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

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2 large beets (or 4 medium-sized beets)

1 Tbsp butter

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12-16 oz fresh, NY Grade A Foie Gras

Sea Salt

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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)

I Heart Bacon: Self Explanitory

The Bacon Show: One Bacon Recipe A Day, Forever

igourmet.com: The Bacon Lover’s Feast!

David Lebovitz: Candied Bacon Ice Cream

notmartha.org: Bacon Cups

igourmet.com: Vosges Chocolate & Bacon Candy Bar

Brownie Points: Bacon Flavored Vodka

The Grateful Palate: All things Pig including these BLT Candles, Bacon Popcorn, Bacon of the Month Club, Bacon Salt, Bacon Candy……….

Vanilla Garlic: Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Some More Bacon Sites:

The Bacon Show

Bacontarian

Six Degrees of Bacon

Bacon Unwrapped

Starter courses such as soup create a lot of worry for people when it comes to wine pairings. Some people even suggest forgoing wine entirely, reserving it for the main course only.  With soup, the difficulty cited most-often is texture: how to match a liquid with a liquid.

Below are some classic soup recipes with wine pairings.

Gazpacho          Sauvignon Blanc

Chowders         Pinot Grigio

Minestrone      Red Zinfandel

Beef Stew         Cabernet 

Dubliner Cheese Tart

Pastry
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
Pinch of salt
5 tablespoons Kerrygold Irish butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons cold water

Filling
1 tablespoon Kerrygold Irish butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 slices Irish traditional bacon, cut into strips
8 button mushrooms, sliced
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
6 ounces Dubliner cheese, grated
1 cup skim milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Lakeshore Wholegrain mustard

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl, then with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers, work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add the water and form into a ball.

Roll out the pastry until large enough to line a 9-inch quiche pan. Place a piece of aluminum foil over the pastry to cover the base and sides and fill with ceramic pie weights.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove foil and bake 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 375° F.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Cook the onions until soft, but not browned, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic, bacon, and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

Spoon the mixture into the pastry base, add the tomato halves, and sprinkle the cheese over the top.

In a small bowl combine the milk, eggs, herbs, mustard, salt and pepper, and pour over the base. Bake until the filling is set and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com

(Photo from MacFarlane Pheasants)

Roasted Pheasant with Clove Jus, Wild Rice, and Cardamom-scented Squash

Serves two.

Recipe by: Nick Bernard

For this recipe, I leave the skin of an acorn squash on to help it hold together during the braising step of the recipe.  For this reason, I would suggest seeking out an organic, un-waxed variety of acorn squash, but still give it a good washing.

Take one medium sized acorn squash and cut off the very tip and cap so there’s a large circle of Halloween orange squash showing through that can easily brown in a pan.  Continue to slice the squash into ¾” rings.  Scoop out the seeds and pulp.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bring some oil to medium high heat in a large pan.  Brown the squash for 2-4 minutes per side, until nicely dark and caramelized.  Remove from the pan and rub a bit of salt and Chinese 5 Spice Powder into the flesh of the squash.  Place these into a large casserole dish in a single layer.  Put 6-8 crushed green cardamom pods into the pan along with 1 ½ cups of vegetable stock.  Roast until tender, about 45 minutes.

For the wild rice, bring 2 cups of chicken stock to a boil.  Add in ¾ C of white rice and ¼ C of wild rice.  Salt water slightly (depending on saltiness of chicken broth) and cover, dropping heat to a low simmer.  Cook 20 minutes, until the white rice is soft but the wild rice keeps its toothy texture.

To prepare the pheasant, take one medium sized 2.5-3.5 lb pheasant and place on your cutting board.  Take a large knife and carefully cut the legs off of the bird, where the thighs connect into the hip.  Now divide up the legs.  Using a pair of poultry shears, cut off the feet and discard or save for another recipe.  Then cut the legs from the thighs at the knee.  Salt the legs, which are tough with tendons, then drop them into the squash pan to braise in the oven.  Next, take the body and flip the pheasant over so the chest is on the cutting board and the back is towards you.  Using your shears, cut the pheasant up one side of the spine, then the other, so the spine can lift off in one piece.  Save this for stock, or freeze for later use.  The two breasts should both be on the bone in a single piece, which will help them cook evenly and retain more moisture.

Remove the pheasant’s liver and heart and salt liberally, adding pepper to taste.  Dice the heart.  Fry the liver and heart in butter over medium heat, adding 1 Tbsp of brandy and a sprig of thyme.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then mash with a fork. Spread on toast for a light hors d’oeuvre.

Generously salt and pepper the skin and insides of the thighs and breast of the pheasant.  Slide one sage leaf under the skin of each thigh, and on either side of the breast.  Heat 1 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat until the butter melts and the oil shimmers.  Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Put thighs and pheasant breast skin side down in the pan and brown for 2-4 minutes.  The breasts may need to be seared on the left side, then the right, depending on how high the breastbone is.  Flip thighs and breasts to the other side and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 Tbsp vermouth and 1 cup of vegetable broth.  Add 1 smashed clove of garlic, 4 slightly crushed cloves, 2 fresh sage leaves, a small crumble of dried thyme, and a few whirls of coarse black pepper. 

