by Kathy Douglas | Oct 30, 2017 | Entrees, Uncategorized
Our “not so scary Blood and Bones” themed Halloween dinner has a delicious bowl of homemade tomato soup served with mini grilled tomato “bone” sandwiches. Quick and easy to make, it’s the perfect festive dinner before heading out to your Halloween celebrations.
INGREDIENTS
Tomato Soup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, grated
1 large clove garlic, chopped fine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup white wine, we prefer Pinot Grigio
3 cups no salt chicken stock
28-oz. can purée San Marzano tomatoes
1 4-inch fresh rosemary stem
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of cream
Grilled Cheese “Bones”
8 large pieces of country white bread
8 sandwich slices of cheese, fontina, mozzarella, cheddar or your favorite melting cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Bone shaped cookie cutter
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and butter over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic, occasionally stirring, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables and garlic. Add the wine and cook until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Add the stock, tomatoes, rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a strong simmer, stirring, so the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes.
While the soup cooks, make the grilled cheese “bones.” Cut 16 bone shapes out of the bread. Cut 8 bone shapes out of the cheese. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Thinly spread the butter over one side of each 16 bone shaped bread. Place 8 in the sauté pan and top with one piece of cheese. Place the other bone shaped piece on top of the cheese, butter side up, as the cheese begins to melt. When browned, turn over and cook the other side until also browned. Remove from the sauté pan and keep warm while you finish the soup.
To finish the soup, discard the rosemary stem and add 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup or use a blender or food processor and puree in two or three batches. Return the soup to the pot, whisk in 1 cup of cream and reheat to warm. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add to 4 warmed bowls. Add two “bones” per bowl of soup.
Make 4 servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 16, 2017 | Entrees
Our pot pies have a thick and rich filling – full of chicken, carrots, celery, onions, and seasoned with tarragon and parsley. To top it off in festive style, we used a buttery and crunchy puff pastry pumpkin face.
INGREDIENTS
1 box puff pastry (Dufour or Pepperidge Farm)
2 cups of boxed unsalted chicken stock
½ cup carrots, peeled and diced
½ cup celery, diced
2 cups diced onion
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 tablespoons of white wine
2 cups of cooked, cubed chicken breasts
¾ cup of frozen peas
1 ½ tablespoons of fresh tarragon leaves
1 tablespoons of finely chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the pumpkin tops: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the puff pastry out on a floured cutting board. Using a 5″ pumpkin cookie cutter, cut out 4 pumpkins. Lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut out eyes and a mouth. Place in the oven and bake 20-22 minutes until puffed and browned all over. Leave on the sheet pan and set aside to cool slightly while you make the filling.
To make the chicken filling: Heat the stock in a saucepan over medium heat with the carrots, celery, and onions. When simmering, cover and lower the heat, cook for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender; then keep warm.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook the flour, constantly stirring until the mixture smells nutty about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in half the stock and vegetables until smooth. Whisk in the balance of the stock until you have a smooth, thick mixture. Add the wine, garlic, chicken, peas, parsley, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Stir in well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as desired. Transfer the mixture to four 5″x 1-¾ ” individual baking dishes, place on a foil-lined sheet tray and bake in the oven for twenty minutes.
Remove and rest 5 minutes then top each with a puff pastry pumpkin and serve.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 3, 2017 | Entrees
We contrasted our brilliant purple cauliflower mash with bright orange roasted sweet potatoes, coated with buttery maple and pecan syrup. We topped it off with a “seared to perfection” extra thick cut pork chop. Fall never looked or tasted so good. Ask your butcher to remove the meat from the bone and “French” the pork chops for you. Purple cauliflower is in season; you can find it at Whole Foods.
To make the Pork Chops
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, or toasted and ground cumin
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
2 extra thick bone-in pork chops, about 1 pound per chop
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 400 degrees. If using cumin seeds, in a small skillet over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds. Add to a spice grinder with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and grind to a fine powder. If using ground, toasted cumin, combine in a bowl with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper. With paper towels, dry off the pork chops on all sides; rub with the dry seasoning mixture. Heat a 10” cast iron pan to medium-high; add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the pork chops. Sear until each side is golden, spooning the oil over chops and bone. Sear all sides about 4 minutes total. Place in oven and roast until 135 degrees about 6 minutes. Plate and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Serves 4, ½ pork chop per serving.
