This is a recipe I made this past Sunday.  It’s a very easy recipe to make and doesn’t require a lot of specialized equipment.  It is a great place to start if you’ve always wanted to make your own pate, but weren’t sure of the process.  To have a milder liver flavor, use duck or chicken livers.  For a stronger liver flavor, use pork liver.  If you don’t have a terrine, you could try to make do with a loaf pan covered in foil for the lid.  It keeps for about 5 days afterwards, but you could cover it in duck fat to extend the life.

Green Peppercorn Pate de Campagne

1 lb ground pork

½ lb calf’s liver, deveined and diced

6 oz streaky bacon

8 oz baby Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and diced

½ C diced onion

4 minced garlic cloves

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried tarragon

1 1/2 tbsp green peppercorns in brine (drained)

1/4 C brandy

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp salt

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 5 cup terrine with the bacon slices, sticking to the sides.  In a large mixing bowl, blend the mushrooms, onions, herbs and spices (except for salt) together.  Pour in brandy and red wine vinegar and allow mushrooms to soak for 5 minutes.  Add ground pork and liver, then blend to combine into homogenous mixture.  In a small skillet, fry a small meatball of the forcemeat mixture.  Taste for seasoning, keeping in mind that the terrine will be served cold and will need to be seasoned more aggressively than a warm dish.  Adjust seasoning if necessary.  Fill terrine with forcemeat, pushing firmly to fill mold.  Cover with remaining strips of bacon.  Rap the terrine against your counter top to push out any final air bubbles.

Bring a kettle of water to a boil.  Put the filled terrine in a larger pan that will function as a bain marie.  Fill the larger pan with boiling water, coming half-way up the sides of the pan.  Bake for 45-60 minutes, until internal temperature comes to 160? F.  Remove from water and allow to cool at room temperature.  The pate will need to sit in the refrigerator overnight.  Weigh the top of the terrine, so it compacts overnight.  I wrap a large, square bottle of olive oil in plastic wrap and place it on top in the fridge.

Serve with blood plum paste or spicy plum chutney on toast.

Vitello Tonnato in Manicotti with Taleggio

This baked pasta dish puts a cool-weather touch on the classic Vitello Tonnato.  While the normal Vitello Tonnato is served cool on hot summer days, this dish is best served hot on a cool night.  It’s made for stronger tastes, with the addition of peppery arugula, pungent taleggio, and crisp pancetta.  If you cannot find taleggio, you could substitute a stinky Fontina Val d’Aosta, or fruity Belgian Wynendale.  I think it’s great with a chewy Valpolicella or a strong Chianti.

Ingredients:

1 Box Manicotti
1 Jar Garlic Pasta Sauce
¾ lb ground veal
7 ounce jar Italian tuna in olive oil (drained)
½ C chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 Tbl fresh, chopped marjoram
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried pepperoncini
3 Tbl Pure Olive Oil
4 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Preferred Olio Carli Deciso)
2 cups fresh ricotta
1 head washed arugula
Taleggio
¼ lb thin sliced pancetta
Salt and pepper to taste

SPRINGTIME GOAT CHEESE & WINE PAIRING  

Now that Spring has finally sprung into life, this is the ideal time to sit back on the terrace and enjoy one of my favorite culinary pleasures, goat cheese. From a simple cheese plate, adorned with nothing more than fresh fruit, nuts and bread, to a mixed salad, goat cheese is ideal for al fresco dining. A question I get asked constantly at wine and food shows and seminars is what wine to serve along with this tangy treat?
For fresh Chevre and young goat cheeses, the classic traditional pairing is Sauvignon Blanc. However, one of the great aspects of wine pairing is experimenting, and personally I prefer the crispness of a Pinot Gris, the tartness and grassy notes of Albarino, or the fragrant and versatile Chenin Blanc. A chilled, quality Rose is also a surprising success. Always try to serve these wines chilled not ice cold straight from your fridge, and the cheeses at room temperature.
When goat cheeses age they develop a much bigger, fuller flavor profile, thus the accompanying wine should ideally have a little more body and flavor also. For me this means Pinot Noir, whose underlying notes of strawberry can create a harmonious partner for goat cheese in a variety of settings. For me the fun of wine pairing is discovering new surprising combinations, as well as appreciating the time-honored classics. So whether you’re an old school traditionalist who won’t budge from the Loire Valley, or a new world wine lover who loves to buck tradition, pull up a chair, uncork and unwind…..

