If I Owned a Steakhouse in Greece

I would serve up something like this.

Steaks aren't really part of the traditional Greek diet. There isn't much by way of aged steaks like we know here North America. Beef and veal are most used for braising, stews and mince.

There are some butchers who have know-how to butcher cows with an eye towards steak cuts and they even have their own aging and hanging rooms for the beef. These butchers cater to the steak houses in Athens, Thessaloniki and some of the jet-set Greek islands.


Having spoken to butchers about how they butcher cattle differently from their North American colleagues, the consistent reply I get is that although they (Greek butchers) know how to butcher for steak cuts, there is little demand for it in the Greek market.

Another thing one should know is that many (perhaps most) Greeks like their meats well-done. There's a generational gap between myself, cousins and our parents as us younger folks like our meat medium to rare and our parents like their beef well-done. It's a cultural thing, no right or wrong - that's just how it is.

On to the dinner. The flavours and ingredients used for this dish are used in Greek cooking but none of the dish can be really characterized as "Greek food". Greek-inspired, yes. Greek recipe - NO. I can't say that anything here is derived from recipes of our forefathers or even from a Greek cookbook per se.

The steak is inspired by my dad's treatment of a steak....coarse salt, black pepper, garlic powder and dried Greek oregano.

The mashed potatoes utilize Yukon Gold potatoes, roasted garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, scallions and crumbled Feta.

The beans are simple...a quick saute of sliced mushrooms with some roasted garlic and olive oil and blanched green beans get tossed in at the end to warm through. This pairing was inspired by a recent beans and mushrooms recipe posted over at my dear friend's Kalyn's Kitchen.

Put the steak, mashed potatoes and green beans with 'shrooms and you have a wonderful steak dinner with "an eye towards Greece".

Pull up a chair, let me fetch a bottle (or two) and please do, have a seat. You're having steak at my place tonight. Let's sip some wine, talk food, think about summer vacation plans and enjoy a wonderful steak dinner!

Pan-seared Steak With Roasted Garlic and Oregano
(for 4)

4 New York Strip steaks, 3/4 - 1 in. thick
olive oil
unsalted butter
coarse sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper
garlic powder
dried Greek oregano

Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Feta
4 large Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 bulb of garlic
4 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
the green tops of 2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup of unsalted butter
approx. 1 cup of milk
crumbled Feta cheese to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Mushrooms and green beans
4 handfuls of green beans, trimmed
1 cup of Cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 cloves of roasted garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heated 375F oven

1. Peel and cut your potatoes into quarters. Place inside a pot and cover with water and reserve. Preheat your oven to 375F. Cut the top off your head of garlic and place in some tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap up, place in a oven-proof vessel and roast for about 40 minutes. Allow to cool. You may also use this time to boil your beans in salted water (until al dente) and then shock by placing in a icy water bath. Drain and reserve.
   
2. Bring your steaks to room temperature for cooking. Drizzle some olive oil on both sides of the steaks and season with coarse salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder and dried Greek oregano. Start your pot of potatoes by boiling them in salted water and cook until fork tender.
3. Place your skillet on the stove-top over high heat and add a couple of pads of butter and some olive oil. sear your steaks in batches until both sides are a deep brown colour and reserve on a baking tray (reduce heat to medium-high).
4. When the steaks are all seared-off, place the baking tray in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes (for medium), remove from the oven, place on a plate and tent with foil. Allow to rest about 5 minutes before serving.
5. In the meantime, your potatoes should be ready to make your mashed potatoes. Strain the water from the potatoes, add butter and all but 2-3 cloves of the roasted garlic (for the beans and mushrooms). Add the milk, sun-dried tomatoes, and mash up some more. Now using a wooden spoon, mix in the crumbled Feta and scallions and then taste and adjust seasoning with salt & pepper. Reserve & keep warm.
6. In a skillet, add a few turns of love oil and add your sliced mushrooms over medium-high heat. Stir to coat the mushrooms with oil and season with some salt and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook off for another 5 minutes. Take the lid off and add the beans and the remaining 2-3 roasted cloves of garlic. Toss to mix and and taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and keep warm.
7. Divide the mashed potatoes by spooning a big scoop onto the middle of each plate, place a steak on top of half the steak and place a mound of beans and mushrooms on the side.
   

