CLAFOUTIS WITH SAUTERNES SOAKED PRUNES

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

dessert_Calfoutis

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

2 cups pitted prunes

1/2 lemon

1 cup Sauternes or other dessert wine

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for dusting the pie pan

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup slivered almonds

Put the prunes in a bowl, squeeze the lemon juice over them, pour in the Sauternes and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Toss that and let it sit for 30 minutes so that the prunes soak up the flavor of the wine.

Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Butter a 9-inch pie pan and dust it with sugar. In a mixing bowl, sift together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the flour, and salt.  Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Take the prunes out of the wine with a slotted spoon and arrange them over the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour the batter over the fruit and smooth the top; sprinkle with the slivered almonds. Bake the clafoutis for 30 to 40 minutes, until risen and just firm. Serve warm.

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GRILLED FIG TOASTS WITH PROSCIUTTO AND GREEN BEANS

Monday, December 14th, 2009

app_Grilled-Fig

Time: 45 minutes

Serves 6

1 pound green beans, trimmed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces thin-sliced prosciutto, torn into pieces (1/2 cup)

Small handful fresh basil leaves, shredded by hand

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup honey

1 pint each fresh Black Mission and green figs

6 slices store-bought nut bread

1 shallot, minced

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing the figs

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and add salt to it until it tastes lightly salty. You’re going to refresh the cooked beans in this water bath and you want salt in there so that the ice water doesn’t leach out the salt absorbed by the beans during cooking. When the water comes to a boil, add the beans and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, then refresh in the water bath to keep the bright green color, and drain well again. Put the beans in a bowl with the prosciutto and basil and set that aside.

Whip the softened butter and honey together.

Put a large grill pan on two burners over medium-high heat or preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue and get it very hot.  Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square.  Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel, then carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick grilling surface. Cut the figs in half, brush with olive oil and grill, cut sides down, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove to a platter.

Now put the bread slices on the grill and grill on both sides until marked and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes total.  Bush one side of each slice with the honey-butter (you’ll have some of the honey butter left over; you’ll need it for the vinaigrette.) Put a slice of toast in the center of each of 6 serving plates, buttered side up. Arrange 4 to 5 fig halves on top of each. Melt the remaining honey-butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat and cook until it begins to brown. Add the shallot and cook 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar and olive oil and pour the dressing over the beans. Toss and season with salt and pepper.  Mound the bean salad on top of each toast and serve.

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VEAL SALTIMBOCCA ALLA ROMANA

Friday, December 11th, 2009

entree_Veal-Saltimoboca

Yield: serves 4

Time: 35 minutes

4 (5-ounce) thinly sliced veal cutlets (scallopini)

4 slices thinly sliced prosciutto

8 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish

All-purpose flour, for dredging

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1/4 cup chicken broth

Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Put the veal cutlets side by side on a sheet of plastic wrap. Lay a piece of prosciutto on top of each piece of veal and cover with another piece of plastic. Gently flatten the cutlets with a rolling pin or meat mallet, until the pieces are about 1/4-inch thick and the prosciutto has adhered to the veal. Remove the plastic wrap and lay a couple of sage leaves in the center of each cutlet. Weave a toothpick in and out of the veal to secure the prosciutto and sage. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to combine. Dredge the veal in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and in a large skillet over medium flame. Put the veal in the pan, prosciutto-side down first. Cook for 3 minutes to crisp it up and then flip the veal over and saute the other side for 2 minutes, until golden. Transfer the saltimbocca to a serving platter, remove the toothpicks, and keep warm.

Add the wine to the pan, stirring to bring up all the delicious flavor in the bottom; let the wine cook down for a minute to burn off some of the alcohol. Add the chicken broth and remaining tablespoon of butter, swirl the pan around. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the saltimbocca, garnish with sage leaves and lemon wedges; serve immediately.

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WARM PEAR TART WITH BLUE CHEESE AND HONEY

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

brunch_Warm-Pear-Tart

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry cut in half lengthwise to make 2 long rectangles

1 pound blanched almonds

Ï€ cup sugar

6 pears (use 3 different varieties, with different shapes and colors), stemmed and sliced (seeds, skins, and all)

Honey

4 ounces good-quality blue cheese

1 egg white beaten with a drizzle of water, for glazing

Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Lay one of the pastry rectangles on the back of a sheet pan; save the other rectangle for another use.  Use a pairing knife to score a line around the perimeter of the rectangle, about 1 inch from the edge, to make a border.  Use a fork to poke holes inside the border so that the dough will remain flat as it cooks; the border will puff to create a lip for the tart.

