brunosdream

Here’s an idea for something non-traditional to bring to your friends’ house or to serve to friends if they’re coming to your house on Thanksgiving Day. I brought these to a friend’s house last week and they disappeared pretty quick! The coolness of the daikon tames the heat of the spicy shrimp. You can prepare this recipe several hours ahead, wrap and place in the fridge until time to serve. Garnish w/ cilantro leaf just before serving.

Spicy Shrimp on Daikon Chips w/ Roasted Garlic and Chile Aioli (makes 24 pieces)

Ingredients:

24 medium shrimp

1 daikon

1 bunch cilantro

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon sriracha hot chili sauce

Salt to taste

** Ingredients for mayonnaise (from your favorite recipe)

for aioli:

3 large cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon finely ground mulato chile

Procedure:

1) Peel and devein shrimp

2) In a medium bowl, mix sriracha sauce and olive oil, then add shrimp, stir to coat, cover and let marinate in fridge for 1 hour

3) While shrimp are marinating, peel daikon, then using a mandoline, slice daikon into 1/8 inch thick strips

4) Using a cookie cutter, cut daikon into 1 3/4 inch rounds

5) Place daikon “chips” into a bowl of cold water to maintain crispness

6) Remove shrimp from fridge

7) Saute’ shrimp over medium heat for approximately 4 minutes or until shrimp becomes pink and opaque, salt to taste

8) Set shrimp aside to cool

9) While shrimp are cooling, make mayonnaise using your favorite recipe

10) Peel and mince garlic, then saute’ in olive oil until light brown and let cool

11) Using a whip, blend garlic and chile powder into mayonnaise

12) Remove daikon from water and pat dry w/ a kitchen towel

13) Top each daikon chip w/ 1/2 teaspoon of aioli, then top w/ shrimp

14) Garnish w/ a cilantro leaf

15) Place on serving tray

16) MUNCH!

Cheers and have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Bruno

The Gatekeeper 2003 South Australia Shiraz

Splurge a little this holiday season! Buy yourself a bottle of this delicious Shiraz from Australia. It pairs nicely w/ a spicy stuffing or juicy roast among other things. Here’s what has been said about The Gatekeeper:

"Vintaged from Shiraz grapes grown in the wine regions of South Australia. This wine on the bouquet displays luscious sweet berry fruit with a hint of peppery spices, while careful use of oak imparts lingering vanilla and toasty oak. On the palate, plum and cherry flavours and long, soft tannins combine to make a warm, rich yet balanced elegant wine. Maturation in American first and second year hogsheads."

Drink up and enjoy this beautiful wine w/ your holiday feast!!

Bruno

I was tagged by Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen to participate in a meme called “Foodbloggers Welcome Dinner” started by Angelika at The Flying Apple.

I’ve prepared some new creations to serve at this cyber dinner. Hope you like them!

Stuffed Flank Steak w/ Herbed Polenta and Broccolini (serves 8)

Ingredients:

3 pounds flank steak (2 pieces)

1 box polenta

2 bunches of broccolini

10 oz. crimini mushrooms – sliced

4 large cloves of garlic – minced

7 oz. log of goat cheese (chevre)

2 quarts veggie stock

8 sundried tomatoes – rehydrated and chopped

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Twine for trussing steaks

Procedure:

1) Pound out steaks to tenderize (or have your butcher put the steaks through their tenderizing machine like I did to save time)

2) Cook polenta using veggie stock, mix in herbs while cooking, season w/ salt and pepper, set aside enough polenta to stuff steaks then keep remainder on a warmer

3) Saute’ mushrooms in olive oil w/ garlic and pepper flakes, season w/ salt and pepper

4) Lay out steaks, then on each steak spread polenta on end that is closest to you, sprinkle w/ 1/3 of mushrooms, 2 ounces of crumbled goat cheese and half of the tomatoes

5) Roll and truss steaks, then season exterior w/ salt and pepper

6) Brown the steak rolls on all sides

7) Finish cooking steaks on a barbeque grill until 130 degrees F internal temperature for medium rare

8) Remove steaks from grill, cover w/ foil and let rest for 8 minutes

9) While steaks are resting, steam the broccolini until tender then sprinkle w/ lemon juice

10) Melt the butter in a pot and gently toss the broccolini in it

11) Remove twine and cut steaks into 1 3/4 inch slices, then place on serving tray

12) Gently fold remaining mushrooms and crumbled goat cheese into polenta and place in serving bowl

13) Place broccolini in serving dish

14) Pour some wine and dig in!!

Milk Chocolate and Tarragon Gelato w/ Dark Chocolate Chunks

Ingredients:

1 oz. fresh tarragon – stemmed and chopped

1 quart half +half

1 cup sugar

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate – coarsely chopped

5 oz. milk chocolate – finely chopped

8 egg yolks

Procedure:

1) In medium saucepan heat half + half and tarragon gently to a simmer, then turn off heat

2) Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the tarragon

3) In medium size mixing bowl combine egg yolks and sugar and beat together until pale yellow

4) Beat 2 tablespoons of the warm half + half into the egg mixture (do this slowly to avoid curdling the eggs), then beat in the remaining half + half little by little

5) Place bowl over a pot of simmering water and cook over a gentle heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon (do not let temperature exceed 170 degrees F or mixture will start to curdle)

6) Remove from heat, stir milk chocolate into the mixture and while continuing to stir place back on heat to completely melt chocolate (again, making sure mixture temperature doesn’t exceed 170 degrees F)

7) Cool in an ice bath

8) Chill mixture in fridge for at least 4 hours

9) Churn in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions, adding the bittersweet chocolate halfway through the churning process

10) Transfer gelato to a 2 qt plastic container, cover top w/ parchment paper cut to size (this will reduce air exposure and prevent ice crystals from forming on the surface of gelato), and freeze until firm

Yield: Approx. 1 ½ quarts

Now its my turn to tag a few people to keep this meme flowing…

I tag my co-blogger Duane at Zinfully Delicious

Sam at Becks & Posh

Barbara at winosandfoodies

Bron at Bron Marshall

and Brilynn at Jumbo Empanadas

OK, it’s past midnight and I’m going to get some sleep before I turn into a smashed pumpkin or something like that!

Bruno

As summer fades into the sunset and the basil begins to wilt in my garden, let’s take another look at the bounties of Soulard Market. After previously doing a post on the market in which I complained about the slim pickin’s, I decided to give the market a second look a few weeks ago, this time on a Saturday rather than a Wednesday. What I found was a bustling market w/ farmers and customers galore! What a difference a day makes!!

Here are a few photos from my recent visit…    

Previous visit:

This visit:

The new fish store at the market that was under construction is now open for business too…

On a farm somewhere in Missouri, a Farmgirl is still managing to squeeze out some nice crops (see her Oct. 14th post) so I guess even now you might find some farm fresh goodies at Soulard Market!

Until next time, some words to ponder: Water separates the people of the world, food unites them… and so does a nice glass of wine, perhaps a hardy zinfandel!!            

Bruno

After originally doing this post, Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice suggested I submit this recipe for World Bread Day. World Bread Day is on October 16th and is being hosted by Zorra of Kochtopf.

In order to meet the requirements for Bread Day I had to bake some bread (done!) and share some of my personal preferences for bread. So here goes… My favorite bread is typically one w/ a substantially crispy crust and made w/ whole grains. I consume bread on a daily basis. Variety is the spice of life, so some days I’ll eat homemade bread if I have it on hand, other days I’ll eat store bought pita or some other type of bread such as pugliese. I try to bake my own bread every week if I have time, and bake enough to share a loaf w/ friends. One of my favorite ways to eat bread is toasted then topped w/ creamy peanut butter and preserves loaded w/ berries! I’ll usually have this for breakfast 3 or 4 times a week. So there you have it and here’s my bread…

I was messing around w/ my usual bread recipe and came up w/ this variation.

Here’s the recipe…

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oven toasted oats (I use the kind from Trader Joe’s) 

1/4 cup raisins   

2 cups whole wheat flour 

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup  plus 1  1/4 cups warm water

1 rounded tablespoon yeast

2 teaspoons salt

Cornmeal for dusting work surface

Procedure:

1) Mix 1 rounded tablespoon of yeast and ¼ cup warm water

in a large mixing bowl, add 1 teaspoon honey then let stand

for 3 to 4 minutes.

2) Then add to bowl: ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ stick melted butter, 1 ¼ cups warm water, 2 teaspoons salt (make sure salt is dissolved before adding flour).

3) In a separate bowl mix 3 ½ cups flour (2 cups whole wheat, 1 ½ all purpose) and 1/2 cup oats and 1/4 cup raisins, then add to yeast mixture – mix in up to ½ cup more all purpose flour if dough is too moist.

4) Knead dough thoroughly, form it into a ball

and return it to the bowl (dust bottom of bowl w/ flour first),

dust top w/ flour, cover bowl w/ plastic and moist towel

and let dough rise for 1 hour (in a warm spot in your kitchen).

5) Split dough ball in half, split each ball into thirds and roll out into strands long enough to braid, then braid.

