Elegant Spring Anniversary Brunch, Part 1 ~ Roasted Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Crispy Prosciutto

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Every year on March 24th, my hubby and I celebrate the anniversary from the day that we met. We love to mark our little milestone anniversaries, which gives us a reason for a nice meal. I’m always up for another excuse for a celebration! 😉

This year we made a nice brunch at home. The first meal of the day to celebrate the beginning of us :).

I found a menu from Bon Appétit magazine that was both simple and elegant. We made three of the dishes, and we thought they all turned out really well. They would be perfect for Easter, or Mother’s Day, or any other spring celebration. I will definitely keep these recipes at the front of my list when I need a special, but quick, brunch recipe.  I am rarely up for a big cooking project first thing in the morning ;-).

First we made Roasted Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Crispy Prosciutto. It was a fresh and light dish. Prosciutto can be fried in a dry, non-stick sauté pan until it gets crispy just like bacon, which is a little healthier option than traditional bacon. I also didn’t drizzle olive oil over the asparagus at the end, as the original recipe called for, to keep the dish a little bit lighter. Other than that, I followed this recipe pretty closely. Just be sure to keep a close eye on the asparagus in the oven so it doesn’t over cook.

Roasted Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Crispy Prosciutto

Based on a recipe from Bon Appétit magazine

6 prosciutto slices

2 pounds medium asparagus, tough ends trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 3 1/2- to 4-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Cook prosciutto in large non-stick skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Crumble prosciutto; set aside.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 500°F.

Arrange asparagus on large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and turn asparagus to coat well. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast asparagus until crisp-tender when pierced with knife, about 7 minutes.

Arrange asparagus in single layer on platter. Sprinkle with goat cheese, then prosciutto. Drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle grated lemon peel over. (Can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature.)

The Winter Sea ~ Cock-a-Leekie Soup

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I read a page turning novel this winter called The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley. It is set in Scotland, and follows two interconnected story lines….One in the 1700s and one in the present day. I felt like I took a little trip to Scotland while learning a lot about their history. Much of the story revolves around Slains Castle, which looks to be an absolutely breathtaking place. That is now on my list of places I’d like to visit!

In the meantime, as I dream of that vacation, I cooked a Scottish dish at home for a little international culinary adventure today :). When I’m inspired by a place and a culture, I start researching their food. I discovered a Scottish soup called Cock-a-Leekie that looked intriguing, and I loved the name! It dates back farther than the 1700s, (a recipe for it was first published in 1598 according to Wikipedia), so the characters in the book might have enjoyed a steaming bowl at the dinner table of the castle. A perfect dish for a cold winter night, no matter the century or the continent :).

(Slains Castle photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Cock-a-Leekie Soup

From Martha Stewart.com

1 1/4 pounds skinless chicken thighs (on the bone; 4 pieces)

1 1/4 pounds skinless chicken breast halves (on the bone; 3 pieces)

Four 14 1/2-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat

2 cups white wine or water

2 large celery ribs, halved crosswise

1 large carrot, peeled

2 large garlic cloves, peeled

6 leeks, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

12 pitted prunes, quartered (2/3 cup packed)

1/2 cup barley

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat a 6-quart Dutch oven on medium-high until hot. Add thighs; cook until browned, turning once, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with breasts.

Add broth, wine, celery, carrot, and garlic to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; scrape any browned bits from pot; return chicken to pot, reduce heat, and simmer, skimming as necessary, for 1 hour. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool. Transfer vegetables to another plate; reserve.

Add leeks, prunes, and barley to broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until thick, about 40 minutes more. Once chicken has cooled, shred meat. Finely dice carrot and celery. Stir chicken, carrot, celery, and parsley into soup, heat through, season to taste and serve.

Valentine’s Day Dinner, Part 2 ~ Lobster Ravioli with Warm Lobster Vinaigrette

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The second ravioli course that we made for our romantic Valentine’s Day dinner was lobster ravioli with warm lobster vinaigrette. The recipe is from the chef at Corton restaurant in New York City, so it was our second stop on our virtual trip to NYC. I could almost see Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan on top of the Empire State Building in the movie Sleepless in Seattle. 😉

The spices in the vinaigrette are a truly unique combination, and I would have never thought to put them together myself. It has a lot of Asian elements along with French and Indian. I found what I needed at Market Spice in Pike Place Market, which is always an adventure! If they don’t have a spice, I likely won’t find it in Seattle.

I followed the recipe closely, and I would highly recommend it for a special occasion. It is time consuming, but we thought it was well worth it. It made us appreciate what high end restaurants go through for one dish :).

Lobster Ravioli with Warm Lobster Vinaigrette

From Corton chef Paul Liebrandt

1 (1 1/2 pound) lobster

1 cup white-wine vinegar

1 cup dry white wine

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 bay leaves

10 black peppercorns

1/2 lemon, sliced

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Pinch of madras curry powder

1/2 large egg white

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 piece lemongrass, finely chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

8 kaffir lime leaves

6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

3 star anise

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Pinch of espelette pepper

Pasta Dough (recipe follows)

All-purpose flour, for work surface (or ’00’)

1 large egg yolk, beaten

Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Fill a large pot with 32 cups water. Add vinegar, white wine, carrots, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and lemon; bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Add lobster headfirst. Cook for three minutes. Remove lobster from pot and remove claws. Return claws to pot and continue to cook 8 minutes more. Immediately transfer lobster to ice-water bath to cool; drain.

