Candy Lesher Cooking Studio | Culinary Expert

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Chef Daniel Lagarde | Lagarde Culinary Solutions lagardeculinarysolutions.com

As seen on Episode 11 “Desert Rose.”

Orange Miso Glazed Mahi Mahi with Truffled Lentil Salad,

Heart of Palm & Micro Greens Salad with Mango Vinaigrette

Serves 4

4 ea 5 oz Mahi Mahi Fillet
8 oz Orange Miso glaze*
10 oz Lentil Salad
4 oz Heart of Palm and Micro Green salad
8 oz Mango Vinaigrette

Method:
1. Season Mahi Mahi with Sea Salt and pepper, Pan-Sear on both side
2. Glaze with Orange Miso, finish cooking in 350 degree oven until medium rare, broil for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Place the fish on top of lentil salad
4. Toss 3 oz of julienne of heart of palm and 1 oz of Micro Greens with 1Tbsp of Mango vinaigrette, season with Sea Salt and pepper, place on top of the Mahi Mahi. Drizzle mango vinaigrette around the plate

Orange Miso Glaze
½ cup White Miso
2 oz Orange Juice Reduction **
1 oz Sugar
1 oz Mirin
1 oz Sake

Method: Mix all ingredients together and reserve

Mango Vinaigrette
1 oz Chopped shallots
1 oz Rice Wine Vinegar
1 oz Mirin
1 oz Mango puree
1 oz Lemon Juice
1 tsp Orange Zest
1 tsp Chopped basil
1 oz Orange Juice Reduction **
½ cup Grape seed oil or Canola oil
½ cup Olive oil

Method:
1. Mix the shallots, vinegar, mirin, mango puree and orange reduction
2. Whisk the olive and grape seed oil., add the lemon juice and orange zest
3. Season with Sea salt and pepper. Chill and reserve

Lentil Salad
1 cup cooked lentils
1 Tbsp Brunoise of carrot, blanched
1 Tbsp Brunoise of zucchini
1 Tbsp Brunoise of yellow Squash
1 Tbsp Brunoise of shallots
2 Tsp chopped fresh mint
1 Tsp Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Truffle oil

Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together, season with Sea Salt and refrigerate until serving time

** Orange juice Reduction: 18 oz of orange juice reduced to 3 oz

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Window replacement: an opportunity for creativity

Whether I am working with my clients on a simple update or on a complete remodel project, I like to introduce them to a realm of possibilities. One possibility I create is to replace existing windows and/or doors. This allows me to bring not only the obvious, energy efficiency, but an opportunity to create a whole new aesthetically appealing environment…a chance to think outside the box in the world of home improvements.

Homes that are well-kept on the inside can create an appearance of being worn if their windows appear old and in need of repair. Replacing windows can not only transform a single room, but recreate an overall feeling of your entire house. With a wide selection of colors and hardware available, you can actually turn your windows and doors into furniture…INSPIRATION. Replacing existing sliding doors with French wood hinged doors or a French wood gliding door is a wonderful way to take your room from ordinary to extraordinary! And check out the possibility of replacing an existing window with a bow or bay window.

New windows offer one of the best returns on investment of any home improvement. No other home improvement project immediately starts to pay for itself the way window replacement can. You can expect to save as much as 41% off energy costs. That’s better than sunscreens! Here’s an example: If your monthly electric bill is $300 and you save 41%, that can put $1,500 back into your pocket! Note… oil just hit a record high; energy costs could double in a few years! Which makes energy saving, beautifully installed windows that much more attractive. Another benefit offered with window replacement is easy cleaning. Many models feature a tilt-in technology, allowing you to wash your exterior glass safely from inside your home. And let’s not forget about security. Interlocking sashes and double-throw locks are just a couple of safety options to check out.

Okay, you decide you need windows replacements (and you blame me for putting the idea in your head… but that’s all right, it’s what I do). Big question is where can you find the best selection AND someone to install them? You’ll want a company experienced and respected in the industry. With so many choices on the market it would be worth your time, and a few dollars, to have a professional take a look at your home and tell you what type of window works best for your home and your geographic area.

I encourage you to bring the beauty of the outdoors in…keep the heat out…and upgrade your view of this incredible community we call home!

The 3 R’s… Refinishing, Refacing, and Replacing

The three R’s… If you have children in the Kyrene school district, that would stand for Respect for learning, Respect for self & others, and Respect for Quality. Growing up as a child in the 70s (did I just say that our loud?), the three R’s stood for Reading, Writing and “Rithmetic,” depending on how you said it. In the world of design and cabinets, the three R’s are simply… Refinish, Reface and Replace. One of the most dramatic ways to give your kitchen or bath a new look is to change the cabinets. When you are thinking of updating your kitchen or baths, you have three options with your cabinets: refinishing, refacing, or replacing them all together. Kitchen cabinets are the most visible and are also the most abused. After a while, they start to look tired and worn and so does you kitchen. New kitchen cabinets can be costly and time consuming. There are alternatives, however, that can give your kitchen a fabulous new look quickly without busting your budget.

Cabinet Refinishing

Most kitchen cabinets are in good shape structurally and only need a new look. The least expensive way to achieve this is to refinish your cabinets. Cabinet refinishing is done by painting or staining the cabinetry, cabinet doors, and draws. One of the latest trends is to combine two different colors in different areas of the same kitchen. For example: finishing your cabinets in a rich dark birch and doing your center island in a dark espresso color. Refinishing allows you to update your existing cabinets with any color you chose. Combining this with new hardware will give you a whole new look.

Cabinet Refacing

Refacing cabinets is more expensive than refinishing, but still less expensive than completely replacing them. When refacing, old cabinet doors and draws are removed. A thin coat of wood or laminate is applied to the remaining cabinet faces. There is a wide variety of styles, wood grains and colors to choose from. New matching cabinet doors and draw fronts are then installed. Refacing can greatly improve the durability of cabinets. If the kitchen cabinet hardware is not damaged, it can be reinstalled. Again, this is a great time to choose new hardware to really add personality and complete your transformation.

The time required for refacing or refinishing cabinets depends on the size of the room, but on average, will take 3-5 days. If you have other areas of your home such as bathroom, linens, laundry, doors, casings, baseboards, etc., these areas can be painted at the same time, giving your whole house a new feel.

Cabinet Replacing

Another option is to replace your cabinets completely with all new ones. New cabinets might cost more, but if your whole cabinet layout and construction is bad, then completely ripping them out and starting from scratch would be a great choice. There are a lot of new styles and finishes out on the market today to give the room you are upgrading a whole new personality.

Whether you decide on cabinet refinishing, cabinet refacing or cabinet replacing, make your decision based on what does more justice for your home’s appearance. Cabinets are a great investment in your home. For the best results a professional should paint or stain your cabinets. You also may want to get advice from a professional interior designer when it comes to selecting a color or combination of colors for your home. As stressful as a remodel can be, it will help to choose the right contractor, one that is licensed, bonded and insured and one that you maintain a mutual respect with. I recommend Designer Cabinet Refinishing for all your cabinet refinishing needs. They offer 48 stock finishes that can be distressed, dry brushed and antiqued to give you that custom look. For your refacing and replacing jobs, I always send my clients to Tim at All Custom Cabinets.

A design guide to curtains

Window fashions, like a great-fitting pair of jeans, can accentuate the positive and conceal flaws. Fortunately, you don’t need to try on a few dozen styles to get that perfect fit. Not to say creating the right look for your windows is easy; even those that seem simple must be well designed to function effectively. But with a little guidance from your designer to help inspire you, together you can create window treatments that will improve special proportions, control light and privacy and add color, pattern and texture to your room.

Fabrics are THE most important element in draperies, appearance, construction and style. And…the most fun! It’s the first thing I choose to pull out my client’s personality, décor theme and to tie a room (or rooms) together. Then the joy over choosing prints and solids becomes a bit technical when we have to consider whether it is the right drape for the desired style. Here’s a little “drape direction” to help guide you in your fabric choices.

Cotton:
One of the easiest fabrics to use and comes in a variety of weights, solids, colors and prints.

Linen:
This is a natural fiber so it drapes well, however fabric does wrinkle and may shrink.

Silk:
Drapes well, sports a formal feel.

Velvet:
Great for colder climates…think cozy cabins. Beautiful for the bedroom!

Wool:
Used mostly for tailored window treatments, although it does drape and come across rich.

Just like our choices in clothing fashions, the attitude you’re looking to bring out will play a large part in your curtain selection. There is a core of treatment styles to start with but from there, like those fabulous-fitting jeans, there are a plethora of options to individualize them. For the sake of simplicity, and not to send my readers into a curtain curtail, I want to briefly mention a few common window fashions.

Cornice (also called Pelmets):
This is a flat, firm form that covers the top of a window treatment, concealing hardware. They are generally rectangular, though may have a sharped edge to add architectural detail.

Lambrequin:
A cornice that extends partway down the sides of the window.

Swag:
A drape of fabric at the top of a window. The most formal, traditional, and elegant window treatments are swags with Tails or Jabots, a cascade of fabric on each side of a swag extending partway down the window.

Valance:
Soft fabric panel, often gathered or pleated but can be tailored flat panels, piped, shaped or fringed. They hang above a curtain hiding the rod.

Café Curtains:
Short curtains that hang across the lower half of a window.

Tie Top:
Curtains tied to the rod with strips of fabric or trim.

Tab Top:
Curtains hung by strips of fabric tabs.

Straight Panel:
Varying lengths of fabric hung straight. Often offer a cleaner, more modern look.

Eyelets (or Grommets):
Simple, modern treatment in which large round holes are cut into the top hem of a flat-panel curtain, reinforced with metal circular disks and then threaded onto a rod.

After hours of playing in fabric books, designing the perfect treatment out of an ideal fabric, it’s time to pay attention to the details. Rods, rings, finials, trims, tiebacks (should I, shouldn’t I), finish colors…at this point those bare windows are actually starting to look just fine to you. Although tedious decisions, they are important! The decorative hardware you choose can set the stage for the window itself, especially if the room is lacking in architectural detail. It’s equally important that the hardware compliments the window dressing. And, because the design industry has its own lingo, let me define some frequently used terms in the world of window treatments.

Finial:
Ornamental nob at the end of a curtain rod.

Holdback:
Hardware used to hold curtain back when open.

Tieback:
Band of fabric or trim used to pull the curtain back away from the window,

Traverse Rod:
Trail system that allows curtains attached by hooks to be operated by a cord/pulley.

With a bit of inspiration and a few defined words…Have some fun! Let your fabrics and colors, prints and patterns speak eloquently. Mix hard and soft materials, add some surprise, catch an eye with a bit if dramatic print and/or pattern. And, if you happen to have that fantastic pair of jeans, go ahead, put ’em on! Get joy from BOTH of your fashion worlds!

Learn more about Mijana here.

Chef Jon-Paul Hutchins Le Cordon Bleu | Executive Chef

Pinot Noir

For more culinary inspiration KEYWORD "recipes", a specific ingredient or click here.