6) Place on corn meal dusted surface, dust tops w/ flour, cover w/ plastic bag and let rise for ½ hour.

7) Meanwhile, preheat oven and pizza stone to 425 degrees.

8) Place loaves on stone and pour 2 ounces of water onto bottom of oven to delay crust formation so the bread can expand rapidly and evenly.

9) Turn bread after 20 minutes for even baking, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 13 to 15 minutes.

10) Remove from oven and let cool on pie rack.

Share a loaf w/ your friends, or if you really like it, hoard it all for yourself!!

Enjoy your weekend…

Bruno

Hello to my fellow food bloggers and thanks to Alanna at A Veggie Venture for hosting this edition of Sugar High Friday.
In keeping w/ the theme, my entry has a surprise inside… it may be hard to see in the picture, but the surprise’s flavor definitely comes through when you bite into this dessert! La Galette des Rois (also known as King’s Cake)Traditionally, this cake is served on January 6th to celebrate the Epiphany. It is baked w/ a bean or some other favor inside and whoever finds this surprise is crowned king or queen for the day! My galette was baked without a bean inside for no reason other than I just didn’t feel like it… no queens or kings will be running around here today, just people on a sugar high!!

   

** recipe courtesy of my French friend, Herve’

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sliced raw almonds
1/4 cup almond paste
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons flour
1 package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
glaze (1 part water, 2 parts sugar)

Procedure: 

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2) Butter a large baking sheet (not dark metal).
3) In a food processor, puree’ the almond paste, almonds, sugar, butter, and pinch of salt until smooth.
4) Add 1 egg, vanilla and almond extract and puree’ until incorporated.
5) Add flour and pulse to mix in.
6) On a lightly floured surface, roll out one sheet of the puff pastry into an 11 1/2 inch square.
7) Invert an 11 inch pie plate onto the square and cut out a round shape by tracing the outline of the plate w/ the tip of a paring knife.
8) Brush the flour from both sides of the round and place it on the buttered baking sheet, then put in refrigerator to chill.
9) Repeat the process w/ the second square of puff pastry, but leave it on the floured work surface.
10) Beat the remaining egg and brush some of it on top of the second round. Score decoratively all over the top using the tip of a paring knife and make several small slits all the way through the pastry to create steam vents.
11) Remove the first round from the refrigerator and brush some of the egg in a 1 inch border around the edge. Mound the almond cream in the center, spreading slightly.
12) Place the scored round on top and press edges together.
13) Bake the galette in the lower third of the oven for 13 to 15 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and brush w/ egg a second time.
14) Return galette to rack in the upper third of oven and bake for an additional 12 to 15 minutes or until the edge is a deep golden brown.
15) While galette is still on the oven rack, brush it w/ the glaze mixture, then transfer to a cooling rack.
16) GET HIGH ON SUGAR!

Enjoy your weekend….

Bruno

My brother, Fred, who lives in southern France sent me some photos of his recent mushroom foraging during which he found over 30 kilos of cepes!! He wouldn’t tell me the exact location where he found these beauties, just that it was in a forest in the Perigord region. Apparently mushroom hunters are as secretive about their prize spots as truffle hunters and fishing fanatics! He did however send a stock photo of the forest where he found them and a photo of a typical village in that region of France.
Fred, I don’t think you have to worry about anyone finding your spot… not even a super sleuth could w/ so little info! Well, let’s take a look at his bounty!

Thanks Fred… enjoy your beautiful ‘shrooms!!

Bruno

I was tagged by Alanna of A Veggie Venture to participate in this fun assignment that has been making the rounds of food blogs worldwide. The meme was started by Melissa of The Traveler’s Lunchbox. I wonder how many times it has circled the globe by now!! Narrowing my choices to just 5 items was a real challenge, as it seems to have been for most all who have done this before me. Well, after some pondering I came up w/ my list. So without further ado I present my list to you…

1) Marron Glace’  -  I love the way candied chestnuts melt in my mouth and fill it w/ such a wonderfully unique flavor!! It would be doubly good to eat some of these delicacies in Paris at Christmastime!

2) Raclette – When I traveled to Switzerland in January 2004 to bring my mom’s ashes to her homeland, I spent an evening at the home of one of my cousins. They prepared a wonderful feast consisting of raclette and all the fixin’s. They had this amazing machine that fits an entire half round of that lovely cheese and melts the surface, then the melted goodness is scraped onto your plate… simply awesome!!

