Our Chef's Table Dinner

During our vacation one of the things I was looking forward to the most was our dinner at "Eleven" in Pittsburgh, because we got eat at the Chef's Table.
The Executive Chef, Derek Stevens, prepared a personal menu just for us, and served us and answered all of our questions. Because of a 24 hour stomach virus, I was not able to enjoy it as much as I would have liked, but I still got to taste each course.
Each course was a surprise, Andrew remarked that it was like Christmas morning, not knowing what to expect.
In all of my "food reading" I have heard people describe food as playful, but before that night I had never really experienced that. But our fifth course was a perfectly cooked scallop paired with Anson Mills grits, Surryano ham and a red bean relish. To me that was playful! I would have never thought to pair a delicate scallop with grits and ham, but the flavors mixed perfectly and made perfect sense.
I found this dish especially interesting because right before this course Andrew had asked the chef what his influences were, and one of the cuisine's he mentioned was Southern.....and that dish really showcased that.
I was excited to get to try a quail's egg. This was paired with white asparagus, a duck hollandaise and truffle vinaigrette. It was a perfect little bit!
I also got to try foie gras for the first time. It really does melt in your mouth like butter. The chef paired it with gooseberries and grapefruit and the acidity cut the fattiness of the foie gras perfectly.
One of Andrew's favorite things was lamb bacon. My husband loves anything lamb, and anything bacon (except for jellybeans, but that is another story). The taste was fatty, gamey and contrasted the kale and cous cous it was served with very well.
For my poor recovering stomach, the Gooseberry Soup with the pineapple-lemon verbena sorbet was heaven! Delicate slices of blood orange floated in the soup along with toasted black sesame seeds which provided a lovely texture contrast.
To finish the meal, the pastry chef brought out a Chocolate and Peanut Crunch Cake. It tasted the way a Whatchmacallit should taste. There was a small scoop of the darkest, smoothest chocolate icecream that I have ever tasted!
The other courses included a Smoked Artic Char with pecans, granny smith apples and a horseradish vinaigrette. I was afraid the horseradish would overwhelm the fish, but it really made the flavors dance across my tongue. We also enjoyed a raw tuna with citrus, cucumber, edamame and sesame broth. The edamame was a surprising crunch, and really rounded out the dish. Andrew and I had never had Golden Tilefish before that night. That was paired with perfectly cooked clams and a lobster broth.
Reading about the food we ate makes me want to go back. It really was a wonderful experience, and one I hope to repeat.....this time without a stomach bug!

A Wonderful, Fantastic Bread Recipe

I made this bread on St. Patricks Day, but between a sick husband and getting ready to go on vacation, this is the first chance I have had to post about it!
It is a No Knead Peasant Bread. It takes a while, especially the two risings, but it is worth the wait! You bake it in a cast iron dutch oven, by doing this the bread is crusty and just the thing to pair with soups, stews, and we paired it with corned beef and cabbage for St. Patricks Day.

No Knead Peasant Bread

2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
All purpose flour for dusting

Combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water and mix with your hands or a spoon until the dough comes together, it will be wet and sticky. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap. If you have extra time, refrigerate 12 to 24 hours. It is not necessary but will improve the flavor of the bread. ( I let it rise about 6 hours in the fridge and it worked our great, also, I used the water and a bit of sugar to proof the yeast.)
Let the dough rise, covered at room temperature for about 18 hours. This rise is necessary whether you refrigerate the dough first or not. The surface will be bubbly after rising.
Generously dust a work surface with all purpose flour. Turn the dough out onto the flour then sprinkle flour on top. Fold the top and bottom of the dough into the center, then fold in the sides to make a free form square. Use a dough scraper or a spatula to durn the dough over, then tuck the corners to form a ball.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and generously dust with flour. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet, seam side down, and sprinkle with more flour. Cover with a cotton kitchen towel (do not use terry cloth) and let rise and room temperature until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.
Position a rack on the bottom of the over and place a 2 or 4 quart cast iron or enameled Dutch oven ( without the lid) on the rack. Preheat the oven to 450 for at least 30 minutes. When the dough has doubled, carefully transfer the hot pot to a heatproof surface. Uncover the dough, lift up the parchment and quickly invert the dough into the pot (shake the pot to center the dough if necessary). Cover with the lid and bake 30 minutes then uncover and bake until brown and crusty, 15-30 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool

Way To Spend A Rainy Day

Yesterday it poured all day! While I was watching the river grow in our yard I decided to bake. So while it was altogether dreary outside, inside it was warm and toasty and smelling delicious!

