Ah dear sweet chocolate. Whether you are blissful or bitter about Valentine’s Day, you should still indulge in this fabulous dessert. Chef Frank McClelland is the author of Wine Mondays, and chef/ owner of L’espalier restaurant in Boston. He shares with us in this video one of his signature restaurant desserts, chocolate orange soufflés with an orange creme Anglaise sauce. This one sounds complicated but is actually quite simple, as chocolate soufflés tend not to have the “falling” issue common to many soufflés, a result of the strength of the cocoa.
Some soufflé trivia: The word soufflé is derived from the past tense of the french verb “souffler“, which literally translates to “blown up”. Legend has it that the original soufflé recipe was printed in the book “Le Cuisinier Moderne” in 1742, which was written by Vincent La Chapelle, a prestigious author and french master chef who was employed by Madame de Pompadour, the famous mistress of Louis the XV. And did you know? Febuary 28th is National Chocolate Soufflé day in the US!
Some days it’s nice to simply fix it and forget it! The Publick House in Brookline, MA is a pub style restaurant known for their extensive collection of Belgian beers, served both on tap and also prepared in the food. From this Boston area legendary restaurant we present the energetic chef Brent Mimeault , who shares his delicious hearty beef stew with the addition of a malty stout in our featured video. This meal would be perfect for a hungry Super Bowl football crowd, served with grilled bread and frosty beer!
Originating in Bologna, Italy, Bolognese sauce refers to an Italian meat based sauce, with a minimal amount of tomato. Bologna is within the region of Emilia-Romagna in Italy, the native home of classic culinary ingredients such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, delicious Balsamic vinegar, Mortadella, and Prosciutto di Parma. Italy, as you know, is a country that takes their food very seriously, and the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, which is the Italian Gastronomic Society, has strict requirements on what dishes can be classified as Bolognese. Their strict ingredient requirements are confined to to beef, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, red wine, and as an option, milk or cream, although traditonal Bolognese dishes frequently include ground pork or ground veal. Here in this video, our beloved chef Mario Batali shares his technique for Ragu Bolognese, a meal close to his Italian roots. This classic Italian pasta dish is simple and requires minimal prep time, but will require an hour and a half of cooking time, and having made it more than once, we can honestly say that it is worthy of every minute. Absolutely give this recipe a try, you will not regret it.
Sorry Manhattan style, your thin tomatoey broth just can’t satisfy our wintertime hearty comfort food cravings, New England wins our hearts every time. And here’s a bit of clam chowder trivia for you: in 1939, the state of Maine introduced a law to ban the addition of tomatoes to chowder, considering the act to be a rude gesture against the original legendary recipe!
Chef and fromager Tood Jasmin shares his favorite recipe for a rich classic New England style clam chowder in this video. The recipe can be found here. We recommend skipping the diner style hexagon crackers and serving it up with a nice warm buttered baguette. Enjoy!
We have breakfast on the brain as usual! This is most likely the coolest, most unique, gorgeous breakfast item we’ve ever seen, and is on our agenda for next weekend! Created by Executive Chef Pierre Landet of Cercle Rouge restaurant in Tribeca, a soft boiled egg is coated in textural layers, flour, pork sausage,flour again, beaten egg, and panko bread crumbs. He fries the egg (in a fryer, but a large pot may be used at home), and serves it with a tomato pancetta sauce and garnishes it with fried basil. Check out the video from Real Meals Tv, and view the recipe here.
On a completely unrelated sidenote, I wanted to let you know about fun restaurant review contest! Kang from London Eater is the master of ceremonies, and he’s giving away £ 50 (or about $75 US) for a restaurant review, which his readers will vote on! The contest ends on Valentines Day, read more about it here.
Food trends can be fickle and short lived, and what was trendy, hip, and smoking hot yesterday can be as washed up and stale as cold leftovers today. So, what’s currently hot in the culinary world?
Every year in October, the National Restaurant Association surveys professional chefs to find out their culinary forecast for the upcoming year. This year, over 1600 chefs responded, rating over 200 foods as a “hot trend”, “yesterday’s news” or a “perennial favorite.” We found a great video summarizing the results and you may read or download the full pdf report here. What made the list? Healthy, nutritious, fresh locally grown foods, superfruits and exotic fruits, artisan cheeses, free range meats, sustainable seafood, organic wine, smaller portions and mini foods such as tapas and dim sum. Overall a refreshing focus in general and very healthy trends, let’s see if they prove to be true in the months to come!
