Gourmet Food

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Thursday, August 29, 2013

Waldorf Cobb Salad

I know this looks like a lot of ingredients, but it is a terrific salad with anything grilled.  You don't have to make the Cider Sorghum Vinaigrette.  Use your favorite dressing.  The pecans are delicious on there own.  Nosh away.  Serves 8

Waldorf Cobb Salad Recipe
Photo Hector Sanchez

Ingredients


  • large Gala apples
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • medium avocados $$
  • 3 cups shredded romaine lettuce $
  • 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cup loosely packed watercress leaves
  • pt. grape tomatoes, halved $$
  • 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded white Cheddar cheese $
  • 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
  • thick bacon slices, cooked and crumbled 

  • 1 1/2 cups apple juice $

    • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
    • 3 tablespoons sugar $
    • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
    • 1/8 teaspoon table salt
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)

    • 1 cup
       apple cider
    • (3-inch) cinnamon stick
    • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 1/3 cup sorghum syrup $
    • shallot, minced
    • 2 tablespoons bourbon
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon table salt
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper $
    • 1 cup canola oil

    Preparation

    1. 1. Cut apples into 1/8-inch matchsticks; toss with 2 Tbsp. lime juice. Peel and quarter avocados; toss with 1 Tbsp. lime juice.
    2. 2. Toss together romaine lettuce and next 2 ingredients; arrange on a large serving platter. Arrange tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, apples, and avocado over salad greens. Serve with Cider-Sorghum Vinaigrette.
    For pecans:
    1. Preheat oven to 350°. Pour apple juice over pecan halves in a small bowl. Let stand 15 minutes; drain. Stir together sugar, apple pie spice, table salt, and, if desired, ground red pepper in a medium bowl; add pecans, tossing to coat. Spread in a single layer in a lightly greased, aluminum foil-lined 15- x 10-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes; separate pecans with a fork.
    2. For the Vinaigrette:
    3. 1. Cook first 2 ingredients in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until cider is reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat, and cool completely (about 20 minutes).
    4. 2. Transfer cider mixture to a bowl, discarding cinnamon stick. Whisk in vinegar and next 6 ingredients. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth.

Whiskey Whoopie Pies

If you're from north of the Mason Dixon Lines, you probably don't have a clue what a "whoopie pie" is.  Well, they are one of the easiest and best treats for a tail gate party.  And down here in the SEC, you need a whoopie pie to whoop some butt....Can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 weeks.  Makes 12-14 sandwich cookies


Whiskey Whoopie Pies Recipe
Photo by Hector Sanchez



Ingredients


  • Preparation
  • Cookies$
  • 1 cup granulated sugar $
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened $
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • large egg $
  • large egg yolk $
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • Parchment paper
  • Filling
  • (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened $
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened $
  • 2 tablespoons whiskey
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
  1. 1. Prepare Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°. Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg yolk; beat just until blended.
  2. 2. Sift together flour and next 2 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Drop batter by level spoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, using a medium-size cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 inches).
  3. 3. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes; cool on wire racks completely.
  4. 4. Prepare Filling: Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients at medium speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition.
  5. 5. Assemble: Turn half of cooled cookies over, flat sides up. Dollop each with about 2 Tbsp. filling, and sprinkle with pecans. Top with remaining cookies; press gently to spread filling to edges. Serve immediately. Or place pies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze 8 to 24 hours or until firm. Store in freezer up to 3 weeks. Let stand 1 hour before serving.

The New Seven Layer Dip- On the Light Side

Admit it.  You've made a seven layer dip.  When I mentioned this recipe to my daughter she said, "but it at Whole Foods."  What fun is that.  Just in time, oh my, it's September already, for preparing for the holidays   :((  Serves 16






Ingredients


  • Preparation
  • (15.8-oz.) cans great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil $
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup minced red onion
  • pt. grape tomatoes $$
  • 1/4 cup sliced pickled okra
  • 1/4 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, sliced
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • (15-oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • medium-size red bell pepper, chopped
  • jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese $
  1. LAYER 1
  2. Process beans, garlic, basil leaves, olive oil, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and kosher salt in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Cover and chill until ready to assemble.
  3. LAYERS 2, 3 & 4
  4. Rinse onion in cold water, and pat dry. Cut grape tomatoes into halves. Stir together pickled okra and sliced olives.
  5. LAYER 5
  6. Stir together sour cream, parsley, mint, lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, and ground cumin in a medium bowl. Cover and chill until ready to assemble.
  7. LAYER 6
  8. Stir together black-eyed peas, chopped bell pepper, minced jalapeño pepper, hot sauce, and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and chill until ready to assemble.
  9. LAYER 7
  10. feta cheese
  11. ASSEMBLY Layer bean mixture; minced onion, tomatoes, pickled okra mixture; sour cream mixture, black-eyed pea mixture, and feta cheese in an 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Cover and chill 1 to 2 hours before serving. Serve with pita or multigrain chips and crudités.

Fall Vegetable Hash

This is the perfect fall dish.  Sweet potatoes, turnips and Brussels sprouts.  Easy to make and will go with any thing except a casserole :)) Serves 4-6





Fall Vegetable Hash Recipe
Photo Melina Hammer



Ingredients


  • Preparation
  • thick bacon slices $
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil $
  • medium-size sweet onion, chopped $
  • medium-size sweet potato (about 10 oz.), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • medium turnips (about 12 oz.), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 pound small fresh Brussels sprouts, quartered
  • garlic cloves, sliced
  1. 1. Cook bacon in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon; drain, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Coarsely chop bacon.
  2. 2. Add oil to hot drippings in skillet. Cook onion and sweet potato in hot oil and drippings over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add turnips; cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes.
  3. 3. Combine vinegar and 2 Tbsp. water. Add Brussels sprouts, garlic, and vinegar mixture to skillet. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in bacon; add salt and pepper to taste.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

How to Cook Fish Fillets Perfectly Crispy, Without a Recipe

I recently did a cooking class solely, nice pun, using fish.  I, unfortunately, forgot rule an important rule when cooking fish...After the oil begins smoking, add the fish to the pan, skin side down.  Gently lay it into the pan GOING AWAY from your body, in cast the oil splatters.  I ave a nice little battle scar on the inside of my right wrist.


By day, Carla Lalli Music edits food features for Bon Appetit, but at home she shuns instructions. Here’s how she feeds her friends and family while Cooking Without Recipes.
Fish with crisp skin
People avoid cooking fish for lots of reasons, including the irrational fear that it will stink up the house. But the main reason people don’t cook fish is because they don’t know how. There’s something to that. A fillet of fish, unlike a piece of meat, is delicate. But that doesn’t mean it’s not doable.
I used to be a cook in a fancy French restaurant, where I stood elbow-to-elbow with the fish chef, six nights a week. From watching her, I learned how to prepare fish with crisp skin and just-cooked-through flesh–and 15 years later she’s in my head every time I slide a fillet into a skillet. There’s no recipe, of course, but here are the rules:
USE A HOT PAN
Use a heavy-bottomed pan and
get it very hot–let it sit over medium-high heat for several minutes before you start cooking. I usually use a black steel pan or my trusty cast iron, depending on the size of the fillets, but a quality stainless steel pan will work, too. A nonstick pan will guarantee that the skin won’t stick, but you’ll never get the skin to brown as well. Almost any fish that’s sold with the skin on suits this technique–try salmon, bass, branzino, or red snapper.
Fish on a plate
DRY THE SKIN
Fish skin sticks to skillets for two reasons–
either the pan isn’t hot enough or the skin isn’t dry. Pat the skin with paper towel before seasoning it. And remember to season the flip side of the fillet as well.
COAT WITH OIL
Use a neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed, and make sure there’s an even coating on the pan.
It should be just smoking when you add the fish.
PRESS ONCE FOR CRISP SKIN
Add the fish to the pan, skin side down. The proteins will immediately contract, and the fillet will contract and curve upwards. When this happens, the skin is only in contact on the outside edges. Take a flexible spatula and
press on the flesh until the fillet flattens out–a matter of seconds. This ensures the skin remains touching the pan and will give you crisp results.
Cooking a fish fillet
FLIP AT THE END
Let the fish cook. Don’t mess with it. Don’t flip it back and forth.
Just let it go. When you can see a nice golden brown color on the edge of the skin, gently slide the spatula under and turn it over. The fish is most likely to flake and fall apart when it’s cooked, so be nice to it. At this point, it is about 70 percent cooked through and only needs a couple of minutes on the second side. Admire the brown skin while you wait.
That’s it. Serve the fillets over a bed of lentils–or any other cooked bean for that matter. Or with a dollop of yogurt seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, and maybe some grated cucumber, radish, and garlic. Perch it on a bed of greens with an assertive vinaigrette. Pair it with sautéed Swiss chard, kale, bok choy, spinach, or Napa cabbage. Serve alongside roasted potatoes, squash, or peppers. With a tomato and onion salad. With couscous or herbed rice. You get the idea.
And to my fish mentor, Max Hussong, if you’re out there–thanks for showing me how it’s done.

