Grilled Chicken Breasts stuffed with Chevre and Figs

I came up with this simple recipe for grilled chicken breasts stuffed with chevre and figs. There are, however, countless variations on the web. Here it is anyway:

To make the fig stuffing

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 medium shallots, finely chopped
10-12 dried Calimyrna figs, finely chopped
1/2 cup pecans, roasted (optional) and coarsely chopped
1 T chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (fresh, coarsely ground)
1/2 cup ruby port

1. Heat a 7" stainless steel sautee or frying pan.
2. Add olive oil and heat briefly. Add shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
3. Add figs and pecans. Cook for 5 minutes or so until the figs and shallots start caramelizing a little bit.
   
4. Add the rosemary, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute or so.
5. Add the port. Heat until the port has reduced by half.
   
6. Place the fig mixture in a bowl and set aside to cool.

You should have between 1 1/2-2 cups of fig stuffing.

To make the stuffed chicken breasts

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, fat and tenderloins removed
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 ounces Chevre (fresh goat) cheese, cut into 4-1 ounce slices
8 large toothpicks

1. Heat gas or charcoal grill to medium heat (around 400F). Or preheat oven at 350-400F.
   
2. Trim the fat and tenderloin part of each chicken breast. Using a meat pounder and plastic bag, pound the meat down to 1/4" thick and even size. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Spread 1 ounce of chevre cheese over one of the chicken breasts. Add about 1/3 cup of the fig mixture. The exact amount depends on the size of the chicken breast. You want it to actually close. Close and secure with 1 -2 wooden toothpicks.
4. Repeat with the rest of the chicken breasts.
5. Bake or grill for 15-20 minutes or until done.
   

You can serve these puppies with roasted veggies, roasted shallots, baked or grilled yams, roasted potatoes, whatever...

Note: I used Trevor Jones Jonsey Tawny Port NV which really is more ruby than tawny in fruit flavor, it's cheap but tastes good and comes in a screwcap bottle.

Recipe 34179 --- Brandade De Morue: Main Dish Fish Ocean Salted Cod

http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=34179

Telegraph | Wine | Readers' recipes: late suppers

Pheasant braised with port and celery

This comes from Toby Gritten and Jake Platt, who are chefs at the relaxed Albion Public House and Dining Rooms in Clifton, Bristol (0117 973 3522; www.thealbionclifton.co.uk). It's great for low-stress autumn dinner parties, as well as late suppers.

Pheasants are just back in season and while a whole bottle of port might seem a little extravagant, you can pick up a bottle from the supermarket or off-licence for a fiver. Port adds a heady flavour to the copious juices, and even if you want to double the quantities, there's no need to increase the amount of port, or the stock, thyme and cream.

Serve with lots of mashed potato (made ahead and reheated) and watercress. (Serves four)

# 1 tbsp olive oil
# 1 pheasant, jointed into eight (get the butcher to do this)
# 2 tbsp flour
# 1 bottle of port
# 1 three-quarter pints/1litre chicken stock
# 4oz/100g pancetta or streaky bacon, diced
# 2 large shallots, finely sliced
# 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
# 1 small bunch of thyme, leaves only
# 1 head of celery, cut into matchsticks
# 1lb/450g chestnuts, peeled (optional)
# 5floz/150ml double cream

Preheat the oven to 130C/250F/gas mark 4. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Dust the pheasant pieces with flour, and cook on both sides until well-browned - you may need to do this in two or three batches.

Put the pheasant to one side and pour the port into the hot pan, stirring and scraping the base. Bring to the boil and reduce the port by a third, then add the stock and reduce again by a third. You should have nearly 2 pints/1 litre of liquid left.

In a separate pan, fry the pancetta until it releases its fat, then add the shallots, garlic, thyme and celery. Cook until soft then add to the casserole dish, along with the pheasant pieces.

Place in the oven and braise uncovered for just over one hour. Take out the pheasant and heat the liquid on top of the stove until it has reduced by half, then return the pheasant to the pan and cool.

To re-heat, add the chestnuts and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cream (you may not need it all: add it a bit at a time, tasting as you go) and check the seasoning before serving.

Banana-Rum Macadamia Flambe With Brown Sugar Ice Cream

http://www.mingspantry.com/shopmingsway/banmacflamwi.html

Pot Roast

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/article.asp?articleid=98

From the Burgundy Wine Company

FOR YOUR PLEASURE

Relief and Reds

After weeks of relentless heat and humidity, we are finally seeing the days of summer that we dreamed of last winter. At last we can venture outdoors for picnics and barbecues! As much as I enjoy the crisp and refreshing whites that the heat demanded, I am always delighted to return to reds.