We also found this list from top experts in the hotel and restaurant industries, with current hot food ingredients including:
– Ricotta cheese and comfort foods
– Asian noodles in broth
– Flat iron and flank steak (due to it’s affordable cost)
– Ethnic flavorings for poultry
– Breakfast foods any time of the day ( we love this one!)
– And the trendy spice for 2009 = Tarragon.
Food and travel writer Lisa Rogak authored this article with chef insights on food trends, and her list reinforces the local food, smaller portions, and affordable meat trends, in addition to tea infused foods, and savory cocktails such as Chili Serrano Martinis ( hangover anyone? ).
Other hot alcoholic beverage trends according to Epicurious include Ginger cocktails and Ginger beers. Says editor in chief Tanya Steel, ““One of the areas people are not cutting back on is liquor, people are drinking more.”
What do the Brits think of the issue? Well for one, that foodies rule, as we already are aware! Check out their predictions from the Guardian for the new year here, or watch a great video from The Food People here.
What trendy foods for 2009 does Bon Appetit see in their crystal ball? You can read the wrapup here, or the full report in the January issue, but a top trend is “Luxury for Less”, including affordable substitutions, such as eye of round for prime rib, and truffle oil instead of truffles. Peruvian food is climbing it’s way to the top of the ethnic ladder, and their top dessert ingredient of the year is peanut butter.
We’d love to know your thoughts, or if you have any predictions of your own, let us know in the comments!
(Note: Also see our newer post with additional updated food trends.)
Bacon heaven! Watch as Chef Leanne Wong prepares Chef Tre Wilcox’s winning dish from season 3 of Bravo Tv’s Top Chef. This decadent meal is bacon wrapped shrimp over grilled corn and cheddar grits with a chipotle tomato sauce.
While you’re on a bacon kick, also feel free to watch chef Eric Ripert prepare bacon wrapped figs!
18 pc black tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2T Kosher salt
9 bacon slices
2t cracked black pepper
Grapeseed oil for searing
For the Grits:
2qt chicken stock
1qt milk
1/4 stick unsalted butter
1qt instant grits
2 cups grilled corn kernels
1 cup poblano peppers, small diced
2 cups aged white cheddar cheese
3T chopped cilantro
2T Kosher salt
2T cracked black pepper
For the Chipotle-Tomato Butter:
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2T chopped garlic
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
3T chipotle peppers (in Adobo)
1t black peppercorns
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 lemon, juiced
2t Kosher salt
Wrap each shrimp with a half piece of bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Sear each shrimp in grapeseed oil till crispy on both sides.
Using a deep saucepot combine chicken stock and milk. Bring to a simmer, add butter, and allow time for it to dissolve. Slowly whisk in grits a little at a time. When grits begin to thicken, lower heat. Switch to a spatula and fold in the rest of the ingredients. Adjust for addition seasonings if needed. If grits are too thick, add more chicken stock or milk.
In a saucepot, sauté onions and garlic over medium heat. Next, add tomatoes, chipotle peppers and peppercorns. Continue to cook for another three minutes. Deglaze with chicken stock and lower heat. Cook for 5 minutes then place in a blender; blend till smooth. Place liquid back in saucepot and over low heat mount with butter, whisking in a little at a time. Add cilantro and season with lemon juice and salt. Turn off heat and allow 5 minutes to steep cilantro. Strain through fine mesh strainer and reserve warm till time to serve.
Place small amount of grits in the center of a large plate. Drizzle sauce around grits. Place three pieces of shrimp around grits, and serve.
Here’s an afterthought: bacon has hit the big time lately, achieving hipster status. Bacon bourbons and vodka, bacon ice cream, bacon popcorn, and even bacon bloggers, are just a few of the bacon candidates adoring the spotlight. Dan Phillips, CEO of the Bacon of the Month Club, says “Bacon is the chocolate of the new millennium”. We all agree that bacon is delicious, but, what do you think of this bacon bonanza? Overplayed or well deserved? Let us know in the comments!
