Entertaining « Gourmet and Comfort Food Blog by Two Hot Potatoes

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Whole Roasted Snapper

Tuesday June 28th 2011

Cooking a whole fish can be somewhat intimidating. It has beady eyes, scaly skin and tons of bones – not exactly a dream specimen to work with. But with the help of your local fishmonger (and this recipe!), cooking a whole fish can be a snap.

And this isn’t even really a recipe. Just advice/guidelines to help you through the simple process of cooking a whole fish. I’d love to hear other people’s tips on how they cook whole fish – especially if you use a grill as I’m ill-prepared in that department.

How To Cook a Whole Fish

Step 1: Don’t be afraid. I promise, it’s a snap.

Step 2: Pick out your dinner. When buying a whole fish, first look at the eyes. A fresh fish has bright, clear, and protruding eyes rather than dull, hazy, sunken ones. The skin should be moist and shiny, the gills red or pink, and the flesh firm and elastic. The odor is also one of the best signs of freshness. A fresh fish has a fresh, slightly oceanlike, mild odor. If it smells fishy and stinky, stay away!

Step 3: Ask your new best friend, the fishmonger to scale it, gut it, remove the gills, and remove the fins. Then ask your fishmonger to butterfly it for you. This creates an opening down the center for you to stuff it will all your favorite acoutrements.

Step 4: Shop for lemons/olives/fennel/tomatoes/fresh herbs – whatever your heart desires. These items will go in and around the fish to create your whole fish feast.

Step 5: Put your fish in a roasting pan or a shallow glass pan (or you can be ghetto/lazy like me and put it in a shallow pan with foil so you don’t have to clean as much). Stuff and surround your fish with your items of choice. Use twine to wrap it up if you want to keep everything together, and then throw it in the oven. Cooking time depends on the thickness of your fish, but I roasted my whole snapper for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Step 6: Time to impress your guests. Serve the fish on a platter. Run a knife between the flesh and the bones and lift off the fillet. Turn the fish over and repeat. Repeat with the other fish. Pass lemon wedges. Enjoy!

For this particular recipe, I used a 3lb snapper that I stuffed with thyme, rosemary, basil, lemon slices, salt & pepper and olive oil. I surrounded the fish with yellow, red & orange tomatoes, thyme, garlic and olive oil that I ended up serving over the fish filets. Perfection!

Artizone: Private Dinner at Bolsa

Sunday March 20th 2011

Just like everyone else in Dallas, we love Bolsa. The fresh, local ingredients, the patio, the mixed drinks made by handsomely mysterious man with a mustache – how can you go wrong? So when Artizone announced a private dinner at one of our favorite spots, we knew we had to partake. The four course menu, designed by Chef Graham Dodds, featured ingredients from all of our favorite Dallas artisans.

The wines flowed freely and the meal was served family style, resulting in a cozy vibe in an already-warm, but insanely cool atmosphere. Guests were greeted with large, family-style platters of Scardello Cheese paired with jellies from JJ&B Jellies Jams & Butters. I’m pretty sure I ate half the jar of the Fig & Walnut Jelly, while Angela swooned over the White Zinfandel Jelly.

Next up, field green salad from our favorite dallas farmer, Tom Spicer of Spicman’s FM 1410. Light and refreshing, topped with pepitas and huge heirloom tomatoes.

And for our main course, we enjoyed the Vongeertsem Butcher Shoppe show. Crisp, airline chicken topped with cilantro pesto, followed by tender beef fillets. And if that wasn’t enough food, a heaping bowl of creamy spinach risotto, furnished by Flavors from Afar, appeared next.

And last, but certainly not least, was the ultimate crowd-pleaser, the “PB&J” dessert. A giant, soft peanut butter cookie from Kessler Cookie Company topped with peanut butter panna cotta and blackberry jam from JJ&B. I thought I couldn’t eat another bite after our 3 dish main course, but I somehow managed to take down a whole sumptuous cookie dessert. It was the highlight of the evening for me.

Chefs For Farmers: Cafeteria Style

Saturday March 19th 2011

In retrospect, we should have worn overalls to this event. Or sweatpants. Or a maternity dress. Pretty much anything except what I wore, which was jeans that are on the tight side (because of the dryer, obviously).

But what a cool, unique event. It was the perfect blend of a traditional cafeteria setting mixed with extraordinarily talented chefs, which resulted in out-of-this-world comfort dishes. It definitely exceeded my expectations and beat out my old-school cafeteria lunch of square pizza with a side of corn.

