7/08 Chef Rick Tarantino

Rick Tarantino or Chef Rick as he is know in the media has a diverse back ground that has helped him build a successful career as a celebrity chef. He attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Campus and graduated with a Bachelors' of Science from the School of Food Science and Nutrition. Then began his work experience at the prestigious chain of Sheraton Hotels and Resorts from Los Angles to New York's five star St Regis Hotel, Rick worked his way up the corporate ladder. But that was only the beginning, with years of experience in the family hotel business that he was raised in and now with corporate hospitality business under his belt, he began his entrepreneurial career and started Inn Vision a state of the art in-room movie company in hotels around the country. After successfully selling that venture he went back into his family hotel and restaurant business with his father. Emerald Hotel and Resorts International, owned and operated hotels and restaurants in New England.

Rick then returned to school and received his Masters of Science degree from Johnson & Wales University, the world leading hotel and culinary school. Wanting to give back he began teaching at the school. That lead to an opportunity to develop an alumni and development office for the Chancellor, so when his father retired, they sold the hotel company and Rick began his next career as an educator, author and fundraiser. During the ten year period at Johnson & Wales, Rick met Justin Miller a young inspiring 6 year old who loved to cook. Rick trained Justin to become the Guinness Book of Records Worlds Youngest Chef and the two travelled the world cooking and inspiring others. This launched Rick in to the Television and Media industry.

The pair appeared on almost every national television show venue from Good Morning America, David Letterman, Disney, to the Food Network. Rick also became a research chef for many national brands like Westinghouse, Rival's Crock -Pot, Cattlemen's, BBQ sauce, Kraft Foods, and VacuWare to just name a few. In addition he now appears regularly on HSN ( Home Shopping Channel ) and The Shopping Channel Canada as well as National Infomercials and Tradeshows.

Chef Rick has experience in many media outlets, live appearances, press tours, news shows, morning shows, radio, infomercials, cook books, and currently co-hosts a cable cooking show called You Won't Even Miss it. He worked with Celebrities like the late Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, Jarred Fogle from Subway and Martin Yen. He is sought after for recipe development by food companies and supermarkets. He develops many of the free recipes you pick up at the grocery store and tours supermarkets regularly teaching customers recipes and how to enhance their meals to get out of the "Food RUT". You can see him at Hannaford's, ACME, Lowes, Sweet Bay and Shaw's. He also endorsees his own line of products called Chef Rick Spices, Chef Rick Seafood , Proware Professional Kitchen Products and Bold Chef. He does product development for companies like All-Clad , Williams Sonoma and Westinghouse.

Go to www.myrastellidirect.com/chefrick!

Chef Rick’s Grill Beefsteak Tomato

Ingredients:

2 Large beef steak or heirloom tomatoes

1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basal

1/4 tsp pepper

1 clove garlic crushed

¼ cup olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat grill on high for 20 minutes. Place foil or grill pan on grill. Set temperature on medium and keep closed.

Wash tomatoes and cut tops off. Using a melon scoop gently spoon out inside being careful not to go all the way through to the outside. Chop inside tomato pieces into smalls diced pieces then set tomato pieces aside.

In a 2 quart mixing bowl mixing bowl, combine chopped tomato pieces, 1/4 cup each of Mozzarella, Parmesan and Italian bread crumbs. Add salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, basal and garlic. Mix well, drizzle olive oil in to mixture until ingredients begin to stick together,  using your hands or a spoon stuff tomato shells place tops back on tomatoes

Brush tomato skin with oil and place over low heat

Cook for about 15 minutes until skin is begins to wrinkle and tomato is fork tender

Chef Rick Tip:  wrap the tomatoes in foil and place on your grill, cook for 10 minutes wrapped. They will steam and cook quickly. Carefully remove from grill with spatula underneath tomatoes or it may fall apart.

MOJO Marinade

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup minced yellow onion

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano flakes

1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup olive oil

Instructions

Pulse the garlic and onion in a blender until very finely chopped. Pour in orange juice, lime juice; and remaining seasonings. Blend using the pulse setting until thoroughly incorporated. While pulsing, drizzle olive oil into mixer to emulsify evenly.

Chef Rick Tip: Try marinating your meats over night for extra flavor or place in a vacuum sealing bag and seal to “Power marinade” you meats

Mango Peach Salsa

Ingredients

2 peaches, peeled and diced

2 mango, peeled and diced

1/3 cup diced red onion

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toss all the peaches, mango, onions, lime juice, oil and cilantro together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Chef Rick Tip:  try adding in some Kiwi or Strawberries to sweeten up this salsa!

Nonna’s Hot Dog Frittata

Ingredients

6 leftover or fresh cooked hotdogs

1/4 cup olive oil

8 large eggs

1 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese

1 Cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

3/4 cups diced red pepper

3/4 cup diced green pepper

¼ cup diced Yellow Onion

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

Pre heat oven to 350 F.  Take cooked Hotdogs and cut into ½ inch thick pieces. Preheat skillet (black cast iron works great) on medium heat.   Add in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté peppers and onions until soft.  In a 2 quart mixing bowl combine eggs, remaining oil salt and pepper and blend set aside.  Add hotdogs to skillet and heat for 2 minutes. Pour in eggs, add in cheese and stir. Keep stirring for 5 minutes to mix up cooked eggs.  Let set for 5 minutes then place entire skillet in oven and bake for 10 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean (Nonna’s method).

  

Chef Rick Tip: Try the Sunday version of this by substituting, hotdogs with cooked Italian sausage.