Mardi Gras

We got into New Orleans on Monday evening. As we were checking into the B and B, we could hear the parade passing by about a block away. Fat Tuesday was spent wandering up and down St. Charles street, looking for something to eat other than the ubiquitous hot dogs and elephant ears that were for sale. The food that was not for sale along the street looked amazing. During the Zulu Parade we were standing next to what looked like a 20 gallon pot, where a man was cooking. Over the course of the parade, he proceeded to toss pigs feet, pork necks, and corn cobs into the violently boiling pot.



We ended up getting a delicious cuban sandwich from Eiffel, once for 4 bucks and once for 5.. crazy how the food gets more expensive as the day wears on!

We also had a burger at a dive bar.

And we had lots of beer (Abita) and wine.

Love and Chocolate are in the air!

This year Valentines Day fell on a Monday. Boo to that, I know. Nathan and I decided instead to have what a friend has aptly named "Sanity Supper," on Saturday.

First, I made some cheese fondue that we enjoyed while the sauce was reducing.

Second course, Filet Mignon with Red wine and Cocoa Sauce, the recipe for which can be found here

Click Me!

To accompany that, we had Gnocchi with Sambuca Pistachio Pesto.

And that, is what we are going to talk about today.

I am not a huge fan of Sambuca, but Nathan loves that stuff. I had asked what he wanted for V day, and he said pasta and sambuca. He was joking but I took it as a challenge, so without further ado here is it.

Gnocchi with Sambuca Pesto.

4 cloves of Garlic
1 cup of Basil Leaves
Sambuca
1/4 cup pistachios, shelled
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Gnocchi (store bought or homemade)

Put the garlic and pistachios into a mortar or food processor, and grind or pulse just until the nuts are cracked and the garlic cloves are breaking up a bit. Add the basil and incorporate it into the mixture. Add a few T's of Olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Pour everyone a shot of Sambuca ( an ounce for you, and an ounce for the pesto)

Cook your gnocchi and drain. Toss in a bowl with the pesto mixture and serve immediately.

Top with some fresh micro-planed parmesan.

Awesome

Enjoy!

P.S. Sorry there are no pics! We were f$@#*&g starving!

Christmas Day!

This year we decided to start a new holiday tradition..... We will have a fancy and formal dinner on Christmas Eve, but on Christmas Day....

Anything goes!



This year we had Pizzas, wings, cheese, bread, crackers, fruit, and a ton more. We invited friends and family to stop in, and we had people popping around all day. It was an amazing day, and I can't wait to do it again next year!



We have decided to start a new Christmas tradition.

I even attempted a small croquembouche. It wasn't as magnificent as I had hoped, but next year it will be even better! And of course I will try not to burn myself next time!




Tyler had the honor of getting to try the first creampuff!

Holidays

I know, I know. It has been absolute ages since I have updated, but I have been very busy!

The holidays are always a time of lots of exciting cooking, and sampling of delicious wines. This season was no exception.

One of the treats that we had was some Icewine from Malivoire winery in Ontario. It was spectacular! Thanks so much, Shirley for bringing it for us! www.malivoire.com



Of course I made an obscene amount of biscotti.....



And I finally made the fried polenta triangles ala Fogo de Chao......www.fogodechao.com


I made my favourite Parisian style Macarons....


And a lovely pork dish for Christmas eve dinner!

I hope that you all had a lovely holiday as well. I hope that I'll soon be able to post pics from the delicious dishes from our Christmas Day feast!

Burn, Baby! Burn!

Ladies and Gentlemen! Boys and Girls!

We now venture to the fantastic land of creme brulee!

But, this is no ordinary creme brulee...

This is wonderful...

Extraordinary!


Not to be believed until tasted


and....

*cue circus music*

Freakishly delicious!


Ok. gone overboard.

Lets just go with a plain old drum roll


Ta-dah!

Pumpkin White Chocolate Creme Brulee.

I know, awesome...right?

2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup 2% milk
2/3 cup brown sugar
7 egg yolks
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
Cinnamon-dash
nutmeg- pinch
cloves-pinch
Boiling water.
Ramekins

heat oven to 300 degrees f


Mix the cream. milk and spices in a saucepan, put on the stove and turn on heat

Meanwhile in a large bowl, mix the yolks and the sugar. Personally, I toss the whites. you can save them for merengue or a healthy omelet, but if you aren't planning anything else, just chuck em, or give them to the dog.


When the cream starts to get fish eye sized bubbles around the edges, remove from the heat, and stir in the white choc chips. When they are melted, pour a very small amount of the cream mixture into the eggs and quickly stir to temper the eggs. Then dump the whole mess in and stir. When it is good and mixed, add the pumpkin and stir some more like the mixin' machine that you are.