To make Purple Cauliflower Mash
INGREDIENTS
1 head purple cauliflower, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
½ cup cream
2 sprigs thyme, tied together with butcher’s twine.
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Break or cut the cauliflower into small, regular size florets (about 1 1/2 inch). Cut off the stems, using only the purple tops, and add them to a steamer insert. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in the steamer pot, add the insert, cover, and steam for about 15 minutes, or until a small knife passes easily through the thickest part of cauliflower. While the cauliflower steams, in a small saucepan heat the cream and thyme to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes then remove the thyme bundle and discard. Add about 50% of the cauliflower into a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the warm cream, and purée until smooth. Add the rest of the cauliflower, 1 tablespoon of cream, and purée again. If the mash is still too thick (it should have the consistency of mashed potatoes) add 1 tablespoon of cream at a time and pulse until you achieve the correct consistency. Scrape down the sides of the food processor, add the salt, pepper, and puree briefly to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust with more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve warm. Serves 4.
To make the Maple Sweet Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds sweet potatoes, cut into ½” dice
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons toasted pecan pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 8-9 minutes until slightly darkened and nutty smelling. Remove from oven and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Place cut sweet potatoes in a bowl, drizzle with the oil. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Place on a baking sheet and roast, turning halfway through, until golden and tender when pierced with a knife, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the maple syrup, cayenne, and pecan pieces; simmer for 2 minutes. Add the hot potatoes into a serving bowl and pour the butter maple nut mixture over; serve warm. Makes 4 servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 18, 2017 | Entrees
When fall is in the air, the perfect dinner menu becomes chicken breasts stuffed with delicious apples and seasoned with cider and thyme. We added a creamy mustard and cider sauce to make this seasonal dinner complete. Perfect for a cool, cozy night at home or a dinner party with friends. If you have not butterflied chicken breasts before, most store butchers will be happy to either show you or do it for you. We offer two preparation methods for this recipe – oven or sous-vide.
Boiled cider can be purchased from King Arthur Foods (kingarthurflour.com), or you can make your own by placing 3 cups of unfiltered apple cider into a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat at a hard simmer reducing the cider to 1-1/2 cups.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely diced onion
2 cups peeled, small diced Fuji apple
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
1 cup small dice cubed bread, dried overnight uncovered
1 ¼ cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons boiled apple cider, divided
Zest of one lemon
Kosher Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
4 chicken breast, butterflied open, but not cut all the way through
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons brandy or Calvados (apple brandy)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup cream
Butcher’s twine
INSTRUCTIONS
If using the oven method, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If using the Sous Vide method, preheat a water bath to 140 degrees.
In a 12” sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and sauté until the edges of the onions are getting soft, about 5 minutes. Add the apple and 1 ½ teaspoons of fresh thyme, then continue to sauté for another 5 minutes until the apples are soft. Turn off the heat and add the diced bread, stirring into the apples and onions. In a small measuring cup mix ¼ cup of chicken stock, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons boiled cider. Pour over the bread mixture and stir in. Sprinkle the lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper over the stuffing; gently stir to combine. Push the bread down in the liquid and set aside to cool slightly, so the liquid absorbs into the bread.
Lay a piece of plastic cling wrap over a cutting board. Place one chicken breast on the plastic and cover with another piece of plastic cling wrap. Pound the thicker areas until the breast is an even thickness. Remove the top plastic wrap and sprinkle a pinch of salt on the chicken breasts. In the center of the chicken breast, spread ¼ of the stuffing, leaving a ½ inch border. Using the plastic, roll the breast up together, discard the plastic wrap, then tie with butcher’s twine. Repeat for the other three chicken breasts.
