Chowhound: Green Goddess Dressing

I hate salad.  I will absolutely look for any other option first.  But in case of salad emergency, I always default to beautiful Bibb lettuce and a nice creamy salad dressing.  And while ranch dressing is pretty ubiquitous at this point, I actually think this dressing is much more beautiful and subtle, with its lovely herbal flavor and tart creaminess.  And fresh made beats the bottle every time.

Green Goddess Dressing
Adapted from Chowhound

2 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and coarsely chopped OR 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
½ cup loosely packed fresh chervil leaves OR flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula as needed.  Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.  Refrigerate in a container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 1 week.

Makes approximately 2 cups

Boulevard: Chocolate Cherry Shortcakes

In the summer I absolutely love having strawberry shortcake.  It's a perfect dessert for those hot evenings, with those sweet berries and that beautiful fresh whipped cream.  But one can only eat so much strawberry shortcake.  So when I came across this stunning incarnation, I knew I had to try it.  The shortcakes are amazing on their own, but try and restrain yourself long enough to pull everything together.  In case you utterly fail, just know that the cherries are also fantastic on vanilla ice cream sans shortcake.

Chocolate Cherry Shortcakes
Adapted from Boulevard: The Cookbook by Nancy Oakes

For the chocolate cherry biscuits:
2 cups self-rising flour
½ cup Valrhona or other Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ cup sugar, plus additional for dipping
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dried Bing cherries or dried sour cherries
1 cup Valrhona (or other premium) bittersweet chocolate chips, or nickel-size pieces chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the cherries jubilee:
3 cups fresh Bing cherries, halved and pitted
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons kirsch
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup brandy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the vanilla ice cream:
1 vanilla bean
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
⅔ cup granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks

Make the biscuits:  Preheat the oven to 400°F. Stir the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl until well combined, then stir in the dried cherries and chocolate chips. Add the cream and stir until the mixture comes together into a somewhat stiff dough.

Turn out onto a clean cutting board and, with your hands, press the dough into a 6-inch square about 2 inches thick. With a long, thin knife, cut the dough into 9 (2-inch) squares.

Dip the tops of the biscuits into the melted butter and then into sugar, pressing lightly so it adheres. Place the biscuits 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until they’re light gold and spring back when pressed lightly. Set aside at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

Make the cherries jubilee:  Combine the cherries and the ⅓ cup kirsch in a bowl and let macerate for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Put half of the cherries, the sugar, and lemon juice into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid begins to thicken.

Remove from the heat, add the brandy, and, averting your face, carefully ignite the brandy with a long match. Let burn for about 1 minute to burn off the alcohol, then extinguish the flame by covering the pan. Remove the lid and continue to simmer the cherry mixture until it reduces to a syrup.  Add the remaining macerated cherries and cook for another 2 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the cherries to a bowl and reserve. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons kirsch to the syrup and set aside or refrigerate for up to 2 days (along with the reserved cherries in a separate container).

Make the ice cream:  Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a saucepan. Add the vanilla-bean pod, cream, and milk and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.

Whisk the sugar and egg yolks in a small bowl just to combine them, then whisk in some of the warm milk mixture until blended. Stir the sugar-and-egg-yolk mixture into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a spoon (when you draw your finger across the back of the spoon, there should be a visible trail that doesn’t immediately flow back together).

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a container and chill thoroughly, at least 2 hours. Freeze according to the ice cream maker’s instructions. The frozen ice cream should be stored in a tightly covered plastic or stainless-steel container. For the best flavor and texture, let it soften slightly at room temperature before serving.

To serve:  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Split the biscuits and put into the oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through. Heat the cherry syrup in a small skillet over medium heat, add the reserved cherries and the 2 tablespoons of butter, and swirl the pan until the butter has melted and combined with the syrup.

Center a warm biscuit bottom on 8 dessert plates or shallow bowls and put equal spoonfuls of the cherries and their syrup on each, reserving a cup or so. Place on a biscuit top, followed by a scoop of ice cream. Dollop the remaining cherries and syrup around or to the side of the biscuits.

