52 Ways to Cook: February 2013

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Croque-Monsieur or Croque Madame or Croque Provencal or a really fancy Ham and Cheese

I am begging you not to tell anyone (especially Jackie)...

I have a secret. I love very easy recipes that have the illusion of being complicated, and look spectacular (dare I say Restaurant Quality Presentation). You can make a simple version of this sandwich in 5 minutes (it's just a ham and cheese sandwich). You can make a ham and cheese and egg sandwich with just a tiny bit of effort, maybe an extra 5 minutes. But this spectacular presentation takes less than 15 minutes.

You can even fight the French and use scrambled eggs (Jackie's favorite) in place of a fried egg. Don't worry about fighting the French, they will surrender.

But, in order to make that joke, I digress from the sandwich...

But I have one more digression... This recipe is part of "the Project". "the Project" is something I will be working on for the next several weeks. It is part "Best of" series, like "Garlic Chipotle Parmesan Hamburger Buns for "the Project"; recipes that I have gotten right. But it is also a measurement of my evolution as a cook. This recipe and presentation is a perfect example of what I want to include in "the Project"... Why make something simple, when with just a tiny bit of extra effort, you can make a masterpiece.

And here is what I am talking about. Back on April 20th, my post for the day was..."A bad Croque Madame or a good Sandwich". Believe it or not, the sandwich to the right is the same sandwich shown above. The one on the right took less than 10 minutes. The one above took less than 15 minutes.

I'll take the one above.

Here's what I did...

I started with a fresh loaf of "Eng Bread - A Sweet loaf of French Bread for "the Project". You remember the post from yesterday. Just a simple French bread, uses a short rise time, but has a little extra sugar in the dough.

Cut the slices thick if you are going to make an open face sandwich (like shown). Or, cut a little thinner if you are going to make a more traditional sandwich (like the one shown in the groovy Marcia Brady tribute blue/green plate above.

And now we start getting a bit fancy...

French Toast!

First, "Eng Bread" makes terrific French Toast. The bread just soaks up the egg and cream mixture (heavy cream when possible to make French toast, whole milk in a pinch) far better than a slice of processed bread. The classic version of the sandwich has an egg served on the top. that is what separates a Croque-Monsieur from a Croque Madame. The theory is that the name change is because the fried egg on top looks like a ladies hat. Since, I was planning on making a Croque Madame anyway, adding a bit of egg flavor and texture and color to the sandwich makes sense to me.

And while the toast is toasting, take just a second to "pretty up" the ham. No need to just toss a couple of slices on top of the bread, take slices of thin sliced ham and roll them up. Set aside till the French toast is done, and then top the bread...

And now the cheese...

Pick a good melting cheese.

For this day, I made my Croque Madame with a Swiss cheese. Cheddar, mozzarella, or the traditional emmental or gruyere which is the "classic" ingredients of the sandwich.

And you have seen this herb mixture before. My version of "It's not your Grandmother's HERBES de PROVENCE" gets sprinkled over the cheese. Adds an extra taste, as well as an extra little something to the look. I keep a baggie of "I t's not your Grandmother's HERBES de PROVENCE" handy for just such an occasion. But a sprinkle of just about any Mediterranean herb will do just fine. A little Rosemary or Thyme. Some Dill or even "just" Garlic.

Pop this under the broiler for 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it, as there is a fine line between melted and burned.

But, while the cheese is melting, either fry up an egg or scramble some for your wife...

The sandwich served without the egg is a Croque-Monsieur. The sandwich served with an egg is a Croque Madame. When you add tomatoes, either on the side as a garnish, or included in the sandwich is a Croque Provencal.

But really, It's just a simple Ham and Cheese Sandwich.

Croque-Monsieur or Croque Madame or Croque Provencal
Serves 2

For the French Toast-
2 thick slices French bread
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Heavy Cream (whole milk can be substituted)

Toppings for the sandwich
10 slices thin sliced Ham
2 ounces Swiss Cheese (or any good melting cheese_
2 pinches "It's not your Grandmother's HERBES de PROVENCE" (Dill or Rosemary would also work fine)
Fried Egg, or a Scrambled Egg with fresh cracked Pepeer

Garnish with a sliced Roma Tomato

In a bowl, whisk two eggs and the heavy cream, soak both sides of the French bread.
Fry both sides in a non stick pan until the bread has a "toasted" appearance.
Top with ham (decoratively rolled if you like).
Top with cheese slices.
Top with Herbs
Pop under the broiler for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted
Top with a fried egg or scrambled egg, crack a pinch of pepper on the egg
Serve with tomato garnish

One more photo... While I was happy to make Jackie her favorite scrambled eggs, if you make a sunny side up egg, you get this extra little texture and taste...

Funny thing is, I love this part... Jackie hates it. But everyone can get the egg topping of their choice. The scrambled eggs looked terrific!