The event was held at Highland Park Cafeteria, a Dallas institution, and a place that I grew up frequenting with my grandparents. That was back when I counted macaroni & cheese and mashed potatoes as vegetables. And I thrived on orange jello with whipped cream. Luckily, my taste buds have evolved (somewhat).

I’m not sure how many dishes were served, but I tried each and every one of them, and finished the ones that I couldn’t imagine leaving behind. As part of the event, guests were asked to vote on their favorite dish, and the chef would win $1000 courtesy of Artizone. It was a tough, tough competition, and we certainly had trouble picking just one dish.

Sarah’s favorite dish: Burnt ends, Brisket and Banana Pudding by Pecan Lodge Catering. Banana pudding is probably my biggest weakness, but I’m constantly searching for one that measure’s up to Magnolia Bakery’s version. This pudding hit a home run for me. I’m a little worried about the number of times I’ll be visiting Shed No.2 at the Farmer’s Market to get another taste of Pecan Lodge’s banana pudding heaven.

Angela’s favorite dish: Chicken Fried Steak served up by Maple and Motor’s Jack Perkins. For me it just doesn’t get much better than this kind of southern comfort food. This dish was fried to golden perfection and so tender I could cut it easily with my fork. Then paired with a delicious creamy gravy and mashed potatoes- I was in heaven. Like Sarah, I was also so excited to be introduced to the Pecan Lodge, and I was a huge fan of the Banana Pudding the served up.

Chefs for Farmers: Cafeteria Style

Monday February 7th 2011

Now that the Super Bowl is over, it’s time to start thinking about the next big event in Dallas, Chefs for Farmers on March 13th. And for this event you won’t have to worry about an overcrowded valet line filled with Hummer limos, questionable ladies in head-to-two leopard print, tickets being refunded due to last-minute bleacher setup or anyone remembering the words to National Anthem. In fact, all you have to do is show up, eat, drink and enjoy yourself.

Simple enough.

Angela and I had a blast at the last Chefs for Farmers event in Fort Worth, but we’re hoping more of our Dallas friends will be in attendance this round. We certainly love our Dallas chefs, and there’s no going wrong with this list of culinary experts:

Brian Luscher of The Grape
Chad Houser & Janice Provost of Parigi Restaurant
Dan Landsberg
J.Chastain of the Second Floor Bistro
Jack Perkins of Maple and Motor
Jill Bates of Fearings
John Tesar
Justin Fourton & Diane Fourton of Pecan Lodge
Kelly Hightower of Nova
Matt McCallister
Randall Copeland and Nathan Tate of Restaurant Ava
Rick Griggs
Scott Romano of Charlie Palmer
Tim Byres of Smoke Restaurant

Could this list get any better?? The event is taking place at Highland Park Cafeteria – but I promise you’ll be treated to something much more exciting than salisbury steak or square pizza. Although, I honestly loved square pizza day.

Tickets are $85 and can be purchased at chefsforfarmers.com, and they always sell out. Hope to see you there!

Bridal Shower Brunch

Tuesday February 1st 2011

I spent last weekend in Houston celebrating with my girlfriends and toasting our lovely friend Lauren with a bridal shower brunch. We had a mountain of cupcakes and hoards of other light bites, but what better way to toast our bride to be than with a Make Your Own Mimosa bar. Upon arriving to the shower guests were greeted with glass of champagne to which they could dress up any way their heart desired. We set out a few flavored syrups, orange juice and an assortment of fresh berries that they could mix and match as they pleased. This was the perfect way to kick off the party. When entertaining a large group of guests you always want everyone to feel like they’re at home. So setting up a simple bar that makes it easy for guests to customize their own cocktails is a perfect way to break the ice and get people to settle in.

My favorite mimosa mix was the Lavender kissed mimosa with a few black berries. Lauren introduced me to these wonderful syrups from Sonoma Syrup Co. that we used as drink mixers, but the recipe possibilities go far beyond cocktails.

We set up our bar with Lavender Syrup, Acai Black Currant Syrup, Orange-Mango Juice, and regular Orange Juice, along side a tray full of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and sliced strawberries. A little goes a long way when making your mimosa with the flavored syrup about half a tablespoon is all you need in the bottom of your glass, then fill up with champagne and toss in your berries of choice.

Cheers Lauren!

xoxo

Artizone Delivery & Beef Spice Rub

Monday January 24th 2011

So Friday night I received my first delivery of goods from Artizone. After searching through the site, I decided on beef filets from VonGeertsem Butcher Shoppe, cheese & crackers from Scardello and arugula from Spicemans FM 1410. I figured I could easily put together a dinner with those specialty items plus supplements from my pantry.