Makes 8 servings

Taste of the South: Beef Tips and Rice

I feel like at least 75% of my dinners are determined by what interesting things I find at the grocery store.  This time around it was a nice cut of tri-tip, which for some reason is like finding the holy grail.  Not sure why tri-tip is so unloved in this part of the country, because this recipe cooked up a fantastic, tender, gravy-rich concoction of meaty loveliness.  Ah, the beauty of comfort food.

Beef Tips and Rice
Adapted from Taste of the South magazine, Fall 2007

1 (3-pound) well-marbled tri-tip roast
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cups water
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons roasted beef bouillon
2 teaspoons roasted chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup cornstarch
Hot cooked rice
Chopped parsley, as garnish

Cut roast into 1-inch cubes.  Toss with flour and set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat.  Add onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to Dutch oven.  Add beef and cook for 10 minutes, or until meat is well browned, stirring regularly.

Return onion and bell pepper to Dutch oven.  Add water, sauces, and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Cover partially and reduce heat.  Let simmer for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and enough liquid from the cooking pot to make a paste, stirring until smooth.  Add to beef mixture; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture thickens.  Serve over rice.  Garnish with chopped parsley.

Makes 6 servings

The Galloping Gourmet: Abalone Victoria

Once upon a time I went to the Chinese grocery store and amused myself by wandering through the freezer aisles, when suddenly I came upon a package marked "abalone".  Having never seen such a thing in any normal WASP grocery, I immediately decided I needed to purchase this package of mystery shellfish.  The trouble came when I actually decided to cook the darn things.  Not many recipes out there.  Thank goodness for the Galloping Gourmet, right?  Just as a note, I wasn't super impressed with the rubbery texture, so I'm not enthused to finish off the package any time soon.

Abalone Victoria
From Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gourmet

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons clarified butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
All-purpose flour, to coat
8 sliced abalone steaks
Salt, to taste
White pepper, to taste
½ cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sherry

Slice abalone into thin ¼-inch steaks.  Place sliced abalone steaks on hard surface covered with plastic wrap.  Tenderize both sides of steaks by pounding with meat mallet.

Mix together parsley and bread crumbs. In a separate bowl, combine egg yolk, clarified butter and lemon juice. Place flour on a dish for dredging.

Season 1 side of abalone steaks with salt and pepper. Lightly flour and paint with egg mixture. Coat with parsley/bread crumb mixture.

Melt butter in frying pan. When butter begins to foam, add steaks and cook 1 minute each side. Add sherry and flame. Transfer to a serving dish and nap with browned butter from pan.

Makes 8 servings

Dinner Then Dessert and Andrew Zimmern: Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Bourbon and Molasses Glaze

I took a look through my freezer today, and I realized that I needed to start cooking some of the goodies I had stored up from all of my marketing adventures.  One of those goodies was a beautiful piece of corned beef.  I know it's a bit late to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but really, it's always a good time for tender sliced corned beef with a sweet crunchy glaze.  Especially if that corned beef spent most of its time in a slow cooker instead of needing constant attention on the stove top.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Bourbon and Molasses Glaze

From Dinner Then Dessert blog and Andrew Zimmern

3 pounds corned beef, with spice packet
1 cup water, maybe less depending on size of slow cooker
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ cup molasses
½ cup bourbon

Add corned beef, fat side up, to the slow cooker.  Add the minced garlic, spice packet, sugar, and pepper to the top of the meat and rub on.  Add the vinegar and bay leaf to the side of the corned beef and add just enough water to come up about a fourth of the way to the top of the meat.  Cook on low for 9 to 10 hours.

