APPETIZER RECIPES

Cooking Demonstration                  
16 November 2009

APPETIZERS

Menu:
Mushroom Cigars, Pissaladiere Puffs, Spring Rolls, Shrimp in Cucumber Cups, Polenta Rounds with Toppings, Dates wrapped with Bacon

MUSHROOM CIGARS
These little dainties have been served over the decades with style, even in the Kennedy White House by Chef Rene Verdon. So don’t be shy about presenting them to your guests. The white bread dissolves into a crispy crust that surrounds the creamy mushroom mixture. I like to use just the mushroom caps here and save the stems for something else; it makes the mushroom taste more dense. Using the stems alone would make a very lightly flavored mushroom mixture. But you can do what you want. Freedom of mushrooms for all!

½ to 1 pound , mushrooms, caps only (cremini, white, portabello, shiitake, or a combination), finely chopped
1 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 tablespoons flour
¼ to1 cup light cream
2 teaspoons chives, cut small
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dash of cayenne
12/ teaspoon curry powder, optional
1 loaf sliced white bread, Wonder bread (yeah, really)

     Sauté 1/2 lb. chopped mushroom caps in butter/olive oil, or use all butter - hey, it’s the holidays and the ER needs some biz... Blend in 3 tablespoons of flour, a grind of pepper and a pinch of salt and a dash of cayenne. Stir in some of the light cream. The mixture should look like a thick cream of mushroom soup at this point. Cook until thick. Add 2 teaspoons minced chives (if you don’t have chives use the green parts of scallions chopped fine) and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste for salt and pepper. Cool.
     Remove crusts from 1 large loaf of sliced white bread and spread with a little softened butter. Roll slices thin with a rolling pin.  Spread with about a tablespoon of the mushroom mixture - starting about 1 inch from the edge - and roll up. Fasten the ends with toothpicks, if you like, I don’t find it necessary. Pack and freeze or proceed to bake. To serve, defrost if frozen, cut each roll in half, brush with melted butter, place on a baking sheet and toast in 400 degree oven until golden and crispy.

PISSALADIERE PUFFS
Usually this French Provence speciality is made open-faced with toppings, like pizza. Here, I have changed the approach to put the ingredients inside the pastry triangles. You can also make small ones the open-faced way but then you need to create a pretty grid with the anchovies and put the olives inside the grid. Time and personal preferences rule here.

2-3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 bay leaf
6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons dry or herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon sugar
pitted green or black olives (Kalamata, Nicoise or other), lightly chopped
anchovies, lightly chopped
1 package frozen puff pastry
parsley, chopped (optional)

     Sauté the onion and garlic with the bay leaf and herbs on low-medium heat in olive oil for 1 hour or more, or until it is well caramelized, and the volume is reduced to about one-third. The mixture should be a pale golden color and be like a marmalade. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and cook another 5-10 minutes. Add the anchovies to melt in. Add the olives and some more herbs and chopped parsley, and black pepper.
     Roll out the puff pastry and cut into small rectangles (3-inches or 2-inches), or triangles. With a perforated spoon put some of the onion mixture on one side of the pastry. Pinch the sides together well. Poke the top with a fork. Brush with an egg wash of one egg mixed with about a tablespoon of water. Place on a sheet pan and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
Note: These cannot be frozen because the puff pastry has already been frozen and defrosted and cannot be frozen again prior to baking.


POLENTA ROUNDS WITH TOPPINGS

¾ cup instant Polenta
3 cups water or stock
2 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
Toppings:
Roasted red pepper, Feta cheese, olives, tapenade, pesto. Use whatever you like here: sautéed mushrooms, artichokes, etc.

     Cook the polenta according to the instructions on the package. You can also use non-instant polenta here and follow instructions. It will take about 30 minutes or more to cook. Oil an 8x12 pan and spread the cooked, hot polenta into it. Cool. It will solidify. Turn out onto your cutting board and cut into rounds with a 1-1/2 inch, or smaller, cutter. You can fry the rounds in a bit of olive oil to warm them up prior to serving. Add your favorite toppings. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan, freshly ground pepper and minced parsley. Maybe a drizzle of good olive oil too. (I tend to put all the polenta rounds onto a platter, then sprinkle the toppings helter-skelter on top. But you can carefully put the toppings onto each round individually.) This recipe can also be doubled.

SPRING ROLLS

Egg roll wrappers - a whole package
4 dried Chinese mushrooms
garlic, chopped
ginger, grated
extra-firm tofu, chopped or diced,
carrot, julienned or finely grated
scallions, chopped
water chestnuts, chopped
Napa cabbage, shredded
Soy sauce
Salt and white pepper
Sugar (optional)
Cornstarch

     Saute  the tofu in some oil, then add a splach of soy sauce and set aside. Sauté a mixture of the vegetables together in a bit of oil. Add some soy sauce, salt and pepper, sugar, and the cooked tofu. Stir and set aside.
     Pour boiling water over the mushrooms, if using, and let set for about 20 minutes to soften. Discard the stems and cut up into small pieces. In a bowl mix about 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoon of water into a slurry.
     Use 2 wrappers for each spring roll, one on top of the other. Cover the still unused ones with a damp towel. Cut the large wrapper into 4 squares. Brush the edges with the cornstarch mixture, using a brush or your clean finger.
     Put about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center. The square should have the corner facing you. Roll up, folding in the side: fold the bottom point up, then tuck in each side being careful not to allow any holes, then roll to close. Keep the spring rolls dry or they will splatter when putting into the oil.   Fill up a deep pan about one-third full with oil at 350 degrees. Fry the Spring rolls, about four at a time, for 3 minutes or until golden. Use caution as they cook rather quickly. Drain on paper towels. Eat hot, with a sweet fruity sauce.

SHRIMP CUPS

Small shrimps or cut up large ones, cooked and cooled
Garlic, parsley, lemon zest, olive oil
Baby tomatoes
Parsley and/or basil
Cucumbers, without wax
Salt and pepper

     Marinate the shrimp with the garlic, parsley, lemon zest, olive oil and some salt and pepper, for about 20 minutes. Cut the baby tomatoes in half and mix with some of the herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper, then leave to marinate also about 20 minutes.
     Cut the cucumbers with a zig-zag design or leave them straight. They should be about one and a half inches high. Scoop out the seeds to make little cups. Fill the cups with the shrimp mixture and top with some of the tomato mixture. Arrange nicely on a platter. Drizzle some more olive oil over, if you like.

DATES WITH BACON

Pitted Dates
Strips of bacon
Toothpicks

     Wrap the pitted dates with some bacon. Broil in oven until the bacon is crisp. These can be put on top of toasted bread rounds that have been spread with some chutney of your favorite flavor, or simply insert a toothpick and serve. Some people like to stuff the dates with walnuts or almonds. Cream cheese or goat cheese would be nice too.

.

Cooking on the River

amorebakedgoods.blogspot.com

COOKING DEMONSTRATION

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH, 2009

NANUET LIBRARY 7-9PM

NANUET, NY

I will be demonstrating some Appetizers:
Mushroom Rolls or Cigars - This is a tried and true recipe. These were even served in the Kennedy White House by Chef Rene Verdon
Spring Rolls - These particular ones use tofu, or bean curd as it used to be called, napa cabbage, water chestnuts, scallions, garlic and ginger. Maybe some chinese mushrooms.
Polenta Rounds - Just make some (non-instant) polenta, cut into rounds, and top with something savory like: roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, olives, tapenade, pesto, marinated artichokes, etc. Whatever you like.
Pissaladiere - Usually served in a flatbread style. Here I have morphed them into small triangles of puff pastry with the onions, anchovies, herbes de Provence, and olives inside the packet. Not southern France, but southern New York.
Shrimp Cucumber Cups - marinated some shrimp in garlic, lemon zest, parsley and olive oil. Marinate some little cut tomatoes with a similar mixture. Cut up the cucumbers zigzag style, scoop out the insides and fill first with the shrimp topped with the tomatoes.
Dates with Bacon - Roll some bacon around a pitted date and broil. Stick in a toothpick or put on top of some thin bread ovals or rounds with a smear of...I don't know....some chutney perhaps.

Recipes supplied.

THE LAST DINNER PARTY

I posted the menu and had every intention of taking photographs but....I get so involved with making and plating the food that I have a hard time thinking about setting up a shot! I want the food to go out and either be hot or cold. I heard that some of the guests took photographs and if I get some I will post them. Meanwhile, the dinner went well and everyone seemed happy. I even enjoyed the 2 hour drive home!

A bowl of vegetables that were later roasted.

The lemony quinoa stuffed artichokes.

Here are some comments from the client:

We had a SUPER dinner, thank you very much! 

 

I've been telling everyone who will listen & I can only hope that you will get additional opportunities to share your excellent skills with other happy foodies.  The meal met & exceeded all my expectations.  It was allergy-safe, delectable, beautiful & delicious.  It looked wonderful & tasted even better than it looked.  We enjoyed the meal on the 7th & fought over the leftovers on the 8th.  The people who were lucky enough to share the food we brought home, added their happy approval of every morsel we reluctantly shared after the fact. 

...please accept my heartfelt thanks for putting your special touch on a very successful birthday weekend.

COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS

I am remiss in that I have not been posting half the things I do. Did you know that I have been performing regular monthly cooking demonstrations at the Nanuet Public Library - yes, in Nanuet. Last month I made some ravioli from scratch filled with butternut squash and bathed in a brown butter sage sauce. Everyone had a chance to make some and eat some.

In September I made Steamed Dumplings with a soy and sesame dipping sauce, and steamed fish with a ginger sauce. I used the three-tiered steamer to cook everything. There is a recipe elsewhere on this blog for the Dumplings, called Momos.

