I had the pleasure of helping a friend host her housewarming party this last weekend.  (Hi Arliene!)  Everyone had a fun night, and we ate a lot of good food.  As requested, I’m providing some of the recipes from that event for the attendees.  If anyone has questions or if the directions seem unclear, feel free to hit me up for clarification(s).  Here we go!

Herbed Goat Cheese

• 8 oz Fresh Goat Cheese
• 1 Shallot (minced)
• 1 Garlic Clove (minced)
• 1 Tbs. Tarragon (finely chopped)
• 1 Tbs. Chives (finely chopped)
• 1 Tbs. Dill (finely chopped)
• 1 Tbs. Parsley (finely chopped)
• 2 Tbs. (or less) red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs. (more or less) heavy cream
• Sal and Pepper to taste

Prepare all of the ingredients and fold together using a fork or spoon.  Adjust seasoning to your taste.

Beet ‘Tartare’

• 3 Red Beets
• 1 Shallot (minced)
• 2 Garlic Cloves (minced)
• 2 Tbs. Capers (rinsed, minced)
• 2 Tbs. Mayonnaise
• 2 Tbs. Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbs. Parsley (finely chopped)
• Red wine vinegar to taste
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Season the beets with oil, salt, and pepper, then roast in a 350 degree oven, turning occasionally, until a pairing knife will pierce the beets with little to no resistance.  Remove, cool, and peel beets.  Make a fine dice of the beets (or pulse in a food processor).  Add the rest of the ingredients and season with the vinegar, salt and pepper to your taste.

Truffled Mushroom Puree

• 1# Domestic White Button Mushrooms (washed, sliced)
• 3 Shallots (sliced thinly)
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1/4 cup tartufato (shaved truffle and mushroom condiment)
• 2 Tbs. butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Saute the sliced mushrooms in a little oil.  When the mushrooms have a nice brown color, reserve them in a bowl.  Reduce the heat, adding the shallot, butter, and thyme all at once.  Cook on a medium heat until the shallots are soft and translucent.  Pick out the thyme and discard.  Place all the remaining ingredients in a food processor, and pulse until desired consistency is reached.  Season with salt a pepper to your taste.

Pate Choux (BLT Bites)

• 1 cup water
• 4 oz. butter
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Put the water and butter on a low heat until the butter melts.  Increase the heat to boil the water.  Once the water boils, remove from heat and add the flour all at once.  Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is totally incorporated.  Add the salt.  Return the pot to a medium heat, cooking while stirring the whole time, until the paste starts to leave a little film on the bottom on the pot (70-90 seconds).  Remove from heat and stir to reduce the temperature.  Once the paste is cool enough to touch for 60 seconds, start stirring in the eggs, one at a time.  Incorporate each egg fully before the next addition.  Portion the paste out on to a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake at 400 until golden brown (30-40 min).  Use for any savory or sweet uses.

Braised Pork (Italian Flavors)

• 3# pork shoulder (cut into 1 inch cubes)
• 1 onion (small dice)
• 3 carrots (small dice)
• 10 garlic cloves (small dice)
• 2 Tbs. fennel seeds
• 1 tsp. crushed chili flakes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare the pork and season with salt, pepper, and fennel seed.  Get a saute pan good and hot with a little oil in it.  Sear the cubes of pork being sure not to over crowd the pan.  When all of the pork has been seared, reduce the heat to medium and add the carrots.  When the carrots are half cooked, add the onion and garlic, and continue to sweat the vegetables until tender.  You may need more oil at this point.  Once the vegetables are tender, add the tomato paste and cook for one or two minutes to reduce the raw tomato flavor.  Return the pork to the pan with the vegetables and pour in enough water to cover the pork half way.  Bring this pan to a boil.  Once boiling, turn the contents out into a oven proof (pyrex, or other) dish, cover with foil and braise in the oven until the meat is tender (check after 1 1/2 hours).  Once braised, remove the bay and thyme, strain off excess fat.  Strain off and reserve the cooking liquid.  Break the pork up along with the vegetable matter, adding back in the cooking liquid as needed to achieve desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Maple-Chili Braised Chicken (Latin Flavors)

• 4# chicken leg/thighs
• 1 onion (small dice)
• 8 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp. chili flakes
• 3 Fresno chilies (small dice)
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. Smoked paprika
• 1 Tbs. Chili powder
• 2 Tbs. Ground Cumin
• 1 Tbs. Cumin Seed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and the ground cumin.  Sear the legs in a large pan over high heat with a little oil.  When all of the chicken has been seared, reduce the heat and add the vegetables, cooking until soft.  When the vegetables are soft, return the chicken to the pan along with the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Place everything into an oven safe (pyrex, or similar) dish, cover with foil and braise until the meat is tender (60-90 minutes).  When the dish is cooked, reserve to the refrigerator to cool.  Once cool enough to handle, remove the chicken legs/thighs to a separate dish.  Pick the meat from the bones being careful not to leave any small bones or gristle in with the meat.  Remove the bay leaves and discard.  Strain the vegetables and reserve the cooking liquid.  Add the vegetables to the chicken meat, and combine using the reserved cooking liquid as need to achieve desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Risotto(s) click here for method

Start by making the broth:

• 2 heads fennel (quartered)
• 2 onions (quartered)
• 2 oranges (halved)
• 1 medium can plum tomatoes
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme

Put all ingredients in a large pot and cover with cold water by two inches.  Bring to a simmer and keep simmering for 45 minutes.  Strain the liquid and reserve for the risotto, compost the vegetable matter.

Risotto #1

• 2 cups arborio or canneroli (short grained) rice
• 1 onion (small dice)
• 1/2 lemon, juice (replaces wine in basic recipe)
• 8 cups stock (hot)
• 1/2 bunch of basil (rolled and sliced fine)
• 3 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Risotto #2 (Seafood Style)

• 2 cups risotto rice
• 1 onion (small dice)
• 8 cups stock (hot)
• 8 oz. scallop
• 8 oz. shell-on shrimp
• 2 Tbs. chives (sliced small)
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start by quickly cooking the shrimp over high heat with a little oil.  Let them get a slight rose color, and then reserve them aside.  Put a little more oil in the pot and sear the scallops.  Reserve the scallops with the shrimp.  Toss the onion in now, and cook on a medium heat until soft.  Meanwhile, peel the shrimp and throw the shells in with the cooking liquid.  Slice up the scallop and shrimp.  Follow the procedure for cooking risotto, and finish by turning off the heat, adding the chives, seafood, and lemon zest.  Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Pork Loin (Salsa Verde, Roasted Bell Pepper Salsa)

• Easiest Pork Loin Ever, just season with equal parts soy sauce and balsamic vinegar, salt and cracked black pepper.  Broil in an oven safe dish, rotating every 8-10 minutes until internal temp is 140-150 degrees (40-50 minutes).  Let it rest as long as possible, but at least 15 minutes before cutting.  Serve with some of the cooking jus.
• Email me if you want either of those salsa recipes.

Molten Chocolate Cake (Ganache, Caramel)

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 Tbs. cornstarch
• 12 eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cups butter (1#)
• 24 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 Tbs. Pure Vanilla extract
• 12 Tbs. Ganache (see recipe)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare 12 (6 oz. oven safe) ramekins with a baking spray or butter them well.  Melt the butter in a 4 cup, microwave safe container.  While melting, mix together the sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl.  When butter is at least mostly melted, add chocolate chips and return to the microwave to melt chocolate, stirring every 30 seconds.  Whisk the eggs into the sugar mixture.  Once the chocolate is smooth, stir it into the egg/sugar mixture until well combined.  Pour batter into ramekins, leaving 1/2 inch from the top.  Bake on a sheet tray for 17-20 minutes, or until the top of the cakes have puffed and cracked a little.  remove from the oven and add one Tbs. of ganache to the center of each cake.  Serve hot with a  good 1/4 cup of whipped cream or ice cream.  If the cakes have been baked in advance, microwave for 30-60 seconds.  Any left over batter can be refrigerated for up to a week for future use.

• Ganache
• 1 Cup heavy cream
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbs. butter
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• heat the cream and chocolate in the microwave, in 30-45 second increments.  once the chocolate is very smooth, stir in the butter, vanilla, and salt.  Reserve for future uses either at room temperature, or refrigerated.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

• 2 cups (1#) butter
• 12 eggs
• 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups cocoa powder (sifted)

Melt the butter in an 8-cup microwave safe container.  Stir in the chocolate to the melted butter.  Return to the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring every time, until the chocolate is smooth.  Meanwhile, beat together the eggs and sugar until well blended.  When the chocolate is ready, whisk it slowly into the egg/sugar mixture.  Beat in the sifted cocoa in three equal parts, incorporating thoroughly.  Divide the batter into pre-greased pans and bake on a sheet pan for 40-45 minutes, depending on the height of the batter in the pan.  The cake should be set, but still moist.  let them cool at room temperature and then store in the refrigerator, or freeze for long term storage.  We iced the torte with ganache, but any number of finished would do nicely.

Port of Call (Cocktail)

• 2 oz. Gin
• 2 oz. Ruby port
• 1 Tbs. Brown sugar
• 2 Tbs. Sliced ginger
• 1 Tbs. Fresh lemon juice
• Lemon Peel Garnish
• Fresh nutmeg Garnish

Shake the gin, port, sugar, ginger, and juice over ice for at least 10-15 seconds.  Strain out contents and garnish with a dusting of nutmeg and a squeeze of lemon peel.

I hope everyone had a great time, and I hope you make use of any and all of these recipes.  Please feel free to contact me with questions.

All my best-

-Scott