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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Posted on August 13, 2010 by amydeline

Like Batman spotting the bat-signal in the starry night sky or Spiderman sensing the tingle of his spidey-sense, I’ve been beckoned to help a family being torn apart by a culinary crisis. The trouble centers around a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie, a current featured dessert from our local grocery store, Wegmans. According to my sister-in-law, several battles have already ensued over the last piece of this dreamy, creamy pie. Even worse, there will come the day when Wegmans switches over to its seasonal pumpkin pie, leaving this poor family sorrowfully crying over the supermarket dessert case. No, no. This will not do. I must devise a suitable recipe to replicate this family’s beloved treat.

First, I need to know what we’re going after. So, I went down to the grocery store to purchase one of these battle-worthy pies. According to my son, who is a master of imagination, the grocery store is ridden with wolves. Luckily his younger brother was around to save his day and we left unharmed with the pie in hand.

Hmmm… Chocolate wafer crust, smooth moussey peanut butter filling, a layer of chocolate pudding (that was a surprise), fluffy whipped cream, peanut butter drizzle, peanut butter cup, chocolate curls…

Better taste it again, to make sure I’m not missing some important detail.

Is that a bit of vanilla? Let me just check…

Alright, I think I’ve got it. Seriously, I deserve some sort of hazard pay for this stuff.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 2 cups Chocolate Wafer Cookies, crushed*
  • 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

For the Dark Chocolate Pudding

  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 3 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 cup Whole Milk
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 3 oz Semisweet or Bittersweet Baking Chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Peanut Butter Filling

  • 3/4 cup Peanut Butter
  • 1 8 oz. bar Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup Confectioner’s  Sugar, divided
  • 2 1/2 cup Heavy Cream

For the Peanut Butter Drizzle

  • 1/8 cup Peanut Butter
  • 1/4 cup Corn Syrup

For the Garnish

  • Mini Chocolate Chips
  • Mini Peanut Butter Cups

*The easiest way to crush the cookies is to place them in a ziploc bag and roll a rolling pin over them until they are completely crushed.

Directions

For the Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Press the mixture onto the sides and bottom of a deep pie shell. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

For the Pudding:

In a saucepan, mix together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt. Whisk in 1 cup of milk, stirring until combined. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of cream. Continue whisking over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Whisking constantly, continue cooking for another minute or two. Be careful to whisk into the corners and along the sides of the pan. Remove from heat. Whisk in the chopped chocolate and vanilla, stirring until fully melted. Allow the pudding to cool at room temperature, stirring frequently to prevent a skin from forming. Meanwhile, prepare the peanut butter filling.

For the Peanut Butter Filling:

In a large bowl over an ice bath, beat 2 1/2 cups of heavy cream with 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar until stiff peaks form. Keep the mixture cool over the ice bath. In a separate bowl, beat together peanut butter, cream cheese, and 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar until evenly combined. Fold in 1/2 cup of the whipped cream to lighten the mixture. Then, gently fold in another 1/2 cup whipped cream, just until combined. The mixture should be light and fluffy. Keep the remaining whipped cream cool over the ice bath or in the fridge.

For the Peanut Butter drizzle:

Combine peanut butter and corn syrup. Mix to combine.

To Assemble the Pie:

Spoon the peanut butter filling into the cooled pie crust. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to set the mixture. Pour the cooled pudding over the peanut butter filling. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to set the pudding. Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top of the pudding. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Drizzle with the peanut butter mixture. Garnish with a mini peanut butter cup. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the pie to cool completely.

Now, I have to be honest with you. There’s a reason why there’s not a lovely picture of a perfect slice of peanut butter heaven. When I cut the pie and tried to plate a pretty slice, it became a peanut butter, pudding, and cream mess. The pudding was the real issue. I substituted 2% milk instead of whole and as a result of a minor toddler crisis, I didn’t cook it as long as it should have cooked to properly thicken. If you follow the recipe as written, you shouldn’t have this problem. This is the same pudding recipe I wrote for the Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Squares a month or so ago. Cooked as written, it’s a thick, dark chocolate pudding, firm enough to stand up to slicing. So, do I as say, not as I did, and you should be golden.

Hey sis… You know where to find your pie! Better hurry!

Edited to add: After having that first tricky piece of pie removed and a few more hours of chilling in the fridge, it was much easier to slice and serve. Here is a pic of the chocolate-peanut-buttery treat…


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Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce

Posted on August 12, 2010 by amydeline

The summer night is quiet. A couple rests peacefully in their comfortable feather-topped bed. The windows are open; the low hum of a fan filling the air as it sends a soothing breeze throughout the room. The couple has drifted off into a tranquil dreamland, never suspecting what lie ahead.

Down the hall, a door swings open; the constant murmur of the fan providing cover to the sound.

Tap.

Tap. Tap.

Tap, Tap, Tap.

Taptaptaptaptaptap.

The sound of small, bare feet on hardwood floors.

She doesn’t feel the breath upon her face. She isn’t aware that she is being watched. Until it yells, Snuggle up!

The Snuggle Monster (post watermelon feast)

Startled and confused, she reaches over and lifts the small, warm person into bed and does as he commands. Snuggle up. And they begin drifting back to sleep; the midnight snuggle attack a roaring success. Until the small person begins talking. Mommy? Mommy? Mommy? At which point the slumbering man awakes and demands that the small noisy person return to his bed.

Don't be deceived by the snuggle monster's cute ploys.

Thus began a mostly sleepless night.

And so it is a great joy to me that today’s post was actually last night’s dinner. Cooking complete. Food taste-tested. Photos taken. Recipe written. Just a matter of a few edits and done for the day. Leftovers for dinner…

Above all else, tasty food starts with tasty ingredients. Fresh ingredients at their prime require minimal fuss to produce outstanding results. When it comes to homemade tomato sauce, most of the year, your best bet may be canned tomatoes. Has lack of sleep made the gourmand mom lose her mind?? But, no. Tomatoes are canned at the peak of their ripeness at the peak of their season, their flavorful prime. You’d be hard-pressed to find fresh tomatoes nearly that tasty mid-winter. When tomatoes are not in season, canned crushed or whole tomatoes will offer you the most flavorful, nutrient-rich option.

But, there is a window of time when the ripe tomatoes, fresh from your garden, the farmer’s market, or your local grocery store are bursting with flavor. And in the Northeast, that time is now.

We’ll start with ripe, fresh tomatoes. (Taste one to ensure that they have vibrant, sweet tomato flavor.) Use a knife to make an ‘x’ at the bottom of each tomato. This will allow the skins to slip off easily.

Drop a few tomatoes at a time into a pot of boiling water. Allow them to sit in the boiling water for about 30 seconds.

Use a slotted spoon the remove the tomatoes.

Immediately place them into an ice bath to cool. The skins should begin slipping off on their own. Use your fingers to peel the tomatoes.

Once the tomatoes have been peeled, they’ll only require a few simple steps and a handful of fresh ingredients to become a flavorful marinara sauce. Make a big batch and freeze a few containers for some fresh tomato sauce, post peak tomato season.

Serve the sauce over pasta as is, or add a few more ingredients to make your own tomato sauce variation. Try olives, ground meat, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, or roasted garlic.

Basic Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 pounds ripe Plum/Roma Tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic, smashed
  • 2 small Onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Basil, chiffonade*
  • Salt (about 1 1/2 tsp)
  • Crushed Red Pepper, to taste

*Click here to see my photo guide on How to Chiffonade Basil.

Directions

Cut the top off of the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half. Squeeze the seeds from the tomatoes into a strainer. Reserve the strained tomato liquid. Rough chop the tomatoes. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and smashed garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato liquid to the pan. Cook for about 25 minutes over medium heat, until the tomatoes have broken down. For your safety, allow the mixture to cool slightly. Then, use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender to blend the mixture to your desired consistency. Be careful while blending hot liquids. Add the basil and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Continue cooking for about 10 more minutes to allow the flavors to blend and condense.

**You can make this recipe using canned tomatoes too. Look for canned whole or crushed tomatoes with no added salt. If you really want to use fresh tomatoes, but they’re not at their flavorful best, try adding a bit of tomato paste. The concentrated tomato flavor will do wonders for your sauce!