This month, November 16th 2009, I will be demonstrating some Appetizers. Don't know which ones yet. It is quite a challenge to do this there as there is no kitchen facility. I bring butane burners and set up some tables with cutting boards and after a few minutes everyone thinks they are in a kitchen, or so they have said.

Everyone gets a copy of the recipes. I you would like any recipes just send me a message.

I will try to remember to start posting these things again. Duh.

DINNER PARTY
I am getting ready for a dinner party for 9 on Saturday. It's a 60th birthday dinner for a woman whose daughter has lots of allergies and the decision was to accommodate the daughter. A lot more allergies and dislikes of this and that showed up while assembling the menu. It's all workable. I will try and take some photographs but frequently I get too busy to do that...

It's now a week later and the dinner went off well. The people were really nice and seemed to be enjoying each others company and having a good time.

Here is the menu:

Hors d'oeuvres:
Butternut Squash Bites with Arugula Pesto/ Grilled and Marinated Baby Eggplants/ Bell Pepper, Goat cheese and Prosciutto Pinwheels/Cranberry Bean Puree with Celery
Salad:
Composed Salad of Mesclun, Frisee, Radicchio, Avocado, Slow-cooked Tomatoes, Fennel/Citrus Vinaigrette
Starter:
Lemony Quinoa stuffed Artichokes
Entree:
Chicken Marbella (clients choice), Diced Roasted Vegetables (Cauliflower, Parsnips, Potatoes, Celery Root, Brussels Sprouts, Zucchini, Sweet Potato with Leek Crisps)
Palate Cleanser:
Pear and Ginger Granita
Cheeses:
Artisanal Rocky Sage Goat
Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog -Goat
Rosey Goat with Rosemary/Spain
Sotto il Fieno - Sheep
Istara - Sheep
with Tomato-Apple Chutney and Forest Honey

Wow! Sometimes when you let something lag it is difficult to get back to it. I am talking about this blog. It is not quite a year since I last posted but enough time for everyone to have lost interest. I haven't figured out how to add links to this blog yet. I have started Made with Love Baked Goods and am baking cookies and other delectables from my home kitchen. Later today I will post some photographs and/or direct you to a blog dedicated to Made with Love.

Cheese and Accompaniments of the Mediterranean


On February 27th I went to a program of the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance presented by the Manager of Murray’s by Mail, Amy Sisti, and Michele Buster of Forever Cheese. Wines were donated by C & P Wines, NY.

The program was presented in the glass-walled second floor auditorium overlooking the cheese shop on Bleecker Street, seating 24. Tables were precisely and generously set with full platters of cheeses and six wine glasses. Michele, with a slide presentation, told about the producers of the cheeses and condiments she joyfully finds and imports from Spain, Portugal and Italy.

We tasted Aragones, a cow milk cheese from Spain, paired with sparkling Campassos Brut Cava and Fig Jam. Followed by an Italian cow milk cheese from Piemonte, the ancient semi-firm Castelrosso, paired with a Rose, Castellroig Rosat Vi de Terrer, and Marcona Almonds in Rosemary Honey from a Co-op.

All the while Michele stressed the importance of having fun with pairing and tasting as different combinations could be put together with the flick of the tongue.

Next tasted was a rosemary coated goat cheese, Cabra Romero, very white and mild, also paired with the Cava and a luscious, raw, Spanish lavender honey.

The fourth cheese, Malvarosa, from milk of a rare, Valencia native breed of sheep, the Guirra, formed by knotting in cheesecloth. This was paired with a red Sonsierra Crianza, and a thick, earthy and delectable Arrope Jam made of concentrated grape and candied pumpkin.

Number five was a goat milk cheese, PataCabra that paired nicely with a tangy Pear Mostarda and the red and oak-y Rejadorado Temple from Toro.

This was followed with a salty, spicy, and smoky (from paprika), Toledo cheese from Portugal, made from a blend of milks. Michele suggested pairing this with the special Largueto Almonds and a bright and fruity white wine, Ermita de Nieve Verdejo.

The final cheese tasted, Michele’s best seller, was the Fulvi Pecorino Romano, a tangy hard cheese made in the Roman countryside from all sheep milk, that paired well with a Lambrusco Wine Jelly and the full-bodied red Rejodorado Temple.

We left to purchase some of the items offered, and to battle a cold night with strong winds, having been fortified by these products from the sunny Mediterranean warming our innards.

FARMS, TRIPS AND INVENTIONS

February was a great month for looking forward. I attended a meeting for the organization of a new Farm Alliance in Rockland County. There were 400 farms here in 1950 and only 5 now. The Farm Alliance is going to work toward bringing more farms to the County and that will mean, hopefully, more local foods. If you see any land that could be a nice farm, get in touch. Stay tuned.

Executive Chef Lucas

I took a trip to the Electrolux headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They don't just make vacuum cleaners! I'm going to go to the Chicago Home Show in April to do a chef demonstration on the ultra amazing and futuristic looking Meltoni Podium. I'll be posting photos later.The stove pictured here is one of the older Meltoni ovens that are custom built to chefs' specifications.

