Category: Recipes

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:
6 sheets phyllo pastries
6 tablespoons butter, divided into 2 and 4 tablespoons
1/2 cup (40g) panko, Japanese breadcrumbs
1 & 1/2 pound chopped apples, 1/4-inch chunks
4 tablespoons sugar (52g) sugar
1 lemon, zest
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons of confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

1. Defrost phyllo dough in the fridge overnight (note: must do it this in the fridge otherwise the phyllo sheets will stick to each other)
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium heat and toast panko in the butter until golden brown. The breadcrumbs should smell like brown butter.
3. Peel the apples and cut them into quarters and get rid of the core. Cut the apples into 1/4-inch chunks.
4. Mix the apples with sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt in a microwavable bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic and microwave for 2 minutes.
5. Drain the apples and reserve the liquid.
6. Take out the phillo pastries and keep them under a plastic and a clean towel. Meanwhile, melt the rest of the butter and pre-heat the oven at 375 Fahrenheit,
7. Lay a piece of parchment paper, 16” x 12”, on a counter, and then place a sheet of the phyllo pastry on it. Brush phillo pastry lightly with melted butter and dust confectioner’s sugar, about 1/4 teaspoons worth, on top. Repeat the process with 6 sheets of phillo pastry and stack them on top of each other. Wrap up the rest of the phillo pastries and seal tight. Keep them refrigerated or frozen.
8. Leaving 2-inch space from the sides and the bottom edge of the phillo pastries, place half of the toasted breadcrumbs in a 3-inch strip across. Add 1/3 amount of the apples (use the rest of the apples for more strudels) to the top of the breadcrumbs.

1. Lift one side of the parchment paper (either left or right) and fold in the phillo pastries. Use your hands to seal the dough. Do the same from the other side.
2. Lift the bottom edge of the parchment paper and fold the phillo pastries over, leaving only half the filling exposed. Brush the edges of the pastries with the reserved apple juice. Seal the strudel by folding the other side over the top. Brush the outside with apple juice until it looks shiny and dust the top with confectioner’s sugar.

1. Bake the apple strudel on a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper for 25 minutes. Turn it around midway. Rest the strudel for 5 minutes before cutting it.

1. Cut the strudel into 2 to 3 inches wide, don’t cut them too thin because the fillings will fall out. Enjoy the strudel with more dusted sugar or drizzles of honey. Bon apptité!

Ingredients:
For Apple Fillings:
1.5 pound chopped apples, into 1-inch chunks
1 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced
1 + 1/4 cup (205g) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon, 135g) butter
2 tablespoons (13.5g) corn starch
3 tablespoons (45g) water
1/4 cup chopped dried apricot, 1/4-inch chunks
4 tablespoons shaved almonds

For the cake topping:
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1 orange zested
shaved almonds

To Finish:
Vanilla Ice Cream

1. Pre-heat oven at 375F.
2. To make the filling, mix chopped apples with lemon zest, lemon juice, dark brown sugar and set them aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter with ground cinnamon, ginger, and allspice.
3. Add the apples to the butter mixture and gently cook them until soft, about 10 minutes. Mix the corn starch with 3 tablespoons of water, and then add to the apples. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook until the fillings are thick and saucy. Add the chopped apricot to finish.

   

4. To make the cake topping, add all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and butter into a food processor. Blend until it forms a breadcrumb consistency. Alternatively, rub the butter into the flour until it forms pebbles. Mix in orange zest.
5. Mix eggs, milk, and vanilla extract and combine with the flour mixture. A pancake batter consistency should form.

   

6. Using a ramekin or any casserole, place the apple filings at the bottom, and then top off the fillings with the cake batter, about 1/2-in thick. Sprinkle the top with shaved almonds.

   

7. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Dust the spiced apple bake with confectioner’s sugar and place the ice cream right on the top. Bon appétit!