Yellow Squash & Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

4-6 young firm yellow squash
1 head chicory
4 tomatoes
5oz firm goat cheese - we’ve found Marygold, Majorero and Van Dijk all work very well
1/2 red onion, julienned
2 tbsp toasted pine nutsFor the dressing:
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp almond oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
a few leaves fresh mint, chopped
a few sprigs fresh thyme or oregano, chopped
salt and black pepper

One of the perennial bellwethers of spring, along with morels and fiddlehead ferns, ramps are a delicious seasonal treat—short-lived as their harvesting period may be. If you’re unfamiliar with them, ramps are wild, baby leeks. Harvested on the East coast between Quebec and South Carolina, they look like a sturdy form of scallions. The taste of ramps is not quite as strong as full-grown leeks, but also slightly garlicky. Recently, ramps have come into the culinary spotlight as celebrity chefs like Mario Batali and Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio tout their sensational flavor.

SPAGHETTI WITH RAMPS
Recipe by Mario Batali

Ingredients:
1 pound dry spaghetti or linguini
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces fresh ramps
1-2 tablespoons red chili flakes
kosher salt
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
 
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
Add the spaghetti to the pot and cook according to the package direction, until tender but still al dente.
Heat olive oil in a 12-14 inch sauté pan over medium high heat.
Separate ramps by the white root ends and the leafy green top.
Add root ends to the pan and sauté until tender.
Add salt and chilli flakes.
At the very end, add the greens and sauté until wilted.
Drain pasta and add it to the sauté pan.
Toss gently to coat the pasta with the sauce.
Divide pasta evenly among four warmed plates.
Drizzle olive oil over top and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Makes 4 Serving

The weather is warming up and we can finally get out and grill again. Here are a few links to recipes, theme ideas and products great for a Spring Barbeque!

BBQ Recipes and themes from Celebrations.com

Filet Mignon with Spring Asparagus

Ingredients:

4 eight ounce filet mignon

1/2 lb white asparagus

1/2 lb green asparagus (hard ends removed)

1/2 C beef stock

1/4 C spicy red wine such as Shiraz

3 sprigs thyme

1 crushed garlic

1 jar cipolline onions in balsamic vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

3 leaf balsamic

salt course black pepper

SERVES FOUR

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add white and green asparagus to boiling water and cook until just tender, about 2-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus. When the asparagus are tender, remove from water and dunk into a large bowl of ice water to blanch the vegetables. Once cool, slice white asparagus length-wise in half to produce two planks.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Ass asparagus and just allow them to rewarm in the skillet. Remove, salt the asparagus. Add steaks to skillet; cook to desired temperature, about 4 minutes per side for medium rare.  Transfer steaks to plate, but do not clean skillet. Add beef stock, red wine, garlic clove, thyme, then simmer to reduce to a glaze, scraping up buts on the bottom of the pan. Once the sauce has reached a syrupy consistency remove the thyme branches and garlic.

To plate: Lay down four to five green asparagus, as a bed. Top with halved white asparagus, running perpendicular to the green. This will create a a small platform for a the filet. Place the filet on top and pour a spoonful of the sauce on top of the steak. Crown with a balsamic cipollini onion and another spoonful of sauce.

Swirl a ring of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a ring of balsamic around the plate to create a dressing for the asparagus.

