6 September 2011 Hearty Beef Mushroom Barley Soup

Hearty Beef Mushroom Barley Soup

September 6, 2011 By

Today’s a rainy, gloomy day where I live and weather like this always causes me to crave a warm, hearty soup.  While at the grocery store, I found beautiful center cut beef shanks that screamed to be used to make beef mushroom barley soup.  Here’s the simple recipe for this comforting dish.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 3/4 pound beef round/chuck, cubed
  • 1 pound beef bones (ideally with marrow)
  • 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped into small dice
  • 5 celery ribs, chopped into small dice
  • 1 pound Cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 2 32-ounce cartons of beef broth
  • 1/4 cup dry Marsala wine or white wine (optional)
  • 3/4 cup barley, rinsed in cold water
  • 4-inch long piece of Parmesan rind

Beef Barley Soup FixingsDirections:

  1. Pour the oil in a large, heavy pot over high heat, and heat up for 30 seconds.  Add the beef and the bones and cook for 2 minutes, or until browned.
  2. Add the onion and celery to the beef in the pot, reduce heat to medium-high heat and cook the vegetables for 4 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook and additional 3 minutes.
  3. Add the spices, the broth and the wine, if using.  Bring the heat to low and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes.
  4. Add the barley and the Parmesan rind, if using, to the pot and simmer partially covered for another 30 minutes over low heat.
  5. Remove and discard the bones and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Filed Under: American, Beef, Mushrooms, Soups, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
29 August 2011 Slow Cooker Chicken Portobello

Slow Cooker Chicken Portobello

August 29, 2011 By

Although I’m originally from Quebec, I grew up in South Florida where the weather can be interesting at times.  I’ve gone through hurricane preparedness more times than I care to remember, so when Hurricane Irene made its way to the northeast where I now live, it was business as usual at my home.

While chips, dips, nuts and candy can be great when you’re boarded up, ‘real’ food can be a nice treat.  The night before the hurricane was to visit us, I made a simple and fast-to-prepare chicken dish in my slow cooker that was easily reheated on my grill in a pot after we lost power the next day.

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • 2 tsp. fresh sage, chopped
  • 1/2 of a 750 ml bottle dry Riesling
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 4 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp. each salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. Place all the ingredients in an 8-quart slow cooker (Crockpot).  Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.
  2. Serve over white rice.

4 Servings.

Notes: If you like a thicker sauce, simple combine a teaspoon of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water in a dish and add to the sauce.  Turn slow cooker to high and cook for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Filed Under: American, Chicken, Entrees, Mushrooms Tagged With: , , ,
22 August 2011 5-Minute Lobster Rolls

5-Minute Lobster Rolls

August 22, 2011 By

Every summer, I go to Maine for a long weekend.  I’ve done this since the year I was born, and my parents did this with their families growing up.  It’s what we Quebecois do in the summer – drive to the nearest beach, get some sun and eat seafood.

This summer when I drove up to Maine, I had three foodie goals in mind in the spirit of traditions: beach pizza, boardwalk fries and a lobster roll.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to make it to the lobster roll shack and have had this craving ever since.

While at the grocery store Saturday, I saw New England-style hot dog buns with the top split.  In Quebec, where I grew up, all the hot dogs are top split, but after moving to the USA in the late 80s, I quickly discovered that hot dogs are mostly side split with crust on all around.  When I saw the New England-style buns, I just knew I’d be taking advantage of them by filling them with decadent lobster salad.  Here’s how simple and quick it is to make lobster rolls.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • 4 Tbsps. good quality mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 heavy pinch each, salt and pepper
  • 2 small lobster tails, cooked and roughly chopped
  • 2 New England-style hot dog buns
  • 2 tsps. room-temperature butter

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the celery, mayo, lemon juice and salt and pepper.  Add the lobster meat and gently coat the meat with the mayo mixture using a fork.
  2. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  While the skillet is heating up, butter the crustless sides of each hot dog bun.  Add the buns to the hot skillet and grill each buttered side to a deep golden brown.  Remove from the skillet and open up each bun.
  3. Divide the lobster salad into two portions.  Scoop each portion into a bun and pack in tightly using the back of the fork.