Meltoni Stove

My old friend and teacher, Noedrup Rongae was in New York to exhibit his thangka paintings. I provided a small reception for the event and created some interesting new appetizers. Here is the menu:

Lox w/Yogurt Mint Sauce

Barley BiscottiSteak w/Mustard Caper Butter

Fig & Cashew Balls (recipe follows)

Dates Stuffed w/Goat Cheese and Crushed Almonds

Biscotti w/ Barley Flour, Rose, Anise Seeds & Pistachios - chocolate dipped

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel w/Yogurt Mint Sauce

Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade on Zatar Roasted Naan Strips w/ Pimento Olives

Mushroom Pate (fooled everyone who thought it was liver)

Roast Beef Slices w/Pickle & Cocktail Onion on Crostini w/Mustard-Caper Butter

Spicy Dried Chickpeas & Pakora Crisps

Pineapple chunks, Carrot Sticks, Purple Grapes

Fig and Cashew Balls

Fig and Cashew Balls Recipe:
a package circle of dried figs, cut off the stems and cut into small pieces
3/4 cups roasted cashew nuts
2-3 ounces marzipan
1/4 cup or more Marsala
cocoa powder

Put everything except the cocoa powder into a food processor and pulse until completely pureed. You may need to scrape it down from time to time. The mixture should be fairly thick but pliable. Add more Marsala if you like. Take out of the processor with a spatula and put into a bowl. Refrigerate about half an hour. Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl. Then take out the fig mixture and roll into balls about one inch in diameter. Roll the balls in the cocoa powder. Serve immediately or place in a container and refrigerate. I haven't tested how long they will last in the fridge but probably no longer than three days. You could also make these three days in advance.

MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT IN HOT WATER

This article from the New York Times cautions not to drink hot water directly from the tap.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/health/29real.html?em&ex=1201842000&en=ab43b4a602dc318b&ei=5087%0A

VISIT TO THE ROGOWSKI FARM IN PINE ISLAND, NY







I’d wanted to visit the Rogowski Farm for a long time now and yesterday, Saturday the 19th, was the day. A cold and breezy day in mid-winter might not sound like the best day to visit a farm but then again, why not.





Another chef I’d met at the Rockland Better School Food Coalition conference in September, Cathy Vogt (www.anaturalchef.com), was teaching one of her monthly classes in their kitchen facility; I thought I’d catch up with her. She was teaching some simple natural foods, for people who wanted to change their diets, using Miso, Tamari, Ginger, Beans and Squashes and whatever was growing in the Farm’s winter tunnels. I tasted some of the mixed bean stew and red quinoa, a shiitake-kombu broth, and an orange and ginger squash stew, all of which revived me from the hour long drive. It was a nice ride through the mountains and through the open fields. My eyes caught the occasional cows lolling in mud and some sculptural rusted out farm equipment. All surrounded by the big sky. I got to buy some wintered root vegetables and greet the Rogowski’s. (www.rogowskifarm.net)

This is how you get there: Take 287, the New York State Thruway north, to 17N (Sloatsburg). Go through Tuxedo until you see the sign for 17A to Greenwood Lake, 8 miles - then a bear left at the end of town, another 6 miles through the ups and downs of the mountain pass road and you are in Warwick. When you reach the end you will be at Route 94 having to decide to go right, into Warwick village, or left. Go left and keep going until you get to a light at CR-1; there is an arrow pointing to Pine Island. Take a right and keep going over hill and dale -- until you come to Pine Island. There you will see a place on the left called the Jolly Onion Inn. Take a left on to Glenwood Road and drive about another 3 or 4 miles - on the right is Rogowski Farm. In front are some rustic signs. If you pass it, just turn around and come back. I forgot to take a picture of the front -next time. If you look on Mapquest you will find an entirely different way to get there; it's up to you.

If you stayed on Rt. 94 you would come to Jonathan White’s Bobolink Dairy after a few turns here and there, but that is for another day.

Pictures posted here are of Carol Vogt at the end of her class, also some arrangements of food for sale in the Rogowski’s barn.

Here is one of my healthy miso recipes:

MISO-PEANUT SAUCE TO POUR OVER HOT STEAMED VEGETABLES
(serves 2 or more)

Sauce:
1 Tablespoon Light Miso Paste 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter (just peanuts, please) or Sesame Tahini
1 clove Garlic, smashed and pureed
Water
1 Tablespoon Tamari, or to taste
1 Tablespoon Yuzu or Lemon Juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon Roasted Sesame Oil a dash of Hot Chili Oil
optional Garnish: Szechuan Peppercorns, ground Cilantro or Parsley

Mix together the Miso and Peanut Butter. Add enough water to liquefy to the consistence of heavy cream. Beat well with a whisk to break up any clumps of the paste. Beat in the garlic clove, then the rest of the ingredients. Stir well.

VEGETABLES:
3 small or 2 large Sweet Potatoes (about 1-inch in diameter, or if larger make vertical slices first)
Peel the entire potato, if you like, or peel in irregular stripes. Use a turn and slant diagonal cut to make chunks.

