Fun with Paula Deen

 

I’m always interested in coming up with something new and different to take to a party, preferably an appetizer that travels well and isn’t too much trouble. A friend of mine told me about this cheese ball-esque appetizer that wowed everyone at a party and promised she would track down the recipe. It took a while but I got it in time to make for a New Year’s Eve party. It’s Paula Deen’s recipe, Pesto Cheese Blossoms, which I simplified – come on, do you really want to make pesto if you don’t have to? You can serve it any time of year, just make it the day before. It truly is delicious, with the flavors of sundried tomatoes, pesto, cream cheese and garlic. And don’t forget provolone, which I discovered I really like.

• 1 (8-ounce) package sliced provolone cheese
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 20 pistachios, shelled
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 7oz carton prepared pesto (I used Trader Joe’s Genoa style pesto)

Line a medium bowl with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang to cover the top. Reserving 3 slices of the provolone, line the bottom and sides of the bowl with the remaining provolone, overlapping the slices. For the cream cheese layer, process the cream cheese, pistachios, and the garlic clove in a food processor until blended; scrape the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

For the tomato layer, drain the tomatoes, reserving the oil. Puree the tomatoes with a small amount of the reserved oil in a food processor. Spread some of the cream cheese mixture over the cheese slices lining the bowl. Layer the pesto, half of the remaining cream cheese mixture, the sun-dried tomato mixture, and then remaining cream mixture in the bowl. Cover with the remaining provolone. Bring the edges of the plastic wrap together over the top and secure with a twist tie. Refrigerate overnight until firm. Remove the plastic wrap and invert the mold onto a serving platter. Serve with party crackers.

The original recipe called for freezing the bowl of cheese and goodies, and doubtful though I was, I went along to get along. After unmolding it, I found quite a long time was required for sufficient thawing. Therefore, I recommend, and will implement the technique of refrigerating it overnight in the future. It was a hit, by the way.

One more thing, I don’t love liver, but I do love liver pate and fois gras. Paul has a wonderful habit of bringing home the food section of the newspapers from his travels. Last May I read a recipe for chicken liver mousse and was instantly intrigued; it didn’t look too hard. As background, many years ago I opted to try making Julia Child’s recipe for chicken liver terrine. If you are familiar with her old cookbooks, you know her instructions go on and on. I wasn’t nearly the cook I am now but I forged on anyway. What a hellish experience, which I vowed never to repeat! This current recipe is for the intermediate cook, and I found it fun to make as well as delicious to eat. Please note, I bought an airline sized bottle of Calvados brandy, but I bet plain good brandy would be fine. I’m sorry to report there were more than a few Philistines present who didn’t try it, but those who did found it wonderful. So for you pate lovers, here’s the link: http://www.sfgate.com/food/recipes/detail.html?p=detail&rid=18674&sorig=qs . Have fun!

Heavenly High Class Pot Pie

Paul was salivating over the recent Williams Sonoma catalog, mainly over the incredibly expensive cuts of meat, like the $175 five pound prime rib. Kind of reminded of mooning over the Sears and J.C. Penney Christmas catalogs, filled with toys that I coveted as a child. I decided to give it a look-see, strictly for fun and got reeled in by the Short Rib Wellington Potpie recipe. Of course they featured the Le Creuset Dutch oven that was the perfect match. When Paul offered to get it for me for Christmas I went for it. You see, I couldn’t care less about diamonds, but start talking high quality cookware and I’m there. I’m such a cheap date! Just want to add, enamelled cast iron cookware is the best for braising and stewing, particularly in the oven. It can be Staub or Lodge as well; the heaviness promotes even heating. I highly recommended having at least a D utch oven.

The decision had been made by me to make a non-traditional (for us) Christmas dinner. All my life we have always had turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas. While I love the sight and smell of an oven roasted turkey, I really only like the skin, part of the wing, and the tail. The rest can go hang. So when I was working on a completely different menu, I decided to make this recipe as a SIDE DISH for Christmas dinner. Paul insisted I beta-test it before hand, which I did. It was rich and delicious. You don’t have to make it for Christmas dinner but it’s a great winter dish. Go do it!

