tipsyculinaryqueen

Red Wine Pot Roast With Cognac Mushroom Cream Gravy

2012-02-17T16:09:29-05:00

An ultimate comfort meal that warms you and sticks to your ribs, but only until your next workout :) Is there anything that wafts through the house and lingers in the air tantalizing your appetite more than pot roast?

I've tried different cuts of beef and so far here's what I've decided. Rump roast yields wonderful leftover slices for sandwiches. Chuck roast wins for juicy tenderness and flavor.

You may not think of a slab of red meat being melt in your mouth delicious but this chuck roast cooked with red wine, herbs, and vegetables will be pull apart tender and truly succulent!

I also love rosemary, sage, and thyme for roasts. Dill worked pretty well and blended with the veggies and potatoes but I like the earthiness of the first three with the roast and mushrooms! Personal preference and whatever you have on hand.

But we can't stop there...mushrooms and roast are just a natural pairing. Adding Cognac and cream to the gravy along with the sweet carrots, onions, and celery...oh yes! This may become a go-to comfort meal for you too!

Ingredients for roast

2 1/2 lb. Chuck Roast

4 Tbsp. Olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 Tbsp. flour

3 celery stalks

5 carrots

1 large onion

7 stalks fresh thyme

5 stems fresh rosemary

1/4 C. fresh sage

1 ½ C red wine (Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec or your favorite red J

1 C. beef stock

Ingredients for sauce

1 C. fresh mushrooms

1/4 C. roast liquid

1 Tbsp. Cognac

2 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. butter

3/4 C. heavy cream

3 to 4 Tbsp. of roast liquid

Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325. Pour 3 Tbsp. olive oil into a Dutch oven. Coat all sides of roast with salt, pepper, and then flour. Sear meat on all sides at medium-high heat. About 5 minutes on each side.

Remove roast from pan and set aside. Pour 1 more Tbsp. of olive oil into pan. Add celery, carrots, onion, and herbs. Cook until tender. About 15 minutes. Remove vegetables.

Pour in wine to de-glaze the pan for about 5 minutes. Then add beef stock and salt and pepper to taste. Add roast, vegetables, and herbs back into Dutch oven and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove everything from pan. Add mushrooms and roast liquid. Cook until tender. Pour in Cognac. In a separate bowl combine flour and butter. Mash together with a fork. Mixing this separately keeps it from getting lumpy in the sauce.

Blend the butter mixture into mushrooms until dissolved. Add cream. Stir constantly until smooth. Add the 3 to 4 Tbsp. roast liquid if necessary to thin slightly. Serve over the roast and vegetables. It’s also super yummy to sneak in a mound of mashed potatoes underneath it all!

What's your favorite cut of meat for pot roast? Which herbs and wine do you like? Please share recipes in the comments below!

Rosemary Rum Orange Glazed Salmon With Orange Mango Rum Salsa

2012-02-14T12:12:22-05:00

Mango salsa is so bright, fresh, full of citrus, spice, and protein substance from the black beans! It pairs deliciously over salmon for dinner or on top of a lime tortilla chip for a salty snack.

Plain white rice rounds out a healthy meal.You could also make fish tacos with whole wheat tortillas or white, if you prefer.

This is a super simple glaze for the salmon. I try to eat wild salmon instead of farm raised for the extra omega fat benefit, but find that it’s drier and tastes a bit stronger.In this picture I drizzled a little olive oil and some fresh dill on it before baking. Very easy and dill is the perfect partner on salmon.

That’s all you need for farm raised but I prefer to dress the wild in a sauce or glaze. So I’m including a recipe for that.

Orange Mango Rum Salsa

1 mango, chopped in ½ inch chunks

½ C canned black beans (rinsed and drained)

½ C canned corn (drained)

½ C orange and yellow bell pepper (you can use green or red as far as taste is concerned. I was just sticking with the sunny warm color theme:)

1 jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped in small pieces

2 Tbsp. fresh chives

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon

zest of 1 lime

½ oz. triple sec

½ oz. mango rum

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least a few hours to chill and allow the flavors to meld together.

Rosemary, Rum And Orange Glazed Salmon

2 - 7 oz salmon fillets

1 C. orange marmalade

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (I like Jack Daniels #7 but you can use whatever spicy brown mustard you have on hand)

1 oz dark rum

2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped fine with a knife

¼ tsp black pepper

dash of salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place fillets on a baking sheet.

Spoon marmalade into a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add mustard and rum. Heat until it starts to bubble, stirring frequently. Then turn down to medium low until it thickens into a glaze consistency. When you turn the heat down add remaining ingredients.

Put half of glaze into a small bowl and brush over raw salmon fillets. Discard that bowl and brush into the sink. I like my salmon between medium and well. Still moist but done. If you like it rare to medium cook less than 15 minutes. I usually bake mine approximately 15 – 20 minutes.

