A Complete Barefoot Contesssa Meal

Menu:

Chicken Piccata

Herb Roasted Onions

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

For all the recipes, click on this link : http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ig/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9971_53162,00.html

Comments:

I have made this a few times now. The chicken always comes out perfectly...just make sure to pound it thinly enough or it won't cook through. I reduce the amount of lemon juice in the sauce a bit as its too piquant for my taste. The herb roasted onions are delcious are very easy!

Japanese Night

Menu:
Edamame with Sea Salt
Salad with Ginger Dressing
Tuna Tartare
Salmon Sushi

I am just going to post about the tuna tartare as that's really the only part of the meal that involved any skill. The salmon looked a bit "iffy" at the supermarket so instead of risking food poisoning, I picked up salmon sushi from a local sushi restaurant to complement the homemade tuna tartare.
This was another Ina Garten original :) The link to the original recipe follows, however on the food network website the serving size is for 50 people. I found my recipe in her "Family Style" cookbook with a serving size for 6-8 people (looks more like 3-4 people...)http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_28673,00.html
Review: While I thought the recipe was inherently very good, I felt like it was way too heavy on the lime. Next time, I will increase the soy sauce and decrease the lime juice to see if it improves the flavor.

Tuna Tartare
Serves 6-8

3/4 pound very fresh tuna steak
4 tbsp olive oil
Grated zest of 1 lime
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 tsp wasabi powder
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
6 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
2 tsp minced fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
1 ripe Hass avocado
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

The Best Drink Ever!

Cassis a L'eau
(original recipe from Barefoot Contessa http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31987,00.html )

This drink was so good! I saw Ina make it on Barefoot Contessa and couldn't resist trying it that same night...I am a sucker for drinks made with raspberries or currants! It was so refreshing and absoulutely delicious. It reminds me of a drink called Ribena that my sister and I used to drink when we were children in England. Maybe that's why I like it so much!

My modified recipe:
1 ounce of creme de cassis (blackcurrant liquer)
fresh chilled water
ice cubes
fresh raspberries

Put ice cubes in a glass (I used a Riedel "O" wine glass and it was a good size), and pour in the creme de cassis, add water to taste...approximately 3/4-1 cup. Garnish with a few fresh raspberries Enjoy!

I you need even more reasons to try this drink, check out this link http://www.theartofdrink.com/blog/2006/01/creme-de-cassis-may-benefit-your-mental-health.php

Restaurant Quality Dinner

Salmon with Puff Pastry and Pesto

I really thought this recipe was phenomenal...so incredibly easy...it took about 15 minutes from start to finish, and the end result was restaurant quality in looks and taste. A real keeper! I used pecans instead of almonds, as thats all I had in my fridge and I omitted the tomatoes as I hate them :) As usual, I halved the recipe.

For the original recipe from Giada DeLaurenttis click on the link. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_35039,00.html

2 pieces of purchased puff pastry, each cut to be just larger than a piece of salmon

2 (4-6 ounce) pieces salmon

2 Tbsp pecans (or almonds)

2 Tbsp purchased pesto

2 tomatoes, sliced (optional)

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

On a foil-lined baking sheet, place the 2 pieces of puff pastry. Also, place the 2 pieces of salmon, being careful to make sure they are not touching. Sprinkle each piece of salmon with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the sliced nuts. Bake for 10 minutes.
To serve, place each piece of puff pastry on a plate. Top each puff pastry with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Top the pesto with 2 slices of tomatoes each. Top the tomatoes with the salmon and serve.

Close But No Cigar

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got the recipe for these cookies from a cooking board (thanks, katie102006). I have to say that while they were very good and very easy to make, they were not the best cookie I have made. In my opinion, the award for the best cookie recipe is a tie between the Mrs. Field's cookie recipe and a recipe a friend gave me....I've never found a cookie recipe to beat these two! Let me know if you would like the recipes!

Ingredients:
- 2 c plus 2 Tbps all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
- 1 c. light or dark brown sugar, packed (I like light for the color)
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
- Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in chips to taste.
- Roll scant 1/4 cup dough (I do a little more) into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves, being careful not to smooth dough’s uneven surface.
- Place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving ample room between each dough mound.
- Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes.

Note: I usually hit the 18 min mark and they look underdone, but pull them out. By the time they cool they'll be perfect and chewy.

My First Slow Food Dinner

I recently became a member of a great organization called Slow Food that promotes the pleasures of the table as well as protecting the heritage and traditions of food. Please check out the link below to see if there is a local chapter where you live!
"Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 (In Itay) to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world." http://www.slowfood.com/

The Wilson Popanoe Avocado Dinner
Menu
Avocado Gazpacho
Bonterra 2006 Viognier

Jumbo Lump Crab Ceviche with Avocado Tartar
Bonterra 2006 Sauvignon Blanc

Plantain Encrusted Hog Snapper with Avocado Salsa
Bonterra 2005 Chardonnay

Chef Ferrer's Berry and Avocado Panna Cotta
Bonterra 2005 Muscat

A Bit of Barefoot Contessa

Parmesan Chicken

This really is the most delicious and easy chicken. However, for some reason I have a fear of over-cooking chicken and as a result, we often find ourselves in the unfortunate situation of sitting down to undercooked chicken...which ultimately puts me in a rage and causes me to have to put the chicken back in the skillet to finish cooking....its a bit of a sore subject, actually! This exact scenario happened with this dish (to no fault of the recipe!). I realize that while I did pound the chicken, I hadn't pounded it thinly enough so the coooking times in the recipe didn't work. The good news is that in the end, the chicken was cooked perfectly and we both really enjoyed our meal. The Lemon vinaigrette over salad greens is the perfect accompaniment. I highly recommend a mix of green leaf lettuce and arugula, as the flavors worked well together.

This recipe is from the "Barefoot Contessa:Family Style" cookbook, but the recipe is also online.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_70294,00.html
I halved the recipe so that is what I am going to give here.

Parmesan Chicken
3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 extra-large egg
5/8 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs ( 1/2 cup plus 1/8 cup)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
unsalted butter
good olive oil
salad greens for 3
lemon vinaigrette (see below)

Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken breasts until they are a 1/4 inch thick. Combine flour, salt and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the egg with 1/2 Tbsp water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Coat the chicken breasts with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.
Heat 1 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2-3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken, if necessary. Toss the salad greens with the vinaigrette. Serve with extra grated parmesan.

Lemon Vinaigrette
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Whisk together.