One of the things I made yesterday was a recipe I found in Penzey's Spices catalog. I didn't have all of the ingredients, so I will share the original recipe, and let you know what I substituted. The cake turned out moist and fluffy! The icing had a wonderful mocha flavor since you used coffee with the chocolate!

Gram's Banana Cake

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream ( I used 1 cup plain yogurt)
3 cups all purpose flour ( I used 1 1/2 cups flour and 1 1/2 cups wheat flour)
1 TBSP pure vanilla extrace
2 1/2 cups mashed banana

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 3 9" cake pans ( I used a 9x13 and it made enough for that and about 6 cupcakes).
Mash the bananas and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until well mixed. Add the eggs and beat well. Mix in sour cream (yogurt).
In separate bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla and mix well.
Pour into pans and bake for 30-40 min.
(Using the pans I used, the cupcakes were done in about 20 minutes and the cake in about 50 minutes)

The other recipe I tried yesterday was a Chocolate Chip Challah Bread. Really yummy! Whatever we don't eat today I plan on making into French Toast tomorrow morning!

Chocolate Chip Challah Bread

2 packets active dry yeast
1/2 cup of sugar, plus a ping
7 cups flour, plus more for dusting
1 TBSP salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup veg. oil, plus more for the bowl
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Mix the yeast, a pinch of sugar and 1 cup warm water in a small bowl. Set aside while you measure the other dry ingredients or until frothy.
Whisk 3 1/2 cups flour, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and salt in a large bowl. pour in the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden sppon
Add one egg, the veg. oil and 1 cup of warm water. Stir till combined. Gradually stir in the remaining flour until the dough starts to come together. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 8 min. Transfer to a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. On a floured surface, roll each portion into a ball, then roll each ball into 1 1/2 to 2 inch wide strand about 16" long. Lay the strands side by side on a sheet of parchment paper and pinch them together at one end.
Braid the 3 strands. Once braided pinch the dough together at the end.
Slide the loaf, with the parchment paper, onto a baking sheet. Beat the remaining egg with 1 TSBP water in a small bowl, then brush the egg wash all over the loaf, bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Lemon Bars

When I was recovering from my gall bladder surgery my friends stepped in and provided dinners for my family. The one things my husband couldn't stop talking about was my friend Karen's Lemon Bars. So I had to find out the recipe, and I thought I would share!

Lemon Bars

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup butter melted
4 eggs

2 cups white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan
in a medium bowl stir together 2 cups flour and confectioners sugar. Blend in the melted butter. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

In a large bowl beat eggs until light combine the sugar, baking powder and 1/4 cup of flour. stir the sugar mixture into the eggs. Finally stir in the lemon juice. Pour over the prepared crust and return to oven
Bake for 30 more minutes

Allow to cool before you cut

Two Of My Favorite Things!

I have found a new addiction. I love to cook, and I love to read, and now some authors have combined the two, in what I am calling "Food Lit". I love it! Not only do I get a story, but I also get recipes to try as well!
Stacey Ballis and her novel, "Good Enough To Eat" was the first book I read in this wonderful genre, and I loved it! Again, she combined two of my favorite things!
The recipe I want to share today if from "How to Bake a Perfect Life" by Barbara O'Neal. Another great book. The recipe's all revolve around bread products...which is one of my favorite things!

Hearty Berry Streusel Muffins
Makes 30-32

These are great, filling muffins. Because of the lack of fat, the have a heavier texture,but the flavor is outstanding! Plus, they are healthier for you!

1 1/2 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oats
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 6 oz container raspberry or blueberry yogurt
1/2 cup milk
3 TBSP canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup each fresh blueberries and raspberries

Streusel
1/4 cup four
3 TBSP brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped, lightly toasted walnut, pecans or almonds
1 1/2 TBSP butter melted

Prepare muffin tines with paper or oil. Prepare streusel first and set aside.
For Muffins: Mix dry ingredients well. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients except berries and beat together well. Pour wet ingredients into the dry mix and beat firmly and quickly just until thoroughly moistened. Add berried and fold in gently. Divide batter into muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan to set the berries, remove from pan and cool on wire rack.



Reagan enjoying the fruits of my labor!