February « 2010 « Gourmet and Comfort Food Blog by Two Hot Potatoes

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Pan-roasted Salmon

Friday February 26th 2010

Like everyone else, I get really tired of the same old salmon recipes. So I scoured my favorite sites (smittenkitchen, foodandwine, epicurious, lastnightsdinner) for something that could make salmon somewhat interesting without requiring hard labor.

I settled on a Ted Allen recipe from Food and Wine. This recipe maintains its simplicity, but packs a ton of flavor. It’s a good go-to, healthy weeknight meal that can be made in minutes.

Pan Roasted Salmon with Tomato Vinaigrette

1    pint grape tomatoes, halved
1    medium shallot, thinly sliced
1    tablespoon drained capers
2    tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt
3    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4    center-cut salmon fillets with skin (about 7 ounces each)
Freshly ground pepper
1/2    teaspoon ground cumin
2    tablespoons canola oil
1    tablespoon minced parsley (I skipped the parsley)
1    tablespoon chopped basil (I used dried basil)

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the shallot, capers, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up. Cook over moderately high heat until well-browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Transfer the fish to plates and pour off any fat in the skillet.
Place the skillet over moderate heat and add the tomato mixture along with the cumin, canola oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook, scraping up any bits stuck to the skillet, until the tomatoes just soften, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the salmon, sprinkle with the parsley and basil and serve right away.

Caramelized Cauliflower. Seriously.

Thursday February 25th 2010

I know what you’re thinking. Blah. And honestly, I can’t disagree. Cauliflower is usually mushy, tasteless and inedible. Sometimes it’s covered in cheese, making it less of a vegetable and more of a conduit, but it’s still pretty bland.

But a visit to Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc last year forever changed my anti-cauliflower stance. We were served caramelized cauliflower as a side dish, and it was crispy, salty and beyond edible. It was ultimately devoured and now recreated.

Caramelized Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower
Olive oil
Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the head of cauliflower on a cutting board, and slice it top-down into ¼-inch slices, some of which will crumble. Toss cauliflower in a large bowl with plenty of olive oil and a bit of salt, spread it in a single layer on a heavy sheet pan. Roast until golden brown and caramelized, turning bits and slices once or twice, about 30 minutes.

Crispy Kale and Garlic

Tuesday February 23rd 2010

Every time I bring home this beautiful leafy green my boyfriend asks me what I’m planning on doing with all the garnish…

True, uncooked kale is often used as a popular garnish, but don’t let that stop you from grabbing a bunch the next time you pass the salad bar at the grocery store. These tough curly leaves can easily be transformed in to a tender, delectable super food. Kale is packed full of antioxidants that are believed by many nutrition experts to help prevent cancer and heart disease. Kale provides high amounts of vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B6, manganese, and potassium. So if you need to get your vitamins, and you’re too embarrassed to buy Flintstones Chewables, try this Crispy Kale and Garlic. You’re stomach, and your doctor will thank you.

1 bunch rinsed Kale

2 large cloves garlic

2 tbs olive oil

Salt to taste

Start by cutting out the tough rib in the middle. Stack a few leaves, roll them up lengthwise and cut along the roll making long ribbons (this is also called a chiffonade style). Then slice one or two cloves of garlic in to thin slices.

In a skillet over medium heat warm the garlic in a drizzle of olive oil for a few minutes to infuse the oil with flavor. Add the kale ribbons to the skillet, sprinkle with salt, and sauté them in the garlic and oil until the kale is tender and garlic is toasted. I like to let a few edges of the kale brown a few seconds after it’s cooked, which adds a tasty crunch to the leaves.

Cookie vs. Dough

Monday February 22nd 2010

THE DOUGH

THE COOKIES

It’s the ultimate battle. Which is better, chocolate chip cookie dough or the freshly baked cookie? As an admitted over-indulger, it’s hard for me to choose both.

If I eat the cookie dough, I end up too full and sick to feast on warm, decadent cookies. But minutes seem like hours when cookies are in the oven, and it feels like a sin not to eat the leftover dough as I’m waiting.

Sadly enough, I find myself in this predicament at least once a week. David Lebovitz and his Great Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe have cursed me for life. They’re ridiculously addicting, and seriously the best chocolate chip cookie ever. I apologize in advance for introducing you to heaven.

Great Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (from David Lebovitz’s Great Book of Chocolate)

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) (115 grams) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1cm) pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (200 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

Adjust the oven rack to the top 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 300F (150C). Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat the sugars and butters together until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Stir together the flour and salt, then mix them into the batter. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon (5cm) balls and place 8 balls, spaced 4 inches (10cm) apart, on each of the baking sheets.

Bake for 18 minutes, or until pale golden brown. I usually check the cookies around 13 minutes, as I like them slightly undercooked. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Make about 12 large cookies.

