Okay, okay, I know but in my defence..summer is coming. Lakeside family/friends time, patio dining at its best. So with that in mind, I give you this. Go ahead…I dare you. What a wonderful way to spend a morning in the warm sun with family and/or friends at the table.
Risotto Cakes
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 2/3 cup finely grated Fontina Cheese, divided
- a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- 1/2 cup plus 1 cup panko bread crumbs, divided
- 2 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
- 2 whole eggs, divided
- grape seed oil for frying or Crisco (my favourite)
- 4 poached eggs
- small side salad (your choice of fixings here)
Heat stock in a saucepan until warm. Cover and turn off the heat.
Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the rice until coated. Add stock, 1/3 cup at a time and continue stirring until absorbed. Continue to add the stock until all is absorbed and the risotto is creamy (22 minutes exactly). Remove from the heat and add 1/3 cup of the Fontina cheese. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Spread this out into a 13 x 9 inch pan you have sprayed with Pam. Cover and refrigerate until completely cooled.
In a large bowl combine 1/3 cup of the panko bread crumbs, remaining cheese, basil and 1 whisked egg together. Add the cooled risotto and work in with your hands until evenly mixed. Shape into 4 equal sized patties about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Place remaining egg in a shallow bowl and the remaining 1 cup panko crumbs in another. Dip the cakes into the whisked egg and then the panko crumbs to thoroughly coat. Refrigerate.
Tomato Salsa
- 1 cup diced red and yellow cherry and grape tomatoes
- 1/2 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and very finely minced
- 2 Autulfo mangoes, peeled, chopped finely
- 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp. lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- pinch of salt and pepper to taste
- liquid honey to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Toss together to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a heavy bottomed oven-proof fry pan heat 2 tbsp. oil until it shimmers. Cook the cakes over medium heat until hot and golden on both sides. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and keep in the oven while you poach the eggs.
Poach the eggs until done the way you like them and remove with a slotted spoon. Place on a warm risotto cake and top with the tomato salsa. Serve with a small salad of micro greens.
The only thing missing now is a glass of cold juice and a pot of hot coffee.
Venison Fillets With a Shallot -Wine Sauce
If you are having a dinner for 6 – 8 people and are adventurous, this is the meal for you to make and serve. Everyone will be pleased.
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 tsp. coriander seeds
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil, divided
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb. venison tenderloin
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 3 shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 3/4 cup Merlot or Sangiovese red wine
- 1 sprig plus 1/2 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
- 3/4 cup beef stock
- garlic mashed potatoes
- Asparagus and snow peas, sauted to serve with the Venison.
Grind 1 tsp. of the rosemary, coriander seeds and garlic with a mortar and pestle to make a paste then stir in 1/2 tsp. olive oil.
Pat the venison dry and place in a bowl then rub the paste all over. Season with pepper and cover. Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. During this time, prepare a salad (if serving) or make some garlic mashed potatoes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat a well seasoned cast iron or heavy ovenproof pan over high heat until hot. Add the remaining oil, tilting the pan to coat evenly. Season the venison well with salt then brown, turning once. Cooking time 6 minutes in total. Transfer to the middle of the oven and roast until an instant meat thermometer registers 125 (7-10 minutes). When done, transfer to a plate and cover tightly with foil.
Saute the vegetables and prepare the sauce.
Sauce
Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a fry pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often until they soften and turn a golden brown (8-9 minutes). Add the wine and rosemary sprig and bring to a boil. Boil until the wine reduces to 1/2 cup. Reduce the heat to low and remove the rosemary sprig. Dice the remaining butter (cold), whisking until it melts. Unwrap the venison and add any juices to the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Slice the meat and serve with the garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus and snow peas.
Serve with a cold salad and a glass of red wine (same as you used in the cooking of the meat)
Spiced Duck With Goat’s Cheese Spring Rolls and a Cherry Compote
Big weekend coming up – lots of company arriving and oh, what the heck – summer is on the way as well. Give this one a go. Yes, it is out of your comfort zone (perhaps) but sooooo worth it.
- 4 duck breasts
- 1 pinch each of ground cardamom and star anise (ground)
- zest of half a lime
- 1 tsp. olive oil, plus a little extra
- 1 tbsp. butter
- Spring Rolls, Cherry Compote and Endive Salad (recipes follow)
In a small bowl, combine the cardamom, star anise and the lime zest. Rub this mixture evenly over the duck breasts. Score the duck breasts by taking a sharp knife and just skimming across the fat in a diagonal stroke and then in the other direction to create small diamonds. This will allow the fat to render off evenly, leaving a crisp surface.