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Peaches ‘n’ Cream Panna Cotta

Posted on August 11, 2010 by amydeline

As a child, I was a shrewd negotiator in the business of Barbie clothing.  I used my persuasive (and most likely devious) tactics to build an enviable collection of outfits for my Barbie. While my Barbie had bins full of outfits for every occasion, my two younger sisters’ Barbies were dressed in hair scrunchies. While my Barbie impressed her dinner guests with multiple stunning outfit changes, my sisters’ Barbies wore tattered hand-me-downs. I’ll never live it down. In fact, my brother-in-law claims that one of the first things my sister ever told him about me involved a warning about engaging in trades.

Out of the entire Barbie clothes collection that my sisters and I bartered over, the hands-down favorite was the elegant Peaches N Cream gown; a full peach chiffon skirt with a shiny, pearlescent bodice and a tiny flower applique. If a life-sized version of that dress existed, I may have worn it for my wedding. And I’m not even particularly fond of the color peach or full chiffon skirts. We must have passed that dress back and forth a hundred times, always the prized gem of a trade.

Mattel recently put out a reproduction of the Peaches N Cream Barbie. I shrieked when I saw it at Target and almost bought it at first sight, but the $50 price tag was enough to dissuade me. Part of me wanted to wrap it up and give it to my sisters as a fun gag gift. Perhaps I could then convince them to trade it back to me in return for a handful of scrunchies.

As a result of this bit of personal history, it’s hard for me to think about peaches without thinking of cream. So when I nearly tripped over the bin of ripe summer peaches, which my grocery store so conveniently placed directly in the entranceway, lest anyone forget that it’s peach season, I knew exactly what I needed to make; my very own panna cotta incarnation of Peaches ‘n’ Cream. This dish is, quite simply, roasted summer peaches enveloped in lightly sweetened cream. Peaches ‘n’ Cream.

Removing the skin from the peaches and roasting  them in the oven until they are extremely tender is key, so that your spoon will slip through the delicate peaches almost as easily as through the sweet cream. You can serve the panna cottas unmolded or serve them in their bowls. Puree some of the extra roasted peaches for a decorative and delicious coulis (pronouced koo-LEE). Add a bit of water and strain, if necessary, to achieve a smooth peach sauce.

Peaches and Cream Panna Cotta

Ingredients

  • 3 Ripe Peaches
  • 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 packet Unflavored Gelatin Powder (about 2 1/4 tsp)
  • 1 Vanilla Bean, split in half lengthwise, seeds scraped
  • 1/4 cup Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a paring knife to peel the peaches. Remove the pit and very thinly slice the peeled peaches. Place peach slices in a baking dish. Toss with the brown sugar. Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, until the peaches are very tender. The riper the peaches, the less time they’ll need to cook. Occasionally toss the peaches with a spoon as they cook. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, sprinkle the gelatin powder over 1/4 cup of the milk. Set aside to allow the gelatin to bloom.

In a saucepan, combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla bean halves. Over medium/medium-low heat, gradually heat the mixture, whisking to dissolve the sugar and evenly disperse the vanilla bean seeds. Once the mixture begins to bubble around the edges and the sugar is fully dissolved, remove from heat. Remove the vanilla bean halves. Add the hot liquid to the gelatin. Whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve. Set the mixture in an ice bath to begin cooling, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange several peach slices on the bottom of 6 small bowls or ramekins. Pour some of the panna cotta mixture into each prepared dish. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set the panna cotta.

To unmold, dip the bottom of the dishes into warm water for a few seconds. Use a knife to loosen the edges. Invert over your serving dish.

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Salmon, Corn, and Tomato Pasta in Pesto

Posted on August 10, 2010 by amydeline

I have leftover basil pesto in my fridge from Friday night’s Wine and Cheese soirée. It would be a crime to let it go to waste. So, I planned a dinner around it. A few salmon fillets that have been chillin’ in my freezer and some candy-sweet summer corn sealed the deal. A handful of ripe baby tomatoes begged to join and I couldn’t resist. Voilà. Dinner.

Salmon, Corn, and Tomato Pasta in Pesto

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Salmon Fillets
  • 3 ears Corn
  • 2 cups Baby Roma Tomatoes (or other small, sweet tomatoes), cut into halves or quarters
  • 1/2 cup Basil Pesto, recipe here
  • 1 box Rotini (or other pasta)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season salmon with a bit of salt and pepper. Bake for about 8-10 minutes until fully cooked. When cool enough to handle, cut into small pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook corn for 8 minutes. Cool in cold water. Cut the kernels from the cob. Cook the pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water. Drain. Toss the warm pasta with pesto, corn, salmon, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves about 6

Simple. Fresh. Delicious.

