All About Chocolate

I started today in the world of all things chocolate.  Not a bad way to start, for sure.  The occasion was a networking/social affair with several ladies from my corporate gig.  And when I received the invite, I knew I'd be down for checking out a local chocolatier, while connecting with new and old colleagues, alike.  (Note: it doesn't take much to get me interested in most things involving the world of food.)

Chocolate Bark, Candy Mold & Truffles!

So, as planned, we met at the quaint and cozy venue, Chamberlain's Chocolate Factory, and dove into the fun and always fascinating world of chocolate.  We were introduced to the chocolates of the day (white, milk, semisweet (56%) and bittersweet (72%)) by way of scrumptious samples.  This allowed us to acquaint our palettes, so to speak, with the flavors we'd want to use--and possibly reuse or mix--throughout our various chocolate "projects".  Personally, I loved them all, but tended to lean towards my long-standing favorites of milk and semisweet.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

We had the place all to ourselves for a morning of uninterrupted candy-making and didn't waste any time diving into the action.  We started off by painting molds with colorful chocolates, which were then filled with our choice(s) of the white, milk, semisweet or bittersweet varieties.  We followed with chocolate bark, chocolate dipped strawberries and chocolate truffles.  It was chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! 

I chose my favorite: the butterfly mold

Besides the fun of making the delicacies, while "tasting" my way through the morning, one of the best parts was the ease of it all.  Unlike when I make my chocolate fare at home, there was no having to chop or measure or make the ganache for the truffles or temper the chocolate for the strawberries--or anything else.  It was all ready to go for us to simply enjoy.  Now if I could only find a way to duplicate that in my kitchen.

Some more highlights:

One of the instructors prepares the ganache

So, if you're looking to indulge your sweet tooth, while trying something fun and different, I'd recommend planning an outing.  It would be great for a fun girls' night out, kids' parties and any other occasion you want to tag for the fun of it.  And if all else fails, you really don't need an excuse when it comes to chocolate.  It pretty much speaks for itself.

Happy Eating! 

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

This salad has become a favorite of late.  It takes one of my best-loved winter vegetables, butternut squash, and makes it a genuine star.  And although the backdrop is a salad, it's anything but boring or unfulfilling.  To the contrary, it's full of flavors and textures that will keep your taste buds popping.

Combine the sweet, maple-roasted squash with the crunch of toasted walnuts, the slight tartness of dried cranberries, the zing of Parmesan cheese and the brightness of cider vinaigrette, and you've got one flavor-texture explosion after another.  And besides the time it takes to roast the squash, it comes together rather quickly.

I like it so much, in fact, that it's made its way to my table as a satisfying entree, as well as a decadent side dish during the holiday season.  Give it a try; I think you'll become an adoring fan, too.

Happy Eating!


Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette


Ingredients:

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
Olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces mixed field greens
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.


Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes. 

While the squash is roasting, combine the vinegar and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the field greens in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

*Recipe Adapted from Ina Garten  
 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Photo Memory from Legendary Chez Black, Positano, Italy

xoxo!

Fish en Papillote

Fish en Papillote

With all the glorious comfort food recipes that we naturally gravitate towards this time of the year, I thought a (brief) departure of sorts was in order.  And if I'm stepping away, it better be well worth it. And it is. 

Fish en Papillote (fish baked in parchment) is the loveliest recipe, and it hits all the right notes.  Easy--check.  Healthy--check.  Elegant--check.  Quick--check.  Dinner party worthy--check.  Dine on a dime--check.  Relatively foul-proof--check.  Open for interpretation--check!

With all these credentials, it's not hard to imagine how taking in a delicious piece of fish, accompanied with varied flavors of vegetables, herbs, seasonings, a splash of wine and, yes, a little butter, steamed in a neat little pocket, could be anything other than the proverbial "no brainer".  And a yummy one, at that. 

While great by its lonesome, I recommend pairing with a favorite side or two (flash fried purple potatoes are my current favorite for the nice contrast of texture), and you've got a meal that comes together--and tastes--like no other. 

Happy Eating!

Fish en Papillote

4 Tilapia fillets or other white fish
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned

1 large carrot, julienned
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 pats butter
1/4 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


In a bowl, mix together the peppers, carrot and garlic. Add the oil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Put each fish fillet in a large square of parchment paper and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the vegetables on top, dividing evenly. Top the vegetables with 2 lemon slices, 2 sprigs thyme, a pat of butter and 1 tablespoon white wine, layering in order. Fold the parchment paper around the edges tightly in 1/4-inch folds to create a half moon shape. Make sure you press as you crimp and fold to seal the packets well, otherwise the steam will escape. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet. Bake until the fish is cooked through, about 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. To serve, cut open the packets and serve directly in the parchment on a plate or remove the fish to the plate using a spatula, being sure you don't leave the juices behind. 
Adapted from Melissa D'Arabian  

 

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Fleur de Sel

Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Fleur de Sel

If I told you that I have a recipe that's quicker and easier than its store mix counterpart, would you believe me?  Well, I do.  This recipe for Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Fleur de Sel is a dream!  In less than an hour, you can have a delicious batch of homemade, fudgy, sweet and slightly salty brownies--with no more fuss than what you'd expect from a boxed mix.  Really.

So now that I've piqued your curiosity--and likely your sweet tooth--here's the recipe, in its sweet and yummy glory.

Happy Eating!






Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter 
and Fleur de Sel

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut 
into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
(spooned into cup to measure, then leveled)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel
2 large eggs, chilled
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached
all purpose flour
Powdered sugar (for sprinkling)

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325 degrees F.  Line 8x8x2-inch baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang.  Coat foil with nonstick spray.  Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, water, vanilla, and salt.  Stir to blend.  Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot).  Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition.  When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended.  Beat vigorously 60 strokes.  Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25-30 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack.  Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan.  Cut into 4 strips.  Cut each strip crosswise into 4 brownies.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  
Do Ahead:  Can be made 2 days ahead.  Store airtight at room temperature.
*Adapted from Bon Appetit

 

Foodie Vocabulary: Mise en Place

Mise en Place (pronounced meez ahn plahs) is a french culinary term for "everything in its place".  A  culinary technique of sorts used in professional restaurants and kitchens where efficiency and time management are essential, it should also be embraced in the kitchens of home cooks alike.

At the heart, mise en place involves organizing and preparing ingredients, tools and whatever essentials are used to prepare a dish or meal.   From pre-measuring and setting aside ingredients, to preheating an oven, to making sure all needed utensils, appliances, etc., are clean and ready for use, to reading a recipe through from start to finish to make sure nothing is overlooked--and everything in between--mise en place brings an order and reliability to the cooking process that is worthwhile.  I like to think of it as an investment of pre-labor that will yield the dividends of a successful--and enjoyable--cooking experience. 

Example of Mise en Place

I know first hand how valuable mise en place is because I've experienced, among other things, the upset of omitting an ingredient as I went along in preparing a dish.  In particular, once when baking a cake, I sifted together all of my dry ingredients EXCEPT one:  the salt!  Although most wouldn't notice the overly sweet end result, I missed that extra balance and brightness of flavor that my cake lacked from that error.  And you better believe I didn't make that mistake twice. 

So the next time you set out to prepare a delicious bite, take a moment to make sure that "everything's in its place" and let the joy of cooking begin.

Happy Eating!