Recipe Name: Ode to Chèvre Bruschetta
Recipe Source: Victoria Williams
Yield: abt 40 appetizers
Ingredients:
1 Baguette, about 24" long
5 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 lbs firm ripe tomatoes, Roma or cherry tomatoes
1½ T Lemon juice
1½ t Dijon mustard
½ c Calamata Olives, pitted and chopped
3 T Basil, chopped and fresh or 1 T dried Basil
1 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
6 oz Chèvre cheese, Goat cheese
Slice the baguette on a slight angle about 1/3" thick; reserve the ends for another use. Arrange the slices on racks on 2 baking sheets, 12x15". Brush the tops lightly with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake in a 425°F regular or convection oven until lightly browned, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse, stem and core the tomatoes. Cut in half crosswise and squeeze out and discard the seeds. Chop the tomatoes. (If not using immediately, place the tomatoes in strainer and let them drain.)
In a bowl, mix remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice and mustard. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, basil and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the cheese over one side of each side of the toast. Mound tomato mixture equally on top. Serve at once.
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Recipe Name: Crepes
Recipe Source: Robin Young
Serves: 10
Ingredients:
¾ c All-Purpose flour (If you use Wondra Flour, you don't have to chill for 1 hour)
3 lg Eggs, beaten
¾ c Whole milk
½ c Water
½ t Herb Salt (We use our own Seasoned Salt. Recipe is available.)
6 t Unsalted Butter, melted
Whisk together the flour, eggs, milk and 4½ teaspoons of the butter to form a smooth, thin batter. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before proceeding.
Heat a heavy 6" skillet or crepe pan over med-high heat. When hot, brush with a light coating of the remaining butter. Ladle about ¼ cup of the crepe batter into the pan, tilting the skillet to evenly coat the pan with the batter.
Cook until golden brown on the bottom and the top begins to look dry, about 1-2 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully turn the crepe and cook on the second side just until the bottom colors slightly, about 30 seconds.
Transfer the crepe to a plate and cover loosly with waxed paper to keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining batter. Fill with strips of duck meat, brocolli and onion soubise and fold in half and then in quarters. Serve warm or cold.
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Recipe Name: Smoked Salmon and Avocado Mousse
Recipe Source: Robin Young and Belle Rhodes
Serves: 25
Ingredients:
8 oz thinly sliced Smoked Salmon or 1-8oz tin of fresh Alaskan smoked salmon
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 c Sour Cream
1 t hot Pepper Sauce
2 T Lemon juice, fresh
1 t unflavored Gelatin
½ c Scallions, minced
1 lg ripe Avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into thin slices
1 bunch Watercress, washed and dried
Optional - Salmon Roe in the curves of the avocado
Toasted bread rounds or crackers
Line a 4-cup round mold with plastic wrap.
In the bowl of a food procesor, combine the cream cheese and sour cream until creamy, smooth and well combined. Add the hot pepper sauce and salmon. Sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over the lemon juice and let sit for a few minutes until the gelatin is dissolved - stirring to dissolve the gelatin. Add to the food processor and blend.
Remove the bowl from the food processor and fold in the minced scallions. Spoon the mousse into the mold and cover with another sheet of plastic. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
Remove the plastic from the bottom of the mold and gently place over the avocado slices and watercress on a serving plate. Gently shake to release the mold and unwrap completely.
Serve with toasted breads or crackers as an appetizer or first course with Champagne or a dry white wine.
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Recipe Name: Almond - Apricot Tarts
Recipe Source: Robin Young
Serves: 20
Ingredients:
1 c All-Purpose or Pastry Flour
2 T Powdered sugar
¼ lbs unsalted sweet Butter, cold and cut into slices
1 Egg yolk, beaten with 3 T cold water
Heavy cream
½ c Almonds, ground
Apricot jam
Paté Sucre - Sweet pastry dough
Add the flour and sugar to a cuisinart and blend. Pulse the butter into the mixture until blended. With the machine on, add the egg yolk mixture. Pulse until the mixture forms a ball on the sides. Do not over mix. Remove from the cuisinart and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for ½ hour.
Pre-Heat the oven to 350°F.
Press small amounts of the dough into tart tins with your fingers. Plase the tins on a baking sheet (I use a jelly roll pan).
Pour a scant amount of heavy cream into each pastry shell to barely cover the bottom. Drop a small amount of the apricot jam on top of the cream. Place 1 T of the ground almonds on top of the jam.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until the tart shells are golden brown. Cool for at least 15 minutes and the tarts should free easily from the tins. Keep in airtight containers until ready to serve.
