Recipes

Meatloaf Sliders

Preheat oven to 350F

2T butter

1 medium yellow onion-chopped

2 ½ lbs of ground beef (90%lean)

2 large eggs, beaten

1C seasoned bread crumbs (Progresso et al)

2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

2/3 cup ketchup

Melt butter over medium heat until frothy. Sautee onion in butter over med heat until translucent and golden. Remove from heat and remove onion from pan to a small bowl to cool. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs. Mix salt, pepper and breadcrumbs then add this mixture to the eggs. Add Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and sautéed onion. Using a wooden spoon or kitchen aid mixer, mix in ground beef until fully blended.

For each slider use ¼ C of the meat mixture to make a loosely packed meatball and place it into one slot of a full sized 12ct muffin pan. The “meatballs” can be mounded up slightly over the neck of the tin in a peak. Using 90% lean meat cuts down on the fat that might ooze out of the tin and splatter. However, I typically place the tin on a larger cookie sheet just in case some of the fat splatters out.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 min. The tops of the sliders should be slightly crusty and fully browned – similar to a grilled hamburger. Remove the sliders from the muffin tin and top with your cheese of choice. Serve with toasted rolls or plate side with veg, salad and......tater tots!

Chocolate Truffle Cake

325 45minutes – greased 9” springform pan

1C Graham cracker crumbs

1/4C butter melted

2Tbsp sugar

16oz of semisweet chocolate – chopped

1C whipping cream

6 eggs – beaten

3/4C sugar

1/3C all purpose flour

Crust: set oven for 350. Combine cracker crumbs, melted butter and 2 Tbsp sugar. Using a large flat spatula or waxed paper press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and about 1 and ½ inches of the sides of the springform pan. Bake crust for 6-8 min until golden brown. Set aside.

Reset oven for 325F

Filling: In a large saucepan cook and stir chocolate and whipping cream over low heat until the chocolate melts. Stir frequently. Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl. Set aside

In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, the 3/4C sugar, and flour. Beat on medium speed for 10 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Fold 1/4^th of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture. Fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining egg mixture. When the 2 mixtures are blended well pour into the crust lined pan.

Bake at 325F for 45 minutes or until the cake is puffed around the edges. A slight crack may appear in the center. The center should be slightly soft. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Even if you plan to serve the cake much later – after 20 minutes of cooling remove the sides of the pan and cool for 4 hours. If not the crust may stick to the sides.

Serve with fresh berries or fruit compote and whipped cream.

Wine: 2005 Taylor Fladgate LBV Port

Rum Balls - not for the kiddos

3 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (1 12oz box)
1C. confectioners’ sugar
1/4C unsweetened cocoa
1/3C dark rum (I use Meyer’s Dark)
1C light corn syrup Break cookies then place in a blender to make crumbs. Mix vanilla wafer crumbs, confectioners’ sugar and unsweetened cocoa. Stir in dark rum, light syrup until well blended. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Store in tightly covered container. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen.

Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche

A level 3 student prepared this for the BU food and wine pairing class. It was so delicious I made it for my Christmas party to much acclaim.

1 LB Bay Scallops quartered

1 LB uncooked shrimp peeled, deveined, and chopped into same size as scallops

1C (about 12) whole cherry tomatoes roughly chopped

2 green or red Serrano chiles seeded and minced

¾ C chopped fresh cilantro – plus additional for garnish

1C diced and peeled jicama

½ C red onion, finely chopped

1/3C fresh orange juice

1C fresh lemon juice

1/2 C fresh lime juice

2 avocado diced

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients except for avocado in nonreactive bowl and stir to mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 16, stirring occasionally. Add avocado. Use a slotted spoon and serve in 4oz glasses. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Reduction: Travessia Jester, an American Red Wine, Vinted in New Bedford MA

Visit Travessia at http://www.travessiawine.com/

Serves 6 – start to finish about 90 minutes

1 boneless pork tenderloin roast (2 ½ to 3lbs)

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Can of whole berry cranberry sauce (16oz)

1 tsp dry mustard

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ C sugar

½ C Travessia Jester wine

Preheat oven to Roast 350F. On stovetop, heat olive oil over medium heat in large sauté pan. Add garlic stirring until just brown, 5 minutes. In the hot oil, quickly brown all sides of the tenderloin. Place browned pork in roasting pan. If the pork tenderloin comes in two pieces, secure both pieces together at each end with cooking twine. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and tightly cover the roast in foil in its pan. Let the roast rest covered in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Meat thermometer should read 160F before serving. Do not overcook.

While the roast is cooking….

Sauce: In a medium saucepan mix cranberry sauce, mustard, cloves, sugar, and wine. Bring to a boil uncovered, over medium high heat. Lower heat to medium and let simmer uncovered while the roast cooks. Stir occasionally. In about 30 minutes the sauce will thicken and reduce by half.

Cut the roast into 3/4 inch pieces and plate. Spoon the sauce over the meat. Sprinkle with dried tarragon leaves for garnish.

Serve with pan roasted red bliss potatoes, steamed green beans topped with grated Manchego cheese and baby green salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Zucchini Pancakes Serves 4 – 16 Pancakes (this is never enough so we make a double batch)

2 cups finely shredded fresh zucchini (size 2x8) – drain ½ hr (this can be done ahead of time and frozen)

4 Lg eggs beaten

¼ C finely chopped onion

1Tbsp parsley

1tsp. oregano

½ C Feta or grated Swiss

¾ C all purpose flour

½ tsp. granulated sugar

½ tsp salt

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for the pan)

4 tsp baking powder

¼ C melted butter (to coat finished pancakes)

Preheat griddle to 425-450 F or heavy duty frying pan to medium high heat and Preheat oven to 250 F – to keep pancakes warm

Wash and shred unpeeled zucchini on a fine shredder. Let the pile of shredded zucchini drain in a colander for ½ hr until just moist. If the squash is too wet the pancakes will be soupy.

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs. Add zucchini, onion, parsley, oregano, cheese and mix well using a fork.

Add flour, sugar, salt and olive oil and stir well to blend.

Finally, add baking powder and mix using a spoon (batter consistency should be like heavy whipping cream)

Rub the griddle or frying pan with oil before cooking each batch of pancakes. Spoon batter (2 tbsp per pancake)Cook until bubbles on the top of the pancake almost stop (90 sec) then flip for another 90 sec

When cooked rub pancakes with melted butter and place in preheated oven until ready to serve. Excellent with a tangy dollup of greek yogurt

Recipe: Chicken Salad with Cranberries Apples and Pecans with Toad Hollow Sonoma Rose of Pinot Noir

The cranberries and nuts add a touch of sweetness to this dish. The Rose is deeply colored pink. Medium plus aromatics of strawberries and rose petals. A subtle hint of rosemary adds a sweet herbal note to the nose. This completely dry wine works well with this dish because it is full bodied with medium plus acidity to cut through the impact of the mayonnaise on the palate. This wine works best if the salad is served on a bed of baby greens minimizing bitterness with a drizzle of off dry strawberry vinegrette or in a neutral flavored whole wheat wrap.

Prepare the chicken breasts:

4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
4 cups of Chicken Broth
1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
1 medium onion
5-6 sprigs of fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon thyme
Pinch of salt
Dash of pepper

To prepare the salad:

¼ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¾ cup dried sweetened cranberries
½ cup chopped pecans
1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
¼ cup mayonnaise - if you are making ahead of time you can add more just before serving
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the chicken, carrot, celery, onion, parsley, salt and pepper in a small pot. Add chicken broth to just cover everything. Over medium heat, cook the chicken until cooked through (simmer for about 20 minutes).You can make this in the morning and leave it in the pot during the day - just remember to shut off the stove! When cooked, remove the chicken allow to cool enough to handle. I have found that it is best to cut the chicken and make the salad right away so that the chicken does not dry out.

Dice the chicken into small cubes and place in a large bowl. Add the chopped celery, chopped onion, dried cranberries, diced apples and pecans. Mix well.

In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the mayonnaise mixture to the chicken and toss until the salad is well coated. Tastes best when the salad is allowed to marry for 1-3 hours.

BEEF STROGANOFF - CHATEAU THIEULEY BORDEAUX

Wine:This simple dish is perfect for a Merlot dominant Bordeaux with "just" ripe fruit, ample tannin, and an undercurrant of earth and green bell pepper paring well with chewy steak, sweet earthen flavors and cream sauce. The fresh fruit on the salad seals the deal. - Chateau Thieuley Bordeaux AC $17.99 http://thieuley.com/PDF-Mise-a-jour/PDF-wines/ROU.eng.pdf

1 1/2 pounds cubed round steak, cut into thin strips

2 tbsp flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter (I use sparingly)

1 medium onion, sliced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 cup beef broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Salt and black pepper

1 cup sour cream (I use the whole 16oz carton)

Cooked egg noodles or fettuccini

I slice the steak while still slightly frozen. Season the steak strips with salt and pepper, then dust with flour. In a large skillet melt butter in warm olive oil until froth disappears. (Very) Quickly brown strips of meat on both sides in the olive oil and butter. (I tend to leave them rare b/c they will continue to cook in sauce) Remove the steak from the pan. Add the onion slices and mushrooms to the pan drippings. Saute for a few minutes, until the onion is tender. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour. Put the steak back into the pan with the onion and mushrooms. Add the mushroom soup and beef broth. Cook over very low heat for about 30 minutes, covered. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the sour cream the last few minutes, right before you serve. Serve over cooked noodles.

NB: Mom trick: always throw in a few extra veggies since most veggie haters will eat veg in cream sauce. Just before you add the sour cream throw in some par boiled broccoli or chopped asparagus. For a little smoky flavor, crumble some crispy bacon on the service. A healthy option is steamed broccoli on the side but diners can't help but dip it in the tasty cream sauce. A crusty piece of bread is the indulgent alternative!

Serve with a simple green salad. But since stroganoff can be gray and dreary on the plate I like to serve with a green salad topped with fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries and kiwi).