Confusing Menu Items Deciphered

Recently I have been devouring this fantastic Phaidon publication, Coco, “an unrivalled snapshot of what is happening in current gastronomy”. Essentially ten world-renown master chefs have selected 100 of the best contemporary chefs from around the world to highlight in one text. The book contains a menu from each chef’s restaurant as well as photos and a couple recipes for their dishes. The experience of reading the book was exciting (like they are actually going to give us normal people their recipes), but also a little daunting.

Do you know when you’re learning a new language and you have a dictionary at hand for when you inevitably get stuck on a word you don’t recognize? I have been doing the same thing reading Coco, but with the Oxford Companion to Food (Alan Davidson, Oxford University Press) by my side, because I have never heard of half of the ingredients. I’m a little ashamed to say this, but there have been times when I have been too embarrassed to inquire about a dish because I assume everyone knows what it is. In order that I, and maybe you as well, never risk missing out on a delicious dish at a restaurant ever again, I want to share a little bit of my research below. If you have a desire to travel the world leaving a wake of devoured meals behind you (doesn’t everyone?) then check out Coco from the Scottsdale Public Library – if I ever return it.

• Foie gras: I always assumed this was the same as a pate - wrong! Foie gras is goose or duck liver that is enlarged as a result of force-feeding the birds, a method first practiced in classical Rome. France is the largest consumer of foie gras, although most of it is produced in Israel and E. Europe.
• Sweetbreads: Nothing to do with carbs, sweetbreads is the term butchers use for the pancreas and thymus gland of a young animal. If you watch Iron Chef, they are always cooking with these.
• Cloudberry: Initially I thought this was made-up, turns out there have been 'cloudberry wars' in Northern Scandinavia over this most delicious and expensive berry grows. Apparently, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs had a cloudberry diplomacy department. They also grow in northern regions of North America, but as far as I know no wars have ensued.
• Consomme: as opposed to a broth or stock this is a 'finished' clear soup served at the beginning of a meal.
• Salsify: not a verb, but a root vegetable native to the lands surrounding the Mediterranean, was eaten in classical times before those in France and Italy began to grow and consume it in the 16th century. The root resembles a long, white carrot, and the young leaves are used in salads.
• Fricassee: usually this indicates small pieces of chicken or veal that have been fried before being coated in a creamy sauce - no relation to frisee of the salad variety.
• Teal: not just a beautiful color, but also a small wild duck, and yes some kinds have green-tipped wings.

The Furthest Thing From a Diet Carrot Cake

I've been through an obsessive carrot cake phase lately which resulted in me trying a different version of the recipe nearly every four days, and yes I ate each entire carrot cake every four days, turns out carrot cake can be quite delicious/addictive as a breakfast food. Anyways, none of the recipes were perfect (perfect being a Brighton Bar & Grill or Paradise Bakery slice) and so I started combining different aspects of each recipe until reaching satisfaction/my jeans didn’t button up anymore. Don’t let the carrot in the title fool you, carrot cake is no healthier for you than a double chocolate cake, but my goodness this version is one hundred percent worth the extra calories and when it comes to desserts – go big or go home!

Ingredients (for the cake)

• 4 cups of peeled, shredded carrots (a Cuisinart and a friend who likes kitchen gadgets is good to have around for this task)
• ½ cup sultanas (golden raisins), roughly chopped
• Wet ingredients: 1 1/3 cup organic canola oil, ½ cup plain yogurt, 3 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 cup white sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar
• Dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, ½ tsp. all spice, ½ tsp. nutmeg, 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. baking powder

Ingredients (for caramel cream cheese icing)

• 1 stick butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 16 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

With the paddle attachment on your mixer, combine wet ingredients.

In separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Toss in shredded carrots and sultanas, thoroughly coating them with the dry ingredients. Mix carrot mixture into the large bowl with the egg and yogurt mixture. Divide batter evenly between two 9 inch buttered and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turn off oven and let rest inside until cool. [Cupcake Cooking Times: Mini muffin tray – 17 minutes; Medium muffin tray – 21 minutes; Large muffin tray – 27 minutes]

For the icing: melt butter in a saucepan with brown sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture bubbles into a thick syrup. With the paddle attachment on your mixture, beat cream cheese until smooth, add caramel syrup, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Because the butter has been melted, you will need to refrigerate this mixture to achieve an icing consistency.

When the cake/cupcakes are cooled frost and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts before enjoying.

Flavorful Mediterranean Tarts

Cheater Tomato, Olive and Caramelized Onion Tarts

This recipe is great if you already have to be in the kitchen preparing other dishes and can therefore keep an eye on the onions as they slowly caramelize. If not, then feel free to skip the onions, it will still taste great without them! Normally I’m against purchasing pre-made frozen pastry, pie crusts, etc. because there are only 2 or 3 ingredients, but in the case of puffed pastry with all the folding and rolling, folding and rolling, I prefer to let Pepperidge Farm do the work, hence the word ‘Cheater’ in the title.

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 sheet frozen puffed pastry, thawed at room temp.

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 pint Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped

2 oz. Boursin cheese (or any soft cheese you prefer)

Fresh basil

Salt and pepper

Balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

-Heat butter and oil in a fry pan over medium heat

-Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt, keep onions moving around the pan for the first 5 minutes or so

-Reduce heat and stir occasionally until they are a rich color and have significantly reduced in volume (about 20 minutes)

-Place puffed pastry on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes (it will puff up quite large in the oven and then deflate once you remove it)

-Once the pastry has cooled slightly, smear with the boursin cheese and then cover with caramelized onions, tomatoes and olives

-Sprinkle basil, salt and pepper overtop and finish with a tiny drizzle of balsamic vinegar

-Bake for another 15-20 minutes until pastry is golden brown and flaky and the tomatoes have roasted under the heat

-Cut into squares and devour

*Delicious when served with spring greens, baby spinach or arugula dressed lightly with freshly squeezed lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.

New Use for Leftovers

CORN AND YAM FRITTERS

When you are only cooking for one or two, there always seems to be a ton of leftovers, and who really likes eating the same thing three nights in a row (not me, I have food ADD). I had roasted some yams earlier this week with some salt and cayenne pepper and after eating them alone and on salads, I came up with these yummy little fritters to eat with fish or chicken. If you’re like me, you always have that random half bag of frozen corn or peas in the fridge, so this is a great recipe to clear up some space for more exciting freezer residents, like ice cream and truffles!

Ingredients:

1 cup corn (if using frozen, thaw under running water)

1 cup roasted yams, skins removed

1/2 tsp. each: ground mustard, garlic powder, cumin, curry powder

1/4 tsp. each: paprika, cayenne pepper

Pinch of salt and Pepper

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup bread crumbs (panko or regular)

Vegetable or Canola oil for frying

Instructions:

-Pulse yams in the food processor a couple whirls, it will look like chunky baby food (yummm)

-In a medium bowl combine yams, corn, egg yolk and all spices

-Wet your hands and form 6 little patties with the mixture

-Place on a plate/tray/half-sheet and freeze for 30 minutes so the cakes hold their shape easier

-Cover the bottom of a fry pan with oil (1/8th inch, we are not deep frying) and heat over medium heat until the oil is hot but not smoking, you want the cakes to heat and cook all the way through

-Spread bread crumbs out in a dish and flip yam cakes over in the crumbs one or two times until covered (feel free to properly bread the cakes, a.k.a dredge with flour, then in egg, then in bread crumbs – I was really hungry and the yams were sticky enough that cheating a bit was no problem)

-Lay in heated oil (away from you) and let cakes bubble away for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown

-Remove and place on some paper towel to remove any excess oil

*These would be really yummy with a cucumber, mint and avocado yogurt dipping sauce!

Easy and Addictive Party Appetizer

BAKED BRIE

This is one of those go-to recipes when you’re short on time and don’t want to acquire a ton of ingredients and assemble individual appetizers. It’s addictive quality will easily keep your guests occupied while you are finishing dinner, your hair, getting dressed, etc. As an added bonus, it can be assembled the day before and kept covered in the fridge until your guests arrive and it’s time to bake.

Ingredients:

1 Brie Wheel

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. honey or corn syrup

1 box of your favorite gourmet crackers

Instructions:

-Heat oven to 400 degrees

-Place the wheel of Brie in the middle of an oven-proof serving dish, preferably one that is at least 1 inch deep

-Cover the top of the Brie with the pecans and dried cherries, letting them spill over around the edges

-Sprinkle with brown sugar and then drizzle with honey

-Bake uncovered until the brown sugar begins to caramelize and the Brie looks like it is about to burst, depending on your oven this should take about 15 minutes

-Cut an ‘X’ across the top of the Brie and let the melted cheese spill out

-Spread crackers around the edges of the serving dish and let your guests dig in

[For an added touch, brush four sheets of phyllo dough with melted butter and stack on top of each other. Place the Brie wheel in the center of the phyllo and cover with the pecans, cherries, brown sugar and honey. Wrap the edges of the phyllo dough up around the Brie, like a present, and brush the outside with any remaining melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees until the dough is golden brown and flaky. Provide a knife for guests to cut slivers of the Brie.]

Breakfast for the whole week in 1 hour

SPINACH FRITTATA

Make breakfast for the entire week in 1 hour! This frittata recipe is easy, healthy, and entirely gluten-free.

Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in a fairly deep ovenproof fry pan and sauté the following ingredients for 5-7 minutes until soft:

¼ cup yellow onion, diced

1 ½ cups mushrooms, chopped

Pinch of salt and pepper

1 clove minced garlic (optional)

2 cups of roughly chopped spinach – Add for the last minute only

In a bowl combine:

16 oz. Egg whites

2 large eggs

½ cup organic low-fat milk

½ cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 tsp. Baking powder

Remove pan from heat, pour egg mixture over vegetables and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. For added flavor you may want to add tomato slices and a dusting of paprika on top of frittata while baking.

Nutritional Information per Slice (when cut into 8 slices)

Calories: 105

Fat: 3.4g

Protein: 11.25g

New Website & Facebook Page!

The past couple weeks have been a learning experience to say the least (mostly about patience), however I am happy to announce that the Appeteasers Catering website is up and running! We are also now on Facebook! Click on the link on the right side of the screen to view the Appeteasers page.

Please feel free to share these links with friends!