Gooseberry Stuffing

Recipe by Sweet Basil Café • Photo by Danny Daniels

Serves: 10

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup peeled and diced carrots

2 Tbs plus 2 tsp peeled and diced parsnips (for taste)

1/4 cup diced white, red or green onion (or chives from the garden)

1/4 cup diced fresh tomato

1/8 cup diced macadamia nuts

1/2 Tbs dried (or 1 Tbs fresh) of each: rubbed sage, cumin, ground basil

1 cup spinach (large chop before wilting)

4 cups large chop bread (Preferably Sweet Basil bread, but any will do. Remember: The heartier the bread, the stronger the flavor and you will need a splash more stock.)

1 1/4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or juice

1 tsp Chardonnay

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup fresh gooseberries (or 1 cup gooseberry compote)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In medium pot, heat oil and add carrots, parsnips, onion, tomato and nuts. Sauté until lightly soft (nuts will brown lightly). Add seasoning (sage, cumin and basil) to mix while sautéing. Remove pot from heat. Add spinach and bread to pot. Mix until all is coated. Add stock, wine and salt and pepper, and toss until all is coated, not soaked. (If it is too wet, add more bread. If it is too dry, add more liquid.) Toss in gooseberries and lightly mix. Place all ingredients in a pan and bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Fresh Mushroom Bake

Recipe by Majestic Valley Wilderness Lodge • Photo by R&R Productions Event Photography

Serves: 9

1 lb mushrooms, washed and de-stemmed (may leave whole or cut in half)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tsp fresh marjoram

1/2 Tbs salt

1 Tbs fresh chives

4 Tbs chicken broth

2 Tbs heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place mushrooms in 9” x 13” baking dish. Combine butter, marjoram, salt and chives. Pour over mushrooms. Mix chicken broth and heavy cream. Pour over mushrooms. Cover with tin foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes.

Jalapeno & Smoked Bacon Corn Bread

Recipe by Sizzlin’ Café • Photo by Aaron A. Weaver

Serves: 12

2 Tbs butter

1/3 cup finely chopped onions

3 strips minced hickory smoked bacon

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 tablespoon baking powder

2 pinches of salt

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1 whole minced green jalapeno, seeds and stem removed

4 Tbs honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions, bacon and cook until soft and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and cheese. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, jalapenos, and honey. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Stir in the onions and bacon. Spoon the batter into lightly greased 9” x 13” pan or regular size muffin tins, filling 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let rest on wire rack. Serve warm.

Spaghetti Squash with Birch Syrup Bourbon Butter & Candied Pecans

Recipe by Spenard Roadhouse • Photo by Danny Daniels

Serves: 4

Birch Syrup Bourbon Butter:

1/4 cup butter

1 Tbs birch syrup

1 Tbs bourbon

Thoroughly mix all ingredients together and set aside.

Candied Pecans:

3 Tbs powdered sugar

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp paprika

2 Tbs water

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk sugar and spices together in a large bowl. Add water. Incorporate pecans into mixture. Bake for 8 minutes, stir and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until crispy.

1 small spaghetti squash, about

2 1/4 lbs

2 1/2 Tbs Birch Syrup Bourbon Butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add enough water to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a paring knife. Turn squash over and cover with foil again and continue to cook another 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender. Remove from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a mixing bowl.

Heat a skillet. Add the birch syrup bourbon butter, spaghetti squash, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly but gently to heat and combine. Place in serving dish and garnish with candied pecans. Serve immediately or cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Pomegranate Green Beans

Recipe by Sweet Basil Café • Photo by Danny Daniels

Serves: 8

Splash of olive oil

4 cups fresh green beans

1/4 cup pearl onions

1/2 cup diced shallots

1 cup vegetable stock

1/8 cup sliced almonds

1/8 cup chopped fresh herbs (mint or cilantro, or your preference)

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, fresh

Salt and pepper to taste

In sauté pan, heat oil and add beans, onions and shallots. Cook over medium heat and stir until lightly soft. Add stock to pan and cook until reduced by 3/4. Toss in almonds, herbs and pomegranate seeds and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and serve. May add a dash of campari or grenadine for flavor.

Roasted Butternut Nest

Recipe by Promenade Café, Anchorage Marriott Downtown • Photo by Aaron A. Weaver

Serves: 2

1 butternut squash

1 yam

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup melted butter

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel squash and cut in half. Mix sugar, butter and salt and pepper. Coat squash with sugar mixture. Roast at 400 degrees for 25-35 minutes. Peel yam and trim sides and ends to form a large rectangular block, set aside trim. Cut block into 1/4” x 2 1/2” battonets (French fry shapes). Toss with sugar mixture and roast at 400 degrees for 5 min.

Crème Fraiche:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup vanilla yogurt

1/8 cup fresh tarragon

Salt and pepper

Combine and set aside.

Garnish:

1/4 cup flour

1/8 cup cinnamon

Remaining ends of yams

Take the two ends of the yams and with a carrot curler make yam curls. Mix together flour and cinnamon. Toss the curls in flour mixture to coat. Drop in 300-degree fryer for 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.

Place roasted squash on plate, use yam sticks to make a nest inside the squash and place the fried curls on top. Serve crème fraiche on plate or in a side dish.

Alaska Ocean Seafood Chowder

Recipe by Juno Restaurant • Photo by Aaron A. Weaver

Serves: 12

1/4 lb bacon

1 lb butter

1 1/2 onions, diced

1/2 lb celery, diced

2 oz roasted garlic, chopped

1/2 lb flour

8 oz white wine

8 oz clam juice

1/2 gallon half & half

1/2 gallon heavy cream

5 potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 lb halibut, diced

3/4 lb salmon, diced

8-10 shrimp, diced (about 1/2 lb)

1 1/2 Tbs onion salt

3 Tbs garlic salt

6 oz bourbon

In a sauce pot, cook bacon until crispy, then add butter, onions, celery and garlic. Cook until the vegetables become slightly tender, then add flour to make a roux. Slowly add the white wine and stir constantly to avoid lumps. Add the clam juice, half & half, heavy cream, and potatoes, then let simmer for 25-30 minutes. Add the onion salt and garlic salt. Bring heat to medium, add the seafood and cook for 8-10 minutes. Add bourbon 4 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers.

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