Remove meat from lobster, reserving shells. Cut lobster meat into 1/4-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add curry powder and egg white; stir to combine. Using a teaspoon, form twelve 1-inch balls of lobster mixture and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; transfer to refrigerator uncovered, until well chilled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Chop reserved shells into equal size pieces. Place olive oil and chopped shells in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until liquid has evaporated from shells. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until shells are bright red, but not sizzling, about 10 minutes. Add lemongrass, shallot, kaffir lime leaves, cardamom, ginger, and star anise. Increase heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add enough water to just cover; cook until liquid is reduced by two-thirds, stirring occasionally.

Strain mixture into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer, pressing down on solids to release liquids. Discard solids and return liquid to skillet. Cook over low heat until liquid is reduced and slightly syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice, and esplette; vinaigrette will look broken. Keep warm.

Set the rollers of a hand-crank or electric pasta machine at their widest opening. Unwrap dough; flatten with the palms of your hands and run it once through the machine. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and run through the machine again.

Now change the rollers of the pasta machine to the next decreasing setting; roll dough through machine twice. Keep rolling the sheet through the machine two times on each decreasing setting until you have rolled it through the last (thinnest) setting.

Cut sheet in half crosswise and place on a lightly floured surface. Using a 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out 24 rounds of pasta, covering cut pasta with plastic wrap as you work.

Working with 2 pasta rounds at a time (and keeping remaining pieces covered while working), brush 1 round with egg yolk and place 1 ball of lobster filling in the center. Lay second round directly on top and press edges together to seal. Repeat process with remaining pasta rounds and filling.

Bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Add raviolis, taking care not to overcrowd and working in batches if necessary, cook for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, rewarm vinaigrette, if necessary.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to warm serving plates or bowls; top each with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and serve immediately.

 

Pasta Dough

From Corton chef Paul Liebrandt

(Makes enough for 12 (2-inch-round) raviolis)

3 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons ’00’, flour plus more for work surface

In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and eggs; add olive oil and whisk until slightly emulsified. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 5 seconds. Add flour and pulse until a cohesive ball of dough forms, about 30 seconds.

Remove dough from food processor. Add a pinch of flour to work surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes. Wrap with plastic wrap and let rest in a cool place 2 hours before using.

Valentine’s Day Dinner, Part 1 ~ Beet Ravioli with Pine Nut “Goat Cheese,” Rosemary-Cream Sauce, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar

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We jetted off to New York City to explore their world-class restaurants this Valentine’s Day. Well, not literally, but in our own way. I found two recipes that I was excited to try, and they both happened to be from chefs in NYC. They couldn’t be more different, but they are both types of ravioli.

The first course was a raw beet ravioli filled with “goat cheese” that was made of pine nuts over a “cream” sauce flavored with rosemary and garlic. All of it was vegan, and uncooked. I love to play with food in new and different ways like this. It keeps the kitchen interesting and exciting for me. And tonight I had the chance to play with my best playmate…My hubby! 🙂

I followed the recipe closely, which can be found at Epicurious.com.

Beet Ravioli with Pine Nut “Goat Cheese,” Rosemary-Cream Sauce, and Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Pine Nut “Goat Cheese:”

4 cups pine nuts, soaked 1 hour or more

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium shallots, peeled and diced

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 teaspoons nutritional yeast

2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Rosemary-Cream Sauce:

1 teaspoon minced rosemary

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup filtered water

Pinch of sea salt

1 clove garlic, peeled

Freshly ground black pepper

Beet “Pasta:”

2 medium beets (2 inches in diameter or more), peeled

2 tablespoons macadamia oil, or other nut oil, or extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons high-quality aged balsamic vinegar

Microgreens or other herbs, for garnish

 

Pine Nut “Goat Cheese”

Process all ingredients in a food processor until as smooth as possible.

You should have about 4 cups. Reserve 2 cups for the sauce, and set aside the remainder.

Rosemary-Cream Sauce

Puree all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.

To Finish

Using a mandoline, slice the beets very thin (so they are pliable and not stiff, approximately 1/16 of an inch or less).

Make small stacks of the larger pieces and use a sharp knife to cut into squares—the size doesn’t matter much, as long as they are all roughly the same. Alternatively, use a round-, heart-or other- shaped cookie cutter to cut the slices. Cut at least 40 slices—10 per serving, with a few extra to spare.

In a medium bowl, place the beet slices, oil, lemon juice, and salt and toss gently to coat evenly. Allowing the beets to sit for a half hour or more will soften them; this is optional but a good idea if your slices are on the thicker side and still a bit stiff.

Lay half the beet slices on a clean work surface and top each with a rounded teaspoonful of the cheese. Top with the remaining beet slices and press down gently.

Spoon the sauce onto serving plates, and arrange the ravioli on top. Garnish with a few drops of aged balsamic vinegar and a few sprigs of either microgreens or fresh herbs.

Welcome 2013 ~ Five Spice Duck Breasts with Caramelized Quince

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Happy New Year 2013!