When it comes out of the oven take a clean brush and paint the rest of the glaze in the pan over each fish. You could serve it over rice, stop there, and it’s absolutely yummy! But if you want to go beyond that, and you know you do :) spoon on the salsa and savor the explosion of flavors spreading over your palate!

Make sure you have some tortilla chips handy to enjoy the leftover salsa!

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Rosemary Pinot Chicken Stir Fry

2012-02-11T15:46:21-05:00

The one place it’s okay to clash colors is in the kitchen. In a stir fry anything goes so mix and match your favorite veggies. It’s all about the crunch, from the peppers and onions to the noodles and nuts on top.

I’m not a worldly Asian food fan but I enjoy sautéing a simple healthy meal with chicken and vegetables. This one is full of flavor from the herbs and red wine. Chinese noodles and cashews give you a nice salty finish.

I love doing stir fry dishes Chinese style in a smoking hot peanut oil coated traditional wok but right now mine is packed away in storage. So for now a non-stick skillet will work.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. dark sesame oil

3 boneless chicken thighs (cut into 1 inch pieces)

1 medium red onion

2 C bell pepper (combine red, yellow, and orange)

1 C fresh mushrooms

½ lb fresh sugar snap peas

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. fresh rosemary

3 Tbsp. fresh parsley

3 Tbsp. fresh chives

3 tsp. sesame seeds

¼ C Pinot Noir red wine

½ C Chow Mein noodles

½ C cashew halves

long grain rice such as Jasmine, Basmati, or Uncle Ben’s (cook according to package directions)

Directions

Heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Pour in sesame oil. Once hot, add chicken. Stir constantly. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Then toss in onion, peppers, and mushrooms. Saute 2 or 3 minutes. Then add peas, salt, pepper, and herbs. Stir in sesame seeds. Cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Turn heat down to medium. Pour in wine and allow it to cook down until chicken is no longer pink. Serve over rice and top with noodles and cashews.

There are so many variations with stir fry dishes. You can use peanut oil instead of sesame or a combination. Peanut oil is pretty subtle, where as dark sesame is quite bold.

If you prefer not to use wine try fresh orange juice and some zest or chicken stock. Green onions can be substituted for chives. Cashews are soft and salty. Noodles and Chinese food just go together in my palate. You can also give this a drizzle of soy sauce if you like. Pour yourself a glass of Pinot and enjoy...

There are no rules, no right or wrong, which is the way I like to cook! Forget take-out food and instead take out whatever meat you have in the freezer like shrimp, beef, or pork. Combine with a few vegetables from your frig, whatever you have on hand. You can even buy stir fry sauces in the store to make it really easy.

Cruise through your local Asian food market for some culinary inspiration. I did that recently and discovered a few new ingredients that I’m experimenting with like plum sauce and coconut cream. But I’ll save those tasty results for another post!

What Chinese dish do you enjoy making in your kitchen? What's the most unusual Asian ingredient you've used or tasted?

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Lemon Basil White Chocolate Cheesecake Topped With Lemon Vodka Creme

2012-01-08T13:36:53-05:00

Lemon basil lends a hint of citrus while the white chocolate and sour cream creates a rich, tangy, creamy texture. I prefer more of a New York style drier type of cheesecake than a soft pudding version. To really send your palate over the moon I topped it with a lemon vodka marscapone cream topping.

I’m having a blast exploring the flavor combinations of these mini desserts. If you’re a cheesecake fan you’ll want to add this delicacy to your collection. If you’re not already one, this may transform you…

Lemon Basil White Chocolate Cheesecake Topped With Lemon Vodka Creme

Ingredients

For crust

17 cookies (I used Girl Scout Café Cookies. I’ve been experimenting with different kinds and find that you can use just about any cookie you like. A store bought shortbread or sugar cookie would also work as long as they’re not too thin)

For Filling

1 – 8 oz. package of full fat cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 C granulated white sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 large egg, room temperature

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. lemon zest

¼ tsp. dried lemon basil (I grow this fresh and dry it. If you can’t find this in a grocery store just use extra lemon zest)

¼ C full fat sour cream, room temperature

¼ C white chocolate, melted (use the real kind rather than coated white chocolate chips. There is a taste difference)

For Topping

½ C marscapone cheese, room temperature

¼ C lemon curd, room temperature

1 tbsp. lemon vodka

Directions for crust

Because I’m experimenting and developing my own variations of cheesecakes my recipes are smaller than they would typically be. So if you want the full size recipe double what I have here. This makes approximately 17 mini cakes.

Line muffin pans with foil liners and place a cookie in the bottom of each one. I've compared the use of cookie vs grinding the cookie with butter for a typical crumb crust. I found the crumb version produced too thick of a base for my taste. I prefer the focus to be on the filling. Some feel the crust is the best part. Using cookies provides an even, moist support and no matter wihich kind I've used it softens right up when baked along with the cheesecake.