Makes two lobster rolls.

Notes:  Cooked lobster tails can be found in the seafood section of your local grocery store.  If you can’t find cooked lobster tails and don’t feel like cooking some, you could replace with canned lobster meat or even with lump crab meat.

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Sandwiches, Seafood, Starters, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , ,
17 August 2011 Lobsterfest in the Comfort of My Home

Lobsterfest in the Comfort of My Home

August 17, 2011 By

I’m always looking for new themes for the dinner parties I host and this weekend, I decided to do a lobster party for some friends.

Although a perceived luxury item, lobster can be relatively affordable if purchased in season.  I made sure I held this party while lobsters were on sale at my grocery store and the cost per person was the same as when I buy nice steaks for everyone.  The difference – lobster’s fun and special!

Once of the downfalls of doing lobsters at home is the smell of the crustaceans cooking and the lingering smell in the house for the next week.  I resolved this issue by buying a turkey fryer at my local hardware store.  The turkey fryer comes with a huge metal pot, a strainer basket insert and a burner that can be connected to any standard propane tank.  I set the cooking station outside thus eliminating the mess in the house.

The trick to making a perfectly-cooked lobster is to carefully time how long you have it in the water.  This is the technique my dad’s passed on to me for solid results:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Plunge the lobsters, head first, into the boiling water.
  3. Bring the water back to a boil (should take 3-5 minutes).
  4. Let the lobsters cook for exactly 15 minutes then immediately remove them from the water and serve.

This technique is for lobsters up to two pounds.  For lobsters over two pounds, cook for 20 minutes.

The beauty about doing this type of party is that the side items served with lobster can be very affordable and simple.  Boil some red-skinned potatoes, roast some corn, make a tomato salad or cole slaw and prepare a terrific lemon butter dipping sauce for the succulent, tender lobster and you’re set!

Here’s a simple yet delicious recipe for lemon butter sauce that my family’s adopted from Rolande, my step-mother:

Lemon-Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound (2 sticks) salted butter
  • Juice of 3 lemons
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

Directions:

  1. Bring the butter to a simmer in a medium heavy pan over medium-low heat.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until the milky solids have mostly evaporated.
  2. Add the lemon juice and reduce heat to low.  Whisk in the cream and keep warm until ready to serve.

For best results, serve in a small dish over a candle burner to keep warm.

To finish the evening on a last Maine note, serve a blueberry cobbler like the one I prepared for my guests.  It’s an easy dessert to prepare and a real crowd pleaser.

There’s truly no need to go to a seafood place for lobster.  A fun and affordable dinner party can be prepared in a jiffy that your friends and family will enjoy and appreciate.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Desserts, Entrees, Seafood Tagged With: , , , ,
16 August 2011 Lemony Blueberry Cobbler

Lemony Blueberry Cobbler

August 16, 2011 By

Lemony Blueberry Cobbler

This weekend, I hosted a Maine-themed dinner party and for dessert, I couldn’t think of anything more representative of the beautiful northern New England state than blueberries.  To keep with the rustic feel of the party, I opted to create a comforting, biscuit-topped cobbler that I paired with Tahitian vanilla ice cream.  The result was outstanding.

Biscuit Batter Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Blueberry Filling Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. water
  • 64-ounce bag of frozen blueberries, thawed (or 8 cups fresh blueberries)
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch diluted with 3 Tbsp. water

Biscuit Batter Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  2. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form.
  3. Add the buttermilk and vanilla to the flour mixture and stir gently just until a biscuit-like batter forms – do not over-stir as tough dough will result.  Keep the batter in the refrigerator until ready to use, no more than 30 minutes.

Filling Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 13×9 baking dish.
  2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, maple syrup, zest, lemon juice and water.
  3. Add half of the blueberries to the pan and cook, partially covered, for about 10 minutes until hot and bubbly, stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the cooked blueberries, raise the heat to high, bring the mixture to a boil and cook 1 minute or until thickened.
  5. Gently stir in remaining blueberries and pour the mixture in the prepared baking dish.

