Coronado Concerts in the Park - When in Rome

The Rat Pack was able to rally again after a memorable Saturday night at Baby Bellagio. We carried over the Italian theme for Concert in the Park with Roman cuisine. Many of us were still sporting our fedoras, and some added facial hair in honor of the birthday boy's latest look.

Alec and Sonoma

Kai, looking a bit more stylish and masculine
(see Aunt Kai with his tray of Cannoli, here) 

Nina slipped into a mini-toga and exchanged her fedora for a gold leaf headpiece

Sparks and Olivia

Kellee

John's Antipasti 

Kellee's Caprese Bruschetta 

Kai's Moretum, a type of herb cheese spread the Ancient Romans ate with bread 

Nina's Pasta Puttanesca

Here's how Nina prepared the pasta:  "The pasta was a puttanesca, I did it from memory:  Extra virgin olive oil, several cloves of garlic minced and cooked for a couple minutes over low heat, take off heat, throw in some chopped kalamata olives and fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, a squeeze of lemon (my touch, love the acid and liveliness it adds) and throw the hot pasta over the whole thing, toss with some grated parmesan and serve.  I think it's normally served without cooking the garlic first, but the saute takes the edge off the garlic so it's kind of nice like that."

A peek of shrimp from Zuppa di Pesce alla Romana, a Roman-style fish soup

In researching Roman cuisine, I came across Saltimbocca alla Romana, which consists of veal, prosciutto or ham, and sage, rolled-up and cooked in Marsala and butter. I adapted Tyler Florence's version, here, using chicken, prosciutto, sage, white wine, chicken broth and lemon. I was also able to prepare it at the park on our little portable gas stove, which only runs about $17.00 at Ranch 99 Market. I'm sure people at the park think we're out of control with these gourmet picnics, but I know they envy the sights and smells around our picnic blanket!

Saltimbocca alla Romana

For dessert, I brought the remaining cannoli from the night before, and made a fresh Plum Tart with Italian plums I found at the Hillcrest Farmers' Market that morning. Italian plums, sometimes called Empress plums, are native to the Mediterranean coastal regions of Italy. They are yellow-fleshed delicacies with low-water content and dense texture, which allows them to keep their shape during baking. Their flavor falls between sweet and sour after cooking, making them ideal for fall cakes and crumbles. I served my tart with John's whipped cream, spiked with bourbon and nutmeg.

Italian Plum Tart
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), diced
1 egg yolk
2 pounds firm, ripe Italian prune plums, pitted and quartered lengthwise
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the flour, walnuts, and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment. Add the butter and the egg yolk and mix until crumbly (alternatively, pulse together all ingredients in a food processor).

Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan (you can also use a rectangular tart pan, as I did, or even mini-tart pans). Arrange the plums in the pan, skin-side down, to form a decorative pattern, beginning at the outside and working towards the center.

Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums (I had too much crumb mixture and used the excess to an additional mini-tart). Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling (mine was done at about the 40-minute mark). Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer the tart to a flat plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, with or without whipped cream or ice cream.

Beautiful Italian Plums and the crumb mixture used for the bottom crust 

Quartered plums are arranged in a decorative pattern on top of the crust

The remaining crumb mixture is then sprinkled over the top of the plums

Baked Plum Tart

****

We have one remaining Concert on Sunday, and then our Third Annual Southern Jubilee, and then John's Annual Halloween Extravaganza, and then...

We sure know how to picnic and party!

French Fridays with Dorie: Bistrot Paul Bert Steak au Poivre and Pommes Soufflé

Congratulations, Dorie! If you haven't heard, In the Kitchen and On the Road with Dorie is a finalist in the 2nd Annual Saveur Best Food Blog Awards, Best Professional Blog category. You can vote through May 12, 2011.

For this week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe, Bistrot Paul Bert Pepper Steak, Dorie takes us to Bistrot Paul Bert, one of her favorite family-owed bistros in Paris. The tagline on the chalkboard menu always reads: Iciles viandes sont servies bleues, saignantes, ou malcuites...we serve meat blue [just barely warm in the center], rare, or badly cooked. She sings praises of the bistro's Steak Frites in her blog post, The Paris Ten: Must-Tastes...

