Bridal Shower at the Chopping Block

Amanda, my designated escort, snuck a piece of paper to the cab driver and told him to take us to the place written on it. We drove up a few blocks and pulled up to the Merchandise Mart, the Mecca of interior design in Chicago. "I'm confused, are you girls buying me furniture?" I asked her as we got out. "Yes, we're buying you a dowry," she joked. Priya had asked me prior to this day if she could throw me a shower, and now here we were, with the very first supperclub bridal shower. What we were actually going to do was still a mystery to me. And I really didn't piece anything together, until I was literally in the doorway of the Chopping Block.

The Chopping Block is sort of a combination cooking school and retail store. They offer classes for the everyday cook including hands-on, as well as, demonstration-style courses. Amanda and I walked through the retail portion, past stocked shelves with shiny utensils and friendly-looking pots beckoning us to take them home. Once we reached the spacious demonstration kitchen in the back, I saw all the rest of my beautiful supperclub girls beaming back at me from around a large farmhouse table. I'm sure I must have clapped my hands together and squealed. I am often fond of doing just that. Among everyone, was my very best work buddy Jody, who had been secretly invited. By the end of the evening, she had become such a favorite of the girls, that they unanimously recruited her to be our newest supperclub member.

The chef instructor cooked an entire meal while we watched. It was not unlike watching a live taping of a cooking show on television. The best part was that we had front row seats and we got to eat everything she made, which was all very good. Our particular demonstration featured an Asian-influenced dinner. We started off with a chilled soba noodle salad interlaced with slivers of cucumber, radish and cabbage. I happily ate forkfuls of noodles and consumed glasses of wine while the instructor worked on the main course; salmon seared in grape seed oil with a crisp panko crust. It was perfectly cooked. I often find that when I make salmon at home, it comes out a touch dry and overcooked. She served it with a savory saute of button mushrooms and asparagus. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not generally impressed by the button mushroom. It is such a mundane and pedestrian member of the funghi family, way less interesting than its relatives like the shiitake or the portabello. But the instructor worked her magic on those little buttons. They came out incredibly rich tasting. The rice was even dressed up for the occasion with soy, sesame oil, sesame seeds and chives. The final sweets came in the form of a creme brulee made with candied ginger that we all took turns brulee-ing with the torch.

Now, I was a bit zealous with the wine consumption, so I wasn't as diligent about taking notes, but there were several important lessons that I walked away with that night. While I expected to learn invaluable cooking tips, I hadn't expected to learn other more interesting life lessons. Here they are in no particular order.

1. Boas trail and are liable to get stuck in things. If you are ever in a situation where you must don a boa...be aware that your physical footprint increases.
2. The St. Louis Cardinals won the world series that night. And apparently, not all men appreciate baseball. We had to hound the manager of a bar to turn the game back on so that Jill, Priya and Lisa could watch the post-game recap and celebration. He literally turned off all the tvs the minute the game was over, despite protests from the people gathered around watching.
3. Chef's blowtorches are fun. Creme brulee torches that come in the kits simply aren't as effective as a full-size blowtorch from Home Depot. But be careful, more than one of us managed to set something other than the dessert on fire.
4. Button mushrooms can be amazing and exotic
5. In this new age of technology, it is possible to receive a drunken text in lieu of the more traditional drunken phone call.
6. Grapeseed oil is healthy and should be used instead of olive oil when you need to cook something at a higher temperature. Because of it's higher smoking point, it's ideal for searing and other techniques that require the additional heat.
7. I love the supperclub girls, they're simply the best!

I hope you can all benefit from my bridal shower experience. Cheers! Here's to a brand new year! Happy 2007...I wish you all good food and good friends!

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Wasabi Crusted Salmon
Four 4-5 oz. salmon filets
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp wasabi powder
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp grapeseed oil

Season the salmon filets with salt and pepper to taste. In a bowl, mix together the wasabi powder, vinegar, soy sauce and mayonnaise. Brush each of the filets with the wasabi mixture and then coat in panko bread crumbs. Heat a non stick saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. Saute the fish on the first side until golden brown and crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Flip over and repeat. If you like your salmon medium then removi it from the pan and serve. If you like it cooked all the way through, place the salmon in a 350 degree oven and cook it until the internal temperature reads 140-145 degrees.

Notes:
1. You can leave out the panko/mayo combo and the salmon is still really good.
2. Leave the salmon in the fridge unconvered for a bit, so that it's a bit sticky to the touch.
3. When sauteing, make sure to put the presentation side down first.
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Sesame Soba Salad
1/2 pound soba noodles
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice, from about 1 large orange
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp grated gresh ginger
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound napa or green cabbage (about 2 cups)
1 medium cucumber, julienne
5 radishes, julienne

Cook noodles until just done, about 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, combine the orange juice and zest, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the noodles, cabbage, cucumber and radishes and toss. Serve topped with sesame seeds.

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Ginger Creme Brulee
4 cups heavy whipping cream
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split (or 1 Tbsp vanilla extract)
1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
As needed raw or demerara sugar (for the top)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat cream with vanilla bean and ginger in a heavy saucepan over a medium low flame until film forms and tiny bubbles appear around edges. Turn off heat and allow to steep for 15 minutes.

Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl to combine thoroughly. Whisk warm cream in slowly. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl or large measuring cup with pouring spout. Be sure to reserve all of the candied ginger and set aside.

Pour mixture into individual ramekins leaving about 1/2" at the top. Place about one Tbsp of the ginger in each ramekin. Add boiling water to the roasting pan so the water reaches halfway up the outside of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is set, but still slightly quivering, about 25-30 minutes.

Remove ramekins from roasting pan. Allow to cool to room temperature or in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Sprinkle top with sugar. Use a blowtorch or broiler to heat sugar until it liquefies and caramelizes.

Moving Party at Jill's

Single city girl falls in love and moves to the suburbs. Actually, Jill was moving past even the suburbs. But when a girl is in love, she's gotta do what she's gotta do. Neatly stacked boxes and everything, we had one last hurrah in Jill's city apartment.

It was a full-house. All seven of us were there to send Jill off. With pizza on the way, we opened the wine and beer. Steph worked at the stove, gently steaming some mussels with garlic. And Amanda composed a salad with arugula and roasted pears and walnuts in a beautiful red bowl. After polishing off my chocolate molten cakes, we thought we were done for the evening. "Let's go to a bar" I think Amanda said. Jill perked up immediately from her sleepy and cozy position on the couch. "Bar?" she asked happily with a big grin on her face.

So we were off to the bar, but not before being stopped on the road by a guy. "Hi ladies. I like long walks on the beach, margaritas and I'm a Sagitarius," he yells from the inside of his car. Hilarious.

At the bar, Amanda and I split a Peach (Peche) Lambic. A Belgian beer made by Lindemans, Amanda likened it to a peach champagne when she was introducing it to me. It was sweet, fruity and crisp tasting. It was nothing like the typical beer we all know. I've since tried the Framboise or Raspberry Lambic and it just isn't as good. The Raspberry Lambic was heavy and thick, more closely resembling a melted raspberry popsicle. My pick is for the lighter more fun sister, the Peach Lambic.

So after indulging in tasty things all evening, we had to say goodnight and part company. Jill's moving away. But it had been a lovely city evening to remember. And, she'll be back.

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Arugula and Roasted Pear Salad with Walnuts and Parmesan Cheese

Serves 4 to 6

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
2 bunches arugula, stems removed, washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 7 cups)
1 recipe Roasted Pears
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved into thin strips
with vegetable peeler
1 cup walnuts, chopped coarse and toasted in
small dry skillet over medium heat until lightly
browned and fragrant, about 3 minutes

1. Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste in small bowl.

2. Combine arugula, pears, and Parmesan in large serving bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss gently to combine; sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Serve immediately.

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Roasted Pears

4 firm Anjou or Bartlett pears (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place baking sheet or broiler pan bottom on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.

2. Peel and halve each pear lengthwise. With paring knife or melon baller, remove core. Set each half cut-side down and slice lengthwise into fifths.

3. Toss pears with butter; add sugar and toss again to combine. Spread pears in single layer on preheated baking sheet, making sure each slice lies flat on surface. Roast until browned on bottom, about 10 minutes. Flip each slice and roast until tender and deep golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Let pears cool while preparing salad.

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Mussels with Wasabi Mayo
Mussels
Steam mussels in white wine, a little water, and chopped or crushed garlic

Wasabi Mayo
1. Add wasabi paste or powder (powder plus water) to French-style mayonnaise to taste. You want it to have some kick, since the coating of mayo on the mussels is thin you should probably err on the side of spicy. If you can't find French-style mayo, which is creamier than Hellmans, make your own mayo by whisking together 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar. Season with a little sea salt. Add 3/4 cup peanut oil by drizzling slowly, then 1/4 cup good quality olive oil. (Sometimes I use a little less peanut oil, but if you use too little it won't be the right consistency). When I made it for Supperclub, I made homemade mayo and then added my wasabi paste from a tube.

2. Remove mussels from shells and let cool (Removing the mussels is so that they won't get too watery and turn the mayo into a watery mess). Let the mussels cool and very lightly coat the mussels with the mayo. Then return them to the shells (which you can either wipe dry or stick in the oven on 250 for five minutes). This makes a nice presentation.

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Molten Chocolate Cakes
Thomas and I were served this particular dessert at my friend Injung's house. She's an amazing cook and the type of girl who eats something at a restaurant and then attempts to recreate dishes at home. This makes approximately 4-6 individual cakes with melting lava-like centers. It's definitely a crowd-pleaser..and very simple to make. Among its many good qualities, it's a dessert that can be dressed up or down. Leave it in the dish for more casual occasions with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. For more formal dinner parties, turn it onto a plate that you've drizzled raspberry coulis onto, or dust some powdered sugar on it.

6 oz semi-sweet choc.chips (1 cup or 1/2 of a 12 oz bag of chips)
1/4 c.unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks only
1 tsp.of vanilla extract
5 Tbsp sugar
large pinch of salt
1 Tbsp flour

Melt the chocolate and butter together. Take it off the stove. Add vanilla, sugar and salt. Let the mixture cool a bit, then add the eggs and yolks. Lastly add the flour, and stir just enough to incorporate it. Butter very well 4-6 ramekins. Add the batter to the ramekins. At this point you can refrigerate the ramekins for a couple of hours up to 2 days; I almost think the cakes turn out better this way. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for about 10-14 minutes (if the batter is refrigerated, let it sit out for about 30 minutes before baking). After 10 minutes, I check to see how they're doing. They should puff up and start to pull away (just a tiny bit) from the ramekin sides. When they do this, you know it's ready. Don't overcook...otherwise the centers won't be gooey. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Picnic & Movie at Angie's

Usually, I get very excited in anticipation of the food we're going to eat and make. But this time, I was looking forward to the outdoors and laying under the stars. I was making a list in my head about how great it would be. One. We'll be outside enjoying the beautiful Chicago skyline in Grant Park with an outdoor picnic and the very last movie in the park for the summer. Two. Ferris Bueller's Day Off was playing and there was to be a live performance of Danke Schoen. Three. One of my funniest co-workers was rumored to be showing up with a gigantic "Save Ferris!" sign.

Unfortunately, none of that came to pass because it was cold, rainy and not very conducive to happy picnickers. Okay, truth. I was kinda disappointed that I wasn't going to be around to see the crazy sign...BUT I would have been even crabbier sitting on the damp grass with my damp clothes, eating my damp sandwich.

So, onto plan B and my (luckily) clean house. I don't know if it was some weird rain-induced, Noah's ark phenomena, but we somehow ended up with two kinds of everything.

Two kinds of sangria from Amanda. One earthy, red wine sangria with raspberries and spiked with grappa. The other a fresh, white wine sangria with peaches and mint.

Two salads from Lisa and Steph. Lisa's salad was romaine and had bits of artichoke hearts, avocados and bellpeppers in an Asian sesame dressing. Stephanie made a farmer's market arugula salad with radishes and roasted Chioggia beets. The beets were a great find. More delicately flavored and mild than the traditional beet, I found myself digging them out of the salad like they were tiny jewels.

Two kinds of sandwiches from me on a crusty garlic loaf. The first was roast beef lined with arugula and balsamic-roasted red onions. The second was grilled chicken, lined with arugula and covered with roasted red peppers.

Two of everything also means ending the meal with two desserts. Priya brought rice krispy treats and Jill brought these chocolate cupcakes from Sarah's Pastries & Candies. Sticky, chewy and crispy paired with smooth and chocolatey. It was perfect. We ended up watching Friends with Money, which really was a terrible movie. But who can complain when you have two desserts crammed into your mouth?

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White Sangria
1 bottle White Wine
3/4 cup diced peaches
1 to 2 oz simple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
Juice of 1 lemon + a few slices
3 ozs Triple Sec
2 oz raspberries
Mint leaves

Mix everything together except mint, let sit overnight. Add mint when
serving.

Amanda's Notes: *I used Pinot Grigio but any white should work. Raspberries are optional, I added it for color.
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Red Sangria
1 bottle Red Wine
3/4 cup raspberries
1/2 Orange Juice + a few orange slices
Juice of 1/2 lemon + a few slices
4 oz Brandy
1 to 2 oz simple syrup (depending on desired sweetness)
Club Soda

Mix everything together and let sit overnight. Serve over ice with some
club soda.

Amanda's Notes: *I used Malbec, but I think I would use Zinfandel in the future. I also used Grappa instead of Brandy, based on this lady's recommendation on Epicurious, but I don't think it was a good idea.

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Beet Salad
roast beets
arugula
radishes chopped small
scallions or shallot or red onion
toasted pecans or hazelnuts.
vinaigrette

Roasting beets
The key to this entire recipe — and I now believe all cooking with beets — is the beet preparation method which I got from the Cooking for Mr. Latte book. Take your beets and trim them and give them a quick rinse (no need to get picky, the skin is going to come off later). Put them on foil, drizzle olive or other oil over them, seal up the foil tightly into a packet, cook at 375 for 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the beet,open packet using oven mitts and let cool for a bit, then use a dedicated beet dishtowel or cloth napkin to rub the skins off the beet. They should come off pretty easily from the oil. The great thing about this prep method is that there is almost no way to screw it up — everytime I have done it, the beets have come out silky and tender.

Stephanie

Stephanie's Notes: I used Chiogga beets from the Lincoln Park farmers' market. They are lovely and small and less assertive than regular beets. For the vinaigrette, use one not too strong so you don't overwhelm your chiogga beets — I used red wine vinegar, olive oil, mustard, a little garlic and thyme.
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Roast Beef Sandwiches with Lemon-Basil Mayonnaise and Roasted Red Onions

3 large red onions (about 21/2 pounds), each cut through stem into 8 wedges, peeled
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 teaspoons grated lemon peel

6 4x3-inch pieces ciabatta,* halved horizontally
16 ounces thinly sliced roast beef
2 cups arugula

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Gently toss red onions, 5 tablespoons oil and vinegar in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange onions in single layer on prepared sheet. Bake onions until brown at edges and just tender, about 40 minutes. Cool.

Mix mayonnaise, basil, lemon juice, lemon peel and 2 tablespoons oil in small bowl. (Onions and mayonnaise can be made 2 days ahead. Cover separately and chill.)

Spread mayonnaise over cut sides of bread. Place bottom halves on plates. Top with roast beef, onions and arugula. Cover with top halves of bread.

*Ciabatta is an oval-shaped flat Italian bread available at many bakeries and supermarkets nationwide.

Makes 6 sandwiches.

Bon Appétit
September 2000
Cornery Bakery Cafe, Chicago, IL

Angie's Notes: I didn't have time to get ciabatta, so I hollowed out a La Brea Bakery garlic loaf.


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Chicken, Arugula and Red Bell Pepper Sandwiches

3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh arugula

2 large red bell peppers
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (each about 4 ounces)
1 teaspoon olive oil

6 5- to 6-inch-long French bread baguette pieces, halved lengthwise
2 large bunches fresh arugula

Mix first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Mix in chopped arugula. Season arugula mayonnaise generously with ground pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Char peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Place in bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed bell peppers. Cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush skillet with 1 teaspoon oil. Add chicken; sauté until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate; cool. Cut into diagonal slices.

Spread generous 2 teaspoons arugula mayonnaise on each cut side of bread. Cover bottom of bread pieces generously with arugula. Top with sliced chicken, dividing equally. Top with bell pepper strips and generous amount of arugula. Cover with bread tops. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Wrap in plastic and chill.)

Per Serving: calories, 290; total fat, 7 g; saturated fat, 1 g; cholesterol, 48 mg
Serves 6.
Bon Appétit
June 1996

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Rice Krispy Treats
3 tbsp butter
5 cups crisped rice cereal
1 10.5 oz bag mini marshmallows

Melt butter over low heat, being careful not to burn. Add almost entire bag of marshmallows. Melt marshmallows over low heat, stirring frequently and again being careful not to burn. When marshmallows are completely melted, turn off heat and add cereal. Stir to combine. Spread into greased 9x11 inch pan. Enjoy!

Adapted from the recipe on the box

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Sushi at Stephanie's

Sushi. So sexy. So seductive. So hard to make. Or so I thought. I took a sushi class several years ago and was humbled by my sticky, awful and particularly ugly rolls. I thought I was doomed to be a sushi-making failure. But rolling makis with the girls made me reconsider. There were some misteps of course. Jill was hurt in the line of duty and required some first aid. I shed some wasabi induced tears. But in the end it wasn't difficult at all and we had a really great time doing it. Lisa revealed a latent, sushi-making genius, making us question her true origins. “Give it up Lisa, you're actually Japanese right?” I was fairly excited about our creations and crooned to our sushi like a dirty foodie while I snapped photos. “Oh yeah, that’s sexy. Nice..nice..yeah.” Silly? Yes. I'm blaming it on the fact that I was drunk off my new sushi powers. I feel redeemed.

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Sushi

Sushi Rice
cooked short grain rice (Nishiki, Tamaki Gold, Tamanishiki)
sushi rice seasoning mix (Tamanoi Sushinoko)

Just follow the instructions on the back of the seasoning mix. It's generally 1 2.65oz bag of seasoning to 4 cups of cooked rice


Spicy Tuna Mayo
Japanese mayo (Kewpie Mayo)
Chili sauce (Sriracha)

Mix 1 part Japanese mayo with 1 part sriracha. Use less if you want it to be less spicy.


Other sushi ingredients
fixings:
wasabi (S&B prepared wasabi, Waner powdered wasabi)
cucumber
crab sticks
avocado
smoked salmon
nori (seaweed)
black sesame seeds
toasted white sesame seeds
ginger

Supplies
plastic wrap
bamboo sushi rolling mat

Chicago area shopping
Mitsuwa Market in Arlington Heights
Chicago Food Corp. on Kimball

Instructions
Rolling sushi

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Faux Yakisoba

This is actually a family recipe for pork chow mein. I ran out of time and had to rely on this old favorite instead of making something authentically Japanese. Oops. I make this without a specific recipe, so I have to apologize in advance if my measurements seem vague.

1 lb pork tenderloin
1 head napa cabbage
1 yellow onion
1 green onion
1 lb cooked noodles
reserve a cup of noodle/pasta water
Thai soy sauce (Golden Mountain Soya bean sauce)
sugar
sherry
pinch salt
sesame oil
handful of chopped cilantro


Slice the pork tenderloin into thin strips. Put it into a bowl and marinate with a couple good splashes of soy sauce, a splash of sherry, a sprinkle of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Let it marinate while you chop the rest of your ingredients.

Slice the napa cabbage, yellow onion and green onion into strips and keep them in separate bowls.

Have a large bowl ready to hold your finished noodles.

Heat a pan with corn oil on medium-high heat. Stir fry the pork tenderloin until cooked and dump it into the large bowl, include all the juices.

Repeat this process with the napa cabbage, yellow onion and green onion. Stir fry them all separately with a little corn oil and splashes of the soy sauce. With each batch, once it has completely cooked, dump all of it into the large bowl and move on to stir frying the next ingredient.

With the noodles, have the oil heated in the pan. Then before adding the noodles, put a couple of good splashes of soy sauce into the heated oil. Only after you have done that, add the noodles to stir fry. (This helps to coat the soy sauce more evenly on your noodles. Putting the soy sauce on afterwards results in uneven distribution.) If the noodles are stuck together, add a ladleful of reserved pasta water. Stir the noodles until evenly coated and heated through. Dump it into your large bowl.

Stir all the noodle components together in your large bowl. You can add some chopped chili peppers into the mix if you prefer your noodles spicy. Garnish with chopped cilantro. I like to serve it with an Asian hot sauce such as Sriracha or a garlic chili paste. Plate and serve!

Serves 4-6.

Adapted from Auntie Shelfee


Angie's Notes: You can also substitute regular cabbage for the napa. Make sure it gets nicely browned and soft, as it's less watery than napa, but still delicious. You can also add shiitake mushrooms, stir fried in oil and soy sauce.

For noodles, I used a Chinese egg noodle for the supperclub, but I just as often use plain spaghetti or fettucine, or even little Korean rice cakes.

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Grilling at Priya's

Summer in Chicago is for outdoor, roofdeck parties and grilling.

Ahem. I said....Summer in Chicago is for outdoor, roofdeck parties and.....oh, nevermind. What does a girl have to do to get some good, outdoor-eating weather? This was Priya's first stint as hostess and the weather was uncooperative. We were cozily situated on the roofdeck. And it was warm enough, but the wind whipped around us, shutting down the grill and moving the furniture. Fat plops of rain came down intermittently while dark brooding clouds loomed behind. We took the hint, and moved downstairs to use the broiler.

The weather may have been bad, but the food was spectacular in comparison. Elisa's artichokes were tender and savory with its beautiful, charred edges. The shrimp were big and meaty, flecked with garlic and run under the broiler. They were served up with two sauces. One green with herbs and roasted garlic. One red with chilies and butter. On the side, we had grilled asparagus, corn on the cob and zucchini, plus a pasta salad, making it a certifiably-festive, indoor BBQ. Amanda, showed off her impeccable corn eating techniques, while some of us were indulging in a fabulously messy, need-some-floss and napkins kind of chow down. As for me, I now have a new go-to dessert for dinner parties, panna cotta. Impressive looking and sounding, it had to be one of the easiest desserts I've made in a long time. The evening ended with rum drinking until the wee hours. 3am to be exact. Take that stupid weather! We didn't need you anyway!

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Dill Dip
1 cup light mayonnaise
1 16 oz. container light sour cream
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 tablespoon parsley flakes

Mix all ingredients. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Great with rye bread, vegetables, crackers, etc.

Adapted from Quick Dill Dip recipe at KraftFoods.com
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Grilled Artichokes with Grilled Lemon Mayonnaise
4 large artichokes, rinsed well, top third removed, and leaf tips trimmed
1/4 cup salt, plus 1 teaspoon
2 lemons, cut in 1/2
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces herbed goat cheese, crumbled
Grilled Lemon Mayonnaise, recipe follows

Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water. Add 1/4 cup of the salt and bring to a boil.

Rub the cut sides and bottoms of the artichokes with the lemon wedges and carefully add them to the boiling water. Weight the artichokes as necessary with a heavy dish or bowl, and simmer, partially covered, until the bottoms are just tender and can be pierced with a sharp knife and an outer leaf pulls out easily, about 15 minutes. Drain the artichokes upside down in a colander until cool enough to handle.

Cut the artichokes into quarters and discard the prickly purple leaves and hairy choke.

In a bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the artichoke quarters and toss to coat. Let marinate for 2 to 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Remove the artichokes from the marinade and grill, turning, until warmed through and lightly charred around the edges, about 5 minutes. Place on a platter and top with the crumbled cheese. Drizzle with the grilled lemon mayonnaise and serve additional mayonnaise on the side for dipping.

Grilled Lemon Mayonnaise
2 lemons, halved
1 large egg*
2 to 3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Place the lemon halves, cut sides down, on the grill and cook until charred, about 1 minute.

Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl of a blender or food processor. Add the egg and 1 tablespoon water and process for 20 seconds. With the processor running, slowly pour in the olive and vegetable oils through the feed tube and process until emulsified, adding additional water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin the mayonnaise to drizzling consistency. Add the salt and cayenne pulse to blend.

Adjust the seasoning to taste, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. (Mayonnaise will keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

Yield: about 1 1/4 cups

*RAW EGG WARNING
Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Emeril Lagasse
Emeril Live
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Grilled Shrimp With Roasted Garlic-Herb Sauce
Brining the shrimp and then grilling them in their shells will help retain flavor and the natural juices.

1 quart water
1/3 cup salt
1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 1/2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, unpeeled
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Stir first 3 ingredients in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Add shrimp. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Drain and rinse shrimp.

Using shears, cut shrimp shells down center of back all the way to tail section. Using sharp knife, cut shrimp in their shells along the full length of the back (do not cut all the way through). Remove vein and pull off legs. Open shrimp.

Whisk olive oil, white wine, garlic, parsley, and crushed red pepper in clean medium bowl. Add shrimp and stir; let stand 30 minutes.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place shrimp, flesh side down, on grill. Grill shrimp until pink and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and serve, passing Roasted Garlic-Herb Sauce separately.

Makes 6 servings.

Bon Appétit
July 2001

Priya's Notes:I used the 13-15 size shrimp that had already been shelled. I didn't brine the shrimp, but marinated for 6-7 hours instead of the 30 min. stated in the recipe.

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Roasted Garlic-Herb Sauce
This pesto-like sauce would be great with just about any grilled seafood.

heads of garlic, top 1/4 inch of each cut off and discarded
1 teaspoon plus 2/3 cup olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed
2 tablespoons drained caper
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place heads of garlic in small glass baking dish. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Cover baking dish with foil. Roast until garlic is tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Squeeze garlic from skin into small bowl. Mash with fork. Place mashed garlic, parsley, anchovy fillets, capers, basil and lemon peel in processor. With machine running, slowly blend in 2/3 cup oil. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Use at room temperature.)

Makes about 1 cup.

Bon Appétit
July 2001

Priya's Notes:
I used 5 cloves of garlic for the shrimp marinade, and I roasted 3 heads of garlic for the sauce instead of 2. Also I forgot to the put the anchovies in the sauce (I probably would only have used 2 filets instead of 4 anyway).


--

Grilled New Orleans-style Shrimp
Serve these spicy grilled shrimp with bread for sopping up all the sauce.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

1 1/2 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per lb)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Special equipment: 7 (12-inch) wooden skewers
Accompaniments: a baguette and lemon wedges

Snip shells of shrimp with scissors down middle of back, leaving tail and first segment of shell intact. Make an incision along length of back where shells are cut and devein, leaving shells in place. (Shells will prevent shrimp from becoming tough on outside when grilled.) Toss shrimp with oil, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and marinate at cool room temperature 15 minutes.

While shrimp marinate, prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderately high.

Heat butter, chili powder, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until butter is melted, then remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Thread 4 or 5 shrimp onto each skewer and grill, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes total. Push shrimp off skewers into a bowl, then pour butter mixture over them and toss to combine well.

Cooks' note:
• Shrimp can be broiled on a broiler pan 6 inches from heat, turning over once, about 6 minutes total.

Makes 4 main-course servings.

epicurious.com (bombay dreams)

Priya's notes:
I made the marinade with 5 cloves minced, and for the sauce I used only 3 teaspoons worcestershire sauce and a little more than a teaspoon each of the chili powder and the black pepper. Also, I used the 13-15 size shrimp that had already been shelled.

--

Panna Cotta with Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar
Panna cotta
2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 cups whipping cream
1 1/4 cups plain goat's-milk yogurt or whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar

Strawberries
2 1-pint baskets strawberries, hulled, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For panna cotta:
Pour 2 tablespoons water into small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Whisk 1 cup cream, yogurt, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Heat remaining 1 cup cream and 1/2 cup sugar in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and cream comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture, stirring to dissolve gelatin. Mix hot cream-gelatin mixture into yogurt mixture in bowl. Divide mixture among six 3/4-cup ramekins, using about 1/2 cup for each. Refrigerate desserts uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

For strawberries:
Toss strawberries, vinegar, sugar, and pepper in large bowl to combine. Let stand 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Spoon strawberries over panna cotta and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Bon Appétit
R.S.V.P.
April 2002
chef Mario Batali

A look back - Italian at Jill's

Late February in Chicago can be disheartening. Fortunately for us, Jill had the ultimate comfort food, lasagna, warming in the oven to help us beat back the blahs. We were all set with wine and dessert but were without side dishes. Lisa had called ahead to tell us she had left her side dish behind in the rush to leave work. So, Jill and I put down our wine and popped over to the supermarket to shop for some filler. Thus, I was introduced to one of the wonders of the modern world, Texas Toast. Sliced thickly, Texas Toast is slathered on both sides with garlic butter and toasted . You may wonder how this is any different from regular garlic bread. Tastewise, it's not all that different. It's all in the texture and bite. The lightly toasted exterior, yields to a very soft interior. It's not dense or substantial, but light, airy and melty. It's so good, it has its own entry in Wikipedia. Not fancy by any means, you can find Texas Toast in the freezer section of any grocery store. I know, I know...it's odd to wax poetic about convenience food, but hey, it's tasty! And, it's perfect with lasagna.

--

Turkey Lasagna
1 lb gound turkey breast
cooking spray
1 c water
1 (26oz) bottle pasta sauce
3-4 c shredded part-skim mozzarella
2 c low fat ricotta (or cottage) cheese
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c egg substitute
1/4 c chopped spinach or parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (14oz) bottle pasta sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Cook turkey in large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat till browned, stirring to crumble. Add water and 26oz pasta sauce; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Combine mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, egg substitute, spinach and pepper in large bowl.Spread 1 c turkey mixture in bottom of 13X9 in baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles over turkey mix, top with additional 1 c turkey mix and half of cheese mixture. Repeat until mixtures and noodles are gone.

Cover with alumium foil and bake for 1 hour. Spread 14oz pasta sauce on top and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.

Cooking Light

Angie's Notes:
- Serve with texas toast! (The brand we bought was New York Brand, Texas Toast in Garlic. I can't vouch for any of the other brands.)

-This is my current favorite for classic lasagna. I've made it since Jill's supperclub. It's unbelievably good and it freezes/reheats well. (I used a package of frozen chopped spinach and opted for cottage cheese instead of the ricotta.)

Guest Starring, Sara

Sara was a founding member of the supperclub. And, we were lucky to have her. The thing I liked best, was that Sara was a cool and competent cook. Imminent roux disaster? You wanted her on your side, manning the wooden spoon. Sweet tooth bothering you at night? Sara could prescribe a dessert. And if you wanted to tackle something that might be a bit intimidating? You could always look to Sara for some inspiration. She churned out paella with mussels and scallops and chorizo and whatnot else without batting an eye. Maybe she was a complete blubbery mess inside, but who could ever tell? I sure couldn't. Now that she has moved all the way to the East coast, we no longer directly benefit from her chocolatey-confections. But, she was sweet enough to send some recipes from supperclubs past — complete with cooking notes in her own words. My favorite to this day, is her Dad's Brandy Old Fashioned, followed closely by the gazpacho made with farmer's market veggies. Both have that crisp and refreshing quality that goes perfectly with all this beautiful, resort weather we've been having.