To make glaze, combine molasses, mustard powder, bourbon, and brown sugar in a bowl; stir until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Let rest for 45 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Remove corned beef from cooking liquid, pat dry on a dish towel, and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour ⅓ of the glaze on top of the corned beef, distributing evenly. Place the corned beef 6 inches under broiler for about 1 minute. Remove and pour on half the remaining glaze. Place under the broiler for 30 to 40 seconds. Remove and pour the rest of the glaze onto the corned beef and broil another 30 to 40 seconds.

Makes 8 servings

Daring Gourmet: Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp

For some reason I've been craving fettuccine alfredo with shrimp lately.  It's incredibly rich, so I'm only able to eat a small serving, but I still find myself thinking of it fondly when dinner rolls around and I'm otherwise out of ideas.  I realized lately that I had never actually made it myself, only ordered it at restaurants, so I figured my latest craving was the perfect time to give it a shot.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp

Adapted from Daring Gourmet blog

9 ounces fresh fettuccine, cooked al dente in lightly salted water; reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water
1 pound raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
1 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced, divided use
1¼ cups heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1 cup freshly grated quality Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil and 2 minced cloves of garlic.  When the butter foams, add the shrimp and cook on both sides until pink throughout.  Season with salt and pepper.  When shrimp are cooked through, remove them from the pan to a dish and cover to keep warm.

In the same saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add the remaining garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.

Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk in ¼ cup of the hot cream, whisking constantly.  Whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the pot, whisking constantly until incorporated. Simmer until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Whisk the cheese into the sauce until melted. Add the lemon zest, salt, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water.

Remove the hot pasta from the water with pasta tongs, letting most of the water drip off, and place directly into the sauce. Stir until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Add a little more of the reserved pasta water if necessary.  Top with the sautéed shrimp and serve immediately for the best consistency.

Makes 4 servings

Carnets de Cuisine - Du Périgord À L’elysée: Les Pêches Rôties à l'Angélique (Roasted Peaches with Angelica)

Ever since I saw the movie Haute Cuisine, I've been looking for the recipes of the woman depicted in the film: Danièle Mazet-Delpeuch, who served as chef to François Mitterrand, President of France, in the late eighties.  Unfortunately, the only cookbook I could obtain is entirely in French, with no English translation available.  Thank goodness for Google translator.  And since it is most certainly peach season here in Texas, I thought this was a lovely place to start sampling the beautiful foods that Ms. Mazet-Delpeuch brought to the French presidential palace.

Note: Since angelica liquor is basically unobtainable here in the US, I used St. Germain as a substitute this time around.  And I assumed that 1 small glass = one shot.  And of course I have plans of planting my own patch of angelica to make my own liquor in the future.  I found the candied angelica on Amazon.

Les Pêches Rôties à l'Angélique (Roasted Peaches with Angelica)

From Carnets de Cuisine - Du Périgord À L’elysée by Danièle Mazet-Delpeuch

8 well-ripened peaches
100g butter (about 3½ ounces)
50g powdered sugar (about 1¾ ounces)
100g candied angelica (about 3½ ounces)
1 small glass of angelica liquor
Madagascar vanilla ice cream

Peel the peaches and reserve in a bowl of water with lemon to avoid darkening. Julienne the candied angelica. Melt butter over low heat in a pan. Sauté peaches, two or three at a time, letting color slightly (about 10 minutes).

When all peaches are roasted, reunite them in the pan, then sprinkle in the sugar and slightly caramelize the peaches, turning them in their juice. Set aside the peaches and keep them warm. Deglaze the pan with a glass of angelica liquor and add the julienned angelica.

Arrange the peaches on plates, accompanied by a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with hot juice. Serve immediately.

Portions for 8 people

How Sweet Eats: Sweet Chili Salmon Skewers with Coconut Cilantro Rice

I realized the other day that I haven't made fish in a while.  And I love fish.  That situation needed to be remedied.  So I'm playing around on Pinterest, and I see this lovely photo of this tender pink salmon, glistening and beckoning to me.  And it was like fate, because I had all of the ingredients except the fish.  I love how that works.  So I went to the store, and it was like double fate, because they had this beautiful wild coho salmon on sale.  This recipe doesn't look like much, but it's fantastic.  I really struggled with marking this as four servings because I honestly shoved two skewers in my greedy little mouth.  Maybe have a bunch of veggies ready on the side when you serve this for more than two hungry people.

