Last night, I had some friends over for fondue night.  We don’t fondue as often as we should because when we do, it’s a great time.  There’s no better way to stretch out a meal than to fondue.

I served a cheese fondue made using Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar from Vermont and Victory Headwaters.  Sharp cheese and beer – winning!  For dinner, I typically do a fondue pot with beefy, wine broth for shrimp, chicken and cheese cubes and a pot with hot oil for beef tenderloin.  The dinner fondues are served with three dipping sauces, this time: Sriracha and maple mayo, a Dijon mustard and tarragon mayo and a garlic mayo.  Just a fun concept and please ping me if you’d like fondue tips.

Today is football day at our home and we usually take it super easy on Sunday afternoons.  This means that I typically make dinner in the morning so we can just eat in front of the television later.  Today, I made my Grandma’s amazing meat sauce that we’ll eat with spaghetti.  I double the sauce recipe as it freezes beautifully.

Hope you’re having as great a weekend as I’m having!

Cheers,

Veronique

Those of you who follow my blog have read about the tasting menu dinners I sometimes host at my home.  This weekend, I decided to do a four-course fish and seafood tasting menu dinner for two featuring some fresh produce and herbs from my garden.

Here are the dishes I served:

Lump Crab & Yellow Tomato Coulis Shooter

Course #1:  Yellow Tomato Coulis and Lump Crab Shooter

I have beautiful yellow tomatoes ripening in my yard that I absolutely love.  They are sweet and fresh and simply delicious.  For this easy starter, I pureed a couple medium yellow tomatoes with excellent olive oil, a few basil leaves, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper in a food processor.  I served about ¼ cup of this golden elixir in a shot glass topped with a tablespoon of lump crab meat and a tiny basil leaf.

Scallop Crudo

Course #2:  Scallop Crudo

I love crudo (“raw” in Italian) dishes in the summer.  In essence, crudo dishes feature raw fish or seafood ‘cured’ in citrus juice, olive oil, salt and sometimes vinegar.  For those who are not fans of raw fish or seafood, this preparation allows the seafood or fish to cook in the acidic liquid, so give it a try!

I sliced large scallops thinly then cured the slices in a combination of orange and lime juices, a splash of red wine vinegar, sea salt, top quality olive oil, thinly sliced Thai chilies and fresh cilantro leaves.  Absolutely fabulous!

Lobster Tail Risotto

Course #3:  Lobster Tail Risotto

Risotto is uber popular at my home, so knew I had to prepare it for this special meal.  I grilled a 10-ounce lobster tails for 5 minutes, then removed from the shell and sliced carefully.  I made risotto with tons of butter, olive oil, elephant garlic and yellow onion, and then topped the luscious concoction with the lobster tail slices.  Not a bad dish!

Fish Three Ways

Course #4:  Fish Three Ways

I love the idea of serving three fish dishes on one plate. I opted for cod, salmon and yellow fin tuna – pale white to deep red fish.  The cod was marinated in sesame oil, miso and ponzu then lightly sautéed and served over steam soy beans.  The salmon was Dijon mustard and maple syrup-glazed and grilled on a cedar plank then served over leftover glaze.  The tuna was marinated for a short while in steak sauce then grilled to medium rare and served over Taboule salad.  Great flavor and visual contrasts!

Doing this type of meal for two people or six people isn’t difficult.  One needs to make a list of the dishes and accompaniments to be served, make as many of the dishes in advance (or at least prep the dishes) as possible and know what you’ll plate everything on!

Let me know if you try your own tasting menu dinner – cheers!

Veronique

Penne with Fresh Chorizo, Buffalo Mozzarella in a Yellow Tomato Sauce

I simply adore the sweetness of ripe yellow tomatoes and try to find multiple uses for them since I grow them in my garden every summer.  This dish is simple to prepare and very satisfying.  A great way to use up extra grilled sausages from last night’s BBQ.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups, yellow cherry tomatoes
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp. each red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper
• ½ pound dry penne pasta, cooked one minute less than recommended on the box
• 4 fresh Chorizo links, cooked on the grill then cut into bite-size slices
• 1 cup cubed fresh buffalo mozzarella
• Parmesan cheese, for grating

Directions:

1. Add the tomatoes, basil, oil and spices to a food processor and pulse for 1 minute, until a smooth salsa is created.
2. Pour the salsa mixture into a large saucepan and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.  Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and gently stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the Chorizo slices and the mozzarella to the pasta and stir to combine.  Cook an additional minute.
4. Serve with a grating of Parmesan cheese.

Serves two generously with some leftovers.

Notes: Can’t find yellow cherry tomatoes? Substitute with red ones and add ½ teaspoon of sugar to the salsa when pureeing.  Fresh Chorizo not readily available where you are? Simply use another spicy sausage in its place.

Don’t want to spend time making your own chicken stock?  This is a simple and fast way to make a hearty chicken soup using supermarket shortcuts.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped into small dice
• 4 celery ribs, chopped into small dice
• 3 carrots, chopped into small dice
• 8-ounce package of fresh, sliced mushrooms
• 1 tsp each, salt, pepper, dry thyme
• 1 small plain deli chicken, meat pulled off the bones and chopped into bite-size pieces
• 48-ounce can chicken broth
• 1/4 pound dry spaghetti, broken into thirds (2-ounces of pastina works great also)

Direction:

1. Over medium-high heat, in a large, heavy saucepan, heat oil for 30 seconds.  Reduce heat to medium, and add the onion, celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften, stirring frequently.
2. Add the mushrooms and the seasonings and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the vegetable mixture and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the broth, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add the pasta to the soup and cook for 15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Notes:  In step 3, you could replace the deli chicken with boneless and skinless chicken breasts that you’d poach in the broth for 30 minutes.  You’d then simply remove the cooked chicken from the soup and chop into bite-size piece that you’d return to the pot.  A neat variation to this soup is to add a 28-ounce can of chopped tomatoes at Step 3.

Gnocchi with Butternut Squash

Need some inspiration for a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day (or any old day)?  Thought I’d share some of the recipes I’ve made recently that have earned me rave reviews.

5 recipes to treat your Valentine to:

1. Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Bacon in Sage and Danish Blue Cheese Sauce
2. Porcini Mushroom and Lobster Macaroni and Cheese
3. Ragu alla Bolognese (Bolognese Sauce)
4. Grilled Salmon in Grape Leaves
5. Red Velvet Cake with Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Whichever dish you decide to prepare for your loved one(s) this Valentine’s Day, I hope your meal is paired with love.

Veronique

Ragu alla Bolognese

This comforting sauce is best served with rigatoni or gnocchi and would be delicious in a lasagna.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 medium carrots, finely diced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 3/4 pound ground pork
• 3/4 pound ground veal
• 3/4 pound ground beef (20% fat)
• 2-28 ounce can Italian-style tomatoes, chopped
• 1-6 ounce can of tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup chicken or veal broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp each, dry oregano and basil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottom saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add carrots, onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Increase medium-heat to high, add meats and sauté until no longer pink, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, broth and the spices and stir well.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.

6 Servings.

Notes:  It’s fine to replace veal with beef if you prefer.  You could use white wine instead of red wine.  This sauce freezes very well, so feel free to double up the recipe!

Linguini with Blue Cheese Sauce

Linguini with Gorgonzola and Pine Nuts

You got it: it’s Friday, the day before my weekly trip to the grocery store, so here we go with the typical “There’s nothing to eat in this house” complaints from my guy.  As you’ll see from the picture of this dish, I wasn’t quick enough with the camera and my starving Marvin ate 75% of the dish prior to picture time.  Guess the leftover ingredients and pantry finds did the trick!

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried sweet basil
• Salt & black pepper
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 ounces gorgonzola cheese (or other creamy blue cheese), chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup linguini, cooked

• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1tsp toasted pine nuts (add pine nuts to a small frying pan and toast over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, shaking the pan to avoid scorching)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat for about 20 seconds then add the pepper flakes, basil and salt and black pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
2. Add the milk and cheese pieces and cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly until a smooth sauce is created.
3. Toss the cooked linguini into the hot sauce, gently stirring to warm the pasta, about 2 minutes.
4. Serve pasta with grated Parmesan and toasted pine nuts.

Serves 1.

