Happy Birthday to Mary Moh

February 15, 2010 · 32 Comments

One of the many reasons why I enjoy blogging is being able to meet people from all different regions of the world.  One of the very first blogger friends I made was Mary Moh from Keep Learning Keep Smiling.  I was instantly drawn to her warm nature and kind heart.  Her recipes always give me a sense of home, cooking many dishes that my mother had prepared for me when I was a child.  This has not only helped me appreciate my own mother more but has taught me how powerful something as simple as food can be.

Aside from triggering memories of my childhood (and making my stomach growl in the mornings), Mary also provides exceptional wisdom and insight that applies to everyday life.  I think the name of her blog says it all — “Keep Learning Keep Smiling” a good mantra that we should all take in life.  We will always have obstacles throughout our lifetime but the important part is to not only keep going but maintaining a positive attitude through it all.

So when Mary e-mailed me a couple weeks ago asking if I could do a guest post for her birthday of all things, you wouldn’t believe how honored I felt.  Of course I agreed, and I thought long and hard as to what I would make her for her birthday.  First I was going to do a banana tart but then I felt it was too simple for a birthday, then it was cheesecake but it felt too boring so finally I settled on this: Chocolate Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and a Black Sesame and Walnut Crust topped with Miniature Vanilla Cupcakes. I just had to go all out for this one, not only because it’s Mary’s birthday but it is also my way of saying “Thank You” Mary for your blog has provided me with great memories, grumbling tummies and a kind and open heart.

So I hope you enjoy this cake Mary Moh!  Granted you are far away in Scotland, I lighted some candles and sent you a happy wish from Texas :) I hope you have a wonderful birthday today, and may it be filled with lots of FOOD, presents and of course Love!

Mary also requested some funny pictures and I jumped at the opportunity.  As you can see my Lily cat really enjoys it when I dress her up, I would almost say she lives for it.  :)   Layla was a very good model, she pulled out her best tricks to make these shots work.

As you can see she is a very good little balancer :)   She can also dance and when we do yoga, she does her downward dog with us.  Lily on the other hand just sits there and eats (alot) and takes unusually large dumps…I am not sure how.  But all in all, both my pets are very good models as you can see!

For the chocolate cake, I used the same recipe from a previous post which you can find here.  When making layer cakes like this, it is easiest when you either freeze or refrigerate your cake layers.  This way, during assembly time, the cake will not crumble easily and it will be easier to move the layers without breaking them.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting, it is actually the same as the frosting I used for the Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes which you can find here.  To make the cake you will probably have to make at least 5-6 batches of the icing.  If you have leftover icing you can always keep it in the fridge for up to a week to a week and a half.  Cream Cheese icing goes great with everything!

Also when assembling the cake, be sure you lay down a cake bottom first, that way you can move the cake around.  If you do not put a sturdy base at the bottom, once you are done icing the cake you will have a hell of a time transferring it to a plate or cake stand.  I actually like assembling my cakes on a cake stand because it makes icing the cake a lot easier, because you are able to rotate the stand.

To assemble the cake, put 1 cake layer, rounded side up, on a cake stand or platter and, using offset spatula, spread top with about 1 cup frosting.  Top with the remaining cake layer, rounded side down, and frost side and top of cake with 2 cups of frosting.

You will need a mini-muffin pan along with 24 mini muffin cups.

Ingredients for Vanilla Mini Cupcakes:

(Makes 2 dozen)

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 3/4 cups cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line muffin cups with liners.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Mix milk and vanilla in another bowl.  Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Add egg and beat until just combined.  Reduce speed to low, then add flour and milk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just combined.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full, and bake until tops are pale golden and a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes.  Invert cupcakes onto a rack and cool completely.

You can also make different colored icings by taking 1/4 cup frosting in a small bowl and ting with food cloring, then frost tops of cupcakes.

To finish decorating, simply place the miniature cupcakes ontop of the cake in the following quantities – 1st layer: 6 cupcakes (5 in a circle 1 in the center) 2nd layer: 4 cupcakes (centered) and 3rd layer: 1 cupcakes on top.  Coat the edges of the cake with ground toasted walnuts and black sesame and sprinkle ontop of cupcakes as well.  You may garnish with fresh fruit or flowers, or both!