So around 7:30pm on Friday, the delivery man promptly arrived with three individually packaged boxes for me (the arugula box even had an ice pack in it!).

I know it sounds silly, but it was honestly so fun to receive a package of my favorite foodie items. It’s a perfect solution for those nights you don’t feel like going out, but also don’t feel like going to the grocery store – which is basically every Friday night for me.

After perusing through my packages, I decided on the following menu:
Cheese & olive oil crackers (from Scardello)
Spice-rubbed filets (seared on the stove, finished in the oven)
Sauteed arugula with caramelized onions & goat cheese
Baked potatoes (rubbed with olive oil & sea salt, cooked at 425 for an hour)
David Lebovitz’s famous chocolate chip cookies (I couldn’t resist)

The following spice rub is a recipe I first used on beef tenderloin years ago. Following rave reviews, I’ve continued to use it on any type of beef ever since, and it certainly didn’t fail me on Friday night.

Beef Spice Rub

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Combine everything in a bowl, mix together and then generously rub on meat. Cook on the stove/grill/oven to your desired temperature.

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Wednesday December 15th 2010

Last weekend was my friend Lesley’s Christmas Cookie exchange party. This pajama/ pastry party has become such a fun tradition with this group of friends. Each year we get together in early December to swap recipes and catch up on life. And what better way to catch up with your friends than over wine, a little bubbly, and some sweet treats.

There were about 15 girls at the party this year- and with each one sharing about 3-4 cookies in each goodie bag, I came home with about 50 cookies total! It’s a good thing I have a lot of people to share them with or else I might be in need of another detox.

To shake it up a bit this year I decided to play on an old holiday favorite, the gingerbread cookie. I’m a big fan of fluffy cake-like cookies rather than crunchy cookie recipes, and if you put a cream filling in anything- I am in! So, the Gingerbread Whoopie Pie was born.

Hot Potato Holiday Gift List

Tuesday November 30th 2010

Everyone else is putting together a gift list, so why shouldn’t we? And to be honest, I love perusing through the holiday gift lists. I even read through Dr. Phil’s must have gift list on Oprah yesterday. Sad, I know.

I love searching for the perfect holiday gifts for my family & friends. It’s my favorite part of the holiday season – the hunt. So if you know anyone who is into food, wine or whimsical gifts, we’ve got a decent list for you. Happy shopping!

MACARONS

Macarons are the new cupcake. Everyone’s eating them – including Blair & Chuck on last week’s episode of Gossip Girl.

The term macaron correctly—and very specifically—refers only to the gerbet, or Parisian macaroon.

In its purest form, the macaron is a confection composed of finely ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar. The word is a derivation of the Venetian macarone, meaning “fine paste.” The recipe traveled through France and varied regionally, but the ingredients and the basic construction remained consistent. A layer of buttercream, ganache, or jam was spread between two meringue disks.

Macarons are the perfect pastry to send to a Client, in-law or anyone else you want to impress with your impeccable taste. Luckily, there’s a fabulous patiserrie in Dallas that can ship them anywhere in the US – Rush Patisserie Pastry Boutique and Cake Salon, located in Oak Cliff. Their macarons (and other delicious treats) are available for delivery, private parties and tastings 7 days week with 24 hours notice.

WINE TOTES

I bought these for a lot of people on my list last year, and I’m pretty sure they’ve gotten some good use. These are great for the wine lover in your family who also happens to be super hip. It’s a great way to transport your wine to your favorite BYOB restaurant, and it also makes a great gift bag for the bottle wine you’re giving to your holiday party hosts this season.

Visit Maptote to purchase your wine tote or any of their other natural tote bags (I have the grocery totes for Tokyo and Hawaii, but I’m still hoping for a Dallas version!).

BEEF TENDERLOIN

Who isn’t tired of turkey right now? Seems like a good time to send someone a big slab of meat.

Perini Ranch has been around awhile, and for good reason. Their mesquite smoked beef tenderloin was even named the best “mail order gift of the year” in 1995. Luckily, the internet was invented, and you can now order this succulent piece of beef online from Perini Ranch, based in Buffalo Gap, Texas.

The tenderloin is delivered fully cooked at a perfect medium rare. It’s not cheap ($96 for a 2.5lb tenderloin), but I promise it’s worth every penny.

