Our 11th anniversary is on Friday, and we are going to have a nice dinner at home on Saturday to celebrate.
Shrimp and Scallop Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
Steak Diane with Lobster and Truffle Risotto
Heidi's Italian Creme Custard
Shrimp and Scallop Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
2 strips thick-sliced bacon, dices
1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
8 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
4 sea scallops
2 T. minced garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp, red pepper flakes
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
chopped tomato
candied almond slivers
Romaine lettuce, or whatever your favorite salad lettuce is.
Candy 1/4 cup of slivered almonds in 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp. sugar. Heat over meduim heat until it melts to coat almonds. Poor onto parchment, aluminum foil, or plate that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Break apart when cool.
Fry bacon for the vinaigrette in a large saute pan leaving bacon bits in the pan. Stir in @T. of the oil, vinegar, sugar, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Toss seafood with remaining oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and and pepper flakes. Saute until cooked through. Remove from heat, and dress lettuce with seafood, tomatoes, almonds, vinaigrette, and cilantro.
Steak Diane
4 (3-ounce) filet mignon medallions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 teaspoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup sliced white mushroom caps
1/4 cup brandy
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup reduced veal or beef stock
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 drops hot red pepper sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced parsley leaves
Season the beef medallions on both sides with the salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook for 45 seconds on the first side. Turn and cook for 30 seconds on the second side. Add the shallots and garlic to the side of the pan and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until soft, 2 minutes. Place the meat on a plate and cover to keep warm.
Tilt the pan towards you and add the brandy. Tip the pan away from yourself and ignite the brandy with a match. (Alternatively, remove the pan from the heat to ignite, and then return to the heat.) When the flame has burned out, add the mustard and cream, mix thoroughly and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the veal stock and simmer for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce and stir to combine. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pan and turn the meat to coat with the sauce.
Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions and parsley. Divide the medallions and sauce between 2 large plates and serve immediately.
Truffle Risotto
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 pound (2 cups) Arborio rice
1/3 pound assorted exotic mushrooms, such shiitakes, chanterelles, or oysters, wiped clean and chopped (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons chopped green onions, green part only
2 tablespoons white truffle oil
Medium black truffle, for shaving
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring. Saute until the onions are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 6 minutes. Add the rice and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the mushrooms and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture is creamy and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Stir in the butter, cream, cheese, green onions, and truffle oil. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Spoon the risotto in the center of each shallow bowl. Garnish with shaved truffles.
Lobster
2 live lobsters
melted butter.
Boil whole live lobsters until they turn red, about 8 mintues. Remove from heat, place in ice bath to seize cooking. Clean, remove tail meat from shell, and plate tails on top of risotto. Drizzle with melted butter.
Italian Creme Custard This is the 3rd time I have posted this recipe. Someone has to try it!
2 cups half-and-half
5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring
1/8 tsp salt
4 oz. ripe red raspberries (optional)
1. In a small saucepan scald half-and-half over medium-low hear until just bubbly. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl mix egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until combined. Add a small amount of the hot half-and-half to temper the eggs. Continue adding the rest of the half and half slowly to the sugar and egg mixture until it is all combined.
4. Line a large rectangular baking pan or roasting pan with a damp dish towel.
3. Place 6 ramikins (6 oz.) in the baking pan. Place 3 or 4 raspberries in the bottom of each ramikin. Pour custard mixture evenly into the ramikins over the rasberries.
4. Add hot water to the baking dish to come about half-way up the outside of the ramikins to create a water bath.
5. Bake custards in a 325 degree oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. About 35-40 minutes.
6. Remove custards from water bath and cool on wire rack. Refrigerate.
To vary the recipe, instead of vanilla use amaretto or grand marnier for different flavors.
Topping:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
...or a sweetened mascarpone (harder to find).
Top chilled custards with cheese topping. Refrigerate.
When ready to serve, sprinkle each ramikin with a bit of brown sugar on the top and microwave for about 40 seconds, until the custard is warm. Garnish with more fresh raspberries, almond slivers or mint leaves.
