Espresso Mud Pie Recipe - CHOW

Espresso Mud Pie Recipe - CHOW

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

• 30 chocolate cookie wafers, such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted and cooled
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For the ganache:

• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
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To assemble:

• 1 quart Espresso Gelato or coffee ice cream
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To serve:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

For the crust:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until the pieces are about the size of peas. Stop the motor, add the melted butter, and continue to process until the crumbs are fine, about the size of coarsely ground coffee (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Alternatively, place the cookies in a resealable plastic bag, press out the air, and seal. Using a rolling pin, smash into fine crumbs until uniform. Transfer to a medium bowl, add melted butter, and mix until evenly combined.
3. Pour crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and, using the bottom of a cup or your fingers, press firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Bake until fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

For the ganache:

1. Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside.
2. Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour over chocolate and let stand until chocolate has softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add butter and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly before using.

To assemble:

1. Place gelato in the refrigerator until slightly softened, about 30 minutes. Place cookie crust in the freezer until chilled, about 30 minutes.
2. Remove softened gelato from the container and transfer to a large bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until it is spreadable but not liquidy. Working quickly, spread the softened gelato into the crust in an even layer (leaving any melted gelato in the bowl). If the gelato in the pie looks like it’s melting, place the pie in the freezer until solid before proceeding.
3. Pour the warm ganache over the gelato and tilt the pie plate to evenly coat. Immediately transfer the pie to a flat surface in the freezer until completely frozen, at least 3 hours.

To serve:

1. Let the pie sit at room temperature until the ganache just begins to soften, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until soft peaks have formed (they should droop over like soft-serve ice cream), about 3 minutes; serve atop pie slices. If not serving immediately, tightly wrap the frozen pie in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 1 week.

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Green Curry Shrimp

Green Curry Shrimp

Ingredients:
To make into a paste:

• Garlic- 5 cloves
• Ginger, fresh- 2 inch slice
• Cloves, whole- 4
• Cinnamon, whole- 2 inch slice
• Whole pepper corns- 5 no’s
• Cilantro, chopped- 3 stalks 0r 1/4 cup chopped
• Green chilly, chopped- 1

For making curry:

• Oil- 1 tbsp
• Large Shrimp, deveined tail on- 15 no’s
• Onion, chopped small- 1
• Garlic, minced- 3 cloves
• Salt- to taste
• Green pepper, diced- 1
• Turmeric powder- 2 pinches
• Chill powder- 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind paste- small gooseberry sized soaked in 3 tbsp warm water
• Lemon grass, dried (optional)- 1 inch slice ( 3 no’s)
• Water- 1 cup
• Coconut milk, thick- 1/2 cup

Preparation:

• In a blender, grind the above mentioned “to make a paste” ingredients till it’s smooth.
• Devein and clean the shrimp under running water, if possible keep the tail.
• Heat a large pan and add oil, add minced garlic, fry it till it starts to turn golden in color.
• Add the chopped onion, salt and saute for a while.
• Add the ground paste and cook for a few minutes.
• Add green pepper, turmeric powder and chilly powder, combine well.
• If you are using lemon grass add that too.
• Now, pour the soaked tamarind juice without any seeds in it.
• Add water, let it come to a boil.
• Add the shrimp and cook covered till shrimp gets cooked well.
• Open the lid and let the curry gets thickened.
• Add coconut milk and heat for some more time.
• Serve hot with rice or enjoy as a soup.
• You could adjust the spice level by adding more of coconut milk or by not adding chilly powder.

Tips:

• Vegetarians can add veggies like diced carrots, green pepper, red pepper, beans etc.

 

Chicken Liver Pate | Reluctant Gourmet

Chicken Liver Pate | Reluctant Gourmet

Ingredients
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small garlic clove
½ pound chicken livers
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 fresh sage sprig
1 ounce of unsmoked bacon, finely chopped – (pancetta if you can find it)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ onion
1 tablespoon of Port
1 tablespoon cognac
1 teaspoon white truffle paste (you can substitute ¼ teaspoon white truffle oil
Loaf of Italian bread, sliced thin and toasted
1 – 2 tablespoons of oil to make the Crostini

How to Make at Home
Start by heating up a sauté pan (frying pan) over medium high heat and adding 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes until golden.  Watch it carefully;, you don’t want to let it burn.

Add the chicken livers, bacon, rosemary and sage. Stir and let this cook for about 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce the heat to low and add the onion. Sauté for 25 to 30 minutes until the onions are soft and the chicken livers are cooked.

Off heat, add the port and Cognac. Raise the heat to medium-high and return the pan to stove. The recipe says to simmer until the liquid is reduced by half but I found it reduced to nothing right away. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.
Take out the sprigs of rosemary and sage and transfer the liver mixture to a food processor. Add the remaining butter and truffle paste. Puree this mixture until smooth.

Chef Vetri suggests straining the puree through a tamis or fine-mesh sieve into a bowl but we don’t. Why?  Well…..it takes more time, it is very messy and we like the texture of pate without straining it.  I’ll have to try straining it and see if there is a difference.

I put the pate into a ramekin, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for at least one hour but you’ll want to take it out 15 minutes before serving.

Serving
Toast the bread slices. Add some pate to the toasted bread (Crostini) and drizzle some olive oil on top.

The liver should keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I have no idea if you can freeze it but will try to find out.

Simple Braised Lamb | Gluten Free Fix

Simple Braised Lamb | Gluten Free Fix

Simple Braised Lamb

• olive oil, for searing
• 5 lb leg of lamb
• salt and pepper
• 2 medium onions, julienned
• 12 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

1. Heat dutch oven and drizzle with olive oil.
2. Season lamb with salt and pepper and sear on both sides about 4 minutes.  Remove from pan.
3. Add onions and garlic and cook until fragrant.
4. Deglaze pan with red wine, scraping up any bits on the pan using a wooden spoon.
5. Add broth and rosemary.
6. Place lamb back in the liquid and bring to a boil. 
7. Cover and simmer for 3-4 hrs, until fork tender.  Turning meat once every hour.
8. Serve with braising liquid over Cauliflower Mash or potatoes.

Serves 8-10 people.

 

love and butter: bacon chive cheese dip

love and butter: bacon chive cheese dip: "I thought that after all the Valentine's sweets, we could use something savory. And cheesy. And garlicky. And... bacon-y. Enter, the bacon ..."

 

8oz softened cream cheese

6 to 8oz shredded cheddar

4 slices of bacon, cooked and cooled

1 to 2 cloves of garlic

1/3 cup chopped chives

salt and pepper to taste

Start by mixing your cheeses.

Then add in your bacon [yum] and garlic [yum]

and chives and salt and pepper [also all yum].

I split my batch in two, and filled these tiny casseroles.

Because they are adorable. And Le Creuset.

Refrigerate for an hour or two to let the flavors combine. 

If you want to serve it cold, just dig right in.