In a medium sized fry pan on a low heat, use a small amount of olive oil and fry the duck fat side down. This will allow the fat to render (13-15 minutes). Turn them over, add the butter and cook a further 10 minutes. Once they have reached the desired doneness, remove from the heat and allow to rest.
Goat Cheese Spring Rolls
- 1 cup crumbled goat’s cheese
- 1 celery stalk, ribs removed, sliced thin
- pinch of white pepper
- 4 spring roll wrappers
- 8 spring green leaves
- 1 egg, whisked
- olive oil for frying
Mix goat’s cheese, celery and pepper. Shape into 4 even-sized logs. Lay out the spring roll wrappers, place a log at one corner of the wrapper on the diagonal, top with 2 green leaves. Leave a 1 inch perimeter. Repeat until all 4 wrappers are complete.
Using your fingers, brush with the beaten egg, the outer inch of the wrapper. Fold up the bottom corner over the log and fold in the sides. Roll the wrapper up. Fill a deep frying pan with 1 inch of olive oil. Fry the rolls on a low to medium heat until they turn a golden brown.
Remove to a paper towel to drain until ready to serve.
Cherry Compote
2 cups frozen sour cherries (or fresh if you can buy them)
1 tsp. sugar
1 cinnamon stick
star anise
pinch of salt
splash to a sherry vinegar
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over a low-medium heat and allow to cook down for 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. It should be a sauce-like consistency coating the cherries. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Endive Salad
2 tsp. liquid honey
1 pinch of white pepper
1/4 lime, juiced
4 Belgium endives cut into quarters, lengthwise
1/4 cup roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
small handfuls of baby spring green mix
In a small saucepan heat the honey, pepper and lime juice slightly over a low heat. In a mixing bowl combine the honey mixture with the remaining ingredients and toss until the greens are coated.
To serve:
Arrange the sliced duck breast (cut against the grain) into 3 pieces on 4 round plates. Cut the spring rolls in half on an angle and arrange on each plate. Place a spoonful of the compote over the duck breasts and then add the endive salad around. How special is this?
Serve with a wonderful Pinot Noir or a Merlot. The secret here is to chill the wine for 15 minutes then serve. The aroma and taste of the wine is truly enhanced and can stand up to the duck.
Vegetable Timbales
If you are making the lamb (from yesterday) or a baked ham, this would be a perfect addition. Really pretty to look at and so delicious to consume. What a winner!
- 2 cups asparagus, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 cups sliced carrots
- 1 tbsp. shallot, diced
- 3 large eggs, divided
- 1 egg yolk
- 6 tbsp. whipping cream, divided
- 2 tbsp. freshly grated Asiago cheese
- 2 tbsp. blood orange juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter six 1-cup ramekins and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the paper.
Steam each vegetable separately until just tender. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve several pieces of each of the steamed vegetables and set aside. Enough to garnish the 6 ramekins.
In a food processor or blender, puree the asparagus and shallot until smooth. If necessary, drain through a fine sieve to drain excess liquid.
In a medium sized bowl, mix 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp. whipping cream and whisk until well combined. Add 1 cup of the asparagus puree and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
Puree the cauliflower until smooth. In a medium sized bowl, mix 1 whole egg, 2 tbsp. asiago cheese and 2 tbsp. whipping cream, whisking until well combined. Add 1 cup of the cauliflower puree and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
Puree carrots until smooth. In a medium sized bowl, mix together 1 whole egg, 2 tbsp. orange juice and 2 tbsp. whipping cream, whisking until well combined. Add 1 cup carrot puree and whisk until well combined.
Now for the fun part:
Set the ramekins in a baking dish. Add enough water to come up halfway on the sides of the ramekins. In 2 of the ramekins, pour 1/2 cup of the asparagus puree in. In 2 other ramekins, pour 1/2 cup of the cauliflower puree and finish the last 2 ramekins with 1/2 cup each of the carrot puree. Bake about 25 minutes or until a knife in the middle comes out clean. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the ramekins and set on a rack to cool.
Run a knife around the edges of the ramekins and invert on a platter, making sure to remove the paper. Garnish each one by stacking on some of the reserved pieces, making sure to use all three on each ramekin.
Your guests will want to take pictures of these for sure. Damn, you did it again.
Mint/Ginger Crusted Lamb
This is, perhaps, another way to serve lamb (especially for an Easter Feast) or simply to impress friends and family.
- 2 cups day old baguette
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp. fresh minced ginger root
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 tbsp. butter, divided
- 2 boneless single lamb loin roasts (12 oz. each approx.)
- 10 oz. fresh peas, pea shoots and micro greens for garnish
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor pulse together the baguette, mint, basil, ginger, a pinch of salt and pepper until finely chopped. Add 6 tbsp. butter and pulse until a paste forms.
Season the loins with salt and pepper and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pack the bread paste around the loin roasts so it adheres. Bake about 15-18 minutes. transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
While these are cooking, add the peas in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Boil for 2 minutes and drain well. Reserve the water. In a blender, add the peas and the remaining 2 tbsp. butter and some of the water so it becomes thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
When ready to serve, slice the lamb across the grain and arrange on 4 plates, spoon the peas around the lamb and garnish with the shoots and micro greens.
Serve with a small salad and, of course, a glass of good Sav. Cabneret or Sangiovese wine. Then, toast the cook and then toast again.
Fresh Trout With A Lemon Caper Aioli
If you are looking for a light and delicious meal over the holiday weekend, give this one a try. Truly lovely and when paired with a chilled Pinot Gris…heavenly!
Trout
- 6 x 6 oz. whole trout, skin on
- 1 tbsp. grape seed oil
- 1 lemon, cut in wedges
- micro greens for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blot fish dry with a paper towel and place on a parchment lined baking tray and rub gently with the oil. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes until almost cooked through. You really want it a little rare as it will continue cooking once removed from the oven.
Peel off the skin from the fish and discard the head. Remove the fillets from the spine and place on a heated platter. Garnish with the micro greens and set the lemon wedges around the edge. Drizzle with a little of the lemon sauce. Pour remaining sauce in a bowl and let everyone add more (they will want to).
Lemon Caper Aioli
- 1 large garlic clove, smashed and finely minced
- 2 tbsp. grape seed oil
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- zest of half a lemon
- 2 tsp. capers, rinsed and drained
Place the garlic in a mini food processor and whirl. Gradually add the oil until a smooth paste has formed. Add the Dijon, lemon zest and mayonnaise and whirl to blend. Transfer to a small bowl and add the capers.
This may be served with baby spring vegetables and basmati rice. Truly a wonderful meal and, of course, the chilled Pinot Gris adds to the overall enjoyment.
Stacked Potato Latkes With Smoked Salmon and Cream
What a delightful appetizer to serve on a special occasion i.e. Easter perhaps?
- 3 medium sized russet potatoes
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 cup finely minced yellow onion
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1 tsp. minced fresh dill
- 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
- pinch each of salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus a little extra
- 1/2 lb. thinly sliced smoked salmon
- 1/2 cup whipped plain cream cheese
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and slide into the oven. Line a plate with a paper towel and set aside.
Peel the potatoes and grate by hand using the larger holes of the hand grater. Transfer to a bowl of cold water with lemon juice as they are grated. Drain really well in a colander and spread out on a large, clean tea towel along with the minced onion.
Roll the towel up jelly roll style and wring out as much of the water as possible. Place in a large bowl and add the egg, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
Using a heavy bottomed fry pan (cast iron?) and heat 2 tbsp. olive oil until shimmering. Working in batches of 4, ladle 2 tbsp. each of the potato mixture into the hot pan, pressing each one into 2 inch rounds. Cook until the undersides are golden (approx. 5 mins.). Gently flip and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Both sides should be golden in colour, crisp and fully cooked.
Remove as they are done and[place on the paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Transfer to the wire rack to keep warm while you continue cooking the other latkes. You should have enough mixture to make 16 latkes.
Stack 4 latkes on each plate, top with 2 oz. of the smoked salmon and a generous dollop of the whipped cream cheese. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with a crisp cold salad.
Irish Dinner/Recipes/Pictures
As I mentioned yesterday, here is the dinner we prepared and served.
Guinness Irish Stew
- 2 1/2 lbs. Sirloin tip, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes, all excess fat removed
- 3 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 x 900 ml containers of beef stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 can Guinness beer
- 1 cup Sangiovese wine (Merlot would do)
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
- 2 bay laves
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 3/4 bag, Golden little gem potatoes
- 1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 cups baby carrots
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. fresh parsley
Before browning the beef, sprinkle the meat with the salt and heat the oil in a large pot (not frypan) over a medium heat.
Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and work in batches. Cook without stirring until a nice brown on one side, then using tongs turn the pieces over and brown another side. Repeat until all sides are browned. Remove to a bowl and repeat with the meat pieces until all are browned. Return the meat to the pot.
Add the garlic and onion and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the beef stock, water, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worchestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
Add the potatoes and carrots and cook a further 60 minutes. If you can, let it sit for 24 hours and then reheat and serve. OMG! Is that ever good. To thicken it take 4 heaping tsp. of flour and mix with 1/4 cup of water. Mix together and temper it with some of the stew, then add to the stew. Perfection at its best.