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Recipe Name: Paté d'Campagne (French style country meatloaf)
Recipe Source: Robin Young
Serves: 10
Ingredients:
1½ lbs Pork, boneless
½ lbs Veal
1 Duck liver
1 T Cocoa powder
1 t ground Cloves
1 t Nutmeg
1 t Allspice
1 t Paprika
1 t Onion granules
1 t Celery salt
1 t Sea Salt
1 t Tellicherry peppercorns, whole
¼ t Cayenne pepper
Cut the meats into small pieces and place in a food processor to mince fine. (Or use a hand meat grinder adding spices later.) Add all of the spices and process to blend.
Arrange the spiced meat mixture on a piece of parchment paper, making a narrow loaf shape by enveloping the loaf with the parchment, that will fit in your loaf pan.
Bake at 350°F in a bain mare, a waterbath. The loaf pan will fit into a larger pan of water to cook by partial steaming. Place a piece of tin foil over the loaf and bake for 1½ hours.
Remove from heat, lift the loaf out of the residual liquid (fat drippings) and wrap in the tin foil. Place a brick on the paté to press it down and chill over night.
Serve thinly sliced on fresh - or toasted - baguette slices. Dribble some truffle oil on the slices for that truely French flavor.
Optionally, place a thin strip of carrot, parsley leaves and some pistachio nuts in the center of the loaf - for a fancier looking version.
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Recipe Name: Broccoli en Pureé
Recipe Source: Robin Young
Serves: 36+
Ingredients:
3 lbs Broccoli, fresh
4 T unsalted Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 T Sea Salt
2 T Olive or Grape Seed oil
12 Anchovy filets
1 Garlic clove, peeled and split in half
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
Capers and Parsley leaves for garnish
Prepare the Broccoli
Rinse and drain the broccoli. Carefully peel the stems and flowerets. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Plunge the stems into the boiling water with 1 T Sea Salt. Boil the stems uncovered for about 5 minutes. Add the flowerets and boil for an additional 5 minutes or until a sharp knife easily pierces the stems. Refresh the broccoli under cold water or in an ice bath. The broccoli can be made a few hours in advance. Divide the broccoli in half.
French Style
Melt 4 T butter in a large sauté pan. Add one-half of the broccoli and shake to cover it. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt, tossing every few minutes until the broccoli is heated through. Puree in a food processor and correct seasoning as necessary.
Serve warm or as a side dish for 4 or cold in Canapés.
Mediterranean Style
Heat the Olive or Grape Seed oil in a sauté pan with the garlic. Add the anchovies and mash with the garlic with a large wooden spoon. Add one half of the broccoli and a pinch of red pepper flakes, coating with the oil until warmed through.
Puree in a food processor. Correct the seasoning as needed.
Serve warm as a side dish or cold on toast or canapé. Garnish with caper or a small piece of anchovy or parsley leaf.
Serve canapé composee with ½ broccoli and ½ Soubise (onion) puree with a thin slice of duck breast and a bit of puree in the center. Serve with a red Bordeaux.
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Recipe Name: Asparagus/Apricot Cream Cheese Roll-Ups
Recipe Source: Bob and Robin Young
Serves: 20
Ingredients:
½ c Cream Cheese, softened
2 t Lemon juice
1½ T Apricot preserves
2 T Dijon Country Whole Mustard
1 lbs Asparagus, blanched about 2 minutes
¾ lbs Ham, sliced about 1/8" thick
Dried apricots, sliced paper thin
Combine cream cheese, lemon juice, apricot preserves and Dijon. Blend well. On 1 piece of ham, spread a little of the cream cheese mixture. Lay 1 asparagus spear across the top of the ham slice. Place a row of thinly sliced dried apricots along the asparagus spear. Roll tightly. Place 4 tooth picks through the ham/asparagus. Cut into ¼'s. Trim ends. Place on a decorated platter.
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Recipe Name: Chilean Ceviche
Recipe Source: Robin Young
Ingredients:
2 lbs Chilean sea bass, cut into ½" cubes
6 Limes, juiced
6 Scallions, sliced
½ c Cilantro leaves, chopped
Place cut fish in a glass bowl. Combine lime juice, scallions and cilantro and pour over fish and lightly toss. Cover. Marinate refrigerated over night. Serve chilled.
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Recipe Name: Chilean Shrimp in Lemon Garlic Sauce
Recipe Source: Natalie MacLean, "Nat Decants - Wine Newsletter", May 2006
Ingredients:
Shrimp:
4 c Water
1 t Kosher salt
1 t Peppercorns
1 t Chili flakes
2 t Paprika
2 t Coriander seeds
24 jumbo Shrimps
Lemon and Garlic Sauce:
1 T chopped Garlic
1 c Parsley leaves
½ c Coriander leaves
1 c Spinach leaves
2 T Lemon juice
2 T Orange juice
1 t grated Orange rind
½ t Chili flakes
½ c Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Cooking Shrimp -
In a large pot add water, salt, peppercorns, chili flakes, paprika and coriander seeds. Bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Add shrimp. Turn heat to medium low and poach for 4 to 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm. Drain immediately and cool on a plate.
Lemon Garlic Sauce -
Note: The Lemon Garlic Sauce is an emerald green, spicy, flavorful dip for the shrimp.
Combine garlic, parsley, coriander, spinach leaves, lemon and orange juice, orange rind and chili flakes in a food processor and process until chunky. With machine running, add oil down the feeder tube. The mixture will thicken and become smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
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Recipe Name: Chilean Salsa
Yield: ~8 cups
Recipe Source: Robin and Bob Young
Ingredients:
15 cloves Garlic, peeled
1 green Serrano chili, seeds and veins removed
1 Jalapeno chili, seeds and veins removed
3 Anaheim chilies, seeds and veins removed
1¼ T Sea Salt or Kosher salt
5 med ripe Tomatoes, seeded and diced to ¼" cubes
12 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced to ¼" cubes
2 c chopped Spanish onions
1 c chopped Red onion
¾ c fresh Cilantro, chopped
2½ T dried Oregano
1/8 t Lime oil (Be Careful. Lime oil is potent!)
1 c Vegetable oil
¼ c Red Wine Vinegar
In a food processor, combine the garlic, chili peppers and salt and make a paste. Use some of the vegetable oil to get the mixture to combine. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Chill before serving to let the flavors marry. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
For a more festive salsa, try this alternative instead of the Roma tomatoes:
5 med Orange tomatoes, seeded and diced to ¼" cubes
3 lg Yellow tomatoes, seeded and diced to ¼" cubes
The original recipe called for 5 Serrano chilies, but for us that would be too spicy. Adjust the chilies to your own taste.
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Recipe Name: Empanadas in Rice Wrappers
Yield: ~ 36 empanadas
Recipe Source: Robin and Bob Young
Ingredients:
4 Spanish onions, chopped
½ c Vegetable oil
3 T Paprika
2 lbs lean Ground beef
1 lbs lean Ground lamb
1¼ t Cinnamon
Salt and Pepper - to taste
1½ T Oregano
1 Beef Bouillon cube, dissolved in ½ c water
5 eggs, hard cooked and sliced
Stuffed Olives (sliced) and raisins
36 Rice wrappers
Sauté onions in hot oil until cooked, lower the heat and add paprika, ground beef and lamb and cook. When cooked, add the rest of the spices, add the bouillon. Let the mixture simmer for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat. Note: Add ½ tsp of sugar to soften the onions.
Gently soak an individual wrapper in hot water for about 1 minute per side, or until soft. Remove from the water and place on a flat working surface. Place about 2 T of the filling near one side, leaving enough of the wrapper to fold over the top of the filling. Top the filling with about 3-4 slices of olive, 3-4 raisins and 1 hard cooked egg slice, cut in half and placed end-to-end. Roll tightly about ¼ of the way and then fold sides in. Continue rolling until sealed. Serve warm.
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Recipe Name: Smoked Salmon Roll-Ups
Serves: ~30
Recipe Source: Robin Young
Ingredients:
32 slices Smoked Salmon (Lox)
8 oz Cream cheese, softened
2 T Chives, diced
2 T Green Onion, diced
2 T Parsley, diced
Red or Black Caviar or She Crab row
Roll the slices of smoked salmon [lox] into a cone shape. Place on wax paper. To the cream cheese, stir in chives, green onion and parsley. Pipe into the wee cones of salmon. Top with a tiny spoon of Red or Black Caviar or She Crab row and a small wedge of lemon. Arrange on a platter and refrigerate until serving time.
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Recipe Name: Lemon Gooey Butter Bars
Yield: ~3 dozen, 1½" squares
Recipe Source: Paula Deen, The Lady and Sons, Savannah, GA
Ingredients:
Cake -
1 18.25oz Box Lemon Cake
1 Egg
1 stick Butter (½ cup), melted
Filling -
8 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
2 Eggs
¼ c Lemon zest and juice of lemon, about 2 lemons
1 t Pure vanilla
1 16oz box Confectioners' sugar
1 stick Butter (½ cup), melted
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking dish or pan.
Cake - In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of the baking dish and set aside.
Filling - Using the electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and lemon juice and zest. Mix well. Add the confectioner's sugar and mix well. Reduce the mixer speed and slowly pour in the butter. Mix well.
Baking - Pour the mixture onto the cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40-50 minutes. You want the center to be a little “gooey” and the cake to be golden brown, so watch your baking time. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. When finished cooling, cut into about 1½" squares. These little cakes are very rich!
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Recipe Name: Artichoke and Spinach Dip
Serves: 20
Recipe Source: Bob and Robin Young
Ingredients:
1 c Mayonnaise
2½ T Roasted Sweet Red Pepper and Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
8 oz Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
10 oz Spinach, frozen, chopped and well drained (Squeeze dry)
25½ oz Artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and course chopped.
Note: Canned artichoke hearts need to be rinsed several times to remove the excess salt.
5 oz sliced Waterchestnuts, each slice quartered
1 T Garlic granules
½ T Basil, dried
1¼ T Rockin' R's Herbs de Provence
In a mixer, combine the mayonnaise and the cheese. Leave the mixer on low and add the spinach. Blend for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the mixing bowl. Add the well rinsed artichoke hearts. Blend for about 2 minutes. Add the waterchestnuts. Blend for about 2 minutes, scraping the side of the mixing bowl. Add the garlic, basil and the Herbs de Provence. Blend all for about 5 minutes on medium-low, scraping the side of the mixing bowl to fully incorporate the mixture. Place in a bowl and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Just before serving, dot with either paprika or pimento strips for color contrast.
Note: Try this dip warmed up or spread on salmon steaks before baking. It is really good that way.
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Recipe Name: Roasted Sweet Red Pepper and Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
Yield: ~1 qt
Recipe Source: Bob and Robin Young
Ingredients:
1 c Walnuts, ground to a course powder
4 Garlic cloves, chopped
3 lg or 4 med Sweet Red Pepper, slowly fire roasted over mesquite
2 c Best Foods or Hellmanns Mayonnaise
½ t Cayenne, use more for a spicer blend
1/3 c Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil
Pinch of sugar
¼ t Pure Lime Oil (Add this in 1/8 teaspoon batches and taste! Lime Oil is very strong.) OR the juice of 2 fresh limes
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
If roasting the peppers on a charcoal or gas grill, let cool to room temperature in a tightly covered bowl and reserve the oils. Additionally cool 8 hours refrigerated.
In a food processor, grind the walnuts and garlic to a course powder. Peel the red peppers and remove the seeds. Some of the blackened skin may also drop into the mixture. It is OK. Add to the food processor. Add all of the remaining ingredients, including the reserved pepper oils and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate for 8 hours and let the blend marry before using. This will keep for up to 4 weeks refrigerated in a closed container.
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Recipe Name: Rockin' R's Herbs de Provence
Yield: 1½ Cups
Recipe Source: Bob and Robin Young
Ingredients:
9 T Thyme, dried
6 T Savory, dried
3 T Oregano, dried
8 T Rosemary, dried
6 T Marjoram, dried
4 T Lavender, dried
Combine all herbs and store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Great with any fowl, lamb or pork.
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Recipe Name: Oenophyle, Tyrophyle Bread Twists
Recipe Source: Robin Young for Winemakers Tasting 5/17/2005
Yield: 2 dozen sticks
Ingredients:
Cheese blend:
Into the cuisinart with the regular knife blade ... place an assortment of 1 inch cubes of hard cheeses. I used equal portions of 5 different cheeses - [two unnamed- their labels had gone bye bye]
Gruyere
Parmesan
Asiago
You could also use any heels of left over hard cheeses such as Emmentaler, Peccorino Romano, Dry Monterey Jack, Comte', etc.
Pulsing until you get a ground cheese blend with individual chunks between the size of kosher salt and small peas. Remove to a freezer container, place lid on to keep cheeses from drying out and reserve for using in the bread twists. I used a total of not more than 1 cup. The remainder can be frozen and used in many other baking recipes.
Bread (Without the need for washing after grinding the cheese) ... place
1 Tbsp Yeast into Cuisinart
¼ cup warm water plus 1 Tbsp sugar to proof
Pulse once to mix
Wait 5 -10 min until the yeast mix starts to bubble = Proof
Add :
2 cups Spelt flour *
1 cup Warm water
2 cups All-purpose white flour
1 tsp Sea salt
1/8 tsp Cayenne
1/8 tsp Turmeric
1/8 tsp Red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Blend until the dough forms a ball. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until a smooth ball is formed. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest approx 30 minutes while you wash your cuisinart bowl, preheat oven to 375°F and prepare 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Uncover and push out your dough into a rectangle approximately 10 inches by 30 inches and about ½ inch thick. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of the cheese mix in the center third and fold one end over the middle - similar to making puff paste sprinkle another ¼ cup over the folded layer and bring the other side over that - pushing the dough to make another rectangle about the same size as the first and repeat the folding method.
Press the envelope of dough and cheese into another rectangle and flatten with your hands to make the layers connect - with a sharp knife - cut thin strips - ¼ - ½ inch of the layered dough and lift them onto the prepared cookie sheets - twisting them as you place them about ½ inch apart.
Pre-Heat oven to 375°F
Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown. Turn over and bake until golden brown on the second side. Cool on a rack. Store in a tin if not serving within a few hours. Optional: Spritz the twists with olive oil, Meyer Lemon Oil or Garlic Oil once as they are baking to give them added flavor.
* Spelt flour is milled from a grain mentioned in the Old Testament. It is available at your Co-Op and at almost any Winco in the bulk department; it has a nut - like flavor.
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Recipe Name: Grand Marnier Truffles
Recipe Source: Dottie Christensen
Yield: ~ 4 dozen
Ingredients:
12 oz Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, broken into large pieces
1¼ c Heavy cream
2 T Grand Marnier liqueur
Grated zest of one orange
"Confectioners" sugar
Place chocolate in food processor and process until finely ground.
Heat cream in a small saucepan just until the cream simmers and small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat. With the food processor running, pour the hot cream through the feed tube onto the chocolate and process until chocolate mixture is smooth. Add the Grand Marnier and pulse to mix.
Transfer chocolate mixture to an 8 or 9 inch shallow pan. Refrigerate, uncovered, until firm to the touch, about 1 hour.
Sprinkle cocoa powder in a shallow dish. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar on a large plate. Using a melon baler or teaspoon, scoop up 1 inch rounds of chocolate mixture. Pat hands in the confectioners' sugar and quickly roll each truffle between your hands to make a rough round. Roll truffles lightly in cocoa powder. Repeat for each truffle, dusting your hands in confectioners' sugar as needed to keep the chocolate from sticking. Transfer to an airtight container.
May be kept refrigerated up to one month. (I froze some for several weeks with good success.)
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Recipe Name: Cinnamon Truffles
Recipe Source: Dottie Christensen
Yield: ~ 4 dozen
Ingredients:
12 oz Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, broken into large pieces
1¼ c Heavy Cream
2½ t ground Cinnamon
Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used what I had - Ghirardelli)
"Confectioners" sugar
Place chocolate in food processor and process until finely ground.
Heat cream and cinnamon in a small saucepan just until the cream simmers and small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat. With the food processor running, pour the hot cream through the feed tube onto the chocolate and process until chocolate mixture is smooth.
Transfer chocolate mixture to an 8 or 9 inch shallow pan. Refrigerate, uncovered, until firm to the touch, about 1 hour.
Sprinkle cocoa powder in a shallow dish. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar on a large plate. Using a melon baler or teaspoon, scoop up 1 inch rounds of chocolate mixture. Pat hands in the confectioners' sugar and quickly roll each truffle between your hands to make a rough round. Roll truffles lightly in cocoa powder. Repeat for each truffle, dusting your hands in confectioners' sugar as needed to keep the chocolate from sticking. Transfer to an airtight container.
May be kept refrigerated up to one month. (I froze some for several weeks with good success.)
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Recipe Name: Salsa Fresca with Avacado and Shrimp
Recipe Source: Jerri Nelson
Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients:
1 lbs Ripe Tomatoes, cut into ¼" pieces
1/3 c White Onion, finely chopped
¼ c Fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 T Fresh Garlic, finely chopped
2 t Fresh Lime and Lemon juice
Sea Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 c V-8 Juice
2 Avacados, cut into chunks
1 c Salad Shrimp, rinced and drained
In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, lime and lemon juice and V-8 juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss again. Add avacado and shrimp and stir gently to combine.
Cover and let stand for 15 minutes to 1 hour to allow the flavors to mingle. Serve with tortilla chips or crostini.
Serve with a spicy Pinot Noir, a crisp Sauvignon or even a buttery Chardonay.
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