On New Year’s Eve, we celebrated the last day of the year with a few Spanish tapas. My favorite was made with quince paste, Manchego cheese, and Marcona almonds. I had never cooked with quince before, and it really intrigued me! If you’ve never had it, I would describe it as a cross between a pear and an apple, but it needs to be cooked to bring out its sweetness. I love to explore ingredients I have never tried before. It keeps the kitchen fun and interesting.

I stayed with the quince theme for our New Year’s Day dinner. A new fruit for a new year seemed fitting! We had Five Spice Duck Breasts with Caramelized Quince to kick off 2013.  I followed the recipe from Cooking Light magazine pretty closely except that I cut the sugar in the poached quinces quite a bit. Other than that, we thought it was a really exceptional recipe!

Poached Quinces

Based on a recipe from Cooking Light magazine

2 cups water

1/8 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/2 cinnamon stick

1 (1-inch) julienne-cut lemon rind

2 cored peeled quinces, quartered

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a sauce pan, and cook 2 minutes. Add quinces; reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. Remove quinces from liquid with a slotted spoon. Strain liquid through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Pour liquid over quinces.

Five Spice Duck Breasts with Caramelized Quince

From Cooking Light magazine

Poached Quinces from recipe above

1 teaspoon five-spice powder

2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 (12-ounce) packages boneless whole duck breasts, thawed and cut in half

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions

Reserve 3/4 cup poaching liquid from Poached Quinces. Reserve remaining liquid for another use. Cut the quince quarters into cubes; set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup reserved poaching liquid, five-spice powder, ginger, and garlic in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add duck to bag; seal and toss to coat. Marinate in refrigerator at least 24 hours or up to 2 days, turning bag occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Remove duck from marinade; discard marinade. Sprinkle duck evenly with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Place duck, skin side down, in pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until skin is golden brown. Turn meat over; cook 1 minute. Place pan in oven. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (medium) or until desired degree of doneness. Remove duck from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Place duck, skin side down, on a cutting board or work surface. Brush meaty side of duck with remaining 1/4 cup poaching liquid.

Heat reserved drippings in pan over medium-high heat. Add cubed quince quarters; sauté 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in sliced green onions.

Remove skin from duck; discard. Cut duck diagonally across grain into thin slices. Divide duck slices evenly among each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup quince mixture. Serve immediately.

PS. The leftover quince syrup was a nice addition to a glass of sparkling wine to ring in the new year :).

PPS. The festive little paper hats were free to download and print from http://www.ellinee.com. Super cute!

Thankful For Thanksgiving Leftovers ~ Turkey Pho

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I discovered a new recipe website this year called Food52.com. It is an online community where you can share recipes, compare them and just chat about food. My favorite part about it is that they run recipe contests, so everyone’s favorite dishes rise to the top. When I found myself with a bunch of turkey leftovers earlier this year, I stumbled upon the “Best Recipe for Turkey Leftovers Contest Winner,” which was turkey pho. I’d never made pho at home before, but I definitely enjoy a good bowl on a cold and rainy night. I was actually quite impressed with how well this dish turned out! I love it when something comes out of my own kitchen that surprises me ;-). I thought I would pass along this recipe before you have your own turkey leftovers next week. It is a very delicious and comforting dish that is a little off the beaten track if you’d like to try something new.

Turkey Pho

From Food 52

This recipe makes 2 big bowls of soup

TOAST THE SPICES

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

4 whole cloves

4 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

Heat a cast-iron skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon stick and toast until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Immediately spoon out the spices into a bowl to avoid burning them and set aside.

MAKE THE TURKEY PHO

1 quart homemade turkey stock (or homemade or store-bought chicken stock)

1 bunch green onions (green top parts only) chopped

1 3-inch chunk of ginger, sliced and smashed with side of knife

1 teaspoon brown sugar, or more to taste

1 tablespoon fish sauce, or more to taste

1-2 cup kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 pound leftover turkey breast, shredded

1 bunch (approx. 2 oz.) cellophane/bean thread noodles (or enough flat dried rice noodles to serve 2)

1-2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped- for garnish (optional)

1-2 tablespoon chopped green onions (white parts only), minced- for garnish (optional)

1/2 lime, cut into wedges

Sriracha chili sauce to taste

In a large pot, add the toasted spices and all ingredients from stock through fish sauce and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes, skimming the surface frequently.

Taste the broth and add more sugar or fish sauce, if needed. Strain the broth and discard the solids. Add the kale and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the shredded turkey and the cellophane noodles. Allow to sit for a few minutes while the noodles soften.

Ladle the broth into bowls. Divide the kale, shredded turkey and the noodles evenly into each bowl.

Sprinkle on the garnishes and add sriracha to taste. Squeeze lime juice to taste over the top of your bowl before eating.

Happy wedding anniversary ~ Part 2 ~ Pepper-Crusted Steak with Horseradish Cream on Grilled Garlic Crostini

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We enjoyed an Italian steak dish to compliment our crab ravioli on our anniversary. Surf and turf :). We just wanted a little something to snack on as we lingered at the table, enjoyed the candles surrounding us, and sipped our wine. These were perfect.

The original recipe was from Epicurious.com. I replaced the heavy cream with light sour cream, which is a different flavor, but delicious all the same. I also trimmed the steak very well before I cooked it.

Pepper-Crusted Steak with Horseradish Cream on Grilled Garlic Crostini

Based on a recipe from Epicurious.com

For the crostini:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Salt and pepper to taste

15 1/3-inch slices cut from a French baguette

Italian parsley, minced

Mix the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl and brush lightly on both sides of the bread slices. To broil, position the rack so the slices are 2 inches from the top and turn when the crostini starts to brown at the edges. It will only take a couple of minutes, so watch them very closely.

For the cream:

1/3 cup freshly grated horseradish

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup light sour cream

Use a microplane grater to grate the horseradish root, and then mix the horseradish with the vinegar. Add the mustard, salt, and pepper, and mix again. Then fold into the sour cream.

For the marinated beef:

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, cracked

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1/3 cup olive oil

2 pounds London broil (top sirloin), cut 1 1/2 inches thick

Kosher salt

Combine the garlic, hot red pepper flakes, peppercorns, rosemary, and olive oil in a Zip-loc bag. Add the beef, coating it with the marinade. Squeeze all the air out of the bag so the marinade envelops the beef, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the grill or broiler for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the steak with the salt and grill or broil to rare or medium rare, depending on your preference. (Our steak took about 6 minutes in the broiler to cook to our liking).

Let the steak rest for at least 20 minutes, to get the juices back into the meat, and then cut into short, very thin slices.

Arrange a few shaved slices of beef on each piece of bread, top with a dot of horseradish cream, scatter with minced Italian parsley, and finish with a little kosher salt.

The wine we paired with dinner was called Red Silk 2010 Shiraz by Oliverhill Winery in Australia. Since the traditional anniversary gift for the 12th anniversary is silk, this was our twist on it. Funny thing, out of all of the wines to choose from in the world, I chose this one for Rob, and my mom happened to choose the very same wine as a gift to us! What are the chances? 😉  So we still have one bottle to enjoy after our anniversary. Let the celebration continue!

Happy wedding anniversary ~ Part 1 ~ Dungeness Crab Ravioli

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We celebrated our wedding anniversary this year with pasta! Last week Rob and I took a cooking class at Sur La Table about making homemade pasta, and afterwards we bought a pasta machine as a gift to each other. The traditional anniversary gift for 12 years of marriage is silk, so we thought making silky pasta would be fitting! 😉

We both love crab, so we made a Dungeness crab filling to go in our homemade ravioli. I found a good recipe on MarthaStewart.com to base our dish. I used lightened ricotta instead of the whole milk variety, and I used Earth Balance instead of butter for the sauce. We also used a little more crab than the recipe called for, since we love crab :). We replaced the wonton wrappers in her recipe with fresh pasta dough that we rolled and cut out. The recipe for the dough is on a previous entry that I wrote last spring, and it can be found here.

Crab Ravioli with Lemony Sauce

Based on a recipe from MarthaStewart.com

For the filling:

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups lump crabmeat, such as Dungeness

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

For the pasta:

Fresh Pasta Dough

Rice flour preferably, or the type of flour you used to make the dough (either all-purpose or 00)

For the sauce:

1 stick Earth Balance

2 teaspoons lemon peel, very finely chopped, plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Make the filling: Mix together ricotta, crabmeat, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and the red-pepper flakes.

Make the ravioli: Cut your pasta sheets into squares with a pizza cutter, about 2 inches wide. Mound 1 teaspoon crab filling in the center of each hand cut piece of pasta. Brush edges of the pasta square with water, and top each with another square. Press edges to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet covered with rice flour (preferably) or the type of flour used to make the dough, and lightly dust the ravioli with the flour to keep them from sticking.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in 2 batches, cook ravioli until they rise to the top, 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons Earth Balance in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer first batch of cooked ravioli to the skillet using a slotted spoon, along with about 2 tablespoons cooking liquid. Add 1 teaspoon chopped lemon peel and 1 teaspoon juice, and swirl to combine. Transfer to plates.

Repeat with second batch of ravioli.

They sound like a lot of work, but when you have two people working together in the kitchen, they go surprisingly quickly. It’s a fun project! I hope you’ll give them a try :).

Happy 100th Birthday, Julia Child ~ Cheese Soufflé

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Julia Child would have turned 100 years old today. That milestone has inspired cooks everywhere to remember her and to cook something a little French this evening :).

Sur La Table is hosting cooking classes this month to celebrate her birthday including 4 of Julia’s recipes. I recreated my favorite of the 4 at home ~ The cheese soufflé. The original is published in The Way to Cook, and Bon Appétit magazine also published an adaptation of the recipe a few years ago.

I used Earth Balance instead of butter, because ever since I discovered it, I don’t buy butter anymore. It does everything I need. I also used skim milk instead of whole. Other than that, I followed the recipe closely, since Julia was known for testing her recipes thoroughly. Don’t want to question the master! 😉

Cheese Soufflé

Adapted from The Way to Cook

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (or other hard cheese)

1 cup skim milk

2 1/2 tablespoons Earth Balance, plus more for greasing pan

3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 grinds of pepper

Speck of ground nutmeg

4 large egg yolks

5 large egg whites

1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 400 F.

Grease 6-cup (1 1/2-quart) soufflé dish with Earth Balance. Add Parmesan cheese and tilt dish, coating bottom and sides.