Biscuit Topping Directions:

  1. Drop eight 1/4-cupfuls of the biscuit batter, evenly spaced, over hot filling. Sprinkle biscuits with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
  2. Bake the cobbler for 20 minutes then turn the broiler on high and bake for 3 additional minutes to brown the tops of the biscuits.
  3. Cool the dish for 5 minutes and serve warm over vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8.

Notes:  Want to shake things up a bit?  Replace the blueberries with mixed berries or straight raspberries.  For the filling, if you don’t have maple syrup, simply use 1 cup of granulated sugar instead of ¾ cup.

Recipe inspired by Woman’s Day Blue and Blackberry Cobbler.

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , ,
11 August 2011 Greek Goddess Dip – By Jordan Winery

Greek Goddess Dip – By Jordan Winery

August 11, 2011 By

Chef Todd Knoll

I don’t typically publish other cooks’ recipes on this blog, but find myself enjoying the creative yet simple dishes of Chef Todd Knoll of Jordan Winery in Healdsburg, CA.  Thought I’d share his Greek Goddess Dip that can be served as a salad dressing or as a dip with crudités.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 c. sour cream
  • 1/4 c. chopped parsley leaves
  • 1 tbsp. shredded (chiffonade) mint
  • 1 tbsp. chopped dill
  • 1/2 tsp. crumbled dried leaf oregano
  • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. drained chopped capers
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Drizzle of olive oil (as a garnish, just before serving)

Directions:
Whisk together yogurt, sour cream, all herbs, lemon juice and capers in a bowl. Season, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To view a video from Jordan Winery that offers serving suggestions for the dip, click here.

Filed Under: American, Sides Tagged With: , ,
1 August 2011 4-Course Fish and Seafood Tasting Menu Dinner

4-Course Fish and Seafood Tasting Menu Dinner

August 1, 2011 By

Those of you who follow my blog have read about the tasting menu dinners I sometimes host at my home.  This weekend, I decided to do a four-course fish and seafood tasting menu dinner for two featuring some fresh produce and herbs from my garden.

Here are the dishes I served:

Lump Crab & Yellow Tomato Coulis Shooter

Course #1:  Yellow Tomato Coulis and Lump Crab Shooter

I have beautiful yellow tomatoes ripening in my yard that I absolutely love.  They are sweet and fresh and simply delicious.  For this easy starter, I pureed a couple medium yellow tomatoes with excellent olive oil, a few basil leaves, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper in a food processor.  I served about ¼ cup of this golden elixir in a shot glass topped with a tablespoon of lump crab meat and a tiny basil leaf.

Scallop Crudo

Course #2:  Scallop Crudo

I love crudo (“raw” in Italian) dishes in the summer.  In essence, crudo dishes feature raw fish or seafood ‘cured’ in citrus juice, olive oil, salt and sometimes vinegar.  For those who are not fans of raw fish or seafood, this preparation allows the seafood or fish to cook in the acidic liquid, so give it a try!

I sliced large scallops thinly then cured the slices in a combination of orange and lime juices, a splash of red wine vinegar, sea salt, top quality olive oil, thinly sliced Thai chilies and fresh cilantro leaves.  Absolutely fabulous!

Lobster Tail Risotto

Course #3:  Lobster Tail Risotto

Risotto is uber popular at my home, so knew I had to prepare it for this special meal.  I grilled a 10-ounce lobster tails for 5 minutes, then removed from the shell and sliced carefully.  I made risotto with tons of butter, olive oil, elephant garlic and yellow onion, and then topped the luscious concoction with the lobster tail slices.  Not a bad dish!

Fish Three Ways

Course #4:  Fish Three Ways

I love the idea of serving three fish dishes on one plate. I opted for cod, salmon and yellow fin tuna – pale white to deep red fish.  The cod was marinated in sesame oil, miso and ponzu then lightly sautéed and served over steam soy beans.  The salmon was Dijon mustard and maple syrup-glazed and grilled on a cedar plank then served over leftover glaze.  The tuna was marinated for a short while in steak sauce then grilled to medium rare and served over Taboule salad.  Great flavor and visual contrasts!

Doing this type of meal for two people or six people isn’t difficult.  One needs to make a list of the dishes and accompaniments to be served, make as many of the dishes in advance (or at least prep the dishes) as possible and know what you’ll plate everything on!

Let me know if you try your own tasting menu dinner – cheers!

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Asian, Entrees, Fish, French, Italian, Japanese, Pasta, Seafood, Starters, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
27 July 2011 Opa Burgers

Opa Burgers

July 27, 2011 By

Opa Burger

If you follow my blog, you must know by now that I love Greek food, and wines.  I try to incorporate typical Greek flavors in many of the food I make and when it came time to create a special burger to pair for a wine tasting, I opted for a Greek version of the American classic.

Burger Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 2 Tbsps. fresh mint, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp. each, salt and pepper
  • 2 Tbsps. olive oil, preferably Greek
  • 4 small pita pocket bread, often referred by the name Pitettes, sliced in halves horizontally

Topping ingredients:

  • 8-ounce block of Halloumi cheese, cut into 8 slices then lightly coated in olive oil
  • 8 tsps. Tzatziki sauce, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 heirloom tomato, cut into 4 slices

Directions:

  1. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the lamb, mint, garlic, salt and pepper and form into four medium patties. Be sure not to overwork the meat causing it to be tough after grilling.
  3. Lightly coat the four patties with the olive oil, and then grill for 3 minutes on each side.
  4. While lamb patties are grilling, place the eight slices of Halloumi cheese on the grill and sear for one minute on each side.
  5. Lightly toast each of the Pitettes halves on the grill.
  6. To assemble, place a lamb patty on a Pitette half, top the meat with two teaspoons of Tzatziki sauce, 2 slices of Halloumi and a slice of tomato. Top with another Pitette half.  Assemble the remaining three burgers.

Makes 4 burgers.

Notes:  Halloumi cheese is ideal for this burger but it can be replaced with crumbled Feta if unavailable.  There are many good quality Tzatziki sauces in the supermarket deli section, so don’t pass on making this burger because you don’t want to make a homemade batch.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Entrees, Greek, Lamb, Sandwiches Tagged With: , , , , ,
15 July 2011 Strawberry and Nutella-Stuffed Crepes

Strawberry and Nutella-Stuffed Crepes

July 15, 2011 By

My Niece Maude

I recently spent the weekend in my native Quebec where I got a chance to breakfast with my two young nieces.  Like their mom, my sister Josée, they love the combination of strawberries and Nutella, the chocolate hazelnut spread.

On the first morning of my weekend back home, the girls enjoyed Strawberry Nutella Treats.  On the second morning, I brought the Basic Crepe Batter I’d made the evening before and fixed Strawberry and Nutella-Stuffed Crepes.  The crepe batter is prepared in advance in a jiffy and the stuffed crepes are simple to fix for the whole family, even on busy mornings.  On this occasion, I added a few freshly-picked blueberries to the strawberries.

Ingredients:

  • Basic Crepe Batter
  • 4 Tbsps. butter
  • 8 Tbsps. Nutella
  • 1 pint of ripe strawberries, sliced
  • Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet (or crepe pan), melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat until golden.
  2. Add ¼ of the crepe batter to the skillet and spread it evenly over the entire surface of the pan by tilting the skillet around.  Cook the crepe until the surface is mostly no longer wet, about 45 seconds.  Flip with a spatula and cook the second side for about 30 seconds.

  3. Strawberry Nutella Crepe

    Remove the crepe to a plate.  Spread 2 tablespoons of Nutella over the crepe then top with ¼ of the slices strawberries.  Roll the crepe, jellyroll-style and served with whipped cream, if using.

  4. Repeat steps 1-3 for the three remaining crepes.

Makes 4 crepes.

Notes:  The batter can easily be doubled or tripled if serving more guests.  The crepes can be stuffed with any berries, and another favorite of mine is stuffing them with a combination of raspberries and blueberries.

Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Canadian, Chocolate, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With:
26 June 2011 Top 5 Tips for a Great Grilled Steak

Top 5 Tips for a Great Grilled Steak

June 26, 2011 By

The following five steak grilling tips prove that you don’t have to be a grilling or steakhouse professional to serve your guests steaks that taste like you are.

 

Bone In Ribeye

1)  Buy the Right Cut of Meat

When you think of the best steak you’ve had at a steakhouse, you likely think of how juicy and flavorful the meat was, right?  In an attempt to recreate this savory experience, you must buy the right cut of meat.  This means that you must stay away from the overly lean filet mignon and try one of these top 5 cuts of meat for grilling:

Rib Eye:  The king of steaks, in my opinion.  The marbling of this cut is screaming for a hot grill.  With just a cracking of pepper and a generous coarse salt coating, it will be the best steak you’ve had, especially if still on the bone.

NY Strip:  This is a classic with the right amount of fat and chewiness.

Porterhouse (T-Bone):  Those of you addicted to the filet mignon will still be able to enjoy it while getting a juicy and flavorful NY strip along with it.

Skirt Steak:  This inexpensive cut of meat is ideal for a dinner party.  It’s affordable, cooks quickly and is ultra-flavorful, even without being marinated.

Tri-Tip:  Also known as Santa Maria steak, is the triangular section of the sirloin primal and has become popular with grillers because it’s flavorful, costs less than other prime cuts of meat and is typically about 2 ½ pounds hence perfect for feeding a crowd.

2)  Get a Meat Thermometer

Chefs on cooking programs constantly show folks how to ball up or stretch out their hand to compare the resulting tautness of their skin to what a steak should feel at various cooking temperatures.  Who the heck can remember this stuff, and who needs to?!

Get yourself a meat thermometer for $5 – $10, actually use it and you’ll never fail again when mom asks for medium and spouse asks for rare.  I recommend taking the steaks off the grill five degrees before they reach each of the below temperatures as the meat will continue to cook as it rests:

  • Rare: 130 degrees
  • Medium-rare: 135 degrees
  • Medium: 145 degrees
  • Medium-well: 160 degrees
  • Well: Not provided as meat should never be cooked well done

Once you get comfortable using the thermometer, you’ll get to understand how the meat should look and feel at various doneness and can do away with the handy tool.  This might take you a couple of grilling seasons, but you’ll get there.  In the meantime, arm yourself!

Strip Steak

3)  Allow Steak to Come to Room Temperature

This is possibly the most crucial step to a goof grilled steak.  Remove you steak from the refrigerator at least 30-60 minutes prior to grilling.  Not doing this will result in a steak that’s overcooked on the outside and has a “bullet” of raw/overly-rare meat on the inside.

4)  Steak Grilling Tip – Season your Meat

One of the biggest mistakes home cooks make when grilling steak is to under season the meat.  Marinating some cuts of meat is a good idea, but even more important is to generously coat the entire outside of the meat with olive oil then with coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper.  I’m not talking a sprinkling of salt and pepper folks!  I mean a COATING.  Also, seasoning the meat after it’s grilled won’t do the trick – do it prior to grilling.

5)  Steak Grilling Tip – Let the Meat Rest

Most of us have heard of letting a steak rest after grilling, but how many actually have the patience to wait for a perfectly-grilled steak to rest 5-10 minutes!?

As the saying goes – just do it!  Get your steaks off the grill and onto a plate, then cover them with a piece of aluminum foil and have a cocktail to get your mind off cutting into those ribeyes.

Allowing the steak to rest will help the natural juices to redistribute within the meat without flowing out of the steak when you cut into it causing a dry, tough chewy experience.

Do you have steak grilling tips I’ve missed here?  Please share them!

Happy grilling,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Beef, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , ,
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