Whisk Wednesday -- Catching UP!

Today I am trying to catch up a bit with Whisk Wednesdays, my weekly French cooking lesson. And will be posting Gratin de Fruits au Marasquin or Fruit Gratin with Maraschino Liqueur and Aubergines Bayildi or Gratin of Stuffed Eggplant.

With all my Whisk Wednesday recipes I do try to keep as close to the original recipe as possible and only make substitutions when I can't find the specific ingredient or our economic pinch budget will not allow it.

I have to admit that we really did not care for the Gratin de Fruits. But in all fairness I do not like mango nor figs! Since I was given a case, YES A CASE, of bananas I did add bananas which were very good with the sabayon sauce! And I loved how the bananas developed stripes when broiled! I knew that the sabayon would burn easily so did not broil very long and I think it would have had a much better taste if I would have let it brown a bit more.







Gratin de Fruites
Recipe adapted from "Le Cordon Bleu at Home"


3 mangoes
6 figs
2 TBL maraschino liqueur (I used cherry brandy)

For the Sabayon:
2 egg yolks
1/2 c confectioners' sugar
2/3 c dry white wine
2 TBL maraschino liqueur (I used cherry brandy)



Now the Auberines Bayildi was an entirely different story and we loved it. I think this is the first Le Cordon Bleu recipe I've made that called for garlic. Also I substituted Mozzarella Cheese for the Gruyère. Yes, I went all Italian on this recipe and it was delicious!





Aubergines Bayildi
Recipe adapted from "Le Cordon Bleu at Home"

3 small eggplants
Salt
5 TBL EVOO
3 shallots, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 TBL tomato paste
1 3/4 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
Freshly ground pepper
3 TBL finely sliced basil leaves
2 tomatoes
4 oz grated Gruyère cheese (I used Mozzarella)
3 TBL butter
Basil leaves for garnish

Vegetable oil for baking sheet








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Pink Saturday **How my dogs met Pepe Le Pew

Happy Pink Saturday!

I had some big plans for this week's Pink Saturday but some things came up at the last minute and I was unable to even begin my photo journey. At about 10:30 pm Thursday night two of my dogs, aka Big Stinker and Little Stinker, decided to shake hands with a huge male skunk. We have 6 acres of land and I swear that 3/4's of it smells like skunk. I think the dogs chased the poor thing all over our property!

Thank goodness it was a relatively warm night and I could bathe both dogs outside with the hose. PU! I actually hosed them down and washed them twice but this morning the skunk odor was still evident so I bathed them for a third time, and then a fourth time. Then I had to start cleaning up the house. I won't go into detail on my cleaning procedure but my hands are still pruney!

I am dedicating my Pink Saturday to Pepe Le Peu in hopes that if he gets enough attention now maybe he will not feel the need to visit again any time soon!


From Wikipedia: Pepé Le Pew is an Academy Award-winning fictional character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, first introduced in 1945. A French anthropomorphic skunk that always strolls around in Paris in the springtime, when everyone's thoughts are of "love", Pepé is constantly seeking "l'amour" of his own. Chuck Jones, Pepé's creator, wrote that Pepé was based (loosely) on the personality of his Termite Terrace colleague, writer Tedd Pierce, a self-styled "ladies' man" who reportedly always assumed that his infatuations were requited. Pepé's voice, provided by Mel Blanc, was based on Charles Boyer's Pépé le Moko from Algiers (1938), a remake of the 1937 French film Pépé le Moko.


Penelope Pussycat is best known as the often bewildered love interest of Looney Tunes star-skunk, Pepe Le Pew. Penelope is a typical black and white pussycat, though by some means or another, she often finds herself with a white stripe down her back. She talks very seldom, and has a somewhat shy personality...until she falls in love. When Penelope falls in love, and there is nothing to get in her way, she can be just as aggressively passionate and unstoppable as Pepe. Penelope is always on the lookout for romance, but often that romance comes paired with a disturbingly foul odor.