Cupcakes & Cocktails

Friday February 19th 2010

Is there a better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with good friends, sugary cupcakes and sparkling cocktails? I think not. However, the snow happened to disagree, so the Cupcakes & Cocktails party my sister and I planned for last Thursday had to be delayed (Dallas actually had the most amount of snow it’s ever received in the history of the universe). I just didn’t want our guests to risk their lives for a homemade cupcake.

But there’s really not a bad time to eat cupcakes or drink champagne, so we indulged in a belated celebration last night.

On the cupcake menu: Strawberry Cupcakes (recipe courtesy of Sprinkles Cupcakes via Martha Stewart), Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting (this was a mish mash of recipes) and Devils Food Cupcakes (recipe from the cookbook “500 Cupcakes”)

On the drink menu: Wine, Rose Champagne and a Valentines Cocktail (pink lemonade, sugar, vodka, strawberry puree, beer, frozen strawberries)

I’m hoping this celebration will become an annual event as it turned out to be a ton of fun.

Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting

Devil's Food Cupcakes

Strawberry Cupcakes

We also made miniature versions of all the cupcakes, so our guests could test each flavor before investing in the whole cupcake.

And how I could I forget the cocktails? The cute “Be Mine” sign is from Bekah Jennings on Etsy.

Sprinkles’ Strawberry Cupcakes

2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Sprinkles’ Strawberry Frosting

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners’ sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Hot Potato in Hot Cabo

Wednesday February 17th 2010

So while Angela was whisked away to the most romantic dinner EVER, I was enjoying myself on a weekend vacation in Cabo San Lucas.

It would take more than one post to detail all of the weekend events (whale watching, surfing, eating, drinking and more eating and drinking), so I decided to highlight my favorite meal – Valentine”s Day dinner at Las Ventanas cleverly named restaurant, The Restaurant at Las Ventanas.

I shared this romantic seven course meal with my best friend Kristy, her family, her fiancee and her new engagement ring. I know this has nothing to do with food, but really, how could I not post a picture of the ring??

But on to the food. Not quite as extravagant as the ring, but a close second.

Course One: Kumamoto Oyster with Avocado, Cucumber and Pink Peppercorn

Course Two: Granny Smith Apples & Shrimp with Aniseed, Lemongrass & Hibiscus Sauce

Course Three: Sauteed Foie Gras with Toast Spiced Pudding, Onion & Tamarind Confit

Course Four: Maine Lobster on Wild Mushrooms with Saffron & Organic Vegetables

Course Five: Milk Fed Veal Chop flavored with Sage, Garlic & Bacon

Course Six: Verine Strawberry with Rose Foam

Course Seven: Caramel ChouChou with Light Ginger Cream & Tangerine Sorbet

Final Course: Chocolates and a Homemade Marshmallow

If I was forced to pick a favorite from the dinner it would definitely be the Maine Lobster. I’m a sucker for anything with saffron, and the lobster was tender and sweet. My second favorite has to be the marshmallow, and you might just be seeing an upcoming post about making homemade marshmallows.

Overall, it was an amazing trip with great food and even better friends.

A Very Special Dinner for Two

Monday February 15th 2010

I am quite possibly the luckiest girl in the world.

Yesterday my Valentine surprise was out of this world! My love surprised me with the best foodie gift a girl could dream of. Forget dinner for two at a fancy restaurant, Matt knows me much better than that. Instead, Matt planned for us a private cooking lesson and dinner for two from the Spiceman, other wise known as Tom Spicer. Dallas chefs go to guy for exotic ingredients, and organic goodies which he cultivates in the huge garden behind his storefront on Fitzhugh near Bryan St.

Matt tricked me by saying we had a late dinner reservation Sunday night, so he wanted to take me to grab a quick bite for lunch at one of our favorites, Jimmy’s Food Store. Upon arriving I found Jimmy’s to be closed, so Matt (sneaky, sneaky) suggested we walk around the corner to Spiceman’s place to see if he had anything cooking…. Indeed he did! Matt had the whole place decked out for a romantic dinner for two. Red carpet, candle light, and flowers everywhere! Spiceman gave us a warm welcome and talked us through what his ideas were for our diner that evening, then handed me my apron and we got to work.

Spiceman built the menu as we went along. The 4 course meal began with Belgian endive boats filled with jumbo lump crab, black forest ham, sauteed shallot and tarragon, then topped with a soft ripe cheese before the boats went under the broiler. These little leaves of heaven melted in our mouths in one salty buttery bite. And they were so simple to make! Just goes to show you how far exceptional ingredients can go when they are picked fresh from the garden, and paired to complimenting flavor perfection.