Pour the custard into ramekins. depending on the size of your ramekins this could be anything from 1/2 cup to 2 cups. That is fine. Fill your ramekins and put them in a cake pan. Pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches 1/2 way up the sides of your ramekins. Note. your ramekins are in the water, you are NOT putting water into the ramekins.



Put it in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes,until they are mostly set, but a little wobbly in the middle. Like a belly dancer!

remove from the oven and....

chill for a few hours. ..

You and the dessert.

Whatevs.

Now comes the fun part.

Get out your torch

Muahhaaahhaaaaa



Put 1 t of sugar on the top of each dessert and caramelize and burn with a torch, or put under the broiler for a few minutes.

Serve Immediately.

And eat! Eat I tell you!!!!!

Turkey

I love coming across something I have never cooked before. The other day, I was at the Butcher's shop and they had turkey thighs on special. I bought a pair of them and brought them home. I have of course cooked thighs before, but they are generally attached to the rest of the bird.

I figured I knew what paired well with turkey, so I would adapt that into my dish. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you...

Braised turkey thighs with cranberries and yams.

This was very simple to make- I hope you will give it a try!
Olive oil
turkey thighs
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 onion diced
1 yam, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes.
4 strips of bacon- roughly chopped.
some red wine.


Heat oven to 375

Heat a few T's of olive oil in a pan.

While the oil is heating, rinse your thighs and pat then dry with a paper towel. ( I mean the turkey, If youre headed for the shower right now, you may have misunderstood).

Sear both sides of the thighs. I know this is a method usually employed for osso buco. roasts, and other meats without skin. but I find that browning the skin a bit at the beginning really works well, so please indulge me.

Remove the thighs from the pan (I usually put them in the overturned lid of my pan. so I can just tip them in afterwards) and add the bacon and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the yams. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Add your red wine to deglaze, and then toss in those cranberries. Put the turkey thighs back into the pan, and put on the lid.

Put it in the oven and let cook for about 1.5 hours.

Take out and enjoy!



Not an hour and a half is a long time to wait for some people between prep and eating, especially with the heavenly smells emanating from the oven.

So I whipped up some of these beauties. I am basically trying to copt the wontons I used to Love at Azia on Nicollet Ave,

Cranberry cream cheese wontons.

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened.
2t thinly sliced green onions.
1/4 cup dried cranberries
wonton wrappers (find them in the produce section. or make your own, whatevs. I don't care)
water
oil

Put the cranberries in a bowl and cover them with boiling water- wait 5 minutes
Drain the cranberries and chop them
Mix with the cream cheese and onions.

put 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into a wonton wrapper, just off center. Wet your finger with the water to moisten the edge of the wonton wrapper, and fold into a large triangle. Fold the points in across so they overlap.

There are lots of ways to fold wontons , This is just one. Find a way that you like, and do that if you want. I think that this is the best way to fold cheese wontons, but not meat wontons. We'll go there some other time.

Heat your oil in a wok. To find out if the oil is hot enough, put the handle end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If there are bubbles, then your oil is hot enough.

Fry them in batches. let drain on a cooling rack- NOT on paper towels.

These will not last long




Alternately. Omit the onions, and add a dash of cinnamon for a christmassy cocktail party treat!

Happy cooking!

Bacon Brussels Sprouts.

Brussels sprouts are good for you. But, not the way I make them.

I have never really loved brussels sprouts. They have the potential to smell like cauliflower with a little "number one." thrown in for some extra nastiness. But, I cannot deny that they are good for me. They are full of wonderful vitamins and minerals! Yum.

Lochlan basically gagged when he ate one of these...a child who hates brussels sprouts?! How novel! I used to hate them as well, but enjoy them on occasion now.

This is a pretty simple recipe, and the best part is that there is bacon! You will only use a few strips so you will have to find a way to use the rest of the package. I made BLT's to go along with the Bacon Brussels Sprouts. It was Bacon-palooza over here!

Bacon Brussels Sprouts

5 strips of bacon, cut into pieces
1/2 onion ( red, white, or yellow) sliced thinly
Red wine
Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup of water
2 handfulls of brussels sprouts


...and yes, that is a baby photobomb

Heat a dutch oven or another pot( that has a lid) on the stove.

Put the bacon and the onion in the pan and cool until the bacon is crispy and the onions are nice and translucent and beginning to caramelize (about 10 minutes.) Pour in about 1/2 cup of wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the browned buts off of the bottom of the pan. Throw in a splash of balsamic vinegar, and put in some salt and pepper. Stir. Add the Brussels sprouts and the water. Put the lid on and let everything cook for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, and be sure to test some of the bacon...quality control purposes of course. When the brussels sprouts are tender open the lid and let any extra juices reduce.



Put them on your plate and eat them now.