a lemon butter-poached dream & pastry cream

I've been so happy to be part of the Market Street Dish! Culinary School team of guest chef instructors. I held my first two classes this past August and September and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

My September Cocktail Party in a Flash! class focused on elegant, seasonal bites perfect for a cocktail party. I also wanted to focus on varying textures so every bite would tickle the tongue.

My first soup recipe totally weirded out my Dad.

First of all, his brow furrowed at the thought of blending together "soggy bread" with water, fruits and vegetables.

Second of all, he detests nuts and told me he was totally not interested in a soup with ground almonds.

I totally changed his mind.

This soup is an interesting combination of green grapes, almonds and cucumbers with fresh tarragon that was featured in the August issue of 360 West, but also features the addition of lemon butter-poached granny smith apples that pay homage to early autumn produce.

White Gazpacho with Lemon-Butter Apples

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 ½ cups white bread, cubed

½ cup blanched and slivered almonds

1 cup granny smith apple, diced

1 t lemon zest

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ c water

2 garlic cloves

3 cups green seedless grapes, washed

1 English cucumber, peeled and diced

1 teaspoon lime zest

Juice of one lime

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat cream in a small saucepan until just simmering then pour over bread cubes to soak. Let cool.

Melt butter. Add apples and lemon zest. Sauté for 10 minutes over medium heat until tender. Let cool.

Arrange almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast at 400 degrees approximately 5 minutes until golden brown. Let cool.

In a blender, combine cream and soaked bread mixture, almonds, water, garlic and olive oil and blend until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.

Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled. Serve soup chilled and ladled in small shooter cups or glasses with sliced grape rounds, fresh tarragon, toasted almonds and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

The next course was my play on corn cakes dressed with the addition of sweet bell peppers, end-of-summer squash, salty crumbled pancetta and a fragrant marjoram aioli.

The batter of these cakes can get a bit thick but do not despair-- a shot of buttermilk will do the trick if needed. Flip these savory cakes just like pancakes then top (or smother) with the marjoram aioli and deliciously-crisp pancetta.

Sweet Pepper, Corn & Squash Cakes

with Pancetta & a Marjoram Aioli

yields approximately 25 2-inch cakes

4 slices pancetta (approximately ¼ pound)

1 T extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for sautéing vegetables

1.5 cups fresh corn kernels

1 cup zucchini, diced small

1 cup red bell peppers, diced small

1 Tablespoon scallion, sliced thin

1 cup cornmeal

½ cup AP flour

1 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoons sugar

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

Unsalted butter, to cook cakes

In a sauté pan over medium heat, render pancetta with olive oil until crispy on all sides, approximately 15 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Chop and set aside.

In the same pan, sauté corn, zucchini, bell peppers and scallions, for approximately 10 minutes, adding additional olive oil if needed. Let cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda and sugar. In a large bowl, combine sautéed vegetables, egg and buttermilk. Stir in dry ingredients to wet mixture until just combined.

Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Melt butter then add scoops of cake batter. Cook on two minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Keep warm while making other corn cakes. Serve hot corn cakes with marjoram aioli and crispy pancetta

Aioli:

1 Tablespoon fresh marjoram, minced

½ cup mayonnaise

Juice of ½ lemon

Fresh-cracked black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Serve a dollop atop corn cakes.

Finally, dessert time.

Growing up in downtown Austin, we always visited a tiny bakery on Burnet Road called Upper Crust Bakery.

My go-to after school snack was always a small carton o' milk and their to-die-for bran muffins.

When my mom and I were tempted for a sweet confection, we split one of their incredible eclairs.

I love the first bite of an eclair.

...buttery & flaky pate a choux dough...

...oozing (not-too-sweet) pastry cream...

...the crunch of it's chocolate shell...

Perfection.

I wanted to create that perfect bite of an eclair in an individual parfait perfect for parties.

For the pate a choux dough, I substituted store-bought puff pastry cut into circles for ease.

For pastry cream, I made a classic pastry cream with vanilla bean paste.

For that signature chocolate crunch, I used chocolate two-ways: espresso ganache & semisweet chocolate chunks.

Top parfaits with toasted hazelnuts for a nutty crunch.