3) A Paper Towel and an Apple Core – A funny thing happened  as I was hiking in a redwood forest near Santa Cruz, California on New Years Day 2003… I got lost!! Well it wasn’t very funny at the time, but I get a good laugh every time I tell this story to someone. I ran out of food and was starving, so I dug into my pocket and pulled out the remnants of the apple I had w/ my lunch earlier that day. The apple core was wrapped in a paper towel and it sure looked good at that very moment, so… I ate both of them! Well, believe it or not, this can be a veritable delicacy when you’re lost in a redwood forest w/ nothing else to eat!!

4) A Cup of Hot Chocolate w/ a Big Hunk of Fresh Bread

5) My Mom’s Homemade Pizza – My mom’s pizza was, and still is, the best I’ve ever had!! The pizza parties she would have were such a great way to gather some good friends together for an evening of deliciousness!! This has since become a tradition in my home too! Thanks mom…

My turn to tag some people. I tag:
Duane – My co-blogger at Zinfully Delicious
Michelle – My food stylist friend
The Culinary Chase
HomeMadeS
Barbara at winosandfoodies

Later…

I was graciously invited by Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice to attend La Festa al Fresco. I wanted to bring something impressive, so while on the road for work last week I mulled over some ideas. After thinking up a couple of different menus I settled on some Asian inspired dishes. Ivonne said the food didn’t have to be Italian, it just had to include one fresh ingredient to celebrate the bounty of summer. My contibutions to the feast have more than one fresh ingredient (at least the main dish does… the sorbet only has one fresh ingredient, the lime, so it counts too!). Here’s what I’m bringing:

Wasabi Dusted Prawns w/ Asian Slaw

Ingredients: (for prawns)

8 large prawns (6 for the dish, 2 for you and a friend to munch on while assembling the final product)

dusting powder (1/2 wasabi powder/ 1/2 flour)

Procedure:  (**start cooking prawns when rice is ready)

1) Skewer prawns then coat w/ dusting powder; shake off excess

2) Saute’ in olive oil for 3 minutes on each side or until opaque throughout

Ingredients: (for slaw)

1 medium head of purple cabbage – shredded

1 cup edamame (soy beans) -  blanched and cooled under cold water

3 medium size carrots – julienned and pickled in 1/3 cup distilled vinegar, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt for one hour

Ingredients: (for dressing)

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons low salt soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 large cloves garlic – minced

1 tablespoon minced jalepeno (ribs and seeds removed)

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Procedure:

1) Mixed together all dressing ingredients

2) In a large bowl, toss slaw w/ dressing

Assemblage:

1) Rub a small amount of olive oil in 8 oz. ramekins

2) Fill ramekins w/ rice and pack slightly

3) Place ramekin upside down in center of plate and tap to loosen “rice cake”

4) Unskewer prawns

5) Place a small amount of slaw on rice cake then top w/ 3 prawns

6) EAT!

Lychee Sorbet w/ Crystallized Ginger

Ingredients:

1 can lychee in light syrup (20 oz.)  – drained and pureed

8 cups water

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 oz. crystallized ginger  – minced

Procedure:

1) Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves

2) Boil without stirring until reduced by 1/3 volume

3) Chill syrup until very cold (about 4 hours)

4) Transfer to ice cream maker, add lime juice and process according to manufacturer’s instructions

5) Add ginger halfway into the churning process

6) Transfer to covered container and freeze until firm

**Makes approx. 2 quarts

I had a friend over to sample the food w/ me and provide me w/ feedback. Two suggestions were made:

1) Add more wasabi in the dusting powder so the flavor is more “visible”

2) Put less crystallized ginger in the sorbet so it doesn’t overpower the lychee flavor

Both were good suggestions. Next time I make this menu I will use 2 parts wasabi/ 1 part flour, and I will half the amount of crystallized ginger.

***Wines served: 2006 Bodega Lurton Pinot Gris,  Mendoza, Argentina; Krimskoye Crimean Semi-Sweet White Champagne, Ukraine

I’ve never been to a cyberfeast before…. I guess we just sit in front of the computer w/ our bibs on and drool or lick the screen. Hell, I’m going to the fridge so I don’t starve to death!!

That’s all folks…

Bruno

Fandango Tempranillo 2003 – Bodegas Solano   Requena, Spain

100% Selected Tempranillo direct from dry land vineyards (not watered artificially).

"Shining cherry color with a slight mulberry border. The nose is fruity and fresh, detecting a touch of red fruit and a hint of licorice. Good body, pleasant and silky, with an excellent passage over the palate."

This wine is a bargain. I liked it so much I bought nearly a case! It goes great w/ pizza or barbequed pork ribs!!

Available at The Wine Merchant or other fine wine stores in your area (hopefully!).

Cheers….

Bruno