What is a whetstone exactly? Also referred to as a wet stone, waterstone, or sharpening stone, whetstones can be natural or manmade, and are typically made of finely bonded ceramic. They are truly the best and smartest way to sharpen knives, as other methods will grind away precious metal from your knife’s blade, and shorten it’s life. One side of the stone is a coarse grit which you sharpen with first, and the other a fine grit which is used last. The whetstone is used as a primary method of sharpening, and the honing steel is used for maintenance, read more about the differences and brand recommendations here. Knife sharpening takes practice, but once you become accustomed to the technique you will be deliciously pleased with your effortless, gorgeous, even cuts of food.
Watch the video to see Chef Danilo Alfaro‘s easy techniques for knife sharpening, using a whetstone and a steel .
In Italian, affogato literally means “drowned”. In the culinary world, an affogato refers to a desert topped with espresso, which may be ice cream, but is typically either vanilla bean or bitter chocolate gelato. Originally from Milan, this warm and cold treat is basically an ice cream sundae for adults. Giada makes a unique gingerbread flavored affogato in this video, perfect for a Christmas Eve dessert. And you may be pleased with the espresso buzz as you wrap presents late into the night!
Here is the recipe courtesy of The Food Network:
Syrup:
Espresso: (We admit to being true coffee snobs, and strongly recommend making espresso the traditional way, instead of instant.)
* 1/2 cup boiling water
* 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
* 1 to 2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur (recommended: Frangelico), optional
* 1 pint vanilla gelato or ice cream
Directions
For the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Take the pan off the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Remove the ginger, cinnamon, and cloves and discard.
Espresso: In a 1 cup glass measuring cup, whisk together the boiling water, espresso powder, and liqueur, if using, until the powder is dissolved.
Scoop the gelato into 4 dessert bowls or glasses. Pour 1/4 cup of the syrup and 2 tablespoons espresso over each. Serve immediately.
Shrimp and fish cooking on a salt block, photo via creative commons flickr user mccun934
Not just any salt, beautiful, pinkish amber, millions of years old Himalayan salt blocks from Pakistan! We first caught wind of the concept of cooking food on salt slabs from this post on Richard Huff’s blog.
This video by Chef Dani Luzzatti from Bellalu Catering and Glenn Weddell from Mani Imports helps to demystify and enlighten us on the many uses of salt blocks in the kitchen. The ancient pink beauties may be used as a cold plate or used hot to cook on, infusing their flavor gently into the food. What makes the flavor so special is that in addition to salt, the blocks contain over 80 trace minerals, adding a new complexity of seasoning to your food. Salt blocks can be directly set onto a gas range or barbecue grill, but electric ranges require a spacer. More information can be found in this Himalayan salt block guide.
Searching for more ideas, there unfortunately seems to be no actual salt block cookbook available (yet!). But here are several recipes and more information to get you started:
First, here are some great ideas to start with from At The Meadow, which has great customer service and is a highly recommended supplier from which to buy your blocks. They also offer a dark chocolate fondue recipe here.
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Pollo al Mattone or “Chicken Under a Brick” is an interesting recipe from Colleen at Davero, as it puts the salt block on top of the chicken, in a mesquite fired grill.
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Here are several recipes courtesy of EcoIdeas:
2 Each Peaches (Cut in ½ )
1 Cup Mascarpone Cream
2 Cups Vanilla Ice Cream
1 ½ Cups Port Wine (Ruby Port is the best)
3 Tbs Light Brown Sugar
Preheat your salt block by either placing it directly onto the flame (heat for 8-10 minutes on each side) or by placing the block into a pan for an electric range (allow to heat for12-15 minutes on each side). Place a few vegetables at a time onto the H.S. block and cook for 3-4 minutes and then flip and continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
You will also need to freeze your H.S. Bowl by placing it in the freezer overnight. In a sauté pan reduce the Port wine until it becomes a syrup consistency. You will want to reduce this by about 2/3.
Quarter the peaches and remove the pit. Toss the peaches with the brown sugar. When the H.S. stone is hot sear the peaches on both sides until they become caramelized. While the peaches are searing mix the ice cream and mascarpone cream together in the H.S. bowl.
Allow the block to cool down until it is safe to handle. Rinse the block under warm water and clean with a steel scrub pad to remove any cooked on residue. Place the block onto a cotton towel and allow to dry completely before storing.
