Awww Cheeeez... Ideas for Cheese Boards

One of the easiest options for party food is always a cheese board. And it's often something requested by our clients. Of course the first option we recommend is Chef Daniel's "Signature" Baked Brie. If you've ever had the pleasure, you know it's not easily forgotten. Especially when served still warm with the glaze of hard crack caramel. But not every home cook is ready to take on that kind of challenge, so we wanted to offer some ideas that explore interesting options more purchased than prepared.

Good cheese is not the least expensive of foods, though there are some less expensive options that are still both delicious and interesting. And consider splurging every now and then for a truly special example. A perfectly ripe Vacherin Mont d'Or on a cold November evening can be life changing, or at the very least, life affirming. Just this week, passing by a split wheel of Gorgonzola Cremoza at the restaurant show I was ready to pull up a stool, a loaf of Sullivan Street Stiratto and make peace with the world. When great cheese is simply served it's about as perfect a food as there is.

First off, cheese varieties: Look for a variety of textures, flavors and intensities. Offer selections that cover several options.

Sharp, extra aged hard cheese (Parmesan, Dutch Aged Gouda, Manchego Viejo, etc.)
Firm Cheeses (Cantal, Gruyere, Cheddar, Piave, etc.)
Goat (Montrachet, Pyramid, La Tur, Boucheron, etc.)
Blue (Gorgonzola Dulce or Cremoza, Stilton, Maytag Blue, etc.)
Runny (St. Marcellan, Brie, Camembert, Pont l'Eveque, etc.)
Triple Creme (St. Andre, Robiola, Brillat Saverin, etc.)

A great cheese store will be a great asset if you have one nearby. Not only can a talented cheese monger make sure you capture the elusive ripe Camembert, but he or she will likely be able to turn you on to specials that you wouldn't otherwise know about.

And then look for some interesting accompaniments for your cheese selections. Grapes and Strawberries are all well and good, but they're just the beginning of the story.

Here's some ideas we love....

Fresh Mozzarella with Black Olive, Sun dried Tomato & Herb Relish
Comte with Fresh Walnuts and Truffled Honey
Manchego with Guava Paste
Bulgarian Feta with Watermelon
English Farmstead Cheddar with Balsamic Shallots
Cabrales Blue Cheese with Almond Turron
Boucheron Aged Goat Cheese with Peppered Grilled Peaches
Fontina Val d'Aosta with Medjool Dates and Almonds

Sparkling Apple and Chamomile Tissane, Hibiscus Cranberry Agua Fresca & Ginger Green Tea Sparkler

What a week! A two day, all day extravaganza for Clinique Cosmetics, a celebration of Black History month in Harlem with Aetna, plus business as usual. Feels great to be busy. And the reviews were fantastic, which makes it even sweeter. One of the surprise hits were the alcohol free refreshment drinks we developed.

We've noticed that most of our corporate clients are drinking a lot less alcohol at events, so we've begun to turn our attention to providing some options beyond seltzer and sodas. It's a whole new canvas for our kitchen to paint on. We get to use all we've learned about flavor and apply it to a liquid form. Apparently it's something we've proven to be pretty good at.

Sparkling Apple and Chamomile Tissane

Make some simple syrup by bringing equal parts granulated sugar and water to a boil for 5 minutes and cool.

Alternately you could use Agave syrup instead of sugar (skip the boiling) or an artificial sweetener added to hot water. We're not sure of the proportions for these substitutions though.

Make an extra strong batch of Chamomile Tea and let it cool.

Sweeten the Chamomile Tea to taste with the simple syrup and mix with Sparkling Apple Cider over ice or chilled in a flute. Garnish with a Granny Smith Apple slice

Cranberry Hibiscus Agua Fresca

Make a strong infusion of Hibiscus Flowers (Sometimes called Jamaica or Sorrel in ethnic markets, or use Red Zinger Tea if all else fails.) Then make a simple syrup as directed in the above recipe, but this time toss in a good handful of clean fresh mint when you remove it from the heat. When cool strain to remove the mint.

Sweeten the Hibiscus Tea with the minted simple syrup and add equal parts of red cranberry juice cocktail over ice. Garnish with fresh lemon.

Ginger Green Tea Sparkler

Make a strong infusion of green tea and set aside to cool. Make a simple syrup as described above, but this time with a handful of chopped fresh ginger. When the syrup is cool, strain and discard the ginger. Sweeten the green tea lightly with the ginger syrup. Combine the lightly sweetened tea with ginger ale over ice. Garnish with fresh lime.

Mushroom Hazelnut Soup

Wow, what a successful tasting we had last Tuesday. The weather cooperated and plenty of potential clients were up for a chance to sample a new cocktail and hors d'oeuvres we're featuring this season.

The Metro Sparkler was the featured apertif - Kurrant Vodka, Rose's Lime, Cranberry and Lemon Juices and splash of Champagne! Seemed like a perfect Post Valentine's Day tipple! Move over Cosmo ....



And one of the most enjoyed hors d'oeuvres was a soup sip that we called

Wild Mushroom and Hazelnut Cappuccino with Madeira Foam

But there's no reason you couldn't enjoy a hearty bowl of this delicious soup instead of a dainty demitasse. Earthy, rich and perfect for this time of year. It's not difficult to make. Unusual yet not intimidating. How am I doing? Have I sold you yet.

This recipe has the additional cache of being based on one served by Joyce Goldstein, a respected San Francisco chef that Chef Daniel worked with way back when he was a "baby chef".







Mushroom Hazelnut "Cappuccino" with Truffle and Madeira Foam

1/2 cup Hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup Shallots, sliced
2 cups Yellow Onions, sliced
4 cups White Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 cups Shiitake Mushroom, cleaned, stemmed and sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
2 1/2 cups Chicken stock (vegetable or mushroom stock optional), plus more to taste
white truffle oil to taste
1/4 cup creme fraiche (or heavy cream)

Madeira Foam
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Madeira (or more or less to taste)
Freshly ground nutmeg

Process the hazelnuts with a steel knife in the food processor until finely ground. Be careful to not over-process into a paste. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium soup pot over medium heat and add onions and shallot. Saute until softened and translucent. Add all the mushrooms, salt & pepper and sweat them, covered for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add enough sock to just cover the mushrooms, cover and simmer another 10 minutes.
Transfer the mushroom, onion, stock mixture, and reserved ground hazelnuts to a blender and puree until smooth. Add reserved stock to thin the soup.
Return soup to a pot. Stir in creme fraiche and truffle oil. Adjust seasoning and keep warm.
Combine cream, salt and madeira in a bowl. Whisk until a light foamy whipped consistency is reached. Garnish the soup with foam and a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg.

So, try this by the bowl, or as we served it in an espresso cup.

Chocolate Bark - Just in time for Valentine's Day

Truth be told, we couldn't find any romantics roaming the kitchen this week... or any week for that matter. But there were a few fans of Cupid over in the office. Not sure what this says about the temperament of chefs vs. numbers people, but for Brittani and Arlette we're going to focus on things sweet and loving.