Today is Pink Saturday's One Year Anniversary so Happy Birthday Pink! Please visit Miss Beverly of How Sweet the Sound and see what the other Pinksters are up to!




And don't forget our Pink Saturday motto:

Get Pink !!!
It's not just a color, it's an attitude.









All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

TFF -- Chicken Paillard with Creamy Parmesan Salad

******Bad Breath Warning******

I am not much of a salad person but there are a few salads that I thoroughly enjoy and one is a good Caesar Salad. I know Tyler calls his salad Creamy Parmesan but it's really a darn good Caesar! And you will most definitely have some wicked breath after enjoying it. Just spread the goodness around and make sure that everyone at the table gets their fair share!

I made my own version of Chicken Paillard dredged in flour and Pecan meal and the recipe is below. When the chicken had cooled, I cut it into bite-sized pieces and then mixed the chicken into the salad.

And for the salad I used a bag of Spring Ready Mixed Salad Greens and added some chopped Green Onions and fresh minced Parsley. For the dressing I added some fresh minced Basil and Tarragon and substituted Anchovy Paste for the whole Anchovy Fillets. And I only used the juice of 1 lemon which yielded over 1/4 c. of fresh lemon juice which was plenty.






Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Pecan Meal
Recipe developed by Big-Black-Dog

2 boneless chicken breasts
1 TBL butter
2-3 TBL EVOO
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. ground pecan meal
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Mix pecan meal, salt and pepper and flour. Dredge chicken breasts in pecan/flour mix until breast is completely coated.

Heat butter in heavy bottomed pan. When butter has melted, add EVOO and wait a minute until oil is thoroughly heated. Add chicken breast and saute over medium heat, turning once. Chicken breasts are done when juices run clear.



Chicken Paillard with Creamy Parmesan Salad
Recipe adapted by Tyler Florence

Chicken:

* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 4 eggs, whipped slightly with splash milk
* 2 cups panko bread crumbs
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Dressing:

* 2 anchovy fillets (I used rounded 1 tsp Anchovy Paste)
* 2 egg yolks*
* 2 clove garlic, smashed
* 2 lemons, juiced (I only used 1 lemon)
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Option: 4 minced fresh Basil leaves and 2 sprigs of fresh minced Tarragon

Salad:

* 1 cup organic grape tomatoes, halved
* 1 bag fresh baby arugala
* 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, boccancini, halved
* Shaved Parmesan, for garnish
* Lemon wedges, for garnish
* Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

For the chicken:

Begin by pounding out the chicken breast gently between 2 pieces of plastic wrap.

Prepare a breading station with flour, whisked eggs and milk, and panko crumbs. Season all with salt and pepper. Coat the breasts in flour, egg then panko. Lay the coated breasts out on a flat tray and refrigerate to let the crust dry out (about 10 minutes) this will ensure there is less moisture and less chance your coating will break when frying.

Shallow fry the paillard in hot oil for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side depending on how thick the breasts are. Drain well, season with salt and set aside when done.

For the dressing:

Put the anchovies, egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice, and water into a blender and process for 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. With the blender running, pour the olive oil in slowly for the dressing to emulsify. Stir in the Parmesan, season with salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper; set aside. (Refrigerate the dressing if you will not be using it right away.)

Prepare the salad by splitting the grape tomatoes in half through the middle lengthwise, mixing all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing and toss the salad well.

To serve lay the warm, crispy chicken paillard on the base of the plate and top with the salad. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese, a wedge of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.

*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.






Please visit Tyler Florence Fridays and see what the rest of Tyler's groupies are up too this week.





While making the salad I did enjoy a glass of my new favorite Red Wine, De Bortoli Petite Sirah. It is so good and only $5.99 a bottle. Do you believe that price! I'm getting more on Saturday. It's not a wine I'd get for a special dinner party but for our family dinners, Sunday through Thursday, it's just great!








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

No Reason at All and My Kitchen Dolls

No rhyme nor reason for this weeks tablescape. Just some things I pulled together that I thought looked fun, colorful and reflected a bit of my own personality.




I just love these shallow bowls and the large white dinner plate. I bought both of them at TJMaxx in the clearance aisle for less then $2 each. Love the turquoise bowl and wish I could find the entire set!






Next is my Turkey Bowl, another favorite dish. I bought this about ten years ago for my Thanksgiving Tablescape. But I do use it throughout the year. I wish I could find more of these too. Oh maybe someday at a garage sale!






The Duck Tureen was a wedding present and it is huge. I do so love it but I've only been able to use it twice in 25 years. It's just so big that it's almost impractical. It came with a gorgeous matching porcelain ladle.




And here's another of my pitchers. This one is small and made in Germany. I bought it last year at a garage sale for $2. Honestly, it's one of my favorites and I use it all the time, not only for serving but I use it to hold liquids when prepping my recipes.




This little vase is absolutely my favorite vase ever. I actually bought it as a gift but then found something else more appropriate and the vase became mine. It has a little, removable frog insert, shown in the 2nd picture, to hold each flower stem. It's a clever design and I wish I could find more!






I have always been a doll person from the time I can remember. And I have every one of my dolls that I've ever owned. I now collect rag dolls and I do keep some in my kitchen to keep me company as I bake. One of my friends requested to see some and so here they are.

This little sweetie sits on my decorative cover to my range hood. She just sits there very peacefully and has not fallen yet. ;)



These 2 small wooden dolls were made in Sweden and they sit in my bookcase for my cookbooks.



These 2 cuties sit in the window in the eating area of my kitchen. Again, they just sit there and have not fallen out yet!



This is my Sink Doll. I have 2 sinks in my kitchen so most of the time she sits right here on the corner and seems to be very happy.




Tablescape Thursday is a weekly event hosted by Susan of Between Naps on the Porch. Please visit Susan's site and see all the wonderful tablescapes set out especially for you.



All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Anadama, Artos, Bagels, Meatballs and Mini Pizzas **Whew

I joined a new weekly bread baking group, Bread Baker's Apprentice(BBA). And we will be baking from the book. "The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread" by Peter Reinhart. It is a beautiful book with wonderful diagrams and step-by-step photos.

Google Books has the entire book scanned and you can find the recipes by clicking here.




Our first bread was Anadama Bread, an old New England yeast bread recipe, made with molasses and cornmeal. I made one single loaf and 12 hamburger buns. It was a very tender and delicious bread and although it did have molasses in it, I would not classify this as a sweet bread at all. Recipe is located on Pgs 108-110.





This is a Meatball Sandwich made with one of my Anadama Bread Buns.





Our next bread was Artos: Greek Celebration Bread which is a large, gorgeous bread. Although my family is not fond of breads with dried fruit and nuts, the bread was so beautiful I was looking forward to making it. Unfortunately, dealing with bread proofing and my own personal schedule sometimes does not work out. I had to let the bread dough ferment just a little too long and the crust has yeasty bubbles on the surface. But it still is a good looking loaf of bread and I had fun making and decorating it. Again the recipe can be found at Google Books Pgs 111-113.





Our third bread is Bagels. I've made bagels before and in fact used this same recipe and they turned out perfect. Please click here to see my first batch of bagels and the recipe including my changes. Making bagels is a two-day process, including making the sponge the night before and then finishing the bagels the following day.

But the next day the outside temperature was, unexpectedly, in the 90's, and my bagels rise was much to fast and they were very large. I mean gigantic, enormous suckers. Like 6" across and almost impossible-to-handle huge. They did not turn out pretty but tasted great. Next time if it is hot outside I will either put the bread in the basement for the final rise or stash them in the refrigerator.

But all was not lost, for dinner that night I made mini pizzas with over-sized bagels. Just cut a bagel in half, layer sliced fresh tomatoes, grated mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, 3-4 fresh whole basil leaves and top with pepperoni. I popped them under the broiler for a minute or so and viola...DINNER is served. Most definitely a meal for my Call-it-Dinner category. The mini pizzas were so good. Next time I make bagels I think I might purposely make some extra large bagels for mini pizzas! The Bagel Recipe can be found on Pgs 115-122

Here's the layered mini pizzas before broiling.





Hot out of the broiler and looking delicious. Gosh they were so good!!!






All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Pigs and Goats go 'Round and 'Round

I dearly love working with Pork. It is probably the most versatile meat available and always so juicy! During the recent Swine Flu Frenzy I decided to serve Pork at least once a week in support of our Pig Farmers. And we've enjoyed every bite!

This recipe was posted on Twitter and as soon as I saw it, I knew it would be served on my table within a week. Pork loin stuffed with goat cheese laced with basil and drizzled with a sweet cherry sauce. WOW...what a combination!

This was my first time ever making Stuffed Pork Loin and it was so easy I don't know why I've not attempted it before. I only made 1 pork loin but I did use the full recipe for the stuffing and cherry sauce. We do love our cheese and sauces! And the Pork Loin was more then delicious and roasted beautifully!







Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Recipe adapted from Food TV

2 x Pork tenderloin, approximately 6-8" long (I only made 1 pork tenderloin)
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 c goat cheese, crumbled
Zest of 2 lemons
1 1/2 TBL fresh basil, chopped (I used 1/2 c. fresh basil, minced)
2 TBL EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 tsp cracked pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Additional equipment: Butcher or kitchen twine

Red Wine Balsamic Cherry Sauce

1/2 c red wine (I used Port Wine)
1/2 c fresh cherries, pits removed, chopped (I used frozen pitted whole sweet cherries)
1/2 TBL balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

If you're using frozen cherries, defrost and drain.

Trim any fat from the pork loin and discard.

Use a sharp knife to "butterfly" the pork tenderloin. This is done by making an incision mid way through the length of the tenderloin (so it opens like a book). Be sure to leave the loin with at least 1/2 inch (12 mm) uncut at the base. Repeat with remaining loin.

(Here's a short video on butterflying a chicken breast and a pork chop. Although these are smaller pieces of meat the technique for butterflying a pork tenderloin is the same. Just make sure that you cut the length of the loin and DO NOT cut completely leaving a "hinge" so that the loin opens like a book.)






Season both sides of the loins with salt and pepper. Cover loins with cling film and use the back of your rolling pin (or a meat tenderizer) to gently pound on the meat until the surface is flat. Do not over pound the meat as this will affect the texture of the pork.

In a medium sized bowl mix together the goat cheese, lemon zest and basil with 1 TBL EVOO and the pepper. Mix gently until evenly combined (ensuring that the basil does not bruise).

Remove the plastic wrap from the meat and spoon the goat cheese mixture evenly over the center leaving a 3/4 inch border. Roll up to make a nice compact even roll. Repeat with remaining tenderloin.

Using the string to make even ties on every inch of the loin, ensuring the roll stays intact. Trim the excess string ends.

Rub 1 TBL EVOO all over the pork loins. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Set a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat, add the remaining EVOO and allow to heat 30 seconds. The pan should be hot but not smoking.

Place the pork loins in the skillet and allow them to cook until a deep golden brown caramelized crust forms. Turn and repeat until both loins are golden brown.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and allow them to cook for another 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and place the loins on a plate and cover with foil. This will allow the meat to rest and give the filling a chance to firm up. Set the skillet aside to reuse for the cherry sauce.

To serve slice 3/4" slices of pork using a sharp knife. Serve immediately.

Red Wine Balsamic Cherry Sauce

Using the same skillet place it over medium high heat. Add the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the crisp caramelized bits remaining in the bottom of the pan. Add half of the cherries and the balsamic vinegar and allow the mixture to cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining cherries and cook for 1 minute. At this point the sauce should be slightly reduced and the cherries warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.







All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

TFF -- Ultimate Mac 'N Cheese with Bacon

Okay, now here's a recipe for all my new male followers. Come on, fess up, we all know you love Macaroni and Cheese. Didn't quite hit the spot? How about Mac 'N Cheese with Bacon? Mouth still not watering? Well, how about Mac 'N Cheese with Bacon and loads of Garlic and Onion!! YUMMY!!

We had a few nights of frost warnings earlier this week and I thought Macaroni and Cheese was the perfect side dish for a chilly spring night! I found an excellent recipe from my man Tyler. As soon as I read the recipe I knew it was going to be wonderful and a very adult Mac 'N Cheese.

I made this recipe exactly as written except I substituted 5 green onions, including the tops, cut into fine coins for the chopped yellow onion. And I used sharp yellow cheddar in place of the white cheddar and added about 6 large fresh basil leaves to the topping. Yes, this Mac 'N Cheese has a topping and that is what made it so good and of course the 4 cloves of garlic!

This is a phenomenal dish and gourmet comfort food at it's best! I was going to cut the recipe in half but just went ahead and made it as written. And it was all gone the next day and there's only two of us! Mr. Tastebud's had three helpings at dinner. And the next day he had two snack helpings when he came home from work which left me a measly cup or so to warm up for my dinner that night.






Mac 'N Cheese with Bacon
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 cups milk
2 or 3 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar (I used Sharp Yellow Cheddar)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Topping:
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
1 large onion, diced (I used 5 Green Onions including stems cut into coins)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Leaves from 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Option: 5 large Basil leaves, minced


Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme springs and 2 garlic cloves.

Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming.

Strain the solids out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth.

Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture.

Scrape into a 3 quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

While that bakes, heat a saute pan.

Add the bacon, render the fat and cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the Mac 'N Cheese.






Please visit Tyler Florence Fridays and see what the rest of Tyler's groupies are up too this week.






Foodie Friday is hosted by Gollum of Designs by Gollum. Please visit and see what else is cooking for this week's Foodie Friday.




All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Tablescape Thursday -- Black, White and Color

It's been so hot here this week. Yesterday it was in the high 80's and today the thermometer on our barn reached 91 degrees! This is May it's not supposed to be this hot yet! We just had 2 frost warnings earlier in the week and now we're up to 91 degrees!

Because of the heat I was going to do a cool, serene black and white table setting but then decided to throw a little color in too. I love black and white tablescapes but it really is not me. I just am too much of a bright-colored pottery person.

I started out with a wooden placemat and the black and white dinner plates. Then added the red and white Hawaiian print napkins and blue bubble glasses. Then I remembered my Monkey Banana Pitcher so added it as well. Tuesday I made Mango Bread and set it up on my new Pig Cutting Board. Then I added my freshly baked, albeit a bit lumpy, bagels. It was so hot my bagels rose too quickly and they were HUGE. Although they look odd, they were delicious! Click here if you would like to see how the bagels are supposed to look.

If you look through the sliding glass doors you can see Archie waiting patiently and drooling down the glass.





I bought the black and white plates in the clearance aisle at Homegoods for $1.99. The salad plates I bought recently at TJMaxx, not on sale but still only $1.99. Each salad plate was a slightly different design but exactly the same colors. I lined up all the plates and picked out my favorites.









The Pig Cutting Board is bamboo and it was $6.99 at TJMaxx. It is just the right size for serving, not too big, not too small. I love it!

The Fresh Mango Bread was our recipe this week for Tuesdays with Dorie.







This is one of my more decorative pitchers. I've had it for a long time now, at least 15 yrs. I'm pretty sure I picked it up at TJMaxx and I remember paying more then the usual $10 that I pay for most of my pitchers. But I loved the monkey so in the cart it went!





The last thing on my table is a crystal butter dish that my Mom picked up at a Resale Shop in Columbus, OH for $3. Although I have many butter dishes, this one is my favorite. I just love the little bird on top.





Tablescape Thursday is a weekly event hosted by Susan of Between Naps on the Porch. Please visit Susan's site and see all the wonderful tablescapes set out especially for you.


All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog