Here’s our newest video demonstrating a delicious and simple dish for you all to try at home.

Pan Seared Halibut with Lemon Pesto Risotto – Vancouver Personal Chef Drew Cooks! from Drew Munro on Vimeo.

Recipe: Seared Halibut with Lemon Pesto Risotto (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

- 4 halibut filets
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp basil pesto
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp butter unsalted
- 1 bunch chives
- olive oil
- vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
- juice and zest from 1 lemon
For garnish:(optional)

- Cherry tomatoes, and shallots, chopped

Heat the chicken stock in a sauce pan. In a large saute pan over med high heat, add in olive oil, onion and garlic and sauté until softened. Add in the rice, a bit more olive oil and stir to evenly coat the grains. Sauté for an additional 2 minutes and begin ladelling in hot stock small amounts at a time, stirring after each addition. Continue this process for about 15 minutes or until rice is just about cooking through.

Remove from heat, add in the 2 tbsp of butter, pesto, and lemon juice/zest. Stir to combine and set aside.

For the chive oil, place the chives in a food processor or blender with 1/3 cup vegetable oil. Blend for about 5 minutes until the oil has turned a bright green colour, then strain and set the oil aside.

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a hot saute pan, heat olive oil and add in 1 tsp of butter. Season halibut filets and saute 2 minutes per side, then transfer to the oven for an additional 4-5 minutes.

While halibut is cooking, saute the cherry tomatoes and shallots, season with salt and pepper.

To plate:

Watch the video!

With ever-increasing popularity, more and more new cooking shows are popping up at an alarming rate. I remember when the Food Network channel consisted of basically 12 hours of Emeril with a few other shows thrown in for good measure (Old school Iron Chef, most notably), but now there are so many shows and spin-offs and hosts its enough to make your head spin. Fear not, here’s my breakdown on what I consider the top 5 best, and worst, food shows on TV. (Some are shown on other networks besides the Food Network, but all food-related shows are included)

Best:

5. Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives
While technically more of an eating show than a cooking show, it’s a great concept hosted by Guy Fieri, whose larger than life personality and appetite really makes the show entertaining. Focusing on local gems and hometown favorites the show helps spotlight the top casual food spots across the US and helps spread the word about family-run or independent food hot-spots rather than large chains. This show is a guilty pleasure for me and I always find myself watching it.

4. Jamie’s Great Italian Escape
I know this was filmed awhile ago, but it’s still aired regularly on food network due to it’s popularity. The producers for this show did a brilliant job making the show not only about cooking, and food, but the characters and culture behind it. Everyone from monks, to farmers, fishermen, and elderly ladies making pasta in the streets was involved. This is also the series where Oliver got heaps and heaps of hate mail for killing a live lamb on film, something previously unheard of on any food network show.

3. Top Chef
Woo hoo! A cooking reality show that actually focuses on the contestants and their food instead of provoking drama and stroking egos! With talented contestants, brilliant guest chefs and judges (Anthony Bourdain, my personal favorite) and great challenges, this is the best cooking reality show on TV.

2. Alton Brown – Good Eats!
How can you not love Alton? Focusing on the science behind cooking in his own unique and entertaining way, I learn something each and every time I watch the show. Sure, some of his scenes are a little over the top, but that’s part of the appeal. At the end of the day his recipes are delicious no matter how many costume changes are required to get there. There’s only one Alton.

1. Iron Chef America
The American Idol of Food Network TV, it’s the clear number one. Brilliant iron chefs, big name competitors, and a more exciting format than its older version, it’s a good watch each and every time. The only thing starting to get to me is the judges they are lining up for the show. Really? Mo Rocca and Criss Angel are judging Mario Batali’s food?

Worst Shows:

5. Hell’s Kitchen
This is the polar opposite of Top Chef, as this show is about one man and one man only, Gordon Ramsay. A brilliant chef, he’s essentially been reduced to a character, far from the restaurateur that held 3 Michelin stars at one time. How many times can we watch someone overcook Wellington or risotto, or be called a donkey? Apparently tons. This show is like watching Big Brother with the occasional cooking session there’s so much drama provoked.

4. Anna Olson – Sugar
I like Anna Olson, I really do. She seems nice and someone who’d be great to have as a neighbour. But each and every single time her show comes on I change the channel. Why? I’m not sure. I think because it’s all baking so it’s just repetitive. Measure this, mix this, bake at 350. She’s never tackling a live swordfish or going spear hunting (like all chefs do, trust me) or doing anything to keep my interest long enough. Plus the white kitchen she cooks in gives me a headache. She does have a new show however which focuses on general cooking and it’s better, but a little spear hunting would put it over the top.