Chocolate seems to be a great common ground no matter the level of love in your heart. And if you are full up to the rim with affection y amor, you might want to consider an all out, pedal to the metal, seduction attempt and whip up a batch of Valentine Candy with your own sweet little hands. Too difficult you gasp? Too challenging you protest? Nonsense!

Chocolate Bark is the solution here. Semisweet chocolate melted, poured onto a sheet pan, and topped with nuts, dried fruit, seeds, candies or whatever you will!Couldn't be easier, it's seriously delicious and comes with more flavor possibilities than we will ever be able to list here. Have we persuaded you yet? You'll be personalizing your Valentine's chocolate with every one of his or her favorite sweet nibs....

Here's what you'll need:

Chocolate - Buy the best, it's for your sweetie! We recommend between 50% and 72% cocoa content. Anything lower is probably milk chocolate, which is delicious too, but a bit less stable than semisweet or bittersweet... and we promised you this would be easy. Same goes for white chocolate... save that for your 2nd batch, unless you feel up for the challenge...

The Add Ons - Let your imagination run rampant.. Toasted pecans, peanuts, cashews, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds (shelled), dried apricots, popcorn, peppermints, M&M's ... Don't rule out some savory items as well. After all, sea salt with chocolate is the new black.

Some of our ideas
Valentine's Special - Sugared rose petals
Pig Out - Crisp bacon, CornNuts, chopped nut brittle
Thin Mint - Finely chopped spearmint hard candies (or you can use the red and white peppermint ones).
Peanut Love - Salted roasted Virginia peanuts and chopped peanut brittle
Cracker Jack - Caramel corn and mixed salted nuts
Rocky Road - Miniature marshmallows and toasted pecans
Tropicalia - Macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, toasted coconut, chopped dried mango
Movie Time - Mini pretzels, peanuts, caramel corn, gummy bears
Kiddie Ride - Cap'n Crunch, M & M's, mini marshmallows, golden raisins
Sophisticate - Pistachios, toasted sliced almonds, crystallized ginger, espresso beans
Trail Mix - Granola, dried cranberries, banana chips, cashews
Pacific Rim - Wasabi peanuts, chow mein noodles, dried pineapple
MexiBark - Spicy corn chips, pepitas, raisins, cinnamon breakfast cereal

The Process:
Basic Chocolate Bark

1 pound Top Quality Chocolate, chopped
2 - 2 1/2 cups add ons

Draw a 9 x 12 rectangle on a piece of parchment paper. Flip it over and place on a baking sheet.
Place the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler. (Or in a medium bowl over a pan of simmering water) Melt the chocolate over medium low heat, being careful to prevent any steam from getting into the chocolate. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside and let it cool until just above room temperature.
Pour onto parchment paper and spread over 9 x 12 area. Sprinkle with desired add ons. Let cool several hours and then break into desired shapes.

Tarte Flambee - An Alsatian Twist on Pizza

Seems as though most eyes will be focused on Football this weekend, so we thought we'd toss out a Super Bowl snack idea that puts a little spin on an old favorite.

Tarte Flambee is a huge favorite all over Alsace - Lorraine in northwest France and probably across the border in Germany I'd guess. There's really nothing "flambe" about it. It's a thin round of bread dough topped with thick cut bacon, onions and creme fraiche. The name refers to the charred edges where the wood flames lick up around them. And it is absolutely perfect for these chilly days around New York. A delicious alternative to pizza.

If you want to cut the work in half, purchase some pre-made dough from a neighborhood pizzeria or at the grocery store. But this recipe does produce a more authentic, breadlike crust in our opinion

Alsatian Tarte Flambee
serves 6-12
Crust
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 pound all purpose flour (this is between 3 1/2 - 4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup warm milk

Dissolve sugar in the water. Sprinkle yeast over the water and mix thoroughly. Allow to proof for a few minutes. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mix and gradually stir in the lukewarm milk. Mix and knead about 6 minutes. Feel free to use the dough hook on your stand mixer if you have one. Let rise until double. Then divide dough as desired, and roll into balls. When ready to bake, roll out dough balls into thin circles, top and bake.

Topping
9 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 Tablespoon olive oil (as needed)
2 medium onions, sliced thin (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups creme fraiche (substitute sour cream IF YOU MUST)
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
salt & pepper
cornmeal for dusting

Cook off the pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until well browned. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels, leaving excess pancetta fat in the skillet. Add sliced onions and cook until well browned (caramelized). Add olive oil if needed. Continue to stir the onions often as they brown. When golden colored, remove the onions and cool. In a medium bowl, combine creme fraiche, ricotta cheese, nutmeg, caramelized onions and salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
The tartes can be made individual (12) or larger. (We've never made a full recipe into one tarte. The largest we've made is two from 1 X the recipe. You might need to adjust baking times longer for larger tartes.)
Roll out the dough balls into rounds about 1/8" thick. Prick all over with the tines of a fork. Cover with a thin layer of the onion mix and then sprinkle with the cooked pancetta. Place on a cornmeal dusted baking sheet and bake until browned and crisp.

Popcorn with Benefits

Sometimes we forget about the simple comfort of freshly popped popcorn. Months will go by, with pretzels, tortilla chips, crackers or nuts, and then suddenly a munchy craving will whisper .... popcorn. Typically it's when we find ourselves out of pretzels, tortilla chips, crackers, nuts and such. But that's really a shame. It's also why we remember popcorn with a wisp of nostalgia. A memory for some of us of a time when tortilla chips were the newest kid on the snack block and only came in one flavor ... corn.

Homemade popcorn also brings so much more to the table. First, the smell as it's cooking, Second, it's actually warm and thereby inherently comforting. And finally, for our overstimulated 21st century palates it's refreshingly plain and simple.

And yet it doesn't have to be... lately we've been experimenting with ways to spice up, tweak, and elevate humble popcorn for bar snacks at parties. One current offering is Sweet Glazed Popcorn with crunchy CornNuts and Pumpkin Seeds. That might be more than you want to take on at home while the movie is downloading, but we've been thinking of some quick and easy options for pumping up the volume on popcorn snacking when you tire of the tried and true.

Most of the flavorings added work best when the seasonings are stirred into a little melted butter before tossing with the popcorn. If you really want to avoid that, try spraying the popped popcorn with a little Butter Flavor PAM before adding the seasonings. It just helps it stick.

Palomas with Chipotle
This is the easiest of all and classically Mexican. Look for a product called Buffalo Chipotle Sauce. It's a tall, tapering thin bottle in the Latino Food Section. Just lightly sprinkle freshly popped popcorn with this Chipotle hot sauce and mix thoroughly. Palomas by the way is Spanish for popcorn.

BBQ Popcorn
Melt some butter and stir in a little Paprika, Hickory Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder and Chile Powder. Toss freshly popped popcorn with the seasoned butter.

Italian Cheese
Gently warm some Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a saute pan with a crushed garlic clove. When the oil is infused with the garlic flavor, remove the clove and toss freshly popped popcorn with the garlic oil. Immediately toss in a small handful of room temperature finely shredded Parmesan (or Asiago) cheese, freshly ground pepper and some salt if needed. If you want to really impress, or if it's a particularly spectacular Italian film, you could upgrade to Truffle Oil.