1 Each- Roasted Red Pepper (slice into ¼)
1 Each – Yellow Squash (slice on bias)
1 Each – Zucchini (slice on bias)
1 Each – Red Onion (slice ¼” thick)
1 Each – Portabella Mushrooms
1 ounce – Balsamic Vinegar
1 each – Lemon (zested)
1 cup Eggless Mayonnaise
2 ounce – Basil (chopped)
3 tbs – Roasted Garlic
Place all of the cleaned vegetables in a mixing bowl with the balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, 1 ounce of chopped basil. Season with salt only. The vegetables will pick up the salt from cooking on the block.
Preheat the H.S. block by either placing it directly onto the flame (heat for 8-10 minutes on each side) or by placing the block into a pan for an electric range (allow to heat for12-15 minutes on each side). Place a few vegetables at a time onto the H.S. block and cook for 3-4 minutes and then flip and continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking you can prepare the aioli. Place the mayonnaise, the remaining basil and roasted garlic into a mixing bowl . Mix until the aioli is well incorporated.
Allow the block to cool down until it is safe to handle. Rinse the block under warm water and clean with a steel scrub pad to remove any cooked on residue. Place the block onto a cotton towel and allow to dry completely before storing.
Seared Asparagus With An Olive And Herb Relish
Ingredients:
1/2 pound green asparagus (trimmed)
1/2 pound white asparagus (trimmed)
2 each lemons (zested)
1 each shallot (peeled and diced)
2 tbs kalamata olives (rinsed)
5 each garlic cloves
1 ounce basil
1 tbs flat-leaf parsley
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp himalayan salt
Place the peeled garlic cloves in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove and allow to cool. Place the olives, lemon zest, shallots, garlic, basil, parsley and sea salt in your Himalayan mortar and pestle and grind ingredients until they are well combined. It doesn’t need to be a smooth paste. Place the olive mixture in a bowl and whisk in the olive oil.
Preheat your salt block in a 500 degree oven. You can also preheat the block on your gas range by placing it directly onto the flame for 6-7 minutes on each side(be sure to use an oven mitt or tongs to flip). If you have an electric range place the salt block into a pan and allow the block to heat up for 10-12 minutes on both sides before cooking.
Toss the asparagus in a bowl with 1 tbs of olive oil. You will need to cook the asparagus in a couple of batches. Place the asparagus directly onto the heated salt block and cook for 5-6 minutes, occasionally flipping the asparagus to prevent burning.
For serving, place some mixed greens onto the 12″ salt plate alternate the green and white asparagus in a circular pattern. Drizzle the olive relish on top of the asparagus.
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These are not true recipes, but photos with beautiful salt plating ideas, scroll halfway down the page to see: 1) Chef Mark Zeitouni’s local snapper with avocado, micro cilantro, and lime juice; and 2) Chef Jesse Souza’s kobe beef with white soy and lemongrass.
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Salt Seared Tuna with Fennel, Courgettes and English Pea Pesto
Recipe courtesy of Sean Brock from the Food Network Challenge
Whisk together the beer and flour, season with salt. Hold refrigerated.
Take 8 baby zucchini and blanch in salted water until tender. Puree in blender until smooth.
Place the fennel and remaining zucchini and squash in a small pan and cover with vegetable stock. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and braise over low heat until tender. Season with salt.
Pea Pesto:
1/2 cup fresh English peas
1 teaspoon almond oil
1 Meyer lemon, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon Parmesan
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 extra-virgin olive oil
Place all ingredients for pea pesto except the olive oil into a blender and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil.
Tuna:
2 Himalayan salt blocks
1 1/2 pounds fresh big-eye tuna
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
2 teaspoons fennel pollen
Ground black pepper
Garnish:
Fennel fonds
Red ribbon sorrel
Nasturtium leaves
Place the salt block directly on the stove top and heat until hot about 5 minutes. Toss the tuna in olive oil and season with salt, fennel pollen and pepper. Place in a cryovac bag and cook, sous vide-style, at 130 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove from the bag quickly sear the tuna on the salt block on all 4 sides.
Dip the blossoms in the beer batter and fry at 350 degrees F until golden brown. Smear the pesto across the plate and arrange the vegetables in the pesto. Slice the tuna thinly and place around the vegetables. Serve alongside fennel, courgettes, pesto and garnishes.
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Tuna Sashimi on Himalayan Salt , courtesy of chef David Burke
Ingredients:
5 oz. Sushi Grade Tuna Cut into 2” Cube
1 Himalayan Salt Block. Available at S.O.S. Chefs or Asian-Style Plate
2 Tsp. Ginger Oil (Recipe Follows)
¼ Bunch Chives Cut into 2” Sticks.
