For my birthday, my mom gave me a copy of The Art of Living According to Joe Beef.  Joe Beef  is one of Montreal’s culinary gems and its book reads like a gastronomical novel – it’s just beautiful in content and images.

One of the recipes I knew I had to immediately try is the BBQ Pulled Pork over Seared Scallops.  Yes, it’s a bit odd in concept.  No, you haven’t made a better dish than this one at home – guaranteed.

I served this dish as a main course but I’ll have it in my back pocket as an amazing starter for upcoming dinner parties.

Pulled Pork Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. paprika
• 1 Tbsp. each salt, pepper, granulated sugar
• One 4-5 pound pork shoulder (sometimes called Boston Butt)
• ¼ cup yellow mustard
• ½ cup water
• 4-5 jumbo scallops per person
• Canola oil for frying
• Sea salt and pepper

Hollandaise Sauce Ingredients:

• 7 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 cup butter
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice

World’s Best BBQ Sauce, Ever, heated

Pulled Pork Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, pepper and sugar.  Slather the pork with the yellow mustard then coat with the spice mixture.  Place pork in a large Dutch oven and add the water.  Put the pork in the oven for five hours.  After the initial five hours, check for doneness every hour, covering the meat with aluminum foil if it becomes dry or overly browned, until it’s cooked for nine hours total.  The meat should be fork tender.
3. Allow meat to cool for 15 minutes then, using two forks, pull it off into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl (can be made a day ahead of serving if refrigerated then warmed in hot BBQ sauce).

Hollandaise Sauce Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter.  Allow to cool for 3 minutes.
2. In a tall container, like a pitcher, add the egg yolks.  Using an immersion blender, add the butter to the yolks in a slow, steady stream until the sauce thickens and is emulsified.
3. Add the cayenne pepper, the salt and the lemon juice.  Keep sauce at room temperature until ready to use.  Makes about ½ cup.

Plating Directions:

1. In a large cast iron or non-stick pan over high heat, add the oil and heat until shimmering hot.  Add the scallops and cook for two minutes on each side.  Remove onto a paper towel.
2. For each scallop you’re using: in a medium bowl, add one tablespoon of pork and two tablespoons of hot BBQ sauce.  Combine meat and sauce well.
3. Add a tablespoon of Hollandaise sauce per scallop on a plate (1-2 for a starter or 4-5 for an entrée).  Top the sauce with a scallop.  Top each scallop with a tablespoon of BBQ-sauced pulled pork.

Notes:  The pulled pork in its state at the end of step 3 of “Pulled Pork Directions” can be used in a multitude of ways when combined with BBQ sauce: pulled pork sandwich, as a topping for pizza, in tacos, etc…

Need some inspiration for a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day (or any old day)?  Here are four, simple-to-make dishes along with wine pairings that are sure to show your loved one(s) how much you care.

• Savory Cheese Tartlets with Blackberries paired with  La Marca Di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco ($12)
• Cream of Asparagus and Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese Soup  paired with  2007 Hirsch Vineyards San Andreas Pinot Noir ($65)
• Boeuf en Croûte (Beef Wellington)  paired with  2006 Stag’s Leap Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($40)
• Simple Greek Yogurt and Berry Tart  paired with  2008 Heron Hill Late Harvest Vidal Blanc ($18)

BONUS – breakfast:  Strawberry and Nutella-Stuffed Crepes

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

Cheers,

Veronique

I came home from a business trip Saturday night to find my guy having planned meals for every night this week.  How great is that!!?

For dinner last night, he prepared salmon on the grill with this really great glaze on it that was inspired by a recipe by Bobby Flay.  He reserved some of the glaze and drizzled it over steamed green beans for a tasty and simple side dish.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped ginger
• Vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the brown sugar, maple syrup and butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil and ginger.  Let cool.
2. Preheat grill to medium heat.  Brush salmon skin with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place the salmon skin side down on the grill. Brush some of the glaze over the salmon fillets.  Grill for 10 to 12 minutes to medium doneness, with the lid of the grill closed.

Serves 2.

Notes:  You’ll have some glaze leftover.  Brush additional glaze over the grilled salmon and drizzle over steamed vegetables or boiled potatoes.

It is that time of year when braised meats and stews just sound wonderful.  This week, my local grocery store had beautiful cubed veal available, so I created this simple-to-prepare, make-ahead, one-pot stew that is great reheated on a week night but elegant enough to serve at a dinner party.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 pounds boneless veal shoulder, cut into 2” pieces
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• ½ tsp. each oregano, salt and pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 pound Cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ½ cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a shallow dish sprinkle the flour over the veal cubes then coat the meat lightly.
3. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until it is nearly smoking.  Season floured meat with salt and pepper, add to hot pot and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes.  If your pot isn’t wide enough to accommodate all the meat in one layer, brown in two batches.  Place cooked veal on a platter and reserve for later use.
4. In the same pot the meat was seared in, add the onion and cook over medium-high heat until softened and slightly golden, about 4 minutes.  Add the mushrooms to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.  If the onion-mushroom mixture becomes dry while cooking, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and lower the heat to medium.
5. Add the Dijon mustard, the oregano, the broth and the wine to the onion-mushroom mixture and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
6. Return the veal and its juices to the pot, add the cream, stir well to combine all the ingredients and place in the oven.  Cook for 3 hours.

Serves 4.

Notes:  The stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.  Serve over white rice or egg noodles.

Cambozola blue cheese has the rich flavor of Gorgonzola with the lovely gooey texture of Camembert.  The off-white interior offers striking blue veins.  It’s a cheese that’s growing in popularity because of its creamy texture and buttery, slightly tangy flavors.

This grilled cheese sandwich uses fig jam to compliment the delicious sharpness of the blue cheese.  The mayonnaise adds to the comfort level of an already comforting dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. mayonnaise
• 2 slices white sandwich bread
• 1 Tbsp. fig jam
• 3 thin slices of Cambozola cheese

Directions:

1. Heat up Panini press or a grill pan over high heat.
2. Spread 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice.
3. Spread the fig jam on the un-mayonnaised side of one bread slice.
4. Arrange the Cambozola slices over the jam.
5. Top the Cambozola with the un-mayonnaised side of the second bread slice so that both mayoed sides are on the outside and the goodies are on the inside.
6. Place the sandwich in the Panini press and grill for 3 minutes.  Alternatively, place the sandwich on the grill pan (still on high heat) and top with the weight of multiple pans or a pan with a 2-3 pound weight in it and cook 1 1/2 minutes per sides.
7. Transfer sandwich to a cutting board and cut sandwich diagonally using a serrated knife.

1 serving.

My grandma used to make my sister and me peanut butter and banana grilled sandwiches in a cast iron contraption when we were kids.  This contraption, an early version of a Panini press, had long handles that could be flipped on the stovetop until the bread was perfectly browned and gorgeous.  I miss those days and decided to sort of recreate the sandwich using my modern day Panini press and a little twist – Nutella!

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. softened butter
• 2 slices whole wheat bread (I like oatmeal and whole wheat for this)
• 2 Tbsp. chunky peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp. Nutella
• ½ ripe banana, sliced

Directions:

1. Heat up Panini press or a grill pan over high heat.
2. Spread 1 teaspoon of butter on one side of each bread slice.
3. Spread the peanut butter on the unbuttered side of one bread slice.
4. Spread Nutella on the unbuttered side of the second bread slice then arrange the banana slices over Nutella.
5. Top the Nutella/banana slice with the peanut butter slice so that the buttered side of each bread slice is on the outside and the goodies are on the inside.
6. Place the sandwich in the Panini press and grill for 3 minutes.  Alternatively, place the sandwich on the grill pan (still on high heat) and top with the weight of multiple pans or a pan with a 2-3 pound weight in it and cook 1 1/2 minutes per sides.
7. Transfer sandwich to a cutting board and cut sandwich diagonally using a serrated knife.

1 serving.

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

When we lived in Ft Lauderdale, we often lunched at a small Cajun restaurant called Creolina’s.  The food was amazing and one of my favorite dishes was the crawfish etouffée they served over plain white rice.  This version calls for Andouille sausage as I like its porky flavor with the seafood.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 3 Andouille sausage links (about ½ pound), cut into bite size pieces
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, halved
• 1 12-ounce bottle of medium-bodied beer
• 1 cup bottled clam juice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound crawfish tails, cooked
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Add oil to a heavy Dutch oven set over medium heat.  Add the sausage links and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside for later use, keeping the rendered fat in the pot on medium heat.
2. Add the butter to the hot fat in the pot and when completely melted, add the flour.  Whisk the flour into the fat to incorporate and create a roux.  Cook the roux, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until it is the color of peanut butter, about 10 minutes.
3. Place the celery, bell pepper, onion and garlic in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse to roughly chop, about 1 minute.
4. Add the processed vegetables to the roux in the pot and stir with a wooden spoon to fully combine.  Cook the mixture over medium heat for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add the beer, clam juice and broth to the vegetable mixture and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen up all the brown bits.  Return the sausage to the pot, add the spices, bay leaves and simmer for about 1 hour.
6. Add the crawfish tails to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes to warm through.
7. Serve the etouffée over white rice and garnish with parsley.

