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Author: yholmes

Dark Chocolate Bark with Fruit & Nuts

yholmes 1 Comment

Shoes for chocolate… WHY NOT? My original plan was to make a fabulous chocolate tart with dried fruits and nuts and a bottom layer of raspberry preserves. I came to my senses.

What the hell was I going to do with an entire tart worth a nice pair of shoes in 72% dark French chocolate?

Make something cheaper AND buy Italian leather shoes in celebration of 2009 being my favorite year thus far.

I had a bag of nuts & fruit with the ingredients below… but use whatever nuts & fruit you have on hand for an antioxidant packed treat.

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, walnuts and almonds
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries and blueberries

DIRECTIONS

Melt the chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, about 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Pour the melted chocolate over the paper and spread to form a square. Sprinkle the nuts and fruit over the chocolate. Set aside for 2 hours until firm. Cut the bark in pieces and serve at room temperature.

Beef Kofta with Harissa Yogurt Sauce

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In a recent issue of Bon Appétit, meatballs made the list of favorite foods in 2009. I seemed to miss that trend on menus and magazines but nonetheless was inspired by the ethnic versions in the issue.

Kofta, in simplest terms, is a Middle Eastern meatball. The Bon Appétit recipe called for lamb but the beef roast in my freezer was begging to be used. So after a few whirls in the food processor my lean beef was meatball worthy. I saved myself some time and threw the onions in for a few spins. If you have lean beef the onions are key to keep the beef moist.

This yogurt sauce was also begging for something – my new favorite fiery ingredient – harissa. The paste of chili peppers, garlic, coriander and caraway took this sauce from blah to bold.

Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1/2 cup minced fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup coarsely grated onion
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon coriander
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 6 Whole Wheat pitas (warmed in oven or microwave)
  • 2 large onions, halved through core, cut crosswise into 1/4- to 1/3-inch slices

Yogurt Sauce:

  • 1 cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon prepared Harissa
  • 1/2 Lemon, juiced
  • Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

For the Harissa Yogurt Sauce:

Stir all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Cover and chill.

For the Beef Kofta:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and set aside.

Gently mix beef and next 9 ingredients in large bowl. Using 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs (24 total).

Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet used to cook onions; heat over medium-high heat. Sauté half of meatballs until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Top warm pita with yogurt sauce, onions and meatballs.

Goat Cheese, Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomato Terrine

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This is a staple at most of my shindigs. You can make it a day ahead and it is such a beautiful presentation. If you aren’t a fan of goat cheese then just use cream cheese. When processing the sun-dried tomatoes it is much easier to cut them up before adding to the food processor.

Serve with crostini and crackers.

Photo source: finecooking.com

INGREDIENTS

  • 16 oz. cream cheese
  • 4 oz. goat cheese
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk or half & half
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
  • ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained & chopped in food processor (or store-bought)
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

DIRECTIONS

Bring cream cheese and goat cheese to room temperature. With a mixer beat the cheeses and milk until smooth and spreadable. Add more milk if needed to loosen the mixture. Add lemon zest, 1 glove minced garlic and season with 1/4 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Line the inside of a 3-cup sharply sloping bowl with plastic; let the ends extend over the sides a few inches.

Spoon about one-third of the cheese into the lined bowl and pack it into an even layer. Spread the pesto almost completely to the sides of the first layer of cheese. Top with another third of the cheese, the sun-dried tomatoes, and all but 1/2 Tbs. of the pine nuts. Top with the remaining cheese. Pack down, fold the plastic over, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Half an hour before serving, take the bowl out of the refrigerator. Pull on the edges of the plastic to loosen the terrine from the bowl. Invert the terrine onto a plate, drizzle with a little olive oil, and let sit for 1/2 hour to warm up. Sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts, season liberally with pepper, and serve.