XO Sauce (Available at Any Asian Market)
1 Lemon
Method:
Ginger Oil
– 3” Piece of ginger chopped.
– Blanch 3Times.
– Place in blender w/ 3 oz. Canola Oil. Puree until smooth.
XO Sauce
– Zest lemon.
– Mix w/ 2 oz. XO Sauce.
Plating
– Slice Tuna Into 1 oz. Portions.
– Place On Salt Rock.
– Lightly Brush with Ginger Oil
– Place 1 2” Chive Stick on Each Slice.
– Place XO Sauce In Small Dipping Bowl.
– Serve with toast.
Makes one serving.
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So that should get you started! If you have recipes you would like to share please let us know or leave us a link in the comments section. And we conclude with a wonderful salt quote:
“. . .all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And, when we go back to the sea. . . we are going back to where we came.” -John F. Kennedy
Savory Tv loves cheese as an appetizer. Are you planning a cheese tray for your holiday party, and looking for tips beyond the ordinary as we are? We love this helpful video from cheesemonger and author of The Cheese Primer Steven Jenkins, as he discusses the perfect cheese appetizer plate with Serious Eats, which includes a combination of sheep, goat, and cow cheeses. He recommends staying fairly mild to please all of your guests, and to choose no more than 3 to 4 cheeses, and ensure that all are different from each other in both texture and flavor. Steve says to opt for cheeses that are unique, primitive, or rustic in appearance. In the video, he chooses a few of his favorites, including a Poitu Chevre (goat – France), a Tomme de Cabrioulet (raw goat – France), Torta del Casar (sheep – Spain), Serpa (raw sheep – Portugal), and a Smokey Blue (cow – US) from Oregon’s Rogue Creamery that has been smoked with hazelnut shells.
What is a cheesemonger exactly? Basically a cheese expert. Although not having the strict educational requirements as a sommelier has for wine, cheesemongers often are top experts in their field, and are well respected and appreciated in the culinary world. In our world of chain stores and the sad decline of Mom and Pop, cheese mongers can be tricky to find if you are not in a large metropolitan area. Our best advice is to Google “cheesemonger” (or “cheese shop”) and the name of your city, and to search the message boards at Chow.com. You can also ask your favorite restaurant chef if he has suggestions for a reliable source. The best shops will encourage tasting and help you with wine pairings.
For more cheese suggestions, absolutely check out these great cheese plate tips and recipe ideas from chef Michael Chiarello. Michael recommends soft and aged goat cheeses, Teleme, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gorgonzola, Camembert, to serve with bread, and offers wine pairing and plating suggestions.
Do you have a favorite cheese that your party guests love? Let us know please in the comments section!
Jacques Pépin is truly one of our favorite chefs of all time. Author of 25 cookbooks and host of over 300 cooking shows on public television, his elegant recipes and detailed instructions command a deep level of respect from both home cooks and culinary experts throughout the world.
In this video from Food & Wine magazine, Jacques and his daughter Claudine prepare a 10 minute recipe of cured salmon gravlax pizza, a quick and delicious appetizer that would bring holiday cheer to your Christmas party with minimal effort!
What is gravlax you ask? Scandinavian in origin, gravlax literally translates to “salmon dug into the ground”. In the middle ages, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Estonian fisherman had a special technique to cure their freshly caught salmon. They salted it and fermented it (to preserve the fish) by burying it into the sand for several days. Modern preparation of gravlax is much simpler, thinly sliced salmon is simply cured with a dry rub of salt, sugar, and often dill.
Jacques Pépin’s recipe for salmon gravlax pizza calls for the following ingredients: thinly sliced raw salmon, kosher salt, pepper, brown sugar, sour cream, horseradish, a cooked thin pizza crust (you may use a frozen pizza dough to prepare this), thinly sliced red onion, black olives, capers, and basil.