Best Pea Soup You Will Eat (my site under Soups)
Blood Orange Creme Brulee
Use any recipe you like or even the instant kind. Just make sure you zest the blood orange and steep in the custard while you are making it. The flavour is very subtle but there. When caramelizing the topping, grate some more of the blood orange zest on top. Add a few segments of the orange on top for decoration. The taste of a blood orange is so different from the ordinary orange and would not be the same, for sure.
Enjoy and HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY.
St. Patrick’s Dinner
Due to the fact I am of Irish descent, we always hold a dinner in the honour of my Pop and St. Patrick. Neighbours and friends have certainly consumed such meals. Tonight, it is not as elaborate but still will be super-duper delicious.
I wasn’t sure if I should just give you the menu today and the recipes and pictures tomorrow.
Okay, I have really thought it over and you get the menu today plus pictures of the table. How’s that for a compromise? You can see by the settings, no one gets away with NOT participating.
- Fresh Shrimp with homemade seafood sauce
- Hazelnut/Date crackers with Cheddar Cheese Cream Cheese
- Best Green Pea Soup you will ever eat with a
- Lacy Cheese Garnish
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Soda Buns
- Blood Orange Creme Brulee
- Assorted Wine/Cooler/Beer
That should give you some idea what is being served. Lucky friends, lucky us.
Chicken Enchiladas With A Poblano And Spinach Cream
You don’t have to buy the frozen enchiladas when you can make something as tasty as these.
- 2 fresh poblano peppers
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 6 tbsp. butter, not margarine
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cups coarsely shredded cooked roast chicken
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Roast the peppers over open flame for about 5 minutes, turning often until the skins have blistered and blackened on all sides OR lay them on a baking sheet 4 inches below the broiler (8-10 minutes) also turning on all sides. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to allow them to steam. When cool enough, peel off the black outer skin and seeds. Chop the flesh coarsely and add to a blender. Add the fresh spinach and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside. In a medium sized saucepan, add the milk and stock and warm up. In a large saucepan melt the butter, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Now raise the heat and add the milk mixture, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce the temperature and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Pour half of the mixture into the blender and process until smooth. Pour this back into the saucepan with the remaining sauce. If needed, season with a little salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a bowl and stir in one cup of the sauce. Divided the chicken equally in the tortillas and roll up.
Place these in the baking dish, seam side down. Pour the remaining sauce over all and top with the shredded cheese. Bake until the enchiladas are heated through and the cheese has melted. (18-20 minutes).
Serve immediately with a crisp salad, glass of chilled white wine and the world is yours for the ‘eating’.
Cannelloni alla Fiorentina
Forever ago I told my husband I must have been Italian in my previous life. Love of pasta (almost everything) and this, the one I am giving you today, is one that Don put together yesterday.
It is beyond fabulous. Truly it is.
- 1 container (454 g) ricotta cheese (regular)
- 1 – 10 oz. fresh spinach (sweated in fry pan until becomes limp)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese for topping
- 24 oven ready Cannelloni (you use only 15 of them)
- 1 jar original Prego sauce
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 disposable decorating bag (or regular pastry bag)
In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, sweated spinach, egg, 1/4 cup parmesan, mixing well. Set aside.
Fill the decorating bag with the cheese mixture and cut off the tip. **This makes filling the cannelloni a breeze.
Mix together the Prego sauce, fennel seeds, oregano and basil together and cook in a saucepan for 20 minutes to marry the flavours of the herbs in the sauce and now spread 1/2 cup of the Prego sauce over the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Arrange the cannelloni neatly in a single layer, and cover all with the sauce. Spread out the grated mozzarella over the entire surface of the dish.
Bake for 50-55 minutes. During the baking time the pasta will soften and expand. The top will be a wonderful golden brown, bubbly and wonderful.
Serve this with a chilled salad, garlic toast and, of course, and glass of a beautiful red wine.
Stir Fry Baby Bok Choy
Have you ever bought a bag of baby Bok Choy and then didn’t know what to do with it all? Well we did and now we can try this…
- 1 lb. baby bok choy
- 2 tbsp. chicken stock
- 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 slices fresh ginger, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and then minced
Cut 1/4 inch off the bottom of the bok choy. If the pieces are too large, cut in half lengthwise and wash thoroughly in cold water. Do this a couple of rinses and drain in a colander.
In a small bowl, combine the stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar. Set aside. Heat a large wok or flat bottomed fry pan over high heat. When hot add the canola oil and ginger and stir fry for about 10 seconds.
Add the garlic and bok choy and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the leaves are limp and the leaves are still a bright green. Stir the sauce and pour over the greens and stir fry for 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened and lightly coats all the bok choy.
Serve with rice or noodles and maybe slices of roast chicken or pork tenderloin. The choice is yours and it sure is a tasty dish.