Category Archives: Recipes

March 2017 Full Moon Dinner – Ground Breaking

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Every once in a while, we like to include our Vegan fans into the mix and do something that we feel is a statement of our culinary style while at the same time challenges what we normally do on a daily basis.  Basically, get us outside of our comfort zone.

For March, we based it on the “Worm Moon”, and since we didn’t want actual worms on the menu, we decided that because worms are known for helping aerate the earth, we should feature foods that also push through terra firma, hence the title for this month.  Ground Breaking refers to the roots and tubers that take the ground and make it their bitch home.

We had so much fun designing this menu and the lovely Holly Chipman came up with some fantastic cocktails to match, who worked with the energetic Paul Kessock, Jr. of Bellows and West Indies to curate the beverage selections.

Chef Vince Alterio and his associate Patrick Ryan also recently joined our team and are making tremendous contributions.  Ben Lewis is continuing his progression in our kitchen and with Mathew Gibney in the garden, our culinary team is looking as strong as ever.  Erik LaFontaine was also helping us for our dinner and we credit him with many of the photos you are about to feast your eyes on.  Pun intended (more to follow).

Check out a copy of the menu:

March 2017 menu

As you can see if you read the menu, Vegetable Puns were on our minds.  Dad Jokes aside, the food came out beautifully.

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The Artichoke Cup held a handful of White Beans cooked with Roasted Garlic.  It was a simple enough dish, accented with Green fresh from our Windy Level Garden, a Lemongrass-Sun Choke Shooter, and Sweet Potato-Hemp Crisps made to resemble bacon.  (EVERYONE likes the smell of bacon, even Vegans).

On the second course, we went with Radishes and Greens from the Gifft Hill School EARTH program, and substituted Moringa Powder (also from our garden) for the Beet Powder.  We really should just put an asterisk next to everything grown local; we use so much of it.

Oh! The colors!
With a filter, the tofu really pops!
Kim Chee Radish Greens

 

Course number three was hands down the favorite of the night for our guests.  The Celebration of Celery Soup was rich, but light; creamy, yet dairy-free; simple-looking, but complicated in flavor.

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So smooth, it was like eating silk, if silk were flavored like Celery Root and Truffles.

The “Main” Course consisted of another combination of mushrooms and white food.  That might sound boring, but it came out very understated and elegant.  See for yourself:

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One of the guests who attended was someone who was cajoled into coming, his reluctance coming from being a dedicated “meat-eater”, and he wasn’t sure if he was going to be satisfied at the end of the evening.  He even went so far as to ask, “Why is the main course the smallest?”.  At the end of the night, however, he changed his tune.

The dessert was an incredible Carrot Cake with a White Chocolate_Walnut Frosting.  You may have read about it when you looked at the menu.  We ended up taking Baby Carrots from our garden and doing a quick candy on them for use as the garnish.  They were “the most carroty carrots” some of the guests ever had.  Kudos to our gardener!

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All in all, our guests had a unique experience that they will hopefully remember for a long time to come.  Many of them came from St. Thomas and used our Free Shuttle Service.  We look forward to seeing them at our next event on April 11th: Raw Deal – Uncooked and Cured

https://www.facebook.com/events/1108579892604299/

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Can you find the gardener?

As a bonus this month, we are sharing our recipes for the cocktails, courtesy of Holly Chipman.  Some of them are easy.  Some of them are not.  Feel free to contact us with questions or to book your spaces for our next FMD!  340-777-5464

Cheers!

FMD Cocktails April 2017

 

  1. Not Your Mother’s Tiny Bubbles

1 oz Chopin Vodka, ¼ oz Carpano Antica, ¼ oz lemon juice,

Fill bottom of chilled champagne flute with mixed berry puree, top w/ booze and juice, fill with ginseng and mixed berry kombucha – garnish w/ lemon twist.

 

  1. Strong + Straight Up

1 ½ oz Chopin Vodka, ½ oz grenadine, ¼ oz lemon juice, squirt thyme simple syrup

Shake hard with ice – Serve in chilled martini glass with fresh thyme garnish.

 

  1. Cool as a Cucumber

1 ½ oz Hendricks Gin, fresh muddles basil, cucumber slices + fresh lime juice, apple juice

Muddle lime juice, cucumber + thai basil in cocktail shaker – Top with Hendricks and shake over ice – Strain in tall glass filled with crushed ice – Top with organic apple juice +garnish with fresh cucumber.

 

  1. Put on Your Smokin’ Jacket

½ oz Woodford Reserve, ½ oz Mezcal, ¼ oz fresh oj, squirt smoked maple syrup, 3 dash bitters.

Shake all over ice and strain over large cube in rocks glass – Garnish with fresh orange wheel.

 

  1. A Mule

1 oz Chopin, ½ oz fresh oj, splash fernet

Layer in the glass – vodka + oj then top with ginger beer – Splash fernet on top.

Making it Your Own Part 1–Drinks

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At St. John Catering, we want to make sure that your event reflects your style: from the setting to the main course to the bar offerings, and what better way to put your own twist on it than with a signature drink.

If you have a bar at your event, there are a few selections that most people like to include–mostly tropical drinks with a Virgin Islands staple: rum.

The most widely known is the Painkiller. It consists of both light and dark Cruzan rum, Coco Lopez (cream of coconut), orange juice and pineapple and is topped with freshly ground nutmeg. A great way to provide this for a party is to have the non-alcoholic version pre-mixed and to allow your bartender to pour the rum over ice and top it with the rest. This helps to ensure that guests are getting the right amount of alcohol for their own preference and to make sure that those who don’t consume can still have a taste of this delicious blend.

Dark and Stormy’s are also a favorite–traditionally done with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, topped with ginger beer, and garnished with a lime. These no fuss drinks are a great way to get the party going.

Last but not least is a classic Rum Punch. Let your guests choose either light or dark rum and serve it over ice with a blend of pineapple, orange and cranberry juice with a splash of grenadine.

These drinks, along with a full bar, make your event complete–but how about making it one to remember?

By including a signature drink in your menu, your guests will have a chance to try something new, and remember it always!

We have done the simplest of cocktails like Cruzan Cherry Rum and Coke to twists on the favorites like a ‘Nilla Killa–a Painkiller with Cruzan Vanilla Rum to a special request that the bride called Stoli Doli–fresh pineapple infused Stoli on the rocks.

There are plenty of suggestions we have that were enjoyed in the past like a Coconut Mojito or a Passionfruit Margarita but the best part is that this cocktail embodies your special event.

Have something in mind? Just contact Mat to add your signature cocktail to the menu of your next event.

Fresh Pasta 101

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Channel your inner Italian and whip up a batch of your own fresh pasta.  You’ll feel satisfied that you created something real and delicious and it’s much easier than you think.  No, really…it is.

Here’s one easy recipe that’ll have you throwing together fresh pasta dishes in no time.  Making your own fresh pasta is fun, easy and impressive and can be used in a million different applications.  When it’s done, it can be cut into any shape you want.  Stuff little cutouts to make ravioli, cut large rectangles and make real lasagna, snip into strips and call it tagliatelle.  No matter what you make of it, it’s delicious and worth the investment.

 

Fresh Egg Noodles

This recipe makes about a half pound of pasta (2 servings).  Using all-purpose flour will help cut down on your kneading time a bit.  You can use completely all-purpose if you can’t find semolina.

1 c all-purpose flour
1 c semolina or durum wheat flour, as fine as you can get it
2 whole egg
1 tsp Olive Oil
About ½ cup water (variable)

1.  Start by mixing and sifting your flours.  Form a mound with a well in the center to hold your wet ingredients.
2.  Crack the eggs into the center of your mound, break the yolk with your finger, and add the oil. Begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape.  The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated. At this point, start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands.
3.  Once there is a good ball, remove the dough, scrape up and discard any leftover bits, and lightly re-flour the board.  Continue kneading for about five or six more minutes.  It should be elastic and a little sticky.
4.  Wrap in plastic and allow to rest for about 30 minutes before you roll it out.
5.  Roll out dough using a rolling pin or pasta maker and cut into desired shape.  Blanch quickly (1 minute) in boiling water and enjoy!

 

A Piece on Pizza

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A Piece on Pizza
If you don’t like pizza, there’s something wrong with you.  It’s the perfect canvas for any culinary expression from savory to sweet, plus it’s cheap, quick, and easy to make yourself.  No wonder Wolfgang Puck made a mint on it.  It’s so versatile yet calls out to each of our inner child.
Ourfive year old son Lyric often talks about how nice a Pizza Tree would be and he loves to help me make the pizza dough. Lyric gets as excited as a puppy after its owner gets home when the timer goes off. Its truly like Pavlov.Here’s a simple, solid recipe that holds up well to variation.  It will keep for up to three days, but if you know you won’t be using it for a while, freezes just as well.  I make 3-6 dough balls at a time and that lasts about two weeks in our house, but we eat a LOT of pizza.  Remember that it takes a day to rise properly.This recipe makes enough for one 16-18” pie.

11 ½ oz (by weight) all-purpose flour
1 heaping tsp dry active yeast
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar

6 ¼ oz warm (not hot) water

– Thoroughly mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
– Add water and mix until evenly distributed.  Dough should be springy to the touch and not stick to the sides of the bowl.  Add small handful of flour if necessary.
– Squeeze all the air pockets out of the dough ball.  Grasp it in both hands and roll your knuckles together, then turn the ball 90 degrees and repeat several times.  Don’t do it too much or the dough gets tough.
– Lightly coat the dough in vegetable oil and cover loosely with plastic.  Set it in the fridge for 24 hours or freeze immediately.  When using a frozen ball, set it out for 3-4 hours, then 20 more in the fridge.
– To cook, lightly dredge the ball in flour and hand toss or roll with a pin for a thinner crust.  Diameter should be about 16” round or half sheet pan if rectangular.  Place on a high quality cookie sheet or pre-heated pizza stone.  Top with your choice of sauces, meats, veggies, and cheese.  (I like my pepperoni on top so it gets crispy).
– Bake in a pre-heated oven at your highest setting for 6-10 minutes, rotating once and checking once a minute after six minutes to avoid a burnt crust.
– Remove from pan and let cool 2-3 minutes before cutting to allow the cheese to set a bit.

Serves 1-6 depending on your hunger level.

 

10 Things to do with a Baguette

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Mmmmmm…Bread.  Who doesn’t drool over a toasty, crusty piece of delicious bread?  It is cheap and versatile and can be put to use in so many different ways.  Here are our 10 favorite things to do with a baquette:

  1. French toast!!  In a shallow bowl whisk 3 eggs, ¼ cup of milk, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract and a dash of nutmeg.  Dip slices of baguette into the mixture coating both sides thoroughly and remove allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl.  Place pieces into a hot buttered skillet, turning until both sides are beautifully brown- about 2 minutes on each side.  Serve with butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit, whatever you want!
  2. Pizza…Cut baguette in half lengthwise and pull out some of the soft middle to make a little “boat”.  Brush bottoms lightly with olive oil, spread a generous amount of tomato sauce on top of each piece of bread and cover with shredded cheese and your favorite pizza toppings.  Place pizzas on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake in 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
  3. Bread Pudding.  Ridiculously delicious no matter how you do it.  You can make it sweet for dessert or breakfast or savory as a side dish for dinner.  This is basically a baked version of French toast and the options are endless.  Check out some recipes online at:  http://www.epicurious.com.
  4. Chocolate bread.  Seriously.  Need we say more? Cut the baguette lengthwise and lay pieces of semisweet chocolate on top.  Toast until the chocolate has melted and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a little sea salt.  Warning:  This is highly addictive.
  5. Paninis.  Not as tricky as they’re made out to be.  Simply grilled, pressed sandwiches and the baguette is perfect for it, you just have to turn it inside out.  Slice the bread lengthwise and place your favorite sandwich meats and between the crusty outside pieces of bread.  Melt butter in a large hot skillet and place the sandwiches, bready side down in the pan.  Use another heavy pan or pot to weigh down the sandwich.  Cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
  6. Bruschetta.  There are literally a billion things you can do with this.  Get creative.  Slice bread into ¼ inch pieces and toast with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic and toast until crispy.  Cool and top with anything you like.  Some of our favorites:  mozzarella, tomato and basil (classic!); goat cheese, fig and balsamic; roasted eggplant, onions and peppers with hummus…the list could go on.
  7. Ever hear of panzanella?  Well, now you have…it’s a delicious Italian bread salad and it easy and versatile.  Cut bread into ¼ inch chunks and add tomato, cucumbers and onions.  Dress with vinaigrette, salt and pepper.  Done!
  8. Learn how toast was supposed to be.  Cut off a piece of baguette and slice it in half.  Spread with butter and toast in the toaster oven, regular oven, or on the grill. Simple.
  9. Make your own croutons.  With day old baguette, cut into 1” squares and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper (for extra love add garlic, thyme, rosemary, parmesan, red pepper flakes, or any other tasty flavor).  Place in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until crunchy and toasted.  Add to salads and soups.
  10. Breadcrumbs.  Cut stale bread into small chunks and get out the old food processor.  Add a little salt and pepper, your favorite seasonings like thyme, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, etc…Whir quickly in the processor and there you have it.  Homemade seasoned breadcrumbs.  Keep in a Ziploc in the freezer until ready to use.