PLEASE NOTE: You may certainly grill the steaks on your outdoor if it's warm enough in your part of the world.


If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Fruits of the Forest (Φρούτα του δάσους)

Ever since I was a child, I've always enjoyed eating mushrooms. My earliest recollection of eating mushrooms were a batch sauted and smothered in butter and garlic, like Greek mom's do.

I enjoy mushrooms on pizza, mushroom soup, a baby spinach salad with sliced mushrooms, mushroom crepes, pasta with a mushroom sauce or part of a tart or stuffing. They are really quite versatile and I love mushrooms so.

I have lots of Greek cookbooks and although there are some mushroom recipes, there aren't much. Last year I discovered a Greek language blog called Manitarosyntages (mushroom recipes) and it was af if I have discovered my own batch of edible mushrooms during a hike in the forest.

The blog's author is Dimitra Vergou-Evanggelopoulou and after reading a few of her posts, I discovered that she had also just released a cookbook full of Greek recipes with mushrooms...SCORE!

I inquired about ordering and shipping the book to Canada and Dimitra was very generous in offering me a complementary copy. The book arrived just before Christmas and it's one of the best Christmas presents I've received in awhile.

Dimitra comes from the Greek prefecture of Grevena, which is located in Greece's northernmost province, Macedonia. The area of Grevena has long been recognized as a bountiful area when it comes to mushrooms and most recently, truffles have been found.

Most of the truffles go to export but this delicacy is starting to appear in Greek dishes too! The book contains seventy recipes from soups & salads to appetizers and main courses and even some applications in Greek spoon sweets!

At this point in time, the book is only available in Greek but one could always buy the book, befriend a Greek and get a translation, no? For those interested in buying this fine cookbook, you may visit the publisher's website here.

In the meantime, I'd like to thank Dimitra for her generosity in sending me the book and in typical Kalofagas style, it's time for food and for sharing.

The other day I found some finger-food sized ouster mushrooms that had short stems and not woody at all. If you're wondering...yes, the oyster mushrooms have that slight seafood taste and the stems can be too woody to eat. Simply break snap off the stems and they will break in their natural spot (much like asparagus).

This recipe makes for a quick and delicious meze or appetizer. It's fried oyster mushrooms but you can use any mushroom you wish. What's unique about this dish is that the batter uses white wine and that, my friends complemented the taste of the mushrooms.

It's winter time in Greece, people are entertaining in their homes, dining with friends at tavernas and wine is flowing freely. Pick up a bottle of dry Greek white wine, make some of this batter, fry up some 'shrooms and sip on the wine and discover how this appetizer complements the wine so well!

For this dish, I sipped on the Domaine Porto Karras Malagouzia. Malagouzia grapes, a Greek varietal that was almost extinct has made a resurgence and it made for a wonderful pairing with the fried mushrooms. The fruity finish complements the earthy mushrooms and a slight sweet aftertaste is left on the palate.

What are you waiting for? Go grab some Malagouzia and some mushrooms!


Fried Oyster Mushrooms (Μανιτάρια Tηγανητά)
(makes 1 appetizer plate for 4)

Approx. 1 lb. of Oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed
2 eggs
1 glass of dry Greek wine
approx. 1 cup of all-purpose flour
sea salt and black pepper
vegetable oil for frying

1. In a large bowl, crack your eggs and add the wine and whisk to incorporate. Now add the flour while whisking until you get a thickness akin to pancake batter. Add about a tsp. of salt and pepper and allow to sit.
2. Heat your deep fryer or other vessel used for frying and your oil should get to about 360-370F before frying.
3. Dip your mushrooms in the batter and fry in batches until golden-brown. Set on a paper-lined plate, season with sea salt and serve warm with a dry Greek wine.
   

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Thyme Scented Mushrooms (Αρωματικά μανιτάρια με θυμάρι)

Greeks take pride in serving up quality appetizers/mezedes for their friends and relatives. Like most of you, we are in full festive season gear with friends dropping by and dropping in on friends.

One thing you'll notice about the hospitality of the Greeks is that one never gets the sense of being rushed.

In good mood? Pull up a seat, let me whip up a couple of appetizers and let's have a few drinks...let's share your infectious good mood.

In the dumps? What better than to vent, discuss, analyze what's got you down, what's pissing you off.

Regardless of the situation..."mi casa, sou casa"...make yourself at home and never feel (or act) like a stranger in a Greek's home.

Greeks love to talk. Greeks love to eat and often some kind of fuel is required. That is to say some alcohol! Greek wine is now thoroughly enjoyed at the Greek table but the Anise-flavoured Ouzo still gets fair use and regional homebrews of Raki, Tsipouro and Tsikoudia or in Cyprus, Zivania also fill up our glasses (and egos)!

I think many of us are over-thinking appetizers - making them too complicated. There's nothing wrong with hosting a more formal dinner but let's not get carried away and start prepping the type of appetizers one would find in a hotel.

Conversely, I cringe at the sight and taste of those processed, frozen & baked, "I'm too lazy to whip up a few appetizers for my guests" -type of commercial appetizer.

Instructions:
"Keep frozen until use, place on a baking sheet and pre-heat oven and bake for 15 minutes"

OR

"Set your microwave to high and cook for 5 minutes"

YIKES!

Here's a simple rule to follow when making appetizers...offer a few, make'em simple, make them well.

Today we're going to nibble on mushrooms. Mushrooms are a food item I've enjoyed since a child...always liked them - always will.

I recently ordered a new Greek cookbook from Dimitra Vergou titled "Mushrooms - From the Forest to the Kitchen.

Dimitra is from the northern Prefecture of Grevena and although mushrooms can be found all over Greece, Grevena is considered the "capital" of Greece's mushroom industry.

As far as I know, this book is only available in Greek but if it sells well, perhaps an English edition will be published.

In the meantime, I patiently await the arrival of my new cookbook but in the meantime, allow me to share a simple, deliciois side dise and meze of mushrooms.

Remember...keep them simple but do it well!

Thyme Scented Mushrooms (Αρωματικά μανιτάρια με θυμάρι)

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. good red wine vinegar
12 oz. of button mushrooms, halved
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
coarse sea salt to taste
1 Tbsp. of water (optional)

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine half the olive oil, the ground pepper, bayleaves and half the vinegar and warm over very low heat.
2. Now add the mushrooms, some salt and 2 sprigs of thyme and holding lid in place, shake the pan to swirl and coat all the mushrooms. Continue simmering the mushrooms in their own juices for about 10 minutes or until they just start changing colour.
3. Stir occasionally and if too try, add some water into the mix.
4. Add the remaining vinegar and olive oil and and set aside for another hour. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and serve with a sprig of thyme as a garnish and serve with some bread and a glass of Greek wine or my current fave...Tsipouro.
   

Tagliatelle of Wild Mushrooms

One of the most wonderful ingredients in the fall has to be mushrooms. Many people's tastes change but ever since my childhood I've love mushrooms.

Here in Canada, Gordon Ramsey's the "F-Word" is now showing and although it's been viewed in the UK for a few years now, it's finally reached our shores.

The "F-Word" stands for food and clearly the intention of the show is to show the kinder, smiling and more cordial Gordon Ramsey to the public.

I'm of the belief that the personalities that appear on television as nicey-nices are usually A-holes in person and the "bad guys" on TV are really the calm, friendly and cordial ones.

I've heard from many sources that Gordon Ramsey is kind in interviews, always signs autographs for fans and even takes a moment for a little chit chat. I've heard little flattering about more "popular" food celebs.

So, the "F-Word" also shows more of Gordon Ramsey's cooking and earlier this week I was captivated by a mushroom & pasta dish he cooked up in his restaurant.

He used a mixture of fresh wild mushrooms but knowing that this could be out of reach for many, I've taken a more accessable route to reproducing this recipe.

Last night I used a combination of Cremini, Oyster and dried Porcini mushrooms. If you have access to fresh Porcini...please go ahead and enjoy them but for most of us, the dried variety are easier to find and here and one even gets some mushroom stock out of it!

This dish is easy on the sauce but large on flavour. As one diner at Gordon's restaurant attested, "you can taste each ingredient with each bite" and that's what I was going for here.

Let the ingredients come out, keep the cream to a minimum and enjoy this aromatic, flavourful and hearty pasta dish.

Note: the Oyster mushrooms are added towards the end as they are very delicate, do not take long to cook and become tough (like seafood) if overcooked.