3. Ted Allen – Food Detectives

It was about time Ted Allen got his own show. But really, food detectives? I get it, Ted’s a smart guy, so let’s put him in a white lab coat and get him to talk science no one cares about. Ted’s my favorite regular judge on Iron Chef, but this show is unwatchable. The man can cook, get him in a kitchen instead of talking about dying your shirt with beets.

2. Giada DeLaurentis – Everyday Italian

She’s a beautiful woman, no doubt, but even that can’t get me watching this show long enough. I have decided what actually drives me crazy about this show is her sporadic over-the-top Italian pronunciations of certain ingredients. For anyone who’s watched that show, she doesn’t have the slightest hint of an Italian accent, except when one of her choice ingredients comes up in a sentence. “Now I’m going to add 1/2 cup of grated MOOT-ZARELLLLLLLA cheese and stir to combine.” Bam, suddenly she sounds like Super Mario and then snaps right back out of it. Is that enough to make me write off this show? Apparently it is.

1. Road Tasted – The Deen Brothers

I actually think this may have been replaced with “Road Tasted with the Neeleys” (also terrible), but this without a doubt is the worst show I’ve seen on the Food Network. Riding on momma Paula Deen’s coat tails has never paid off better for 2 boys who basically drive around high fiving for half an hour. Asking ridiculous questions, creeping out most of their guests, I wonder if they ever get tired of people asking if they can meet their mom? Unwatchable.

Honorable Mentions:

Nigella Feasts
She’s not re-inventing the wheel with her food, but can anyone in the food business work a camera like a Nigella can? She is mesmerizing to watch, peppering everything up with colourful adjectives and mild innuendo. She’s found her niche and works it well.

Throwdown with Bobby Flay
I like this show. I like how average cooks from small towns can smoke a professional chef at their specialty they’ve perfected throughout the years. People like to root for the underdog, me included.

Check out our latest article in Home Makeover Magazine here!

We review the Breville Smart Oven, Kyocera “Everything Mill” Adjustable grinder, as well as provide a great summer recipe!

The link above will take you directly to our article, however feel free to check out the Home Makeover Web Site here as well.

Stay tuned, cause we’ll have more videos, recipes and other great articles posted in the very near future!

Vancouver Personal Chef Drew Cooks! Seared Ahi Tuna Salad from Drew Munro on Vimeo.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

- one 8oz sashimi grade ahi tuna filet
- 2 medium yams, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 roasted red peppers, cut into thin strips
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 1/4 cup sauce
- lemon juice
- balsamic reduction
- olive oil
- butter
- salt and pepper
- 2 large belgian endive
- 1 cup organic pea greens

Method:

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over med-high heat and add in chopped yams. Season and saute for 5-6 minutes or until slightly browned. Transfer to the oven and finish baking for 10-12 minutes.

In a small sauce pan, add in the quarter cup soy sauce and juice from one lemon. Bring to a boil and allow to reduce to about 1.5 tbsp, about 7-9 minutes.

Season Ahi with salt and pepper. In a large very hot saute pan, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp of butter. Place ahi in the pan and saute for 1 minute per side, until just seared and slightly browned. Transfer to a plate and let rest.

To plate:

Take a basting brush, and paint a stripe of the soy lemon reduction across the plate. Using a ring mold, layer in some of the roasted yams, then the peppers, then the avocado. Remove the ring mold. Slice the endive in half, then slice into small half rounds. Toss with pea greens, lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt, and then place a portion on top of your salad.

Slice the ahi into small triangles and arrange 2-3 small pieces on the strip of soy lemon reduction. To finish, drizzle around the salad with balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive oil!

This is a beautiful and unique dish that isn’t too hard to pull together and will be sure to impress your guests! Enjoy!

Vancouver Personal Chef Drew Cooks! Pork Tenderloin with Wild Mushroom Orzo from Drew Munro on Vimeo.

Recipe:

Ingredients: (serves 4)

For roasted tomato rosé:

- 3 medium vine ripened tomatoes, diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk
- salt, pepper , e.v. olive oil

Method:
Set oven to broil. Arrange tomatoes in a thin layer on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Broil for approximately 12 minutes or until slightly charred. In a medium sauce pan, combine butter and flour until evenly incorporated, and then whisk in milk, stirring until thickened, about 2-3 mins. Reduce heat to simmer, add in tomatoes and puree with an immersion blender or regular blender for a smooth sauce. Set aside.

For the Wild Mushroom Orzo

Ingredients:
– 2.5 cups uncooked orzo
– 4 shallots, sliced thinly
– 1 cup chopped oyster mushrooms
– 2 tbsp marscapone cheese
– salt and pepper

Method:

Boil water in a medium sauce pan, season liberally with salt and add in orzo.
While orzo is cooking, in a sauté pan heated with olive oil, cook the shallots and oyster mushrooms until browned, and set aside. Drain orzo and return to pan off the heat. Stir in the marscapone cheese, and the oyster mushroom mix, reserving 1 tsp to garnish each plate. Stir until evenly mixed.

For pork tenderloin:
– 1 small pork tenderloin, cut in half
– 1 tsp butter
– 1 tsp olive oil
– salt and pepper

Remove any silverskin or excess fat from the tenderloin and season liberally with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 375F.

Heat a large sauté pan over med-high heat and add in the olive oil and butter. When pan is hot, add in the pork tenderloin, searing both sides until caramelized, 3-4 minutes. Finish in the oven for approximately 10-12 minutes depending on the size of your tenderloin, until cooked through.

To plate:

Using a ring mold, spoon 3-4 tbsp of the orzo mixture into the center of each plate and using a squeeze bottle or a small spoon, drizzle sauce around the edge of the mold. Remove mold and you should have a lovely little puck holding its shape.

Slice 3 small medallions of pork and arrange on top of the orzo. Top with the reserved caramelized shallot and mushroom mixture and garnish with fresh chives or flatleaf parsley, serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Last time we wrote about the immersion blender, the ever-handy blending, pureeing, and food processing tool. Did you try any of the recipes we recommended? If you missed the action, check that post out here.

Today’s must-have kitchen tool is…

SILPAT Silicone Baking Sheets

Made in France (which is boldly stamped across the entire product; only the French), SILPAT has the distinction of being the most popular non-stick baking item ever invented. Made from a combination of food grade silicone and fiberglass, it is the ultimate non-stick surface for baking, pastries and even sugar-work.

Countless chefs list this product as a must-have tool for their recipes, including Thomas Keller’s “The French Laundry Cookbook”.

They are built to last even after being used thousands of times with regular care, and not only will they work better than parchment or wax paper, it’s easier on the environment as well. Think of how many rolls you’d save over the course of owning one.

They aren’t cheap, expect to pay $25-$30 for a regular sized baking tray SILPAT, but investing in high quality cookware and accessories is always a good idea.

Here is my favorite quick recipe that I use my SILPAT for regularily.

Parmiggiano Reggiano “Chips”

Ingredients:

1 cup finely grated parmiggiano reggiano cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 F
Line baking sheet with SILPAT. Using a ring mold or any other shape (I have a star shape that looks cool) Spoon about 1 tbsp of the grated cheese into the mold to create a thin layer over the bottom. Repeat this until the cheese is gone. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. You will have about a dozen crispy “chips”, use to garnish pastas, salads or meat dishes.

I love wine. A lot.

If I was on “Survivor” one of my items I’d bring to the island would be a case of good red wine, and every tribal council meeting I would be sitting there amidst all the drama with a nice big glass of red wine. How cool would that be?

Now, pairing wine with food has been going on for hundreds of years, and yes, certain foods can go better with certain wines than others, no ones arguing that. What I’m not a huge fan of is the “rules” that have developed over the years that some seem to follow with fervor and determination when eating out, or even at home for that matter.

No red wine with fish.

White wine with beef? You can just get out right now.

Merlot with your chicken? Sacrelig!

I drink red wine probably 90% of the time, it’s just what I prefer, though I know people who drink white just as much, and aren’t huge red fans. Why should someone be forced to to have wine they aren’t crazy about just to enjoy their food? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of good wine and food in the first place?

If you’re eating a beautifully cooked piece of salmon, with gorgeous sauce and sides, is it going to spontaneously combust in your mouth if you have a nice glass of red with it? Probably not.

If the food is good, and the wine is good, then life is good! Stop worrying about rules and pairings to the point of not enjoying your meal to the fullest, life’s too short for that kind of thing. 

Drew Cooks! has a 2-page article in Home Makeover Magazine’s annual sustainability issue this month! You’ll find reviews of green kitchen products, simple tips on being more eco-friendly in your day-to-day kitchen routine, and one of our Spring recipes we’ve posted on the blog in the past.

Click here to view the pdf:

The website for Home Makeover Magazine can be found here.

Spring brings around the start of halibut season, and this simple and delicious preparation shows off the fantastic texture and delicate flavour of the fish. Local new potatoes and seasonal greens are perfect sides.