Warm milk in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming.

Meanwhile, melt Earth Balance in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until mixture begins to foam and loses raw taste, about 3 minutes (do not allow mixture to brown). Remove saucepan from heat; let stand 1 minute. Pour in warm milk, whisking until smooth. Return to heat and cook, whisking constantly until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in paprika, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, whisking to blend after each addition. Scrape soufflé base into large bowl. Cool to lukewarm. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into lukewarm or room temperature soufflé base to lighten. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions while gradually sprinkling in Gruyère cheese. Transfer batter to prepared dish.

Place dish in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 375_F. Bake until soufflé is puffed and golden brown on top and center moves only slightly when dish is shaken gently, about 25 minutes (do not open oven door during first 20 minutes). Serve immediately.

This pairs well with a summery rosé wine. French of course ;-). Our house rosé at the moment is Domaine Couron Grenache Rosé from France, which was perfect.

Bon appétit!

Seafood for Seafair Weekend ~ Halibut with Summer Vegetable Ragout

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It’s Seafair weekend in Seattle! Our neighborhood transforms into a big party filled with boats on Lake Washington, the Blue Angels flying overhead, hydroplane races and a wakeboard competition. After taking in some of the festivities during the day, we decided to celebrate Seafair Saturday night in our own back yard, our way :).

I made halibut with a summer vegetable ragout to compliment the sea theme of the weekend. The recipe was based on one I had at a private event at Sur La Table. I replaced the butter with Earth Balance and I added more vegetables to the mix than the original recipe called for. It’s really more of an idea than a recipe, so just add the vegetables and herbs that you like and that are in season.

Halibut with Summer Vegetable Ragout

Serves 2

1 cup leeks, thinly sliced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

2 cups summer squash, diced

1/2 cup peas

2 tablespoons Earth Balance buttery spread

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon each of fresh thyme and oregano, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2 4-oz halibut filets

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Place a large sauté pan on low heat, and add the Earth Balance. Once melted, add the leeks and fennel, and sweat until almost tender. Then add the peas and the summer squash. Cook until the squash is done to your liking. Off the heat, add the lemon zest and fresh herbs. Blend well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In the meantime, place the halibut filets on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the halibut flakes with a fork.

We paired our dinner with Wyland Cabernet Sauvignon from Laguna Canyon Winery. It has a beautiful picture of dolphins on the label, which is why I thought it was the perfect choice for this sea inspired meal.

Cheers!

Happy Fourth of July ~ Bison Burgers with Washington Cabernet Onions and Wisconsin Cheddar

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Happy 4th!

Tonight I decided to shake up the traditional Fourth of July hamburger with ground bison. It’s a very lean meat and a healthier option compared to most ground beef, and it is also feels like a patriotic choice for this holiday since bison have lived around this country longer than we have! I followed a recipe from Bon Appétit magazine that was absolutely delicious.

Bison Burgers with Washington Cabernet Onions and Wisconsin Cheddar

From Bon Appétit magazine

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 cups sliced onions (about 2)

3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine (I chose one from my home state of Washington)

1 pound ground bison (buffalo)

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

4 organic hamburger buns (I used whole-wheat)

6 ounces sliced Wisconsin white cheddar cheese (My other home state, where I grew up :))

Dijon mustard

1 small head of escarole, leaves separated

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until tender and golden brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to sauté until very tender and well browned, about 15 minutes longer. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.

Preheat broiler. Gently mix meat and next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle burgers with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook until well browned, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Open buns and arrange, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Place cheese slices on bun tops. Broil until cheese melts and bottom halves are lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Spread bottom halves with mustard. Top each with a few escarole leaves, then burger. Spoon onions atop burgers, dividing equally. Cover with bun tops; press lightly.

Makes 4 burgers.

I served the burgers with simple sides of corn on the cob and watermelon slices. What could be more summery? 🙂

We also paired dinner with a Washington wine with a patriotic label called 2010 Charles & Charles Red Wine. It is a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a perfect compliment to red meat.

The cute little clip art drink skewers and table decorations were from HP.com and MarthaStewart.com. Both were free to print :).

The Bungalow ~ Poisson Cru

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I can’t put down the new book by Sarah Jio called The Bungalow. I would highly recommend it if you are looking for your next summery book to read at the beach (as long as you don’t have anything else on your calendar to do, since it is a page-turner! ;)) The story starts in Seattle in the 1940s, but it quickly moves to Bora Bora. I feel as if I am on a trip to that part of the world when I open the pages!

The story inspired me to research dishes from French Polynesia, and I stumbled upon one called Poisson Cru, which means “raw fish” in French. The way I like to travel (virtually or in reality) is to make and sample foods from different places. Since I can’t make it to Bora Bora this week, this is something I could enjoy in my own back yard in Seattle with the tiki torches burning. 🙂 I think a mai tai would be the perfect accompaniment!

Poisson Cru

From Epicurious.com

(6 appetizers or 4 entrees)

1 pound very fresh high-grade ahi tuna, diced in neat 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup coconut milk (I used light coconut milk)

1/2 cup diced peeled and seeded cucumber

4 to 5 scallions, green and white portions, split lengthwise and minced

1 fresh hot small green or red chile, seeded and minced, optional

Several tablespoons shredded coconut, optional

3/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Freshly ground pepper

1 medium tomato, seeded and squeezed to eliminate liquid, diced

Combine in a medium bowl the tuna, lime juice, coconut milk, cucumber, scallions, optional chile and coconut, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour. Mix in the tomato and serve right away.