Makes 6 servings.

Notes:  If you have crawfish in the shells, simply remove the tails, then add the shells to a pot with 4 cups of water.  Simmer for 30 – 45 minutes, then strain the crawfish juices.  Use 1 cup of the crawfish juice in place of the clam juice.  Don’t have crawfish?  Simply replace with shrimps!

I know beef Wellington is pretty old-school, but I love recreating these types of recipes and I find that my guests really enjoy them – either for the first time or for the first time in a long time.

Although beef Wellington looks fancy and difficult to make, it is not, even for novice home cooks.  The dish is beautiful to present to special guests but straight-forward enough to make on any weekend night.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 ½ pound piece of beef tenderloin, patted dry with paper towels
• 1 tsp. each salt and freshly cracked pepper
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 large shallot, fined minced
• 1 pound Cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. each salt and freshly cracked pepper
• ½ tsp. dry thyme
• 4 ounces mousse of duck foie gras (1/2 an 8-ounce container)
• 1 sheet from a 17 ¼-ounce frozen puff pastry box, thawed
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour for dusting when rolling out the pastry
• 1 egg, scrambled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large frying pan, heat oil over high heat.  Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the surface of the beef and add to the hot pan.  Sear on all sides until deeply browned, about 5 minutes total.  Remove beef from the pan (reserve pan for later use) to a platter and allow to cool completely.
3. Melt butter in the reserved large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the shallot and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and thyme to the shallots and sauté until completely softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from heat, and allow to cool completely.  Drain any liquids that might have been released from the mushrooms and pat the mixture well with paper towels.
4. Add the mushroom mixture and the foie gras to a food processor and pulse until nearly smooth with a few small pieces, about 1 minute.
5. Spray an unrimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place a piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet, ensuring it adheres to the cooking spray.
6. Unfold a puff pastry sheet on a floured work space.  Using a rolling pin, lightly roll the pastry to enlarge the rectangular sheet by 2 inches in each direction.  Move the pastry to the baking sheet by rolling it over the rolling pin.
7. Place the tenderloin in the center of the pastry and spread the mushroom / foie gras mixture over it, patting down the mixture with your hand to ensure it coats the beef completely and evenly.  Fold the pastry over the beef and seal all the seams – there will be extra pastry that needs to be cut away using a sharp knife.  Delicately, turn the pastry-wrapped beef over so that the seams are beneath the Wellington.  Cut a few slits on the pastry top and brush the Wellington with the egg mixture.
8. Bake 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees for 5-10 additional minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the tenderloin is a few degrees short of the desired doneness.  Let the Wellington rest for 5-10 minutes then slice into 4 portions with a serrated knife.

Serves 4.

Notes:  This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 8.  Don’t like or want to use foie gras?  Simply replace with softened butter.  Serve this dish with mashed potatoes and pepper / Béarnaise sauce.

Although I’m originally from Quebec, I grew up in South Florida where the weather can be interesting at times.  I’ve gone through hurricane preparedness more times than I care to remember, so when Hurricane Irene made its way to the northeast where I now live, it was business as usual at my home.

While chips, dips, nuts and candy can be great when you’re boarded up, ‘real’ food can be a nice treat.  The night before the hurricane was to visit us, I made a simple and fast-to-prepare chicken dish in my slow cooker that was easily reheated on my grill in a pot after we lost power the next day.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 tsp. fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 of a 750 ml bottle dry Riesling
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. each salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in an 8-quart slow cooker (Crockpot).  Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.
2. Serve over white rice.

4 Servings.

Notes: If you like a thicker sauce, simple combine a teaspoon of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water in a dish and add to the sauce.  Turn slow cooker to high and cook for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.