 

Lemon Chess Pie

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On a recent trip home to Arkansas I had the pleasure of leafing through a recipe collection from Pat Lacy. Pat is the late grandmother of my beautiful friend Lacy. I had a bite of her Green Bean Casserole and knew I had to look through that little book of handwritten recipes for more old Southern jewels. Folks, I don’t even like Green Bean Casserole… I had seconds.

Home made pies can evoke nostalgic memories, especially when they were a special treat baked by a parent. The combination of a delicious pie and the thoughtfulness of buying kids clothes online for a birthday creates a memorable experience. These traditions and gestures from parents can help create a sense of love and affection in childhood that can last a lifetime.

I came across several great recipes including this one for Lemon Chess Pie. Chess Pies are a Southern specialty of eggs, butter & sugar. When cooked the inside resembles a creamy lemon curd and the top becomes a beautiful golden brown.

Surprisingly, I didn’t have a lot of Chess Pie growing up in the South. My mom always made Chess Squares which are actually NOTHING like Chess Pie (but yummy). This is a very rich pie… so plan on sharing.

Since I shouldn’t eat an entire Chess Pie (no one should or COULD really) I made 3 small ones. The recipe makes 1 regular pie and the cranberries were just a holiday addition.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pie crust
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup fresh cranberries (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare a pie plate with a homemade or store bought crust. Set aside.

Combine sugar, flour, cornmeal & salt in a bowl. Add melted butter, lemon juice & milk. Mix well. Add eggs one at a time until just mixed. Pour in pie shell. If adding cranberries – drop a few fresh cranberries on the top.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

 

Mustard and Herb Crusted Salmon

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I do love a cold Sunday morning sipping hot coffee and planning a delicious Sunday dinner… that will take a good part of my day to prepare.

Yes, I love those meals that take entirely too long to chop all the veg, dirty up all the pots in the kitchen and ultimately fill my house with an aroma I won’t get from a 30 minute meal.

Those days are more plentiful recently, but some meals are meant to be simple. Like fish. This Mustard and Herb Crusted Salmon is so simple but tastes like a million bucks in less than 10 minutes.

The cooking method requires only broiling but make sure to use the middle oven rack. I had rosemary & thyme still growing but use any herb you have on hand and if you don’t have fresh, by all means use dried (just use 1/2 the amount as dried is more potent than fresh).

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound salmon fillets
  • 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the broiler.

In a small bowl combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, oil, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey and lemon juice.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick spray or drizzle a little olive oil. Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon the mustard sauce over the fillets. Continue broiling until the fillets are just cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.

Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

 

Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato Ravioli in Pineapple Sage Brown Butter Sauce

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Making ravioli is easy when you don’t have to make the pasta. These beautiful little pillows are savory, delightfully sweet and very easy to make thanks to premade wonton wrappers.

I used Pineapple Sage as I had a ton of it in my garden and I had no idea what to do with it… but regular fresh sage will be just as wonderful.

Your efforts will not go without reward (these freeze VERY well and make about 4 dozen)… well worth the time to make them… and enjoy for a few months.

I served the ravioli as a side with an apple cider brined pork chop finished with a shallot cider pan sauce (recipe to come soon and may be the best thing I’ve come up with on the spot). These beauties would also be very impressive as an appetizer for the holidays.

Note: Wonton wrappers are found in the freezer section of most grocery stores.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 small to medium acorn squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)
  • 1 sweet potato or yam
  • 1 tablespoons dark molasses
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup crème fraiche (substitute: cream cheese)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 package round Wonton Wrappers (usually found in the freezer section)
  • Flour, for dusting board
  • 4 tablespoons sweet butter
  • 8 fresh sage leaves
  • 2 ounces Parmesan, for grating

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a roasting pan. Scrub outside of sweet potato, pierce with fork in several places and place on roasting pan with acorn squash. Cook in the oven until very soft, about 1 hour.

Let cool to room temperature and scoop out flesh into a large mixing bowl. Mash with sweet potato until well combined.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it begins to brown. Immediately remove from heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon molasses and all the vinegar. Add to squash and sweet potato with crème fraiche, Parmesan, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and mix well. The recipe can be made ahead to this point. Cover well and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 2 days.

