper
TT freshly ground Nutmeg
6 oz. Chicken or Vegetable Stock
For The Risotto
½ lb. of Arborio Rice
2 oz. of Vegetable Oil
½ medium-sized Vidalia Onion (small diced)
1 qt. of Chicken or Vegetable Stock
4 oz. Parmesan or Pecorino Romano Cheese (grated)
4 oz. Unsalted Butter
1 large Butternut Squash (halved)
6 oz. Duck Confit Meat (check your local specialty goods store)
¼ bunch of Italian Parsley (chopped)
TT Kosher Salt
TT freshly cracked Black Pepper
For The Mushrooms and Garnish
¼ lb. Yellow Oyster Mushroom Cluster (cut into 4 chunks)
¼ bunch of Fresh Thyme (removed from stem and chopped)
4 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
TT Kosher Salt
TT freshly ground Black Pepper
4 oz. Pumpkin Oil or Browned Butter
1 oz. Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
*Preheat your oven to 350 degree and place it on convection roast if available.
I would begin to prepare the risotto first. You want to start with the butternut squash, remove the seeds from the one half and cover with foil and roast in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until soft (you will puree this squash when it is finished cooking. The other half of the squash you will medium dice and cook in salted boiling water for about 8 to 10 minutes (remove from the water and shock immediately when it is finished cooking). Before continuing with the risotto, melt about 1 oz of the butter in a sauté pan under medium to high heat and add the sliced pear to the pan agitate the pan for the next minute or so until the pears begin to brown. Once the pears are finished cooking (they should be soft); season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and place in the refrigerator to quickly cool. As soon as the pears are cooled puree them with the softened butter and reserve the butter for finishing the fish. Now to finish the risotto, in a medium saucepot you will heat the olive oil under medium to high heat and add the onion and cook until translucent. Add your Arborio Rice to the pot and gently toast the grains for just a minute; you will add a quarter of your stock (1 cup) to the pot and stir the rice with a wooden spoon constantly to create the natural creaminess. Continue to add stock to the rice until the rice is al dente (reserve 4 oz of stock); at this point turn the fire off then heat a large (ovenproof) sauté pan for your fish. Before searing, season the Halibut with salt and pepper and then heat your vegetable oil in the pan. Carefully place the fish (skinned side up) in the pan and sear the first side for a minute, flip the fish with a fish spatula and sear the other side for 30 seconds deglaze the pan with the stock for the fish and place directly into your preheated oven. Next, toss the oyster mushrooms with the olive oil, thyme, and seasoning and place in the oven on a sheet pan or ovenproof sauté pan, they should take 6 to seven minutes or until the mushrooms begin to get crisp. At this point you should have the fish in the oven, mushrooms in the oven, and risotto al dente on the stovetop. Continue to heat the risotto and add the remaining stock to the pot alongside the squash puree, diced squash, duck meat, and cheese. Once the contents of the risotto are heated through and you are left with a slightly loose bubbly concoction, add the butter and parsley and season the risotto to your liking. Your fish should take about 7 to 8 minutes to cook (depending on its thickness), as soon as it has reached it degree of doneness, place it back on the stovetop and add the pear butter to natural cooking liquid, it should melt the butter within seconds and your job is to baste the fish with the pear butter frequently until your are ready to place it on top of the risotto. To finish this dish, spoon a heaping portion of the risotto on the bottom of the plate or wide/shallow bowl, place the basted fish on top and follow up with a roasted cluster of oyster mushrooms. Finish the plate with the toasted pumpkin seed oil and garnish with the pumpkin seeds. You will find that the moist sweetness of the Halibut will make a beautiful connection with the rich, velvety risotto. The addition of the mushrooms roasted to the peak of their flavor and nuttiness of the pumpkin oil harmonizes very well.
Athena Melon and Jersey Tomato Salad
Dressed with a White Balsamic Honey, Fresh Mint and Basil
Watercress, Prosciutto di Parma, and Sea Salt
Serves 4
For The Salad
1 Cantaloupe, Peeled and cored (Medium Diced)
2 Large, Ripe Jersey Tomatoes (Skin Removed)
½ Bunch Fresh Mint (Chiffonade Cut)
½ Bunch Fresh Basil (Chiffonade Cut)
2 Bunches of Watercress (washed and leaves picked)
½ Pound thinly Sliced Prociutto
TT Kosher Salt
TT freshly cracked Black Pepper
4 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lemon
For The White Balsamic Honey
1 Cup white Balsamic Vinegar
½ cup of Honey
Begin by heating a small pot with the white balsamic vinegar under medium heat. Allow this to reduce by 2/3 and then stir in the honey and let it simmer for one minute. Cool immediately and reserve the cooled mixture for the salad.
Once all ingredients are prepared ahead of time, mix the first four ingredients (melon, tomato, mint, and basil) with the white balsamic honey and place equal portions on individual plates (use a ringmold if possible). Ribbon the prosciutto slices over top of the molded tomato/melon mixture. Finally, in a separate bowl, lightly dress the watercress with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and the juice of the lemon. Top the salad with the watercress and serve as a salad, dessert, or anytime during the meal.