To my mind, the best version of the classic steak-frites dish is found at Bistro Paul-Bert (18 rue Paul-Bert, Paris 11), which is a good thing for me because the place is also one of my hands-down favorite bistros, and you can't beat the combination of having the iconic dish in a setting that's Parisian through and through.  It also doesn't hurt that Bistro Paul-Bert has a remarkable wine list.

carte postale du restaurant ©paul bert, from Linternaute

It's been a while since we've enjoyed a nice steak, so I splurged on a couple of thick filets. At Bistrot Paul Bert, the steak comes with frites, and after reading The New York Times' article, Steak Frites:  Seeking the Best of a Classic, and watching the accompanying slideshow narrated by Mark Bittman, Steakout in Paris, I had to try making Pommes Soufflé. They are adorable balloon-like fries that require peeling and slicing the potatoes 1/4 inch thick, preferably with a mandoline, soaking them in ice water for 25 minutes, patting dry, and then double-frying them, first in 325 degree F oil, and then a second time at 375 degrees.   Proper puffage can be affected by the age of the potatoes, humidity in the air, and oil temperature.  For your standard bistro frites, the double-frying method is also used, but the potatoes are not soaked in water - very important!

Bistro owner, Bertrand Auboyneau, uses filet mignon for his Pepper Steak, pressed with coarsely cracked Sarawak pepper, pan-seared, and topped with a quick Cognac and cream sauce.  Dorie recommends using Sarawak pepper to replicate Bert's dish, and I tracked some down through Pepper-Passion.

Over the last hundred years, Sarawak Pepper has been exported throughout the world from Sarawak on Borneo Island, Malaysia. It has gained international recognition by chefs and gourmets as one of the favorite pepper ingredients due to its distinctive flavor and taste perfected through years of government research effort. It has a mild flavor with a fresh aroma that is often described as fruity, with hints of chocolate and Syrah.

The peppercorns are coarsely cracked with a mortar and pestle

Cracked peppercorns sprinkled and
pressed onto both sides of the filets

Due to the thickness of our filets (those puppies were at least 2 inches thick), I was unable to fully cook them on top of stove with Dorie's method. I pan-seared them first, and then transferred the pan to the oven to finish cooking. I was not wowed by the Cognac-cream sauce - all I really tasted was cream. To add a bit more flavor, I added a touch more Cognac, cooked it down a bit, and then added a tiny bit of Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard, and a little more cream at the end. I achieved beautiful puffed potatoes with less than half of my potato slices, so we had a mix of Pommes Soufflé and potato chips, and steamed asparagus, with our Steak au Poivre.

There are slight variations of the Cognac-cream pan sauce that typically accompanies Steak au Poive, but I prefer the addition of some shallots and a little beef broth. Also, finishing the filets in the oven is necessary for thicker cuts of tenderloin. In Dorie's book, she also provides a recipe for Bistrot Paul Bert's Steak a la Bourguignonne - steak with red wine, garlic and shallot sauce.  Next time I splurge on red meat, I'll be sure to try that sauce.

Filet of Beef au Poivre

Adapted from Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours
Serves 2

Two 8-ounce filet mignon steaks
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely ground
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 cup canned beef broth
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Season both sides of the filet mignon with salt, and then press the black pepper evenly onto both sides of the filets. Allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

In a large heavy, ovenproof skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Place the filets in the hot pan and cook until well-seared on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn the filets over and then transfer the pan to the oven. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the filets are medium-rare (internal temperature of 125-130 degrees F). Remove the filets to a platter to rest, and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Return the pan to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the shallots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and allow to reduce by half, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Carefully add the Cognac (use caution, it may ignite), and cook over allow to simmer for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the cream, and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Serve the steaks with the sauce poured on top.

French Fridays with Dorie is an online cooking group, that just hit 2,000 members, dedicated to Dorie Greenspan‘s newest book, Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours. As members of the group, we have purchased the cookbook and cook along as much as we can. There is a new recipe each week, and we post about that recipe on Friday. We are asked to refrain from posting the actual recipes on our blog. The book is filled with stunning photography, and personal stories about each recipe, which makes it that much more intriguing. I highly recommend adding it to your cookbook collection if you haven't already!

Cherishing the Fruits of Summer - Cherry Clafoutis and Pear Flaugnarde

Clafoutis, from the Limousin region of France, is a baked dessert of black cherries arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick, flan-like batter. The clafoutis is dusted with powdered sugar and served lukewarm. Although black cherries are traditional, there are numerous variations using red cherries, plums, prunes, apples, cranberries or blackberries. When other kinds of fruit are used instead of cherries, the dish is called a flaugnarde.

I prepared a Cherry Clafoutis and a Pear Flaugnarde as part of our Coronado 3rd of July parade buffet.

Cherry Clafoutis
Slightly adapted from Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home
Serves 8

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons brandy
1 lb. fresh cherries, pitted
Confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup sliced blanched almonds, lightly toasted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter a 9-10 inch glass pie plate or baking dish, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar.

Beat the eggs and the 1⁄3 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pit the cherries.  Arrange the cherries, in a single layer, in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the cherries and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, and toasted almonds.

For Pear Flaugnarde:  Substitute 2-3 firm Bartlett pears in place of the cherries.  Peel, quarter, core, and slice the pears, and arrange the slices, in a single layer, slightly fanned out, in the baking dish.

Cherry and Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

First of all, I would like to thank all of you who have visited my Beanie Weenie post, and clicked on the link, to help me win the Camp BlogAway Gimme a Private Room contest!  The contest continues until April 11, so please check out my post and read about Camp BlogAway if you haven't done so already.  I'm looking forward to learning some new tips and tricks in furtherance of my efforts and desire to make There's a Newf in My Soup! one of your favorite blogs to visit.

Spring has sprung!  These cookies were inspired by a variety of sources, including our rosemary bush covered with purple flowers and an overabundance of lemons on Jim & Melinda's lemon tree.  I've seen shortbread cookies incorporating lemon and thyme, strawberries and thyme, and lavender, so I wondered how a combination of dried cherries, fresh rosemary, and lemon zest would taste. Let's just say I've found it hard to resist the crumbly shortbread, chewy cherries, zing of lemon, and a slight hint of rosemary on the finish.

Cherry and Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
Adapted from Pecan Shortbread, Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Makes about 4 dozen cookies

3/4 lb. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of two lemons
1 Tbsp. minced, fresh rosemary
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup Luxardo Maraschino cherry liqueur

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the cherries in a small, microwave-safe bowl, pour the Maraschino liqueur over the top, and stir to coat the cherries.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds and let cool.  Drain,  coarsely chop cherries, and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the lemon zest and rosemary and mix until combined.  Sift together the flour and salt in a medium bowl, and then slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture while mixing on low speed.  Continue mixing on low until the dough comes together.  Add the chopped cherries and gently mix until distributed evenly.

Dump the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disk, and wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough 1/4-inch thick and cut into 2-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter.  Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature and serve.

I plant rosemary all over the garden, so pleasant is it to

know that at every few steps one may draw the kindly

branchlets through one's hand, and have the enjoyment of

their incomparable incense; and I grow it against walls, so

that the sun may draw out its inexhaustible sweetness

to greet me as I pass ....

- Gertrude Jekyll

O Come Ye Back to Ireland...for Irish Soda Bread

I hope everyone enjoyed St. Paddy's Day!

St. Patrick's Day brings back fond memories of my equestrian vacation in Ireland, too many years ago...a refurbished hunting lodge in a small town, incredible horses, charming Irish lads, misty mornings, emerald green pastures, a few exhilarating moments jumping rock walls and sinking in the bog, fox hunts, quaint thatched roof cottages, too many pubs and beer, and traditional Irish breakfasts with tea, eggs, sausage and soda bread.

Unfortunately, my Irish celebration wasn't the same this year without John in town.  We missed hosting our annual St. Patrick's Day Party, but John did whip up some fantastic Bangers & Mash for the two of us on Saturday.

Our favorite St. Patrick's Day party dishes include Smoked Salmon Cheesecake with Green Onion Coulis, Irish Stew, Bangers & Mash, Corned Beef & Cabbage, Irish Soda Bread, and Chocolate Stout Cake.

I left work a little early this afternoon, came home, baked a loaf of Irish Soda Bread, and then joined friends for Corned Beef & Cabbage at their house.  It was a lovely, casual evening and suppressed any temptations to join the crowd at McP's Irish Pub, one of the local hangs.  My bread turned out moist and flavorful, especially slathered with Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter!

Irish Soda Bread
Inspired by Barefoot Contessa at Home Irish Soda Bread and Marilyn O'Reilly's Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup raisins (macerated in 1/2 cup dark rum or Irish Whiskey and then drained)
1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.

With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. 

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Add the caraway seeds and raisins and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf.

Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. 

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a  hollow sound.  Cool on a baking rack. 

Serve warm or at room temperature, with Irish butter!

It doesn't have to be St. Patrick's Day to enjoy this bread.  It takes only about 10 minutes to combine all the ingredients and can be baked and on your table in an hour.  You can omit the caraway seeds and/or substitute currants for the raisins.  

In this loaf, I used golden raisins and omitted the caraway seeds.  It was wonderful the next day, toasted with more Irish butter.  I had some for breakfast, and lunch, and a snack...

There's a Newf in My Soup...and in My Stew, Scone, Muffin and Tart!

I realize that some of you...ok, all of you, wonder how it's possible to prepare anything in our kitchen without dog fur as the secret ingredient.  I can't say that it has never happened, but our two boys are kept away from the kitchen, and we do take extra precautions.  That being said, try serving breakfast and lunch, ringside, at a Newfoundland Specialty Dog Show.  Last Friday, my blog was more appropriately named Thirty-Three Newfs in My Soup!

Our huge pots of Hunter's Minestrone and Hearty Beef Stew were a success, even though the weather was a little warm for comfort food. We lucked out this year, and the rain didn't hit until Saturday. Wet Newfs are happy Newfs, but clean, dry, and beautified Newfs make better show dogs.

Here's Ch. Toad Hall's Wizard of Oz, my Diver's sire, and winner of Best Veteran in Sweeps.  What a handsome boy!

As part of the breakfast spread, along with Ricotta Orange Pound Cake, we served Cherry Scones, and Banana Muffins with Mascarpone Cream Frosting.

Cherry Scones...

Miniature Cherry Scones

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Printable recipe, here.

Ingredients:

4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar, plus additional for sprinkling (I used Pure Cane Washed Raw Sugar for sprinkling)
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 1/2 cups dried cherries, left whole or coarsely chopped
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk or whipping cream, for egg wash

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 4 cups of flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the cold butter at the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour and butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss the cherries with 1 tablespoon of flour, add them to the dough, and mix quickly. The dough may be a bit sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into squares with a 2 1/2-inch plain or fluted cutter, and then cut them in half diagonally to make triangles. Place on a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, or lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outsides are crisp and the insides are fully baked.

and Banana Muffins....

Miniature Banana Muffins with Mascarpone Cream Frosting

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

Muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

Frosting:

3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Preparation:

Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners (I used a miniature 24-count muffin pan.  I did not use liners, but buttered and lightly floured the pan.  The muffins are a little sticky, so I do recommend liners).

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl to blend. Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the banana. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake the muffins on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly. The muffins may be eaten warm or cooled completely and frosted.

To frost the cupcakes: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone cheese and then beat in the honey. Spread the frosting over the muffins. Sprinkle with the walnuts (I omitted the walnuts and garnished each muffin with a banana chip).

For dessert, I chose Chocolate Caramel Tartlets.  I made these and posted about them last year, after being inspired by Saveur's mouthwatering cover photo and recipe for Chocolate Caramel Tart.  Although it does take more time to make the tartlet shells, it's definitely the way to go for larger groups and parties.  This time, I doubled the original recipe to make 36 tartlets.  You can see my original post, and recipe, here.

I should have let the caramel go a little darker this time, but they were decadent once again.  This one is sprinkled with a little Hawaiian Pink Salt.

Thank you to the Newfoundland Club of San Diego for allowing us to 'cater' the show again this year!

If you would like to learn more about Newfoundland dogs, please visit Newfoundland Club of San Diego and Newfoundland Club of America.