Spicy Wasabi
Mix together a little instant Wasabi powder, ground ginger and sea salt. Toss the freshly popped popcorn with a gently drizzle of toasted sesame oil and then sprinkle with the wasabi seasoning. Use a light hand, wasabi is potent stuff. We think this would also be great with some crumbled seasoned Nori seaweed strips added.

Sweet Spices
Making Kettle or Caramel Corn is time consuming and potentially dangerous if you're not used to hot caramelized sugar. But here's an option when your sweet tooth is vying for your attention. Mix together a little sugar (superfine sugar would be great to use here if you have some on hand), some ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Also don't forget to add a few pinches of salt for balance. Again a little melted butter over the popcorn, then a toss with the sweet spices.

This should give you plenty to play with. When you're ready though, here's some other ideas rattling around in our collective heads....
Curry Powder and Toasted Coconut; Lemon Pepper and Dried Dill Weed; Cocoa, Powdered Sugar & Espresso Powder .... We're sure there's more to come

Another Cup of Hot Cocoa Please ...

OK, so something less than wonderful is happening lately. It's the weekly NYC snowstorm.
Really? Another one today? AND another on the horizon for next Wednesday?

We're sure all our California readers are enjoying a smug sunny smile, but have a heart! That's why this week is all about hot cocoa served in a never ending mug. Because one of the truly positive aspects to weekly snowstorms should be cozy afternoons and evenings with a mug of hot cocoa and a great book, stack of magazines or Netflix subscription - pick your own distraction.

So to that end.... following is a recipe for HomeMade Instant Cocoa Mix with several variations. Once you make this, pop it in a air tight container and it will easily last until the first sprouting of the crocus bulbs...

Traditional Hot Cocoa Mix
1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar (Powdered Sugar)
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
6 Ounces Semisweet Chocolate (coarsely chopped)
1 2 inch Piece of Whole Vanilla Bean (optional, but recommended)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the steel blade. Process until all ingredients are chopped into a smooth powder. Transfer into an air tight container. Store at room temperature for up to 6 months.

Hot Cocoa
8 ounces Milk (Whole, 2% or Skim - your choice)
3 Tablespoons Hot Cocoa Mix

Place milk in a large mug and warm milk in the microwave. (Or warm the milk in a pan on the stove) Add the Cocoa Mix and stir until completely combined. Continue to warm until hot. Garnish with whipped cream or marshmallows if desired.

Note: Occasionally a small amount of Rum, Brandy, Frangelico, etc. has accidentally spilled into the cup of cocoa with no apparent ill effects.

Variations
Sugar Free: Replace the 1 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar with 1 3/4 of a 'cup for cup' style sugar replacement. Follow the procedure as printed. (We used bulk Splenda. The Stevia in the Raw Cup for Cup product would also work, among others)

Mocha: Increase the granulated sugar to 1/2 cup and add 1/3 cup of instant coffee to the mix before processing. Then follow the procedure as written.

Mexican Hot Chocolate:Prepare the Traditional Hot Cocoa Mix, adding 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon whole anise seeds and 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne to the mix before processing the ingredients.

Peppermint : Reduce the granulated sugar to 1 Tablespoon and add 2 roughly broken "Starlight" peppermint candies to the mix before processing.

International Flavors

Winter days and nights are perfect for cookbook perusing or catching up on favorite cooking blogs and then trying out fun ideas that catch your eye. Lately we've been all about long braises and hearty vegetarian stews. Moroccan Squash and Chickpea Stew anyone? It was full of huge flavors of Butternut Squash, Saffron, Olives, Preserved Lemon and Garlic. You can find it on one of our favorite blogs smittenkitchen.com. All we changed was to add some sliced dried apricot. Another blog we love is davidlebovitz.com , especially for sweet stuff.

The only thing we love more than trying out other chef's recipes is to come up with some new ones of our own. Sometimes it's just a matter of opening the refrigerator and coming up with the best meal possible with what's on hand. Sometimes it's the happy challenge of a shopping trip to a new ethnic market or neighborhood. But as much as we enjoy the challenge, we've heard that a lot of folks get intimidated at the prospect of approaching the stove without a recipe or cooking without a net as we call it.

To that end, we've made a partial list of flavor "profiles" of many cuisines from near and far. It's a great place to start when putting together an extemporaneous dinner. For example... you've got some chicken breasts, mushrooms, onions & broccoli... and are communing with the spirit of Doctor Zhivago...
Cook off the chicken breast how you wish. Blanch the broccoli, drain and reserve. Bring water to a boil and cook some egg noodles . While noodles are cooking, warm some butter in a skillet to saute the onions and mushrooms, deglaze with a little vodka. Add some sour cream and paprika, toss with cooked noodles and keep warm. Melt a little butter, add saute the blanched broccoli, add some poppy seeds, season and toss. Place noodles on plate, place chicken breast on top and serve with broccoli. Voila, Leningrad Chicken, Romanoff Noodles and Babushka Broccoli.
Well ... you get the idea. Hope this inspires some happy cooking.

France
Anchovy, Artichoke, Asparagus, Bay Leaf, Butter, Caper, Chervil, Cheese, Chive, Cream, Duck, Endive, Eggplant, Foie Gras, Herbes de Provence, Lavender, Marjoram, Mesclun, Mustard, Nutmeg, Nuts, Olives & Olive Oil, Parsley, Pate, Potato, Rabbit, Rosemary, Saffron, Sausage, Shallots, Shellfish, Snails, Sole, Tarragon, Thyme, Trout, Truffle, Zucchini

Italy
Anchovy, Arborio Rice, Artichoke, Basil, Bay Leaf, Beans (Dried), Caper, Cheese, Cinnamon, Clove, Crushed Red Pepper, Eggplant, Fennel, Garlic, Greens, Honey, Lemon, Marjoram, Mint, Mushroom, Nutmeg, Nuts, Orange, Olives & Olive Oil, Pancetta, Parsley, Prosciutto, Oregano, Pasta, Pine Nuts, Polenta, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Sausage, Shellfish, Swordfish, Tomato, Truffle, Veal, Vinegar (especially Balsamic)

Spain and Portugal
Almonds, Anchovy, Bay Leaf, Beans (Dried), Chickpeas, Cumin, Fish, Garlic, Ham, Lemon, Olives & Olive Oil, Paprika (Sweet & Smoked), Parsley, Pine Nuts, Pork, Rice, Saffron, Shellfish, Sherry, Thyme, Tomato

Greece
Allspice, Anise, Artichoke, Beans (Dried)Cinnamon, Cloves, Cucumber, Dill, Eggplant, Fennel, Feta, Fruit, Greens, Grilled Fish, Honey, Lamb, Mint, Nutmeg, Octopus, Olives & Olive Oil, Oregano, Phyllo, Pita, Salads, Thyme, Tomato, Yogurt

Levant
Aleppo Pepper, Chickpeas, Chile Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Crushed Red Pepper, Cucumber, Cumin, Dill, Feta, Fish, Fruit(dried), Ginger, Goat, Honey, Mint, Nuts, Olives & Olive Oil, Oregano, Parsley, Phyllo, Pita, Pomegranate, Sesame, Sumac, Yogurt

Russia
Beets, Cabbage, Caraway, Caviar, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cumin, Dill, Fish (Smoked & Pickled), Fruit, Garlic, Mint, Mushrooms, Nutmeg, Paprika, Poppy Seeds, Potato, Sour Cream, Tarragon, Vodka, Yogurt

Morocco
Almonds, Chile Pepper, Cilantro, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Coriander, Couscous, Cumin, Fish, Fruit (dried), Ginger, Harissa, Lamb, Mint, Orange Flower Water, Paprika, Phyllo, Preserved Lemon, Ras al hanout, Rosewater, Saffron, Stews (Tagines), Sumac, Turmeric

Germany
Allspice, Bay Leaf, Beer, Caraway, Chives, Cinnamon, Clove, Cream, Dill (Leaf and Seed), Chive, Ginger, Horseradish, Juniper Berry, Mace, Mushrooms, Nutmeg, Paprika, Poppy Seeds, Vinegar

Scandinavian
Allspice, Aquavit, Bay Leaf, Cardamon, Cinnamon, Clove, Cucumbers, Dill, Fish (Pickled), Ginger, Juniper Berry, Meatballs, Mushrooms, Mustard, Nutmeg, Potato, Salmon(Gravlax), Sour Cream, Vinegar

Caribbean
Allspice, Bay Leaf, Chile Peppers, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coconut, Curry Powder, Fish, Fruit (Tropical), Garlic, Ginger, Goat, Lime, Molasses, Nutmeg, Plantains, Rum, Shellfish, Sugar (Brown), Tamarind, Thyme

Mexican
Avocado, Beans, Cilantro, Canela (Mexican or True Cinnamon), Chile Pepper, Chile Powder, Chocolate, Corn, Cumin, Epazote, Fish, Lime, Oregano, Peppers, Plantain, Rice, Sausage, Seeds, Shellfish, Tomato, Tortilla

South America (Brazil, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, and others)
Avocado, Cheese (fresh white), Chile Pepper, Chile Pastes, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coconut, Coffee, Corn, Cumin, Garlic, Ginger, Greens, Grilled Meats, Lime, Orange, Oregano, Parsley, Peppers, Plantain, Pork, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Raisins, Rice, Rosemary, Saffron, Sausage

Southeast Asia - (Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam)
Distinctive balance of salty, sweet, sour and spicy
Chile Pepper, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Clove, Coconut Milk, Curry Paste, Dried Shrimp, Fish Sauce, Galangal, Ginger, Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime Leaf, Lime, Mint, Shrimp Paste, Peanuts, Rice, Siracha, Soy Sauce, Sugar (Brown), Tamarind, Thai Basil

India
Allspice, Anise, Basmati Rice, Cardamom, Cauliflower, Chile Pepper, Cilantro, Coriander, Cumin, Curry Powder, Curry Leaves, Fenugreek, Ghee, Ginger, Greens, Lamb, Lentils, Mint, Mustard Seed, Mustard Oil, Nutmeg, Onion, Poppy Seeds, Potato, Saffron, Tamarind, Tomato, Turmeric, Yogurt

Chinese
Chile Pepper, Cinnamon, Dried Seafood, Duck, Five Spice Powder, Garlic, Ginger, Hoisin Sauce, Noodles, Nuts, Rice, Scallion, Shellfish, Sesame, Soy Sauce, Star Anise, Szechuan Pepper, Tangerine Peel, Tofu, Vinegar

Japanese
Bonito Flakes, Chile Pepper, Daikon, Dashi, Ginger, Mirin, Miso, Noodles, Pickles, Ponzu, Rice, Sake, Scallion, Seaweed, Sesame, Shellfish, Soy Sauce, Tea, Tofu, Vinegar, Wasabi, Yuzu

Onion Walnut Muffins

Here's something easy, warm and delicious for a snowy winter weekend. Or for a sunny California weekend. It's just that I'm looking out the window at another snow storm here in NYC.

NYC Chef Waldy Malouf used to serve these delicious savory muffins at the now shuttered Hudson River Club. We are happy to credit him for this crazy good recipe and love to serve these warm with first course salads.

It gets us thinking, maybe it's time to develop some more savory muffins... Cheddar, Corn and Bacon anyone? Maybe a Pesto, Pine Nut and Parmesan Muffin would be delicious with some Minestrone. Or... Tomato, Olive and Spinach. We'll get back to you should any of these succeed. Until then, give Chef Malouf's version a try.

Onion Walnut Muffins
1 Large Onion, pureed to make 1 cup
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted and Cooled
2 Large Eggs
6 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Spray inside of mini muffin tins with non stick spray.
Peel Onions, cut into chunks and puree. Reserve 1 cup. In a large bowl, beat butter, eggs and sugar together with a whisk. Stir in reserved onion puree. Stir in remaining ingredients in the order listed. mix well, but do not over mix.
Divide batter into prepared muffin tins, filling almost completely full.
Bake 6 - 8 minutes until nicely browned.

New Year's Good Luck Menu

Here it is, a few days out from New Year's 2011 and we are busy finalizing a New Year's Eve menu featuring a whirlwind, round the world gathering of tradition foods to bring good luck in the New Year. Pretty interesting, so we thought we'd share.
Here's a partial list of the food and dishes that people feel will hearken a Prosperous New Year!

Lentils and Black Eyed Peas
Legumes like Lentils have a long standing connection symbolizing wealth due to their round shape which resemble coins it is said. Also, they swell as they cook symbolizing a swelling of wealth for those consuming them.
Similarly Black Eyed Peas symbolize coins, but also have a good luck connection apparently due to folk stories from the Civil War when the town of Vicksburg, Mississippi ran out of most food and survived on black eyed peas. Good luck indeed!

Pork
Pigs root forward with their noses, symbolizing progress and therefore are another New Year's food. Chickens on the other hand scratch backward, and should never be served on New Year's.
Pork's connection to fat and richness is another reason for it's place on the New Year's table.


Greens
As in folding money... and hence it's connection to the good luck meal. It's said the more greens your eat on New Year's the greater fortune you can expect in the coming year. In Germany it is consumed as Sauerkraut, in the American South, collards are the greens of choice.



Grapes
In Spain and many of it's former colonies, it's tradition to swallow twelve grapes on Midnight on New Year's Eve to bring luck to the New Year. There's two thing's we love about this tradition.
One - The level of sweetness in each grape is said to predict the sweetness (or lack thereof) in the corresponding month. Fourth grape a little sour? Watch out for April...
Two - The entire tradition of swallowing grapes is purported to have been started by the Alicante region of vineyards to handle an over-abundant harvest!

Fish
Cod specifically. The abundance and nourishment that Salt Cod brought to so many remote areas of the globe, before refrigeration of quick transportation, have insured it's legacy as a symbol of prosperity.


Noodles
The longer the better! Noodles have long symbolized longevity and New Year's is the perfect time to aspire to a long health and successful life!

Cakes
Cakes or cookies either round or ring shaped have a long history of being served at New Year's to bring longevity, symbolized by the continuity of the circle.

So choose your menu with care, but whatever you find on the table, all of us at DM Cuisine wish you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Sugar Spiced Nuts

There are many dishes we serve at DM Cuisine that can easily qualify as "Signature Dishes". Certainly the Caramel Glazed Baked Brie is one, Smoked Salmon in Dill Crepes another.... Then there's the Chocolate Budino Cake, Truffled Wild Mushroom Lasagna, and of course Le Croquembouche!

And there aren't many parties which are not graced with a bowl or three of Spiced Mixed Nuts. The version we serve most often is a mix of sugar, salt and spices that verge on addictive. True story, we have one client who has forbidden then to be served in his company because he can't control himself around DM's Sugar Spiced Nuts!

So here's the recipe for you to make at home. We can take no responsibility for uncontrolled consumption.

Sugar Spiced Nuts

1 egg white
1 Tablespoon Water
1 pound raw nuts (whole almonds, pecan or walnut halves (or unsalted mixed nuts)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Beat egg white with water until frothy. Combine with nuts and let drain in a sieve for 2 minutes.
Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Put nuts and sugar-spice mix in a large bag and shake vigorously to coat nuts well. Scatter on a large baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and toss nuts with a spatula. Lower oven temperature to 225 degrees and return nuts to oven. Bake one hour longer, tossing the nuts every 20 minutes or so,until nuts are crisp. Cool and store in an air tight container or freeze.

Persimmon Pudding

Catering during the holidays brings some particular responsibilities. It's a time for tradition, and everyone seems to have their own take on which traditions most need to be followed. Christmas Ham? The Feast of 7 Fishes? Latkes? Buche de Noel? Hallacas? Goose???

Sometimes a client will ask us to prepare an old family recipe. This can often be a recipe for disaster as one never knows how much of the recipe Aunt Jimmy had in her head and how much really made it to the paper... But several years ago we were handed this recipe for Persimmon Pudding with the caveat that "Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without it". It has since become one of our favorites. It's simple enough to tweak as you wish. Maybe some orange zest, this year with added cinnamon and nutmeg, maybe a generous douse of brandy set afire as it comes to the table.

If you haven't cooked with persimmons very much, here's some info for you. There are two basic types on the market. Hachiya and Fuyu. The Hachiya are slightly elongated and the bottom comes to a tip. These needs to be squishy soft with a slightly translucent skin in order to be edible. Anything less than mush is inedible and will provide more astringent pucker than any person could handle. The Fuyu variety look like an orange tomato and are best when firm to the touch. For this recipe, use the Hachiya variety. You can make the persimmon pulp by peeling and seeding the persimmon and pureeing it in a blender or processor.
Here's the basic recipe:

Persimmon Pudding

butter and flour for lining mold
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Hachiya persimmon pulp, overripe
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
2/3 cup dried fruit (we suggest dried tart cherries and raisins, 1/3 cup each)

Lightly coat the interior of a lidded mold (or heatproof bowl) with butter and flour. Set aside.

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together persimmon pulp, butter and sugar until blended. Add vanilla. Alternately mix the dry ingredients and milk into the persimmon mix. Stir in dried fruit.

Pour the pudding mix into the prepared mold, filling it 3/4 full . Attach the lid and tie in place with string. (If using a bowl, cover the bowl with parchment paper and then cover with a clean towel and enclose in aluminum foil.)
Place mold in a large steamer, or on a raised rack in the pan, add an inch or so of boiling water and steam over low heat for 5 hours. Keep an eye on the pot and add more hot water as needed to keep a steady supply of steam.

Remove from steamer and let cool completely. Unmold carefully and serve with spiced whipped cream.

Late for Latkes

Well Hanukkah 2010 has passed and we are clearly late with our Latke post. But we feel they are just way to delicious to let that stop us, so here's to all things fried, especially potato pancakes.

Lots of cultures have some form of a potato pancake. Many of them are tasty too. But the classic Jewish potato latke, with a generous dollop of sour cream and a garnish of chunky applesauce is the stuff of many a Hanukkah craving and a good many goyisha daydreams as well.

For this you want to stay simple: potatoes, onion, egg and a dash of flour. And don't skimp on the oil when you fry them. The crispy crust is the key to their soul warming goodness.

Potato Latkes

You'll want to make sure you don't crowd the skillet. Fry these latkes in batches. Keep them warm in a low oven, single layer, on a paper towel lined baking sheet. unless of course you've got an appreciative crowd around the stove, eating them as quickly as you can make them.

This should make 12 - 14 latkes, 1 1/2 - 2 inches diameter

1 1/2 pounds Idaho russet potatoes, peeled
1 large onion, peeled

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, whisked in a small bowl
vegetable oil, approximately 1/2 cup, divided


Lay a clean kitchen towel on your work surface. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the potatoes onto the kitchen towel. Then grate the onion onto the shredded potatoes. When finished, gather up the ends of the towel and tighten the towel to enclose the shredded potato mix in a "ball". Over the sink, squeeze the towel with the potato mix, until all the liquid has dripped from the mix. Transfer the potato mix into a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup flour, egg, salt and pepper, and combine well. Squeeze the mixture in your hand. If it holds together fairly well, you are good to go. If it is too loose to hold together add another Tablespoon or 2 of flour, then proceed.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/3 cup oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Spoon 1/4 cup potato mixture loosely into a dry measuring cup. Pour mixture into pan, and flatten slightly. Repeat until pan is full but not crowded. Probably about 6 latkes. Sauté a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove latkes from pan, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with the remaining oil and potato mixture.

One of our former chefs David Bonom, now a big time food writer, has an inspiring article all about latkes in the December 2010 Cooking Light magazine that we are recommending highly. He puts fresh thyme in his latkes which I think sounds like the perfect amount of tinkering with a classic. Moving further afield he also includes recipes for a Southwestern inspired and jalapeno spike latke and a Curried Butternut Squash version that I'd like to garnish with an Indian Raita. Check them out.

Once you have the classic latke under your belt, feel free to substitute a portion of the potato with carrots, yams, celery root, parsnips, any starchy vegetable will do. Or you can try adding chopped mushroom, shredded spinach or fresh herbs for extra pizazz.

Ginger, Vanilla and Pine Nut Biscotti

Now that we've satisfied all those Thanksgiving cravings of stuffing and pumpkin and such, our yearnings are now focusing on Holiday Cookies. While DM always supplies a few sweet bites at the end of our catered meals, and even our cocktail parties from time to time; it's also a tradition to toss some specific holiday sweets into the mix during December. Hand Decorated Sugar Cookies, Miniature Gingerbread Men, Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallows, and those Pecan Snowballs covered with powdered sugar. We also always include some biscotti. Especially after dinner, this not-too-sweet cookie is a perfect garnish to a meal. Try one dipped into the last bit of wine in your glass.


