May 2009—Hillary & Nanette

Celebration of Chocolate
May 2009—Hillary & Nanette

Decadent Chocolate Milk Martini

White Chocolate Camembert with Rosemary Pear Chutney
Bibb Lettuce Beggar’s Purses

Green Apple & White Chocolate Salad
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with White Chocolate Butter Dollop
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

Filet Mignon with Duo of Sauces
Chocolate Merlot Bordelaise and Blue Cheese Butter

Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Reese’s Pieces served in a Gourmet Waffle Cone
Mint Truffles and Caramel Center Samplers

Decadent Chocolate Milk Martini


Homemade Chocolate Milk Mix for the Fridge


1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate pieces


Heat cream over medium-high heat until slightly boiling. Add chocolate pieces and turn off heat. Whisk slowly until chocolate is melted and mixture is very smooth. Pour into a container and keep in the fridge up to two weeks. Mix with cold or warm milk, depending on how frightful the weather outside is.
Note: Mixture, after refrigerated, will be quite thick. Just stir well in cold milk and you’ll be fine.




White Chocolate Camembert with Rosemary Pear Chutney


Ingredients:


1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup white onion, diced small
One 15 oz can light pears, diced medium
1-1/2 Tbsp apple jelly
1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Camembert cheese
1/4 cup white chocolate chips


Preparation:


Sauté onions in olive oil until translucent—this will take about five minutes.


Add the pears, apple jelly and rosemary, then simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes, until the onions are completely cooked and the flavors have melded together.


Melt white chocolate in the microwave to a creamy consistency. Using a knife or spatula, spread a thin layer of white chocolate on top of the camembert cheese. (You can spread with the rind or cut top rind off.)
Press rosemary sprigs around the outer edge of the cheese.


Once the chutney has cooled, dollop it on top of the camembert. Garnish with some more rosemary and fill in around the camembert with crackers.




Bibb Lettuce Beggar’s Purses
From People Magazine: Curtis Stone's Healthy HolidaysMakes 8-10


1/4 cup vegetable oil plus 2 Tbsp
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt, for seasoning
1 shallot, quartered
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1 cup red wine (Shiraz is recommended)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
12 leaves Bibb lettuce (about 1 head)
1/2 cup crumbled Roquefort blue cheese
1/2 cup red skin seedless grapes, quartered lengthwise
1 green onion, greens only, thinly sliced on an angle
1 green onion, greens only, split lengthwise into thin strands


1. Preheat oven to 350º.


2. Heat an oven-safe medium sauté pan over medium high.


3. Add 2 tablespoons oil, season chicken on both sides with kosher salt and sear smooth side down. Cook for 2 minutes or until light golden brown.


4. Flip chicken over, add shallot and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally.


5. Remove pan from heat, add wine and thyme, and return to heat. Cook for 1 minute and move pan to oven, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, turning the chicken every 3 minutes in the oven. Remove from oven and allow chicken to rest in juice for 5 minutes.


6. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the cooked red wine and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and whisk well. Slowly whisk in 2 ounces oil, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.


7. Thinly slice chicken and cut each individual slice in half.


8. Arrange lettuce on a work surface and place 3 to 4 slices of chicken onto each leaf. Add 5 to 6 slices of grapes, a few small crumbles of blue cheese, and a small pinch of the sliced scallions to each leaf. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.


9. To tie the purses, fold the bottom or stem end of each leaf up and wrap the sides in tight leaving the top open. To serve, arrange purses onto serving dishes and drizzle a little of the vinaigrette into each one.




Green Apple & White Chocolate Salad


Salad:


Lettuce (we prefer a mix of romaine and red)
Chopped walnuts
Chopped Granny Smith apples
White chocolate (I usually just chop some white chocolate chips or you can shave a white chocolate bar)


Dressing:


1/2 cup sugar (or a bit less)
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup salad oil (canola is good)
2 tsp poppy seeds
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp grated onions (or shallots) (may be omitted)
1 tsp. salt


Mix dressing and toss with salad just before serving.


Depending on how much salad you make, you may not use all the dressing—it’s a fairly large recipe.




Mashed Sweet Potatoes with White Chocolate Butter Dollop


Ingredients:


1/4 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp white chocolate chips, chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes
Kosher Salt


Preparation:


Preheat the oven to 400°. Rub a little fat or oil over clean and dry sweet potatoes of uniform size. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400°, until soft, about 50 minutes.


While you are waiting for the sweet potatoes to cook, mix the butter and chopped white chocolate in a small bowl and refrigerate. Scoop the pulp from the hot baked sweet potatoes into a bowl, and mash until smooth. Add a pinch of salt, and divide the mixture into four to five ounce ramekins. Top each with a dollop of the sweet potato butter and serve immediately.


You can make these ahead of time and refrigerate for up to two days, but cool the sweet potato mixture before putting it in the ramekins.


Dollop the white chocolate butter on top of the sweet potato mixture after they have been reheated.




Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
Cooking Light September 2007


Best Vegetable Side Dish. We love the way the salty-sweet browned butter highlights the asparagus in this dish.


40 asparagus spears, trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Cracked black pepper (optional)
Grated lemon rind (optional)


Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until tender.


Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle over asparagus, tossing well to coat. Garnish with cracked pepper and rind, if desired.


Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 5 spears)




Filet Mignon with Duo of Sauces


Filet Mignon


Preparation:


Grill the filet mignon on the grill to desired doneness.


DIY Tip:

The longer you cook the meat the less tender and more dry it will become. Begin grilling the filet mignon one hour before the party starts. Grill the filets about two to four minutes on each side, and then finish it off in the oven at 350° until desired doneness.


Chocolate Merlot Bordelaise Sauce


Ingredients:


1/4 cup Ruby Port
2 cups Merlot
3 Tbsp minced shallots
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups water
2 tsp beef base
3/4 oz semi-sweet chocolate


Preparation:


Put the red wine, shallots, and the thyme in a pot and reduce this by half. While the wine and shallot mixture reduces, melt the butter in a separate pan.


Add the flour to the butter to form a roux, stirring constantly. Then add the water and beef base. Add the chocolate and ruby port. This is the finished sauce. Cook it for another two minutes and it is done.


Blue Cheese Butter
Nordstrom Entertaining at Home Cookbook


1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp.
1/2 cup (about 4 oz) crumbled Maytag blue cheese
1 Tbsp minced shallots
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt


Directions:


n a bowl, combine the butter, blue cheese, shallots, parsley, coarse pepper, and salt. Using a sturdy wooden spoon, mix together well. Lay a 12-inch-long sheet of plastic wrap out on the counter and transfer the butter to it, centering it on the sheet in a rough log shape. Fold the top of the sheet over the butter and then gently roll up the butter in the plastic wrap to form an even cylinder about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days. (Can be frozen to use for later use.)




Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Reese’s Pieces


Ingredients:


2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 cup milk
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped


Directions:


Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend. Pour about 1 cup of the mixture into a separate bowl and whisk in the peanut butter, a little at a time. Return the peanut butter mixture to the remaining mixture and stir until well blended. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following manufactures instructions. When the ice cream begins to stiffen (about 5 minutes before it is done), add in the chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups and continue freezing until the ice cream is ready. Makes generous 1 quart


Gourmet Waffle Cones
Yield: About 8 cones


1 whole egg
1 egg white
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly


1. Preheat the Waffle Cone Express Start with Color Control setting of 2 1/2 to 3, but change as necessary for best results.


2. Beat the egg, egg white and salt in a small bowl with a fork until well blended. Beat in the sugar and beat until sugar is incorporated and the egg has lightened in color slightly, about 1 minute. Add flour and beat another 15 seconds or until incorporated and all lumps are gone. Add the melted butter and stir until well blended.


3. Spoon 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of batter in the center of the iron. Bake for 1 minute then check for proper color. Cook an additional 5 to 10 seconds if necessary.


4. Quickly remove the waffle from the Waffle Cone Express onto a clean cloth towel. If the waffle is too hot to handle with your bare hands, use the cloth to help lift and roll the waffle around the cone form. Hold the cone a few seconds to set its shape then place on a wire rack to cool.




Melt in your Mouth Mint Truffles


1 1/2 lb dipping chocolate melted (remember to melt slowly)
1/2 pint whipping cream
4-5 drops of peppermint oil


Beat the cream and chocolate together with mixer. Then add peppermint oil. Do not over beat. It should look like frosting. Place in 9-inch plastic lined pan. When set up you can dip in dipping chocolate.




Caramel Centers


2 cups cream
2 cups sugar
1 square butter
1 1/3 cup dark corn syrup


Bring sugar, butter, corn syrup and 1 cup cream to boil. Slowly drip in other cup of cream while stirring and cook to soft ball stage about 235° on candy thermometer—242-245° at sea level. Pour into 9x13 buttered pan or if you double the recipe put in a buttered cookie sheet. When cooled and set up cut and dip in chocolate or wrap in wax paper.