KENEFICK RANCH CABERNET

It’s tough to choose just one wine for my gift list, but if I was forced to pick one delicious bottle to gift with confidence this would be the bottle. I first tried Kenefick Ranch a few years ago on a summer trip to Vail, Colorado. It was served in one of favorite restaurants, Sweet Basil. I still dream about the truffle fries I ate a few (umm, 3-4 times) over the course of my trip.

Anyway, back to the wine. Wine Enthusiast gave the 2005 Cabernet 94 points, and you can order it from Kenefick Ranch for $60 a bottle. It would actually be great with the beef tenderloin from Perini Ranch.

STATE CUTTING BOARD

Massachutes Plyboo Cutting Board

How fun are these state-shaped cutting boards?

It wouldn’t be a complete gift list unless something from Etsy was included, and I’m loving these custom made cutting boards. Aheirloom makes these boards, and can place the heart cutout on any city you like. Such a fun, unique gift for someone who is extremely proud of their state (obviously anyone from the state of Texas) or city.

ARTIZONE

This last gift resource is only available to Dallas residents, but it’s a good one. Are you looking for the best ingredients for your holiday dinner, but you’re too overwhelmed to make it to Scardello, VonGeertsem’s or La Duni? Or do you need to send a gift to clients, associates or anyone else in the Dallas area?

Artizone is a pretty cool new resource that delivers fresh, artisan food products to the DFW area. A few of my favorites include the Quatros Leches cake from La Duni, Cave Aged Marisa cheese from Scardello, exotic mushrooms from Spiceman’s FM 1410. They’re also offering FREE DELIVERY over the holidays. I love free stuff.

How to Fry a Turkey

Monday November 22nd 2010

If you’re interested in frying a turkey this year, here’s a quick video you can watch for some inspiration.

Happy Thanksgiving week!

Chefs For Farmers - December 5th

Tuesday November 16th 2010

Following the success of their first farm-to-table dining experience, Chef’s for Farmers is back next month, and Sarah and I are eagerly counting down the days to the event on December 5.

Chefs For Farmers is a group that realizes the need for locally sourced ingredients and the expert hands that prepare them. Their mission is to provide a unique dinning experience for foodies who want to celebrate these chefs who source locally – and give back to the community at the same time. Proceeds from each event go to a different charity. The upcoming December dining soiree in Ft Worth will be benefiting Meals on Wheels of Tarrant County.

The lineup for the December event sounds fantastic! We have: Chef Blaine Staniford – GRACE, Chef Dan Landsberg – TILLMAN’S ROADHOUSE, (who we remember from our dinner at 48 Nights), Chef Dena Patterson – CAFÉ MODERN, Chef Jon Bonnell – BONNELL’S, Chef Michael Morabito – Colonial Country Club, Artisan chocolatier Zach Townsend – Pure Chocolate Desserts, Sommelier Ryan Tedder – Grace, Gwin Grimes – Artisan Baking Co., Jay Jerrier – Il Cane Rosso

“Chefs were chosen not only for their culinary skill, but for their commitment to support local farmers by sourcing from nearby Texas resources,” says Matt McCallister, Founder of Chefs for Farmers. “We will honor the hard work which produces such incredible ingredients from Scott Farms, Tassione Farms, Dominion Farms and the folks at Burgundy Pasture Beef.” McCallister says we can expect to hear each speak at the dinner.

The evening will end with a second stop ‘down on the ranch.’ Rancher Jim Lane will host a cozy bonfire and marshmallow roast at J Bar L Ranch- a working cutting horse ranch, complete with live music under the stars. (I am so looking forward to Pastry Chef Kim Smith’s marshmallows from Tillman’s! Her heavenly confections are to die for!)

WHEN: Sunday December 5th, 2010

TIME: Cocktails & Hors d’ oeuvres beginning at 3:00 pm – Six course menu to follow

WHERE: Beginning at Times Ten Cellars, Ft Worth, Bonfire after party at Jim Lane’s J Bar L Ranch

TICKETS: $150 (Includes taxes and gratuity) Purchase tickets at chefsforfarmers.com

Seating is limited to 135 guests. I urge you all to get your tickets now! The last event sold out very quickly.

PS – To all of our Dallas followers that are interested in joining us – Sarah and I are wanting to arrange for a bus to take us out to Ft. Worth and back. That way we don’t have to worry about driving tipsy on the way back home to Dallas. I’m almost positive after all of the wine and decedent food we will most certainly be in a food coma and in need of assistance for the ride home. If you’re interested please comment, and we’ll get in touch with you.

Here are a few pictures from the last Chefs for Farmers event in Dallas. I can’t wait!

Photos by: Sarah Kate Photography

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