Big Bay's Top Chefs Share Mouthwatering Recipes

Two of the Big Bay's top chefs are sharing their cooking secrets. If you've ever wanted to know what makes Island Prime's cedar roasted plank salmon from Executive Chef Deborah Scott taste so amazing, or the braised pork shank at Humphreys by the Bay Restaurant from head chef Paul Murphy so mouthwatering, this is your lucky day.

Both chefs are participating in the Port of San Diego's ‘This is a Good Day' marketing campaign, offering entrees under $18 for added summer savings on the Big Bay®. The campaign includes deals on waterfront restaurants, hotels and attractions, just in time for summer. The goal is to encourage both local residents and tourists to take advantage of the Big Bay® as one of their top getaway destinations.

 

Chef Deborah Scott's featured under $18 entrée is Island Prime's Seared Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Stack with blue crab salad, avocado, papaya-mango salsa and lotus chips.

Seared Ahi Tuna Stack

Crab Salad:

• 4 oz. Crab meat, "special"
• 1 TBSP. Lemon-old bay aioli
• 1 tsp. Scallion, chopped fine
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

For the crab salad, mix together all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.

Salsa:

• 1 TBSP. Papaya, diced
• 1 TBSP. Mango, diced
• 1 tsp. Scallion
• 1 tsp. Red bell, small dice
• 1 tsp. Yellow bell, small dice
• 1 tsp. Red onion, small dice
• 1 tsp. Cilantro
• 1/2 Jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
• 1 tsp. Cider, vinegar
• Pinch Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp. Olive oil
• 1 tsp. Black sesame seeds
• 1 tsp. White sesame seeds
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

For salsa, combine all ingredients, toss well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Avocado Mash:

• 1/2 Ripe avocado, diced
• 1 TBSP. Red onion diced very fine
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 Jalapeno seeds removed and diced fine
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Place diced avocado in a bowl. Add red onion, jalapeno, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Mash all ingredients with a fork until the consistency of guacamole. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

Spoon Avocado Mash, 4 oz. Yellow fin tuna (sushi grade), Crab Salad, and Papaya Salsa into a ring mold approximately 3/12 inches in diameter by 5 inches high. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Served on a chilled plate with taro root chips, and sweet chili sauce.

---

Cedar Roasted Plank Salmon

Chipotle Cream Sauce:

• 1 bunch Celery
• 2 Yellow onions
• 3 Carrots
• 2 gallon Milk
• 1/2 gallon Heavy cream
• 1 can Chipotle peppers or 6-8 each.
• 1 cup Tomato Paste
• 1 lb. Butter
• 4 cups Flour
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Rough chop celery, carrots, onions and sauté in butter until onions are translucent. Add flour and cook approximately for 1 minute. Add milk and cream let it come to a boil. Add chipotle, and tomato paste. Let cook for about 20 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Cucumber Salsa:

• 1 Cucumber peeled and chopped to small squares
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Red onion
• 1 TBSP. Cilantro
• 1 TBSP. Lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion into small pieces about 1/8 to a 1/4 inch big. Add the cilantro and lime juice. Toss all ingredients together season with salt and pepper.

Chipotle Honey Glaze: (Salmon)

• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 1 each Chipotle pepper in adobo

Combine all ingredients together. Bring liquid up to a boil and reduce heat to a medium low temp. Reduce sauce until it coats the back of a spoon.

Preparation:

Coat 6 to 7 oz. Salmon filet with 1/2 the chipotle honey glaze. Place in preheated oven on an oven grade cedar plank at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove & place on plate re-glaze with remaining Chipotle Honey Glaze.

---

Chef Murphy's featured meal at Humphrey's by the Bay Restaurant is the Braised Duroc Pork Shank with sage demi glace served with ginger whipped sweet potatoes and fresh snap peas. As a special offer, Humphrey's diners can also receive 20 percent off all drinks and menu items every day of the week, except concert nights.

Braised Kurabota Pork Shank with Ginger Whipped Yams

(Serves 6)

• 1/2 cup All purpose flour
• 2 TBSP. Onion powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 1/2 pound Pork Shanks
• 1/2 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 3 Jumbo carrots
• 3 Celery stalks
• 4 Cloves of garlic
• 1.5 cups White wine
• 4 cups Demi glace
• 2 cups Chicken stock
• 1/4 cup Fresh thyme
• 1 Bayleaf
• 1 TBSP. Paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Ground Mustard

Preparation:

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, paprika, ground mustard, kosher salt and black pepper. Place the pork shanks in the dry rub and coat the shanks evenly.

In a large skillet heat two tablespoons of the oil, add 3 of the pork shanks and cook over medium heat, turning the shanks periodically until all sides are brown. Repeat the process with the remaining three shanks, place the browned shanks in a dutch oven. Place the skillet on high heat and add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic add remaining olive oil and cook until tender add the wine, bring to a boil, add the demi glace, chicken stock, add the fresh thyme, bay leaf, bring to a boil and place over the shanks in the dutch oven. Place the dutch oven in a pre heated oven at 325 degrees

Ginger Whipped Yams:

• 3 pounds Whole yams, skin on
• Rinse the yams under water, place yams in a pre heated 350 degree oven on a cookie sheet for approximately 1 hour, remove form oven and let cool for 20 minutes, peel off skine and place in medium mixing bowl and add 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 2 tablspoons butter and kosher salt to taste.

 

Cashew Crusted Halibut (downloadable recipe)

---