For this cheesecake I used a homemade brownie recipe and was quite pleased with the results!

Directions for filling

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

With a hand mixer beat cream cheese on low speed until creamy and smooth. It’s important to use low so you do not add too much air into the mixing process, which could cause cracking on the top of the cake. Add sugar and salt. Beat to combine. Keep sides of bowl scraped down. Add egg, beating until incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and beat just until blended. Overmixing can also cause cracking.

Distribute batter evenly among all muffin cups. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until set. The top should look a little wet and the center a little wobbly. Resist the urge to leave them beyond this time. Over baking can create cracking too.

If you’ve never baked cheesecake before it can be difficult to tell when they’re done. This is made more complicated because you can’t taste test or poke them as cheesecakes must rest in the refrigerator to develop their optimum texture.

Remove cheesecakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least several hours, ideally overnight. Delicious plain but even better with the following cream sauce…

Directions for topping

Stir marscapone and lemon curd together until blended. Add vodka. Spoon onto center of each cheesecake and enjoy. These can be kept in the frig for up to a week and in the freezer for 3 to 5 months. This particular recipe can be frozen with the topping. To freeze, place in a single layer inside of a tightly sealed Tupperware container.

NOTE - To avoid condensation forming on top of cakes make sure they are completely cooled before refrigerating.

To thaw, remove from tupperware and place on racks. Do not leave them in the containers because condensation can form and drip onto the cheesecakes leaving you with a faded watered down version of your beautiful dessert.

It's a very rich dessert but these minis are the perfect size to satisfy your cheesecake cravings!

If you decide to try these I'd love to hear how they turn out! If you have a favorite cheesecake please share!

Bailey's Mint Chocolate Marscapone Cheesecake With Mint Chocolate Brownie Crust

2011-12-18T15:35:07-05:00

Mint, chocolate, liqueur, and 2 kinds of cheese...a tantalizing blend stirred up in my kitchen to form a dainty little delicacy layered with flavors that will arouse your palate and pleasure your senses.

I'm doing a series of as many cheesecakes as I can dream up with different filling and crust ideas. As scrumptious as it would be, I didn't want to stack my frig or freezer with the full size version so I decided to make mini cheesecakes. Why have 1 piece of something when you can enjoy mini(s) :) This strategy seems to go over well with guests too because it’s so rich.

Mint Chocolate Liqueur Cheesecake With A Mint Chocolate Brownie Crust

Crust Ingredients

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 stick unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 C. sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ C all purpose flour, sifted

½ tsp. fresh chocolate mint, ground fine (this is a plant I grow and it tastes like a Peppermint Pattie. If you don’t have this herb you can use ½ tsp. of dried mint or mint extract. It won’t have exactly the same chocolate and mint flavor but will have mint)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin tins with baking cups. I prefer the foil liners because they hold the shape of the cheesecake better.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a 2 quart bowl in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Mix well with a spatula. Add the flour and stir to combine. Fold in chocolate mint herb.

Pour approximately ½ tbsp. of batter in each of the muffin cups. Spray back of spoon with cooking spray and smooth out batter. Bake until set but still slightly soft, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Cheesecake Ingredients

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

4 oz marscapone cheese, room temperature

1/3 C white granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 large egg, room temperature

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. Bailey’s Irish Crème with Mint Chocolate

¼ Cup 60% bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

¼ Cup sour crème, room temperature

While crust is baking, prepare cheesecake. Using an electric or hand mixer beat cream cheese and marscapone until creamy and smooth. It’s VERY IMPORTANT to beat on low speed and only enough to combine everything with cheesecakes to avoid cracking.

Add sugar and salt, beating to combine. Scrape down sides of bowl so everything gets blended. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well. Add the vanilla, Baileys Irish Crème and Mint Chocolate liqueur, sour crème, and melted chocolate. Beat just until incorporated. Again, it's VERY IMPORTANT to not over mix.

Distribute batter evenly between muffin cups. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until firm, but center is still wobbly and looks a little wet. One more VERY IMPORTANT tip…Cheesecake must be removed from the oven when it looks like it’s not done. Otherwise the top may crack. It can be challenging and may take more than once to reach the delicate baking balance for these delightfully creamy delicacies.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure they’re completely cooled before you refrigerate to avoid condensation forming on top of cakes. These need to cool and set in the frig for at least a few hours, ideally overnight, otherwise they won't be the right texture. Store in tupperware containers for up to a week in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer.

To thaw them out remove from freezer and take cheesecakes out of the containers and place on wire racks. Dry out the Tupperware to prevent condensation from dripping onto cakes. When they’ve thawed place back in containers to store or transport.

As you sink the spoon in through the pillowy mint whipped creme, then the dense chocolate cheese custard, soft brownie crust, and finally, a hit of chocolate mint! This is how the flavors roll over your tongue, in waves! Close your eyes, savor, dive in for another bite....

What is your favorite cheesecake recipe?

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