1 Delicata squash, seeded, cut in rings about 3/8-/12-inch thick OR - any vegetables of your choice.
Steam until fork tender. 1 red or orange bell pepper, seeded, cut in small to medium dice

ASSEMBLE: Put the bell peppers in a serving bowl. Add the steamed vegetables when they are done. Pour the sauce over and toss lightly to coat all the vegetables.

Garnish if you like with Roasted and Ground Szechuan Peppercorns, and Cilantro or Parsley.
Serve while warm but also tastes fine room temperature or chilled.

PHOTOS OF MOMO MAKING
If you started at the top with the basic ingredients you can follow the steps. Excuse photo of actual Momo. I have to do something about that. Will make some more soon and re-shoot. Must have gotten too hungry to take a proper picture!

TIBETAN STYLE MOMO'S OR DUMPLINGS
These are so incredibly good and you can't eat just one. The first time I ever ate a MoMo an entire family of Tibetans sat and waited to see what was going to happen. For appetizers you can make them smaller and put one onto a ceramic spoon. I'll post some photographs soon. By the way, you will need a steamer to make these. You can get a large bamboo steamer or an aluminum one with two tiers; they're made in Thailand.

1 pound ground beef or chicken
3 finely chopped scallions
1 tablespoon of freshly ground ginger
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon of sesame oil, optional
pinch of salt, optional
3 tablespoons cold water

2-3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
warm, not hot, Water

For Vegetarian MoMo’s: make a mixture of potato, finely chopped cabbage, garlic, ginger, scallions, grated carrots, or whatever you like, and put that into the dumpling instead of the meat. Use the potatoes to hold the mixture together.

To make the dough:
Put the flour into a medium sized bowl and gradually add the water while mixing. Keep adding water until the flour holds together without making strands. About ½ cup of water should be enough depending upon your climate and if the flour is dry. Just add the water gradually. Knead the dough until it is smooth and feels like your earlobe. Cover and let stand about 30 minutes at room temperature.

Pinch off about a handful of the dough and pull into a snake shape. Cut off about one-inch pieces. Roll each piece out to about 4-inch rounds. Alternately, roll out the dough as thin as possible on a well-floured surface and cut into rounds. If you want to make appetizer-sized momos, roll out to about 2-3 inch rounds and use less filling.

Filling:
Mix the meat, scallions, ginger, garlic and soy sauce together until everything is well-blended. Use your hands. Then mix in a small amount - about 3 tablespoons - of water. Let stand covered about 15 minutes.

Start boiling water in the steamer.

Put a teaspoon or more of the mixture on each round and fold over into a half-moon shape, pinch edges tightly to seal. Or, for the more classic MoMo, pull the dough up over the filling and using a turn-and-pinch motion go all around, leaving a hole in the center. This takes some practice and best to actually see someone do it. The half-moon shape is easier to do initially.

Smear oil on the inside of the steamer, or line with Napa cabbage leaves. Put MoMo’s in the steamer; make sure they don’t touch each other. Cover and steam for 15-20 minutes or until the steam feels sticky to your palm.

Serve with chilli sauce and a dipping sauce mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar and roasted sesame oil, to taste.


** 1 pound of meat makes 25 MoMo’s (or Momos).
If you are in a rush, and who isn’t when making MoMo’s, you can proceed to make these without the waiting times indicated. You can also eliminate the ginger and garlic or anything else..

CHICKEN LOLLIPOPS

Make these appetizers for a very down home sort of party or something more upscale by putting gold tips of foil on the bone ends. The funny thing is they don't taste like chicken. Go figure. You can freeze them prior to cooking and take them out to bake whenever you like. 
 

Chicken Wings , wing tip cut off and the wing cut into 2 pieces

Honey

Dijon Mustard

Pomegranate Molasses, optional

Breadcrumbs

Preheat oven 450 degrees.

Create the Wings:

Loosen the flesh at the top of the bone by the knuckle, then push the flesh

down the bone, sort of inside out, like turning your socks. With the wing part that

has two bones, do the same thing but remove - pull out - the smaller bone.

Clean the bone that is exposed. Either chop off the ‘knuckle’ part or clean it well. I chose to chop it off which leaves a rough broken edge that can be covered with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, combine the Honey and Dijon Mustard together in a quantity that pleases you; either equal or favoring the sweet or spicy. Prepare another bowl with plain breadcrumbs. Dip the meat part of the wing into the Honey-Mustard mixture then into the breadcrumbs. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden and crispy. You can also bake slightly less and then heat up at the time of service.

Make some additional Honey-Mustard sauce as a dip - not necessary but nice.

ALLEZ CUISINE!

That's the cry that supercilious fellow makes at the start of
'Iron Chef', just in case you missed it. I put it here as I post
a recent menu for a New Year's Eve party by Cooking on the
River. Story follows. There are no photographs, alas, since I
was so busy I didn't have a moment to take any.

NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER
White Sturgeon Caviar with Potato Pancakes, Crème Fraiche
Sea Scallops wrapped in Prosciutto
Stuffed Mushrooms
Beef Dumplings with Dipping Sauce and Chili Dab
Crab Cakes with Tartar Sauce
Honey Mustard Chicken Lollipops
Wasabi Sesame Tuna Tartare on Crispy Wontons
Corn Panna Cotta with Salmon Roe and Radish Sprouts
Dogs in a Duvet with Deli Mustard
Mac n’Cheese Cups

Butter Poached Baby Lobster Tails
with Artichoke Hearts and Green Pea Puree, Crispy Shrimp
and Pesto Sauce

Rack of Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic with Lamb Jus
Potato and Mushroom Gratin
Swiss Chard

Mizuna and Baby Lettuces with
Medoc Poached Ficelle Pear stuffed with a Fig and Hazelnut paste;
Assorted Sheep, Goat and Cow’s Milk Cheeses; and Brioche Batons

Assorted Breads

A Spot of Hot Chocolate
Chocolate Truffles
Medley of Cookies
Frozen Chocolate and Raspberries

Pomegranate Champagne Punch
Hot Spiced Cider
Assorted Wines and Champagne

Of course that is much too much food but somehow most of it got eaten and there was enough left over to have some close relatives come by the next day. According to the client everyone had their favorite dish and each one was mentioned. More later....

ENSCONCED IN SCONES

This Christmas morning I created a brunch for a family in northern New Jersey. The lady of the house loves scones so I made lots of them. Scones fare best just-out-of-the-oven but if wrapped loosely in aluminum foil they can be warmed up in a 200 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes. Serve with butter, clotted cream or lightly whipped heavy cream, fruit jams and jellies.
If you scroll down a bit you can see the photographs of the fresh scones.
For the curious, here is the rest of the menu:
Flat Italian Green Beans with Roasted Garlic and Parsley
Green Salad with (tons of things) dried cranberries, fennel, mesclun mix, baby spinach, sugared walnuts, goat cheese, grated carrots, cubed beets
Salad dressings of Sun-dried Tomatoes and a Basic Vinaigrette
Orrichette (little ears) Pasta Salad with roasted fennel, cannellini beans, roasted artichokes, and lots of parmigiano cheese and extra-virgin olive oil
Antipasto of dried meats and cheeses
Filet Mignon with Horseradish Sauce
And I created fresh Omelets, to order, for each person to choose from an assortment of : bacon, sausage, roasted red peppers, sauteed spinach, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, caramelized onions, sauteed mushroom medley
People brought lots of desserts.

PICTURES OF SCONES

Blueberry Scones

Banana Scones

Oat and Fruit Scones

COOKING AND DRIVING

Not only a chef but a driver in winter weather! Check out the article below and get some tips on driving in bad weather. From Fuel to Food.....

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071212/NEWS03/712120379

POTATO PANCAKES (LATKES) EXTRAVAGANZA








I make these every year for people who celebrate Chanukah and even for those who don't. Once a year I offer them for the special price of $120 for 100. No delivery - you pick up. Then it's one oily day for me. I fry'em then freeze'em right away. They stay fresh for about 3 months, or more if they are vacuum packed. All you have to do is heat them frozen in a hot - 450 degree oven - for about 5-8 minutes and you'll think you just made them - that is - your guests will think so.

They taste great just as they are with a little salt - OR - with applesauce, sour cream, caramelized onions, caviar, smoked salmon...whatever you want.

Here is the recipe, in case you want to make your own (!)

POTATO PANCAKES RECIPE - LATKES
makes about 60

5-7 pounds potatoes, combine Russets and Eastern
1 large Vidalia or yellow onion
3 large eggs
½ cup cake matzo meal, matzo meal, or unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ potato starch
Salt
2 bottles grapeseed oil and/or peanut oil or canola oil

Prepare a cookie or sheet pan to drain the pancakes after they are fried, with a couple of layers of newspapers and/or paper towels.

Wash and peel the potatoes taking out the ‘eyes’. You can leave the peel on, if you like. I don’t. Cut the potatoes small enough to fit into the feeding tube of your processor. Reserve the peeled potatoes in a bowl of cold water.

Process the onions and potatoes with the grater blade. First put in a bit of onion through then the potatoes until the processor bowl is filled; remove to a bowl. Continue grating with the rest of the onions and potatoes.

After everything is grated remove the grater blade and put in the rotator blade for fine processing. Put the grated potato/onion mixture back into the bowl of the processor and pulse to fine grate. Put the fine grated potatoes into a fine sieve over a bowl. Drain and push out as much liquid as possible. Reserve the potato starch at the bottom and discard the rest of the liquid.

Mix in the matzo meal, additional potato starch, eggs and salt. Combine very well. Let rest about 30 minutes.

Pour the oil into two frying pans to at least 1-inch. It is important to submerge the pancake rather than using a little oil, use a lot. Contrary to ordinary logic (if there is such a thing) the more oil the pancakes cook in the less oil goes into the pancake itself. Strange but true.  Use either all grapeseed oil or a combination of peanut or canola and grapeseed oil. Heat the oil to very hot. Test by putting a small amount of the potato mixture into each pan. When it sizzles madly, it’s hot enough to start making the pancakes.

Using a tablespoon, put a heaping tablespoon of the potato mixture into the pans. Smooth it out gently but don’t press down. The pancakes should be about 2” x 3”, roughly. Turn after you see the edges turn golden. When golden on both sides, take out and drain on the prepared draining sheets. Sprinkle some salt on the hot pancakes.

Either serve right away with selected condiments: sour cream, yogurt, sugar, or applesauce. Some people like them sweet, others not. If made a bit smaller they make a good base for serving smoked salmon and caviar.

To freeze: once a batch is drained and cooled put them directly on to another baking or cookie sheet and put into the freezer. Once they are frozen put them into plastic bags or use your vacuum sealer to store.
To reheat: preheat oven to 450 degrees, put the desired quantity of pancakes on a baking sheet and heat about 7-8 minutes.

THANKSGIVING 2007
Here is my personal menu from this past Thanksgiving. It's followed by recipes for some of the foods. I'll post some photos later in the week.

Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade
Smoked Salmon Mousse
Herb marinated Olives
Homemade Olive Oil Crackers
•
Fresh Pea Potage
•
Ballotine of Turkey
with sausage, chestnut, sage, pistachio stuffing
•
Puree of Sweet Potatoes with coconut & maple syrup
Gratin of Potatoes & Mushrooms with Blue cheese
Roasted Root Vegetables
(carrots, celery root, rutabaga, chioggia beets)
with thyme & rosemary
Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Garlic Butter
Fresh Berry Gelatin
Cornbread with Cranberries & Walnuts
Cranberry Sauce a la Maldovan
•
French Apple Tart
Pumpkin Pie
Ice Cream, Whipped Cream
Fresh Fruits
•
Assorted Wines & Bubblies
Apple Cider
Seltzer
•
Tea, coffee

BERRY GELATIN

Not your mother's Jello...
3 cups water
4 bags of assorted herbal teas containing fruit flavors
1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
1/3 cup fruit syrup
(from jarred fruit such as black currants in syrup)
1 ounce unflavored gelatin
½ pint blueberries
½ pint raspberries
1 - 4 cup mold

Boil 3 cups of water. Put all the teabags in a bowl and pour the water over them. Steep for 20 minutes. Remove the bags. Stir in the honey or agave nectar, fruit syrup. Pour ½ cup water in a small bowl and stir in the gelatin and leave to thicken. Add the gelatin to the tea and stir to blend. Pick over the berries and rinse. Rinse a 4-cup mold and place it in a large bowl with ice cubes. Ladle about ½ cup of the tea into the mold and let it set. Scatter some berries. Ladle another cup of tea and let it set. Keep layering until all the tea and berries are used up. Remove from the ice and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Leave until sets - about 2 hours or overnight. Unmold by lowering the bottom into hot water and let stand 1-2 minutes than invert onto a platter. Decorate with fresh berries or mint leaves.

MAPLE PECAN OR WALNUT CORNBREAD

1 cup flour- self-rising unbleached, unbleached white or spelt
1 cup stoneground cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder* - eliminate if using self-rising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons non-hydrogenated margarine
2 tablespoons brown sugar or sucanat
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup real maple syrup
¾ cup buttermilk, apple cider or orange juice
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
¼ teaspoon real vanilla
1 orange, zest only
½ cup or more, cranberries, optional
½ cup roasted corn, optional


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir together the margarine and brown sugar. Add eggs. Stir to combine. Stir in the maple syrup and either the buttermilk, cider or orange juice. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Fold in the nuts and berries, if using. Mix well but don’t overmix. Pour into a prepared loaf pan or a silicone loaf pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake on middle shelf 45-50 minutes or until a knife in the center comes out clean.

* make your own baking powder: 1 teaspoon cream of tartar to ½ teaspoon baking soda.

BALLOTINE OF TURKEY WITH SAUSAGE, CHESTNUTS, PISTACHIOS & SAGE

1 - 12 to 14 pound fresh Turkey, deboned
1 pound pork or turkey sausage, out of casing
fennel seeds
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 egg whites
2-3 tablespoons poultry seasoning
2-3 stalks celery, medium chop
1 yellow onion, medium chop
1 cup breadcrumbs
½ cup shelled pistachio nuts
6-7 whole peeled chestnuts (from jar)
fresh sage leaves

I deboned this turkey myself. I practiced first on deboning a chicken. The turkey was a bit more difficult since it has lots of sinew that holds the flesh to the bone. But it wasn't hard to do. It helped to watch a DVD of the master, Jacques Pepin, deboning a chicken. He says you should be able to do it in ten minutes. Good luck. It's worth trying to do.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Stufing: Saute the celery and onions, poultry seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper until translucent but not brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a bowl put the sausage meat, bread crumbs, beaten egg whites, pistachios, salt and pepper, chopped sage leaves; add the sautéed mixture and combine well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to stuff the turkey.

