February 2017

Potatoes (Pommes Duchesse)

Posted on 20 February 2017

I was online looking for an interesting potato recipe that was more than just “taters,” when I came across a picture of an entrée with a side that resembled spiraling Russian minarets. The caption named the featured side dish as “pommes duchesse.” The recipe looked busy and complicated, but I found it was only mashed potatoes piped onto parchment paper. It was then brushed with an egg wash (for color and crunch), and browned in an oven. It appeared intriguing, so I thought I would try it. What makes this…

Grilled Cheese Sandwich (An Homage)

Posted on 20 February 2017

in Additional Recipes, Pure Comfort Food

by Bob

The stock market goes up and down; fashion trends are in and out; friends come and go, and the weather is always a bit iffy, but I can always count on a grilled cheese sandwich. Their crispy, crunchy, buttery, salty, cheesy, gooey goodness is always sheer ecstasy, and I get weak in the knees just thinking about them. When an overwhelming desire for comfort food hits me, I’ll use whatever bread and cheese I have in the house, fire up the griddle, and go to work. At the same time…

Lobster Tails Butterflied

Posted on 19 February 2017

in Additional Recipes, Fish and Seafood Selections

by Bob

Because we live in a landlocked state, few of our guests know anything about lobsters. I always like to impart a bit of information about what I’m about to serve, so I try to regale those assembled with some noted facts. It takes an American lobster 6-7 years to get to an edible size. While it feeds primarily on fish and mollusks, it will also consume algae, other plant life, and even other lobsters. It’s a ten-legged crustacean that walks forward, but if it needs to quickly get…

Guacamole

Posted on 19 February 2017

in Nibbles and Appetizers (The Starters)

by Bob

Guacamole In A Molcajete (Patio Fare) It’s time to take your culinary entertaining outdoors. Are you looking for something besides salsa to serve with a pitcher of margaritas? Prepare a delicious guacamole dip made with fresh ingredients and serve it in a molcajete. A molcajete is a traditional Mexican version of a mortar and pestle). It has a rough surface, so you can use it to crush and grind herbs and spices, making it very functional. You can actually make the guacamole in the molcajete and then garnish the…

Chicken Simple Bistro Roasted

Posted on 18 February 2017

in Additional Recipes, Fowl

by Bob

Bistro food is basic unpretentious food served in a casual setting. It’s the French answer to comfort food. Although the dishes are simple and the recipes are not complicated, high preparation standards and innovative approaches are maintained. Thomas Keller wrote a cookbook, Bouchon, about bistro food. One of the recipes in his book is Simple Roast Chicken. It has few ingredients and is easily prepared. As it states in the directions, truss the bird, salt and pepper it, put it in a roasting pan, and bake it an…

Pork Rack With Mushroom Pan Sauce

Posted on 18 February 2017

in Additional Recipes, The Classic Meat Dishes

by Bob

My new favorite way to cook a pork roast is to purchase a 5-bone rack . If you want to get fancy, have the butcher “French” the bones. It will make for a delightful presentation and it is delicious. This is in stark contrast to the pork I’m used to eating. It seems to me the majority of the really bad meals I’ve eaten over the course of my life have involved pork. I’ve choked down uninteresting, unpalatable, and barely digestible roasts. I’ve struggled with loins that couldn’t be saved…

Coulibiac – Salmon And Brown Rice (Simplified Version)

Posted on 18 February 2017

in Fish and Seafood Selections

by Bob

If unique is what you are seeking in a salmon recipe, try a coulibiac. It’s essentially a pastry loaf containing salmon baked with rice, vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, wine, herbs, and spices. I read about it in the July 29, 2013, edition of The New Yorker magazine in an article titled “Cooking With Daniel,” where author Bill Buford (author of the book Heat) and Daniel Boulud recreate three French dishes, one of them being coulibiac. Originally A Russian Dish It’s origin is Russia and was adapted to French cuisine…

Chardonnay Vinaigrette Dressing (Cooking With Wine)

Posted on 17 February 2017

in Additional Recipes, Nibbles and Appetizers (The Starters)

by Bob

“I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food.” – W.C. Fields At a wine and jazz festival I was attending they offered a course entitled “Cooking With Wine.” The chef prepared three courses: salad (with a vinaigrette), entrée (with a pan sauce for chicken), and dessert (with berries over ice cream). Each of the dishes contained a reduction of the wine that was selected to accompany the dish, and the result was a perfect wine/food pairing for each course. It seemed like such a novel idea…

Risotto Classic With Escarole

Posted on 17 February 2017

in Additional Recipes, Sumptuous Sides

by Bob

From Opera To Risotto Risotto is one of those dishes that can define the competence of an Italian cook. Flavor and consistency are the determinants, and bragging rights among cooks are highly sought after. As a matter of fact, Giuseppe Verdi was very proud of his rendition. He would challenge other cooks to see if they could eclipse his. Verdi’s wife is quoted as saying, “Giuseppe’s risotto is truly a dish he makes in divine fashion.” Risotto gets its name from “riso,” the Italian word for rice. There…

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February 2017

Potatoes (Pommes Duchesse)

Grilled Cheese Sandwich (An Homage)

Lobster Tails Butterflied

Guacamole

Chicken Simple Bistro Roasted

Pork Rack With Mushroom Pan Sauce

Coulibiac – Salmon And Brown Rice (Simplified Version)

Chardonnay Vinaigrette Dressing (Cooking With Wine)

Risotto Classic With Escarole

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