Using the Oven method: Heat a 12” sauté pan to very hot. Season the outside of the chicken with kosher salt. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and sear the breasts in a single layer on all sides, about one minute per each side. Cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Carefully remove the sauté pan from the oven; place the chicken breast on a heatproof surface and cover with foil to keep warm. Place the sauté pan back over medium heat to make the sauce.
Using Sous Vide method: Place a chicken breast in a vacuum bag and seal. Or put in a zip-top bag and use the water displacement method. Repeat with the other chicken breasts. Cook in a 140 degrees water bath for 2 hours. When finished, remove from the bags and dry with paper towels. Season the outside of the chicken with kosher salt. Heat a 12” sauté pan to very hot, add one tablespoon of olive oil and sear the breasts on all sides, about one minute per each side. Remove from the sauté pan and cover with foil. Place the sauté pan back over medium heat to make the sauce.
To make the Mustard and Cider Sauce: Add 2 tablespoons of Brandy or Calvados to the sauté pan and, with a flat-sided wooden spoon, loosen and scrape up all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the sauté pan. Right before the Brandy evaporates, add 1 cup of chicken stock. Continue to stir until all the brown bits have dissolved. Increase the heat and cook at a high simmer until the liquid reduces by half. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove any solid pieces. Wipe out the skillet, and add the strained liquid back into the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add 2 tablespoons of boiled cider, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and whisk to dissolve. Add one cup of cream and whisk to incorporate the cream into the sauce. Heat for five minutes or until the sauce is starting to bubble.
Remove the butcher’s twine and cut the chicken breasts into slices and serve with the sauce, topped with the remaining fresh thyme.
Makes six servings
To make boiled cider -Place 3 cups of unfiltered apple cider into a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat at a hard simmer until reduce to 1-1/2 cups.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 5, 2017 | Entrees
This quick stove top entrée comes together fast and is beautiful enough for a dinner party or a special dinner at home. Fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes are pan-seared and caramelized, then mixed with squid ink pasta, deliciously flavored bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and topped with fresh basil. Pasta with squid ink tastes like pasta (no fishy flavor) but makes a stunning presentation with the colorful tomatoes and basil. You can purchase it at your local Williams-Sonoma store or on Amazon.
INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt
¼ loaf of ciabatta bread
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
6 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
8 ounces dried squid ink fettuccine
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Start a large pot of water to boil; add a handful of salt. Cut the ciabatta bread into a few very thin slices and tear the slices into small pieces. Repeat until you have 2 cups.
Heat a 12” sauté pan over medium heat, add ¼ cup of olive oil. Add the cherry tomatoes and a large pinch of salt. Cook, shaking the pan often until the tomatoes are blistered all over and just starting to pop. Pour the tomatoes into a bowl, cover, and keep warm.
Place the pan back over the heat and add ½ cup of olive oil and the red pepper flakes stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and until the pepper flakes are sizzling about 3 minutes. Add the anchovy paste and stir to dissolve into the oil. Add the breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring often, until the crumbs are deep golden, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs are crisp and brown, 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and place ½ the toasted breadcrumbs to a bowl or plate; set aside. Set the sauté pan aside with the remaining crumbs.
Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.
Return the sauté pan to medium heat and add the pasta and ½ cup of pasta water to the remaining half of the breadcrumb mixture, tossing to combine. Scrape the bottom of the pan to dissolve any remaining bits sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, reserved cherry tomatoes, and ½ the fresh basil. Add any extra pasta water if needed. Season to taste with salt. Place the pasta in 4 warmed bowls and sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and basil. Serve with Parmesan cheese for passing. Makes 4 servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Aug 29, 2017 | Entrees
Perfect for your Labor Day Celebration, our Grilled Flank Steak & Baby Potatoes with Mango Peach Salsa, Cherrywood Smoked Bibb Lettuce, and Candied Bourbon Pecans will make you the king or queen of the grill. Most of the components in this recipe can be made ahead, leaving just the grilling and smoking for Labor Day. If you don’t have a method for smoking the lettuce, you can simply skip that step in the recipe. We used Bourbon Barrel Foods Bourbon Smoked Sugar for the pecans. You can find it at some local groceries or purchase at www.bourbonbarrelfoods.com. You can substitute with plain white sugar, but the pecans will be missing a smoky bourbon flavor.
