Gourmet Girls

Fish for Five in February

The evening of Tuesday, February 8 turned out to be a tricky evening for several of the gourmet girls, so only four of us were able to get together. (I think this was a gourmet record). Fortunately my mom was able to join in on the gourmet goodness! After a series of unfortunate events, Lynley's planned appetizer did not come to fruition, but lucky for all of us she just happened to have shrimp in the freezer and cocktail sauce on hand! (Don't all of you?) Jodi brought a delicious Toasted Seed Salad from Keeping Up Cookbook. Lara doubled up with bread and desert! Her Broccoli Cornbread was awesome! Lynley was nice enough to throw some baked potatoes in the oven at the last minute for a side to go with the Caesar-Roasted Swordfish (from Barefoot Contessa's "How Easy is That?) Monday morning I decided to call around and shop prices on swordfish. I discovered there were no prices to compare! I could only find one place in town that carried swordfish! Aquarius Fish Market is located inside Tony Caputos deli in downtown Salt Lake City. I have to say the fish was well worth the drive! I think the sauce could work well on other fish as well; I'd love to try it on salmon. We polished off the night with Lara's French Silk Pie - delicious and although rich, actually sort of light. Another gourmet success!

The Group - Bridget, Lara, Lynley & Jodi

Bridget & Lara

Lynley & Jodi

Shrimp Cocktail

Toasted Seed Salad

1 head butter lettuce, rinsed and torn

1/2 head romaine lettuce, rinsed and torn

1/2 head red leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn

1/2 cup grated carrot

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1 avocado, diced

Dressing

1/4 cup lemon juice

dash of Tabasco sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix dressing ingredients in a blender until combined. Chill until ready to use. Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Broccoli Cornbread

Super delicious and seemingly super easy!

1 stick butter, melted

1 (10 oz) package frozen broccoli, cooked and drained

1 (8 oz) small curd cottage cheese

4 eggs

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon salt

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

Grease 9x9 pan. Mix all ingredients except for the cornbread mix. Add mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Caesar-Roasted Swordfish

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon anchovy paste

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I used 1 tsp whole grain mustard)

1 cup good mayonnaise

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 pounds center-cut swordfish steaks, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, cut into 6 portions

1/2 cup chopped scallions, which and green parts (4 scallions)

2 tablespoons good olive oil

3 tablespoons drained capers (I used the whole bottle)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. (Be sure your oven is very clean.) Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.

For the Caesar sauce, place the garlic, parsley, anchovy paste, and mustard in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until the garlic is minced. Add the mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and pulse to make a smooth sauce.

Place the swordfish steaks on the pan and sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper. Set aside one third of the sauce to serve with the cooked fish. Spread the fish on one side with half the remaining sauce, turn the fish, and spread the remaining sauce on the second side. Sprinkle with scallions and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Roast the fish for 10 to 12 minutes, until the center is just barely cooked. Cover the fish with aluminum foil and allow to rest on the pan for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saute pan until very hot, add the capers, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, until they start to pop and are a little crisp. Serve the swordfish hot with the lemon wedges, frizzled capers, and the reserved Caesar sauce.

French Silk Pie

Another super delicious (and according to Lara super easy) dish!

2 sticks of butter, melted and at room temp

3 squares of unsweetened chocolate, melted and at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

Ready made pie crust (chocolate)

Mix the butter and chocolate together. Add vanilla and sugar and beat. Add 2 eggs and beat for 5 minutes. Add 2 more eggs and beat for 5 more minutes. Pour into pie shell and chill until served.

2011 Gourmet Kick-Off!

All seven of the gourmet girls kicked off the new year on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at Miss Raquel's with a lovely winter theme. We started the evening off with yummy Grilled Bread with Prosciutto by Jodi. This recipe is from the new Barefoot Contessa cookbook: How Easy is That? Bridget brought Apple & Spiced Pecan Salad from Keeping Up Cookbook. Andrea made delicious Braided Egg Bread from Peacocks on My Porch. For those of you who aren't familiar with this cookbook, it is a local cookbook - a wonderful collection of recipes put together by Whitney Pogue and Tara Lewis. Our main dish was Chocolate Spiced Pork Chops (a Paula Deen recipe) by Raquel. We were favored with two side dishes - Creamy Parmesan Polenta (from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?) by Lara and Creamed Cipollini Onions and Mushrooms (Food and Wine) by LS. True to form, Lynley made up her own desert recipe - a sugar cookie crust, almond pudding filling, topped with whipped cream and lots of fresh berries!

Bridget, Laura, Jodi

Raquel, Lynley, Lara

Laura & Andrea

Jodi & Bridget

Grilled Bread with Prosciutto

6 slices of good Tuscan round bread, sliced 3/4 inch think

1 large garlic clove, cut in half

Good olive oil

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn in pieces

2 ounces fresh smoked mozzarella, grated

3 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Prepare a charcoal grill with medium-hot coals or turn a gas grill to medium high heat.