Beef Wellington Pot Pie

2 ¼ lb. tri-tip roast, cut into 1” chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbs olive oil
¼ pound pancetta or prosciutto, ¼” thick and cut into ¼” dice
¾ lb. cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup red wine
1 ½ tbs Better Than Bouillon, or equivalent product
3 cups beef broth
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cups frozen pearl onions
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 sheet puff pastry, rolled out 10”-11” square
1 egg plus 1 tsp. water, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Season beef with salt and pepper. In 3 ½ qt wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm oil. Brown beef on all sides, in batches, 8-10 minutes per batch. Transfer to bowl. Reduce heat to medium. Add pancetta, cook until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Add to bowl with beef. Increase heat to medium-high; cook mushrooms until tender, about 8 minutes. Add to bowl with beef.

Pour off excess fat in pot. Return pot to medium heat; melt butter. Stir in flour, cook, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes. Whisk in wine and Better Than Bouillon, cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in stock; bring to a simmer. Add thyme, bay leaf, pearl onions, beef, pancetta and mushrooms. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Cover pot, bake until beef is fork-tender, 2-2 ½ hours. Discard bay leaf, spoon off excess fat. Stir in parsley.

Increase oven temp to 400. Place puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Using sharp knife, score pastry with diagonal lines 2” apart, forming a diamond pattern. Brush edge of pot with water, and place pastry over pot. Press edges to seal. Trim overhanging pastry to 1”, brush with egg wash. Transfer to oven; bake until puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Serves 6-8.

The original recipe called for prosciutto but being partial to pancetta, I used that. This morning while doing my final Christmas dinner shopping I was going to get prosciutto, but there was a tub of already diced pancetta on the shelf, in just the right amount! You know what I did. Re the photo, I snagged it from the catalog, as I forgot to photograph my beta-version. I trust you will let me slide.

Don’t Hog All The Oysters

I’ve never been an oyster lover. I’ve had oyster shooters (raw, in a shot glass, with vodka and condiments) in the far distant past. Once I tried grilling oysters; they were supposed to pop open like clams. They never did; they were so overcooked they were inedible.

Now Paul, my beloved husband, had grilled oysters at Hog Island Oyster in the Oxbow Public Market in Napa. (Also in the Ferry Building in San Francisco.) They are shucked, grilled on the half shell, and bathed in bagna cauda (a hot butter and garlic concoction.) He swooned so completely that he texted me a picture of what he was having. Frankly, I had a hard time telling what the picture was, but I took him at his word.

We recently decided to spend a weekend in Geyserville, a village, really, in Sonoma County. Paul was anxious to have those oysters again, so I agreed to detour through Napa and make an oyster stop. I must agree that they were wonderful, flavorful, tender, just barely cooked. The menu detailed the ingredients; the grill man told me how to cook them. I was set. I made them a few days ago and they turned out really good. Paul said some little something was missing, perhaps a squeeze of lemon. At any rate, if you decide to try it, the shucking is the awful part. They wouldn’t open, couldn’t slip that shucking knife in for nothing. He finally had me fetch his rubber mallet and whacked them on the hinge. Mission accomplished.

Grilled Oysters

1 dozen oysters shucked and on the half shell
½ cube butter
1 minced shallot
1 minced clove garlic
¼ teaspoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon Italian parsley

Melt last 5 ingredients over medium low heat. Place oysters on a really hot grill; try not to spill natural oyster juices. Spoon bagna cauda mixture in each oyster. Grill 2 to 3 minutes until oysters are barely done and bagna cauda is bubbly. Oysters should be hot and very tender. Serve with lemon wedges. Mangia!

As a side note, Sonoma County is loaded with wine makers. At our B&B they have a different wine maker come every Friday night to talk about and taste wine. Our guy, Brad, from Mercury wine, regaled us with wine making lore and plied us with four different wines. That was loads of fun. Then we walked 2 blocks to El Diavolo for thin crust pizza (divine). El Diavolo is an Italian place, and was jumping. Marvelous, considering Geyserville has one street just a few blocks long. If you decide to go you can’t miss it. Really.