Black Pepper Panna Cotta with Raspberries

I loves panna cotta.  And I learned from Jacques Peppin that fruits and pepper go together.  So when I saw this in the WSJ, I just had to try it.  But I have to admit it was with "smoked cherries".  That's too much work.  So I replaced them with some raspberries macerated in limoncello.





Active Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 6 hours (includes chilling) Serves: 6
Ingredients

2½ cups cream

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 package unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 carton  raspberries, washed

1/4 cup limoncello

4 ounces dark chocolate, preferably at least 64% cacao
What to Do

1. In a small saucepan set over a hot grill, bring cream, ½ cup sugar, corn syrup and black pepper to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let mixture steep 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk gelatin into milk and set aside to rest.

2. Place saucepan back on grill and bring steeped cream to a simmer. Whisk in gelatin mixture and vanilla extract until well combined, 1 minute. Strain and divide between six 4-ounce ramekins. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

3.  Rinse the raspberries in a colander.  Put into a small bowl and add limoncello.  Allow to macerate for 10-15 minutes.   

4. Turn panna cottas out of ramekins onto 6 plates and top each with the raspberries and their liquid. Grate chocolate over top, and serve.

—Adapted from Chrysta Poulos, King + Duke, Atlanta

Steamed Salmon with Leeks, Shiitake, and Soy

Easy easy easy and delicious....I only use wild caught salmon but if you're into price, then use Atlantic.  It doesn't have the nutritional value as wild caught, but you ain't eating red meat! Serves 4




Steamed Salmon with Leeks, Shiitake, and Soy recipe

  • 4 6-oz. boneless, skin-on salmon fillets (about 1-1/2 inches thick; preferably wild-caught)
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground white or black pepper
  • 1 Tbs. minced garlic (from 3 medium cloves)
  • 1/2 cup halved and very thinly sliced leeks (white part only), rinsed (from 1 large)
  • 2-1/2 oz. shiitake mushrooms (about 8 medium), stemmed and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 Tbs. peanut oil
  • 2 tsp. Asian sesame oil
  • 1 Tbs. soy sauce
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Rinse the salmon and pat completely dry. Put the fillets skin side down in a shallow, 9-inch-wide, heatproof bowl or baking dish and let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Sprinkle the salmon with the red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper, and then sprinkle with the garlic, leeks, and mushrooms, in that order.
Add enough water to a 14-inch flat-bottom wok (preferably well-seasoned carbon steel) to measure 3/4 inch deep.
Put a 12-inch bamboo steamer in the wok. Cover the steamer and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Uncover, and then carefully set the bowl of salmon in the steamer. Cover the steamer and steam until the fish is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Check the outer pieces of salmon for doneness first by poking the thickest part with a chopstick or fork to see if it flakes. Using a spatula, transfer the outer pieces to a serving platter and continue to cook the inner two pieces for another 1 to 2 minutes, if necessary. Carefully remove the bowl from the wok and transfer the remaining salmon and any accumulated juice to the platter.
TIP:
If you don’t have a bamboo steamer, set a round metal rack with legs at least 1-1/4-inches high (so it’s elevated above the water) in the wok, put the bowl of salmon on the rack, and then cover the wok with its lid.
In a small skillet, heat the peanut and sesame oils over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Drizzle the salmon with the soy sauce, and then carefully pour the hot oil mixture over the fish—it’s likely to crackle and splatter a bit. Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions

nutrition information (per serving): 
Calories (kcal): 350; Fat (g): 18; Fat Calories (kcal): 160; Saturated Fat (g): 3; Protein (g): 39; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 7; Carbohydrates (g): 5; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 7; Sodium (mg): 560; Cholesterol (mg): 105; Fiber (g): 1;
PHOTO: SCOTT PHILLIPS

Tilapia with Cilantro-Walnut Pesto




I'm not a big fan of tilapia.  But for those who might be on a budget, this is a great fish.  Just make sure the tilapia is farmed in clean waters and is not from Asia. You could substitute a good catfish if you wish.  Serves four.