Happy Birthday Mary, I hope you’ve enjoyed my post.  As you can see both my animals had fun making this post with me as well :)   May all your wishes come true today my dear friend!

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Cream of Potato Soup with Jalapeno Oil & Neiman Marcus Popovers with Fresh Strawberry Butter

February 12, 2010 · 29 Comments

You guys will not believe the weather we are having in Dallas.  For the 17 years I’ve lived in Texas I have never seen this much snow, a record breaking 12.5 inches of snow in a 24 hour period.  INSANE!!  We had a transformer blow out last night and the power went dead, thankfully we were able to seek shelther at Collin’s parents.  Thank goodness for family :)

We woke up early this morning and built an 8 foot snow man!  Actually it was more Collin who built the entire 8 foot body and I sculpted the face :) .  I was off taking pictures and I turned around and what do I see?  Collin rolling a gigantic snow ball around the front yard that sat almost as tall as my shoulders… I was concerned as how he was going to get the midsection on there, which weighed at least 200 lbs.  Thankfully with a family full of big Polacks (sp?), Collin and his dad moved it on there just fine.

It’s been years since I’ve built a snow man, and never one of such massive proportions (Which I have my intense fiance to thank for that)! :) On our way back to our house this morning we saw streets decorated with all different types of snowmen of all shapes and sizes, it was truly adorable.

With weather like this I felt nothing could be better than warm bread and soup.  This classic cream of potato soup recipe can be dressed up in several different ways.  You can add bacon or sour cream, or perhaps some smoked chicken and cheddar cheese?  I decided to add some heat and drizzled it with some Jalapeno oil to give the soup an extra kick!

The popovers are to die for.  I had my first popover experience when Collin’s father took us out for dinner over the holidays and the restaurant had served them as starters.  They were warm and had a crunchy outside but a warm and chewy inside.  The recipe I am using is Neiman Marcus’, they suggest using a their popover pan, which I recommend using if you have it, but if not you can use a muffin pan.

Ingredients for Cream of Potato Soup with Jalapeno Oil:

(serves 4)

  • 8 medium sized potatoes, cleaned peeled and cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 jalapeno, top discarded and thinly sliced
  • 2 small leeks, white part only, washed and finely chopped
  • 4 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, washed, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 celery washed and finely chopped
  • 4 cups of chicken broth or water
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • salt pepper to taste

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter starts to foam.  Add the leeks, celery, carrots, onion and shallots along with some salt and cook over gently heat for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.  Add the stock and potatoes, bring back to the boil, then lower the temperature to a simmer and cook slowly for 10 minutes.  Puree the soup in batches in a blender.  If you’d like you can pour the soup through a metal sieve.  Heat the pureed mixture and cream in a pan, check for seasoning and taste with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until oil slightly smokes.  Add the sliced jalapeno and allow to sautee until oil is fragrant and jalapenos are softened, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and pour oil mixture through sieve.  Set jalapenos aside for garnish.Divide the soup among four bowls and add a generous dash of black pepper.  Drizzle with jalapeno oil and add jalapeno slices.  You can also serve this soup with some crostinis as I have.  You simply slice a baguette into 1″ pieces and brush with a butter mixture.

Ingredients for Crostini Butter mixture:

(for about 12 crostinis)

  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, minced

Mix ingredients together in bowl and brush onto sliced crostinis.  Bake at 350F for 10 minutes or until bread is golden brown.

“The key to making great popovers is having the eggs and milk warm before mixing.  It is also important to let the batter sit for an hour before baking it.  Popovers do not freeze well, and pre-made batter has a tendency not to work properly the next day.”

Ingredients for Neiman Marcus Popovers:

(about 2 dozen popovers)

  • 3 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 450F.

Place the milk in a bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until warm to the touch.  Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl.  Crack the eggs into the work bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until foamy and pale in color.  Turn down the mixer to low and add the warm milk.  Gradually add the flour mixture and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.  Turn the machine off and let the batter rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Spray a popover tin or muffin pan generously with nonstick spray.  Fill the popover cups almost to the top with the batter and place the popover tin on a cookie sheet.  (If you are using a muffin pan, fill every other hole because the bread will puff up when baking).  Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Turn down the oven temperature to 375F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer, until the popovers are a deep golden brown on the outside and airy on the inside.  Turn out the popovers and serve hot with strawberry butter.

For Neiman Marcus’ recipe they used strawberry preserves, I actually used fresh strawberries and 1 tablespoon of agave syrup.  I have cut down the quantity of butter so the following recipe makes about 1/4 cup of strawberry butter.

Ingredients for Fresh Strawberry Butter:

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup good-quality strawberry preserves (I used 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon of agave syrup (I added this)

Place the butter in a bowl with minced strawberries and syrup.  Beat on high until lught and fluffy.  To serve, spoon or pipe the flavored butter into a plate or bowl.

If you have leftover strawberry butter it goes great on toast or any type of bread you may have lying around.  It am sure it is great with preserves, but the butter is SO fragrant when I made it with fresh strawberries, I recommend that everyone tries this recipe.  It is so ADDICTING!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  I am off to ice a cake for a special someones birthday that is coming up!  :)   Stay tune on Monday for a very special birthday dedication post for a very special lady!  In the meantime, everyone stay warm eat lots and be merry!!!

p.s.

Our 8 foot snowman :)

→ 29 CommentsCategories: Easy · Entree · French · Fusion · Soup
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Epic Indian Feast

February 10, 2010 · 44 Comments

One of the many beauties in life is friendship, we are able to learn so much from each other when we open our hearts and our homes.  I would like to dedicate this meal to one of Collin and I’s dearest friend, Bijeta Chakraborty! She along with Kumar, Aditya and Sanjay lived in Dallas for a year for an engingeering development program with Collin at Texas Instruments.  Back then Collin and I were living out in Wylie,TX in our trailer (I will reserve that story for another day), and seeing that #1 I lived in a trailer, therefore many friends were hesitant to come over and “hang out” and #2 I lived all the way out in Wylie,TX which to many people who live in the city, is in the middle of no where.  It was lonely out there, it literally was just me, Collin and the cows. (If only I had known you Alta back then!)

Then one day Collin told me a few of his coworkers had invited us over Saturday for dinner who recently moved here from India. My eyes instantly lit up, I have never had a home cooked Indian meal before — my tummy could hardly wait.  That week the days honestly seem to creep by, I almost felt weary with (Indian food) craving exhaustion but Saturday FINALLY arrived.  I remembered specifically wearing loose fitting pants that night because I had my game face on and I was ready to CHOW DOWN.  I love Indian food for several reasons: the COLORS — the greens, yellows, reds, and the beautiful smells of the SPICES, it’s as if I could just eat forever and ever.  But the best reason that makes Indian food not only fun to eat, but simply an art,  is the beauty of eating the various flavors on your plate using your hands.  I don’t know why Indian food tastes better when you use your hands but I highly recommend that everyone tries it.

Even before arriving at Bijeta’s door, you could already smell the magic brewing half way down the hallway.  And let me tell you what, the food that night was magical indeed — the crispy potato samosas, curried cauliflower, fried fish curry, chicken curry, paneer (from scratch), chutneys, yogurt, perfectly cooked basmati rice, and ending with a deliciously fragrant kheer.  By the time I was done I could hardly breathe,  but boy was I one happy camper! It was nice to experience a part of their culture through food, it’s definitely one of my favorite ways of learning from people of different backgrounds.  Though our native languages may be different, and at times communication can be hard — food will always be universal, a common ground that all cultures share and understand.

It was nice to learn (and taste) from Bijeta, Aditya and Sanjay, we exchanged stories of our families, our backgrounds, and even battled over a few games of Wii Sports.  By the time we were leaving, I felt as if they’ve been my friends for many years — and for the rest of the time they lived in Dallas we hung out with them often.  We had more dinner get togethers, a music concert, and even grabbed some brewskies to check out to the “American bar scene”.  When it was time for them to leave both Collin and I were really sad to see them go, but happy that we’ve made lifelong friends.  Since then, Bijeta and I keep in touch via e-mail and now Facebook and recently she sent me this amazing Fish Gravy recipe.

I told her I would have to dedicate a post to her featuring her amazing Fish Gravy (Hi Bijeta!!) and made an Indian feast in her honor as well as Aditya and Sanjay’s as well.  Though we are thousands of miles apart, while eating this meal both me and Collin decided you guys were there in spirit :) This was also my first attempt in cooking Indian food – there were so many various spices that my head almost started to spin!  But a fun adventure nonetheless and the end result was a glorious complexity of flavors.

Ingredients for Fried Tilapia with Tomato and Onion Gravy:

(serves 4)

  • 4 Tilapia fillets
  • 1/2 white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
  • 4 green Serrano chiles, tops discarded
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon Tumeric powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon Coriander powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon Mustard Paste
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon corn flour

  • 1/2 tablespoon Cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon Onion seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon Mustard seeds
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 3/4 cup of water

Make a smooth paste of the onion, ginger, chiles, lemon juice, tumeric and coriander powder, mustard paste, salt and cornflour in a food processor.  Place paste in a large bowl and marinate the fish pieces for 15-20 minutes. In a small or medium-sized saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil at medium high heat.  Sear the Tilapia on both sides, about 3 minutes on each and set aside on a plate.  Remember, you do not want to overfry the fish because it will be cooked further in the gravy mixture.  Next you will make the Tomato and Onion Gravy:

Tomato Gravy:

  • 2 medium-sized Roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 tablespoon Tumeric Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon red chili powder
  • salt to taste

Place ingredients into food processor and blend together.  Place in bowl and set aside.

Onion Gravy:

  • 2 medium-sized White onions
  • 1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Coriander leaves
  • 1 green serrano chile, top removed

Place ingredients into food processor and blend together.  Place in bowl and set aside.

In a large heavy bottomed pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil along with the Bay leaf and Cumin, Onion and Mustard seeds.  Add the onion gravy and fry until it becomes brownish in color.  Add the tomato gravy to the mixture and fry until the two gravies become thick and paste like.  If it becomes too dry add a little more oil.  Add 3/4 cup of water and put the fried fish in the gravy and cook, covered for 10-15 minutes.  Add salt to taste.  Remove from heat and serve with Basmati rice.

For the Indian Feast I made the following items, I am not going to post all of them for the recipes are quite lenghthy, however if any of these sound interesting to you, shoot me an e mail and I will be more than happy to send them to you :) .

  • Mint Sambol (Srilankan)
  • Fresh Coriander Peanut Chutney (Indian)
  • Spiced Cabbage Salad (Srilankan)
  • Cauliflower Dum (North Indian)
  • Katchhi Village Potato Curry (North Indian)

I found all of these recipes above from Mangoes & Curry Leaves – Culinary Travels through the Great Subcontinent by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid.  A very wonderful book indeed, with captivating pictures of not only food but the regions from where they are from.

Ingredients for Spiced Cabbage Salad:

  • 4 cups shredded green or Savoy cabbage
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 2 to 3 green cayenne chiles, seeded and minced
  • 6 fresh or frozen curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh or frozen grated coconut

Wash the cabbage, then put it in a medium heavy pot with the shallots, chiles, curry leaves, salt, turmeric, and cumin.  Place over medium-high heat, cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.  Give the pot a quick stir, cover again, and lower the heat to medium.  Simmer until the cabbage is cooked and tender, about another 10 minutes, depending on your cabbage and how finely it is shredded.  Add the lime juice and coconut and stir to mix well.  Let cook for a minute or two, uncovered, then turn out and serve, mounded on a plate.

Ingredients for Katchhi Village Potato Curry:

  • 2 tablespoons raw sesame oil, vegetable oil, or ghee
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic or garlic mashed to a paste
  • 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 2 green cayenne chiles, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon round cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Heat the oil or ghee in a wok or wide pot over medium heat.  Add 1 teaspoon garlic and cook for a minute, then add the potatoes and shallots.  Stir-fry for several minutes, until the shallots have softened, pressing the potato cubes against the surface of the hot pan, then add the chopped tomatoes and chiles and stir to blend.

Add the turmeric, mustard seeds, cumin, coriander, and the remianing 1 teaspoon garlic and stir.  Add the water and salt and bring to a boil.  Cover tightly and simmer vigorously until the potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes.  Check after 10 or 12 minutes to make sure there is enough liquid and that nothing is sticking; add a little more water if necessary.

I deem my first Indian cooking adventure a success!  Next time I would like to cook with lentils and more vegetarian options, it’s great to have so many delicious vegetarian options in Indian food.  Indian food also seems to taste better the next day and even better the second — the flavors of the spices are slowly drawn out by the oils creating a bolder flavor.  Bijeta, I thank you for your wonderful recipe!  It was Collin and I’s favorite dish, you were– right we loved it! Please send our love to Kumar, Aditya and Sanjay, we miss all of you dearly :) .

Let’s do some Food Art!

The End.

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Portobello Mushroom Risotto with Poached Shrimp

February 8, 2010 · 26 Comments

I went to the library this weekend and scooped up more cookbooks, and found an absolutely phenomenal cookbook called “The Food I Love” by Neil Perry.  The internationally renown chef provides detailed instructions and backgrounds on all the ingredients featured in this book.  One particular one that caught my eye was Risotto.  I have always heard the “wonders” of risotto yet have never tasted one that has tickled my fancy.  I’ve ordered it several times when eating out only to be disappointed time after time with the results, so I finally gave up.  In my mind risotto was a mushy, gummy, paste reminiscent to a goopy oatmeal, or an overly “soupy” concoction that reminded me of porridge — both very unappealing views on something that is suppose to be “magical.”

AND THEN I figured out why I frequently had these negative experiences with Risotto, the following passage is from “The Food I Love” –

” Risotto is one of those things that you can make at home better than most restaurants can.  Unfortunately, because of either staff restraints or cumstomer impatience, most restaurants and cafes seem hell bent on cooking the risotto first and then finishing it off when ordered.  It is very hard to achieve the right texture using that method.”

… then why do restaurants even offer it?  My bad stigma with risotto was instantly erased upon reading that passage, how did I know that the best bowl of risotto I’ve ever had would come right out of my kitchen?  The directions that Neil provides, though lengthy are very good instructions.  I chose to make a Portobello Mushroom Risotto with Poached Shrimp, I was going to poach my shrimp in butter but  I decided to skimp on the calories and just poached them in white wine and water.  For the stock I chose to use a dashi stock which paired really well with the shrimp and brought out the savory flavors of the mushrooms.

Ingredients for Portabello Mushroom Risotto:

(serves 2-3)

  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 2 portabello mushrooms, cleaned and cut into 2 cm dice
  • 6 shrimp, cleaned and deveined
  • 5 cups of chicken stock or dashi stock
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine or sake
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmeasan, plus extra, to serve
  • 2 1/4 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or scallions
  • freshly ground pepper

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan.  First sautee half of the mushrooms and set aside.  Then heat more oil and add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and a little salt and sweat over low heat until soft.  Add the rice and cook, sitrring for about 3 minutes, or until the starch starts to come out of the rice.  The rice will start to stock and become opaque.  Add the wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until the wine is completely absorbed.  Add enough stock to cover the rice and simmer slowly, stirring occasionally.  As the rice absorbs the stock, add more to keep it moist, but don’t drown the rice.  If you do, the risotto will lose some of its unctuous quality, but if it is too dry it will stick and retard the creaminess of the finished dish.

It is important to continue stirring at this early stage or the rice will sink to the bottom and stick.  After 15-18 minutes most of the stock should be used and the rice tender.  Meanwhile, poach the shrimp in a small saucepan with water and a little bit of white wine.  When the water is boiling, add the shrimp and cook for 4-5 minutes or until shrimp is fully cooked.  Remove and set aside.  At this point, add the reserved portabello mushrooms, along with the cheese, butter and any remaining stock.  Cover, remove from the heat and rest for 2 minutes.  Remove the lid, stir in the parsley and check the seasoning.  Spoon into four bowls and sprinkle with extra Parmesan and green scallions and place shrimp on top.  Serve immediately.

Variations

  • Using the same formula, you can cook a variety of yummy risottos.  Remember, in the most part, you would cook whatever needs cooking beforehand and simply add to the risotto at the end, at room temperature or warm, to heat up before serving.
  • Pork seems to work well in this dish: fold through sliced ham or prosciutto at the end, or add pancetta at the start with the onion.  Cooked sausage also goes well but make sure it’s a pure pork style with good texture and flavour.  Pan-fry or grill (broil) them, then slice.  Add at the end with some fresh herbs.
  • Of course, all manner of vegetables work well…sliced cooked green beans, spinach, nettle, raddichio that has been grilled (broiled), stewed red or yellow capsicums (peppers), braised red or green cabbage… the list goes on.

Were those not well written directions?  Neil Perry you are quite the culinary bad ass.  And the result?  The best risotto I’ve ever tasted!  I will take 80% of the credit and give 20% to Neil :) .  The rice wasn’t mushy, and maintained its “unctuous” quality — each kernel was flavorful with umami from the dashi broth and mushrooms.  If you are not a shrimp person, just leave it off.   To be honest, I placed it on there for a little protein but would’ve been just as good without.

Here is more food art!  This one is an easy one so I am sure you guys will guess what it is right away ;) Last night I realized that we have not seen the sun in Dallas much at all this winter, it has been mostly dreary, rainy cold and very unpleasant.  Perhaps that explains why my pounch is slowly growing, it is so hard to get the motivation to work out in weather like this!  The groundhog didn’t see his shadow so I guess it’s six more weeks of winter for us folks, I am praying for a lil sunshine this week, let’s see how it goes!

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Friday Night Dinners

February 5, 2010 · 22 Comments

At Mealtime Market, every Friday night Chef Thomas hosts a private dinner for about 8-10 people, reservations only.  The menu, which changes weekly, features a 3 course menu that also includes wine tasting!  At $70 a couple you start off with a choice of appetizers and soup, followed by an exquisitely prepared entrée by chef and ending with an array of sweets designed by yours truly :) .

For an appetizer we had a Pan Seared Ahi Tuna served with Micro Greens and a Crisp Sesame Cracker drizzled with a Wasabi Vinaigrette.  I really enjoyed the delicate tuna with the crispness and the fragrance of the toasted sesame seeds on the cracker — it made a great combination of textures and flavors.

If you are not a fish person you could choose the second option which was a Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup — ooooh man this soup is delicious!  Being a huge fan of mushrooms I couldn’t help but sneak a bowl of this soup.  It was rich and decadent, with a delicate earthiness in every bite.  Also since the weather is cold, nothing soothes the soul like a bowl of warm soup.

It pairs perfectly with some freshly baked bread (which we offer)! Now let’s move onto the fun stuff — the beautiful entrees!

First choice of entree would be — Pan Seared Salmon served with Braised Spinach, Potato in a Blood Orange Bur Blanc.  The Bur Blanc sauce was rich with bright citrus notes which went perfectly with the tender salmon.  The spinach was braised with a little bit of garlic and olive oil served along side of some fluffy whipped potatoes.

Enticing, no?  The colors were really nice too, the creamy orange sauce contrasted with the blood orange slices made this dish very appealing to the eyes.  The salmon was seared to the perfect tenderness, the delicate flakes of salmon immersed impeccably with the decadent citrus bur blanc — I would’ve cleaned the plate but there was another entree that needed to be tasted!

The second entree was my favorite one of the night — Pan Seared Greek Chicken Breast in a Lemon Cream Sauce with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes Kalamata Olives and Spinach topped with fresh Feta Cheese.  Talk about an amazing flavor combination!

The chicken was cooked perfectly, the meat was juicy and tender and immersed in the amazing lemon sauce that really gave this dish a kick.  Topped with the colorful vegetable medley and the fresh crumbled feta cheese,the only thing you’d be missing was a glass of ouzo and a loud and glorious “OPA!”.

I thought the fried lemon slice was a creative twist on using the fruit, it gave the dish a nice rustic appearance (I had to ask chef if it was edible and he said it definitely … was not :( ) The combinations of colors were beautiful, it was a color explosion on a plate!

I save the best for last of course — DESSERT! For the dessert trio we had Huckleberry Empanadas with a Huckleberry Vanilla Coulis, a Dark Chocolate Espresso Mousse with Chantilly Cream and Chocolate Shavings and Toasted Spiced Pecans.

I really loved the empanadas, I tucked fresh huckleberries and ricotta cheese into each one.  The result?  An ooey gooey filling paired with the flaky emapanda crust, it was almost like a miniature huckleberry pie!  The smells were absolutely amazing while baking these and the huckleberry vanilla coulis further accentuated the empanada.

Next we had the Dark Chocolate Espresso Mousse with Chantilly Cream — I love this mousse, it’s fluffy and airy yet rich and decadent.  The slight bitterness of the dark chocolate and espresso was calmed by the sweet Chantilly Cream and served alongside some fresh berries and chocolate shavings? MMMM HMMM!

I whipped some up to put in our cases as well, so if any one of you are around the neighborhood you should definitely stop by and visit :) I even took it a step further and added some brownie chunks (From scratch of course!) and folded it into the chocolate espresso mousse.  Oh yeah, that’s right — Bad is my middle name!

Then we had the Toasted Spiced Pecans — these are always wonderful as a dessert, or ontop of another dessert, or makes a wonderful mid-afternoon snack.  I like to add a kick of cayenne since the Pecans have such a high oil content, it kind of wakes up your mouth a bit.

This is usually what I do to any innocent bystanders that I find sound asleep, I simply take out a Sharpie and scribble on their face, but since I am no longer in college and rarely have sleepovers my only options are my pets.  Don’t worry, I didn’t draw on Lily’s face THIS TIME, but next time instead of photoshop it’ll be a big BLACK MARKER face :) I kid, I kid! Happy Friday folks, next week I plan on featuring an Indian Feast, Portabello Mushroom Risotto and last but not least…Turtle Cheesecake Cupcakes.

(image from www.springwatershop.com)

Now I usually don’t enter contests and sweepstakes because honestly I never win anything so I save myself the disappointment.  HOWEVER, this contest that I got through FoodBuzz just seemed to good to pass up so here it goes.

“… Foodbuzz has partnered with S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water to provide the opportunity for two Featured Publishers to attend The S. Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition. The Almost Famous Chef Competition gives top culinary students from around the world a chance to showcase their skills to top chefs, culinary experts and media and the opportunity to win cash and a paid apprenticeship with a top chef to jumpstart their career.”

Now I am suppose to tell you guys why I’d like to attend.  Well the better question should be WHY WOULD I NOT WANT TO ATTEND??? What could honestly beat eating food artistically crafted by top chefs in NAPA VALLEY? That’s right, nothing.  I would spread the word by painting my entire body like the san pellegrino bottle and walk around with a huge sign that says “PICK ME TO GO TO NAPA VALLEY” — now granted I do not have a professional body painter on hand this will just have to do…

I think if I were chosen to attend I would do a fantastic job of keeping fans posted, a play by play if you will, on this fabulous event through numerous pictures and writing.  Did I also mention that Mealtime Market uses ONLY San Pellegrino to make our Italian Sodas??? That’s right we only use the best!

So San Pellegrino and FoodBuzz, pick me, Joy Zhang, to be YOUR guest at the S.Pellegrino Almost Chef Competition, I assure you you won’t be disappointed :)

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