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Peppermint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream

Posted on August 9, 2010 by amydeline

Gotta show the ice cream maker a little love. We don’t want it to become angry again.

I asked my visiting niece what her favorite ice cream flavor was. Mint Chocolate Chip was her reply. For good measure, we decided to throw in some crumbled Oreo cookies too. Hard to go wrong with that combination!

All of the kids enjoyed mixing up this tasty batch of homemade ice cream. My niece was especially intrigued. She intently watched the ice cream churn for several minutes before finally asking when it would turn green. She was visibly disappointed when I explained that it would not be turning green. So, we added a few drops of food coloring. The ice cream turned a lovely pale green, which delighted my niece. The color was lost after we added the cookies, but by that point, the color didn’t seem to matter as much.

All of the kids enjoyed taste testing the ice cream. They were also quite willing to take care of the extra cookies. Our labrosaurus rex would’ve helped too, if given the chance.

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Oreo Ice Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1 1/2 cup Light Cream
  • 2/3 cup Sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract
  • 1/2 cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 10 Oreo Cookies, crushed

Directions

Combine milk and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add cream and peppermint extract. Stir. Pour into your frozen ice cream bowl and freeze according to your machine’s directions. Once the ice cream begins to thicken, add the chocolate chips and cookies. Allow the ice cream to continue mixing in the ice cream maker until the chocolate and cookies are well blended and the ice cream is thick.

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Berry Pickin’

Posted on August 8, 2010 by amydeline

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect yesterday. It was warm, but not too hot. The sun was out, but it was not scalding. A refreshing breeze passed through the air. So, we took the boys and our niece berry picking. The beauty of living in an area which offers us the comfort of a quiet neighborhood, the convenience of being able to walk to the grocery store, and fields full of fresh berries within a few minutes drive is not lost on us.

We had the blueberry fields all to ourselves.

It was quiet, breezy, peaceful. A few shiny bugs were our only companions.

The kids enjoyed filling their buckets with the sweet berries.

More than a few berries were sampled by sneaky children.

But we managed to bring home enough berries for some fresh berry shortcake dessert.

I used an Alton Brown recipe for the shortcake, found here. I added about 1/4 cup additional milk to give the dough the right consistency. Next time, I’d also add a bit more sugar, but it was otherwise delicious!

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Pizza Dragon and Chairs of Stock

Posted on August 7, 2010 by amydeline

Childhood can be a confusing time. So many new experiences to take in, so much to learn about the world, the potential for confusion lurking around every corner. As a child, I remember the day our father told my sisters and I about the shares of stock which had been purchased for us. Our youthful minds heard chairs of stock. We continued the discussion with our father, he talking of the shares, we talking about chairs. Imagine our confusion when he tried to explain that our chairs were going to help us to pay for college. How in the world, we asked. Well, we could sell our shares, he explained. People will want to buy our chairs? Yes, he explained, people buy and sell shares all of the time. Hmm… We continued trying to process this whole chair thing. So, where do they keep all of our chairs? My father paused for a moment. We continued, Is there like a room somewhere filled up with our chairs? And, that’s when he realized we weren’t talking about the same thing.

Or take, for example, our first experience at Chuck E. Cheese. My family sat down and ordered some pizza and sodas. On the wall was a giant movie screen, the size of the wall. On it, the movie Pete’s Dragon was playing. Our parents told us the name of the movie. Between bites of our pizza, we heard Pizza Dragon. Eat pizza, watch Pizza Dragon. Made sense at the time. Took us a few years before we realized the movie was not actually Pizza Dragon.

Speaking of pizza, we’re having my signature pizza tonight. My brother in law is visiting and his top food request for the weekend was this very pizza. I’ve taken a Steak Bordelaise dinner; steak in a rich wine sauce with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and gorgonzola cheese; and I’ve turned it into a pizza. It’s the steak dinner you can eat with your hands. I told you I really enjoy handheld meals. You can use either, neither, or both mushrooms and onions on the pizza, depending on your preference. The best part is that all components of the pizza can be prepared ahead of time! This is a very hardy pizza, so it works well with a side of fresh salad.