Mini Chocolate Eclair Parfaits with Toasted Hazelnuts

Pastry cream:

yields 1 cup

1 ¼ cups whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

2 Tablespoons AP flour

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Whisk together sugar and egg yolks. Add flour and cornstarch and whisk together to form a paste. Set aside. Meanwhile, simmer milk and vanilla until simmering. Add ¼ of paste mixture into hot milk mixture, whisking quickly to temper. Add remaining paste mixture to tempered milk mixture and whisk constantly, over medium heat until thickened and flour and cornstarch have cooked out, approximately 3-5 minutes. Transfer pastry cream to a bowl over an ice bath to cool down. Cover pastry cream with plastic wrap directly over custard so a skin will not form—cool completely.

Espresso ganache:

½ cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon instant espresso coffee

½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Bring heavy cream and espresso powder to a simmer over medium high, whisking together to combine. Pour atop chocolate chips in a bowl and stir until combined and glossy. Set aside and let cool.

Remaining components:

1 sheet puff pastry, cut into 1-inch circles

Semisweet chocolate chunks and toasted hazelnuts, to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place puff pastry circles on a greased baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Let cool.

To assemble parfaits, assemble mini parfait glasses or cups on a serving tray. Layer espresso ganache with pastry rounds, pastry cream and semisweet chocolate chunks. Repeat to reach the tops of cups. Garnish with a pastry round, chocolate chunks, toasted hazelnuts and a drizzle of espresso ganache.

The class was a delight to teach! Make sure to check out my upcoming Market Street Cooking Classes in November and December:

Unconventional Side Dishes:

Thursday, November 10

Stray away from the Thanksgiving norm with unique, yet simple, side dishes from Chef Callie Salls of Linguine and Dirty Martinis.

Adorn your holiday table with: Savory Bleu Cheese Cheesecake with a Black Pepper Fig Compote; Roasted Apple & Onion Soup with Toasted Pecans & Sage Oil; Cranberry Relish with Grapefruit Rind, Pomegranate & Mint; Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Rutabaga with Bacon & Hazelnut Brown Butter.

Homemade for the Holidays:

Thursday, December 8th

Treat your friends, families and neighbors to made-from-scratch confections ready in a snap and perfect for holiday gifts!

Guests will learn how to prepare, package and label edible goodies to-go: Spiced Blueberry Jam with Star Anise; Lemon Lime Curd; Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies; Pecorino & Black Pepper Cheese Straws; Dark Chocolate Truffles with Fleur de Sel.

peaches & velvet cream

There is nothing better to me in the summertime than sweet peaches and rich cream.

Add some honey, reduced white wine, bright lemon and a dash of smoky cinnamon and you're in business for a refreshing summer appetizer or cooling dessert course. A sprinkling of pistachios adds an appropriate salty crunch and texture contrast.

Chilled Peach & White Wine Soup Shooters with Pistachios

I ran across this recipe for Chilled Peach and Yogurt Soup in culinary school then adapted the recipe and swapped tangy yogurt for cream. I just adore the richness of the velvet cream with the tart peaches.

yields approximately 1/2 gallon

4 lb frozen peaches

4 cups white wine

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 c honey

1 cup heavy whipping cream

roasted and salted pistachios to garnish

Begin by simmering peaches, white wine, lemon, cinnamon and honey over medium high heat approximately 45 minutes to reduce and soften. Enjoy the gorgeous aroma because your kitchen will smell insane!

Let cool approximately 30 minutes to prevent hot liquid splattering when pureeing the soup. With an immersion blender, puree soup until completely smooth.

Transfer peach and wine mixture into a large pitcher then chill completely over night.

Before serving, whisk in heavy cream, an additional squeeze of lemon and drop of honey. The luxurious heavy cream will turn the chilled soup into an irresistible creamsicle hue.

Serve soup chilled as shooters with a couple pistachios or as a dessert soup with a sprinkling of pistachios and a swirl of heavy cream.

Sip, shoot or slurp away!

a de-cluttering feat & roasted beets

For the dawn of this new year, one of my resolutions is to de-clutter!

I have numerous clients who apologize profusely for their "tiny" kitchens when I arrive to cook.

It always makes me smile when I think of my shoebox of a kitchen.

Organization truly is key when it comes to tiny spaces.

When dealing with drawers, I try to organize in categories. For example, everything pastry or baking-related (measuring devices, scoops, whisks, microplanes, piping tips, candy thermometers, brushes, spatulas and circle cutters) belong in one drawer.

My electrical stove is extremely temperamental. The top right burner gets hotter on one side so I have to rotate the pan to attempt an even sear. The front left burner doesn't even work-- it just smokes (I need to get that one fixed).