--

Brandy Old Fashioned [Wisconsin Version]
2 shots Brandy [some people use Whiskey]
Juice of a 1/4 to 1/2 orange [do NOT substitute orange juice]
3-4 dashes of Angostura Bitters
1 tsp or less of sugar
Club or white soda, such as 7UP or Sprite [do NOT substitute diet soda]

Fill short tumbler with ice [not a highball]. Squeeze the juice onto the ice. Add the bitters and the sugar. Pour the soda over it all. Mix well with spoon. Garnish with remaining orange slices.

Source: Sara’s Memory; from watching her Dad make them ALL the time
Supper Club: Yo’ Mamma’s Favorite at Angie's

Notes: This is different from versions I have seen in cocktail manuals; it must be a Wisconsin thing. Technically, I think one is supposed to muddle the Brandy with the OJ and sugar, but this way works fine too.
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Gazpacho
6 cups coarsely chopped tomato (about 3 pounds)
1 (32-ounce) bottle low-sodium tomato juice*
2 cups coarsely chopped peeled cucumber (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 1/4 cups finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion**
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon olive oil#
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon basil-flavored vinegar#
1 tablespoon rice vinegar#
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Cover and chill.

Cooking Light
Supper Club: The very first supperclub, Picnic at Molly's

Notes: This is best in August when everything is in season. This recipe I copied from Cooking Light but made the following adjustments:
*Tomato juice from TJ’s worked well.
**I just used a white onion for color
#I could not find basil-infused vinegar, but TJ’s had this basil infused oil that I substituted for this vinegar and for the olive oil which worked well. I then used regular white vinegar instead of the rice vinegar.
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Oriental Salad
1/3 cup rice or cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons sunflower seed kernels
2 (5-ounce) packages Japanese curly noodles (chuka soba), crumbled#
8 cups shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
2 cups shredded carrot
1 cup thinly sliced green onions

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon mixture into a bowl. Cover and chill.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds, sunflower kernels, and noodles; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally. Spoon mixture into a large bowl*; cover and chill. Add vinegar mixture to noodle mixture; let stand 15 minutes. Add cabbage, carrot, and onions, tossing to coat.

Cooking Light
Supper Club: Asian at Stephanie's

Notes:
*They aren’t kidding, this makes a LOT.
#I usually just omit the noodles; it is too much effort and messy. If I want to use noodles, I just use a little bit of ramen noodles which are cheaper and easier to find. The salad tastes better the longer it sits in the dressing.
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Monkfish Wrapped in Banana leaves with Ginger, Cilantro, Chile, and Coconut Milk
4 large banana leaves or vine leaves*
A little olive oil
2 fresh red chiles
2 sticks lemon grass, outer leaves removed, centers finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 good handfuls fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 limes, juiced and zested
1 (400 milliliter) can coconut milk
2 tablespoons sesame seed oil
A drizzle fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 heaped tablespoons finely sliced fresh ginger
4 (6 to 8 ounce /170 to 225 gram) pieces monkfish (can use other more abundant white-fleshed fish, such as Pacific mahi mahi, farmed striped bass, or farmed catfish)**
4 rosemary sprigs or bay leaf sticks, to secure#

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C/gas 8).

To make the banana leaves more pliable, hold for a few seconds over a gas flame. Leaving aside the fish and herb sticks, pound the rest of the ingredients in a pestle and mortar to make a thick paste and spoon a little onto each banana leaf. Place the fish on top and then spoon the rest of the paste on the top. Bringing the sides in and spiking it with a rosemary sprig or bay leaf stick to secure it. This will look lovely and it is natural, but I have been known to use a clothes peg or string to hold it all together. It won't be a perfect seal but this allows it to breath and steam, letting the flavors infuse, so gutsy and tasty. Put the parcels on a tray and bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

I serve the individual parcels on plates at the table and let my friends dissect them. When opened, the fragrant steam wafts up and smells fantastic. Serve with plain boiled rice to mop up the juices, that's all it has to be. End of story, done, lovely.

Food Network; The Naked Chef
Supper Club: Hawaiian at Sara's

Notes: *I found the banana leaves in the frozen food section of Cub Foods on Elston; apparently they cater to Latinos. I did not have luck finding the leaves in Asian Markets.
**I think I used grouper. Anyway, it has to be a “meaty” whitefish.
#I used kebab skewers.
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Sweet Sour Beans
One onion, cut fine
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp butter
Dash of salt and pepper

Heat the above ingredients and add one quart of cooked green or yellow beans

“Our Favorite Recipes” by the Ladies of St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church in West Bend, WI. Originally published 1949.
Supper Club: Ok, so I never made this one. This is better than the side dishes I made for you.

Note: I generally cut this in half and add one pound of cooked beans
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Tiramisu Anacapri
1 cup cold water
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk*
1 (1.4-ounce) package sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix**
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) tub frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed#
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup Kahlúa (coffee-flavored liqueur)
1 tablespoon instant espresso or 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
24 cakelike ladyfingers (2 [3-ounce] packages)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, divided

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Cover surface with plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes or until firm.

Remove plastic wrap, and add cream cheese. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Gently fold in whipped topping.

Combine hot water, Kahlúa, and espresso. Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Arrange 16 ladyfinger halves, flat sides down, in a trifle bowl or large glass bowl. Drizzle with 1/2 cup Kahlúa mixture. Spread one-third of pudding mixture evenly over ladyfingers; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cocoa. Repeat layers, ending with cocoa. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Cooking Light
Supper Club Theme: Italian at Angie's

Notes: *I can never find this so I just use the fat-full version.
**I can never find this size, so I just buy the 3 oz full-fat version, and guess-add 1.5 oz. to the water. If after chilling, the result is not firm, the end result will be goopy.
#The end consistency is better if you add the Cool Whip frozen.
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Black Forest Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake
cherry topping:
2 cups pitted dark sweet cherries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

crust:
1 1/3 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 9 1/2 cookie sheets). Pre-crushed Oreos work well, too; it is available next to the pre-made pie crusts. If you use them, though cut down on the amount of sugar you add.
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted
1 large egg white
Cooking spray

filling:
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
36 dark sweet cherries, pitted and halved

To prepare the cherry topping, place 2 cups cherries in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Combine the pureed cherries, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour cherry topping into a bowl; cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the crust, combine crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, and egg white in a bowl; toss with a fork until well-blended. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.

