Hydroponic Recipes

Hydro/Organic Salsa

This is our salsa to be served in CuisinArt Tapas Lounge and Rum Bar for happy hour. We serve it with a variety of chips including plantain, corn, flour tortilla, beet, taro, etc. It is also great as a sauce with fish or chicken.

We use Doc Resh’s wonderful produce of course, but if you don’t have that use your nose, sense of touch and your visual facilities to pick the ripest freshest ingredients. 90 % of cooking is the raw product!

Large Batch

• 4 Cups Resh’s Red Tomatoes – 1/4 inch dice
• 2 Cups Resh’s Yellow Tomatoes- 1/4 inch dice
• 1 Pineapple- Charred well and diced
• 2 Mango – diced
• 3 Cups Assorted Resh’s Sweet Peppers – charred and diced
• 2 Cups Resh’s Cucumbers (seeded and diced)
• 1 Cup Red Onion- diced fine
• 3 Cups Assorted Organic/Hydro Herbs (mint, dill, tarragon, basils, parsley, etc. (Roughly chopped)
• 5 Assorted Organic/Hydro Chilies- charred and chopped (adjust amount depending on heat, remove seeds if necessary)
• 2 bunches Hydro Scallions- finely chopped
• 1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Caribbean Lime Juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, tossing to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill to blend flavors, stirring occasionally, at least one hour or up to 4 hours. If making in advance add fresh herbs and scallions daily as needed so they don’t discolor.

Agua de Pepino (Cucumber Limeade)

Makes 2 large glasses

I love scuba diving and have made many trips to Mexico and other Caribbean locales. After a good morning of diving I love to make a lot of citrus tangy healthy cocktails. The one that I like best is this refreshing traditional south of the board libation.
At CuisinArt Dr. Resh’s Hydroponic garden often fills our refrigerator with cucumbers.
”When life gives you Cucumbers, make Agua de Pepino!”

• 4 cucumber, cut into chunks
• 3-4 sprigs mint
• Juice of 2-3 limes (or to taste)
• Sugar to taste (1/4 c or so is good)
• Ice

Put cucumbers and mint through the juicer. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Serve over ice. Garnish with mint sprigs and a cucumber slice.
Note: A bit of sweet ripe fresh pineapple is a good addition and allows you to cut back on sugar. I would add about 1/4 of a peeled fruit. Sounds weird, but trust me, it’s totally addictive.

Island Tuna Ceviche with Hydroponic Chilies and Herbs

Note: At the resort we serve this ceviche in a cracked coconut from the resort’s orchard and place it on crushed ice. You can use any of your favorite hydroponic herbs and chilies making it new and exciting each time you make it!

Yield: 4 portions

For the marinade:

• 1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 tsp. Thai Fish sauce (available in Asian markets)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. Honey
• 1 Tbsp. Coconut water (from the fresh coconut)
• 1 tsp. Chili pepper, minced fine (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 cup Cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Mint, roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Tarragon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1lb Sushi-Quality Yellowfin Tuna, diced in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 Tbsp White balsamic vinegar
• Juice of 2 limes
• Juice of 2 lemons

Combine all ingredients, except for the acid and the fish, in a bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.

Cut the cleaned tuna into small pea-sized pieces.

To serve add the white balsamic, the juice of the lime and lemon, the papaya and the fish to the marinade. Finish with sea salt and decorate with the toasted coconut, chives and lemon zest.

West Indian Leg of Lamb with Hydroponic Herbs

This is a great marinade for lamb, goat or other red meat but works equally well with poultry, pork or even thick fish steaks. Marinade for 12-24 hours then grill, roast or put on the rotisserie and cook to desired doneness. Make a full batch and separate it out in small containers then use it all week with different combinations of dishes.

Marinade for 2 legs of lamb

• 1/2 C Olive oil
• 5 Key limes- sliced thinly
• 1/4 C brown cane sugar
• 1 bn Hydro Thyme- roughly chopped
• 1 bn Hydro Rosemary- roughly chopped
• 1 C Assorted Hydro herbs like basil, chives, tarragon and scallions
• 2 heads Garlic- roughly chopped
• 1 Red onion- sliced thinly
• 1T Cracked Black Peppercorns
• 1T Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1T Cracked Allspice Berries
• 2T Mellow Yellow Spice Blend
• 1T Whole Mustard Seeds
• 4 Bay leaves- crushed
• 1T Whole bird peppers (Dried)
• 1 Fresh Red Chili- roughly chopped
• 2T Chopped fresh ginger
• 2T Sea Salt

Break the lamb legs down into Primary Muscles leaving the fat-cap on or if using poultry cut it into breasts, thighs, legs and wings.