This is the 3rd installment in the “There’s Nothing to Eat in this House” series (see part 1 here: http://bit.ly/dbucAf and part 2 here: http://bit.ly/cJX6t2).

Gnocchi with Butternut Squash

No, this recipe isn’t for the faint of heart (literally and figuratively) – it’s rich, decadent and perfect on a cool evening.  This recipe came about because I was looking for ways to use up my huge harvest of sage.  Serve this as a side dish or starter as a little goes a long way.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced butternut squash
• 3 tbs vegetable oil
• 4 strips bacon
• 1 cup potato gnocchi, homemade or store-bought
• 3 tbs butter
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 cup light cream
• 2 ounces Danish Blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place diced butternut squash on a cookie sheet and drizzle with oil to coat.  Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until tender, set roasted butternut squash aside in a small dish.  Keep oven at 400 degrees.
2. Place bacon strips on two layers of paper towel and cover with an additional layer or paper towel.  Cook in the microwave for 4 minutes, or until bacon is soft-crispy.  Cut bacon in thin strips with scissors, set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil.  Add gnocchi and cook for 2 minutes.  Drain well and set aside.
4. In the saucepan the gnocchi cooked in (why dirty two pots?!), melt butter over medium-high heat.  Once butter is beginning to brown, add the sage and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add cream to the sage butter and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add blue cheese.  Stir for 1 minutes.  Add the gnocchi, the roasted butternut squash, the chopped bacon and the black pepper and gently stir to combine.
6. Spoon the gnocchi mixture into two 8-ounce ramekins or other small, oven-proof dishes, and bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

Serves 2.

Notes:  I’d skip this recipe if you don’t have fresh sage as you truly won’t get the same flavor from dried sage.  This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 4.  Don’t have Danish Blue cheese?  Use another type of blue cheese!

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

Last weekend, I was looking for a dish to add to my collection of tasting menu dishes that everyone would love. Yes, this dish is rich, decadent and pretty over-the-top, but if served as a degustation portion, it’ll be satisfying while not being over-indulgent.

Poached Lobster Ingredients:

• 2 – 8 ounce lobster tails, uncooked, shell removed, each tail cut in 2 pieces lengthwise
• 8 tbsp (1 stick) butter

Pasta Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp each, salt and pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 cups extra sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly grated
• 2 cups Fontina cheese, freshly grated
• 1 ounce dry porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in 1 cup hot water, drained, then chopped
• 1 pound elbow macaroni, or other tubular pasta, cooked 2 minutes less than recommended in package directions, drained

Topping Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Poached Lobster Directions:

1. Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan.
2. Add lobster pieces and cook for 5 minutes, ensuring to baste with butter.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then chop lobster into large bite-size chunks.

Pasta Directions:

1. Place butter in a large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Stir the heavy cream and the milk into the butter/flour mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, whisking often.
3. Slowly add the cheeses, a handful at a time, and stir until fully incorporated. Add chopped porcini and cook 1 more minute.
4. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and mix well. Gently fold in the cooked lobster meat.
5. Add cheesy pasta to a 13×9 baking dish.

Topping Directions:

1. Microwave butter in a small dish for 45 seconds. Add panko and cayenne pepper and stir to incorporate the butter and create a crumbly mixture.
2. Sprinkle panko mixture over pasta in an even layer.

Bake pasta for 15 minutes until panko mixture has lightly browned. Serve at once.

Makes 6 servings.

Notes: I used a 1 1/4 pound South African lobster tail instead of two smaller ones. Use what is available in your market. For those of you not familiar with reconstituting porcini mushrooms, simply add the dry porcini to a small bowl then pour 1 cup of hot water on them. Let them sit for 20 minutes, then drain them, paper-towel them dry and rough chop them into bite-size pieces.

Bucatini and Meatballs

Bucatini, a thick spaghetti with a hole in its center much like macaroni, is the perfect pasta to hold up to the rich veal meatballs in tomato sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry bucatini (I used DaVinci brand)
• Oven-baked veal meatballs in tomato sauce
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat meatballs in tomato sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add cooked pasta to tomato sauce and gently stir to coat pasta with sauce. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Serve 2 meatballs and a portion of pasta for each guest. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp grated cheese over each portion.

4 servings.