Here is a sample of their menu; Musk ox & smoked marrow with apple and beetroot - chestnuts & black roe with walnuts and cress shoots - langoustine & seawater parsley & rye - salsify & milk skin with truffle from Gotland - dried scallops & watercress with biodynamic cereals & beachnut pickled vegetables & bone marrow herbs & bouillon.
I must not have a very refined palette because I would refuse to eat this and I certainly would not pay $175.00. Do you think they are trying to appeal to "food snobs?"
Some of the other restaurants that made the list were Alinea (Chicago), El Bulli (Spain), Daniel (New York), Le Bernardin (New York), Eleven Madison Park (New York), French Laundry (Yountville, CA) near Napa - Jerry and I have dined here before and thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the food was incredible.
Swallow your pride it contains no calories....
We all love fine dining and formal service, but it's unpleasant when the restaurant or the restaurant staff is at odds with reality. Ever been greeted at the door by an unfriendly snooty hostess, it makes me want to turn around and leave. We've all encountered the stuffy pretentious waitperson who acts as if being a waitperson is beneath them (get a new job) and their nose never comes off the ceiling. Is it too much to ask for a smile and thank you, after all wait staff, maitre d' and hostess, if it weren't for the customers you would not have a job. On occasion, presentation of the food can get a little over-the-top. I don't want to eat art work, so I don't want my food looking like it belongs in a museum. I like it presented nicely, but some chefs go way overboard. Huge plates and bowls with tiny little portions, they charge a fortune for, no thanks.
Below I've listed some very non-pretentious recipes and I hope you enjoy them.
Curried Shrimp
2 lbs. medium to large shrimp, clean, peel and devein
1 onion, julienne
1 apple, peeled, cored and julienne
2 garlic clove, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 Tbl. good quality curry powder
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Heat a little oil in large saute pan, add onions, apple and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft, do not brown. Add the shrimp and curry powder. Cook until shrimp turns pink; add lemon juice, sour cream and yogurt. Gently bring to a boil and stir. Place mixture on a platter over cooked couscous or rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. I also like to sprinkle with chopped cashews too.
Simple Halibut with Vinaigrette - It's nice to just eat simply and this dish is delicious and flavorful
4 to 6 halibut fillet (6 to 8 oz. each)
Vinaigrette - I also like this vinaigrette over salad with grilled chicken
1 Tbl. fresh ginger, peeled & grated
2 Tbl. Italian parsley, chopped
4 scallions, chopped including green part
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbl. white wine vinegar
2 Tbl. Dijon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 Tbl. canola oil
Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and puree until incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings.
There are a couple of ways to prepare the fish; you can oil it, season with salt and pepper and grill (my favorite way) you can poach or pan fry it too. When fish is cooked, place on platter and drizzle on vinaigrette.
Chicken Breasts with Dijon Sauce
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1 Tbl. red wine vinegar
1/2 cups good quality chicken stock
2 tsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 Tbl. Dijon
Italian parsley, chopped
Fresh thyme, chopped
Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, add a little oil and some butter. Cook chicken on each side about 6 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove chicken, add onions and thyme and cook until onions are soft. Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil. Add stock and bring to boil and stir in tomato paste. Cook until slightly reduced, add cream and bring to boil and reduce slightly, stir in Dijon. Add back chicken with juices and cook for about 1 more minute. Remove chicken to platter, pour over sauce and sprinkle with parsley.
Chicken and Dumplings - how unpretentious can you get. Here in Texas they make dumplings that are made like pasta, I don't care for them. I like fluffy dumplings like my mom made.
1 (5 lb.) roasting chicken
1 large onion, chopped
6 stalks of celery, chopped and divided
2 bay leaves
5 garlic cloves, crushed
8 cups cold water
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup white wine (dry)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup frozen pearl onions
4 carrots, peeled, cut into chunks
2 cups frozen peas
Italian parsley, chopped
2 Tbl. fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
Note: you can also add more vegetables of your choice, just be sure to add a little extra chicken stock
Dumplings - these are herb dumplings and you can use whatever herbs you enjoy
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbl. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup scallions, minced including green part
1 Tbl. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
4 Tbl. Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup whole milk
Clean chicken and place in pot with 8 cups cold water, add onion, 1/2 of chopped celery, herbs, spices, garlic and wine. Cover and bring to a boil and turn down to simmer and cook until chicken is done and falls off bone, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove and drain, reserving stock and skimming. Cool chicken and then pull from bone, discarding bones and skin.
