That changes now. If Rocco Whalen can find the time and make huge changes (and stick with it), given his schedule, health, history – oh, and what he does for a living, then I can. You can. We all can. And I never believed that more than I did the night of his final taping for Fat Chef, which premiers tomorrow night at 10 p.m. on The Food Network (watch party at Fahrenheit beginning at 9). Trust me, you’ll be inspired too. You can’t not be. Whether it’s to lose weight, or fix something else in your life, his journey will have an impact on you.

You will find out more about that journey and the changes Rocco made tomorrow. Talk about a complete fridge makeover – and not just at his home. You’ll see from the earlier post there are lots of new wonderful healthy options at the restaurant, too!

Here, Rocco’s shares some thoughts with us on his new food philospphy, plus a few recipies:

“I start my day, everyday, with either a protein shake or a egg-white omlette. When I eat lunch, it consists of 4-6 oz of white proteins (chicken, lean pork or fish) and I have 10-12 oz of green vegetables (spinach, kale, chard, asparagus). I try to say away from sugar vegetables, like carrots, beets, etc. Starches… be careful. If I eat any, it’s a roasted sweet potato (no white flour, no sugar, nothing processed). If it was not here a 1000 years ago, try not to eat it often. Watch how many ingredients are in something. Take a bisquit for example: butter, salt, flour, lard, honey, sugar, scallions – lots of ingredients. Look for simple cooking procedures, recipes with less than 5 ingredients in them.”

Quick Rocco’s Salsa (served best at the stadium before a Cavaliers’ game, Section 110!)

Mix in Vitamix and enjoy on fish or another white protein

Tandoori Yogurt Marinade for Chicken or Shrimp

Mix all ingredients together and marinate protein 24 hours in advance. Serve over a mixed green salad.

Awesome Almond Pesto

Protein Shake Recipe (210 – 230 calories)

Many of C2’s menu items meet the requirements for Cleveland Clinic-approved “Go!” foods, which are low in sodium and fat, and loaded with essential nutrients.  C2 also offers diners a variety of traditional comfort foods. Plus, they have complimentary valet parking.

For a taste of C2 at home, the chef Cachot shares a couple favorites:

C2 Shawarma Marinated Chicken Skewers

Marinade:

Mix all ingredients together and place chicken in to marinate overnight.

Raisin couscous:

Place hot water in container with couscous.  Cover for 30 minutes, and then cool. Add remaining ingredients and keep at room temperature. Place marinated chicken on skewers and cook on flattop. Mix vegetables with oil, lemon juice, cumin and cilantro. Plate skewers and couscous.

C2 Quinoa Salad

Add first 6 ingredients together and refrigerate.

Orange Reduction:

Sweat shallot and garlic in oil add remaining ingredients and reduce till thick. Strain and finish with sesame oil and soy sauce.

Parmesan Crisp:

Place 2 oz shaved parmesan cheese on griddle and cook till brown, turning once. Remove and let cool slightly.  Trim off excess to desired size.

Combine refrigerated ingredients, olive oil and orange reduction. Add frisee lettuce and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy C2 quinoa salad with parmesan crisp.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

A Little History: Jimmy McCurry was a soldier in the Argentine War of Independence who created a delicious sauce made with olive oil, garlic and parsley. Jimmy’s name wasn’t particularly easy for the native Inca’s to pronounce; as his delicious sauce spread throughout Latin America it became known as Chimichurri.

Chimichurri Sauce

 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley

 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 3 tablespoons garlic, minced

 1 Jalepeno pepper, seeded and stem removed

 2/3 cup rice wine vinegar

Skirt Steak

 4 skirt steaks (8oz.)

 2 tablespoons fresh cracked black pepper

 4 tablespoons kosher salt

Directions: For the Chimichurri: Pick the parsley leaves off the stem, reserving the stems and dividing them from the leaves. In a blender, combine the garlic, parsley stems, half of the Jalapeno, and rice wine vinegar. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth. With the motor running, slowly pour in the oil. Once all the oil has been poured in, turn the motor off. Transfer to a container. Next, chop the parsley leaves very fine. Add the parsley to the mixture and whisk together. Season to taste with salt.

Season the steak generously with ½ tablespoon of kosher salt on each side, as well as ¼ tablespoon of black pepper per side and place on a large plate. Preheat a grill to medium heat.

