Housewarming

Since we've recently moved into our very own condo, we had to warm it up with a party. With a party, comes great food (at least I think so in my house). We made a smorgasbord of tasty treats, including chicken, steak, and mushroom satays with peanut sauce, bruschetta with roasted tomatoes as well as bruschetta with bean dip, deviled eggs with chiles and cilantro, pepper-masa cheesesticks, dates stuffed with goat cheese and walnuts, and ice cream sandwiches for dessert.

The satays were made by marinating the protein in soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, and olive oil, skewering onto water-soaked wooden skewers, then grilling on a cast-iron grill until done. They were served with a peanut sauce that was made by combining peanut butter, garlic, soy sauce, and splashes of milk until the desired consistency reached over medium-low heat.

The roasted tomato bruschetta were made by roasteing quartered plum tomatoes in a 250 degree oven for about 2 hours, until beautifully roasted, placing the tomatoes on slices of slightly toasted baguette, and placing a basil leaf and shaving of Parmesan cheese on top. The bean bruschetta were made by pureeing cannellini beans, basil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together, spooning the dip over the slices of toasted baguette, and placing a basil leaf on top of each one.

To make the deviled eggs, I simply just amended the original deviled egg concept of mayonnaise, mustard, and paprika by eliminating the mustard and paprika and adding slivers of red chiles and an abundance of freshly chopped cilantro.

The pepper-masa cheesesticks were the one item we used a recipe for, so let me continue the list of recipes we concocted out of our heads and finish up this entry with the cheesestick recipe.

The dates stuffed with goat cheese and walnuts were completely my mom's idea (yes, she was here for our housewarming party, and she made it absolutely perfect!). She slit dates along the side and simply stuffed a wedge of goat cheese and a half a walnut in each one. They were a hit! Perfectly sweet and succulent. This would be a good option as an appetizer or a little dessert.

For dessert though, my mom really out-did herself. She bought these little chocolate wafer cookies and put chocolate, vanilla, and coffee ice creams in them to make perfect little ice cream sandwiches. The only bad thing about these were that they were all gone at the end of the night and I didn't have any more for the next day.

All in all, the party was a huge success! It was so wonderful to have so many family and friends come over and enjoy our new place. If only we could actually get everything together....


Pepper-Masa Cheesesticks (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

Not everybody was a huge fan of these snacks, but my mom and I couldn't get enough of them.

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup masa harina
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 lbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400. Combine the flour, masa harina, salt, baking soda, pepper, and Parmesan cheese either in a bowl for hand mixing, or in a food processor.
2. If you're mixing by hand, stir until the ingredients are well mixed. Chop the butter into tiny pieces, and, with a pastry blender or two forks, work the butter into the flour mixture. Add 1/2 cup very cold water, and stir until a mass forms, adding more water if necessary.
If you're using a food processor, turn the machine briefly on and then off until the ingredietns are thoroughly mixed. Chop the butter into 15 to 20 pieces, and add them. Turn the machine on and off until the mixture has a sand-like consistency. Add 1/2 cup very cold water to the mixture. Turn the machine on and off again until the dough begins to come together.
3. Transfer the dough to a clean, floured surface. Form the dough into a ball. With a rolling pin, roll it into a large rectangle, about 10 by 24 inches. Brush the entire surface with egg (you won't need all the egg). Cut the dough into strips 3/4 inch wide and 10 inches long. Cut the strips in half crosswise. Carefully lift them one by one, and place them on an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake the sticks for 10 minutes, or until they are golden but not brown. They are best served while they are still warm, but they will keep for at least a week in a sealed container, to be reheated or eaten at room temperature.

Birthday Celebration

Last Wednesday, the 14th, was Adam's birthday. Since it was on our usual Wednesday night dinner with our neighbor, Scott, we decided to cook in and do it up. We were watching our Sunday morning cooking shows, as is our weekend ritual, and saw Ina Garten making a feast of filets with a roquefort sauce, sauteed mushrooms, and onions rings. Adam's eyes lit up and he declared, "I want that!" So, that is exactly the meal we had for his special day. To adapt the meal for me, I simply had a grilled portobella mushroom instead of the steak. We also added grilled asparagus for a little something green. I don't think Adam could have been happier.


Steakhouse Steaks Recipe (Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, "Steaks and Sides")

2 (10-oz.) filet mignon
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. fleur de sel
1 Tbs. coarsely cracked black peppercorns
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature, optional
Roquefort Chive Sauce, recipe follows

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and brush them lightly with vegetable oil. Combine the fleur de sel and cracked pepper on a plate and roll the steaks in the mixture, pressing lightly to evenly coat all sides.

4. When the skillet is ready, add the steaks and sear them evenly on all sides for about 2 minutes per side, for a total of 10 minutes.

5. Top each steak with a tablespoon of butter, if using, and place the skillet in the oven. Cook the steaks until they reach 120 degrees F for rare or 125 degrees F for medium-rare on an instant-read thermometer. (To test the steaks, insert the thermometer sideways to be sure you're actually testing the middle of the steak.)

6. Remove the steaks to a serving platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Serve hot with Roquefort Chive Sauce on the side.

Roquefort Chive Sauce

We used fresh sage instead of the chives, because we already had sage in the fridge. The flavors worked quite well; so if you don't have chives on hand, don't be afraid to try another fresh herb.

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 oz. French Roquefort cheese, crumbled (4 ounces with rind)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. chopped fresh chives

1. Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has become thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheese, salt, pepper and chives and whisk rapidly until the cheese melts.

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms (Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, "Steaks and Sides")

We followed the recipe for the most part except that I didn't use quite as much olive oil or butter. The shallots and garlic gave the mushrooms enough flavor that not all of the fat is necessary.

2 lbs. mixed wild mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, porcini, and portobello
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 cup chopped shallots (4 large)
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. chopped garlic (6 cloves)
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Brush the caps of each mushroom with a clean sponge. Remove and discard the stems. Slice the small mushrooms thickly and cut the large ones in a large dice.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large (11 - inch) Dutch oven or saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the butter, mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, until they are tender and begin to release their juices, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Toss in the parsley, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.

Cornmeal-Fried Onion Rings (Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, "Steaks and Sides")

These are some of the best onion rings I have ever tasted. They are salty and crispy; everything you would want from an onion ring.

2 large Spanish onions (or 3 yellow onions)
2 cups buttermilk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (medium) yellow cornmeal
1 quart vegetable oil

1. Peel the onions, slice them 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick, and separate them into rings. Combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add the onion rings, toss well, and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. (The onion rings can sit in the buttermilk for a few hours.) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

2. When you're ready to fry the onion rings, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

3. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large pot or Dutch oven. (A candy thermometer attached to the side of the pot will help you maintain the proper temperature.) Working in batches, lift some onions out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the flour mixture. Drop into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, until golden brown, turning them once with tongs. Don't crowd them! Place the finished onion rings on the baking sheet, sprinkle liberally with salt, and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the next batch. Continue frying the onion rings and placing them in the warm oven until all the onions are fried. They will remain crisp in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.