Combine the almonds, sugar and 1 tablespoon of water in a food processor and grind to a paste.  Spread the paste over just the inside of the pastry rectangle.  Arrange the pear slices over the almond paste.  Drizzle with honey and crumble the blue cheese over the top.

Brush the pastry border with egg glaze and bake until the pastry is puffed and browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

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BROTHY PUMPKIN SOUP

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

12.08.09-pumpkin_squash-soup

BROTHY PUMPKIN SOUP WITH PANCETTA AND CABBAGE

Time: 2 hours + several hours to chill stock

Serves 8

(for the purpose of the webisode we can have the turkey broth pre-made)

Broth:

2 pounds smoked turkey wings

2 onions, quartered

2 carrots, roughly chopped
1/2 head garlic

1 pound rutabaga, peeled and roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

2 bay leaves

1 pumpkin or 2 medium butternut squash (5 pounds total), split, seeded, peeled, and cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage plus 6 whole leaves, cut in half

1 pound pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 small heads Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Start by making a turkey broth. In a large stockpot, combine the turkey wings, onions, carrots, garlic, rutabaga, celery, bay leaves, and 1 gallon cold water (or enough to cover by at least 3 inches).  Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming when you feel like it to remove any impurities that float to the top. Remove from the heat and strain into a large pot or bowl, pressing on the vegetables and meat to extract as much flavor as possible.  Discard the vegetables, turkey, and herbs. Cool the broth to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator, or chill it down over ice first. When chilled, skim the surface again for any additional impurities.  This can be done up to 3 days in advance.

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Toss the pumpkin in a large mixing bowl with the olive oil, nutmeg, minced sage, salt, and lots of pepper.  Dump the pumpkin onto a cookie sheet, spread it out to a single layer, and roast for 45 minutes or until very tender.

Now that you’ve got the elements, you can put the soup together. Put a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to render out some of that delicious fat.   Toss in the minced garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the whole sage leaves and cabbage and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted. Pour the strained, cooled broth into the pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Taste the soup and then season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with several pieces of pumpkin and a drizzle of olive oil.

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BACON AND BRUSSEL SPROUT HASH

Monday, December 7th, 2009

12.07.09-BRUSSEL_SPROUT_HASH

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Yield: serves 4-6

Time: 25 minutes

Extra-virgin olive oil

4 slices of thick-cut bacon

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 lb of fingerling potatoes, split down the middle

2 cups Brussel sprouts, cut into thick slices

1/2 lb red pearl onions, peeled

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
12.07.09-BRUSSEL_SPROUT_HASH
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Set a large sauté pan over medium heat and add a 2 count of olive oil. Cut bacon into long strips and add to pan together with thyme. Cook for 5-7 minutes to render the fat then strain and set aside. Discard half the fat in the pan then add brussel sprouts, potatoes and pearl onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook until slightly browned. Add chicken stock and steam for 3-5 minutes until liquid has evaporated and vegetables are tender. Add balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. Cook until balsamic has reduced then fold in fresh parsley and bacon.

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PUMPKIN ARANCINI WITH BLUE CHEESE FONDUE AND PORT WINE SYRUP

Friday, December 4th, 2009

12.4.09-pumpkin_arancini

Yield: Serves 4-6

Time: 1 hour

Pumpkin Risotto:

1 small pumpkin

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups Arborio rice

1/4 cup shallots, diced

1 cup dry white wine

1 quart low-sodium chicken stock, heated

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup rice flour

Parsley leaves for garnish

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Split pumpkin and scoop seeds out.  Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper then roast in oven for 25-30 minutes until tender. Puree in a food processor.

Place a large pot over medium heat and add a 3-count of olive oil.  Add shallots and cook for 5 minutes, until soft.  Stir in the rice making sure to coat all the grains with the oil.  Add wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.   Ladle in 1 cup of hot stock at time.  Using a wooden spoon, stir gently until most of the stock has been absorbed.  Keep adding stock, a cup at a time, and stirring.  After about 10 to 15 minutes, test the rice.  It should be cooked and creamy but still have a slight bite to it.  Add water if you use all the stock.  Season with salt and pepper; stir in butter and parmesan.  Gently fold in roasted pumpkin puree and give it a final taste and seasoning.  Spread out the risotto on a flat tray to cool in the refrigerator.