Mix all ingredients for the marinade together.

Take enough marinade to give a good rub into meat. Place the meat and a bit of extra marinade in zip lock bags and squeeze out any air. Place in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight.
Grill, roast, or bake to your taste. Red meats should be well caramelized on exterior and rosy inside. Poultry cooked through.

Serve with a Hydroponic tomato and cucumber salad.

Hydro Herbs and Spring Garlic Breadcrumbs

(Makes 3 1/2 Cups)

I use these crumbs on everything. You can make a big batch and freeze them in small ziplock bags and pull out what you need any time you are baking fish, stuffing mushrooms or peppers, making casseroles of eggplant or zucchini. Add some chilies if you like it spicy. I love a bit of curry and shredded coconut mixed in as well to give it that Caribbean touch.

• 2 stalks spring garlic-minced (6 regular garlic cloves may replace spring garlic when not in season)
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 C parsley leaves-packed
• 1/2 C assorted hydroponic herbs (basil, cilantro, dill, tarragon, etc.)
• 1 teaspoon regime blend
• 3 C white breadcrumbs (I like to use the Japanese panko variety)
• Kosher salt and Pepper to taste

Optional ingredients:

• Curry
• Coconut
• Chilies

METHOD:

1.) Combine all ingredients except breadcrumbs in the bowl of a food processor and run until smooth.

2.) Add the crumbs to the herb mixture. Pulse to combine and adjust seasoning as necessary.

NOTE: Crumbs must be stored in the refrigerator or freeze

Tempura Batter

Tempura is a crowd pleaser but only when it is done properly. We’ve all had soggy, leaden, heavy poorly done tempura. YUCK!
With this batter you will have found success. Try with all your hydroponic veggies such as peppers, green tomatoes and wax beans as well as with carrots, broccoli and yams. I even thin it out a little more and dip sage and other herbs in it for decorating my plates.

• 3 Cups Rice Flour
• 233g Flour
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
• Ice Cold Soda Water As Needed

Sift dry ingredients together and add eggs. Mix to incorporate.
Add water as needed until it reaches the proper consistency.

Notes:

Best if made an hour or two before using and left in the refrigerator.
Remember you can always add more water but you can’t take it out so err on putting to little at the start and adding an ice cube or some more water just before using.

Tofu Rouille

The forefather of this recipe comes from sunny coastal Provence. My recipe cuts the fat, but keeps the saffron, garlic and spices. Refrigerate leftover rouille to use with grilled meats, fish, on sandwiches, baked potatoes and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. The sauce is great with crudite or thinned with a touch of vinegar and used as a salad dressing. I love it with Hydroponic peppers, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes!!!!

• 1/2 russet potato, peeled and roughly diced
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 lb. firm tofu – drained and lightly pressed to remove excess water
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 10 drops Tabasco
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the potato in boiling water until tender, drain and place in a bowl. Lightly mash the potato with a fork and allow the steam to escape.

In a small saucepan bring 1⁄4 cup water to a boil. Add the saffron, remove the pan from the heat, and steep the saffron for 8-10 minutes.

Combine the potato, saffron liquid, garlic, chili powder, tofu and oil in a blender of food processor, and puree until the mixture is smooth. Season with the Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste.

Mellow Yellow Sweet Pepper Puree

Hydroponic yellow peppers are perfect for this sauce. They are so nice and meaty. This is a very versatile sauce and can be used on poached fish, poultry or even as vinaigrette for pasta salads. In the restaurant we put it in squeeze bottles and do “Picasso like” paintings on our plates with a variety of colors such as basil oil, yellow pepper, red pepper, balsamic reduction and curry vinaigrette.

Makes 1 pint

• 6 each Yellow Peppers, roasted and peeled, be careful not to over-color on the grill or the sauce will not be as vibrant.
• 1⁄4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup White balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 pinch Saffron threads
• 1 tsp Kitchen D. Orr Mellow Yellow Spice Blend
• 1 tbsp Fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1⁄2 tsp Ground white pepper

Place all ingredients in a heavy bottomed, non-corrosive saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Puree in a blender until very smooth. Chill and store in refrigerator until needed.