To prepare the filling, combine sour cream, milk, and cheeses in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Stir in minichips. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 300° for 50 minutes or until almost set (center will not be firm, but will set up as it chills). Turn oven off; cool cheesecake in closed oven 40 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Spread cherry topping over cheesecake. Top with cherry halves. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Cooking Light
Supper Club: I don’t think I actually made this for a supper club, but it is REALLY GOOD, Especially in July when the Michigan cherries are ripe.

Notes: I follow this recipe exactly. It is labor intensive, but worth it.

Carnivale

In lieu of supperclub this month, we went out to Carnivale for dinner and drinks. And Elisa was finally able to find a spot in her hectic work/travel schedule to come join us! So, what's the consensus on Carnivale's food, service, price, etc? Loved it? Hated it?

Carnivale
702 W Fulton Market Chicago, IL 60661
t: (312) 850-5005

A look back- Hawaiian at Angie's

All our talk about vacationing in Hawaii made me nostalgic. Here's a look back at Amanda's first ever supperclub dinner. I remember at the time, that Steph said it was one of our very best supperclubs thus far...in terms of food. This particular supperclub was also bittersweet because we bid longtime member and phenomenal cook & baker, Sara good-bye.

Blue Hawaiian
1 oz light rum
1 cherry
2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz Blue Curacao liqueur
1 oz cream of coconut
1 slice pineapple

Blend light rum, blue curacao, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut with one cup ice in an electric blender at high speed. Pour contents into a highball glass. Decorate with the slice of pineapple and a cherry.
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Edamame Dumplings
2 cups edamames (may substitute English peas), reserve 1/4 cup, for garnish
1 cup tightly packed spinach leaves
1/4 cup cold, chopped butter
1/2 tablespoon truffle oil
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt and black pepper
1 package thin, square wonton skins
Egg wash (1 egg lightly beaten with 1/4 cup cold water)In a pot of salted water, boil the edamames until soft, about 15 minutes. During the last 2 minutes, add the spinach, to wilt.

Strain well and add to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Add the butter and only pulse. You want small pieces of butter in the mousse.

Fold in truffle oil and chives, and season. Place in refrigerator until chilled through.

To make the dumplings, lay out 4 wonton skins at a time, and spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of mousse on each. Brush on egg wash on the edges and fold in half to form a triangle. Fold left tip of triangle underneath to attach to right tip (like a tortellini). Repeat and make 24 dumplings total. Reserve in the refrigerator.

In a large pot of boiling, lightly salted water, add dumplings and cook for 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Ming Tsai

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Spinach Salad with Shrimp, Mango, and Red Onion
1.5 lb flat leaf stemmed, washed, dried, torn into large pieces (about 9 tightly packed cups)
1 lb cooked medium shrimp (you can buy peeled and cook b/c dressing is pretty strong anyway)
1 large ripe mango cut into thin strips
1/2 small red onion sliced thin
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest and 2 tablespoons juice from 1 orange
1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
1/4 canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon asian sesame oil
salt and ground black pepper

Place shrimp, spinach and mango in a large bowl. In a small bow, place onion and 1 tablespoon vinegar and macerate (stir aggressively with fork) until onions are bright pink, about five minutes - - this gives the onions more flavor and takes off some of the raw onion edge tastewise. Add orange zest and juice, gingerroot, and remaining vinegar as well as salt and pepper to a separate small bowl and then whisk in oils to make dressing. Add onions to salad. Then pour dressing over, toss and serve.
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Kalua Pig
8 pounds pork butt
4 tablespoons liquid smoke
4 tablespoons Hawaiian salt
8 to 12 large ti leaves, ribs removed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. After scoring pork on all sides with quarter-inch deep slits about an inch apart, rub with salt, then liquid smoke. Wrap the pork completely in ti leaves, tie with string, and wrap in foil.

Place meat in a shallow roasting pan with 2 cups of water and roast for 4 hours.

Dissolve 1 tablespoon Hawaiian salt in 2 cups boiling water and add a few drops of liquid smoke. Shred the cooked pork and let stand in this solution for a few minutes before serving.

Substitutes for Ti leaves: Corn husks, foil, banana leaves

Sam Choy

Angie's Notes: I also sauteed some shredded cabbage with minced garlic and corn oil. I mixed the cabbage in with the shredded pork to get a classic Kalua pork and cabbage dish.

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Gourmet Pizza at Amanda's

As hostess, Amanda had crust, a basic red sauce , and a variety of cheeses ready while we brought the toppings for the pizza. She also served us a tasty white bean bruschetta of Mario Batali's and salad for the side. We finished the evening with Steph's chocolate dipped strawberries and kir royales.

White Bean Bruschetta
1 cup cooked cannellini beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons basil leaves, chiffonade
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 1 -inch thick slices Italian peasant bread, grilledPreheat grill or broiler.

In a mixing bowl, gently stir together beans with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, the red pepper flakes, basil and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Spoon the bean mixture onto four freshly grilled bread slices, and serve.

Adapted from Mario Batali
Original recipe: White Bean Bruschetta with Grilled Radicchio Salad
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Pizza Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tbsp dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
(2) 28 oz cans peeled whole tomato, crushed by hand, juices reserved
salt to taste

In a 3 qt saucepan, heat olive oil over med. heat. Add onion & garlic
and cook until soft, about 8 to 10 min. Add thyme & carrot and cook
until carrots soft, about 5 min. Add tomatos & juice and bring to boil,
stirring often. Lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until sauce
thickens. Season w/ salt. Makes 4 cups.

Mario Batali
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Pizza Dough
1 package active dry or fresh yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup warm water, 105 to 115 degrees F
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushingIn a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and honey in 1/4 cup warm water.

In a food processor, combine the flour and the salt. Add the oil, the yeast mixture, and the remaining 3/4 cup of water and process until the mixture forms a ball. (The pizza dough can also be made in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed until the mixture comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook).