In a large Dutch oven, melt butter and whisk in 1/2 cup flour until blended, cooking about 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in reserved stock, cooking until thickened, add pearl onions, carrots, celery, peas & chicken, season with salt and pepper.
Dumplings
In large bowl, mix dumpling ingredients and make a batter. With a large scoop or tablespoon scoop out portions and drop into simmering liquid in Dutch oven (if more stock is needed, you can add before adding dumplings) Place all dumplings in and cover and cook for about 20 minutes until puffed up and cooked. Ladle out stew and dumplings and garnish with parsley.
Halibut with Basil Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
4 (6 to 8 oz) portions of Halibut
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
Sauce
olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
6 Tbl. sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup goat cheese
In a saute pan, add some olive oil and a little butter. Season fish with salt and pepper. Cook fish until browned on each side. Add fresh lemon juice, garlic, shallot and sun dried tomatoes. Cook for about 1 minute then add white wine and cream. Cook until slightly thickened, remove fish to platter and add goat cheese and chopped basil. Taste and adjust seasonings, spoon sauce over fish.
Avocado Souffle
5 Tbl. butter
6 Tbl. all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
1 large Haas avocado
5 egg yolks
6 egg whites
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat butter in saucepan, add flour and stir with wooden spoon until smooth. Do not brown. Keep heat on low and cool slightly. In another saucepan, heat the milk to boiling point and pour into cooked flour mixture. Beat rapidly with whisk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove seed from avocados and scoop out pulp, the puree in blender. Beat the egg yolks into the avocado puree. Stir this into the other mixture. Heat the mixture on low, stirring constantly and remove before coming to boiling point. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks and fold into avocado mixture. Pour avocado mixture into a buttered and floured 2-qt. souffle dish and bake in oven for about 35 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.
Lemony Cauliflower
1 large head cauliflower
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
2 Tbl. butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Break cauliflower into florets and place in saucepan and steam until tender. In a large saute pan, add butter with a little olive oil and garlic, cook until softened. Add lemon juice and reduce a little. Add steamed cauliflower to saute pan with lemon and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper. Place cauliflower on platter; pour lemon garlic sauce over, sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan.
Glazed Beets - I think beets are one of my favorite vegetables, my mom always used to make Harvard Beets and this is similar
1 1/2 lbs. fresh beets
1 1/2 cup apricot nectar
1 1/2 Tbl. cornstarch
2 1/2 Tbl. cider vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted
Cut tops off beets, leaving at least 1-inch of stems (do not trim root ends). Gently scrub beets under running water, but do not break skins. Place in saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to boil and reduce heat. Cover and cook about 20 minutes until just firm with pierced with fork. Remove to plate, cool and rinse again.
Combine nectar and cornstarch in saucepan and stir in vinegar. Cook until mixture thickens. Cut on stems from beets, peel and slice into wedges. Place in apricot mixture and season with salt and pepper, tossing to coat. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle on toasted pecans.
Julia's Mushrooms
1 large box of button mushrooms, sliced in half
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 Tbl. butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. good quality curry powder
4 Tbl. Italian parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Add butter and a little olive oil to saute pan, add mushrooms and lightly brown, add curry then add garlic and onion and cook about 5 minutes. Stir in white wine and reduce. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Place in serving dish.
Scallops with Truffles
12 large scallops
1 Tbl. shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fish stock (good quality)
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 truffle, cut julienne (I purchase the canned ones)
1 egg yolk
4 Tbl. Creme Fraiche
2 Tbl. butter, soft
2 Tbl. Swiss cheese, grated
Place scallops in baking dish with shallots, white wine, fish stock and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Poach for about 5 minutes. Drain scallops (keep liquid) and place in baking dish and keep warm. Stain the juices you saved through fine sieve, add truffles and return to heat and reduce to approximately 4 Tbl. Beat egg yolk and creme fraiche. Remove sauce from heat and beat in egg-creme mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings. Return to low heat and stir for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and swirl in butter until smooth. Coat scallops with sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Brown under broiler and serve. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Steak Chasseur - Chasseur sauce is said to be created by Duke Philipe De Mornay (1549-1623). He was a protestant writer and called the protestant pope. It is also said he invented Mornay, Bechamel, Lyonnaise and Porto sauces. It is a hunter-style brown sauce. I used to make for my parents and they love it.
