Tapas with Jossilyn

Gathering these pics, I realized that my passion for food and
 international cooking has positively infected my children.

This is Jossilyn and she can cook!
The Transformation from 'Kid' to 'young Chef'.

Roasting the Bell Pepper adds the best natural fire roasted flavor.

Gathering the Mis en Place - What's Important!

Kalamata Olives, Fresh Herbs, Anchovy Paste, Capers, Roasted Garlic, Roasted Pepper & Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Yeah Baby!

Into the Mortar and Pestle--then work it out
the old fashioned way!

The Finished Olive Tapanade

 Olive Tapanade Tapas topped with Roasted Bell Pepper,
Fresh Garden Chive and Spanish Cotija Cheese.

Filling the Sherry glasses with a "Kid Drink"  Apple Cider!

Wild Game - Are you Game?

 Cooking game is great!  It's fun to create a

recipe to showcase different game meats.  This one features

Elk Loin from my nephew Jamie's 2011 hunt.

(My 2011 hunt was fruitless!)

At a low temp, carmelize the onions. When they are browned just right add the garlic.  
Shortly after, deglaze with a little something you have on hand. 
This California Zinfandel adds a bold, peppery fruitiness.

 These medallions are dusted with cracked black pepper and

pan fried in a clarified butter & olive oil blend.

 Basting the medallions while pan frying them helps to ensure even cooking.
 When the steaks near a perfect medium rare temp, I'll add finely chopped shallots

 and a few tablespoons of orange marmalade.

Next, I deglaze the pan

with an old Spanish Port and add a light brown sauce.
Finally, a monter au beurre and the sauce is just right.

The Final Dish:

Sweet buttered Yams with dried Cherries and sliced Almonds,

Diced Russet Potato and Fresh Pork Side Hash,

Steamed Broccoli, Caramelized and Drunken Onions with Garlic 

and our Main ingredient... Elk Loin

This is a homemade delight!

All I needed was some fried potato gaufrettes and this would have been fine dining worthy!

Chef Mark S. Painter,

Mark Of Excellence

Cool Ice

I have had the privilege of making my own 300 pound blocks of ice at the school for sculpting demonstrations and competitions.  I have been experimenting with freezing things in the ice blocks and dying the ice with food coloring.  Below are a few of my more recent ice experiments:

This was supposed to be some sort of a scary deep sea, fish-like creature. 

I sometimes think my work stinks!  But what can you do?

Here is a swan I did for my wife, Kerri Jo.

Happy Mother's Day to you, Kj...

every day.

Swans and Harps do seem to be in demand this year - I'll have to change that up.

Another Swan - and what's up with this apron - is that Duck Tape?

Another Swan! -Never realized how many swans I'd done.


Back Side showing the spinal column - She is an 'Alien Chick' who sported a sword and had a double luge.

Calamari di Comunale

Calamari di Comunale

This dish is a tribute to my mother; Comunale is her maiden name.

The pasta is home made using squid ink and then rolled through a pasta machine

Plating is an important aspect of culinary presentation

The final presentation includes an elegant harp ice sculpture I created for the occasion and a luscious Italian Pinot Grigio 

Check out the Link below to see it in action...Link yet to be installed

Chef Mark S.Painters Calamari d' Comunale

Got a New Hat and It Made Me Want to Cook

My girl and I were walking in downtown Denver a few weeks ago and we stumbled upon a unique and wonderful hat shop.  We shopped through the window and found the one that called my name~a new Panama that I adored.  I had worn a similar hat for our wedding twenty two years earlier.  How could I resist?  I got a new hat. It wasn't a traditional Panama, but a new hat all the same.

We played a little Latin music driving back to the Springs and planned out a special meal. 

Fish tacos would be the star.  Red beans and rice, fried plantains, spicy tropical mango coleslaw, home made tortillas and a touch of Cuban Rum.

A quick stop at the market on the way home allowed me to gather the necessary ingredients and I was ready to cook!
Fish, Cabbage, Mangos, Red Bell Pepper, Garlic, Plantains, Banana Leaves and Fresh Cilantro.

Slice the cabbage thin and add to the thinly sliced mango, red bell pepper, red onion and some chile pepper paste, rice wine vinegar, olive oil, a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Slice the plantains about one half inch thick then fry them in clarified butter with cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, salt and pepper.  Let cool and smash them with your palm.  Then fry them again.

Home made corn tortillas

Our Red Beans and Rice

Cook the beans about eighty percent of the way, then steam them with jasmine rice to finish.

Make a plate!

Fried Plantains

I got a new hat and it made me want to cook!

Fish Tacos with red beans and rice, fried plantains, spicy mango slaw and corn tortillas

Fresh Porgy Snapper

The Tortilla Press in Action

One of our former favorites - Le Central

A former student, Joseph Ress, is working in the kitchen so we decided to stop in while on a recent trip to Denver.  The place was beautiful and we were very pleased with our brunch. 

  



Omelette Lorraine

 

Their fresh pastries are excellent!
 




The 'Couple in Shades' rates Le Central --Excellent in the following categories:

• Service
• Atmosphere
• Food

Moderately Priced
We recommend if you haven't been to Le Central in a while... treat yourself!


Thank you Le Central - you are on top of your game!