Image from www.foodnetwork.com

Truffled Brie en Croute
Recipe from: www.whatscookingamerica.net

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon  truffle oil
1 teaspoon fresh shaved truffles or truffle paste
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 small (8-ounce) round (wheel) brie cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
Baguette, Crackers, or Crostini 

 NOTE: You always want to maximize the truffle flavor, using the least amount of the ingredient as possible. So always slice into paper-thin wedges or strips. Use a truffle shaver (similar to a cheese grater) when shaving truffles. Butter a baking pan and line with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, salt, truffle oil, and shaved truffles; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out sheet of puff pastry 1/8-inch thick (approximately 15 inches in diameter); using the brie as a guide, cut out one round the size of the brie for the top and cut another round 1-inch larger. Using a small cutter (any shape will do), cut out some decorative pieces. Halve brie cheese horizontally; spread the truffle cream cheese evenly over the bottom half of the brie. Place the top half over the truffle cream cheese. On prepared baking pan, center the brie cheese on top of the larger pastry round; wrap pastry up over brie (without stretching). Brush border with some egg and top with remaining smaller pastry round; pressing edges of dough together gently but firmly to seal. Brush top with egg. Arrange decorative pieces over the top of the pastry dough; lightly brush with egg, being careful not to leg egg drip over edges (this would prevent them from rising). With the back of a table knife, gently score side of pastry with vertical marks (being careful not to pierce through dough). Chill brie, uncovered, 30 minutes to set egg wash. Brie may be made to this point one day ahead and kept chilled, covered loosely. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake Truffled Brie in middle of oven 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand in pan on a rack about 20 minutes for a very runny melted cheese or about 40 minutes for thicker cheese. To serve, transfer to serving dish and serve with baguette, crostini, or crackers. Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer.
 
 

 Image from the Digital Kitchen

Seared Foie Gras with Beets:

To Serve Four as an Appetizer

This recipe came about as I noticed that beets (for the most part) maintain a firm, structured texture, even after extensive baking or boiling.  I thought it would be fun to pair them with something quite opposite: molten, gooey slabs of pan-seared foie gras.  Cracking through the crisp exterior and plunging your fork into the rich center always reminded me of a luscious, liverous version of crème brulee.  To finish the dish, a slippery, squishy, caramelized shallot is crowned on top of the dish.

Ingredients:

1 C. flat-leaf parsley

2 big sprigs rosemary

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic

-

4 medium-sized shallots

2 Tbsp olive oil

-

2 large beets (or 4 medium-sized beets)

1 Tbsp butter

-

12-16 oz fresh, NY Grade A Foie Gras

Sea Salt

-

Vinegar (as desired)

The night before, bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil.  Prepare an ice water bath alongside.  Once the water has reached a full boil, toss in the rosemary.  Let boil for 30 seconds, then add parsley, allowing to boil for an additional 10 seconds.  Remove from water and dunk into ice bath.  Let chill in ice bath to preserve bright green color in chlorophyll.  Remove from ice bath and pat dry.  Put herbs, oil, and garlic into blender and liquefy.  Allow to sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Next Day: Preheat oven to 425 F.  Clean shallots of papery hide and nip off roots, but not too much that they fall apart.  It should just be a skinned shallot.  Put into a pouch made out of aluminum foil and pour in 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Seal pouch and bake until tender and caramelized.

Cut off beet tops and tails.  Scrub and place into baking dish with an inch of water.  Bake covered dish in 425 F oven until beets are tender with little resistance to a knife, about 1 hour.  Remove and allow to cool.

Strain herb oil into a clean pouring container.

Slip beets out of their skins and cut into large discs, or medium-sized halves.  Add butter and toss with a bit of salt.

Cut foie gras into four 3-4 oz servings.  Season with salt.  Heat a skillet to high heat, then place foie gras in the pan.  Be careful not to let it burn, but you want the surface to sear and brown quickly, before the inside loses too much fat.  Reduce heat to medium/medium-high as necessary.  Sear other side, then remove from heat.

Stack one large beet disc on each plate, top with a quivering portion of foie gras, then garnish with shallot on top.  Sprinkle a few large grains of sea salt on top.  Decorate the plate with a few whorls of herb oil.  If you want, dot with a few pools of a nice wine vinegar, such as cava vinegar, Minus 8, or a good 3 leaf balsamic.  Serve hot.

Ravioli Stuffed with Beemster XO

Easter treats, hams, candies, chocolates……

Egg Decorating Ideas                    Table Decorating Ideas          

Easter Hams                                        Easter Wine Pairings    

(photos from www.georgiafaces.caes.uga.edu , www.igourmet.com and www.celebrations.com)