(Alternately, lightly sauté all the stuffing ingredients together, except the egg whites, cool and mix in the beaten whites. Then hold in a cool place.)

Lay the turkey breast skin side down on a work surface. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place sage leaves underneath the skin. Place the stuffing in the middle and spread some out to the sides. Place the chestnuts down the center in a row. Roll it up by placing one side then the other towards the center. Tie it together with butcher’s twine. Place sprigs of sage on the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush on olive oil. Place the rolled turkey on a well-oiled rack in a roasting pan. Baste with dry white wine poured over. Then baste about every 20 minutes. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees - about 2-1/2-3 hours. Take out and let rest in a platter about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the gravy:

Broth ingredients:
Roasted turkey bones
Giblets
2 large carrots, cut in chunks
3 celery stalks, cut in chunks
1 onion, studded with 5-6 cloves
2-3 bay leaves
parsley stems
green parts of leeks
sage stems
6-7 whole peppercorns
2 cups white wine

Put the bones and giblets in a pot then add enough water to cover by about 2 fingers. Bring to a boil; then skim. Add the vegetables and wine, bring to a boil again; then simmer. Let simmer for several hours, covered. Can leave overnight and bring to a boil and simmer again in the morning. Strain well and put the broth into a clean sauce pan. Keep warm.

Gravy:

Take the roasting pan and remove all but about 2 tablespoons of fat. Place over two top burners and pour in about a cup of white wine. Heat and scrape the cooked bits from the bottom of the pan. Add about a ¼ cup of Wondra flour and stir to dissolve and thicken. Add the strained broth by the cupful until the desired quantity and thickness is reached. Strain and put into a gravy server.

Remove the strings from the turkey roll and slice in large slices about one-inch thick. Place on a platter. Nap with some of the gravy and decorate the platter with greens, grapes, and whatever you fancy.

Serve room temperature with the hot gravy.

SWEET POTATO OR YAM PUREE WITH COCONUT & MAPLE SYRUP

8 large sweet potatoes, mixed varieties are okay, white and orange
1 can coconut milk, don’t shake
1 cup maple syrup
nutmeg
cinnamon, optional
sea salt

Preheat oven 400 degrees

Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Boil some water, add about a tablespoon of salt and the potatoes. Boil about 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain. Cool. Put through a ricer to puree. Add the coconut fat that sits on the top of the can and stir well, add the coconut milk and maple syrup. Grate a little fresh nutmeg into the mixture. Put into a gratin dish and sprinkle some cinnamon on top.

Bake about 20 minutes until heated through. Serve hot.

POTATO & MUSHROOM GRATIN

4 Portabello mushrooms, stems and outer peel removed
1 pound Cremini mushrooms, stems removed
½ ounce dried mushrooms
8 potatoes - russets or Yukon gold
2 teaspoons dried thyme
3-4 ounces Blue Cheese
2-1/2 cups heavy cream, room temperature
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ ounce Parmigiano cheese, grated
Wondra flour
Breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Put the dried mushrooms into a small bowl with boiling water and let sit to rehydrate, then drain and chop them. Clean the Portabello and Cremini mushrooms and slice them. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the mushrooms to sauté until their liquid is gone.

2. Peel, then thin slice the potatoes using a mandoline. Place them in water to cover.

3. Prepare a gratin dish by smearing a little of the butter inside. Layer one third of the potatoes on the bottom, sprinkle with some Wondra flour, small pieces of blue cheese and butter, salt and pepper, dried thyme, and half the mushrooms; then repeat and top with a layer of potatoes. Pour the cream mixture on top. Sprinkle with parmigiano and cover with breadcrumbs and a few more small pieces of butter.

Bake about 40-50 minutes. Serve hot.

TOMATO TAPENADE

(adapted from Silver Palate cookbook)

1-8 ounce jar sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and reserve oil
4 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
12 anchovies, drained - optional
sea salt
black pepper
3-4 tablespoons parsley

Put all the ingredients except the parsley into a food processor and add about
4 tablespoons of the sundried tomato oil. Pulse until well chopped. Scrap down as necessary. Put into a crock and refrigerate at least one hour. Serve room temperature.
Garnish with parsley.

SALMON MOUSSE

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin*
4 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-2 tablespoons finely grated onion
1 tablespoon drained and rinsed capers
2-3 dashes Tabasco
fresh dill, optional

Sprinkle the gelatin over 3 tablespoons of warm water in a bowl; stir to soften. Keep out a few pieces of the smoked salmon. Put everything else into a food processor and process to combine. Stir in the reserved smoked salmon pieces. Pour into a small bowls, ramekins or a pate mold.
Cover with plastic wrap without touching the mousse. Refrigerate to chill and firm for about 2 hours and up to overnight.

*from a ¼ ounce envelope