Grilled Flank Steak & Tri-Colored Baby Potatoes
Potatoes can be cooked the day prior and refrigerated. Let come to room temperature before you grill.
INGREDIENTS
3-4 dried chipotle peppers; seeds and stems removed, torn into pieces
3 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
3 tablespoons garlic powder
Kosher salt, as needed
1 teaspoon Bourbon Barrel Foods* Bourbon Smoked Black Pepper or fresh grated black pepper
2 pounds baby potatoes
2 pounds flank steak
Olive oil, as needed
Two limes, juiced
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a small sauté pan over medium low heat. Add the pepper pieces and cumin seeds. Heat until toasted on all sides and fragrant. Cool slightly and place in a spice blender. Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, and pepper in a spice grinder. Grind to a powder consistency.
Wash the potatoes then slice any large ones into halves, set aside. In a large stockpot filled halfway with water, add 2 tablespoons of salt, and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, add the potatoes, and cook until a small knife easily passes through the potatoes, about 10-12 minutes. Strain and transfer to a plate to cool to the touch.
Pat the steak dry with paper towels, and brush with 1 tablespoon of olive oil on both sides. Rub with the spice mixture and place on a plate, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator. Place in a re-sealable or vacuum bag and pour the lime juice over the steak. If using a re-sealable bag, seal tightly, double bag, and refrigerate 8 hours, turning halfway through. If using a chamber vacuum, seal and refrigerate 2-4 hours.
Heat a barbeque or stovetop grill to high heat. Remove the steak from the bag and pat dry with paper towel. Brush with olive oil and grill the steak for 3-4 minutes per side until rare/ medium rare (135-145 degrees) to medium (155 degrees). Remove from the grill, cover with foil, and set aside for 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Place the cooked potatoes in a large bowl and gently toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Lay on the grill and cook until browning and well marked, turning halfway, about 5-8 minutes total, depending on the potatoes size. When finished, toss potatoes in a little more oil just to coat and salt to taste. Slice the steak and serve with the potatoes.
Peach Mango Salsa
Prep all ingredients the day before, store in separate containers, then mix together one hour before your dinner.
INGREDIENTS
1 large mango, peeled, cut ¼-inch dice
2 large peaches, peeled, cut ¼-inch dice
½ small red onion, finely diced
2 small tomatoes, seeded, cut ¼-inch dice
1 serrano chile, finely minced
Juice and zest of one large fresh lime
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside for one hour before serving.
Cherrywood Cold-Smoked Lettuce
If you don’t have a cold smoker, substitute with bibb lettuce leaves tossed in olive oil and salt.
INGREDIENTS
1 head bibb lettuce
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Special equipment- cold smoking gun, cherrywood chips
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the lettuce in a bowl. Wrap tightly with cling wrap. Using a smoking gun, smoke with 1/4 teaspoon cherrywood chips. Seal tightly and leave in the bowl until the smoke dissipates, about 10-15 minutes. Separate the leaves and toss in a small amount of olive oil and salt.
Smokey Candied Bourbon Pecans
Can be prepared up to two days ahead. Store in an air-tight container. You can substitute white sugar for the bourbon smoked sugar, the pecans will just be missing a bourbon smoky flavor.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup Bourbon Barrel Foods* Bourbon Smoked Sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups pecan halves
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment.
In a small saucepan, whisk the sugar and kosher salt. Add 2 tablespoons water and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves into liquid, and becomes very syrupy and thick, about 5 minutes. Fold in the pecans and stir until they are completely covered.
Pour out on the baking sheet, spaced apart and divide into single nuts. Bake for 12 minutes, until the pecans are caramelized. Remove from the oven and slide the baking mat or parchment off of the hot baking sheet onto a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, break apart any nuts, if necessary, and store in an airtight container until needed.
When finished, assemble all ingredients on plates. Makes six servings.
*Can be ordered at www.bourbonbarrelfoods.com
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