spring fever and a date with grace

Spring is here and as with fall, I'm extremely excited for in-season produce, herbs, and most importantly, restaurant menu changes to complement the climate.

One of my favorite thing to make is salads. Although seemingly simple, I love to experiment with different fruits, veggies, homemade vinaigrettes, cheeses, nuts- you name it! Specifically in the summer months, a watermelon goat cheese salad or a caprese with off-the-vine heirloom tomatoes would beat a burger anyday.

This past warm Sunday afternoon (tank top, flips flops and all), I went on one of my frequent trips (better yet, rampages) to Central Market. After a date with the floral department (you can't beat the orchids and hydrangeas), I grabbed ingredients for dinner along with my staples- organic skim milk and kashi cereal for breakfast along with some Pam's pimento cheese from the sauce bar (my new guilty pleasure).

For dinner, the menu was:

Whole wheat angel hair in a lemon cream sauce with minted peas, sauteed chicken, shaved asparagus and pecorino

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small carton heavy cream
3 Tbl butter
juice of 5 lemons
zest of one lemon
1 bag frozen peas
1/2 bunch chiffonade mint
1 bunch thick asparagus (shaved into long "ribbons" with a peeler)
1/2 package whole wheat pasta
shards of pecorino toscano as desired
olive oil
salt and pepper
3/4 cup CM celery Greek dressing for marinating

First, I marinated my chicken with some of CM's celery Greek dressing, salt and pepper. Usually, I would make my own marinade for an upscale occasion but this works just as well. After letting it sit for half an hour, saute the chicken in olive oil until browned then finish in the oven until cooked through. After chicken is cooked, let it cool then shred to later add to pasta.

Meanwhile, boil pasta water with salt and make the lemon cream sauce. For the sauce, I simmered the lemon juice, lemon zest, cream, salt and pepper and let reduce.

At the last minute, boil your angel hair and make your peas so they stay bright green when serving. In a saute pan, add your frozen peas with a bit of olive oil, lemon zest, salt, pepper, butter and chiffonade mint. Saute until peas thaw and flavors meld.

Right before serving, add your chicken to the lemon cream sauce and with tongs, add the cooked pasta to the sauce as well. To serve, place the pasta atop the shaved asparagus (the hot pasta and sauce will cook it slightly) with the minted peas on top. Garnish with fresh mint, fresh ground pepper and shards of pecorino.
Serves 2-3

A few nights later, dinner was more on the rustic side but equally delicious.

The menu was:

Grilled pork chop with salt, pepper and thyme
Red wine gastrique with brown sugar
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes

2 pork chops
1/2 cup fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups red wine (something you would drink)
3 peeled and quartered Idaho potatoes
1/2 head roasted garlic
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbl. butter
1/3 cup sour cream
olive oil
coarse salt and pepper

First, marinate the pork with a wet rub of olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Wrap bone with foil to prevent burning on the grill. Wrap half a head of garlic with olive oil in foil and roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. For the potatoes, add your chopped potatoes to cold water with salt and boil until fork-tender.

Next, start your reduction for the gastrique. Combine wine, brown sugar and a bit of salt then let reduce for about 20 minutes.

When potatoes are tender and gastrique is thickening, grill your pork chops on the outdoor grill on both sides to get grill marks and a nice crust. Finish in the hot oven until pork is just cooked through and juicy. To finish the potatoes, add the roasted garlic, milk, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. Serve hot with pork chop atop the wine gastrique.
Serves 2

This week I was also finally able to try Grace- modern American classics- in downtown Fort Worth. For my meal, I chose the "wine me, dine me" 4 course wine pairing special so I could try a bit of everything.