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead by hand 2 or 3 minutes longer. The dough should be smooth and firm. Cover the dough with a clean, damp towel and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours. (When ready, the dough will stretch as it is lightly pulled).

Divide the dough into 4 balls, about 6 ounces each. Work each ball by pulling down the sides and tucking under the bottom of the ball. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Then on a smooth, unfloured surface, roll the ball under the palm of your hand until the top of the dough is smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest 1 hour. At this point, the balls can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Wolfgang Puck, "Pizza, Pasta & More

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Andouille Sausage Pizza Pie with Onion Confit and Fontina Cheese
Sweet Onion Confit:
2 yellow onions
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch sugar
1/2 cup Champagne vinegar
Pinch sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons white wine

Oven Dried Tomatoes:
4 Roma tomatoes
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the pizza:
1 pound pizza dough
Cornmeal
1-ounce Fontina cheese, grated
2 tablespoons prepared Onion Confit
1 link Louisiana-style andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
6 to 8 slices Oven-Dried Tomatoes
1-ounce mozzarella, grated
2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

Slice the onions in 1/4-inch thick. In a heavy bottom pot, slowly simmer the onions in the olive oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes until softening. Add all the remaining onion confit ingredients. Bring to steamy simmer. Reduce heat and cover with a parchment paper lid that has a 2-inch hole in the center to allow the steam to escape but protect it so that it can cook low and slow. Press the parchment paper down to touch and cover the onion mixture. Place the covered pan into a 250 degree F oven and bake for 2 to 3 hours or until the onions have softened and the liquids have reduced to a sticky gravy that clings to the onions.

Slice ends off the tomatoes. Cut the tomato through into 2 to 3 slices. In a mixing bowl mix the tomatoes, thyme, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently toss to coat the tomatoes. Place on sheet pan and cook at 250 degrees F for 2 to 3 hours until the tomatoes are concentrated and dehydrated. (The onions and the tomatoes can cook in the oven at the same time.)

Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

Stretch or roll the dough to about 10 to 12 inches. Place a piece of dough on a pizza paddle or baking sheet that is sprinkled with cornmeal. Oil the edges of the dough and top it with Fontina, 1/2 of the onion confit, the sausage slices, tomatoes and top with mozzarella. Bake until golden brown. Top with parsley and serve hot.

Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello
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Kir Royale
1 part Creme de Cassis
5 parts Champagne

Pour Creme de cassis in glass, gently pour champagne on top

A look back- French Food at Angie's

Our first supperclub with two new members, Priya and Sapna!

Boursin Cheese Spread
This rich, creamy spread goes well with a baguette or crackers and a glass of fruity Beaujolais but it has many other uses as well. To reduce fat and calories, reduced fat cottage cheese and reduced-fat cream cheese may be substituted. 1) Spread on Roma or plum tomato halves. Serve cold, or bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes; then broil until bubbly. 2) Combine 1-cup Boursin and 1/2 cup milk. Toss with 12 ounces hot pasta. 3)Spoon Boursin (not the low-fat version) into pastry bag, and pipe onto cucumber slices or Belgian endive leaves. 4) Spread 1 tablespoon under skin of chicken breast or 1 teaspoon over boneless, skinless chicken breast before baking. 5) Spoon onto baked potatoes, or stir into mashed potatoes. 6) Use as a sandwich spread in place of mayonnaise.

1-2 clove garlic
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 (3 ounce) packages Boursin cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons dried chives
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 cups
20 mins prep

Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add garlic. Process until finely chopped, stopping once to scrape down sides. Add cottage cheese and remaining ingredients; process until smooth, stopping twice to scrape down sides.

recipezaar.com
Boursin Cheese Spread II Recipe #77686
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Champignons Farcis - Stuffed Mushrooms
Mushrooms are stuffed with a mixture Boursin cheese that has been mixed with porcini mushrooms.

1 12-oz package dried porcini mushrooms
28 mushrooms, brushed clean
3 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 package Boursin Cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs

1. Bring some water to a boil. Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Allow to steep for 30-40 minutes.

2. While the porcini are soaking, remove the stems from the mushrooms and discard. Hollow out the bowl of 20 mushrooms to make some more room for the stuffing.

3. Finely chop the remaining mushrooms to measure about 3/4 cup.

4. Strain the porcini mushrooms and squeeze them out over another bowl to catch any liquid.

5. Chop the porcini.

6. Melt 1-1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet and saute the chopped mushrooms over high heat. Add a little of the strained liquid.

7. Let the mushrooms cool for about 10 minutes.

8. Put the Boursin cheese in a bowl and when the mushrooms are cool, mix them into the cheese. Preheat the oven to 400F.

9. Stuff the caps with the cheese, making the stuffing level.

10. Heat the remaining butter and stir in the breadcrumbs.

11. Sprinkle the butter crumbs on top of the mushrooms and pat them down level also.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Then broil about one minute until they are light golden.

about.com
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Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
Poulet aux Quarante Gousses d'Ail
Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 50 min

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic was a recipe that allowed us to be provocative without being downright offensive. It presents the softer side of garlic — the "stinking rose" — mellowed by long, slow cooking.

1 (4-lb) chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 scant cup olive oil
2 fresh parsley sprigs
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 fresh sage sprig
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 celery rib
40 garlic cloves, peeled (from 3 to 4 heads of garlic) Accompaniment: toasted baguette slices
Special equipment: kitchen string

Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen string and fold wings under chicken.

Heat oil in a 6- to 8-quart wide heavy ovenproof pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, turning it carefully, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Tie herbs and celery together with string to make a bouquet garni and add to pot along with garlic cloves. Put chicken, breast side up, on top of cloves and bake, covered tightly, in middle of oven, basting twice, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted 2 inches into fleshy part of a thigh (avoid bone) registers 170°F, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board, reserving pan juices, and let stand 10 minutes. Cut chicken into serving pieces and spread roasted garlic on toasts. Serve chicken drizzled with some of reserved pan juices.

Makes 4 servings.

Gourmet
April 1967; reprinted September 2001
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Honey Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 to 3/4 cup honey

In a large, stainless steel bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually pour the heated liquid into the bowl, whisking all the while. Return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat and stir in the honey, to taste. Transfer to a clean bowl and chill over ice cubes and cold water. Strain.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Adapted from Wolfgang Puck, "Adventures in the Kitchen,"
Original recipe: Honey Ice Cream with Almond Nougatine