P.S. There’s skirt steak on this pizza. Have I mentioned how much I love skirt steak??


Steak Bordelaise Pizza

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 1 cup Dry Red Wine
  • 1 Shallot, finely diced
  • 1 sprig Thyme
  • 2 cups Beef Stock
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp Water
  • Salt and Pepper

For the Toppings

  • 1 Onion, chopped (optional)
  • 2 cups Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 Skirt Steak (about 1/2 pound)
  • 1/2 cup Gorgonzola Cheese, crumbled
  • 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Thick Pizza Crust, homemade or store bought (12 inch diameter)

Directions

For the sauce, combine red wine, shallot, and thyme in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer until the sauce reduces by 3/4. There should be about 1/4 cup remaining. Add the beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce reduces by half. There should be about a cup remaining. Strain the sauce to remove the shallots and thyme. Return the sauce to the saucepan. In a small dish, combine the cornstarch with the water. Add a spoonful or two of the hot sauce. Stir to combine, then add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce. Simmer for another minute or two until the sauce thickens. Season with a little salt and pepper.

For the onions, heat 1 Tbsp butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until they begin to lightly brown. Turn down the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes until the onions are soft and sweet.

For the mushrooms, heat 1 Tbsp butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes until the are soft and lightly browned.

For the steak, preheat an oven to 450 degrees. Place the steak on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the steak into small bite-sized pieces.

To assemble the pizza, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread about 3/4 cup of the sauce over the pizza crust. Evenly distribute the steak over the sauce. Add the onions and/or mushrooms. Sprinkle with gorgonzola and mozzarella cheeses. Bake for about 15 minutes. Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing.

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Cheese Please!

Posted on August 6, 2010 by amydeline

It’s wine and cheese night over here! Family and friends have gathered and we’re ready to eat cheese! Earlier today I shared my recipes for three olive tapenade variations.

Enjoy the tapenades on their own or pair with cheese. Olive tapenade is especially delicious with feta cheese. Spread it on a baguette or make little tartlettes like these…

Simply buy a package of phyllo/fillo tartlette shells, fill with a bit of cheese, top with tapenade and bake in a 375 degrees oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is warm and delicious. You can make these tartlettes a hundred different ways. Try gorgonzola with finely diced dried apricots and prosciutto, brie with fig preserves or a cranberry chutney, or cheddar with poached pear and perhaps a piece of ham. The options are truly infinite. So easy and delicious!

Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella with Basil Pesto


Fresh tomato and mozzarella always works well for a wine and cheese night. There are many different ways to present the dish. Tonight, I arranged the tomato and mozzarella in overlapping rings. Then, I drizzled the plate with fresh basil pesto. Alternately, you can layer fresh basil leaves with the tomato and mozzarella and drizzle the dish with balsamic vinaigrette. Serve with a platter of sliced baguette and let your guests create their own Caprese appetizers.

For the basil pesto, I made a very slightly modified version of my regular pesto. This version simply contains a bit more olive oil and is blended longer so it has a consistency more like a dressing than a sauce. You can use the same recipe to create a spread or sauce for pasta by blending less and using a little less oil.

Basil Pesto Dressing

Ingredients

  • Big Bunch of Basil (about 2 cups Basil Leaves)
  • 1/4 cup Pine Nuts
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil (plus more, if necessary)
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Pull the basil leaves off of the stem.  Place in a food processor and pulse slightly, giving the leaves a coarse chop. Add all other ingredients, except the oil, and mix until well blended. Gradually incorporate the oil until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Baked Brie en Croute


We’re big fans of brie around here. One of my favorite ways to serve brie when we have guests is wrapped in puff pastry. It’s a simple preparation which makes an elegant presentation. You can wrap the brie on its own or pair it with preserves, dried fruits, spreads or nuts. Simply thaw one puff pastry sheet, which you can usually find in the frozen foods section of your grocery store. Spread a small circle of preserves or the filling of your choice in the center. Place an 8 ounce round of brie on top of the preserves. It’s not necessary to remove the rind from the brie. Wrap the puff pastry around the brie. Cut off any excess pastry. Lightly beat an egg with a splash of water. Brush a little on the seam side. Place the wrapped brie seam-side down on a baking sheet. Brush with the egg mixture. Bake in a 400 degrees oven for about 20 minutes. Serve with baguette.