Once the risotto is completely cooled you can make the arancini.  Roll into small bite-size balls, dredge lightly in seasoned rice flour and fry in hot 350 degree F oil.  Drain on a paper towel and season with salt.  Fry parsley leaves to use for a garnish.  Serve with Blue Cheese Fondue and Port Wine Syrup.

BLUE CHEESE FONDUE:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1 cups crumbled blue cheese

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Make a roux, by combing butter and flour in a pot over low heat. Heat milk then add hot milk to roux 1 cup at a time to ensure no lumps. Bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes, add nutmeg, fold in blue cheese and season. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.

PORT WINE SYRUP:

1/2 cup port wine

Set port wine in a small sauce pan over medium heat and reduce until thick and syrupy – about 5-7 minutes.

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Hot Toddy

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

12.3.09-Hot_Toddy

Yield: serves 4

Time: 15 minutes

4 slices of red apple

3 cinnamon sticks

3 slices of orange

2 cloves

16 oz simple syrup (equal part sugar dissolved in water)

16 oz bourbon whiskey

Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and put over low heat.  Slowly bring up to a simmer to infuse the bourbon, and keep over low heat for 5-7 minutes until the fragrance of the mixture becomes more apparent.  Serve warm.

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GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH LEMON, YOGURT, POMEGRANATE AND MINT

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

11.04.09-GRILLED_EGGPLANT

8 small (4-inch-long) eggplants, trimmed, split in half, flesh scored
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini or smooth peanut butter
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
handful of fresh mint leaves
1 pomegranate, cracked open and seeds dug out
1 red Thai chile, sliced

Put a large grill pan on two burners over medium-high heat or pre-heat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill to medium. If you’re using an outdoor grill, take a few paper towels and fold them over several times to make a thick square.  Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel, then carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a non-stick surface.

Put the eggplant halves on a big platter or sheet pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper.  Put the eggplant slices on the grill and cook until golden, 4-5 minutes.  Then turn and continue cooking 4-5 minutes more until nicely browned on both sides and soft and creamy.

Meanwhile, put the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the cumin, and salt and pepper into a blender and puree until smooth.  Taste for salt and pepper.

To serve, spread the yogurt sauce over the bottom of a serving platter.  Shingle the eggplant halves on top and garnish with the mint, pomegranate seeds, and sliced chile.

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BUTTERMILK PIE WITH WHIPPED HONEY CRÈME FRAICH

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

11.03.09-BUTTERMILK_PIE

Yield: 6-8 servings

Time: 2 hour 15 minutes

Pie Shell:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/2 cup cold water

Pie Filling:

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Begin by making the pie shell.  Add flour, sugar and salt to a food processor and pulse until well combined.   Drop in cold butter cubes and shortening and continue to process until you have the texture of coarse breadcrumbs.  Add cold water and process until the dough comes together in a large ball.   Turn the dough out onto a floured, flat surface and gently knead a few times until the dough is smooth and consistent.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to rest.

Once rested, roll the dough out into a circle slightly bigger than your 10-inch pie dish.  Roll disk of dough up around your rolling pin then unroll it out on top of your pie dish, gently pressing it in around the insides of the dish.  Trim any overhang and discard.  Cover with a piece of parchment and fill with pie weights.  Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes or until the pie crust is set and just firm.  Remove weights and cool.

Drop the temperature of the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a kitchen mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and pale in color.  Add egg yolks, buttermilk, lemon juice and nutmeg and mix – scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula.  Add flour and continue to mix until just combined.  In a clean mixing bowl whisk egg whites until you get stiff peaks.  Gently fold egg whites into buttermilk mixture, half at a time then pour into pie shell.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pie is set – you don’t want any color.  Cool and serve with honey crème fraiche.

HONEY CRÈME FRAICHE:

16 oz crème fraiche

2 tablespoons honey

Whisk crème fraiche in a kitchen mixer on high for 45 seconds until it tightens up slightly.  Fold in honey with a spoon so it is just mixed but you can still see swirls of the honey.

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