Archive for » October 5th, 2009«

05
Oct
Chocolate Raspberry Napoleons

Ingredients for Chocolate Layers:

• 230 g  bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Ingredients for Raspberry Mascarpone Cream:

• 230 g container mascarpone cheese* or 230 g cream cheese (room temp)

• ¼ cup sugar

• 2 Tablespoons Framboise (or other raspberry liqueur)

• 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Ingredients for Red Raspberry Puree:

• 2 cups whole frozen raspberries (about 230 g) thawed

• 2 Tablespoons Framboise (or other raspberry liqueur), may add more to taste

• 3 Tablespoons sugar

• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

What’s Next on Those Chocolate Layers:

Cover the bottom of a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with foil, tucking ends under, making sure foil is tight. Mark 36 x 24 cm rectangle on foil. In top of double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt chocolate (do not allow bottom of pan to touch water) stirring until smooth, approximately 5-7 minutes. Pour onto foil and spread quickly and evenly to the same thickness to cover rectangle; a pastry chef’s knife works best. Chill in refrigerator until set but not hard, about 7 minutes. With a sharp knife, cut chocolate rectangle lengthwise into three equal strips, each about 8 cm wide. Cut each strip into six equal pieces, each about 6 cm wide. Chill one hour. (Can be made one week ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated).

What’s Next on That Raspberry Mascarpone Cream:

Beat mascarpone cheese, sugar and Framboise together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. Add half the cream and beat until soft peaks form. Add the rest of the cream and beat until thick and stiff. Cover and chill for one hour.

What’s Next for Raspberry Puree:

Place thawed raspberries in food processor or blender. Strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds and place in small saucepan. Stir sugar and cornstarch together and add to puree, along with the Framboise. Heat, stirring until thickened and glossy. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Note: if puree is too cold it may be too thick to create decorative hearts—microwave for 30-40 seconds before use).

How to Assemble Napoleons:

Place one chocolate square on each of the six plates. Spread with three tablespoons of the raspberry mascarpone cream mixture. Use a toothpick to dot edges of mascarpone cream with the raspberry puree. Draw the toothpick through the center of each dot to slightly below center, to create a heart shape. Top with another chocolate piece, spread mascarpone over, repeat with raspberry puree dots/hearts. Top with last chocolate piece and finish with a dollop of mascarpone cream and garnish with fresh raspberries and/or puree and shaved chocolate.

May be plated with a pool of additional raspberry puree. Enjoy!

Category: Desserts, French  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
05
Oct
Pan-grilled Eye Fillet with Warm Bean and Spinach Cassoulet

Ingredients:

* 1 small onion, diced

* 1 clove garlic

* 1 cup red wine

* 1 cup beef, chicken or vegetable stock

* 400g can five bean mix, drained

* 2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

* 2 pieces eye fillet (approx 350g)

* olive oil

* 250g bag baby spinach leaves, washed

Method:

Sweat the onions and garlic in a pan until soft. Add the wine and allow the alcohol to cook off. Add the beans, stock and tomatoes and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

In another pan, cook the eye fillet to your liking.

Remove the bean mixture from the heat, stir through the spinach and allow it to wilt in the heat of the dish.

Serve garnished with lots of chopped parsley.

Recipe by Alison Robert

Category: Mains  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
05
Oct
French Spring Herbs Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

2 lb/ 1 kg green or white asparagus

1 oz/ 25 g unsalted butter

4 shallots, trimmed, peeled and finely chopped

2 pints/ 1 litre mild vegetable stock

2 tablespoons mixture of fresh tarragon, chervil and chives, finely chopped

1 teaspoon celery salt

Freshly ground white pepper

Fine sea salt (optional)

9 fl oz/ 250 ml crème fraiche or single cream

Method:

1. Snap off the woody stems from asparagus spears, and discard them (or use them to make stock).

2. Cut the asparagus into approximately 3-inch pieces. Steam for around 3 to 4 minutes. Refresh in cold water and set aside.

3. Melt the butter in a soup pot, and sauté the shallots for 2 or 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the cooked asparagus pieces, and stir for another minute or two.

4. Add the stock, most of the herbs (reserve a few for garnish), celery salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat, cover with lid, and simmer for 30 minutes. The asparagus should be very tender. Let the soup cool slightly.