The next time you fire up the grill, try this marinated leg of lamb. Although winter preparations usually call for big, lusty reds, taking it outside will bring a different slant. Serve it with a Mercurey to enhance the "herbes de provence" nuances, with a Givry whose lively acidity will play against the richness of the lamb, or a Côtes du Rhône to accent the earthy quality of the rosemary and thyme.

Slice some tomatoes and goat cheese, toss some white beans with chopped red onion, celery, parsley, olive oil and vinegar, add some roasted peppers and marinated artichokes and you'll have the perfect menu to celebrate easy summer living!

Marinated Leg of Lamb

From your butcher, get a boned and butterflied leg of lamb.

Immerse it in a marinade of red wine, chopped fresh rosemary, the leaves of several sprigs of thyme, several crushed cloves of garlic, salt, crushed black pepper and some olive oil.

Marinate 4 hours or overnight.

Cook on a hot grill, turning often, for maximum crustiness and a medium rare temperature.

Emulsion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Emulsion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hydrogenation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hydrogenation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Piedmonte online

http://www.piemonteonline.it

Escarole and Beans

1/2 cup bacon, cut into 1/4"-1/4"-1" strips (buy thick-sliced bacon, then cut 1/4"-thick strips crosswise)
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4-6 garlic cloves
1 can canellini beans (e.g. Progresso), drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste (optional)
1-2 lb head of escarole

• Chop non-green bottom of escarole head, then wash and drain escarole leaves to remove sand/grit. Cut accross 2"-wide strips (I left them whole and they were more difficult to serve).
• In a 10" skillet or frying pan w/ cover, cook bacon until it releases its own juices/fat.
• Add olive oil and stir.
• Crush garlic cloves a little (keeping the clove whole) and add them to the bacon. Stir and cook a few minutes.
• When the bacon is crisp, add the drained beans, mix and cook a few minutes (until heated through).
• Add salt, crushed red pepper and black pepper.
• Add the escarole a bunch at a time, cover and cook until the escarole is tender. Make sure to mix occasionally.
• Adjust seasonings.
• Serve over polenta.

Manhattan

Manhattan: "To make a Manhattan properly, it is very important to create a good balance of all the flavors that go into it. Some bartenders will tend to treat a Manhattan the same way they do a Martini, and use far too little sweet vermouth in it, and often leave the bitters out entirely. But properly done, this cocktail should present a bal

My favorite rum

I use this rum mostly for desserts for its rich nutty taste:
Ron del Barrilito

Carrot Casserole

This is my wife's favorite thanksgiving dish. It has been a tradition at her house ever since she grew up. Now that we do thanksgiving at my family's, I've adapted her mother's recipe and we bring the dish from time to time. I have to tell you, I never thought I would use velveeta cheese on a recipe, but it is a must in this one. It's delicious!

Ingredients

4 lb carrots, peeled and sliced crosswise (1/2-1" slices)

1 stick butter
2 shallots, finely diced.
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 cup flour

2 cups whole milk

1 8oz Velveeta Cheese package, cut into slices.

Fresh bread crumbs (optional)

Instructions

Steam or boil the carrots until done. Set aside on strainer when done.

While the carrots are cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan.

Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally.

Add the salt, pepper and mustard, stir to combine and cook for a few minutes.

Add the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly to make sure it doesn't burn.

Add the milk and stir to combine. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce starts boiling and thickens. Set aside.

Using a deep caserole dish, layer half the carrots, then the velveeta slices, and finally the rest of the carrots. Pour sauce on top and then sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.

Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 20 minutes or until it is heated through and the cheese is completely melted.

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar, plus 4 teaspoons
8 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg (fresh nutmeg is important here - none of that year old drek)
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin (canned pumpkin is fine but not pumpkin pie filling)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Arrange 8 (1/2-cup) ramekins or custard cups in a large metal baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until frothy and lemon-colored. Slowly add 3/4 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture to the remaining hot cream, and whisk. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin, and whisk until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Divide among the prepared custard cups.

Add enough hot water to the baking pan to come halfway up the outside of the cups. Bake until the custards are just set in the center but not stiff, 45 minutes to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.

A little turbinado sugar on the top and a torch.

Christmas Stollen

Adapted from Julia Child's Baking With Julia recipe for Pulla bread.