The menu was:

Pork terrine with lemony watercress, rye bread and stone ground mustard
2007 Viognier

Chicken fried artichokes with meyer lemon aioli
2007 Austrian Gruner Veltiliner

Housemade jumbo shrimp ravioli in a roasted shrimp broth with julienned vegtables
2006 Sauvignon Blanc

Pecan Pie sundae with butter pecan ice cream, salted caramel, pie crust and candied pecans
10-year-old Tawny port

The standouts of the meal were definitely the beginning and the end. The pork terrine was outstanding and had all elements cohesively working together. The artichokes were ok; although they were battered well and the aioli was nice, some were too tough to chew.

My favorite thing about the shrimp ravioli was the balance of textures. The soft, pillowy ravioli sat in a fragrant broth with raw, crunchy brussel sprouts, red onion and spinach slivers. Although the plate was a bit cool from sitting, the flavors were spot on. For dessert, the pecan pie sundae was orgasmic (sorry, Dad). But seriously, I can't think of a better word to describe it. I took one bite with the tawny port and was in complete La-La land. Yum.

While I was enjoying my own meal, my boyfriend ordered the clam chowder as an appetizer, filet of beef and spaetzle and cheese for his entree. The clam chowder was pretty delicious and the knifework of the veggies was really superb as well. The filet of beef arrived undercooked (rare when we ordered medium) but when it came back, it was juicy and the pepper crust was tasty. The spaetzle and cheese was baked in a ramekin and came out piping hot and cheesy.

I enjoyed Grace. Along with the simple, yet modern ambiance, the food was overall delicious and the service was impeccable (ask for Sam). We will return soon.

the food rut

I've gotten in a food rut.

After my "inspiring" last blog post to cook more at home, I've instead eaten out almost every meal. Here are the most note-worthy:

Kincaids (burgers)

I don't think Kincaid's is as overrated as some may say.

No, it's not the best burger I've ever eaten... but, the place is consistent and the burgers always hit the spot. I went with my boyfriend on a slow afternoon last week and we both ordered cheeseburgers and shared an order of fries.

My burger was complete with cheese, mayo, lettuce and tomato and it was pretty good. Despite its' slight greasiness, the veggies were fresh and the cheese was melty (I know, melty is not a word but I like it anyway) and the bun was nicely toasted. My only other complaint was a lack of seasoning on the meat patty. After a shake of salt and pepper, I was good to go. I really like their crinkle-cut fries too. Salty fries have always been a guilty pleasure of mine...especially dipped in ranch. These had the salt content and a pretty solid ranch dressing.

Nonna Tata (handmade Italian)

A new girlfriend (and fellow foodie) and I ventured out to Nonna Tata after an unsucessful attempt to try Aventino's new menu. Definitely not disappointed toward our alternate decision, we settled on a couple bottles of vino at Central Market and began our long, yet pleasant wait for an outdoor table for two.

Once seated, we split the antipasto plate, bruschetta and a side salad to begin. The antipasto was a wooden carving board covered in bresaola, salami, lemon soaked arugula, ricotta salata and crostini with a savory spread (I'm guessing ham). The bresaola was our favorite- the salty, dried beef was really nice with the peppery arugula and the tangy lemon. The bruschetta was nice too. It was tart and refreshing with plum tomatoes, basil and a balsamic vinaigrette.

For our entree, we split the special of the night- a housemade pasta stuffed with a potato puree and bacon with a sage butter sauce. The pasta form was interesting; it was twisted into a candy-wrapper like cylinder with the potatoes and bacon inside.

I know everyone is going to hate on me for not loving everything from Nonna Tata, but I just wasn't crazy about this dish. The pasta was chewy where twisted and the flavors were just too rich for me. I needed a little freshness or acid- but, it was still a lovely dinner.

Railhead (Smokehouse)

Being from Austin, I've had some outstanding BBQ that Fort Worth has yet to touch. Fortunately, Railhead, a worthy Fort Worth contender, has perpetually consistent BBQ perfect for my smoky cravings.

On a recent visit, I ordered the sliced beef sandwich plate with potato salad and baked beans. Although the sides were tasty, I could have skipped them and gone for two sandwiches instead. The brisket really hit the spot and the sandwich wasn't overly sauced. I'm not a huge mustard/pickle person so I prefer the plain meat with a bit of sauce- simple, smoky, tangy and savory all wrapped into the ole' faithful Mrs. Baird's hamburger bun.

Old Neighborhood Grill (diner-style)

I discovered "ONG" back in my TCU days and have enjoyed going ever since. The environment is homey, the selection of sides are endless, the desserts are homemade and the chicken fried steak is fantastic. Although I've tried many things there (fried shrimp, black bean burger, cheeseburger, grilled chicken salad), I think the blackened tuna sandwich is my favorite. On this particular trip, I virtually ignored my own plate (fried shrimp) and helped myself to my fellow diner's chicken fried steak...good stuff.

Tu Hai (Vietnamese)

It's been a while since I've been to this modest, yet quaint Vietnamese restaurant off East Belknap but I was eager to return. I started with the egg rolls but soon looked around and realized that the spring rolls were the popular vote. Regardless, the pork and cabbage filled egg rolls were crispy and nice with a mild, ponzu-type sauce with julienned carrots.

For my lunch entree, I ordered the lemongrass chicken with sauteed onions, steamed rice and sliced cucumbers and my significant other ordered the #20- chicken with vegetables. Mine was nice but they really weren't playing around with that lemongrass. The citrusy lemongrass flavor was pungent but fortunately for me, I loved it. The chicken with vegetables had a really subtle and delicious sauce that I couldn't stop eating. I would highly recommend this place- don't forget to bring cash.

Spiral Diner (Vegan, mostly organic)

Spiral pancakes- where have you been all my life???

I'm a pretty quirky breakfast eater- I don't like to mess around with sweets and I would pick breakfast tacos or eggs benedict over pancakes and waffles any day. For this breakfast, I got to have my (pan)cake and eat them too. After I ordered the big taquito with a tofu scramble and veggies, I coerced my close-minded-about-Vegan-food-boyfriend to order the pancakes for me to try as well. Complete with agave nectar, the banana walnut pancakes were piping hot, fluffy and delish. After gulping down a glass of freshly-squeezed, organic orange juice, I was in heaven.

the melting pot & my chicken phobia

It's Lent and one of my "resolutions" is to cook more at home.

Beside saving me money, I'm really trying to explore different flavors and techniques. Here are a few meals from this week:

Our "Bachelor finale-watching" meal:

Flank steak tostadas
Grilled corn and radish salad

Avocado crema

Not only is this meal pretty healthy (minus the fried tortillas), but fun to make as well. To begin, I made the corn salsa and avocado crema. For the salsa, I grilled my corn on the grill pan with olive oil and salt then cut it off the cob. Add the warm corn to minced jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, sliced radishes and lime juice. For the crema, I added the fruit of two avocados to the food processor with plain Greek yogurt, lime, honey and salt to get a smooth, thick consistency.

Meanwhile, I fried tortillas (I chose CM whole wheat) in vegetable oil until puffy and crispy then set them aside to drain on paper towels. I also heated vegetarian refried beans with a bit of garlic and oil to later spread on the tortillas.

Now for the steak...first, I made my marinade with chipotles in adobo, salt and pepper and rubbed the flank steak with it. Keep in mind, these chipotles are HOT so use with caution. I actually wiped most of the marinade off right before grilling but the smoky flavor still remained. I then grilled the steak on my grill pan to medium rare, let it rest and sliced it.

To serve, spread the fried tortilla with refried beans and arrange steak slices. Top with cheese (we used fontinella and I highly recommend this), the corn salsa and a dollop of avocado crema...Olé!

Our homemade "BBQ" and Heat-watching meal:

Salad with romaine, candied pecans, feta and homemade balsamic dressing
Smoked brisket
Pork ribs
Scallion cheddar mashed potatoes
Corn on the cob

Although my contribution to this meal was minuscule, it was so dang great I had to mention it! The brisket and ribs were smoked for 24 hours and were to-die-for tender. My contribution was the candied pecans (I was too busy watching DeNiro and drinking beer) and they were super simple. I toasted the pecans with butter, honey, red pepper flakes and salt then let them cool before they went into the salad.

Our "Ode to Morocco" meal:

Moroccan chicken with saffron risotto

Although I can't take credit for this meal either, I can definitely comment on the preparation. The risotto was made with saffron threads, onion, garlic and herbs. For the chicken, sear it first with salt and pepper, then add a wet paste of smoked paprika, curry powder, turmeric, saffron, salt, pepper, cumin, chopped kalamata olives, cilantro, onion and olive oil and return to the pan. Add white wine to cover chicken and reduce until sauce consistency is reached (about 10 minutes). Finish the sauce with a few pats of butter and serve with saffron risotto.

Our current focus in culinary school has been the ever-flowing melting pot of American regional cuisine. For the northern and eastern states (I drew Pennsylvania) we drew dishes out of a basket to recreate and then had to make an individual dish using any type of beans. Yes, beans.

I drew Boston baked beans (ehh..) and Buffalo stew (double ehh...). The beans actually turned out pretty delicious. It was your typical dish with dry mustard, molasses and brown sugar but I added chopped bacon and thyme to it as well.

For my personal bean dish, I grabbed the garbanzo beans and decided to make a salad- Spinach apple salad with spiced fried chickpeas and a lemon ginger vinaigrette.

The next class, we concentrated more on the Southern and Western states (I chose Florida). For my required dishes, I drew Jambalaya (yay!) and Navajo fry bread. For our individual dish, we were required to incorporate any type of corn (fresh, frozen, canned, corn meal, masa harina, etc.)

Beside my torment of cutting up an entire chicken*, the jambalaya was really fun to make.

*Disclaimer: I have a huge chicken phobia. I don't like to order it in restaurants unless I've had it before. The raw skin irks me and I feel like the raw chicken is going to jump up and start dancing before I cut it. I also hate slicing the backbone. Yes, I'm a huge baby and this is ridiculous. Just let it go...

First, I seared my beautifully fabbed chicken with salt and pepper then removed it from the pan. Next, I sauteed onion, garlic, parsley, cubed ham, cubed pork loin and sliced kielbasa in the same pan. I then added the spices (dried basil, thyme, cayenne, paprika, salt, pepper, etc.), homemade chicken stock, long grain rice and my reserved chicken back in the pan. Bake for 45 minutes (stirring occasionally) at 350 degrees and you've got some damn good jambalaya.

For the fry bread, I made a dough of flour, baking powder and salt. After kneading for a few minutes, I set the dough aside to rest for 15 minutes. To prepare the dough for frying, roll out until about 1/4 inch thin into circles 3 inches in diameter. Deep fry the dough circles- it only takes a couple minutes a side.

For my individual dish with corn, I stuffed my fry bread with a fried corn salsa of jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro and salt with a mango vinaigrette. For the vinaigrette, I combined the fruit of one mango, orange juice, lime juice, chopped scallion, salt and olive oil in the food processor. To serve, I stuffed the fry bread with the corn salsa, a bit of mango vinaigrette and slices of orange and salted avocado.

The next few weeks will be crazy- seafood class in culinary school, catering a tea party for 50 then catering an outdoor BBQ for 300! Time to start menu-planning...

the protein lottery

It's Friday and I'm exhausted. Here's a recap of my hectic evening in my advanced sauces class last night...

To begin, we were given a bucket filled with different proteins. We blindly picked one then had 20 minutes to prepare it with the sauce of our choice to present for critique. After we were finished, we picked another protein and repeated the same process for the next four hours. After cutting my finger open (nail included) and my legs almost falling off from exhaustion, I got 6 dishes out and I was pretty dang proud of myself :)

They were:

Protein 1: Catfish (ugh...)

