GOURMET CLUB WINTER 2012 MENU
Cocktail
Old Fashioned
Appetizers
Roasted Dates with Parmesan and Bacon
Mushroom and Ricotta Crostini
First Course
Arugula Salad with Pomegranate and Toasted Pecans
Main Course
Braised Short Ribs
Accompaniments
Potato and Celery Root Puree
Sautéed Spinach and Garlic
Dessert
Beatty’s Chocolate Cake & Frosting
COCKTAIL
Old Fashioned
Taken from http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink407.html
Ingredients (1 serving size)
2 oz bourbon whiskey (we used Southern Comfort)
2 dashes Angostura bitters (found these at Stop and Shop)
1 splash water
1 tsp sugar
1 maraschino cherry
1 orange wedge
Directions
- Mix sugar, water and angostura bitters in an old-fashioned glass.
- Drop in a cherry and an orange wedge.
- Muddle into a paste using a muddler or the back end of a spoon.
- Pour in bourbon, fill with ice cubes, and stir.
Appetizers
Roasted Dates with Parmesan and Bacon
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Small Plates, by Brigit L. Binns (Oxmoor House, 2007).
Ingredients:
1/4 lb. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated
2 Tbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
18 dates, preferably Medjool, pitted
6 lean bacon slices, each cut crosswise into 3 pieces
Directions:
Prepare the filling
Preheat an oven to 400°F and place a baking sheet in it to heat.
In a small bowl, combine the Parmigiano-Reggiano and cream cheese and stir until smooth.
Fill the dates
Using a sharp knife, slice each date along one side to make a pocket and insert 1 to 2 tsp. of the cheese filling.
Wrap a piece of bacon around each stuffed date. The bacon should cover the opening in the date and overlap slightly.
Secure the dates with small wooden skewers or toothpicks. (The dates may be refrigerated overnight; return to room temperature about 15 minutes before roasting.)
Roast the dates
Using tongs, place the dates on the hot baking sheet.
Roast until the bacon is crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately. Makes 18 dates.
Notes
Using pitted dates speeds the preparation. If they are not available, use a small, sharp knife to make a slit along the side of each date and pull out the pit. The bacon will help seal the date so the cheese does not leak out and it will also cover the ragged edges.
Mushroom and Ricotta Crostini
Ingredients
1 French baguette, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large shallot, diced
1 pound assorted sliced mushrooms, such as White Button, Crimini, or Shiitake
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, chives and parsley
Ricotta cheese (whole milk or skim)
Directions:
- On large baking sheet, arrange bread in single layer. Place in 300 oven until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat oil and butter.
- Add shallots, cook until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add mushrooms, salt and pepper.
- Cook until completely softened and dry, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in herbs.
- Place dollop of ricotta cheese on each crostini, top with mushroom mixture.
- Warm slightly in oven before serving.
First Course
Arugula Salad with Pomegranate and Toasted Pecans
Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium bunches arugula, rinsed well and thick stems removed
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, from 1 medium pomegranate
Directions:
- In medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together vinegars, salt, and pepper.
- Gradually drizzle in olive oil, whisking until emulsified.
- Toss arugula with just enough vinaigrette to coat.
- Sprinkle with pecans and pomegranate seeds and serve.
Main Course
Braised Short Ribs
Taken from Williams-Sonoma Entertaining: Dinner Parties
Ingredients
4 1/2 lb bone in beef short rib
4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tbs. fresh thyme leaves plus 5 or 6 sprigs and extra leaves for garnish
1 tbs. paprika
3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced on a diagonal
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbs. all-purpose (plain) flour
1 1/2 cups dry red wine (such as Syrah or Merlot)
1 1/2 cups of water
2 cups beef stock
1 1/2 tbs. tomato paste
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf
Directions
- Put the ribs in a large bowl.
- In a cup, mix together two teaspoons each of the salt and pepper, one tablespoon of thyme leaves and the paprika. Rub the seasonings all over the ribs. Cover and let stand for 2-4 hours (refrigerate if longer than 2 hours).
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In large dutch oven over medium-high heat warm the olive oil.
- Working in batches to avoid crowding add the ribs in a single layer and cook turning as needed until browned on all sides and on the ends (about 5 minutes for each batch). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Pour off all but two tablespoons of the fat in the pot and return to medium-high heat. Stir in onion and carrots and cook stirring often until onions have softened (about two minutes).
- Stir in the garlic then sprinkle the vegetables with the flour.
- Continue to cook, stirring until the flour is lightly browned (about 2 minutes).
- Pour in the wine, scrapping up any brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pot.
- Continue to stir, adding the water, beef stock, tomato paste, vinegar, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and the remaining two teaspoons each of salt and pepper.
- Return ribs and any collected juices to the pot and spoon the liquid over the ribs.
- Cover place in oven and cook for one hour.
- Uncover, stir the meat, re-cover and continue to cook until meat has nearly fallen off the bone and can be easily cut with a dinner fork or knife (2-2/12 hours).
- Remove from the oven and skim off and discard the fat from the surface.
- Ribs can be braised up to one day in advance.
- Remove from the heat, let cool, cover the pot and refrigerate.
- The next day, remove from refrigerator, lift off and discard any fat that has solidified on the surface and re-heat on the stove top over low heat for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Transfer to a deep platter discarding thyme leaves and bay leaf.
- Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately.
Suggestions
The book suggests to make this meal a day ahead of time. We would highly recommend this as it was so flavorful and less fatty the next day. Also, if short ribs are not available, you can have the butcher cut down full-sized ribs.
Accompaniments
Potato and Celery Root Puree
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Entertaining
Ingredients
2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Coarse salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup half-and-half, heated
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
White pepper
Directions:
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the potatoes, celery root, 2 teaspoons salt, and water to cover by 2 inches.
- Bring to a boil and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes.
- Drain in a colander, then immediately pass the hot vegetables through a food mill fitted with a medium disk (or use a potato masher), held over a warmed large bowl.
- Whisk the butter and half-and-half into the puree.
- Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and white pepper.
- Transfer to a serving bowl.
Sautéed Spinach and Garlic
Courtesy of Epciurious.com
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, sliced thin lengthwise
3 pounds spinach (about 3 large bunches), coarse stems discarded, washed well and drained in a colander
Directions:
- In an 8-quart heavy kettle heat oil over high heat until hot but not smoking and add garlic and spinach with water clinging to leaves.
- Sauté garlic and spinach, turning with tongs, until spinach is wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
- Spinach and garlic may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
Suggestions
Double and mince the garlic if you like more flavor
Three plastic clamshells of the spinach will make a decent portion for side dishes for 8 people. Remember, it shrivels up quite a bit!
Dessert
Beatty’s Chocolate Cake & Frosting
Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa at Home, Ina Garten
Ingredients (serves 8)
CHOCOLATE CAKE
Butter for greasing the pans
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
2 cups sugar
¾ cup good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
½ cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh brewed hot coffee
FROSTING
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
Directions
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
- Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined
- In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry
- Witht eh mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with the rubber spatula
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean
- Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them onto a cooling rack and cool completely
- Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting
- Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
- Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water
- Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy (about 3 minutes)
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes
- Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy
- Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water
- On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. DON’T WHIP!
- Spread immediately on the cooled cake
Suggestions
The cake is very chocolatey and the secret is the cup of coffee in the batter.
For “good cocoa powder” in the cake, I used Hershey’s brand found in the baking aisle.
For “good semisweet chocolate” for the frosting, you can use any brand, but do not use chocolate chips because they contain stabilizers.
I also garnished with seasonal sprinkles for some color.
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