Ginger, Vanilla and Pine Nut Biscotti
1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, very cold and diced 1/4" pieces
3/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup Crystalized Ginger, roughly chopped
2 large eggs
2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped

Preheat oven to 350*
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground ginger. Put flour mixture into the bowl of a food processor and add cold butter. Pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add pine nuts and crystalized ginger.
Return work bowl to the processor and add eggs, sugar and vanilla bean. Process briefly until very well mixed. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture and work it together by hand until a dough forms. Divide in half and roll into logs
Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Form each log of dough into a rectangle on the parchment approximately 13" X 2 1/2" x 3/4".
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 250*. Remove baking sheet from the oven and cool for five minutes. Slice the biscotti crosswise about 1/4" thick. Rearrange biscotti, laying flat, on the baking sheet. Return to oven and bake until cookies are dry, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store in an air tight container.
Makes at least 5 dozen.

Jello Shots for Thanksgiving

We saw these recipes on Saveur.com, one of our favorite websites for inspiration, motivation and up to date, "must know" developments in the food world, and thought "WOW", brilliant concept! So we're passing them on to you in hopes that your Thanksgiving might be oh so much better with a little jiggle.

Michelle Palm, from the blog Jelly Shot Test Kitchen (rough gig!) has developed three wiggly cocktails that are just sophisticated enough to counter-balance the giggle factor. They're also perfectly seasonal and totally in synch with all the other flavors of the holiday meal: The Pear Sour has an aromatic balance of lemon, pear liqueur, and gin, with a dash of Angostura bitters; the Bourbon Smash is a mix of fresh raspberries and mint, with just a touch of bourbon, and Apple Pie delivers as promised with apple juice, Apfelkorn, and Tuaca, a creamsicle-flavored liqueur.




Pear Sour

1/4 cup frozen lemonade
concentrate, thawed
and strained to remove
solids
1/4 cup water
3 envelopes Knox gelatin
1/2 cup Lillet blonde
1/2 cup gin
1/2 cup pear liqueur (we use Belle
de Brillet)
3 dashes Angostura bitters
2 tsp. agave nectar or simple syrup,
if desired
Fresh pear, for garnish (optional)

Recommended pan: molds or 1-lb. loaf pan (approximately 8" x 4")

1. Pour lemonade concentrate and water into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Mixture will initially be very thick. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in the Lillet, gin, pear liqueur, and bitters. Taste; add the agave nectar/simple syrup if desired.

3. Pour mixture into pan or molds and refrigerate until fully set, several hours or overnight.

4. To serve, cut into desired shapes or unmold. Garnish with slivers of fresh pear, if you like.

MAKES ABOUT 15 JELLY SHOTS




Bourbon Smash

1 6-oz. package fresh
raspberries, plus
additional for garnish
(optional)
3 large sprigs fresh mint
(about 25 mint leaves)
2/3 cup bourbon
2/3 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1/3 cup limeade concentrate, thawed
and strained to remove solids
1/3 cup water
3 envelopes Knox gelatin
2 tsp. agave nectar or simple syrup,
if desired

Recommended pan: molds or 1-lb. loaf pan (approximately 8" x 4")
Implements: cocktail muddler, bowls, fine mesh strainer

1. Muddle raspberries and mint leaves in small bowl. Stir in bourbon and set aside.

2. Pour cranberry juice, limeade concentrate, and water into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Strain the raspberry–bourbon mixture, making sure to press out all the liquid (you should have about a cup of liquid). Stir into the gelatin mixture. Taste; add the agave nectar/simple syrup if desired.

4. Pour mixture into pan or molds and refrigerate until fully set, several hours or overnight.

5. To serve, cut into desired shapes or unmold. Garnish with slivers of fresh raspberry and mint, if you like.

MAKES ABOUT 15 JELLY SHOTS




Apple Pie Jelly Shot

1 cup unsweetened apple
juice
3 envelopes Knox gelatin
3/4 cup Tuaca liqueur
1/4 cup Berentzen
Apfel Korn liqueur
(or apple schnapps)

Recommended pan: molds or 1-lb. loaf pan (approximately 8" x 4")

1. Pour apple juice into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Mixture will initially be very thick. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in the Tuaca and Apfel Korn.

3. Pour mixture into pan or molds and refrigerate until fully set, several hours or overnight.

4. To serve, cut into desired shapes or unmold.

MAKES ABOUT 15 JELLY SHOTS


All photos by Michelle Palm

Stuffin' Time

One of the cornerstones of "poverty cuisine" is the stack of recipes using left over bread. There's stuffing, bread pudding, french toast, croutons, stratas, pasta with bread crumbs, soups and on and on. Sadly with today's low carb sensibilities, it's hard enough to find a fresh crumb, let alone any stale bread. Of all of these carbohydrate motherloads, stuffing is the hands down winner this time of year. And with Thanksgiving approaching, we've already begun to think about sourcing out our stash of bread.

Please take the time to cut up your own bread cubes and dry them out. It's maybe a little more expensive than buying the pre-packaged bread cubes, but it's so worth the little bit of time and money invested to make it yourself. Plus there's all the possibility for variations that Pepperidge Farm will deny you!

With the wide variety of breads available it's worthwhile to think outside of the box. For example one combination we love is sliced sourdough and 7 grain. We mix about 65% sourdough with 35% 7 grain and love the combination of tang and earthiness. Rye bread is another interesting possibility, I remember one event where we made a rye, mushroom and sauerkraut stuffing to serve along roast pork for an Austrian dinner. There's a delicious rosemary bread in our market that could really make a killer stuffing too. Pretty much any great bread will add the character you want. The only bread I'd stay away from is pumpernickel, but even that, used judiciously, well, might be interesting. especially if tempered by a big bunch of white bread or maybe challah. We'd advise to always include a generous portion of a simple white or whole wheat bread in the mix to prevent the stuffing from becoming more leaden that necessary.

Cornbread is another favorite stuffing and is also much enhanced by prepping the cornbread cubes yourself. Even more so if you can bake the corn bread yourself! If your recipe is on the sweet side, consider halving the sugar. It usually makes a tastier stuffing.

So you've got your bread, what next? If you're not using sliced bread, slice it about 1/2" -3/4" thick. Leave the crust on, it adds texture. Stack the slices and cut into cubes, again 1/2" - 3/4" big. Scatter them on sheet pans and let them dry out for at least 3 days, until tough and completely dry. They might never become as hard as store bought, but you want to make sure they are dried out. If there's not enough counter space you can dry them out in a large bowl or pot, but you'll need to toss them several times a day. It might take an extra day to dry them out, depending on volume.

So your bread cubes are ready, what's next? Just follow your family recipe, or your instincts, your inspiration, or some combination therein. The basic procedure is to saute vegetables (onions, celery, garlic, carrots, etc) in a very generous amount of oil, butter or chicken fat. Add herbs and other seasonings. Add to the bread cubes and combine well. If you are using sausage, ham, or other meats/shellfish, cook it briefly and add to the bread cubes as well, mixing completely. Moisten the stuffing now with a generous amount of stock (veg or poultry usually) and mix. Keep adding stock until the cubes are saturated but not falling apart. Place in a well buttered casserole and bake until cooked through and crispy on top. Alternately use it to stuff inside your bird, remembering to leave a little room for the stuffing to expand.