Dish: Cornmeal-crusted catfish pan-fried with lemon-sauteed spinach and a horseradish yogurt

Critique: Oversauced but nice balance of flavor

Protein 2: Bone-in pork chop

Dish: Grilled pork chop with a rosemary balsamic reduction, blackberry coulis and fried rosemary

Critique: Good presentation, juicy chop but a little on the sweet side

Protein 3: Boneless pork loin

Dish: Orange glazed pork with roasted fennel

Critique: Pork a little over but liked the flavor combination

Protein 4: Shrimp

Dish: Grilled skewered shrimp with a scallion, honey, lime, orange and jalapeno salsa

Critique: Would have been a home run if I added a bit less pepper to the salsa (grr....)

Protein 5: Cod

Dish: Sliced almond-crusted cod (on the top only) with a preserved lemon and thyme white wine sauce

Critique: Fish cooked perfectly, loved the concept but the sauce was a bit tart

Protein 6: Boneless, skinless chicken breast

Dish: Sauteed chicken breast with sourdough croutons and a rosemary, apple butter sauce

Critique: Chicken cooked perfectly, pretty presentation, a bit too much rosemary

Whew...what a night!

antipasto and the crab cake snob

Our "journey around the world" in culinary school came to an end last week with our Mediterranean class. After researching the cuisine of these regions (mine was Egypt) we were assigned two traditional dishes to recreate along with a dish of our choice reflecting our region.

I was assigned chicken saltibocca from Italy and tabbouli from Greece for my traditional dishes to recreate. I've had tabbouli many times and it's a pretty simple process to make. First, I soaked the bulgur wheat in a bowl of boiling water and set it aside to cook and soften. After it softened, (about 45 minutes) I squeezed the residual liquid from the bulgur and added the dried grain to a bowl. To the wheat, I added chopped tomatoes, cucumber, mint, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper as desired....easy, healthy and delicious.

For the saltimbocca, I decided to make a chicken version instead of veal. I started by pounding out my boneless, skinless chicken breasts to about 1/8 of an inch. Next, I lined the breast with fresh sage leaves and a slice of prosciutto on top. I then floured the breast "package"...no pun intended....and pan fried the breast prosciutto side down. Because the chicken was pounded so thin, it took mere minutes to cook. After the breast was brown on both sides, I added sliced fontina on top and let it melt in the oven.

Next, I created a pan jus with the brown bits left in my saute pan. I added red wine and more sage and let the sauce reduce to thicken. To plate, I drizzled the jus on my plate followed by the chicken and topped it all with fried sage leaves.

For my individual dish, I did a dessert reflective of common spices used in Egypt. First, I toasted walnuts with turmeric, cardamon, paprika, cayenne, honey and salt. Then, I added the spiced nuts to the food processor with some Mediterranean apricots to make a thick "paste". I then cut puff pastry into 2 inch squares and baked them in the convection oven. After they were browned, I stuffed the puff pastry with the spiced walnut and apricot paste and finished the dish with a sweet mint and honey yogurt.

The next evening, my girlfriend and I spent a quaint evening at Nonna Tata for dinner. Although we arrived early, we were faced with the inevitable wait. Fortunately, we spent our hour wait blanketed outside and sipping wine.

Once inside, we were greeted with an "amuse bouche" of pureed white beans, olive oil and thyme with crispy pita-type chips. It was light, pleasantly salty and perfect with our bottle of sweet Riesling.

To begin, we ordered the antipasto #2 served on a wood carving board complete with:

bresaola (air-dried, salted beef)

pancetta
salami

grana (hard, mature Italian cheeses similar to a Parmigiano-Reggiano)

riccota salata (similar to a dried, Italian feta)

goat cheese crostini

fritatta with leeks

grissini (crispy bread sticks)

mini puff pastry tarts stuffed with sausage and tomato

foccacia

lemon soaked arugula

The board was delicious with our Italian cab...we were in heaven. Soon after, our salads arrived- lettuce, corn, cabbage and carrots with a raspberry chipotle or balsamic vinaigrette. We tried both dressings and I enjoyed them both.