Tilapia with Cilantro-Walnut Pesto

  • 1-3/4 cups lightly packed fresh cilantro sprigs
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbs. toasted chopped walnuts
  • 1 lemon, half squeezed to yield 1-1/2 Tbs. juice, half cut into wedges
  • 1 medium clove garlic
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tilapia or other firm white fish fillets (about 1 lb. total)
  • 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
In a mini food processor or blender, combine the cilantro, 1/4 cup of the oil, the walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 tsp. salt, a few grinds of pepper, and 3 Tbs. water. Process until mostly smooth; set aside.
Pat the fish dry and season with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and 1 Tbs. of the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the butter melts and its foam subsides. Cook 2 of the fillets, turning once, until browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter, cover, and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining fish and 1 Tbs. butter, adjusting the heat as necessary.
Serve the fish with the pesto and lemon wedges.

nutrition information (per serving): 
Calories (kcal): 350; Fat (g): 28; Fat Calories (kcal): 250; Saturated Fat (g): 7; Protein (g): 24; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 15; Carbohydrates (g): 2; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 5; Sodium (mg): 270; Cholesterol (mg): 70; Fiber (g): 1;

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Mustard Aioli-Grilled Potatoes with Fines Herbes


A Bobby Flay recipe.  Who better than him to give Bitchy an idea for a side for grilled anything :)) Serves 4-6

Mustard Aioli-Grilled Potatoes with Fines Herbes
photo by Quentin Bacon

ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste
  • 1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 heaping tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 1/2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

preparation

1. Whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, and both mustards in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Cover the aioli and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
2. Put the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and add 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until a skewer inserted into the center of a potato meets some resistance, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and let cool slightly.
3. Heat your grill to medium for direct grilling.
4. Put the potatoes in a large bowl, toss with the aioli, and season with salt. Grill until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.
5. Transfer the potatoes to a platter, sprinkle with the fresh herbs, and season with salt and pepper.

<em>Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction</em>
Reprinted with permission from Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson, © 2013 Clarkson Potter

Bobby Flay, a New York Times bestselling author, is the chef-owner of six fine-dining restaurants, including Mesa Grill, Bar Americain, and Bobby Flay Steak, and numerous Bobby's Burger Palaces. He is the host of many popular cooking shows on Food Network, from the Emmy-winning Bobby Flay's Barbecue AddictionGrill It! with Bobby Flay, and Boy Meets Grill, to the Iron Chef America series, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and Food Network Star.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mustard-Aioli-Grilled-Potatoes-with-Fines-Herbes-51166800#ixzz2dDE3rpQt

Avocado and Tangerine Salad with Jalapeño Vinaigrette

What a delightful salad that will go great with any grilled fish or chicken.  Very Caribbean-e...Makes 8 servings:

Avocado and Tangerine Salad with Jalapeño Vinaigrette
Photo by Cedric Angeles


Ingredients

:
  • 1/2 cup fresh tangerine juice
  • 1 jalapeño
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 4 tangerines or clementines, peeled, sliced into rounds
  • 6 cups purslane, arugula, or watercress, thick stems trimmed
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 2 ounces feta, crumbled (about 1/3 cup)

preparation

Simmer tangerine juice in a small saucepan until syrupy and reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 5-8 minutes. Let cool.
Heat a small heavy skillet over mediumhigh heat. Cook jalapeño, turning occasionally, until blistered and charred all over, about 8 minutes. (Alternatively, roast jalapeño directly over gas flame, turning occasionally.) Let cool; remove stem, skin, and seeds, then finely chop.
Whisk shallot, vinegar, reduced tangerine juice, and half of jalapeñ:o in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Whisk in vegetable oil, then olive oil. Add remaining jalapeño, if desired. Set vinaigrette aside.
Toss avocados, tangerines, purslane, mint, and vinaigrette in a large bowl; top with feta.
DO AHEAD: Vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.



Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Avocado-and-Tangerine-Salad-with-Jalapeno-Vinaigrette-51175640#ixzz2dDBoI1y2

Chocolate Chiffon Pie

I really don't bake.  Period.  But when I see something like this and need something to take to a buffet, yo mama, here it is.  Delicious! Serves 8

Chocolate Chiffon Pie recipe

For the crust:
  • 6-1/2 oz. (about 30) chocolate wafer cookies, such as Nabisco’s Famous Chocolate Wafers
  • 2-1/2 oz. (5 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
  • 1/4 cup chocolate liqueur, such as Godiva or Lejay-Lagoute
  • 1 envelope (1/4 oz.) unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped in a food processor
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/8 tsp. table salt
  • 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the topping:
  • 1 cup chilled heavy cream
  • 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
  • 2 oz. chunk of bittersweet chocolate (optional)
Make the crust:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
 
Pulse the cookies in a food processor until very finely ground. With the processor running, pour the melted butter through the feed tube and process until combined. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch glass pie plate and press it firmly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake until the crust is firm in the center and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the filling:
Fill a 3-quart saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Put the chocolate liqueur in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let stand at least 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Separate the eggs, putting the whites in another medium bowl and the yolks in a large metal bowl.
Whisk 1/4 cup of the sugar into the yolks until combined, then whisk in the milk and the salt. Set the bowl over the pot of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon and holds a line when you draw your finger through it, 4 to 6 minutes. (The custard should reach at least 160°F on an instant-read thermometer and should not go over 180°F.) Remove from the heat.
Whisk the gelatin mixture into the hot custard until completely melted. Pour the custard over the chocolate and let stand 1 minute. Whisk until the chocolate is melted, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla.
Prepare an ice water bath by filling a large metal bowl with a few inches of ice and water. Put the bowl of chocolate custard in the ice water bath and whisk constantly until the mixture is just thick enough to hold a ribbon when drizzled over itself, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove from the ice water bath.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 Tbs. at a time, and continue to beat just until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Gently whisk a third of the egg whites into the cooled chocolate custard to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites. Spoon the mixture into the chocolate crust and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.
 
Make the topping:
Put the cream and sugar in a chilled medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Spoon the whipped cream on the pie.
If you like, decorate the pie with chocolate shavings by slightly heating the chunk of chocolate (30 to 50 seconds in the microwave, or pass a side briefly over a flame) and shaving it with a vegetable peeler onto the pie. Serve chilled.
Make Ahead Tips
The pie can be made and filled up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated. The pie can be topped up to 1 hour ahead; refrigerate until ready to serve.

nutrition information (per serving): 
Calories (kcal): 570; Fat (g): 44; Fat Calories (kcal): 390; Saturated Fat (g): 25; Protein (g): 9; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 11; Carbohydrates (g): 45; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 260; Cholesterol (mg): 155; Fiber (g): 5;
PHOTO: SCOTT PHILLIPS

Monday, August 26, 2013

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette





This lemon Dijon zinger is a dressing for all seasons


Despite its name, Chris Hastings’s go-to dressing is not actually a vinaigrette in the strictest sense. Its pucker relies on lemon juice emulsified with Dijon mustard and olive oil; shallots and fresh herbs add earthiness and depth. But don’t limit this versatile blend to salads alone—it doubles as a marinade for fish and a grilling sauce for vegetables. “The variations are endless,” Hastings says.
Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
½  cup plus 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼  cup Dijon mustard
½  cup olive oil
½  cup extra-virgin olive oil
tbsp. shallots, finely chopped 
tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped 
½  tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped 
½  tsp. kosher salt
½  tsp. freshly ground  black pepper
Preparation
Whisk together wet ingredients. Stir in shallots and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Use immediately, or strain shallots and herbs and refrigerate for later. 

Squash and Tomato Gratin

Easy and so very, very delicious...Serves 4.  From Bon Appetit...





INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large tomato, sliced
  • 2 large summer squash, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs
  • Toss breadcrumbs with Parmesan and 2 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomato; cook, tossing occasionally, until juices are bubbling, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Top with squash and breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 350° until squash is tender and breadcrumbs are golden brown, 20–25 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Calories (kcal) 290
  • Fat (g) 19
  • Saturated Fat (g) 4.5
  • Cholesterol (mg) 10
  • Carbohydrates (g) 21
  • Dietary Fiber (g) 2
  • Total Sugars (g) 3
  • Protein (g) 8
  • Sodium (mg) 480