To fill the raviolis: Put 1 tablespoon squash filling in the center of a wonton wrapper. Leave a 1/2-inch border all around the filling. Moisten borders with water and fold in half. Press all the air out and seal firmly by pressing all around with fingertips. Lay raviolis out to dry on a lightly floured board or baking sheet and lightly flour the tops. Repeat until you run out of wrappers and/or filling.

To cook, boil in lightly salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Reserve 2 ounces of the cooking water.

Uncooked, filled raviolis may be used immediately or frozen for 2 months. Lay them out on sheet pans and place in freezer until frozen. Transfer to plastic bag.

For the Sage Brown Butter: While raviolis are cooking, in a large saute pan, melt the butter with the sage and a pinch of salt until it foams and becomes light brown. Reserve.

On medium heat toss the cooked raviolis in the sage butter then transfer to a serving platter or dishes. Finish with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese.

 

Shrimp Bisque with Brandy and Sherry

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David Ansel, aka “The Soup Peddler”, is a well known Austinite on a bike. A bike that delivers soup. Brilliant really… why didn’t I think of this concept? His recipe in Food & Wine magazine appealed to me as it has BOTH brandy and sherry.

The more liquor the better, right?

My modifications included adding pancetta (doesn’t it make EVERYTHING better??) and replacing the final heavy cream with crème fraiche. I did use fat free half and half… GASP… but it was still fabulous and I didn’t miss a calorie of flavor.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ pound pancetta, ¼ inch dice
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup brandy
  • 2 tablespoons chopped basil, plus 8 leaves, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 5 cups seafood stock (Kitchen Basics is my favorite)
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 4 ounces crème fraiche (or 1 cup heavy cream)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, cover the shrimp shells with the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, then strain the shrimp stock into a bowl.

In a large skillet cook pancetta until crispy. Drain pancetta to paper towels – leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Add the shrimp, garlic, onion and cayenne and cook over high heat until the shrimp begin to turn pink, about 3 minutes. Add the brandy and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped basil and the sherry and simmer until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a food processor, add a little of the shrimp stock and puree until smooth.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and cook, whisking, until the roux is very thick, about 5 minutes.

In a soup pot, combine the fish stock and remaining shrimp stock with the tomato paste and the shrimp puree and bring to a simmer over high heat. Slowly whisk in the roux and the crème fraiche. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the bisque into bowls, garnish with the sliced basil and pancetta.

Roasted Potato Salad with Dijon Caper Vinaigrette

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This potato salad is party friendly and exactly what I had in mind for an upcoming BBQ. Yes, I know the recipe calls for bacon and there is NO bacon in my photo. I decided to test out this recipe before serving it to people I’d like to keep as friends… and well I had no bacon. It will make its way into the next batch of this perfectly tangy and tasty potato salad.

To make ahead: make dressing and store in refrigerator (bring to room temperature the day of serving). Roast potatoes the day before and store in refrigerator. Before serving, warm potatoes in oven & follow recipe assembly.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes – cut into 3/4” pieces
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp capers – drained
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil + 2 tbsp
  • 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400°F and set the top rack in the middle position.

Toss potatoes with 2 T olive oil, minced garlic, salt & pepper and spread the potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet.

Turn potatoes every 15 minutes. Bake for 45 minutes total or until golden brown and crispy.

Whisk together mustard, vinegar and honey. Slowly pour the olive oil in while whisking to emulsify the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the potatoes, bacon, red onion and capers in a large bowl. Toss with vinaigrette and serve warm or room temperature. Adjust seasonings if needed.