Halibut is a beast of a fish, and can weigh 250lbs or more. The world record Halibut ever caught weighed in at 459.6lbs, now THAT is a fish! In this preparation, the skin is left on the filets in order to crisp it up nicely, however if skin is not your cup of tea feel free to ask your fish monger to remove it for you when you buy your halibut. Let’s get to it!

Ingredients: (serves 4)

- 4 pieces halibut filets, 6-7 ounces each, skin on
- 1lb small new potatoes, cut in half
- 2 cups fresh spinach, stems removed
- 1/2-cup baby arugula
- ¼ cup flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup pancetta (in a pinch regular bacon works) chilled and sliced into small, thin ½ strips
- juice from 1 lemon
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 375F. In a large pan, boil some salted water and cook the potatoes until nearly fork tender. Drain and arrange on a baking sheet lined with foil. Coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. While potatoes are roasting, liberally season the halibut filets with salt and pepper. Remove excess moisture from the skin side with a paper toil, and using a butter knife, spread the 2 tbsp of butter over the surface of the skin of each filet.

Heat a large sauté pan over med-hi heat. Once pan is hot, place in the halibut, skin side down, and pan-sear for approximately 4-5 minutes. Flip the fish over gently and place in the oven along with the potatoes and cook for an additional 6 minutes. Heat another sauté pan over med-hi heat with a teaspoon of olive oil. Throw in all the greens except the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Toss until wilted, then empty into a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, add the chopped pancetta, and fry until crispy. Drain off the excess fat and add in the lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes and set aside.

To plate:

Place 5-6 of the potatoes in the center of the place, and top with the wilted greens. Place the halibut filet skin side down on top of the greens, and top with some of the lemon pancetta sauce. Garnish with the flat leaf parsley and serve immediately.

Is it your turn to host the party for the big game this year? Skip the chips and store-bought dip this year, and try some of our recipes for food that will make your party the hottest ticket on the block.

We’ll start off with a tutorial for a recipe we posted on the Drew Cooks! food blog several months ago, and in my opinion this is the mecca of party food. The ultimate crowd pleaser: Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos, Smoked and Stuffed.

If you choose to make only one recipe from this article, make that one.

Next up, nachos gets a facelift:

Proscuitto and Smoked Cheddar Nachos

Serves 6

Ingredients:

- 300 grams proscuitto, thinly sliced and roughly chopped
- 3 cups grated smoked cheddar (smoked gouda also works)
- 1 small jar roasted red peppers, or 1 cup home roasted red peppers
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup large green olives, pitted and sliced (optional)
- 1 cup chopped green onions
- 4-5 cups tortilla chips
- sour cream
- salt and fresh cracked pepper

Method:

In a large heavy bottomed pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, stir until soft and then cover, turning the heat down to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes until the onions are caramelized. Slice the roasted red peppers into thin strips and add them to the onions, cook for an additional 5 mins. Remove from heat and set aside. Arrange half the chips on a large serving platter, and cover with half the grated cheese. Set the oven on broil and place the platter under for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the remaining chips and cheese. Broil again for 2-3 minutes until 2nd layer of cheese is melted. Evenly place proscuitto, olives, red peppers, onions, and green onions around the platter of nachos and finish with dollops of sour cream, salt and fresh cracked pepper. Serve immediately.

Seared Tequila Lime Flank Steak Sandwiches

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For steaks and marinade:

- 3-4 lbs beef flank steak
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
-  1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
- 1/3 cup tequila
- juice from 1 lime
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp sri racha chili sauce (Frank’s or Tabasco works)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper

Combine all ingredients into a large ziploc freezer bag or tupperware container and mix well, add in steaks and marinade for 6-8 hours in the fridge. Do not marinade longer than 24 hours with this marinade as the lime juice will begin to cook the meat.

Sandwich and Spread Ingredients

For horseradish and chive mayonnaise:

- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp hot horseradish
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
- salt and fresh cracker pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Set aside in fridge.

Other ingredients:

- 1 dozen crusty sandwich rolls
- lettuce
- sliced tomatoes
- sauteed onions
- Monterery Jack cheese, sliced

Method:

Preheat a hot grill for 10-15 mins until searing hot. Remove the steaks from the marinade and sear for 3-4 minutes per side, until just med-rare. Remove from grill and cover plate with aluminum foil, set aside. Lightly grill the sandwich rolls until slightly charred, and spread both sides of the sandwich with horseradish chive mayonnaise. Place the rested steaks on a cutting board and cut into slices about 1/4 thick. Pile sliced steak, cheese and other condiments on the crusty roll, slice in half, and serve on a large serving platter.

Dig in!