My trick to dealing with a less-than-perfect stove is to use high quality cookware that transfers heat evenly. My pick? Le Creuset.

I am also in extreme close quarters when it comes to counter space. Rolling out pie crusts, tart doughs or cookies is always interesting on my limited counter. Working quickly in small batches is ideal for me.

I keep my spices simply organized against my cabinet door through the magic of velcro to avoid clutter and prevent spices from sitting in the back of the cabinet for months and months.

My top three spices used: crushed pepper flakes, ground ginger and star anise.

My pantry is multipurpose: dry food staples, entertaining platters, Le Creuset cookware, cast-iron skillets, vases, party supplies, trays, broom and coolers.

I try to avoid purchasing those naughty, processed pantry staples such as chips, caloric crackers and boxed meals. Instead, I bulk up on oatmeal, couscous, brown rice, canned tomatoes, vegetable stock, jarred olives and capers, dried pasta, cereal and ingredients for any pastry whim I may fall within!

For me, making soups is extremely therapeutic-- especially in a clean, organized kitchen.

After a sigh of relief from a weekend of "de-cluttering," I simmered a bright and flavorful soup with intense colors, warming spices, and a swirl of elegant cream perfect for the recent icy weather.

Roasted Beet Soup with Star Anise and a Grapefruit Cream

Serves 4.

1 red onion, diced

4 stalks celery, diced

1/2 t fresh ginger, minced

2 star anise

1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes

3 beets, peeled and diced

1 T apple cider vinegar

4 cups vegetable stock

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

salt to taste

Saute onion, celery, ginger, star anise and red pepper flakes until vegetables are tender and translucent-- about 10 minutes. Season with salt and fresh-cracked pepper.

Add beets and deglaze pan with apple cider vinegar and vegetable stock, careful to scrape brown bits off bottom of pan. Simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes until beets are tender. Stir in fresh cilantro and check for seasonings. Remove star anise and set aside for garnish.

Let soup cool slightly then puree with an immersion blender. Garnish with a drizzle of grapefruit cream, star anise and additional grapefruit zest if desired.

Grapefruit cream:

1/4 c heavy cream

1 T fresh grapefruit zest

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together ingredients. Spoon atop hot soup.

Cheers to a zen, healthful and delicious new years!

wedding cake shots and vichyssoise

My first trimester in culinary school is winding down quite quickly- my second trimester begins in January!

This past week was all about soups. Within my group of three, we were asked to make a split pea soup, beef and vegetable, New England clam chowder, vichyssoise (a cold, pureed soup of potato and leeks) and a peach yogurt soup (a cold, dessert soup).

I was determined to perfect the vichyssoise- a difficult task, at that. The difficulties of the soup are maintaining a white color, straining it thoroughly, seasoning properly, serving it cold and having a perfect marriage of the potato and leek flavors (the potatoes tend to overwhelm the delicate leeks).

So, of course I volunteered to make the vichyssoise with julienned, fried sweet potatoes and snipped chive. I was completely satisfied because it turned out really well. I also made the peach and yogurt soup with white wine and a roasted pistachio garnish with fanned peaches- great soup for a warm, Summer evening.

For the split pea soup, I made a garnish of croutons (leftover cornbread, cayenne, olive oil and salt) and crumbled bacon. For the beef and vegetable soup, I made a two-minute corn garnish with cream, butter, salt and pepper.

Two nights later I was having a Winslows craving. To start, we ordered the Lucas and Lewellen Pinot Noir (fragrant and light) and the vanilla-scented scallops with a mango cous cous and chipotle pineapple vinaigrette. The dish was fine, but the vanilla added an almost chemical aftertaste to the scallops.

Next course was soups- the spiced pumpkin with sage and the roasted yellow tomato with apple wood-smoked bacon, cream fraiche and a basil oil. Both were hot, smoky and delicious with the grilled ciabatta.

Finally, we split the roasted beef tenderloin pizza with caramelized onions, bleu cheese and tomato. The beef was cooked nicely and the homemade pizza dough was light. We skipped dessert and ordered a sweet Riesling to end.

Last weekend, we headed to Houston for my roommate's dad's wedding. On our road trip, we felt the need to do "road trip" type things like head to Dairy Queen for steak fingers and Oreo blizzard's in the middle of Buffalo, Texas. The picture to the right is the embarrassing memoir of our fast food feast between the two of us.