Spiceman took the time to talk me through quite a few of his favorite kitchen tools and techniques, while he guided me in making the perfect creamy herbed cheese to accompany our Bosque pear dessert tart. Our lesson was briefly interrupted though when he had to take a call from Charlie Palmer, who had a Valentines dinner emergency and need an order of Tom’s exotic mushrooms immediately. Needless to say, when one of the cities most renowned chefs calls -you answer. That’s just another weekend in the life of the Spiceman. It’s a good thing his son was on call and able to make the delivery so our dinner wasn’t delayed.

After the knifes were done flying and the skillets were at rest, we sat back and enjoyed the meal of a lifetime. Crisp, lemony hearts of palm and parmigiano-reggiano salad, scallops seared to perfection, lightly breaded and pan-fried trout topped with jumbo lump crab and Tom’s signature exotic sauteed mushrooms. Dinner came and went and before I knew it we were sipping on fine port with our savory pear tart desert, reveling in the meal that had just unfolded before us.

It was such a memorable evening! Thanks so much to Tom Spicer for bringing it all together, and of course a huge thank you to Matt, my love, for creating the most thoughtful, romantic Valentines dinner EVER! I’m so thankful to have such people in my life, and I’ll be sure to show my gratitude with many delicious meals to come.

~xoxo

Angela

Valentine Cake Balls

Friday February 12th 2010

Cake Balls are all the rage these days. A moist decadent mouthful of joy, these bite size treats are an excellent way to get creative with cake.

It’s simple really. Just bake a cake, let it cool, then mix in your frosting of choice. Roll the cake/ frosting mix in to balls, then coat in melted chocolate to give them a nice candy coated shell.

In the spirit of Valentines day, I decided to make a special Strawberry, Heath candy, Chocolate coated, heart shaped cake ball to share with my friends. I got the idea to make them into cake-pops from the Bakerella.

1 Box Strawberry Cake (Bake as directed)

1 16oz. can Butter Cream Frosting

1 1/2 cups crumbled up Heath Bar

1 package white chocolate bark (or chocolate)

After your cake is cooked, and cooled completely, crumble it up into a large bowl and mix in your frosting. You could do this by hand, but it was just as easy (and less messy) mixing it with my Kitchen Aid mixer. Once the frosting is well mixed, add the Heath bits to combine evenly.

Use your hands to roll the cake mixture in to small balls, place on a cookie sheet. With clean hands pat the round balls down into a heart shape (it helps if you dampen your fingers a bit) Chill for several hours, or just pop in the freezer to speed t up.

Once the cake hearts are chilled, dip them in your melted chocolate of choice and place on wax paper to set.

If you’d like to try making your cake balls in to lollipop cakes, you’ll want to make your balls a little smaller (otherwise they’ll be to heavy to set on the stick). Then before you chill the balls, insert the lollipop stick so the cake holds the stick.

Snow Ice Cream

Thursday February 11th 2010

When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade right? Well when life hands you a snow storm what do you do? Make snow ice cream of course!

It’s actually snowing here in Dallas. And more importantly, it’s actually sticking. So get outside, gather some snow, and take advantage of your one chance this year to make snow ice cream. So easy, and sinfully delicious.

First, bundle up and go outside to gather up some fresh snow. Make sure that it’s not yellow! (There are a lot of dogs in my neighborhood so I have to be extra careful).

Ingredients:

8 cups snow (lightly packed)
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Lightly pack snow in to serving bowls. Mix the condensed milk and vanilla in a separate bowl. Pour on top of your snowballs, mix to combine, and add a dash of cinnamon if you wish. Serve immediately!

And if it happens to be Snow Ice Cream happy hour time then go ahead and throw some Bailey’s on top. Why not?

Valentines for Foodies

Wednesday February 10th 2010

If you’re like me, you’re always searching for last minute gifts. Well, here are a few ideas that beat out homemade hug coupons or pink carnations.

Have it Sweet’s Caramel of the Month Club

It says “I love you no matter how fat you get” by sending your sweetheart half a pound of caramels every month for a year. It’s $90 up front, and then a $5 flat fee for shipping every month.

Wustof Classic Hollow-Edge Santoku Knife

It says “I trust you enough not to kill me with this” for the sweetheart who needs to buff up her knife skills. A good knife can make a world of difference in the kitchen, and really, you only need just one. This one retails for $69.95 at Sur La Table.

Penzeys Spices

It says “I love you, but I would love you more if your food wasn’t so bland” to the sweetheart who needs to spice things up. Penzeys has locations all over the US (including Houston and Dallas), but you can also order these spices online. Penzeys can put together a custom gift box for you that includes eight different spices for around $45.

Solo Suppers by Joyce Goldstein

It says “I think you’re going to be cooking alone after Valentine’s Day” for the sweetheart you want to break up with. It’s actually one of my favorite cookbooks that my brother gave me a few years ago. It’s how I discovered creamy polenta…alone.

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