Ingredients
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup dried appricots, chopped
1/4 cup dark rum, preferably aged rum

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 F)

1 cup milk, scalded and cooled to 105-110 F

1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 stick (4 oz) sweet unsalted butter, melted (I use Land O'Lakes. I don't recommend Price Chopper's)

4 1/2 - 5 cups floor

1/2 cup unblanched or blanched almonds (doesn't really matter), coarsely chopped

Topping
1 egg
2 tablespoon heavy cream
pearl sugar
chopped blanched almonds

Ahead of time
Combine raisins, appricots and rum in a small bowl with cover. Let it sit until most of the rum has been absorved by the fruit (e.g. overnight).

Directions (using Kitchen Aid mixer)
Scald the milk (heat until right before it simmers) in a pan or the microwave. Let cool until it reaches 105-110 F (about 20-25 minutes).

In mixer bowl, combine the yeast and the warm water and let sit until the yeast is dissolved (about 5 minutes or until the hot milk reaches its desirable temperature).

Add the milk, sugar, cardamon, salt and eggs and mix on medium (#4) with paddle attachment until combined.

Add 2 cups of the flour and mix until combined.

Add the melted butter and mix until combined.

Change from paddle attachment to dough hook and add the rest of the flour (on a dry day I would add 2 1/2 cups and on a moist day 3 cups). Knead with dough hook on low (#2) and then medium (#4) speed until combined. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

Continue kneading with dough hook on medium (#4) speed for about 10 minutes or so. The dough should stop being sticky. If it is still sticky, add more flour.

After ten minutes, add the chopped almonds and continue kneading for 5 minutes or so. Then add the rum-soaked fruit and knead until they are well incorporated (5-10 minutes more). You could choose to finish the kneading by hand but you don't have to.

Remember to watch the mixer as it tends to get quite hot after 20-25 minutes of keading. Let it cool if it gets too hot so you don't burn it.

First Rise

Grease a large bowl with butter and place the dough in it. Turn the dough so that its surface is greased completely. Cover with wet towel and let rise until almost doubled; about 45-60 minutes.

Second Rise

Turn dough onto table and punch down slightly. You can now do whatever you like. I usually cut the dough into two, then each half into thirds. I then roll each third into 14" cilinders which I then braid together, ending up with 2 braided loaves.

Cover prepared loaves with a warm wet towel and let rise until almost doubled; 45-60 minutes.

Baking Preparation

Beat heavy cream and egg together and brush it over the loaves. Sprinkle with pearl sugar and almonds. If you don't have pearl sugar you can use regular sugar as well.

Bake

Bake in 350 F pre-heated oven for 25 minutes. Enjoy!

Bellini's Pappardelle

Pappardelle

Bellini’s Italian Eatery

www.eatdrinkbellini’s.com

Clifton Park
Village Plaza Shopping Center
19 Clifton Country Road
Clifton Park, NY 12065
Ph:518-348-2090

Slingerlands
Price Chopper Plaza
Slingerlands, NY 12159
PH:518-439-6022

Ingredients for Pappardelle in order:

• 1 OZ Olive Oil
• 2 - 5 OZ Chicken Breasts
• Seasoned Flour
• 1 TSP. Roasted Garlic
• ¼ Cup Sun dried Julienne Tomatoes
• 5 Spears of Asparagus cut in 3
• ¼ Cup Artichoke Hearts
• 2 OZ. White Wine
• 4 OZ Chicken Stock
• 4 OZ. Alfredo
• 1 Bag Pappardelle (pasta)
• Green Basil

Procedure:

1. Heat olive oil in pan
2. Dredge the Chicken Breasts in the Flour
3. Place chicken in hot pan, brown on first side and turn over
4. Add the garlic, sun dried tomatoes, cut asparagus and artichoke hearts.
5. Deglaze the pan with white wine
6. Add the chicken stock and Alfredo
7. Remove the chicken and cut each piece into four
8. Place pieces back in pan
9. Heat pasta, add to pan, and toss to combine
10. Transfer to plate and garnish with basil around rim of the plate.

Vanilla Crème Brûlee

Vanilla Crème Brûlee

(from Mike's blog)

I altered Gotham Bar and Grill's version by substituting the more traditional vanilla bean for the 1/2 cup of chopped ginger. I still prefer the water bath method of cooking the creme over the stovetop method espoused by Julia Child. Gotham is IMHO one of the best restaurants in all of Manhattan. I hope they don't mind me paraphrasing their recipe here.

Makes 8 servings

4 C Heavy cream
1 Vanilla bean
12 large egg yolks
1 C sugar

Preheat oven to 325 deg.

Cut the vanilla bean length-wise and scrape the seeds into a medium sized saucepan. Put the pod in there too. Bring it to a simmer and keep it simmering gently for 30 minutes.

In a non-reactive bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar. Gradually pour in the cream, whisking as you pour. Strain through a wire mesh sieve into another bowl. Discard the vanilla pod. Stir to distrubute the seeds evenly.

Place 6 oz. ramekins in a baking dish and ladle equal amounts of the egg/cream mixture into each. Put enough hot water into the baking pan so that it comes up to 1/2 the height of the ramekins. Bake for 40-50 minutes until firm (the centers may still be a bit loose).

Remove ramekins from water bath and let cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Do this the night before:
For the sugar crust on top...
Use 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar. Rub the sugar through a wire sieve over a rimmed cookie sheet and let dry overnight. This gets rid of any moisture. The next day, rub the sugar over the ramekins. YOu can put the ramekins under a broiler to carmelize the sugar, but its much cooler to use a mini hand-held propane torch

Black Bean Burgers (NOT veggie burgers)

I am guessing the exact amounts here so you'll have to improvise:

1 onion (vidalia or red, whichever you like), chopped
1 large poblano pepper, chopped
1-3 cloves garlic (depends how garlicky you want it), chopped
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat olive oil in 10" frying pan. Sautee onions in medium heat until soft. Add pepper and garlic and sautee until they brown a little. Remove from pan and let cool.

1/3-1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (DO NOT use the crap you buy on a cardboard container, you're gonna eat this stuff!)
1.5-2 lb ground beef (I use 93% which is really too low in fat so I recommend using 85% if you don't care about fat or adding some olive oil if you want those monosaturated fats instead ;))
1/2-3/4 cup canned black beans (I use Goya), drained
1 egg
caramelized onion/pepper/garlic blend from above
1 tsp ground cumin
bunch cilantro, chopped (1/3 cup, maybe?)
1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl by hand or using the paddle attachment in your mixer. Mix until it just comes together. Don't overmix!

Form into flat patties of your favorite size and stack between double layers of wax paper (a single layer between patties will make it impossible to separate if frozen). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to develop flavors. Use of freeze for later use.

Japanese Mustard Pickled Eggplant
3 or 4 small Japanese or Italian eggplants
1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
3 tablespoons shoyu
3 tablespoons mirin or a dry sherry
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon accent or ajinomoto (optional)

Slice the eggplants crosswise ito 1/8-inch slices and salt, allowing to
stand
for a couple of hours. Rinse and squeeze gently and allow to drain.

Mix the other ingredients together and add the drained eggplant and
allow to
marinate for several hours, mixing occasionally.

Pickled Cauliflower

Bring ½ cup vinegar (white wine) to boil with: 1 tablespoon sugar; 1
pinch salt; 12 fenugreek seeds; 12 coriander seeds; 1 stalk of fresh
tarragon. After boiling, set aside and allow to cool.
Cut the small florets from one head of cauliflower. Toss with a large
handful of kosher or sea salt and allow to rest in a colander or sieve
to drain (place colander in bowl to catch excess water). After some
time (15 minutes - 1.5 hours) rinse very well and allow to drain once
more. Toss together with strained vinegar.

From Chez Sophie Bistro.

Tomatoes and Burgundy

September is the best month for local tomatoes. Do yourself a favor and roast as many as you can - right now!

The process is easy and you'll find that after roasting, the acid softens and the flesh becomes sweeter. Once roasted, use them to make these sauces, all of which pair beautifully with the wines of Burgundy. (Pop the remainder into a ziplock baggie and freeze)

Roasted Tomatoes

Line a cookie sheet (with sides) with aluminum foil.
Spread with olive oil to cover.
Cut tomatoes in half (lengthwise for Roma tomatoes, crosswise for Beefsteak)
Place cut side down on foiled, oiled pan.
Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until skin is blistered and slightly charred.
Cool and remove skin.

Base for Sauces

Start by sauteeing chopped shallots in olive oil until lightly browned.
Add tomatoes and simmer (adding water if necessary) until they can be crushed easily with a wooden spoon.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Burgundy and Tomato Based Sauces

To serve with:

Chassagne-Montrachet Blanc
Add fresh lemon thyme to simmering tomatoes.
Finish with grated lemon zest and a dash of lemon oil.
Serve with striped or black sea bass.

Chablis
Add cream and some Dijon mustard. Reduce until thickened.
Add shrimp. Simmer until shrimp turn pink.
Finish with chopped chives and parsley.

Volnay
Brown quartered mushrooms with shallots.
Continue with tomatoes, add veal stock and reduce.
Finish with fresh basil.
Serve with veal.

Gevrey-Chambertin
Add chopped fresh rosemary and garlic to shallots.
Deglaze with wine.
Continue with tomatoes, add veal stock, reduce.
Serve with lamb

Copyright 1998-2004 The Burgundy Wine Company Ltd.