After the four hour drive, we arrived to the gorgeous house in Pearland and helped with all of the pre-reception details: lighting candles...ok, that was it. We beautified ourselves, opened a bottle of wine, lit the candles and bossed the caterers around. It was fun.

An hour later, the reception was in full swing and waiters in white passed around bacon-wrapped shrimp, meatballs, asparagus in phyllo and tenderloin croissant sandwiches with spicy mustard amongst others. We spent the rest of the evening taking wedding cake shots, blasting old school rap in the tent, taking over the bar and pretending like we were still in college.

The night ended with the new bride driving to Jack in the Box at midnight and spending $85 on chicken fingers and curly fries for all the high schoolers who drank too much- oh, how I love weddings.

no spatulas allowed

I can’t believe it is already November. The past few months have been a whirlwind. I’ve been busy at work, out of town almost every weekend, busy blogging and trying to learn as much as possible in culinary school. This past week, I was given a wonderful opportunity to be the sous chef for a private chef in Fort Worth- I could not be happier. Although extremely excited and happy, I’m very nervous too…our first event is an engagement party for 50 this Saturday! More details after the event…

Along with my exciting news, this past week has been one of fun, new restaurants, inventive recipes and a weekend in Arkansas to see the boy. Last Tuesday afternoon on my day off, I discovered a really delicious Vietnamese restaurant off Belknap and Race here in Fort Worth. The restaurant is a definite dive in between a doughnut shop and an Ace Cash Express…a little daunting at first. Despite the first impression, the dishes were fresh, tasty and uniquely Vietnamese.

I started with the egg rolls…golden-fried filled with pork, cabbage and a mild ponzu-type dipping sauce. I then went for the flash-cooked beef and vegetables over crispy vermicelli. The sauce was mild and subtle with a beautiful bunch of bright green, spicy cilantro- perfect lunch for less than 10 bucks.

My afternoon continued with a hot-rock pedicure (my monthly guilty pleasure) and an election watching party at Wine Styles on Camp Bowie. Amongst bottles of buttery Merlot, we noshed on gourmet meatball pizza and enjoyed the friendly, political banter of the evening.

Wednesday night, my girlfriend made dinner at her place. The menu was a pea soup with cayenne, grilled chicken stuffed with pureed olives and capers in a mustard marinade and a red apple couscous with smoked paprika. It was the perfect pantry and freezer meal to make in a flash!

Friday afternoon, I packed my car, grabbed a café au lait and headed to Little Rock for a relaxing weekend with the boyfriend. Unlike our last trip of gourmet finds, we were completely content with a pizza delivery, wine and movies on USA. For our Sunday lunch, we did discover a quaint, Irish Pub in North Little Rock with really delicious and authentic fish and chips. The batter of the cod has a subtle beer aftertaste and was perfect with the creamy tartar sauce, slaw and malt vinegar.

I arrived Sunday night with a delicious dinner simmering away on the oven. Megan was making a chicken stew with onions, potatoes, tomatoes, lemongrass, coconut milk, turmeric, ground clove and cilantro. It was light and hearty at the same time with the wonderfully fragrant and spicy aroma of the lemongrass.

Tonight was culinary school week 11- egg cookery! It was actually one my my favorite classes we've had second to veggie cookery. At the beginning of class, we started on the line with two pans each and had to make made-to-order omelets, eggs sunny-side up, over medium, over easy, etc. The trick was, we weren't allowed to use spatulas- it was really fun and easier than I expected.

Next, we split into groups and were required to make:

Zabaglione sauce made with Champagne and Marsala

Shirred (another word for baked) eggs with ham and Swiss cheese

Scotch eggs (a disgusting concoction of hard-cooked eggs blanketed in ground sausage, dredged and then deep fried....hello, heart attack!)

Cheddar and grit soufflé

Orange chocolate soufflé

I was in charge of the orange chocolate soufflé and I was excited because I love to entertain and wanted to master the technique. The recipe called for orange juice, bittersweet chocolate and Grand Marnier for the overall flavor. I added coffee and cinnamon to give the chocolate a richer taste...unfortunately, I went a little overboard with the cinnamon.

But, the good news is my soufflé rose perfectly and was the right consistency. My soufflés are to the right...at this stage, they needed about four more minutes to be cooked through and get the perfect height.

Egg cookery was so much fun and next week we learn the art of soup making!