The School of Essential Ingredients ~ Spring Risotto

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I’ve been working at two separate cooking schools this spring, which inspired me to pick up a book about a group of people who meet every week for a cooking class. It is entitled The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. The way she writes about cooking and food is so descriptive that it encouraged me to stop and really take in all of the experiences at my own cooking schools…The smells, textures, colors and tastes, as well as the people, places and experiences associated with every dish.

Her website includes a few recipes to bring the experience home, so I decided to try her spring risotto to celebrate the end of the season :).

Spring Risotto

From www.EricaBauermeister.com

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 lb asparagus

3 T butter (I actually used Earth Balance instead, which worked beautifully)

3 T olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1 1/3 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper (to taste)

lemon zest (optional)

shaved parmesan

Cut asparagus tips into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Cut half of the stocks into finely chopped pieces; cut the other half into 1 inch pieces.

Heat broth in a heavy saucepan. When boiling, add asparagus and cook until just tender (3-5 minutes). Take out asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Turn down heat under broth to a low simmer.

In a different heavy saucepan, melt butter and add olive oil. Add chopped onions and saute until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add rice and bay leaf and stir until well coated with the butter. Add wine and cook, stirring, until liquid has evaporated.

Add a ladleful of heated broth to the rice, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding a ladleful at a time, until broth is gone and rice is creamy but grains are still firm.

Add the asparagus and a pinch of lemon zest (optional). Add salt and pepper to taste. Put in a serving bowl and top with Parmesan shavings.

Prep time: 45-50 minutes (with much contemplative stirring)

Serves 6

I paired it with a local wine called Barnard Griffin 2010 Chardonnay. The tulips on the label always remind me of spring :). I also used this wine in the dish.

An Easy Weeknight Dish ~ Curried Salmon Cakes

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One of the recipes that I go back to again and again for a quick, easy and inexpensive meal is this one for curried salmon cakes. It is a refreshing blend of curry and apples, which is a little unexpected and a little exotic for a weeknight meal :). The recipe originally came from Sunset magazine. It is full of healthy ingredients, so I follow it pretty closely. I am just passing it along, since it’s one of my favorites :).

Curried Salmon Cakes

From Sunset magazine

2 large eggs

2 pouches (about 7 oz. each) boned, skinned pink salmon, or 1 can (about 15 oz.) red or pink salmon, drained, skin removed (make sure it is wild salmon vs. farmed)

1/2 cup finely chopped apple

1/4 cup dried bread crumbs (I use panko)

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Beat eggs with a fork. Add salmon and break up. Stir in apple, bread crumbs, onions, mayonnaise, curry powder, paprika, and pepper. Shape into four cakes (3/4 in. thick); place on a piece of plastic wrap.

2. Set a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add oil, then salmon cakes. Cook until well browned on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook until browned on the other side, 3 to 5 minutes longer.

I served these with a simple salad and quinoa pilaf. Yum!

Happy Mother’s Day Weekend ~ Fresh Asparagus, Pine Nut and Tarragon Ravioli

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To celebrate Mother’s Day weekend this year, my mom came up for a visit filled with the things we love to do together! Things like shopping at some of our favorite stores, taking a cooking class, and enjoying this fresh ravioli for dinner.

I have recently learned that fresh pasta is actually amazingly easy, and it feels so much more special than dried. It is a little time consuming, but it freezes beautifully, so you can make it on a night when you have time and enjoy it whenever you’d like.

This dish was based on a recipe from one of Sur La Table’s cooking classes. They offer many fresh pasta classes that have really demystified the process for me. The original dish was tossed in a mushroom cream sauce, but I simply tossed the finished ravioli in a little bit of melted Earth Balance buttery spread and sprinkled them with fresh tarragon. I also used less vinegar than called for. Just add the filling ingredients to your taste, and sample as you go before you fill the ravioli.

Fresh Pasta Dough

Yield: 4 servings

2 1/2 cups (12 ounces) all-purpose flour or “00” flour, plus more for dusting

1 tablespoon kosher salt

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Place flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Make a “well” in the center of the flour mixture and add eggs and oil, if using. Using your fingers, blend the eggs into the flour mixture, stirring the flour in from the sides of the well and working outwards. When the pasta dough is thoroughly mixed, turn it out on a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough until it is smooth and flexible but not sticky, about 5 to 10 minutes, adding small amounts of flour as needed. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Cover in plastic wrap and allow dough to rest for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour at room temperature.

To roll dough, secure a pasta machine to the edge of a long countertop. Using a bench scraper, cut dough into thirds. Keep extra dough covered in plastic while working with one piece. Flatten the piece of dough into a rough square that will fit inside the width of the pasta machine. Place the rollers on the widest setting and roll the dough through the machine, catching it with one hand as you roll with the other. Take the dough and fold into thirds towards the center of the dough. Turn the dough so one open end faces the machine and roll it through on the widest setting again. Fold, turn, and roll once more on the widest setting. Continue rolling the pasta through machine without folding, adjusting the rollers to the next smallest setting each time, until the desired thickness is reached. If the pasta sheet becomes too large to handle, use a bench scraper to cut it into more manageable lengths and continue rolling until pasta is less than 1/16-inch thick.