5. Blitz the soup in a food processor until smooth, then sieve into a clean saucepan. Pour in the crème fraiche or cream. Heat gently, but do not allow to boil. Season with white pepper. Taste the soup – it should already have enough salt because of the vegetable stock and celery salt, but add some sea salt if necessary.

6. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with the remaining fresh herbs. Add swirls of extra crème fraiche or cream if desired, and serve immediately.

Note: Ideally, this soup is made with the finest ingredients: locally grown asparagus from the farmers’ market, the freshest artisan-made unsalted butter and cream, home-made vegetable stock (or asparagus cooking water), and a shower of the sprightliest of spring herbs from the garden.

Use green or white asparagus according to preference: the French value the white variety for its superior flavour, whereas the English believe green asparagus tastes finer. Serve the soup with rustic French country bread or good-quality baguette – warmed, and smeared, if you like, with a little Dijon or wholegrain mustard. Or use the whole bread as a serving dish by taking the core out.

Category: French, Soups  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
05
Oct
White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups Oreo® cookies – finely ground

3 tablespoons sugar, granulated

1/4 cup butter – melted

300 g raspberries – thawed

2 tablespoons sugar, granulated

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

2 cups white chocolate chips

1/2 cup half-n-half

300 g cream cheese – softened

1/2 cup sugar, granulated

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

* Preheat oven to 160°C.

* Place a large baking sheet with shallow sides into the oven; then add water to the baking sheet, filling it to a half-inch depth.

* In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press onto the bottom of a 23 cm  springform pan. Wrap the bottom of pan with aluminum foil.

* In a medium saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons of sugar, the cornstarch, and water. Bring it to a boil and continue boiling until the sauce thickens, approximately 5 minutes.

* Strain the sauce to remove the seeds.

* In a double boiler, add the white chocolate chips and the half-n-half, stirring until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

* In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and melted white chocolate mixture.

* Pour half of the mixture over the crust.

* Spoon 3 tablespoons of the raspberry sauce over the top.

* Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture into the pan and spoon 3 more tablespoons of the raspberry sauce over the top.

* Place the springform pan in the oven on the baking sheet containing the water. Bake for 60 minutes or until the filling is set. Turn the oven off, open the oven door halfway, and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 30 minutes.

* Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours; then serve with the remaining raspberry sauce.

Category: Desserts  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
05
Oct
Thai Style Fish in Foil

Ingredients:

* 600 grams (4×150) salmon fillets, skin removed

* 4 slices ginger, thinly sliced

* 1 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced

* 3 spring onions, sliced

* 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced

* 1 carrot, cut into thin strips

* 1 teaspoon sesame oil

* 3 tablespoons lime juice

* 2 tablespoons Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce

* 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce

* 500 grams baby bok choy, halved

* fresh corriander leaves, to serve

Method:

Cut four x 30-cm squares of aluminium foil.

Place fish on the centre of the foil, top with ginger and lemongrass and finely sliced vegetables.

Place sesame oil, lime juice, chilli sauce and fish sauce in a jug and whisk to combine. Fold up the edges of the foil so none of the liquid can flow away and then carefully pour the sauce over the fish.

Loosely seal the fish in foil, then place in a large bamboo steamer over a wok of simmering water (making sure the base of the steamer does not come into contact with the water).

Cover the steamer and cook fish in foil for 10–15 minutes or until nearly cooked through.

Place the bok choy in a separate steamer on top of the fish and cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until tender.

Serve the fish parcels on top of the steamed bok choy, garnished with coriander. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Category: Asian, Mains, Thai  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
05
Oct
Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

* 1/2 kg peeled and deveined large shrimp

* 1 tablespoon salt-free Thai seasoning

* Cooking spray

* 1 cup refrigerated prechopped tricolor bell pepper

* 2 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

* 1 tablespoon fish sauce

* 400 g can light coconut milk

* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

* Chopped fresh coriander

Method:

1. Sprinkle shrimp with Thai seasoning; toss well. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; coat pan and shrimp with cooking spray. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are almost done. Remove shrimp from pan; set aside. Coat pan with cooking spray; add bell pepper, and sauté 2 minutes.

2. Add chicken broth and fish sauce to bell pepper in pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and reserved shrimp. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice. Stir in cilantro, if desired.

Category: Asian, Soups, Thai  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment