Tag: cookbook

Entertaining on Mother’s Day? Have a party planned for spring?  How about a graduation?  The Everest Spoons will make a memorable impression on your guests!

by Jean Joho with Chandra Ram
from The Eiffel Tower Restaurant Cookbook
(Chronicle, 2008)
Serves 12

When I came to America to reopen Maxim’s restaurant in Chicago, a supplier sent me iced tea spoons for the restaurant. In France, we don’t drink iced tea, so I had no idea what they were. But I thought the long handles were elegant, and when I opened Everest in Chicago, I created different flavors to serve in the spoons as amuse-bouches. We became famous for the spoons, but after many years of serving them at Everest, I decided to offer them exclusively at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. Now, when people who have been long-time guests at Everest visit us in Las Vegas, they are reunited with the spoons.

Ingredients
For the cauliflower and caviar spoons
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower florets
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
White peppercorns in a pepper grinder
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ounce osetra caviar

For the smoked salmon spoons
6 ounces smoked salmon
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Dill sprigs for garnish
Salmon roe for garnish

For the roquefort and walnut spoons
1 cup (5 ounces) crumbled Roquefort cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons Gewürztraminer wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
20 black walnut halves, toasted (see Note)

Method
Make the cauliflower and caviar spoons
1. Pour the water into an 2-quart saucepan. Add the cauliflower and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and return it to the pan. Cook the cauliflower over medium heat, stirring gently, for about 5 minutes to evaporate as much moisture as possible.

2. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth, turning off the blender and scraping down the sides several times, if necessary, to ensure an even, creamy consistency. Blend in the crème fraîche. Transfer the purée to a bowl and season with salt to taste and 6 grinds of white pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

3. Before serving, whip the cream in a deep bowl and fold it into the purée. Place the cauliflower mousse in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round pastry tip. Pipe the mousse into each of 12 regular or iced tea spoons, and top each serving with a little caviar.

Make the smoked salmon spoons
1. In a food processor, combine the salmon, shallot, horseradish, crème fraîche, white pepper, and salt. Purée until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

2. Before serving, whip the cream in a deep bowl until it forms stiff peaks. Fold it into the purée. Spoon the mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round pastry tip. Pipe the mousse into 12 regular or iced tea spoons, and top each serving with a dill sprig and a little salmon roe.

Make the roquefort and walnut spoons
1. In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, and wine. Cover and process until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the cream until smooth.

2. Spoon the mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round pastry tip. Pipe the mousse into 12 regular or iced tea spoons and garnish each with a black walnut half.

Note: To toast the nuts spread the nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. If they need more time, remember to keep checking them every minute; it only takes a moment for them to go from perfectly toasted to burnt.

Recipe © 2008 French Cafe LLC. All rights reserved.

by Gale Gand
from Gale Gand’s Brunch!: 100 Fantastic Recipes for the Weekend’s Best Meal
(Clarkson Potter, 2009)
Makes one 8-inch square cake; serves 8

My grandma Elsie on my mother’s side was a great baker in the Austro-Hungarian tradition. Strudels, poppy seed cakes, coffee cakes, and cookies always seemed to be in her kitchen when we visited.

I found a great apple streusel coffee cake recipe in her card files when I became the keeper of those treasures. Here it is, revived, with my little twist of using pears instead of apples.

Ingredients
For the cake
Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 ripe pears (I like Bartlett), unpeeled, cored and chopped (1 1/2 cups)

For the streusel topping
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method
1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

Make the cake
1. Combine the flour with the baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then mix in the milk and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the pears, and mix well.

3. Pour this into the buttered baking dish.

Make the streusel
1. Mix the sugar, flour, cold butter, and cinnamon in a bowl by pinching them together with your fingers until well combined. Sprinkle over the top of the batter.

2. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until it is golden and dry on top. Cool in the pan, and then cut into squares. This cake keeps for up to 4 days, covered, at room temperature.

Recipe © 2009 Gale Gand. All rights reserved.

by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas
from A Century of Flavor
(The Cookbook Marketplace, 2008)
Serves 4 to 6

What a splash of color this this spicy tequila shrimp dish will add to your table. You can adjust the heat by adding or subtracting the jalapeño peppers. In this recipe, Mexican vanilla extract complements the flavors of cinnamon, spicy chile peppers, thyme, and oregano. Add a margarita and some warm tortillas for a quick and tasty dinner.

Ingredients
For the tequila marinade
1/4 cup tequila
2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract
1 small stick cinnamon, preferably Mexican
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
3 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

For the shrimp
1 to 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced
One 6-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup cool water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Hot cooked rice

Method
Make the marinade
1. Combine the tequila, vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, olive oil, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, if using, garlic, thyme and oregano in a sealable plastic bag.

Make the shrimp
1. Add the shrimp to the tequila marinade and seal the bag, turning to coat the shrimp. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the bag occasionally.

2. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and marinade. Saute until the shrimp begin to change color. Add the onions, bell peppers, the jalapeño chiles, and tomatoes. Cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp and the shrimp turn pink.

3. Combine the water and cornstarch in a small cup and mix until the cornstarch is dissolved. Cook the shrimp mixture for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the cornstarch mixture and cook until the mixture begins to thicken. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Recipe © 2008 by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Inc. All rights reserved.