Salmon Gravlax Pizza
Chef Jacques Pepin
For the gravlax:
½ pound skinless boneless salmon fillet
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A little oil
For the pizza:
1 flour tortilla
Olive oil
¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon horseradish, homemade or store-bought
¼ cup red onion, sliced very thin
6 black oil-cured olives, pitted and cut into pieces
7 or 8 fresh basil leaves
Fleur de sel, for garnish
Directions
For the gravlax, cut the salmon into 8 thin slices, and arrange them in a single layer on a flat plate or platter. Mix together the kosher salt, light brown sugar, and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle half of this mixture evenly over the salmon slices, turn the slices over, and sprinkle with the remaining seasoning mixture. Spread a thin coating of oil on the slices, just enough to make the salmon shiny, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the salmon. Refrigerate to cure; it will be ready in an hour or less, although you can leave it overnight or even up to a day. (We are using only 4 slices of gravlax on our pizza. Make a second pizza, or enjoy the leftover gravlax with cucumber and/or sliced onion and buttered black bread.)
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Precook the tortilla for this pizza. Coat the tortilla with olive oil, using about ½ teaspoon on each side. Place the oiled tortilla on a cookie sheet and, to prevent it from curling up and bubbling in the oven without the weight of toppings to hold it down, place a rack or cake stand upside down directly on top of the tortilla. The rack will hold it flat as it cooks. Bake for about 5 minutes to brown the tortilla nicely and make it crisp. Let cool before continuing.
When the tortilla is cool, coat with the sour cream, and then spread on the horseradish. (My friend Claude has enormous and pungent horseradish in his garden that he peels, grates, and puts in a jar with a little vinegar, salt, and water.) Arrange 4 slices of gravlax on top, so the salmon covers most of the surface, although it’s attractive if a little sour cream shows through here and there. Sprinkle the sliced red onion on top, and then scatter the olives over the surface. Finally, coarsely tear the basil leaves into pieces, and top the pizza with the basil. Cut the pizza into 8 pieces. Sprinkle with fleur de sel.
Are you saucing your pasta correctly? Chef Mario Batali explains in this video why sauce should not be overly used, and tips for the correct way to serve your pasta dish. Remember, more is not always better!
Fully obsessed with Season 5 of Bravo’s Top Chef, tonight we became equally fully obsessed with Fabio’s “Spherical Olives”. What are they and what gives them their outside shell and liquid center? After a quick visit with Google, we found this video from the genius chemist and chef Ferran Adria from El Bulli restaurant in Spain, where he demonstrates to Mark Bittman his special science using a recipe of calcium + alginate to create the magical olives.
Chef Fabio Viviani recreated these mysterious gems in his Top Chef winning beef carpaccio recipe, and Lee Anne from the French Culinary Institute in NYC shows us his technique in this video.
We also found an interesting post here from the chefs at the Ideas in Food blog, where they discuss encapsulation, play with chemicals, and create yogurt orbs. Is this type of food preparation natural? Not really. Is it fun and incredibly creative? Absolutely!
Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio with Arugula, Roasted Pine Nuts, Aged Parmesan Cheese, Spherical Kalamata Olives and Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Chef Fabio Viviani
Prep Time: About 2 hours
Serves: 3-4
Directions:Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio:
1. Slice the meat.
2. Display and season the arugula, shaved cheese, toast the pine nuts.
Kalamata Olives:
1. Mix first three ingredients together, let rest for three hours.
2. Mix water and algimate together, let rest for 3 hours.
3. Scoop first mixture into second mixture.
4. Let rest 3 minutes.
Note: Xanthan gum is not strictly necessary, but it can be used as a thickener. You can also use a thicker puree and it will work as well. Without the gum you will have to keep the olive in the solution for longer, around 5-6 minutes.
1 lb. tenderloin.
4 oz. parmesan, aged 5 years
6 balsamic vinegar, aged 6 years
8 oz. arugula
8 oz. pine nuts
olive oil
salt and pepper
kalamata olives
Colorful, warm, hearty, vegetarian and simple, Mark Bittman‘s artichokes provençal is a strong contender for the perfect holiday appetizer. In this video, Bittman shares his special recipe of braised baby artichokes, garlic, black olives, thyme, and small tomatoes garnished with parsley. Serve it with slices of warm buttered baguette, and prepare yourself for praise!
Our series of holiday appetizer videos are designed to help your winter party be the smash of the season! Serving a variety of gourmet appetizers will ensure you please the pickiest Christmas party epicures, and we love this video featuring Italian chef Mateo from Academia Barilla whipping up a decadent yet simple Italian eggplant and prosciutto starter. Check it out!