Grill the bread for 2 minutes, until golden on one side. Place the bread grilled side up on a platter and immediately rub the cut side of the garlic clove over the surface of the bread. For really garlicky fettunta, rub hard. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over each slice of bread.

Place the torn prosciutto over the grilled side of the bread and top with mozzarella. Return to bread to the hot grill, cover the grill, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes - just long enough to melt the cheese and rewarm the toast. (Be sure the vent is open so the fire doesn't go out!) Drizzle with a little more olive oil, sprinkle with parsley, salt, and pepper, and serve hot.

Apple & Spiced Pecan Salad

6-8 cups assorted greens (anything but iceberg)

3/4 cups crumbled feta cheese

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 large red-skinned apple, diced (I used a Gala)

Dressing

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/3 teaspoon salt

Dash Tabasco sauce

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Spiced Pecans

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans

Over medium heat, melt butter in a pan and add sugar, spices and salt. Add pecan pieces and stir until well-coated. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar caramelizes and pecans darken slightly in color. Transfer mixture to a paper bag to cool. Shake bag occasionally to break up pieces.

Assemble salad ingredients and top with cooled pecans. To avoid browning, apples can be added to directly to dressing, or diced just prior to serving. Toss salad with dressing and serve.

Braided Egg Bread

2 cups warm water

1/2 cup warm water

2 Tablespoon yeast

1/2 cup honey

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon salt

1/2 cup oil

8-12 cups white flour

In a small bowl, prepare yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and dash of sugar. In a large mixing bowl, blend 2 cups warm water, honey, oil, eggs, salt and 3 cups flour. Add additional flour and yeast mixture to large bowl. Continue adding flour until the dough leaves the sides of the mixing bowl clean while mixing. Continue to mix for 10 minutes.Cover dough and let rise to double in size - about 45 minutes. Punch down and separate dough into 4 equal portions. Divide each portion into 3 pieces for braiding. Roll each piece into a long log shape. Pinch three pieces together at the top and begin braiding. Place braid into greased bread pan or onto baking sheet and tuck under each end. Beat one egg. Brush top of each loaf with beaten egg. Sprinkle sesame seeds across the top of loaves (optional). Cover each loaf and let rise until double in size - about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

This makes a huge batch, so they recommend cutting the recipe in half.

Chocolate Spiced Pork Chops

Creamy Parmesan Polenta

4 cups chicken stock (can use vegetable or mushroom stock as well)

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone ground, medium grain

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Kosher salt (the original recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon, but Lara finds it too salty)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

1/4 cup creme fraiche (or whipping cream)

2 Tablespoons butter

Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and cook over medium-high heat until the stock comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and very slowly whisk in the cornmeal, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Switch to a wooden spoon, add the salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring almost constantly, for 10 minutes, until thick. Be sure to scrape the pan thoroughly while you are stirring. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, cream and butter. Taste for seasonings, and serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

Creamed Cipollini Onions and Mushrooms

Lynley's Made-Up Fruit Torte

Raquel's fun winter decor - including this gorgeous wreath she MADE!

November 2010 Gourmet Night

All seven of the gourmet girls met at Lara's on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 for another amazing meal! We started off the evening with Crab Cakes (Foodnetwork Magazine July/August 2010) by Bridget and Apricot Brie Bites (Keeping Up Cookbook) by Andrea. Raquel favored us with a beautiful Pomegranate Salad and Lynley baked some delicious Dinner Rolls. Our main dish was Caribbean Pork with Avocado-Pineapple Salsa, which Lara did an fabulous job with! LS provided us with two sides: Carribean Rice and Beans AND Roasted Butternut Squash with Cilantro Cream. To finish off the night, Jodi spoiled us with another one of her amazing deserts: Gingerbread Pudding Cake (Keeping Up Cookbook)! It was a wonderful evening with friends and food!

Raquel & Bridget

Laura & Jodi

Lynley, Andrea & Lara

Crab Cakes

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons nonfat milk

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

Dash of hot sauce

1 pound lump crab or crab claw meat, picked over

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive-oil cooking spray

1. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and bell pepper and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

2. Mix 1/2 cup panko, the egg and milk in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay and hot sauce; fold in the crabmeat, panko mixture, scallion-bell pepper mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pink of pepper. Shape into 8 patties and refrigerate 30 minutes.