Set the steak on the hot grill. Cook for 6 minutes on the first side. Rotate the steak 45 degrees and cook another 6 minutes. Turn the steak over and continue to cook until the steak is done, about 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Once cooked, place the steak on a clean cutting board and allow it to rest for 5 to 7 minutes before slicing across the grain into 2-inch wide strips. Serve atop your choice of rice and beans and top with the Chimichurri sauce.

Ed Thompkins, the wine specialist with Heinen’s, suggests Tarot Grenache, a BIN 75 selection when making this dish at home. He says it’s an expansively fruit-forward wine from Australia featuring ripe raspberry and white pepper notes that will pair nicely with the spiciness of the dish.

• 3 tablespoons of local clarified butter or canola oil
• 3 large local eggs, beaten
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup local sharp cheddar, grated
• 4 thin spears of local asparagus, cleaned and blanched
• 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, sautéed golden brown and lightly seasoned

Heat an 8 inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Add butter or oil to the pan and heat until the oil shimmers. Add the eggs and season to taste with salt. Working quickly and using a heat resistant rubber spatula, stir the eggs constantly and vigorously over the heat until they are 80 percent cooked. Remove from heat and continue stirring until 95 percent cooked (about 15 seconds). Use your spatula to spread the eggs evenly over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the cheese over the entire egg surface. Place the asparagus off center (close to the pan handle). Sprinkle mushrooms over asparagus. Using the spatula to help you, roll the omelette away from you to form a roll and continue to roll directly onto a warm 10 inch or 12 inch plate. Serve with crispy potatoes or a simple salad.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. Laurie, one of the Heinen’s wine specialists, suggests Grunüer Veltliner (nicknamed GruVe) with this recipe.  She says the dry, medium bodied Austrian grape is perfect with the eggs, mushrooms and the hard-to-pair asparagus. She adds that it has acidity, minerality and would be beautiful with this lighter dish.

Like many of you, we’ll certainly be firing up our grill several times over this upcoming holiday weekend. But instead of the usual ribs, burgers, steaks or fish, I think we’ll try a nice variety of seafood, chicken and beef satays accompanied by these sauces from one of my favorite chefs, Rocco Whalen of Fahrenheit (I just love his passion, enthusiasm and of course, cooking!).

Rocco says that, “As much as I love a great burger or lamb chop or whole hog, I also love, love, love satays.” Some of his favorites include: Tuna/scallion satay, chicken satay, rare beef satay and lamb skewers. He says to soak the skewers first, then add 1 – 2 oz slivers of meat, then grill, chill and enjoy!

Here are two sauces he says works especially well for all types of satay:

WASABI AIOLI FOR  SATAYS (yield 1 ½ c)

• KOSHER SALT   1 ½ TSP
• OBA LEAVES, CHOPPED   3 – BUNCHES
• EGG YOLKS   2 – EA.
• WASABI PASTE   4-TBS
• RICE WINE VINEGAR   4 –TBS
• GINGER VINEGAR   3-TBS
• CHILI OIL 1-OZ
• PEANUT OIL  4-OZ
• SOY SAUCE  1-TBS

PROCEDURE:

STEP 1- COMBINE THE TWO VINEGARS

STEP 2- SEPARATELY COMBINE THE TWO OILS

STEP 3- USING A BLENDER, PUREE THE OBA LEAVES, EGG YOLKS, WASABI PASTE AND SOY WITH JUST ENOUGH VINEGAR AND OIL (IN EQUAL PARTS) TO ALLOW BLENDER TO TURN.

STEP 4- ALTERNATE ADDING THE OILS AND VINEGARS ONCE THE PUREE IS FINE AND SMOOTH.

STEP 5- SEASON WITH THE KOSHER SALT NEAR THE FINAL ADDITIONS OF OILS AND VINEGARS.

SWEET AND SOUR MUSHROOM SAUCE

• ¼  CUP  MUSHROOM SOY
• ½ CUP FISH SAUCE
• 1 OUNCE LEMON JUICE
• 1 CUP SUGAR
• 1  TABLESPOON GARLIC, CHOPPED
• ¼  OUNCE CHILI FLAKES
• 1  CUP RICE VINEGAR
• 3 OUNCE DRY SHIITAKE (soaked & julienne)
• 2 CUPS  MUSHROOM LIQUID
• ¼  OUNCE CORNSTARCH, slurry

BOIL INGREDIENTS, REDUCE BY ¼  SLURRY

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making these sauces at home, one of the beer specialists at Heinen’s says that for most Japanese- inspired dishes, a great pairing will almost always be a good Pilsner (and by good, he means not Bud or Heineken). A few he likes:  Sam Adams Noble Pilsner, Pilsner Urquel, and Lagunitas Pils. He says these beers are all light straw to golden color and crystal clear. The Hops (usually Saaz) in these beers come through with a spicy bitterness and a spicy floral flavor and aroma. Smooth and crisp with a clean malty palate, many are grassy. These crisp, clean flavors act as a cleaning agent for your taste buds. What he likes to call “re-setting the palate”. These recipes both have big, complex flavors which will not be interfered with by these beers, but will actually allow these flavors to bloom.

Roast Chicken with Spring Asparagus, Pea, and Pancetta Hash

• 1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into a 1/2-inch dice
• ½  small yellow onion, chopped small1 T. garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
• ¼ pound fresh peas, shelled
• Fresh thyme, 3-4 sprigs, leaves removed
• Fresh basil, 2-3 leaves, torn
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a 12-inch cast iron frying pan over medium heat. Fry the pancetta, turning it frequently so that it browns and crisps on all sides; this takes about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Leave the heat on and the renderings in the pan. (With a well-seasoned cast iron, this should be all the fat you need to cook the remainder of the hash.) If you’re not using a cast iron, you might need to add a tablespoon or so of oil.

Add the potatoes and let sit. Use this time to season them well with salt and pepper. Add the fresh thyme. Once they’ve become a little brown underneath, flip them, and let cook again for 4-5 minutes.

When the potatoes are about three-fourths as crisped and brown as you’d like them (this takes about 15 minutes), add the onion and garlic. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and peas. Cover the pan and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until crisply cooked. Remove the lid, return the pancetta to the pan for another minute, to reheat. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Add the fresh torn basil leaves, toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Roasted Chicken

• One 3-4 pound bird
• 1 lemon, halved
• ½ small onion, cut into chunks
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 4 sprigs thyme
• Oil
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Under cold running water, rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry. Place on a roasted rack or cookie tray. Oil the outside of the bird and then season with salt and pepper. Season the inside cavity with salt and pepper and place the lemon halves, onion, garlic, and thyme inside. Place in the oven for approximately 50 minutes, or until the outside is golden brown and the juices run clear. Place on a clean cutting board and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

This recipe was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making this dish at home, Laurie, the wine consultant for the  Avon store, suggests Grunüer Veltliner (nicknamed GruVe) with this recipe.  She says this dry, medium bodied Austrian grape is perfect with chicken as well as hard-to-pair peas and asparagus.  It has acidity, minerality and is a wonderful spring wine.

Cauliflower Bisque with Maytag and Balsamic

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Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees.   Lightly toss cauliflower with olive oil and lightly season with salt.  Roast in the oven just until you see the first signs of golden brown colorization.  Remove from the oven and reserve.  In a large pot, heat the olive oil and cook the onion, leeks, celery, and potato until translucent.  You do not want to caramelize as it will discolor your bisque.  Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, sachet, and roasted cauliflower to the pot.  Simmer for 25 minutes and remove from heat and remove the sachet.

Strain the solids from the liquids and place the solids in a Vita-Mix or blender with enough liquid to puree.  Do not add more liquid than is necessary and be careful to place a towel on top of the blender and apply pressure when blending hot mixtures.

Once everything has been pureed, place back into the pot adding enough of the liquids to reach desired consistency.  You want the bisque to coat the back of a spoon nicely.  Run the bisque through a very fine strainer making sure all solid bits are removed and a velvety texture has been achieved.

To serve, ladle the bisque into your bowl and mound a teaspoon of Maytag blue cheese in the center of the bowl.  A drizzle of balsamic syrup and a micro green will finish the dish!  This soup can be made ahead easily although be careful to bring the bisque up to temperature slowly as it burns very easily.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making this soup at home, Glenn, the beer guy at the University Heights store, says with these ingredients there are a few different directions you could go. He suggests a beer medium to light in body to go with a creamy bisque. Something with a slight touch of sweetness to compliment the balsamic and with enough flavor to hold up against the blue cheese. He personally likes Amber Ale and adds that one of his favorite Amber Ales is made by Bell’s Brewing Co. from Michigan. The flavors of this beer will pair nicely with this combination of ingredients – slightly sweet and a little earthy. Bell’s Amber Ale is sold in 6 packs, for $9.99 at most Heinen’s and that the University Heights location always carries it.

The first recipe Di Lisi shares is for peperonata, which he says is great with bruschetta, or on top of grilled fish or chicken.  He adds that it’s scaled to restaurant portions but can easily be scaled down by half to still get a good yield.  This will keep and can be served cold, room temp, or hot. The second recipe is for his favorite popcorn.  He jokes that this answers the question about what chefs eat when they get off shift and go home.

FLOUR-PEPERONATA

HEAT OLIVE OIL…MED HIGH HEAT….ADD DRIED CAPERS AND SAUTE FOR A MINUTE. STIR IN PASTE AND COOK 2 MIN. SHOULD BE BRICK COLOR. STIR IN ONION, FENNEL,CHILI FLAKES AND SALT. COOK STIRRING FIVE MINUTES. DEGLAZE WITH VINEGAR, STIR IN PEPPERS. COOK A MINUTE. ADJUST SEASONING.

SMOKED PAPRIKA BUTTERED POPCORN

MELT BUTTER WITH LIME ZEST. PLACE OIL IN SAUCE PAN. HEAT ON MEDIUM. ADD THREE KERNELS TO SEE IF IT IS HOT ENOUGH. SHOULD MAKE MUCH NOISE. ADD POPCORN, COVER, SHAKE A FEW TIMES A MINUTE. CORN IS DONE WHEN POPPING STOPS. ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. TOSS IN MIXING BOWL WITH BUTTER FIRST THEN SALT, PAPRIKA, AND CILANTRO. TASTE- ADJUST IF NEEDED.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making either dish at home, Ed Thompkins suggests pairing it with Porta Sole Sangiovese (BIN 75) and Victory Headwaters Pale Ale for the popcorn (Top 40).

Soft Caramels

1. Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Stir often, the milk solids may settle to the bottom and burn. Continue cooking, until candy thermometer reaches 246°F. Add vanilla. Quickly set the pot on a wet towel for 15 seconds, this stops the caramel from getting hotter.
2. Immediately pour into a parchment lined pan. Cool completely. Cut into 1 1/2 x 1-inch pieces; wrap in parchment paper.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. Glenn, the beer guy at the University Heights store, says that when he saw this recipe was for caramel, his first thought was Lindeman’s Pomme (apple) Lambic. He says that the sweet richness of fresh caramel and the light tartness/sweetness of green apples, make this a perfect contrast of flavors. Caramel, being rich, creamy and sweet, needs a light, slightly acidic drink to clean away the sweetness left on the palate. This sparkling drink looks great in a champagne flute, accentuating the fine carbonation. He adds that if fruit beers aren’t your thing, he’d try Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. This is a silky-rich dark beer with a distinct vanilla taste that pairs well with many desserts. It is a medium bodied beer that has a sweet vanilla flavor up front, with a roasted malt, subtle chocolate flavor in the middle. Finishing with very faint hoppiness.  I would think, for my tastes, this would be a wonderful pairing, also, he adds.

These can be found a most Heinen’s, and for sure, at the University Heights location. The Lindeman’s Lambics are available in 16.9 oz bottles for $5.49. Some stores may carry a 25.4 oz bottle, too for $9.99. The Breckenridge Vanilla Porter is sold in 6 packs for $9.99.

Banana Crepes

• 6.5 oz milk
• 2 oz heavy cream
• 2 oz sugar
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1.5 egg
• 1/4 vanilla bean
• pinch salt
  ** Blend together and strain through a sieve
• 1 oz yellow corn meal
• 1.75 oz graham cracker crumbs

** add to strained mixture and mix by hand

Heat an 8-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Lightly brush the pan with melted butter. Pour batter into the hot pan, twirling the pan so the batter spreads out evenly into a very thin layer. Cook about 30 seconds until the crepe comes away from the sides of the pan. Gently flip the crepe over with your fingers or the help of a rubber spatula and continue cooking another few seconds. Transfer to a plate and repeat cooking crepes until all the batter is used

Caramelized bananas

• 8 oz sliced ripe banana
• 2/3 oz light brown sugar
• 1/4 oz butter
• pinch cinnamon

Heat sauté pan; add butter and brown sugar. When melted add bananas and cinnamon, cook for a couple minutes.

Lay flat one crepe, add a little vanilla pudding, caramelized bananas and roll up. Serve with some chocolate sauce, crushed nougat and some whip cream and enjoy!

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. When making these crepes for yourself or for your Valentine, Carolyn from the Pepper Pike store thinks giosolo moscato would pair very well. She says a sweet wine will do the trick – even a sweet Riesling would be nice.