Mini Potato Pancakes with Créme Fraîche and Caviar
Makes 30 Pancakes
Recipes courtesy of Robert Ehrlich - Culinary Academy, Syosset

7 russet potatoes (grated)
1 spanish onion (grated)
1 bunch scallions (sliced)
2 eggs
2 cups flour
salt/pepper to taste
vegetable oil for pan frying
créme fraîche
black caviar

Mix together well first 6 ingredients. In a large frying pan add oil (1/2 inch in pan) over moderate heat. Test oil with some potato mixture. In ring mold, fry 1-2 oz. of potato mixture. When bottom is set, remove mold and flip pancake. Cook till golden brown. Finish in 350° oven for 10 minutes. Top with a dollop of créme fraîche and caviar.

Roast Loin of Pork Stuffed with Spinach and Wild Mushrooms with Dried Cherry and Port Demi Glace
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Robert Ehrlich - Culinary Academy, Syosset

(1 of 2) Roast Loin of Pork Stuffed with Spinach and Wild Mushrooms

5 lbs. boneless pork loin (filleted open and pounded to 1/4 in. thick)
2 bags cello spinach
3 shallots (small dice)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
5 cups assorted mushrooms (shiitake, portobello, oyster; sliced)
4 heads roasted garlic (cloves removed and puréed)
1/2 cup white wine
butcher's twine
salt/pepper to taste

Sauté shallots in butter and oil until light brown. Add mushrooms and cook until browned. Add white wine and let reduce by 1/2. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool. Spread roasted garlic purée over entire pork. Season with salt and pepper. Spread spinach and mushroom mixture evenly over pork. Roll up from long end and tie. Season outside of pork with salt and pepper. Roast in 350° oven 1.5 to 2 hours or until a thermometer reads 155° internally. If browning, cover with aluminum foil and let finish in oven.

(2 of 2) Sundried Cherry and Port Demi Glace
1 shallot (small dice)
2 tsp. butter
1 cup port wine
2 cups veal or beef stock
salt and pepper to taste

Carmelize shallots in butter. Add port wine and let reduce by 3/4. Add veal stock, season to taste with salt and pepper. Let reduce until slightly syrupy.

Recipe courtesy of Robert Ehrlich - Culinary Academy, Syosset

16 small red potatoes
1/2 lb. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. fresh oregano (chopped)
1 tsp. fresh rosemary (chopped)
1 tbsp. fresh thyme (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
1 small ring mold

Insert cutter into potato about 3/4 of way up cutter, cut ring around potato - cut slit to bottom of potato and remove cut piece. Remove cutter and trim bottom flat. Toss potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in oven at 350° 35-40 minutes until done. Melt butter with fresh herbs, season, coat potatoes with butter and serve.

Miniature Rice Balls

Recipe courtesy of Chris “Dimo” LaVecchia - Ciao Baby, Massapequa


ground beef
onions
garlic
salt & pepper
oregano
white wine
peas
arborio rice
can of crushed tomatoes
parmesan cheese
San Marzano plum tomato sauce
ricotta cheese

Sauté ground beef with onions, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano & other fresh herbs and spices. Once the ground beef has been browned off, continue to cook while adding canned crushed tomatoes and peas. For the rice, first in a pan start with sautéed onions, then add arborio rice and white wine. Cook the rice, stirring occasionally and add parmesan cheese at the end. The rice balls are fried, then topped with a San Marzano plum tomato sauce and a dollop of ricotta cheese. .

Recipe courtesy of Andrew Whitcomb - Whitsons Culinary Group, Islandia

10 lbs. lump crab meat
4 lbs. red roasted pepper
4 tbs. salt
1 tbs. black pepper
8 lbs. panko (divided in half)
1 lb. dijon mustard
3 lbs. mayonnaise
12 whole eggs
3 tbs. paprika
1.5 lbs. all purpose flour
7 lbs. fresh corn of cob
4 lbs. butter split in thirds
3 qts. heavy cream
10 oz. curry powder
8 lbs. green squash (julienned)
8 lbs. yellow squash (julienned)
2 lbs. red pepper (julienned)
1/2 gal. olive oil

Sauté red onion and roasted pepper in a third of the butter until the onion is fully cooked. Place in a food processor and chop well. Combine in a working bowl adding crab meat, salt, pepper and half the panko, mustard, mayonnaise, and eggs. Mix well. Take the second half of the panko and add the flour and paprika. Mix well and hold for breading. Place the corn in a heavy sauce pan, cook with the second third of butter, curry and cream. Cook until tender. Place in food processor and hold for service. Using scoop, scoop out crab mix and gently mix into breading. Sauté with the last third of butter. Sauté the julienned yellow squash, green squash and red pepper with olive oil. Place the sautéed vegetables on the bottom of the plate adding the crab cakes on the top. Top off with the corn curry sauce.