3. Coat the crab cakes with the remaining 1/2 cup panko. heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skill over medium high heat. Mist the crab cakes with cooking spray and cook, sprayed-side down, 3 to 4 minutes. Spray the tops, flip and cook 3 to 4 more minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Apricot Brie Bites

1 package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets

1/2 cup apricot jam

1 (8-ounce) wheel or wedge of brie

finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Cut thawed puff pastry sheets into 4 length-wise columns, then cut the columns into 2 1/2-inch squares. Place the pastry squares into a greased mini0muffin tin, using fingers to push the dough down into each muffin cup.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 6 to 9 minutes or until the puff pastry is 3/4 done and the pastry is starting to rise and flake into separate layers. Meanwhile, slice brie into 3/4-inch squares.

Using a small spoon, press the semi-baked pastry dough into the pan to form small pastry bowls. Place 1/2 teaspoon (or more) of apricot jam in the bottom of each pastry bowl. Top with a piece of brie, then sprinkle with chopped nuts. Return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese in melted and the edges of the pastries are golden brown. Transfer hot pastries to a cooling rack and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

(Andrea recommends cooking the puff pastry longer than the recommended 6-9 minutes).

Pomegranate Salad

Stuff You Need

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1 head romaine lettuce

1/2 bag washed baby spinach

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (or seedless red grapes cut in 1/2)

Dressing

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoons dry mustard or t teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Dinner Rolls

3 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Pinch of sugar

1/3 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

1 cup tepid buttermilk (90 degrees)

1/4 cup sugar or 1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 - 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed

Canola oil for greasing

In a bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water and stir to dissolve. let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, eggs, salt nad 1 cu of the flour. Beat on medium-low speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. add the yeast mixture and 1 cup of the flour, and beat for another minute. Beat in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl sides.

Switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed, adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time if the dough sticks, until a very soft dough forms, about 1 minute. The dough should be softer than typical bread dough, yet smooth and springy.

Transfer the dough to an oiled deep bowl and turn the dough once to coat it. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Divide the dough in half and roll each half between your palms into a rope 18 inches long. Cut each rope into eighteen 1-inch pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, and place the balls, sides just touching, in the prepared pans. Cover loosely with plastic and let rise at room temperature until puffy, 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls until light golden brown, 18-23 minutes. Let cool slightly in the pans or transfer to a rack. Serve warm

Roasted Butternut Squash with Cilantro Cream

Carribean Rice and Beans

Caribbean Pork

Avocado-Pineapple Salsa

Lara adds: For sure line your pan with foil because the spice coating makes a sticky mess. I usually broil it for a few minutes on each side to get a nice char and then cover with foil and bake at 450 for 30 minutes or so. Otherwise I find the center is too rare.

Gingerbread Pudding Cake

(unfortunately we didn't get a picture)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp salt

In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in egg, molasses and water. Stir together dry ingredients, then add to molasses mixture and mix well. Transfer batter to a greased 8x8 baking dish.

3/4 cup brown sugar 1/ 1/2 cups hot water

5 TBS butter, melted

Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the batter. Mix together hot water and melted butter, then gently pour over the top of brown sugar (not not stir). Bake at 350 degrees until gingerbread is cracked on top, center is set and pudding underneath has thickened, about 45 to 55 minutes. Scoop into bowls and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

A Fall Frenzy of Food with Friends and Filets

The evening of Tuesday, October 5, 2010 the gourmet girls met at Andrea's for a another wonderful meal. We started off the evening with Lara's tasty appetizer, Pear and Prosciutto "Carpaccio". Jodi's Maple Dressing Salad not only tasted delicious, but was also beautiful - lots of color! Bridget brought Grandma Zoe's Buttermilk Biscuits from Keeping Up Cookbook. Andrea made our main dish of Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon with Port Wine Sauce. (She substituted grape juice for the wine and it was delicious)! She also treated us to some Bacon Smashed Red Potatoes. Lynley brought some spaghetti squash, and for desert, Raquel made a scrumptious Pumpkin Cake. Unfortunately LS couldn't make it until the very end. As always, we enjoyed trying new recipes and catching up with old friends.

Pear and Prosciutto "Carpaccio"

Maple Dressing Salad

1 large bag baby greens

2 cups blueberries

2 cups strawberries

1 purple onion

2 cups of crumbled blue cheese

2-3 sliced apples or pears (Jodi used pears)

2 cups of your choice (Jodi used pecans)

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3 TBS white wine vigegar

2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Grandma Zoe's Buttermilk Biscuits

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup buttermilk (or more)

Mix all dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening with a fork until small crumbs are formed. Add buttermilk and stir until well combined, adding an additional teaspoon or so of buttermilk if any flour remains in bottom of bowl. Scoop dough onto a generously floured surface.

With floured hands, give dough a few kneads and folds until smooth. Pat dough into a 1 1/2 inch thick circle and cut 8 to 1- biscuits with a round biscuit cutter. Shake off excess flour and place on lightly greased baking sheet, biscuits touching each other. Bake at 400 degrees until lightly brown, 18 to 22 minutes. I brushed a little melted butter on top of each biscuit right when they came out of the oven.