Rolled eggplant with prosciutto and pecorino cheese
Chef Mateo Carboni
Serves 4
1 eggplant,
12 slices ham (prosciutto)
3 oz Academia Barilla Pecorino Gran Cru (an Italian sheeps milk cheese)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
chives to taste
salt to taste
Preparation
30 minutes preparation
First slice the eggplants, then spread some extra virgin olive oil on both sides of each slice before grilling them for two minutes max on a pre-heated grill.
While the eggplant slices are still hot off the grill, sprinkle some grated Pecorino cheeses, then pair the slice with a slice of Prosciutto di Parma, and carefully roll them together, using chives to secure each roll, adding a final touch of flavor and presentation.
A 9 hour drive in the Colorado mountains is a humbling experience. On the way home, driving through intermittent snowstorms, icy roads, and several “almost” accidents, thanks were given, once again. Thankful that the little Mazda in front of us swerved off to the right on the ice. Thankful that the rock split the windshield towards the bottom , not affecting visibility. Thankful for our sweet, silly, family. And thankful that, after all is said and done, the drive was worth it. Wandering off in thought from the sleepy ipod audiobook, our thoughts turned to warm comfort food, in particular, soup, served with an equally comforting piece of baguette. What do we still have at home? What could we create? The beauty of soup is that all that is required is a creative mind and a few ingredients, it’s like art in a pot!
Tonight we chose pea soup with our baguette, and to stir your creative visions we bring you this video from chef Jason Hill, serving up a piping hot classic split pea recipe. Ingredients include: 1 lb of dried split peas, half an onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 cloves of garlic, bacon, a bay leaf, chicken stock or bullion mixed with water, and whatever your inventive mind desires to add. You could substitute ham for the bacon, or easily make the soup vegetarian by omitting the meat.
Lately videos from “The Icelandic Chef” have been appearing in the food video world. Set with a backdrop of the breathtaking coast of Iceland, his videos feature him collecting his own food wearing chunky wool, and preparing it outside of his scenic RV camping spot on the shore. Who is this vagabond culinary expert? Is he really a chef? Savory Tv had to know! It turns out his name is as exotic as his image, Volundur Snaer Volundarson, and he is otherwise known as “Chef Worly”. He was raised in northern Iceland, and is quite the seasoned chef indeed. He has also authored a book entitled “Delicious Iceland: Tales of Unique Northern Delicacies”, which the publisher describes as “a glorious culinary and cultural tour”. You can read more about Chef Worly and his award winning book on his professional site here, and visit his blog for original recipes here.
This video features the Icelandic Chef whipping up a simple but delicious looking recipe of steamed mussels with light beer, ginger, red onion, jalapeno, sweet red pepper, tomato, butter, cream, and thyme.
Here is Savory Tv’s plethora of Thanksgiving recipe ideas, neatly bundled into one post!
First off we approach the turkey. Our favorite this year is the roasted turkey recipe posted here from our friends at Ifoods Tv. Second runner up in our book is a tie! Chef Scott with his special brining and roasting techniques here are a great option for 4 or more guests, or a couple who love leftovers! For an intimate Thanksgiving dinner for two we love this recipe and video by Chef Keith Snow, which roasts a turkey breast instead of an entire turkey.
For side dishes, in addition to green vegetables, warm bread, cranberry chutney and the garlic mashed potatoes video found here, we recommend another favorite from Chef Keith Snow, an easy but delicious sweet potato recipe. His technique involves dressing the sweet potatoes with a herb infused butter, maple syrup, and peanuts.
If you prefer to mull over several other tasty options, this post from Clay and Zach of The Bitten Word is so fun to browse, and it discusses the recommendations and recipes posted in the top food magazines this year.
Have you made a huge mistake on the big day? Having gravy or stuffing dilemmas? Have no fear as chef Rocco DiSpirito comes to your rescue with Turkey 911, his guide to fixing common Thanksgiving day cooking mishaps.
So, whether you are lucky enough to be with friends and family, or home alone and unable to travel on Thanksgiving, please take a deep breath, relax, give thanks, enjoy, and have a wonderful holiday.
Hostess Marlie from Chic Tv and Chef Patrick Vaccariello from Gold Street restaurant in NYC team up in this video and show us how to prepare a mac and cheese dish that is anything but ordinary. Chef Patrick’s transformation features brie, shitake mushrooms, shallots and white truffle oil, and the final result is a delicious gourmet treat, worthy of every extra minute on the treadmill!