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This simple recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Breakfast Ideas!"

It's the most important meal of the day. From fancy to simple, there are always ways to dress up a breakfast dish. These are the meals that make Bed and Breakfast Inns legendary (and usually easier than you think).

Here's your chance to make your guests Ooh and Aah!

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Caribbean CARROT CAKE with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

Once again, blasting from my past when Island living was the life for me...

Fresh from St Thomas, US Virgin Isle...

All things in moderation...

On the surface, this may appear as a diet busting, hip expanding, arse load of calories recipe. Especially when that surface is a rich butter cream icing. Well, on the surface, it is indeed a high calorie recipe.

The PERFECT recipe to make for company. When it is just Jackie and I around the house; never, ever never, never would I have this in my fridge. But with company... At most, I am going to only eat 1/4th of the cake, and since I do the cutting, I can try to cut extra size pieces for my company without them noticing.

But, my my my, this is worth it...

Believe it or not... This is part of my weight loss plan...

Keep scrolling down for this easy to follow recipe...

CARIBBEAN CARROT CAKE

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 cup Canola Oil
2 large Eggs
1 cup Walnuts
1 1/2 cup grated Carrots
1/2 cup canned crushed Pineapple (include all but 2 TBS of the juice... Reserve the 2 TBS for the frosting)
1/2 cup shredded sweetened Coconut 1 tsp Cointreau (orange flavored liquor... can substitute Vanilla)
2 TBS Ground Cinnamon

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Whisk together the dry ingredients
Add one egg and the oil... Whisk, add the second egg, whisk
Add the walnuts, carrots and pineapple, pineapple whisk
Add the Cointreau and cinnamon.. whisk
oil and flour the bottom of two cake pans
fill each pan 1 inch of the batter
bake for @50 minutes (use the toothpick method to check that the center of the cake is done, you all know that trick)

Now it's time to make the frosting...

1 8 oz package Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Butter
2 TBS pineapple juice from the can of crushed pineapple used in the cake
1 tsp Cointreau (WHY NOT AGAIN??? You can sub Vanilla Extract)
1 cup Confectioner's Sugar

Cream together the butter and cream cheese
Add the juice and Cointreau and cream again
Slowly add the sugar and continue to cream
Let the cake cool completely before you frost

Look at all the fruit... look at all the veggies... Look at that frosting (sorry).

But just imagine the taste. And portion control, and palming at least half the cake off on your guests. Dessert is meant to be enjoyed. Just cut small slices. That way you can enjoy this dessert several days in a row.

Update on the challenge...

Much as I would like to, I am not counting this cake as a serving of fruit and vegetables. But I am still eating 4 servings of 'em a day. Bananas, oranges. apples and tomatoes are the easy ones. I eat them raw for breakfast and a mid morning snack. Always some type of vegetable at night. Again habit, a priority and always in my pantry. It really is surprising once you decide to eat a sliced tomato how "not hungry" you are for a big lunch.

Still no scale, so have no idea what I weigh (and don't care). Still wearing my 40 inch pants (my goal for the summer is to get into 38's). But this week, I did move down a notch on my belt.

Gotta go, me and the iguanna are gonna take a morning walk.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Orange Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Once again, fond memories of an incredible opportunity I had to live on St Thomas of the US Virgin Islands a few years ago... Summer salads YEAR ROUND SUMMER!

Enjoy one of my very favorites!

Oh My... Am I a food pornographer???

And this does indeed taste as good as it looks!

I hear it's going to be another hot weekend stateside for a lot of you. This comes together fast, is refreshingly light and adds a summer, tropical look and taste to your table. For just a minute, the Florida beaches and a cool summer breeze will remind you of the promise of summer we all expected last January.

Here's what to do...

Amounts depend on if you are making a side salad or using this as a main course (and keeping the oven from roasting your apartment). So, I am just going to say, "to taste" on the main ingredients...

Spinach
Orange

Topped with...
Blue Cheese crumbles
Walnut Pieces
Garlic (minced)

And the simple Vinaigrette
3 to 1 ratio of
3 parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 part Red Wine Vinegar
1 clove finely minced Garlic

Sweet Paprika as an accent for color

And that's it, it comes together fast and easy...

Mix the vinaigrette
Layer the Spinach and coat with 2/3rds of the vinaigrette
Slice the orange into thin 1/4 inch slices, remove the rind
Layer the orange slices, top with the walnuts and remaining garlic
add the final 1/3rd of the vinaigrette
finally, add the Blue Cheese and the paprika

Serve this in air conditioning, with a true southern Sweet Tea (float some orange slices in the pitcher of tea for a spectacular image)!

This is my second posting of this recipe. Originally inspired by Sam of MY CAROLINA KITCHEN. It has quickly become my very favorite summer salad. So simple, but lots of great tastes. Sam originally had more ingredients (Olives), and did not serve over spinach. A different take, but equally special. Click HERE to see and read what I believe is Sam's original post on the salad.

Stay cool, remember Fall is coming, and the weather will be the best of the year soon.

...

Mango Glazed Bacon ala Bobby Flay

Once again, another blast from my past during my days on St Thomas, US Virgin Isle...

THESE WERE AMAZING!

Consider this post Pork Porn Part 1... Pork Porn Part 2 will be what I do with these... And that will come tomorrow.

I got an order from Amazon.com over the weekend. In addition to a couple of murder mysteries, I ordered a couple of cook books that I have had on my wish list for a long time. Why, you may ask (oh wait, that's not you, that's my wife asking), am I ordering 10 pounds of books when I have to get them back to the states in only a couple of weeks?

Good question.

Well, in order to get free shipping on the two paperback murder mysteries I was really ordering, I needed to order just one more book. I just couldn't decide which I wanted more. So, in the words of my wife, "When we have to pay a fee for over weight luggage, that free shipping will be pretty expensive".

What a killjoy.

So... The only way to justify this weighty extravagance is to cook from the books before I leave. And just a sample of the bacon was enough to make my wife agree that I was a wise man. Wise beyond my years. She practically worshiped at my feet with each bite. If her mouth wasn't full, she would have sang my praises to the island. And for any husband out there who believes any of that, I have a bridge in the Virgin Islands to sell you.

But she did like the bacon, she just ate it with a superior tilt of the head. You know how you women get.

So, let's talk Bobby Flay and the MESA GRILL Cookbook...

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BOOK! In all seriousness, I am working on my presentations. I even got a complement or two recently on how my photographed food looks. Bobby's Mesa Cookbook has an illustration for most of the dishes, and every one is worthy of a magazine cover.

WHAT A USEFUL BOOK! Again, in all seriousness, Tex-Mex, southwestern cuisine is not a specialty of mine in any sense of the word. The fist 20 pages of the book has ingredient list, definitions, pantry stocking tips and basic techniques explained clearly and in a handy place to find when you run across a term or ingredient you are not familiar with. While the recipes are a bit exotic and many of the ingredients are not in my standard pantry; I can envision at least an attempt to follow the directions armed with the first 20 pages. He even has a section to help you find some of the more exotic ingredients.

WHAT A COLLECTION OF RECIPES! If you watch Bobby on the Food Network, you have probably seen his Throwdown show, or maybe his Grillin' It with Bobby Flay show. When I watch these, I always get the impression that he wants you to succeed. His choices for chapters and recipes continues to give that impression. In addition to the 20 pages of basics, he has chapters on sauces, relishes and vinaigrettes; Drinks, soups, salads and even a terrific section on Brunch (breakfast) dishes.

Which is where I found this gem...

Mango Glazed Bacon

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 ripe Mango, pealed, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 TBS Honey
1 pound thick sliced Bacon
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375
Combine sugar and vinegar in a small sauce pan and cook over high heat until the sugar is melted. Add the mango and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by half and the mango is soft, 5 to 6 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Add the honey and season with the Salt and Pepper.
Place the bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the bacon on both sides with the glaze. Bake, brushing the bacon with more glaze every few minutes until golden brown and just crisp, 10 to 12 minutes

You'll have to come back tomorrow to see my recipe for Mango Glazed bacon wrapped Sea Scallops. And I have a few more ideas with what to do with more of this candy bacon!

Just as pretty as you can imagine, but more importantly, it is like bacon candy, sweet, salty and lick your lips GOOD EATS (ooops, that's the other book (the really heavy one), and a discussion for another day)

The book retails for $35 (save over $10), is full size, full color, LOTS of full page photo illustrations. Worth every dime!

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Monday, February 25, 2013

Salmon - Garlic Chipotle Spiced, Mango Glazed Salmon

Sweet and heat... The key to a beautiful balanced dish.

Remember these???

Mango Glazed Bacon ala Bobby Flay.

They are beautiful things on their own, and proved to be very useful... PIZZA - Walnut Pesto with Mango Glazed Bacon Pizza. AND Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops. Certainly worthy of the bragging you have read.

But also, the glaze is a winner. I started pondering what I could do with the little bit I had left over from the bacon.

Here's a quick reprint of the Glazing recipe...

Mango Glaze

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 ripe Mango, pealed, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 TBS Honey
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine sugar and vinegar in a small sauce pan and cook over high heat until the sugar is melted. Add the mango and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by half and the mango is soft, 5 to 6 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Add the honey and season with the Salt and Pepper.

I had about 1/3rd cup of the glazing sauce left after I made a pound of bacon. I also had a couple of nice pieces of Salmon.

the recipe is simple,

2 pieces Salmon, about 6 oz each
1/3rd cup Mango Glaze Sauce
2 roasted cloves Garlic smashed and pureed
2 pinches Chipotle Pepper spice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
Line a baking pan with parchment paper, and lay the salmon on the sheets.
Spread the Garlic on the fish and sprinkle the spice on the garlic
Brush the Mango Glaze on the top
bake for 10 minutes, until the fish flakes, but is still moist.
Add a pinch of salt and some fresh cracked pepper

Oh my, sweet from the Mango. But the back of your throat has that heat spice from the Chipotle. Of course, roasted garlic has it's own taste that always blends well with the meaty fish taste of the salmon. Each bite has a total well rounded seasoning. A little something for everyone!.

...

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Peach COFFEE-CHEESE CAKE 2 count em 2 Secret INGREDIENTS

SIMPLY DELICIOUS... And a bit hard to name. The center is mostly a Cheesecake. So some how Cheese Cake had to be in the title.

But mostly it is an almond coffee cake.

But the dominate flavor is the baked peach jam topping.

BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SECRETS...

MOIST. This cake is incredibly moist. The most moist coffee cake I have ever eaten... BY FAR! The secret is Sour Cream used as the moistening agent added to the flour. It still has that coffee cake texture, still perfect to eat with your morning cup of coffee (or after dinner with the last cup of the day). But no one would ever call this dry.

ALMOND... Sure, you can see the slivered toasted (OK, roasted, but you get the idea) almonds on the top and they do indeed add a great taste and texture. And sure, there is Almond Extract (in place of vanilla) in the cake. But there is also a quarter cup of Almond meal mixed in with the flour. If you don't have Almond Meal in your pantry, you can substitute some ground almonds. just take about 3/4 cup whole almonds, drop em in a blender, food processor or spice grinder and whirl away till you have dust (flour). Hazelnuts work fantastic as well.

Not really a secret, but the dominate flavor is whatever type of jam you use in the center.

So much of cooking and adapting a recipe is permission. Substitutions are fine as long as you know or have read about what works best. So if you are looking over this recipe and wonder if Strawberry Jam would work... IT DOES, and does fantastic! How about raspberry... YOU BET! Apple Butter... of course! You have my permission to flavor as you like.

Here's what I did...

Peach Almond Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour
1/4 Cup Almond Meal, Can substitute 1/4 cup ground almonds
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup COLD Butter
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 Large Pinch Salt
3/4 Cup Sour Cream
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1-1/2 tsp Almond Extract
For the Filling
1-1/2 Packages (12 Ounces) Cream Cheese, SOftened
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 Cup Peach Jam
1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, Almond Meal and sugar.
Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Remove 1 cup and set aside.
To the remaining crumbs, add baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add sour cream, egg and almond extract; mix well. Spread in the bottom and 1 inch. up the sides of a large greased springform pan.
To make filling, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg in a small bowl until blended. Pour over batter;
spoon Peach jam on top. Sprinkle with almonds and reserved crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes.
Allow to cool to room temperature for 2 hours, before serving
Serve room temperature (or chilled if you prefer) and ENJOY!

Delicious! One of my favorite GO TO Dessert recipes!

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This simple recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Cakes and Pies at Home"!

These are the desserts you make for your family. No fancy amazing wedding cakes, just the rustic beauty of the classics. From pumpkin pie to cheesecakes to layer cakes, these are what your family craves for dessert. You may even see a few unusual crusts and frosting ideas to try.

You get the idea. These recipes are simple, delicious and will have your family wanting dessert first...

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This recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Church PotLuck Dishes"!

A list of something NEW worthy of being shown off at a neighborhood BYODish (Bring Your Own Dish) Party, a Family special occasion dinner, Any Big Holiday Gathering or of course that glorious day when you bring a dish to share with your Church family...

Ages ago, literally almost a half century ago I was listening to our pastor talking about a PotLuck Dinner. It happened to be scheduled around a church work day when we were expected to weed, polish and do general cleaning and maintenance around the church (you know, back in the day when there were no no-wax floors and church pews smelled of Old English furniture polish). I am of course paraphrasing, but as I recall the pastor said,

"A potluck, like a church requires work. At a potluck everyone is expected to contribute.. At a church no one should come empty handed and no one should leave unfed".

I will confess that in my youth I brought more store bought plastic spoons and forks than I ever brought covered dishes and crock pots of fresh made love and caring delights. But now that I have become a hobbyist cook, I occasionally am reminded of those days and people from my youth. I reminded and I do wish that I could drop a dish of some new creation on those old tables at my fondly remembered Liberty Baptist Church. Tables covered with newspapers and loaded with God's bounty prepared with love and caring... Enjoy

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In order to join you need to start following the group board as well as at least one of my boards.
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Come and be a part of ... FAVORITE FOOD BLOGGERS! on Pinterest