1 1/2 Tbl. Beurre Manie - equal part of butter and flour incorporated
4 tournedos fillet of beef
6 Tbl. butter
3 Tbl. olive oil
4 shallots, minced
1/4 lb. mushrooms, minced
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup good quality beef stock
1 Tbl. tomato paste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbl. Italian parsley, minced
Heat 3 Tbl. of butter and 3 Tbl. oil and saute beef on both sides, cook to desired doneness. Remove to plate and keep warm. Add remaining butter to pan juices with shallots and mushrooms. Saute for about 5 minutes until golden. Add wine and bring to boiling and reduce by two thrids. Add beef stock and tomato paste. Stir in the beurre manie and simmer for about 6 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Return steaks with juices on plate to pan and turn them around in sauce. Place on serving platter and pour over some sauce. Sprinkle with parsley.
Strawberry Genoise Lucullus
Genoise
7 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
1/2 clarified butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, break up eggs with sugar lightly with a fork. Place bowl over, but not touching simmering water and beat with wire whisk until mixture feels hot to finger. Remove from heat and beat with electric mixer for about 15 minutes until completely cooled and has tripled in bulk. It will also form a ribbon when dropped from spoon. Beat in vanilla. Gently fold in flour alternately with the cooled clarified butter, adding a little at a time.
Bake in two round 9-inch pans which have been buttered and lightly dusted with flour. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Cake will spring back when touched. Place on cooling rack.
Filling
2 cups fresh raspberries
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 qt. small fresh strawberries
2 cups frosting (see below)
Puree the raspberries in blender and place in saucepan with sugar and two thirds of strawberries. Bring to slow boil and simmer 3 minutes. The strawberries should still retain their shape. Drain the fruit and reserve the juice and cool.
Frosting
2 egg whites
2 cups powdered sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
Combine egg whites and sugar in bowl, blend with wooden spoon until very smooth, soft and white. Blend in lemon juice.
Put the cooled strawberries between the 2 layers of cake and frost the top and sides with frosting. Place uncooked strawberries on top of cake and around sides, drizzle cooled fruit juice over the cake. Serve.
Meringue Cups with Fresh Berries & Whipped Cream - My mom used to make these in the summer and fill with either fresh strawberries, blackberries or raspberries. Sometimes she would mix homemade lemon curd in with the whipped cream. If you make a bigger version it's called Pavola.
1 cup sugr
1 Tbl. cornstarch
4 egg whites, room temp.
1/4 tsp. fresh cream of tarter
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
fresh berries of your choice
whipping cream
lemon curd (optional)
Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Whisk sugar and cornstarch. Beat egg whites 1 minute and then add cream of tarter and salt beating until blended. Gradually add sugar, 1 Tbl. at a time until mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Beat in vanilla. On a baking tray, add parchment paper and spoon on individual rounds making indentation in center with the edge built up a little. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until pale golden and outside crust has formed. Turn oven off and let meringues stand in oven with door closed and light on for 12 hours.
When ready to serve, remove meringues to plate. Whip cream, adding a little powdered sugar and lemon curd if desired. Spoon some into meringues, top with berries and more whipped cream.
Lavender Ice Cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup half and half
2/3 cup honey
2 Tbl. dried culinary lavender (Amazon has it too)
2 large eggs
1/8 tsp. salt
In a heavy saucepan, over moderate heat, bring cream, half and half, honey and lavender just to a boil, stirring occasionally, then move pan from heat. Cover pan and let steep 30 minutes. Pour cream mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard lavender. Return mixture to clean saucepan and heat over moderate heat until hot.
Whisk together the eggs and salt in large bowl, then add 1 cup of hot cream (tempering) mixture in slow stream, whisking. Pour into remaining hot cream mixture in saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thick enough to coat back of spoon and mixture registers 170 on thermometer about 5 minutes (do not boil).
Pour custard through sieve into clean bowl and cool completely stirring occasionally. Chill, covered until cold about 3 hours. Freeze in ice cream maker. Place in airtight container and put in freezer until harden.
Bon Appetit
"Do not tremble or be dismayed for the Lord God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9
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