Supper Club - Chocolate

It was my turn to host supper club this month. I chose a chocolate theme...surprise! It was rich. It was decadent. It was delish. The Menu:

Drinks:
Chocolate Cake Martinis
Chocolate Wine

Appetizers:
Chocolate Covered Bacon
Crostini with Pears, Gorgonzola and Chocolate

Sides:
Roasted Parsnip with Vanilla Chocolate Soup (The crowd favorite. Yum!!!)
White Chocolate Risotto

Main Dish:
Spice Rubbed Turkey Breast with Mole Sauce

Dessert:
Too Much Chocolate Cake






My inspiration was the birthday meal in the movie Chocolat. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any recipes for a chocolate gravy, so I tried a mole recipe, but it wasn't exactly what I was going for. I decided to give the gravy another go tonight, but this time making it how I would make any other gravy. I started with a roux, that I made from butter, flour and unsweetened cocoa powder. I then added chicken broth (but next time I think I'd just use the turkey drippings if there are enough) and a few sprigs of thyme and let it cook down a little before adding some semi-sweet baking squares. It was pretty good for a first try, but I am pretty sure that I have some more experimenting to do.

Since the parsnip soup was the favorite, I've included the recipe.

Roasted Parsnip and Vanilla Chocolate Soup

Prep Time: 35 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 5 min

Level: Intermediate

Serves:6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds parsnips (about 4 or 5 large parsnips)

1/4 cup canola oil (2 tablespoons to brush on parsnips and 2 tablespoons to brush on bread for croutons)

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick or 1/2 cup)

1 large white onion, chopped

2 quarts chicken stock (Make sure that it's stock and not broth)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (preferably from real vanilla bean as opposed to artificial flavoring)

Salt and pepper

1 epee loaf French bread

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/4 cup dark cocoa powder

1 cup vanilla white chocolate chips (recommended: Hershey's Premier White Chips)

1 cup heavy cream

1 fresh lemon or lime, halved crosswise (1/2 to squeeze into batch of soup and 1/2 to cut into wedges to serve to guests)

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel parsnips, and cut into 1-inch chunks, brush lightly with oil and place on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easy cleanup). Roast until the parsnips begin to soften (as tested with a knife blade) and until the tips begin to turn golden brown. This takes about 40 minutes. ( I have an electric oven and my parsnips were ready in 20 minutes so keep checking them) Remove from oven and let rest for a few minutes while you start the other ingredients in the stockpot. (Leave oven on for toasting of croutons.)

Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large stockpot and gently saute the onion until translucent. (This takes about 10 minutes, but the more important thing is that they look translucent.) Add the chicken stock, slice open the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot and add along with the vanilla pod itself. Increase heat to medium, add the roasted parsnips, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, cover and let cook until the parsnips are completely tender, about 20 minutes.

Once you have the soup underway, toast the croutons in the oven which is already preheated to 400 degrees F. Cut the epee loaf into 3/4-inch thick slices. Brush the bread with oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet (important for cleanup purposes). Sift dark cocoa over the bread and toast briefly in the oven, just to make crispy. Remove and set aside.
Stir the white chocolate chips into the soup and cook for a further 5 minutes, to allow them to melt and to integrate flavors.

Remove soup from heat, discard vanilla pod, and stir in heavy cream. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. (Remember, when using an immersion blender, the blade end has to be immersed, or it will make a big mess.) Squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice into the pot and stir to combine. (Note: If you hold the sliced end of the fresh lemon or lime against your palm while you squeeze in the juice, the seeds are likely to stay in the rind.)

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh dill. Serve with lemon wedges and dark chocolate dusted croutons.

Mexican Seven-Layered Salad

Scott and I love to have salads for dinner in warm weather. Really, who wants to crank on the oven and eat something rich and heavy when it's warm out? Found this recipe in a magazine and bought everything this morning from the farmer's market, including corn that I cut off the cobb and par-boiled. While I don't think anyone in Mexico would recognize this as a Mexican salad, it was nice and fresh and very satisfying. Since it was just the two of us I didn't bother with the layering...just used bowls. Since I don't cook much with chipotle and would have no use for the leftover chiles, I am tempted to try it next time with chili powder and cayenne.

Dressing:

1/2 C. Mayonnaise

1/2 C. Sour cream

1 Tbsp. Lime Juice

2 tsp. Mashed Chipotle Chile in adobo sauce

1 tsp. Grated lime peel

Salad:

6 C. Torn Romaine Lettuce, Divided

1 C. Corn, cooked

1 C. Diced Tomatoes

1 Avocado, diced

1 C. Diced Orange Bell Pepper

1 C. Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 C. Diced Red Onion

1 C. Diced Pepper Jack Cheese

1 C. Coarsely Crushed Tortilla Chips

Whisk all dressing ingredients in small bowl. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

In deep 10-cup clear glass bowl or baking dish, layer half of the lettuce. Top with corn, tomato, avocado, bell pepper, beans, remaining lettuce, onion and cheese, spreading each to sides so layers will show. Spread dressing over top, covering chieese completely.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours. Sprinkle with chips just before serving.