 

Spotlight Montréal: Café Soufflé (Lemon Curd Bars with Pistachio Graham Cracker Crust)

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Café Soufflé

location: 100 Marie-Anne W. (corner St-Urbain), Montréal, QC

I was lucky enough to find the perfect room at Urban Haven in Montréal. My generous hostess, Carolyn, turned me on to the lovely coffee shop with homebaked treats just steps from her front door. I happily let Café Soufflé become my afternoon treat & café au lait stop while I caught up on email.

Café Soufflé is the home to Marie-Josée and Brigitte Anne and their very creative baking. Sinful brownies, fabulous tarts & muffins (poppyseed pear and strawberry white chocolate…not your everyday boring muffin). I was most impressed by the best homemade toffee I’ve had the pleasure of letting melt in my mouth (don’t miss the creation with masala chocolate).

On my last visit to the café on the corner there was a beautiful lemon tart sprinkled with nuggets of bright green pistachios… delightful. My inspired version of Lemon Curd Bars with Pistachio Graham Cracker Crust has satisfied my lemon cravings… but the Montréal atmosphere I just can’t recreate.

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup sugar

For the filling:

 

  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 lemons, zested and juiced
  • 6 tablespoons butter, cut into pats and chilled

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish and line bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.

In a food processor, grind pistachios with graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Blend in butter. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan.

Bake until lightly browned for 8 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

To make the lemon curd, add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side and bring to a simmer. Combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth. Measure lemon juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. When water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place bowl on top of saucepan. Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in butter a piece at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next.

Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on rack; then chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Using parchment paper as handles, lift out of pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares, wiping knife with a kitchen towel between each cut. To store in refrigerator, cover with plastic wrap.

Red & Green Verde Venison Enchiladas

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This recipe is for my friends Matt and Scott. Matt asked me a few months ago if I had a good recipe for venison. Sadly, I didn’t, as I’ve never cooked with venison meat. Shortly after my good friend Scott sent me home from a BBQ with ground venison from his hunting expeditions. What are the odds?

There are two variations: a green sauce with goat cheese and a New Mexico red sauce with chocolate and cinnamon. The green sauce was a complete cheat job as I doctored up a can on Goya green enchilada sauce. The red sauce is a culmination of many recipes I researched and many adjustments made when cooking the sauce.

I also snuck in some spinach and cremini mushrooms into the filling… I had them on hand and I’m always looking for a way to sneak in some veggies where they are unexpected.

Served with my favorite cabbage slaw.

Put leftover enchilada sauce in the freezer… I see a Tortilla Soup coming from my leftovers soon.

INGREDIENTS

For the filling:

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground venison, or beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, medium cube
  • 1 – 12 ounce package chooped spinach, squeezed dry
  • 1 – 8 ounce package shredded colby-jack cheese
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • 24 corn tortillas
  • Red enchilada sauce, recipe follows
  • Green enchilada sauce, recipe follows

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a large heavy. Add venison meat, chopped onion and chopped garlic, season with salt and pepper and brown the meat, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and spinach and cook for 3-4 minutes until mushrooms are brown. Add chili powder and cilantro. Deglaze this with the chicken stock. Removed from heat and allow to cool.

For the Red enchilada sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/4 cup New Mexico chili powder
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 – 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tablespoon grated onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1 ounce chocolate
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder, tomato paste, onion and cook for a minute. Add stock, tomato sauce, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Adjust the seasonings.

For the Green enchilada sauce:

  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 jar green Goya enchilada sauce

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan heat 1 tsp canola oil, add onion, garlic and cumin. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent. Add Goya enchilada sauce and cilantro. Stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes.

TO ASSEMBLE

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Soften corn tortillas in a microwave oven, wrapped in a damp cloth for 20 seconds on high, until soft and pliable. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of venison mix into center of tortilla and top with cheese and roll. Place rolled enchiladas into a lightly oiled baking dish, seam side down.

For Green Enchiladas: Smother with green enchilada sauce and sprinkle with colby-jack cheese and goat cheese crumbles.

For Red Enchiladas: Smother with red enchilada sauce and sprinkle with colby-jack cheese.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

 

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