And just in case your imagination is failing you.... here are some flavor combinations we've had success with:

Sourdough, 7 Grain, Sausage, Mushroom, Carrot and Celery
Cornbread, Leeks, Pecans and Dried Cranberries
Herb Bread, Olives, Red Onions, Swiss Chard and Raisins
Challah, Wild Rice, Apples, Red Peppers, and Walnuts
Raisin Bread, Baguette, Prosciutto, Celery Root, Parsnip, Onion, Herbs
Corn Bread, Chorizo, Red and Yellow Peppers, Onions
Foccacia, Rye, Pancetta, Leeks, Fennel, Porcini, Chestnuts

Autumn's Bounty Aflame

While we are up to our ears in a sea of the yellows, oranges, reds and greens of the season, it's fun to post some ideas that aren't about cooking. We are in the thick of squash season and they are so beautiful we can't help but pile them up on the counter top, bringing in a tsunami of color to the otherwise bland kitchen.

This got us thinking about other possibilities for decorating with this "end of season bounty". Happily many of these colorful squash and pumpkins are so hard shelled they have a long shell life when unrefrigerated. Additionally there are many that have no real purpose beyond decoration.




The first idea we had was to use them as candleholders. Smaller delicata or acorn squash can hold either a single short taper or a tea candle. Make sure the squash sits securely level and then using an apple corer, remove a small plug of the squash where a candle can fit snugly. Use a biscuit cutter if trying to carve out space for a tea candle. Consider laying a crookneck or large butternut squash on it's side and create a "natural" candelabra with 3 or 5 tapers grouped over the gourd.




Another idea we had was to slice open a small sweet dumpling or acorn squash, add some water and make small posey arrangements of fall dahlias. Carefully hollow out the squash and fill halfway with water. Arrange the flowers in a tight grouping and the squash tops look great leaning against the arrangement. Group several of them together, using a mix of varieties, as a centerpiece.

And then finally we are thinking that the very small mini pumpkins and squash could look great atop a napkin on a charger at a more formal autumn dinner. It would be easy to attach a place card or even a menu card if you wanted. There's only a few months to take advantage of these gorgous squash and gourds, so have fun.

Brussels Sprouts

Sometimes it seems we must be on a One Caterer Campaign to repair the damage done to the reputation of Brussels Sprouts. We're not sure how and when they came to be remembered as heavy, bitter and sulphurous, but we ARE sure they can be light, fresh, bright and delicious. At least that's what we hear from surprised clients when they come back for seconds.

Brussels Sprouts are some of the craziest looking vegetables around when they are growing in the garden. It's no stretch to imagine them in Fred and Wilma's Bedrock garden. Pretty prehistoric looking stuff.

But we're all more accustomed to seeing them cut from the stalk and packed in little cardboard cups, or loose in the farmer's market. Look for small to medium sprouts with tight heads of vibrant green. Any yellowing means they are not fresh. Whenever possible choose brussles sprouts that are all of similar size. Overcooking is the prime enemy of brussles sprouts so you want evenly sized sprouts that will cook at the same rate.

Part of DM Cuisine's success at winning over former detesters is by thinking of new ways to approach cooking and serving Brussels Sprouts. Our preferred methods are Roasting, Shredding and Separating.

Roasted Brussles Sprouts
This couldn't be easier. Trim stem ends and any discolored or loose leaves from the sprouts. If larger than 1 1/2 inches cut them in half or even quarters. What's important is that all pieces are roughly the same size. You may need to leave tiny ones whole, medium ones cut in half and large ones quartered. Preheat oven to 425*.
Place brussels sprouts into a large bowl, drizzle lightly with olive oil or herb infused oil. Season well with salt & pepper. Place sprouts on a baking sheet allowing plenty of room around the pieces. Don't crowd them or they will steam instead of roasting. Place baking sheet in oven and cook until JUST tender. This will vary depending on your oven and how small you cut the sprouts. Check them after 6 minutes. They should be tender to the bite but not soft.
Serve warm, just as they are.

Alternate Version with Pancetta
Brussels Sprouts have a natural affinity for bacon. Even more so with pancetta in our opinion. Pancetta is an unsmoked Italian bacon. We like to cut large pieces of pancetta about 1/4" x 1" and saute them until browned and almost crisp. Drain the pancetta and reserve the fat.
Proceed with roasting the brussels sprouts as described above, but combine a few spoonfuls of this pancetta fat with the olive oil needed to roast the brussles sprouts. When the sprouts come out of the oven, toss them with the pancetta. Enjoy and don't mention to your cardiologist.

Sauteed Shredded Brussels Sprouts
What you'll need:
Brussles sprouts, shallots, chopped toasted walnuts, olive oil, walnut oil.
Using a mandolin or V-Slicer, hold the brussels sprouts by the stem end and finely shred (carefully). Obviously this is a great use for large brussels sprouts the brussels sprouts. Stop as you get to the stem and discard. Once the sprouts are shredded set aside. Finely chop a few shallots.
Warm a saute pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of olive oil, the shallots, and cook a few minutes until translucent. Add shredded brussels sprout and toss to coat lightly with shallots. Saute briefly until the shredded sprouts just begin to wilt. Season well with salt & pepper. Add a few spoonfuls of walnut oil and the toasted walnuts. Toss well and serve immediately.

Stir Fried Brussels Sprouts Leaves
We usually make this presentation with an added vegetable (corn, green beans, carrots & parsnips) partially because it's a bit labor intensive to prep the sprouts. If you decide to do this, just stir fry the other vegetables however you wish and add the brussels sprouts leaves in for the last minute or two of cooking.
Trim the stem end of the brussels sprouts and carefully separate the leaves individually. It's slow going, but worth it, at least for a small group!
When you get to the tiny center, stop and use those for another recipe. Once the sprouts are prepped set them aside in a bowl.
Slice a small red onion into thin slivers. Warm olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Cook onion slivers until tender, just a few minutes. Add brussels sprouts leaves and salt & pepper. Stir fry until the leaves wilt. Don't worry if some leaves get e little charred edge. It adds great character.
Serve immediately.

Chocolate Ganache

For many of our clientele, if it's not chocolate, it's not dessert. Perhaps its the same for you. If that's the case, here is a recipe that can come to your rescue in mere moments. One recipe can provide for at least 5 immediately gratified cravings of any self respecting chocoholic. A deep chocolate glaze, a rich tart filling, a creamy cake or cookie filling, a fluffy frosting or a soul soothing truffle, all created form the alchemy of Chocolate & Cream. Chocolate Ganache

Ganache is a French term referring to a smooth mixture of chocolate and cream. No one knows when ganache was invented exactly, but it seems to have been created around 1850. Some say it originated in Switzerland where it was used as a base for truffles. Others say it was invented in Paris at the Patisserie Siravdin. No matter, the important fact is that it WAS invented, and has been celebrated ever since.