(This whole process can also be done with a rolling pin. It takes some muscle, but it works really well).

Asparagus, Pine Nut and Tarragon Ravioli

Yield: 4 servings

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 large bunch tarragon, washed and dried, stems removed

1/2 pound asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths, blanched and cooled

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, plus more as needed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 recipe Fresh Pasta Dough

To prepare filling, place garlic, pine nuts, tarragon, and asparagus pieces in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to a rough chop. Add 1/3 cup olive oil in a steady steam and process to a smooth paste. Stop motor and add cheese and vinegar, stirring by hand to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper and more vinegar as needed. Set aside.

Place pasta sheets on a lightly floured work surface. Place tablespoons of filling in rows down the length of the pasta sheet, leaving at least 2 inches of space around each tablespoon of filling. Using a pastry brush, moisten the surface of the pasta around the filling with water or egg wash. Place a similarly sized pasta sheet on top of the filling, gently pressing to seal the pasta around the filling without creating air pockets inside the ravioli. Cut the ravioli using a cookie cutter, a ravioli stamp, a pizza wheel, or a ravioli maker. Place ravioli on a rimmed baking sheet lightly coated with flour. Dust the tops of the ravioli with flour and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. The filled ravioli can be cooked immediately or covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 1 hour before cooking.

To cook ravioli, heat a large pot over high heat until boiling. Add enough kosher salt to season the water like seawater. While salted water boils vigorously, add ravioli and stir immediately to prevent them from sticking. Boil until ravioli are al dente, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta water and drain ravioli through a colander. Alternately, remove the cooked ravioli with a slotted spoon or spider and reheat water to boiling before cooking another batch.

Toss hot ravioli with your sauce of choice, using the reserved pasta water to thin the mixture as needed. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.

(If you decide to freeze your ravioli, don’t thaw them before placing in boiling water. They will just take about a minute or two longer than room temperature dough to thaw and cook).

I hope you’ll give these a try for a spring dinner! 🙂

Giada De Laurentiis ~ Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze

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When I first began to get into cooking, I spent a lot of time watching shows like Everyday Italian and Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. They taught me the basics and inspired me to try many of the recipes on my own. I still make a few of the dishes on a semi-regular basis, since a handful found their way to becoming old favorites at our house.

I have the opportunity to meet Giada De Laurentiis this week at a book signing event for her new cookbook entitled Weeknights with Giada. I also had the chance to take a class at Sur La Table last week that explored a few of those new recipes.

So, to stick with that theme, I decided to pull out one of my old favorites from Everyday Italian for dinner this evening. It is really quick and really healthy. Not to mention, really delicious with the whole grain mustard on the flaky salmon :). On a beautiful day like today, I wanted to get dinner on the table in under a half an hour so we could spend more time outside. It’s time to eat al fresco again!

As a side note, if you do not have a mini-food processor, you can just chop the garlic and herbs very finely with a chef’s knife and then mix them with the remaining ingredients.

Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze

From Everyday Italian

2 garlic cloves

3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon dry white wine

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

6 (6 to 8-ounce) salmon fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 lemon wedges

In a mini food processor, combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, wine, oil, Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard. Grind the mustard sauce until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of whole-grain mustard to the sauce and stir to combine. Set aside mustard sauce.

Preheat the broiler. Line a heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick spray. Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Broil for 2 minutes. Spoon the mustard sauce over the fillets. Continue broiling until the fillets are just cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.

Transfer the fillets to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

It’s Spring ~ Pea, Mint and Parmesan Crostini

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I brought home some delicious homemade bread from Sur La Table’s artisan bread class, so we decided to make a spring crostini dish with one of the baguettes. I think there is something extraordinary about peas and fresh mint together. Top that slightly sweet combination with salty Parmesan, and it’s a really special dish. Simple, fresh and delicious. A recipe from Bon Appétit magazine inspired me, but we made it our own. Just add as much or as little of each component until it tastes good to you. 🙂 This is really more of an idea than an actual recipe to follow.

Pea, Mint and Parmesan Crostini

Adapted from Bon Appétit magazine

Fresh baguette

1 ½ cups frozen peas

Handful of fresh mint

Salt and pepper

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Blanch the peas in salty water for about a minute. Drain well. In a food processor, add blanched peas, mint, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Process until it is blended, but still has some texture. Scrape down the bowl to ensure it is all evenly mixed.

Slice the baguette into thin slices, and grill lightly on a grill pan.

Spread a dollop of the pea mixture onto the baguette slices, and then top with thinly sliced Parmesan cheese. Garnish with extra mint and some freshly ground pepper if you’d like.

These would be great appetizers for a spring cocktail party, or even for an Easter meal. They are so easy to make that they would also be perfect for a late night snack with a nice bottle of wine. Or in this case, they were a part of one of our little anniversary celebrations. Saturday marked the day that Rob and I met 14 years ago. We do something special every year on that date when we unknowingly met our future spouse. 🙂 These little crostini definitely felt like a treat fitting for a special celebration.

Irish Week ~ Guinness and Beef Stew

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Since Saint Patrick’s Day is fast approaching, I was in the mood for something a little Irish. To celebrate, I made Guinness and Beef Stew tonight. It’s one of those dishes that simmers on the stove all afternoon and makes the whole house smell inviting until the beef falls apart with a spoon. My Irish hubby said it’s one of the best stews he has ever had. I hope you’ll give it a try!

I followed the recipe from Cooking Light pretty closely, since it was already a fairly healthy dish. The biggest adjustment I made was replacing the chuck roast with a round roast of beef, since it is a little leaner cut of meat that also braises beautifully. I also omitted the raisins, simply because I don’t like raisins in most dishes. I found that I didn’t need the full amount of salt, either. Just taste as you go.

Guinness and Beef Stew

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

3 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 pounds boneless round roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

5 cups chopped onion (about 3 onions)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth (my favorite store bought beef broth is from Kitchen Basics)

1 (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness Stout

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices carrot (about 8 ounces)

1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices parsnip (about 8 ounces)

1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed peeled turnip (about 8 ounces)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with salt; dredge beef in flour. Add half of beef to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and beef.

Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return meat to pan. Stir in salt, caraway seeds, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil. Cook 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, parsnip, and turnip. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

Happy Heart Day ~ Smoked Salmon and Crispy Potato Tian with Sour Cream

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

We had a special little heart shaped appetizer to celebrate Heart Day :). The original recipe was from one of Sur La Table’s cooking classes entitled Great Restaurant Recipes of Seattle, and this one was courtesy of Rover’s. I streamlined it to make it a little more weeknight friendly, and I also made it a little healthier with a couple of substitutions. I replaced the crème fraiche with reduced fat sour cream, and I used Earth Balance in place of the butter. The original recipe mixes salmon with several other ingredients, but smoked salmon is so flavorful on its own that it really doesn’t need more flavor to be delicious. By streamlining the recipe this way, I’m more likely to make it again for a special weeknight appetizer. The recipe below only took about 15 minutes to put together, and it has a great “wow” factor ;).

Smoked Salmon and Crispy Potato Tian with Sour Cream

2 servings

3 oz smoked salmon

6 oz Yukon Gold potatoes

2 tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread

1/8 tsp minced garlic

Pinch of thyme

1 tbsp minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish

1 tbsp reduced fat sour cream, plus more for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Crumble the salmon into fine bits, and set aside.

Cut the potatoes into a ¼ inch dice. (You may peel them if you wish, but the skin is just fine). Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat, and then add the Earth Balance. Add the potatoes and sauté until they are golden and cooked through. Add the garlic and thyme and toss for 30 seconds. Transfer the potatoes to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain and cool slightly. Combine the potatoes, chives and sour cream in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, set a 3-inch ring mold (or I used a heart shaped cookie cutter) in the center of a plate. Spoon the smoked salmon into the mold, pressing to form an even layer. Top with the potato mixture, again pressing lightly for an even layer. Repeat with the remaining salmon and potatoes. Top with a little sour cream and garnish with more chives.

Just because it’s Monday ~ Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Honey Mustard Sauce

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Tonight, we had a special dinner for no particular reason other than it is Monday. That’s a reason to celebrate, right? Why not? 🙂 There is a little snow on the ground, it’s a cozy day to stay inside, and I saw an eagle flying over Lake Washington from my window. There are always reasons to celebrate, I think :).

I found a nice bottle of Greystone Cellars Chardonnay for half price at one of my favorite grocery stores called Grocery Outlet. They have many high quality and organic foods and wines for a fraction of the price. It’s always an adventure to see what they have in stock. My latest find was this wine from Napa Valley’s Culinary Institute of America, which I was very excited to discover. I stocked up since their inventory turns over quickly.

That wine inspired me to find a recipe from the Culinary Institute of America to pair with it. I decided it would go well with a pork tenderloin dish from Gourmet Meals in Minutes. I used less salt than the recipe called for, and I added a tad more honey for a slightly sweeter sauce. Just taste as you go to make it to your liking. I also cut the recipe in half since it was just my hubby and me tonight, but the recipe below serves 8. It was easy to put together, but it felt special. Perfect for a Monday!

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Honey Mustard Sauce

Adapted from Gourmet Meals in Minutes

3 pounds pork tenderloin

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons shallots, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons honey

2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons thyme, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place a rack in a roasting pan, spray with nonstick spray, and place in oven. Remove any excess fat or silver skin from the tenderloin. Season with salt and pepper on all sides.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sear the tenderloin until it is golden brown on all sides, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the tenderloin and place it on the rack in the roasting pan. Roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 F. This will take approximately 15-20 minutes. (I use an oven safe kitchen thermometer with an alarm that tells me when the pork is up to temperature. It ensures I have perfectly cooked pork every time. Before I invested in this kind of thermometer, I must admit we had many dried out pork tenderloins! ;)).

While the tenderloin is roasting, return the sauté pan to medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook until warmed through. Add the mustard, honey, vinegar, thyme, chicken/vegetable broth and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until the mixture reduces to a sauce consistency. Keep warm.

Remove the tenderloins from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Slice the roast and serve with the warm honey-mustard sauce.

PS. The lovely organic greens and carrots were also from Grocery Outlet 🙂