Tagliatelle of Wild Mushrooms
(for 4)

4 Tbsp. olive oil
4 pads of butter
3 large scallions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 ounce of dried Porcini mushrooms
1 cup of chopped Cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup Oyster mushrooms, stem removed and chopped
(rinsed if gritty)
1 tea cup of hot water
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups of chicken/vegetable broth
1 500gr. package of Tagliatelle
(plus reserved pasta water)
4 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
splash of heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
shaved Parmesan cheese

1. Place your dried Poricnis in a tea or coffee cup and fill with boiling water, Cover with a saucer and allow to steep for at least 15 minutes. In the meantime, place a large pot of water on your stovetop. When it comes to a boil, add your salt and pasta and cook to under "al dente" or about 5 minutes. Drain and reserve.
2. In a large skillet, add your olive oil and butter over medium-high heat and add your scallions, garlic and Cremini mushrooms and saute for 3 -5 minutes. Add the wine, reduce to medium-low and simmer until most of the wine has evaporated.
3. Now add your re-hydrated Porcinis, the Porcini broth and your stock and bring to a boil. Now lower to medium and simmer for another 5-7 minutes (reduced to about half).
4. Add your chopped Oyster mushrroms, half of your chopped tarragon and parsley and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes while stirring, remove the cloves of garlic and reserve and keep warm.
   
5. Add your pasta into the mushroom sauce along with a splash of heavy cream, the remaining chopped parsley and tarragon and toss over medium-low heat (if yor sauce is too dry, add some pasta water). Keep tossing until the sauce has thickend and is absorbed by the pasta.
6. Serve in bowls immediately and top with shaved Parmesan cheese.
   

Back in Black

Today, I'm cooking with a black ingredient, a new ingredient. I'm talking about black trumpet mushrooms.

The black trumpet is a Chanterelle mushroom and although you may not find them fresh at your market, one can easily find the dried variety (which I bought at my local Asian store).

I don't think I've ever cooked with a black ingredient before...I've burned things to a charred crisp but never have started out with something black.

Speaking of black, who likes AC/DC? After a long hiatus, they are on tour again and my friends and myself will be going to see these rock legends when they come to Toronto in October. Check your local listings to see when they'll be hitting your town.

In the meantime, here's some AC/DC to get you warmed up for their concert and for my "cooking in black" session...


Are you done head bangin'? Are you hungry? Are you ready to Eat to the Beat?

My friend Elly at Elly Says Opa holds a quarterly blogging event where you can write about a dish tied to or inspired by music. If you have a dish and tune in mind, you have until the end of the month to squeeze in an entry.

My entry is a Charred and Roasted Pork Tenderloin with a Black Trumpet Emulsion. In plain English you might be thinking?

I blitzed a mixture in my mini-food processor with dried Black Trumpets along with some herbs and even a touch of sugar (helped with the charring processs). The pork tenderloin then got seared in a skillet and finished off in the oven to a juicy finish.

Not satisfied with the use of Black Trumpets? They get simmered down and whizzed into a emulsion or sauce that's poured over the moist pork tenderloin.

This dish was not too difficult, the result surprised both myself and my brother and it was great to enjoy a recipe from a local, well-known Canadian chef, Michael Bonacini.

To accompany Bonacini's pork tenderloin, I made a Potato & Fennel Gratin and I pan-seared some boy choy.

The final meal was outstanding...fall ingredients, seasonal and a delicious foray into the beginning of autumn. I learned about a new ingredient (Black Trumpets), found out that I liked fennel alot and discovered bok choy is a quick, easy and health vegetable to serve up at the table.

Charred & Roasted Pork Tenderloin With a Black Trumpet Emulsion
(from Michael Bonacini)
serves 4

The Rub
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
3/4 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp dried black trumpet mushrooms
2 pork tenderloins

Black Trumpet Emulsion
2 shallots, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. of butter
3/4 cup of black trumpet mushrooms
(1/3 cup if dried, rehydrate in boiling hot water for 10 minutes)
3/4 cup of chicken stock
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. heavy cream

1. Add black peppercorns, coriander seeds, salt, granulated sugar and trumpet mushrooms to a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Grind spice mixture to a fine sandy texture. Alternatively, grind the spices using a mortar and pestle, but the final texture of the rub will be coarse. This seasoning rub can be kept in an airtight container for up to three months.
2. Thoroughly rub the pork tenderloin with generous amounts of the seasoning rub. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes so the flavours penetrate the pork.
3. Preheat oven to 400 to 425 degrees F.
4. Heat a large heavy-bottomed frying pan (with oven proof handles) over medium high heat. Add a splash of canola oil and a good knob of butter. Sear the pork tenderloins in the pan, turning from time to time so pork browns evenly on all sides. Transfer to oven cook pork until just cooked to a pink and tender stage, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let rest 8 to 10 minutes, keeping warm.
5. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter, shallots and garlic. Gently cook until the shallots are soft. Add the black trumpets, cook lightly for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Reduce mixture by about 1/3.
6. Transfer to a food blender and puree until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer back to the saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Add the cream and the last of the butter. Then using a small hand blender, aerate the sauce to create a light, foamy, very creamy and velvety emulsion. Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve.

Postcard From Naxos

One of the stops I made during my recent trip to Greece was visiting the large island of Naxos. I had no intent on visiting this island until one of my readers extended an invite to witness and be a part of a traditional Greek island wedding.

I thought long and hard but after some coaxing from friends and relatives in Greece, they swayed me to visit Naxos. A "once in a lifetime" experience is how some described this. I'm going to dedicate another post(s) entirely on the wedding so please be patient.

Naxos turned out to be a pleasant surprise for me. I only spent a couple of days there but I can assure you I'll be back!

It's a large island and a car is needed to circle the island but what stood out for me was the warmth and genuine hospitality displayed by the locals, affordable pricing, beautiful beaches and great food!

I spent one evening exploring narrow, winding alleys of Naxos, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the island and of course, taking in a meal.

The taverna that I chose for my meal was called, "To Smyrneiko" and opted to dine here as I saw lots of Greeks ( and Italians) eating here, the place was busy and the covered part of the outdoor eating area had evidence of outdoor heaters.

This last detail told me this taverna operated summer & winter...a sure sign of brisk year'round business!

Upon reaching Naxos, I was delighted to see most of the tavernas sun-drying fresh caught mackerel in the blazing Greek sun.

This sun-dried fish would later be grilled and served to many like me wanting to try a Cycladic specialty called "gouna".

I first read of Gouna through my blogging friend, Elena of Hungry For Life who describes the process of preparing Gouna in Greek here.

Gouna is first butterflied, spine column removed and then seasoned with sea salt and oregano and sun-dried for three days in the got sun. After that, the fish gets some olive oil, more oregano and black pepper and it's flash-grilled and served with a wedge of lemon and your favourite accompanying side dishes.

I loved this dish. The seasoning was perect, the oils of the mackerel assured me of a moist fish, grilled mackerel brings out the natural smokyness and I seriously took my time eating one of the most memorable dishes in ages!

For a lack of having a blazing Greek sun, I can't reproduce this dish for you (yet) but I have a few ideas for recreating Gouna...stay tuned.

However, I can leave with a quick, simple and very delicious recipe for an appetizer I had at "To Smyrneiko".

My lovely hostess (and server) Eirini recommended that I try the baked stuffed mushrooms and after she assured that they use only fresh mushrooms, I added them to my array of dishes.

As soon as I took a bite of a mushroom, "Ummm" noises could be heard. These mushrooms rocked! As I written previously, I love the Greek dishes that are inspired by the cooking of Constantinople and Smyrna and these stuffed mushrooms of cheese with hints of ginger sent me floating with food glee!

As the size of mushrooms and how many you would like serve will vary, it's impossible to give specific amounts here but this recipe should give enough of a guideline to try these delicious morsels for yourself.

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms
(appetizer)

approx. 12 white button mushrooms (medium sized)
approx. 1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup melted butter (or olive oil)
grated Kefalotyri (or Romano cheese) to taste
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
couple of splashes of cream (enough to bind the filling)
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Preheated pre-heated 350F oven

1. Wash or brush the dirt off your mushrooms. Twist off and remove the stems and carefully open the cavity up a little more and reserve.
2. In a bowl, add the melted butter, grated mozarella, Kefalotyri cheese, minced garlic, ginger, chives and cream and stir to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salty Kefalotyri and some black pepper.
3. Now with a small spoon, place some filling into each mushroom cap and place on a greased baking sheet (or other baking vessel).
4. Place on the upper middle rack and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese has melted to a golden-brown. Serve imediately hot.
   

Savory Halva Cake With Warm Mushroom Salad

I'm quite excited to have twisted an ingredient that's usually seen as a Greek dessert and I've made it into something tasty, savory and new.

Semolina flour is used to make Halva and you may also find Halva being used in Turkish desserts and even further east in India.

Let's examine what Semolina is. Semolina is the inner, uncracked part of durum wheat. Durum wheat is used to make pasta, couscous and bulgar. Here in North America, ever hear of Cream of Wheat? That's semolina flour!

The closest dish I've seen to this savory cake is rava dosa and upma, in southern India.

As I wrote yesterday, semolina behaves much like polenta: it can be used for savory and sweet dishes, incorporated into baking goods, can be eaten soft & creamy, or hardened and grilled.

Once again, using semolina as a departure from polenta might win over those who do not like corn. I like both.

What I've done here is to use basic ingredients to give the Halva cake some flavour and I've accentuated those same flavours in the warm mushroom salad.

If you enjoy grilling polenta or have some favourite grilled polenta dishes, try substituting semolina flour for those same recipes. You'll be pleasantly surprised as I was.

Savory Halva With Warm Mushroom Salad
(for 4)

1 cup coarse semolina
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups chicken/vegetable stock
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a pot on high heat for a few minutes. Add the oil, scallions and mushrooms and saute for a few minutes to soften. Reduce heat to medium and add your semolina and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes until it begins to colour.
   
2. Add your stock and wine and some and pepper and bring to a boil while stirring. Continue to stir until your semolina resembles a runny porridge.
3. Add the butter, cheese and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and take off the heat.
4. Pour onto a large plate, greased cookie sheet or ramekins and let cool until set (about 20 minutes).
5. Place covered in a fridge until needed for up to a week.
6. Cut into desired shapes and brush your grill with oil and sear on each side for 1-2 minutes and repeat on the flip side.
7. Serve warm as part of a main course, as an appetizer or first course.

Warm Mushroom Salad
(for 4)

1/2 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/4 fortified wine (I used a tawny Port)
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley
1 scallion, finely chopped

1. In a skillet, add your oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add your onions, mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, sage and and saute for 5-7 minutes or until the water from the mushrooms has evaporated and they've taken some colour.
2. Add the garlic and port and simmer until the there's almost no liquid. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper mix in your scallions and parsley.
3. Serve warm over your grilled Halva cake.
   

MEME's, Tags and Food Hags

I want to begin by thanking all those who have tagged me in many instances of blog exercises, MEME'd me to divulge just a little more about myself, for feting me with blog awards and accolades. You have all also given me the opportunity to the hone my cut/paste and link skills. I am forever indebted to you.

For the record, these little exercises do take time; I have to think of what I will and will not divulge of myself, make the blog entry somewhat entertaining and think of five or more victims to tag and prolong this counterproductive circus.

I will respectfully not jump through anymore hoops. I'm not hatin' on these blog games but I do have a backlog of dishes I'd like to still share with you and the MEME/Tag thing is time consuming.

I would much rather share a food experience and spend this time exploring your blogs and commenting constructively, with encouragement and a bit of humour.

I'm now officially done with MEME's and Tags...now on to Food Hags.

This dish comes courtesy of a food personality and I was quite impressed with how well the dish came together after following the directions rather closely.

This is a quick, elegant and an easy weeknight dish that's sure to please all in attendance. The only substitute I made to this dish was to again use evaporated milk.

It's a great, low-fat alternative to heavy cream however one should use is it along with a roux for it to thicken just like cream. Otherwise, you will still find the sauce to be a little thinner.

Now it's time for a little fun, I'll post the recipe but I'm going to have you all try and guess which food personality's dish this is.

Take a guess in the comments section and I''ll give the answer in my next blog entry.

Feb. 27, 2008...this dish is adapted from Rachel Ray.

Chicken Breast With a Mushroom-Dijon Sauce
(for 4)

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt
• pepper
• sweet paprika
  
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
  
• 3 shallots, sliced
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 to 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (depending on your tastes)
  
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk

1. Wash and pat-dry your chicken. Seasoning with salt, pepper and sweet paprika.
2. Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken breasts until brown on each side and cooked through. Reserve in a warm oven.
3. Add the butter to the hot pan and melt. Add the mushrooms to the pan and brown, about 4-5 minutes.
   
4. Add the shallots and thyme, and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. When all the vegetables are tender, sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and shallots, cook about 1 minute.
   
5. Stir in the white wine, chicken stock, Dijon mustard and heavy cream. Cook about 2 minutes, until thickened.
6. Cut the chicken breasts into slices and serve chicken topped with the Dijon gravy and the rice and asparagus alongside.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

The Campbell's Soup company has not made that much money off me this year. I've been really enjoying making stocks and the comforting soups that directly benefit from this effort.

There are some good quality stocks for sale out there and even the boullion cubes can come in handy but a soup made with homemade stock just can't be beat.

Today, I have a soup for you that tastes like it was simmered all day, it could be served for a guests but, it can be made with ease on a weeknight.

This soup's inspiration comes courtesy of Jacques Pepin and the original recipe can be found in his book, The Short-Cut Cook.

I've tweaked his recipe but the same rich, creamy soup will still satisfy your hungry mouths.

What makes this soup different is that I've avoided using cream and the thickener here is cornmeal. I used evaporated milk which is less fattening and it has all the good properties of cream and the cornmeal thickens the soup fast.

The last point I'd like to make is please use fresh mushrooms. White button mushrooms are easily cultivated all year 'round, they are affordable and they're simply delicious. If you have fancier tastes (and budget) then by all means use a more fancy mushroom in your soup.


Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups cleaned & sliced button mushrooms
1 medium onion (about 1 cup) diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
6 cups of chicken (or veggie) stock
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the butter in a large pot and when it's melted, add your onions and mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes (with the cover on).
2. Take the cover off and simmer for another 5 minutes for liquid from the mushrooms to cook off. Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the mushroom mixture and reserve.
3. Add your bay leaves, garlic and cornmeal and stir for a few minutes or until you have a thick paste.
4. Add your stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and and cover just ajar for 30 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and remove your bay leaves. Using a handheld food processor, puree your soup thoroughly.
6. Add as much evaporated milk as desired. Add your reserved mushrooms and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
7. Serve immediately.
   

Risotto With Royal Trumpets

Ever notice how things you hated when you were little are now perhaps some of your favourite things to eat?

Well, mushrooms weren't one of them! I've always loved mushrooms and today with easier cultivation techniques, the average button, cremini and portobello are affordable and often found in everyone's fridge.

Another ongoing debate about mushrooms is whether to wash or not to wash? If you're part of the mushroom police, wipe them if you like but at least make your job easier by picking cleaner mushrooms at the market.

I myself give them a quick rinse as a little water won't do much harm and no matter how tasty or how rare or how wild the mushroom is...your guests will spit it out when they bite into the grit.

The mushrooms I used for my risotto today were a combo of cremini and royal trumpets. This mushroom has a delicate flavour, is meaty and only the bottom, woody part of the stem need be trimmed. This mushroom belongs to the oyster mushroom family and taste similar. Today I'm submitting this as my entry into Weekend Herb Blogging #106 and this week it's been hosted by Pille from Nami Nami.

The royal trumpet or king can be found in the wild growing on the buried roots of hardwood trees or in Europe, from the base of wild carrots. This stout, thickly fleshed mushroom is very popular in Europe and Japan. Popularity in the US & Canada is increasing as it becomes more available. The mushroom may grow quite large, up to 7 inches long but is generally harvested at a smaller size. It is the only Oyster species that ships well and has an extended shelf-life.

Risotto With Royal Trumpets

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 strips of bacon, finely chopped
1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup royal trumpet mushrooms, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups hot chicken stock
3/4 cup of string beans
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

1. Heat the olive in a deep, heavy skillet. Add the shllots, garlic, bacon, mushrooms, thyme, bay leaves and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the mushrooms have browned.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice well. Add the wine and stir over medium heat until the rice has absorbed all the wine.
3. Add your chicken stock 1 ladle at a time, repeating this step after each time the rice absorbs the stock. At around 2 cups of stock, taste the rice for doneness. Your ristotto should be "al dente".
4. Stir in the beans and a dab of unsalted butter. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in some grated Parmesan cheese and serve with Parmesan curls as a garnish.