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Tapenade Three Ways

Posted on August 6, 2010 by amydeline

Earlier in the week, my sister sent me a message to let me know she’d be coming over for wine tonight. Ok. Two days later I received another message, which read simply, Tapenade, please. This is how my family functions. I love that about my family. So tonight, we’re having a wine and cheese gathering. I’ll be making a few of  my favorite tasty cheese preparations; brie and peach preserves wrapped in puff pastry, goat cheese on baguette with fresh strawberries and almonds, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes with a basil pesto, and feta tartlettes with tapenade. There will also be pizza and charbroiled wings from a local pizza shop, as requested by my visiting brother-in-law.

My tapenade-craving sister is in for a treat. Not only am I making the traditional olive tapenade she’s requested, but I’m also preparing two other tapenade variations. The beauty of tapenade is that it’s almost impossible to mess up. Pulse some olives in a food processor with a bit of garlic, splash of lemon juice, pinch of rosemary, a touch of other flavors. Add a drizzle of olive oil and pulse until it seems right. That’s about all there is to it. In addition to the basic olive tapenade, I’m making a sundried-tomato tapenade and a fig and black olive tapenade. Tapenade is delicious spread on slices of baguette on its own or paired with cheese. It also makes a great sandwich spread!

Basic Olive Tapenade


Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Mixed Olives, pitted
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tsp Rosemary Leaves, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Capers
  • 1 Tbsp Parsley
  • 2 tsp Mustard
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 cup Olive Oil

Directions

Add all ingredients except olive oil to a food processor. Pulse until it begins to form a chunky paste. Add olive oil a little at a time and pulse until the tapenade reaches your desired consistency. (I prefer to leave it a bit chunky, but a fine spread consistency is also appropriate.) Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.

Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade


To make a sundried tomato tapenade, follow the same recipe as above, plus add 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes. Use the type which is found jarred in oil (drain the oil) or rehydrate dried tomatoes prior to adding.

Fig and Black Olive Tapenade


Follow the Basic Olive Tapenade recipe above, only use all black olives (Nicoise, Lyon, or Greek) and add 3/4 cup of dried Black Mission figs, which have been rehydrated by simmering in water until tender, about 20 minutes. (Inspired by Carrie Brown’s recipe as found on David Lebovitz’ blog, here.)

More pics and details about the other cheese dishes coming up later~

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Duck Breast a l’Orange in Crepes

Posted on August 5, 2010 by amydeline

Happy National Waffle and National Oyster Day! In honor of these special occasions, I’ll be making oyster waffles today!

Don’t worry. I’m totally kidding. We don’t need to celebrate every food holiday.

No, we will not be having oyster waffles today. We’re having crepes. I was watching a show on the Food Network the other night, Best Thing I Ever Ate, where top chefs shared, you guessed it, the best things they’ve ever eaten. Chef Beau Macmillan talked about these crepes filled with Nutella and covered with strawberries and bananas that he ate at a place called FlipHappy in Austin, Texas. Everything about them looked delicious. I set my mind on making crepes sometime this week. Since I’ve already shared a dessert recipe this week, I figured I should make savory crepes. It took me all of about a minute to decide what to make.

I’ve had Duck a l’Orange cued in my draft list for weeks, just waiting for the right opportunity. I’d planned to serve the sliced duck breast a l’orange with rice or potatoes, perhaps pommes dauphinoise. But something about the sweet and savory orange sauce with orange zest and juicy orange supremes is screaming to put in a crepe. I think I’ve found my perfect opportunity to make duck a l’orange.

Don’t be put off by the fancy name and don’t be intimidated if you’ve never made duck before. This meal is really a piece of cake. Make it for a dinner party and impress your guests with your fancy French dish. Really impress them by talking about how you started with a gastrique (which is just the slightly caramelized sugar/vinegar combination that starts the sauce). Bowl them over by mentioning that you reduced the orange juice to concentrate the flavor or comment on the fresh orange supremes. Chat about how you rendered the duck fat or how you mounted the sauce with butter just prior to serving, to give it a nice, rich feel. Then, toss your hair back, giggle, and say, “Really, it was nothing.” Seriously though, this dish is really not too complicated to make and works really well for dinner parties since it can be mostly prepared ahead of time.

For the purpose of this recipe, we’re using duck breasts. No need to deal with a whole duck. My supermarket carries packaged duck breasts right near the poultry section. If you can’t find them at your grocery store, try asking at the butcher counter. They may be able to order them for you. Doesn’t hurt to ask. The packaged duck breasts I purchased came pre-scored, for my convenience. If yours are not, you’ll want to cut a crosshatch pattern in the fat, being careful not to cut into the meat. The crosshatch pattern will help the fat the break down during cooking.

You can prepare the sauce and even cook the duck ahead of time. Zest and supreme your oranges beforehand too. When dinner rolls around, you’ll simply need to cook the crepes, reheat the sauce with the duck and orange supremes. Add the zest and butter and you’ll be in business!

Edited to add: As I discovered last night, the crepes actually reheat well too. Wrap the cooked crepes in foil and refrigerate until you’re ready to use. To reheat, place the stack of crepes between two paper towels and microwave for about 20 seconds or so.

Duck Breast a l’Orange in Crepes

Ingredients

For the Duck

  • 2 Duck Breasts
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/8 cup White Wine Vinegar
  • 2 Ice Cubes
  • 1 cup Orange Juice
  • 1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch
  • 2 tsp Water
  • 1 Tbsp Butter, cold
  • 2 Oranges, supremed*
  • Zest from 1 Orange
  • Salt and Pepper

* Click here to see how to supreme an orange.

For the Crepes

  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 1 1/4 cup Milk, plus a bit more if necessary
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Sugar

Directions

For the sauce: Combine sugar and vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to turn a medium amber color. Remove from heat. Add an ice cube or two to stop the cooking, so it does not become too dark or burn. (This is your gastrique.)

Add the orange juice. Whisk to combine and return to the heat. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes until the sauce has reduced to 1/2 cup. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until about 1 cup of sauce remains. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add a spoonful of the hot sauce to the cornstarch mixture. Then add the mixture to the sauce. Simmer for another minute or two until the sauce is well thickened. Season with a little salt and pepper. Remove from heat. You can prepare the sauce to this point ahead of time.

For the duck: Season the duck breasts with a little salt and pepper. Heat a pan over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when it touches to pan. Place the duck breasts in the pan, fatty side down. Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Most of the fat will render (melt away) and you’ll be left with a thin crispy layer of fat.

Turn the breasts, cover, and cook on the other side for about 10 minutes. They should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, as measured by an instant-read meat thermometer. Remove from the pan and allow the duck breasts to rest for about 5 minutes. Remove the remaining layer of fat, if desired. Cut the duck breast into small pieces.

For the crepes:

Lightly beat the eggs with the salt. Combine the eggs with the flour, milk, oil, and sugar. Add additional milk, if necessary. The batter should move very easily, but not be overly liquidy. Spray a flat-bottom, nonstick skillet with cooking spray, then heat the skillet over medium heat. Hold the pan off the heat and use a measuring cup to pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the pan. Quickly, turn the pan to spread the batter across the entire bottom. Place the pan over the heat and cook for less than a minute. Use a spatula to loosen one of the edges. Then, use your hands to flip the crepe. Cook for a few seconds more on the other side. Make 8 crepes.

To assemble the dish:

When you’re ready to serve, reheat the sauce in a saucepan. Add the orange segments, about half of the orange zest and the pieces of duck. Toss to gently combine. Simmer gently for a few minutes until the duck and sauce are heated. Remove from the heat. Add the butter and gently swirl the mixture until it melts and blends with the sauce. Place a spoonful of the mixture onto one quarter of the crepe.

Fold the crepe in half over the mixture, then in half again to form a triangle shape.

Repeat for all crepes. Serve each person 2 prepared crepes. Drizzle with a little extra sauce, if desired. Garnish with the remaining orange zest.

Makes 4 Servings

**If you wish to make this duck a l’orange to serve in a way other than with crepes, you can follow the same procedure, but slice the duck, rather than cutting it into small pieces. Also, you can omit the cornstarch in the sauce. I added cornstarch to thicken the sauce to prevent the crepes from getting soggy, but if you’re not serving the dish with crepes, this is not a concern.

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