Classic Brownies

Another treasure from cook's illustrated. It's a shame I waited so long to try them! Mine took 42 minutes to cook, and I might have taken them out a little early, but Aitan woke up just as the timer went off and duty called...

Classic Brownies
(Cook's Illustrated: March and April 2004)
1 C. Pecans or Walnuts, chopped
1 1/4 C. Cake Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
6 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped
12 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
2 1/4 C. Sugar
4 Large Eggs
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13x9" baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil (and, if using extra-wide foil fold lengthwise to 12-inch width); fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl in microwave on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 second more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn. When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.

Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30-35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temp., about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Supper Club - Caribbean

Angela hosted supper club this month. She is engaged to Neil who is Jamaican and chose the Caribbean theme as an opportunity to try out some new recipes and to celebrate their upcoming marriage in Cayman. So, the menu:
Drinks: Caribbean Sangria and Pineapple Mojitos
Appetizers: Tostones and Salt Cod Fritters
Main Dish: Chicken Fricasse
Sides: Yams (with lime zest and bananas), Rice and Peas, and Black-Eyed Peas in Coconut Milk
Dessert: Grand Marnier Cake





Here is the recipe for the Tostones:

3 large very green plantains
3 teaspoons crushed fresh garlic
4 teaspoons salt
4 cups water
1/2 cup olive oil or canola oil

Directions:

Peel plantains and slice into 1 inch thick sections.
Place water, salt and garlic in a large baking pan.
Soak the plantain slices in the garlic mixture for 20 minutes.

Pour oil in a pan set at 365 degrees.
Fry plantains until they are golden brown on all sides.

Flatten each plantain between sheets of wax paper with a plate or the palm of your hand.
Dip flattened plantains into garlic mixture and place on a paper towl.
Place plantains into the oil once again and fry until crispy and golden brown.

Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Serve promptly after frying for best taste.

Spicy Orange Tofu

Okay, folks. Here is the recipe. I used the extra firm organic tofu from Trader Joes and cut it into large cubes, which worked pretty well.  The texture was a little, well, firm and I think my guys might like just plain old firm better. I also used a non-stick skillet so I didn't use as much oil.  My recommendation with stir-frys and other Asian dishes is to have all the ingredients measured out and those that are added in the same step combined before turning the stove on. After the tofu is cooked the other steps happen really quickly.

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 pound regular tofu

1/4 C. orange peel

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. Orange Zest

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 C. vegetable broth

1/4 C. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. Sugar

1/4 C. sherry

1/4 C. orange marmalade

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

Cut tofu into strips. In wok or skillet heat oil over medium high heat. Add tofu and stir fry until golden, it may be easier to do 1/2 or 1/3 of tofu at a time.

Add orange peel, garlic, ginger, and zest. Stir fry 1 minute. 

In medium bowl combine cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, sugar, sherry, marmalade and red pepper, stir into tofu.

 

Stir constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over rice. Note: Adjust the spiciness by adding more or less red pepper. The 1/2 tsp. gives it a kick without being overpoweringly spicy.

 

Sicilian Fig Cookies

Ever since I can remember my dad, aunt and other friends and family gather in early December to make the fig cookies. Usually it is preceded by weeks of my mom suggesting to my dad that he make a 1/2 batch and him stubbornly trudging ahead as planned. The fig cookies aren't something everyone can appreciate, but they seem to be getting better and better each year. The filling is a mixture of dried figs, dates, citron, those other red and green fruit things (whatever they are) that you find in fruit cake, chocolate and other spices. Every year seems to be a new variation based on what is available and what is going through my dad's head at the time.

He usually starts a week or two in advance of cookie day grinding all of the ingredients in a food grinder and letting them sit in the fridge so the flavors can meld. Then on cookie day everyone has their task and the cookies, which would be an enormous job for one, is done in a matter of an hour or two.

I'm not going to bother posting the recipe, but here are some photos of the family at work.


Dad rolling the dough. I apprenticed in the roller position this year.


Franko and Aunt Toni.

Joe. Franko would fill the dough and Toni and Joe would seal it and cut it.


Cookies ready for the oven.


Nana and Ilan dancing while the cookies bake.


Nina icing and sprinkling the warm cookies.


The finished product.

Tamales

A few years ago my sister took a tamle cooking class and gathered my brother and I to make our own tamales. So, for the third year in a row we have made tamales together. It's a lot of work, but so worth it! Here are the favorites...

Tamales with Green Chile and Cheese

Ingredients:

Filling

1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, cut in 2x ¼ inch sticks

4 Pasilla or poblano chiles, roasted, seeded

and sliced

Batter

1 cup lard (Manteca) or vegetable shortening, slightly softened

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 lbs corn masa (4 cups of masa preparada)

1 1/3 cup chicken broth

Corn husks (soaked in warm water for several hours until pliable)

Batter:

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the lard with salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about one minute. Continue beating as you add the masa to the lard. Reduce the speed to medium low and add broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a half teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water. Add additional broth if necessary.

Cornhusks:

Lay out a large, lightly dried cornhusk with the tapering end toward you. Spread 3 Tbs of dough into about a 4-inch square, add a stick of cheese along with chilies to the center and pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together. Fold up the empty section of the husk along the bottom.

Steaming:

When all of the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover husks, and fill any open spaces with foil to keep the tamales secure. Set the lid in place and steam over a constant heat for the about one hour. Make sure the water doesn’t boil away, add boiling water to the pot when necessary.

Tamales are done with the husk peels away easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off heat for a few minutes to firm up.

Makes 3 dozen tamales

Tamales with Black Beans in Banana Leaves

Ingredients:

Filling

½ bunch of cilantro

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp salt

4 Tbs vegetable oil

2 large onions (chopped)

4 gloves of garlic (minced)

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp cumin

4 15 oz can black beans

Salt and pepper

Batter

1 cup lard (Manteca or shortening)

2 lbs masa (4 cups preparada)

1 1/3 cup chicken broth, cooled

3 lbs Banana leaves

Twine

Banana Leaves:
Unfold the banana leaves and cut off the long, hard sides of the leaves along the central vein. Look for holes or rips, then cut leaves into unbroken 8 inch segments (you will need 36). Either steam the segments for 20 minutes or one at a time, run them over an open flame or hot electric burner until soft and glossy.

Filling:

Heat a medium-large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat until barely smoking. Add the onion to the pan and cook until it is translucent and soft. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin and cook for another minute. Add the beans to the pan and simmer until tender. Mash the beans with the remaining broth until they are soft, not soupy. Season with salt to taste.

Batter:

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the lard until smooth. Continue beating as you add the masa in three additions or more. In a blender puree the cilantro with 1 cup of broth, then slowly pour it into the masa mixture, beating all the while. Beat in enough additional broth to give the mixture of soft, not runny, batter; it should softly hold its shape in a spoon. Season with salt, about 2 scant teaspoons, depending on the saltiness of the broth.

Forming and Steaming the tamales:

Lay a leaf so the long side is horizontal, and smear a scan ¼ cup of batter into a 4x4 inch rectangle. Spoon about 2 tbs of beans over the batter. Fold the right third of the leaf over the middle third, then fold over the uncovered third of the leaf. Fold the ends in at roughly the point where the batter begins and tie with twine. Lay folded side down into a steamer lined with the remaining banana leaves. Cover and steam over medium heat for 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Let the steamer stand off heat for a few minutes—if the leaves peel off easily, they are done.

Makes 4 dozen tamales

Tamales with Chicken and Red Chiles

Ingredients:

Filling

8 medium dried guajillo chiles, stemmed,

seeded and torn into several pieces

8 garlic cloves

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp ground cumin

3 lbs chicken breast, boneless and skinless

Salt

Olive oil

Batter

2 ½ cups lard (Manteca)

or vegetable shortening, slightly softened

3 tsp baking powder

4 tsp salt

4 lbs corn masa (8 cups of masa preparada)

2 2/3 cup chicken broth

Corn husks (soaked in warm water for several hours until pliable)

Filling:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and pan fry until cooked. Shred the chicken. In a blender or food processor combine the chiles, garlic, pepper and cumin. Add 2 cups of chicken stock and blend to a smooth puree. Pour into the saucepan and add the shredded chicken plus 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer uncovered for one hour stirring regularly—may want to add more liquid if needed. Once the liquids have reduced, remove and cool. I find the flavor is better if you make it the day before and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Batter:

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the lard with 4 tsp salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about one minute. Continue beating as you add the masa in three additions or more. Reduce the speed to medium low and add 2 cups of broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a half teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water. Add additional broth if necessary.

Cornhusks:

Lay out a large, lightly dried cornhusk with the tapering end toward you. Spread 3 Tbs of dough into about a 4-inch square, spoon the filling down the center and pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together. Fold up the empty section of the husk along the bottom.

Steaming:

When all of the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover husks, and fill any open spaces with foil to keep the tamales secure. Set the lid in place and steam over a constant heat for the about one hour. Make sure the water doesn’t boil away, add boiling water to the pot when necessary.

Tamales are done with the husk peels away easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off heat for a few minutes to firm up.

Makes 3 dozen tamales