Shrimp and Scallop Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
Steak Diane with Lobster and Truffle Risotto
Heidi's Italian Creme Custard
Shrimp and Scallop Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
2 strips thick-sliced bacon, dices
1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
8 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
4 sea scallops
2 T. minced garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp, red pepper flakes
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
chopped tomato
candied almond slivers
Romaine lettuce, or whatever your favorite salad lettuce is.
Candy 1/4 cup of slivered almonds in 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp. sugar. Heat over meduim heat until it melts to coat almonds. Poor onto parchment, aluminum foil, or plate that is lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Break apart when cool.
Fry bacon for the vinaigrette in a large saute pan leaving bacon bits in the pan. Stir in @T. of the oil, vinegar, sugar, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Toss seafood with remaining oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and and pepper flakes. Saute until cooked through. Remove from heat, and dress lettuce with seafood, tomatoes, almonds, vinaigrette, and cilantro.
Steak Diane
4 (3-ounce) filet mignon medallions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 teaspoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup sliced white mushroom caps
1/4 cup brandy
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup reduced veal or beef stock
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 drops hot red pepper sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon minced parsley leaves
Season the beef medallions on both sides with the salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook for 45 seconds on the first side. Turn and cook for 30 seconds on the second side. Add the shallots and garlic to the side of the pan and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until soft, 2 minutes. Place the meat on a plate and cover to keep warm.
Tilt the pan towards you and add the brandy. Tip the pan away from yourself and ignite the brandy with a match. (Alternatively, remove the pan from the heat to ignite, and then return to the heat.) When the flame has burned out, add the mustard and cream, mix thoroughly and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the veal stock and simmer for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce and stir to combine. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pan and turn the meat to coat with the sauce.
Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions and parsley. Divide the medallions and sauce between 2 large plates and serve immediately.
Truffle Risotto
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 pound (2 cups) Arborio rice
1/3 pound assorted exotic mushrooms, such shiitakes, chanterelles, or oysters, wiped clean and chopped (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons chopped green onions, green part only
2 tablespoons white truffle oil
Medium black truffle, for shaving
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring. Saute until the onions are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 6 minutes. Add the rice and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the mushrooms and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture is creamy and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Stir in the butter, cream, cheese, green onions, and truffle oil. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Spoon the risotto in the center of each shallow bowl. Garnish with shaved truffles.
Lobster
2 live lobsters
melted butter.
Boil whole live lobsters until they turn red, about 8 mintues. Remove from heat, place in ice bath to seize cooking. Clean, remove tail meat from shell, and plate tails on top of risotto. Drizzle with melted butter.
Italian Creme Custard This is the 3rd time I have posted this recipe. Someone has to try it!
2 cups half-and-half
5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring
1/8 tsp salt
4 oz. ripe red raspberries (optional)
1. In a small saucepan scald half-and-half over medium-low hear until just bubbly. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl mix egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until combined. Add a small amount of the hot half-and-half to temper the eggs. Continue adding the rest of the half and half slowly to the sugar and egg mixture until it is all combined.
4. Line a large rectangular baking pan or roasting pan with a damp dish towel.
3. Place 6 ramikins (6 oz.) in the baking pan. Place 3 or 4 raspberries in the bottom of each ramikin. Pour custard mixture evenly into the ramikins over the rasberries.
4. Add hot water to the baking dish to come about half-way up the outside of the ramikins to create a water bath.
5. Bake custards in a 325 degree oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. About 35-40 minutes.
6. Remove custards from water bath and cool on wire rack. Refrigerate.
To vary the recipe, instead of vanilla use amaretto or grand marnier for different flavors.
Topping:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
...or a sweetened mascarpone (harder to find).
Top chilled custards with cheese topping. Refrigerate.
When ready to serve, sprinkle each ramikin with a bit of brown sugar on the top and microwave for about 40 seconds, until the custard is warm. Garnish with more fresh raspberries, almond slivers or mint leaves.
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