Bittersweet, Semi-Sweet, Milk or White chocolate can be used though both milk and white chocolates tend to be less stable mixtures and require a certain amount of finesse. The ganache mixture can also be flavored with herbs, spices, alcohol or extracts. It's very common to stir in a Tablespoon of Cognac, Rum or Liqueur. Also a teaspoon of vanilla or smaller amount of extract wouldn't be amiss. If you want to be a little more adventurous, you can gently steep the heavy cream with cinnamon sticks, star anise, lemon peel or even dried chile, letting the cream warm until the flavor has infused it. Just remember to strain the cream as you add it to the chocolate.


Chef Daniel's Ganache

2 pounds bittersweet chocolate (72%) - room temperature
2 cups heavy cream
Optional flavorings as desired. See above.

Rough chop the chocolate and put into a bowl. Warm the heavy cream in a saucepan until steam begins to rise from the cream's surface. Pour the heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and allow to sit for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Gently stir the mixture until completely smooth. Add flavorings as desired.

Glazing:
Allow the mixture to cool very slightly. Brush your cake free of any crumbs and set on a cake rack over a sheet pan. Slowly pour a thin stream of the ganache over the cake starting in the middle. As you pour the ganache, move in a spiral form, making sure the cake is completely covered. Allow the excess glaze to run off the sides of the cake and onto the sheet pan. Let cool completely. If you need to refrigerate, the shine on the glaze will dull slightly.

Tart Filling:
Lay pre-purchased mini tart shells on a sheet pan. Pour the warm ganache into the shell and allow to cool until set. Delicious as is, but no one would yell if you added a dot of whipped cream...

Cookie/Cake Filling:
Pour ganache into a bowl while still warm. Whisk the mixture until it stiffens to a spreadable consistency. Spread on the bottoms of cookies, meringues, shortbread, etc and add another cookie to form chocolate sandwich cookies. It can also be used as a cake filling at this stage.

Frosting:
Pour the ganache into a mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer until it lightens in color as air is mixed in. At this point it can be applied with a spatula or piped through a pastry bag.

Truffles:
Pour ganache into a shallow cake pan and set into a refrigerator to chill. When very firm, scoop out small knobs of ganache mix using a melon baller. With meticulously clean hands, roll the ganache mix into rough shaped balls. No need for perfection, they are called truffles because the resemble the knobby delicacy of France's famous black truffle which grows beneath oak trees. Once rolled they can be tossed in bowls of cocoa powder, confectioners sugar, chopped toasted nuts, toasted coconut, or any other dry coating your mind can wrap around. Store chilled, but allow to warm a bit before serving.

10 Best Things To Do With Capers

Sometimes our clients will ask us what to "do" with an ingredient. Often it's an herb or a spice, but several times we've all been asked about capers. What are they? And how do you use them? Well, we're here to tell you.

The caper bush (Capparis spinosa L.) is a perennial winter-deciduous species that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and big white to pinkish-white flowers. A caper is also the pickled immature bud of this plant.


Fresh caper buds are not especially flavorful, but their sharpness increases dramatically after sun-drying and brining in vinegar or packing in salt. The flavor of these processed capers are typically described as pungent and slightly astringent. We're not sure WHAT that means. Suffice it to say... a caper tastes like a caper... A little peppery, a touch of pickle and an earthy vegetal flavor.

The brined variety are the most common type sold in the US. They require a quick rinse and after that are ready to use. If you happen to come across a salted variety (almost always the larger variety of caper and from Italy) they require soaking and rinsing to get rid of the excess salt.

Capers are categorized and sold by their size, defined as follows, with the smallest sizes being the most desirable: Non-pareil (up to 7 mm), surfines (7–8 mm), capucines (8–9 mm), capotes (9–11 mm), fines (11–13 mm), and grusas (14+ mm). Typically you only see the non-pareil or capotes in stores.

If the immature blossoms are not selected to become pickled capers, after blooming they will sometimes turn into caper berries. Caper berries are not used in the same way as capers in recipes. They are more likely to be eaten as a snack or added to savory salads. After hours here at DM Cuisine they have been known to find their way into a Bloody Mary or Vodka Martini.

The Caper Bush is native to the Mediterranean region, so it's not surprising that its most often found in the cuisine of Spain, Italy, Greece and the Levant. Here are some of our favorite uses for capers. Recipes not included this time, but if you're reading this blog you've got Google...

10. Tartar Sauce or Remoulade - This classic mayonnaise based sauce for fried fish and seafood, often contains capers. Typically chopped dill pickles, onion and lemon juice join in the mix.

9. Tonnato Sauce - One of our favorite things, but not widely known outside of Italy. This is a thinly sliced veal roast, served cold, with a smooth sauce of pureed cooked tuna, mayonnaise, capers, lemon and anchovies. Don't knock it until you've tried it

8. Hallaca and Empanada Filling - Here's another dish you may not know, but Empanadas are probably familiar. An Hallaca can be thought of as a large Venezuelan style tamal, wrapped in banana leaves. Inside the corn "masa" is a stew of beef, pork and chicken, seasoned with capers, olives and raisins. Similarly the fillings for empanadas all over South and Central America typically include capers as part of their seasoning. We assume it's a reflection of the Spanish influence.

7. Pasta Salad - A generous spoonful of capers can add a bright note to any pasta salad, especially one featuring fresh or sun dried tomatoes. Capers also seem to have a naturally affinity for many herbs, especially basil, parsley and chives.

6. Smoked Salmon Bagels with Caper Cream Cheese - We always sprinkle a few capers over smoked salmon, and processing them right into the cream cheese for a bagel makes nothing but good sense.

5. Tapenade - Capers add the final fillip here to a French culinary classic. Black Olives, Anchovies, Garlic, Mustard and Olive Oil.

4. Roasted Cauliflower with Roasted Red Peppers and Capers - This has been a DM Cuisine stand by for many years. It's exactly what it says, garnished with some rough chopped flat parsley leaves.

3. Salmon Salad - Should you ever be blessed with some left over grilled or roasted salmon, mix up a fresh salmon salad and remember to add lots of fresh lemon juice, dill and capers.

2. Lemon Caper Sauce - Sometimes this bright light sauce is just what we want over a chicken paillard or simply sauteed piece of fish, say Branzino or Red Snapper. A little stock, splash of white wine, squeeze of lemon and a spoonful of capers, reduced in a saute pan over high heat. Salt, Pepper and a knob of butter swirled in off the heat.

1. Salsa Verde - This we are ready to spoon over anything.... Fish, Chicken, Steak, Grilled Vegetables, Ravioli, Shrimp, and on and on. Throw handfuls of parsley, some lemon zest, toasted pine nuts, garlic, capers, lemon juice and some olive oil in the food processor and whir it into a smooth paste. Drizzle in a tablespoon of water while processing and you'll have the cleanest, greenest, most flavorful deliciousness that's ALMOST too good to share.