Bring sauce to a boil, then place the whole pan in the oven for 6-10 minutes, until the pheasant is medium-medium well, depending on your liking.  Note: due to their small size, the thighs should only take about another 4 minutes to cook through, so remove them early.  Take the sauce pan out of the oven and remove the breast to cool on a cutting board with the thighs.  Put the saucepan on a burner and bring to a boil.  Simmer until the sauce thickens to a mild glaze, then remove the sage leaves and garlic clove.  Add salt and pepper to taste, then gently stir in 2 tablespoons of butter.  Don’t whisk them in, but let them gently settle into the sauce, with the aid of a few turns of a spoon.

To assemble: place a squash ring in the center of each plate, and fill with the rice mixture to cover the squash.  Place the thighs on top of the rice.  Cut the breasts off of the bone and lay one on top of each thigh, garnishing with another ring of squash and the braised leg in the center of the top ring.  Spoon the sauce over the bird, then pour the rest around the bottom of the plate to pool by the first squash ring.

Serve with a nice bottle of an old vine zin.

An aphrodisiac is an agent which is used to increase sexual desireThe name comes from the Greek goddess of Sensuality Aphrodite. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable.

Here are some recipes from various sources with aphrodisiac ingredients for a sensual Valentine’s day meal.

APPETIZER

Roasted Fresh Figs with Gorgonzola 

Emeril Lagasse

12 ripe figs
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Gorgonzola
1/3 cup good-quality honey
4 pinches finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using a paring knife, carefully trim any tough portion of the stems from each fig. Rub each fig all over with extra-virgin olive oil, then slice down through the stem about 3/4-inch. Make a second cut perpendicular to the first cut, so that you have an X-shaped cut in the top of each fig. Gently pry the edges apart and stuff each fig with about 1 teaspoon of the Gorgonzola. Place the figs upright on a baking sheet and bake until the figs are plump and shiny but have not burst, about 10 minutes.

• 2 large artichokes
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/2  medium onion, sliced
• 3/4 cups dry white wine
  
  Artichoke and truffle crumbs:
• 1 1/2 artichokes, cooked
• 1/2 Tablespoon black truffle, brunoise
• 1 Tablespoons bread crumbs
• Salt and pepperArtichoke vinaigrette:
• 1/2 artichoke, cooked
• 1 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• Artichoke cooking liquidFilet mignon:
• 2 prime filet mignons
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup jus roti, heated
• 1/2Tablespoon truffle juice
• 1/2Tablespoon chopped truffles

Method:
For artichokes:
Trim artichokes down to the hearts with stems and cut into sixths. Reserve artichokes in a bowl of lemon water to prevent discoloration. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Cook onion until translucent. Lay the artichokes on top of the onions and then pour in the wine. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove artichokes from cooking liquid and set aside. Reserve cooking liquid for vinaigrette.For artichoke and truffle crumbs:
Remove and cut stems from 1 of the 2 cooked artichokes into brunoise. Mix chopped stems with truffles, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.For artichoke vinaigrette:
Blend 1 cooked artichoke with olive oil and lemon juice in blender or food processor. Add cooking liquid as necessary to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.For filet mignon:
Heat a large, oven-proof sauté pan over medium-high heat with 1 Tablespoons olive oil. Generously season filets with salt and pepper. Sear filets until brown, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium rare (the internal temperature should be 120 to 130°F.) Top filets with breading and brown under salamander or broiler on high. Place filet mignons on plates. Add truffle juice and chopped truffles to jus roti and spoon on plate. Drizzle plates with artichoke vinaigrette. <p>

Asparagus with Lemon Butter Sauce

Paula Deans home cooking

24 thin asparagus spears
1 lemon
2 tablespoons butter
Olive oil
Kosher salt Wash asparagus and line them up on a cutting board with the tops even. Cut off tough bottom ends. Bring a skillet or oval casserole filled half full with salted water to boil. Dump in asparagus all at once. When water returns to the boil, cook asparagus until crisp-tender, about 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size. Drain. Return asparagus to hot pan, squeeze lemon juice over top. Add butter and a drizzle of olive oil, tossing to coat. Add kosher salt, to taste. Serve immediately.

Wine pairing:
A full-bodied Barbera or Barbera-Nebbiolo blend such as the Rocche dei Manzoni “Bricco Manzoni” 1997 

• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup passion fruit juice, strained (about 4 passion fruits)
• 3 ounces high-quality milk chocolate, chopped
• 1 ounce high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons apricot brandy

For dipping:

• Fresh strawberries or sliced bananas
• Brioche or challah, cubed and toasted

Method:
In a small saucepan, combine cream and passion fruit juice. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in chopped chocolates and liqueur. To serve at a later time, transfer the fondue to a covered container and chill.When ready to serve, gently warm the fondue in the microwave or over a double boiler. Transfer to a fondue pot, assembled and operated according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Take care not to scorch the fondue; if it thickens, it may be thinned with a little milk or cream.Use long skewers or fondue forks to dip fruit and toasted brioche or challah.Wine pairing:
A rich, fortified dessert wine made from white wine such as the Mas Amiel Muscat de Rivesaltes 2001

McCormick

Makes 16 servings. 1 package chocolate brownie mix (family-size) 1 1/2 tsp. ancho chile pepper 1/2 tsp. chipotle chile pepper 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 C. ,chocolate chips or chunks Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix as directed on package, stirring in ancho and chipotle chile peppers, cinnamon and vanilla with dry mix. Gently stir chocolate chips into batter. Spread in greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Cool in pan. Cut into 16 squares. Serve with caramel sauce and/or whipped cream, if desired.