Note:  Next time I think I'll double skewer these, because the fish cubes went a little wonky each time I turned the kebabs.  A double skewer setup would probably stabilize the delicate fish a bit more.  Live and learn.

Sweet Chili Salmon Skewers with Coconut Cilantro Rice
From How Sweet Eats blog

4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper
1 bunch of green onions, sliced into 1 to 2-inch pieces
1 cup sweet chili sauce, plus extra for topping
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 limes, cut into wedges

Coconut Cilantro Rice

Place the salmon in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, then cover with the sweet chili sauce, tossing well to coat. Take the chunks and skewer them with about 3 or 4 pieces of green onion in between (5 to 6 salmon chunks per skewer), beginning and ending with the salmon.

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add the coconut oil. Place the skewers in the skillet and cook until opaque and golden on all sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the salmon and place it on a plate. Brush with extra sweet chili sauce, drizzle with the toasted sesame oil, and sprinkle with the cilantro and sesame seeds. Finish with a spritz of lime. Serve over coconut cilantro rice with lime wedges and extra chili sauce on the side.

Makes 4 servings

Coconut Cilantro Rice
1½ cups white jasmine rice
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 cup water
1 tablespoon coconut oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped cilantro

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add rice, coconut milk, water and salt. Stir, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and let cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, then stir in coconut oil. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Allrecipes: David's Yellow Cake

My nephew doesn't like sweets.  Not really.  I know!  We must not really be related.  It's a shocking turn of events.  So when it comes time for his birthday, I'm a bit at a loss for what to do about a cake.  What birthday cake do you make for someone who doesn't really like cake?  So my sister suggested a plain yellow cake with some chocolate frosting.  Just use a box mix, she says.  Nice and simple.  So what did I do?  I found the best danged from-scratch cake recipe I could and made a beautiful yellow cake.  What did the kids at the party do?  Licked the frosting right off the top.  They don't know what they're missing.

David's Yellow Cake
From Allrecipes

1 cup unsalted butter
1½ cups granulated sugar
8 large egg yolks
¾ cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt

Chocolate Frosting

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and end with flour, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks.

Chocolate Frosting
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 to 9 tablespoons milk
½ cup cocoa powder

Mix together the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and 6 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add cocoa powder and enough additional milk to make the frosting spreadable.

Dash of Savory: Pork Chops with Morel Brandy Cream Sauce

I can't believe there were still morels at the store the other day.  It's like some sadistic deity knew that I was trying to stick to a budget, and that $20 in morels was not part of that budget.  So that deity flaunted the beauty that is nature's bounty right in my shocked little face.  And of course I gave right in and bought them.  And because there hasn't been enough pork in my life lately (**sarcasm**), I cooked those morels with some super-tender pork chops, thus achieving nirvana and became one with the sadistic deity.

Pork Chops with Morel Brandy Cream Sauce
From Dash of Savory blog

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
4 bone-in pork chops

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces morel mushrooms, trimmed and halved, if large
1 whole shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup brandy or Cognac
1 cup heavy cream
1 wedge lemon
1 pinch nutmeg

In a large heavy bottomed skillet add the olive oil and bring to high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and seared. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add butter to the pan and add morel mushrooms. Saute in butter until mushrooms are tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add shallot and garlic, cook until fragrant and soft, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn heat down and add brandy. Careful when doing this, it could produce a flame. Simmer the brandy until reduced slightly. Add heavy cream and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until thickened. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. At this point, squeeze the lemon juice into the sauce and add the pinch of nutmeg. This will brighten the sauce.

Add pork chops back to the skillet and simmer together for 5 minutes. Turn heat off and garnish with chives. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings