A chronicle of my life in recipes. I love to cook, but more importantly I love to eat. The food you cook and eat tells a story of where you were raised and the path you have traveled. This is my story . . .

Monday, March 29, 2010

WOW



BIG Whoop!
Last weekend Beep & I decided to spend a thrilling night out, spending our Friday evening having dinner at one our new Thai spots and topping it off with a visit to the new Whole Foods in Dallas. Married nearly 20 years, we enjoy the simple things. This WOW is one of them.

BIG Whoop! 2008 Red Wine, South Eastern Australia is a wonderful surprise. Everything about this wine is FUN! The taste, the attitude and the size of the bottle( 1 Litre) are all simply fabulous. Oh, I almost forgot . . . the screw top and the cost, both equally as fabulous. Easy to drink and easy to buy, the price was great for an every day wine; $12.99 at Whole Foods. Here is what the bottle has to say: There's this nice wine right. From Australia. It's a cracker. Nice big-bodied red blend with a lot of flavour and a good dose of spice on the palate. What a beauty! Better still, it's in this very BIG bottle.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Palmiers


One of our families favorite sweet treats, so I had to try this recipe when I came across it in an old Gourmet magazine. Because this recipe uses a puff pastry, be patient, the roll and chill time seems like a lot of work, but you can break up the preparation time over a couple of days. Make the pastry dough a day ahead and roll and bake the cookies the following day. I find that when baking any pastry, chill the ready to bake product on the actual lined cookie sheet prior to baking (place the cookies and the sheet in the refrigerator or freezer for just a few minutes) and your final product will come out much better.
Reminder: as with all recipes containing few ingredients . . . use THE BEST QUALITY ingredients. I especially like using a great quality European butter with this recipe. I always use unbleached flour too.

Ingredients:
1 1/4C Flour(unbleached)
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter, frozen
5-6 T Ice water
1 C Sugar
2 tsp. Cinnamon

Yield: 6 dozen cookies


Preparation:

In a chilled metal bowl, stir together flour and salt. Coarsely grate frozen butter into bowl, toss with flour to coat butter. Drizzle 5 T of water over mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Test mixture by squeezing in your hand, it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary,add an additional T of water, stir just until mixed, do not over mix the dough, and test again to see if it holds together.
Form dough into a 5-inch square, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes. On a floured surface, roll dough to a 15x8 inch rectangle, with short side near you. Brush off excess flour, fold into thirds, like a letter re-wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. Beginning with the short side near you, roll, fold and chill 2 more times. Following your last fold, cut dough in half, crosswise with a sharp knife,wrap halves separately and chill 1 hour.
Stir together sugar and cinnamon, then generously sprinkle a clean work surface with some of cinnamon sugar and place 1 piece of chilled dough on top. Quickly roll out into a 16- by 12-inch rectangle (1/8 to 1/16 inch thick; if dough becomes too soft, chill on a baking sheet until firm). Trim edges with a sharp knife. Sprinkle top of dough evenly with some cinnamon sugar to cover completely, brushing off any excess. Roll 2 opposite long sides of pastry so they meet in center. Roll both sides of pastry in same manner, then fold one half over the other (like a book) and press gently with a rolling pin to flatten slightly, forming a long rectangular log. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar if dough is sticky.
Chill on a baking sheet, uncovered, until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining piece of dough and cinnamon sugar.
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut 1 log of dough crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices with a sharp knife and arrange slices, cut sides down, 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden around edges, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and turn palmiers over with a spatula. (If palmiers begin to unroll, gently press to reshape when cooled slightly.) Continue baking until golden all over and sugar is caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer as done (palmiers may not bake evenly) to a rack and cool. Make more cookies on cooled baking sheet lined with fresh parchment.
Store in an airtight container, HUMIDITY will have a very negative effect on these cookies. Check out one of my favorite gadgets listed to help with this problem.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Legal Seafood

 
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This one was just for Beep. Pissers, or long neck clams are one of his favorites and not easy to find, so we had to stop in once we spied this Boston chain. They are quite yummy, even though you might not think so based on their appearance. Bo did enjoy a lovely piece of swordfish with Bearnaise butter, however. Cam and Camille ate about a dozen warm rolls with butter, and I had a salad, all we did was eat and eat, I needed something light.

Not just Monuments & Museums: Our Dining Tour of DC

 
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OUR NATIONS CAPITOL
We love visiting DC, there is so much to do and see. This was our second visit as a family and we focused less on hitting every major landmark this time, slept in, hit the high spots and took advantage of the wonderful food this diverse city has to offer. The W Hotel was the perfect location and the room was spectacular! Some panoramic pictures of the room and our views of the Treasury Building out one window and the Washington Monument out the other two in the living room windows are in the collage above. The only negative there was the in hotel dining, we tried to eat twice at J & G Steakhouse by Jean Georges, but they were not at all accommodating and incredibly snooty. The roof top bar was nice, but a bit over the top as most "exclusive" clubs are. Not quite our style, a friendly relaxed atmosphere is my preference. The entire staff at the hotel could not have been more pleasant and welcoming. The W certainly is the perfect walking distance to anything and everything in the city.
I will touch on each restaurant we visited in this post, but have posted detailed reviews of each restaurant as well. Following is a list of the restaurants we enjoyed:
Old Ebbitt Grill, The Old Ebbitt is Washington's oldest and most historic saloon. It's current location on 15th Street NW, may not be the original spot, but it has an enormous amount of charm and sense of history none the less. Don't miss it!
Ben's Chili Bowl, a DC icon. This place epitomizes the neighborhood joint. No fuss, just great food, and it is fun to check out all the celebrity photos too. Maybe, just maybe if you are lucky you will have a chance encounter with the "Advice Bum", waiting just outside for exiting customers. Ben's only takes cash, so he knows how to pick a spot. Take a second to glean some wisdom from someone who has been down a challenging road. Bo learned the importance of a good education and taking advantage of the opportunities that life presents. I chose to think he would use our donation wisely and get something to eat, but Beep, ever the realist crushed my hopes and said, "It would surely go toward a liquid diet."
The Dancing Crab, another neighborhood joint. Located on Wisconsin Ave., it is an easy drive but you have to know what you are looking for or you will pass it by. Their business card reads, "The Dancing Crab & Malt Shop," but with paper on the tables, a bar lined with locals and pitchers of beer, I believe it to be more of a tavern. Whatever it is, it is delicious and the blue crabs were wonderful.
Legal Seafood, a reliable Boston chain with Beep's favorite clams, he had them steamed and fried. Great food and always consistent in decor and food preparation, if you run out of local joints, this is a great back-up plan.
Crepes A GO GO, owned and operated by European immagrants, these guys thought we were a little nuts due to our number of visits, although I am certain they appreciated the patronage. The crepes are made to order, street ready to eat in a cone and kept everyone happy.
The Shops at National Place, the food court located in the shopping center was terrific. Not your usual food court fare, it was an inexpensive alternative and a quick stop during a schedule filled day of touring DC. Beep and I had amazing Gyros, half of one would have fed me. Bo and Cam had burgers & fries from Five Guys, so they were content and Camille was able to get freshly prepared sushi.

Crepes A Go Go

Our saving grace for keeping food in Cam's belly. We visited twice in one day. Quick, easy, located in China Town just steps from the metro and only a couple of blocks to the spy museum, the crepes are a perfect quick lunch, snack or dessert. Camille's favorite is the dark chocolate, strawberry and banana. Beep gobbled up the avocado, egg and cheese. Bo went for his staple combo of spinach, mushroom and swiss. Cam's highly nutritional favorite was butter and white sugar, he ordered two at a time. I can only hope that one day he will develop a more complex palate and show a little diversity in his diet. I must give him credit for ordering an egg and cheese, but nothing green!  
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The Dancing Crab

 
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Blue Crabs are a must when we visit this part of the country and Beep will seek them out at all cost. We discovered The Dancing Crab on our last visit to DC and it has become a can't miss destination. Not only are the crabs fantastic, but getting there is fun too. Depending on your place of origin, we are always somewhere near the White House, it is a spectacular drive through embassy row on the way to the "blink and you'll miss it," tavern.

Ben's Chili Bowl

Way off the beaten path, in a not so picturesque area of DC, you will find chili nirvana. The neighborhood is quickly improving however, big changes since our last visit and there is a metro station right across the street if you don't want to make the drive. We were lucky, only had to drive around the block once and we scored a spot right in front. (Kim Schuh luck)
We arrived to a short line filing out the door, but it was a quick 5 minutes to the counter to place our order and find an open table in the back. Camille ordered a giant basket of chili cheese fries and thankfully let us all dive in for at least one bite. Cam opted for the plain dog, of course. Bo and I chose the basic chili dog and loved every chili dripping, snappy dog bite. Beep had the Bill Cosby favorite, a Chili Half-Smoke. Some day we need to get down there for breakfast! Pictured Below, the Advice Bum with Beep & Bo and all our good eats.

 

 

 

 
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Old Ebbitt Grill

I stopped counting after 3 visits in the first 2 days of our time in DC, needless to say, we like Old Ebbitt A LOT! A big bonus on our restaurant scale is one where everyone can find something on the menu that makes their tummy happy. This restaurant certainly fits the bill, half a block from the W, our hotel, didn't hurt either.
Hope you enjoy this video clip of just some of the menu items we feasted upon. Not a huge fan of oysters, Beep ate them at every visit, I must admit they were sweet, creamy and lovely to slurp. The shallot vinaigrette is the perfect balance, why doesn't every restaurant offer this accompaniment?
The Eggs Chesapeake was a beautiful variation on this brunch classic, with a crab cake in place of the traditional protein. Cameron, our pickiest eater, proclaimed that the French Toast was BETTER than mine. He did redeem himself by quickly following up with, "Mom, you still make the BEST pancakes." The Fried oyster stew perfectly matched creamy and crunchy and rich but not too heavy. Every item we tried from the menu was a masterful combination of flavors and textures. One that I didn't get a chance to photograph was the Brownie Cappuccino Sundae, Bo and Camille both tried it and dug in before I could snap a photo! The simple addition of warm cappuccino poured over a chewy brownie and vanilla bean ice cream was heavenly!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Bacon Wrapped Scallops


This is a fabulous appetizer to make for a small group, it takes a bit of attention, so I don't usually make these for a crowd. The original, as well as this photo comes from Fine Cooking magazine. As with all my recipes, I have a couple of additions and changes to the preparation, so I have listed the link above, my version is shown here. One difference is how I marinate, the other major difference is how I assemble these tasty bites. I enjoy the crunch of the water chestnut, but don't feel that two are necessary for each appetizer. This wonderful treat is the perfect balance of sweet-salty, crunchy-chewy and is sure to be a hit!

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. chile flakes
6 very large “dry” sea scallops (8 to 10 oz. total), cut into bite size pieces 1/2 or quarted depending on how large they are.
8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
12 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise, I cut it in thirds thus, I use fewer than 12 strips, I found a half stip to be too long.
24 toothpicks, soaked in water

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place rack in upper third of your oven. Line a shallow baking sheet with foil and set a metal cooling rack on top of foil. I find this works better than a broiler pan. Heat prepared pan in the oven.
In a medium bowl, combine marinade: soy, sugar, giner and chile flakes. Place bacon on a plate and drizzle with a small amount of marinade. Place the scallops in the remaining marinade and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Do not discard the marinade.
Assembly:
Slice bacon strips long enough to wrap around the chestnut and scallop. Place a chestnut in the center of the bacon strip, top with a scallop piece, wrap each edge of bacon over the top of the scallop and secure with a toothpick. Repeat until all of your ingredients are utilized. Remove hot baking sheet and quickly place bacon wraps on the hot pan, return to the oven. Bake turning once, after approximately 10 minutes, so the bacon can cook on all sides, baste with reserved marinade when you turn. Return to oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the bacon is brown and crispy. Watch them closely during this final cooking time. They suggest cooking at 450 degrees, I cook them lower, between 375-400. They can get too smokey in the hotter oven, I prefer to cook a little longer in a lower oven.
Remove wraps quickly to a serving platter so they don't stick to your baking rack. Allow to cool slightly, remember, sugar will be HOT! They are great even as they come to room temperature.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Baked Goat Cheese with Salsa

 
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So, my brother-in-law thinks this might be a twist on queso that may only fly in the "Park Cities", possibly, but it is one of the yummiest things you will taste, sophisticated palate or not! Love you Chris, I am making it for you next time I see you and we'll see if you can resist it's creamy deliciousness.INGREDIENTS:1 1/2 C roasted salsa (previous post)8 oz. goat cheese8 oz. cream cheese1/4 C pine nuts, toastedtoasted tortilla or pita chipsPREPARATION:Allow cheeses to soften, cream together and add toasted pine nuts. Form cheese mixture into a disc approximately 1/2 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Set oven to 350 degrees. In a shallow oven safe dish, remove plastic wrap, place goat cheese disc in the center and top with salsa. Bake approximately 10-15 minutes until warm and slightly bubbly. Serve warm with chips.Toasting pine nuts: I do it on the stove top so I don't neglect them and end up with burnt pine nuts. In a saute pan toast nuts lightly tossing over medium heat, just until they begin to become golden. 3-4 minutes at most.Toasting chips: Cut pita or flour tortilla chips into triangles, arrange in a mostly single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast in the oven until crisp, flipping or slightly stirring the chips if necessary. 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of your pita or tortillas. If you are really lazy, pop open a bag of your favorite brand of chips! You really can't beat the homemade ones though, they can be done the day before and kept in an airtight container.