   

Garlic Twirl Dough
500 grams bread flour
325 grams water
3 grams yeast
37 grams EVOO
11 grams salt

Garlic Fillings
15 grams (or 1 and 1/2 tablespoons) chopped garlic
60 grams (or 1 cup) chopped parsley
30 grams (or 1 cup) grated Parmesan
60 grams (or 6 tablespoons) EVOO

Directions:

1. Heat 50-gram of water to 90F~95F (lukewarm temperature) and dissolve the yeast in it. Set it aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix flour with the salt (the dry goods) and the rest of the water with EVOO (the wet goods). Keep the wet-goods and dry-goods separately.
2. When the 5 minutes are up, add the yeast mixture and the wet-goods to the dry-goods in a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients into a dough with a bare hand or a wooden spoon. The dough will be wet and sticky. Cover the dough with a plastic wrap and set it aside for 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes, stretch the dough from the sides and fold it over to the top. Do the stretch-n-fold step a few times and flip the dough over, with the folds facing down. The dough should be smooth at this point. Cover the dough with a plastic wrap and set it aside for 2 hours or until it doubles in size. 
4. Meanwhile, prepare the fillings. Mix chopped garlic, chopped parsley, and EVOO together. Keep the grated Parmesan separately.
5. Once the dough doubles in size, portion it into 9 oz. and then shape them into balls (the result is 3 pieces of 9 oz. and 1 piece of 3 oz.). You could refrigerate the dough overnight, which will enhance the flavor, or let the dough proof for another hour or so until it doubles in size.
6. If using a refrigerated dough, take the dough out of the fridge and let it come to a room temperature, above 68F. Roll the 9-oz. dough out to 1/8-inch thick rectangle, about 15-inch in length.
   
7. Add the garlic mixture first and spread it around evenly on the dough and leave 1/2-inch space from the sides. Add the grated Parmesan on the top.
   
8. Start from the longer side of the rectangle, roll up the dough into a big cigar. Cut the cigar into 1-inch segments. Flip the segments over to reveal the cross-section and then let them rest for another 30 minutes until it doubles in size. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 425F.

1. After 30 minutes of rest, drizzle extra EVOO on top of each garlic twirls and sprinkle a pinch of grated Parmesan on top. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown.
2. Serve garlic wheels warms with marinara sauce.

Caesar salad is simple and delicious. The perfect Caesar dressing is tangy, salty, and bright. The tanginess comes from the vinegar, the saltiness comes from the anchovies and Parmesan, and the brightness comes from the fresh lemon juice. Caesar salad is a salad in its simplest form: fresh romaine lettuce and crispy croutons. When the lettuce and croutons are covered in the perfect dressing, this salad is brilliant and delightful!

For the latest Chef Reggie’s Cooking Series:

Caesar Salad with Whole Wheat Sourdough Croutons and Anchovies
Serves: Enough croutons and dressing for 6 to 8 salads

Ingredients:
For the Croutons
2 cups torn sourdough bread, into bite-size
2 tablespoons EVOO
Pinch of Salt

For the Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Champaign vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cloves fresh garlic
7 anchovies fillet
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

To complete:
1 head Romaine lettuce
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon EVOO

1. To make the croutons, tear up the sourdough (or the bread you choose to use) into bite-size and let the bread sit on the counter and dry out for an hour
2. Meanwhile, wash the Romaine lettuce and dry the leaves. Set them aside in the fridge until ready to use.
3. Next, make the dressing by first grate the garlic onto the chopping board. Add the anchovies to the garlic and chop them together until forming a paste.
4. In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, dijon mustard, Champaign vinegar, water, and ground black pepper.
5. Add the garlic-anchovy paste and grated Parmesan, and stir to combine.
6. When the sourdough croutons are nice and dry on the surface, toss them in olive oil and salt, and then toast them in a skillet on medium heat until golden brown. Cool to room temperature before using them in the salad.
7. To make the salad, dress the lettuce with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and Caesar dressing, and then rub the dressing into each leaf to make sure it is distributed evenly. Add the croutons and toss them with the lettuce and the dressing.
8. To plate, place the bigger leaves at the bottom of the plate, and then add the croutons. Repeat by layering the lettuce and the croutons, and place the smaller leaves towards the top. Add more grated Parmesan and anchovies fillets around the salad, and drizzle a little more olive oil to finish. Bon appétit!

For the latest Chef Reggie’s cooking series:

Fried Rice with Pickled Cucumbers, Spring Onions, and Framed Eggs
Serves: 2 portions

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons salt, plus 1 more teaspoon
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup fresh peas
1/4 cup diced carrots, medium dice
6 tablespoons cooking oil, divided in half
1/2 cup diced red onions, small to medium dice
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
4 cups cooked/day old long-grain rice
2 eggs, beaten
NY-Style Deli Pickles, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan, optional

1. Make pickled cucumbers by adding 2 teaspoons of salt and sugar and mix them together. Let them sit in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water up to a boil and cook fresh peas for 10 seconds and chill them down in cold or ice water. Use the same boiling water and cook diced carrots until tender.
3. Heat up a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and add half of the oil (3 tablespoons). When the oil shimmers, add red onions and sauté until tender, and then add spring onions and carrots.
4. Keep sautéing red onions, spring onions, and carrots until they are caramelized. Set them aside on a plate. Wipe off the skillet and put it back on the stove.
5. Add the rest oil to the skillet. When the oil shimmers, add the beaten eggs. Stir up the eggs and chop them into little chunks with a wooden or rubber spatula. Add the rice into the skillet and fry the rice with the eggs.
6. When the rice is heated and becomes fluffy, add the soy sauce and stir to combine.
7. To finish the fried rice, add the pea and the veggies from step 4 back into the skillet and toss to combine. Grate fresh Parmesan on top, and serve hot. Bon appétit!

Zucchini in the summer is flavorful and juicy. Cook the zucchini until tender and smash it until nice and creamy, and then spread the zucchini on the grilled bread for a quick and healthy meal. Grate some Parmesan or your choice of cheese on top to make it more irresistible. You will be making this dish over and over!

For the latest Chef Reggie’s Cooking Series:

Zucchini Bruschetta with Basil and Grilled Sourdough
Serves: enough zucchini to 4 pieces of toasts

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons cooking oil
5 cloves fresh garlic plus 1 more for rubbing the grilled sourdough
2 pieces zucchini, cut to large chunks
1 teaspoons salt plus a pinch for the sourdough
1 teaspoon dried chili
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped Italian basil
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoons grated cheese, such as Parmesan, Aged Cheddar, or Pecorino
2 pieces of sourdough
2 tablespoons EVOO

1. Heat up a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Add the cooking oil and wait until it shimmers, and then add garlic chunks. Cook the garlic chunks until golden brown.
2. Add zucchini when the garlic is golden brown and sprinkle the dried chili flakes on top.
3. Cook the zucchini until tender and caramelized. Use a spatula and another tool with a flat surface to press on the spatula with zucchini underneath. Smash the zucchini until nice and creamy.
4. Add a healthy squeeze of lime juice and basil and stir to combine.
5. Set aside the zucchini and grill the sourdough. Grill the sourdough on the stovetop with a rack until nice and toasty. Alternatively, use the broiler in the oven or a toaster. Rub both sides of the bread with raw garlic, drizzle the olive oil on top and season with a pinch of salt.
6. Serve the bruschetta by placing a generous amount of zucchini on top of the bread. Finish the bruschetta by adding chopped parsley, freshly grated cheese, and more EVOO. Bon appétit!

Fresh and seasonal peas are tender and juicy. Take advantage of peas’ superb quality by blending them with basil and cheese to make a pesto, and then spread it on a piece of grilled sourdough. Tender and juicy peas don’t last very long; peas get starchier and drier as the season goes on. To keep the peas fresh for later use, cook them quickly in boiling water and chill them immediately in cold or ice water. Store the peas in a ziplock bag and freeze them.

For the latest Chef Reggie’s Cooking Series:

Pea Smash on Grilled Sourdough
Portion: serves 8 pieces of bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
3 cloves fresh garlic plus 1 more clove to rub the sourdough
1/4 cup blanched and skinless almonds
1 cup fresh peas, out of the shells
4 cups/1 bunch basil leaves
1/4 cup EVOO, plus more for the sourdough
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Cheddar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 slices sourdough or any crusty bread

1. Using a food processor, blitz up almonds and garlic, using the pulse setting on the machine, until they are crumbly.
2. Add peas and basil and blitz them up with garlic and almonds on pulse setting again until everything is homogenized. Add cheese, and repeat with the blending.
3. Turn the food processor on full speed and stream in EVOO. Blend the pea mixture until it is spreadable.
4. Scrape the pea smash into a bowl and stir in lime juice and more EVOO to adjust the consistency. Season with salt.
5. Set up a rack on the stovetop to make a grill. Alternatively, turn on the broiler in the oven. Grill or toast the sourdough until nice and toasty, and rub raw garlic on both sides of the bread. Drizzle some olive oil on the sourdough and sprinkle a pinch of salt on top. Spread the pea smash generously on the toast and serve. Bon appétit!