For our entree, we split a pasta dish with penne, sauteed shrimp and a green olive pesto with cherry tomatoes and leeks. I was literally sopping up the delicious pesto with every instrument I could find. The shrimp was well cooked, the pasta was al dente and the green olive pesto was a perfect balance.

The worst part of the dinner was being too full to order dessert.

Last Saturday, my partner and I had to feed a crowd of 30 for an afternoon party. Our menu was a collaboration of requests from the clients and our own ideas.

The menu was:

Skirt steak atop crostini with mango tomato salsa

Chorizo stuffed sweet peppers

Spiced shrimp in a butter herb sauce
Asian style crab cakes with a roasted red pepper sauce
Skirt steak with pears, onions and herbs de Provence

The crab cakes were my "creation" and I was really happy how they turned out. First, I picked over my fresh lump crab for any shell remnants and gently combined it with thinly sliced scallions, cilantro, an egg to bind, homemade baguette crumbs, ginger, soy, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

On a side note- I'm a HUGE crab cake snob. I can't stand when restaurants serve a deep fried pile of breading instead of letting the crab shine through. As a result, my crab cakes had just enough breading and egg to keep them from falling apart when hitting the deep fryer.

After I formed the mini crab cakes, I gently fried them in the deep fryer for a couple minutes. To plate, I garnished them with cilantro, scallions and the red pepper sauce.

For the sauce, I roasted two red bell peppers and removed the blackened skin and seeds. Combine the roasted peppers in the food processor with olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, honey, red pepper flakes and soy. This is a great fiery combination for the sweet crab.

Two nights later, we had an impromptu "dinner party" courtesy of my significant other. The menu was:

Pork loin stuffed tart apples with rosemary and wine

Roasted red pepper mashed potatoes
Quick sauteed brussel sprouts with a balsamic glaze

Although it was all delicious, the brussel sprouts were my favorite. I drizzled them with this incredible balsamic I bought from a fantastic food boutique in Dallas (Snyder plaza) called Flavors from Afar. Very delicious- and quite healthy- dinner.

Asian meets soul food

Wow...February has flown by so quickly! The past few weeks have been delicious ones.

Thursday evening started my bliss with Asian cuisine at culinary school. As with European cuisine from last week, we were assigned different Asian regions, asked to research the cuisine and then shared our newfound knowledge with the rest of the bunch. We were also given traditional Asian dishes and asked to recreate and serve them family style.

My dish was Phở, a legendary Vietnamese broth-based noodle and beef soup. I was ecstatic to recreate it. The great thing about Phở is it is more of an experience than a mere bowl of soup. The different elements work like a well oiled machine to create a well balanced meal based on many years of tradition.

For my version of Phở, I began by toasting peppercorns, a cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves to release their oils. I removed the spices, and added onion, ginger and garlic to the pan to char for a few minutes. I then added the spices back in, and filled my pot with homemade vegetable stock and let simmer for about an hour.

Traditionally, brisket, beef bones and thin, rare cuts of beef are added to the soup. Having to use what was available, I decided to make a meatball with ground pork instead. To the pork, I added salt, fennel seed, turmeric, ground clove, olive oil and cayenne and then formed my meatballs. Meanwhile, I soaked my rice noodles in hot water in 10 minutes to let them soften then set them aside.

After an hour plus of simmering (traditional Phở simmers for hours), I added my pork meatballs until cooked (about 10 minutes) then strained my broth through a chinoise to remove fat and the aromatic and spice remnants.

To serve the Phở, I arranged the rice noodles and pork meatballs at the bottom of my bowl. At the last minute, I poured the strained broth on top and served the Phở with sides of lime wedges, cilantro, basil and bean sprouts to add as desired.

After a long day of work Friday evening, I met a group of friends at Buttons- the new restaurant of Keith Hicks. I've always been a fan of Ovation's pot roast and fried-green tomatoes so I was looking forward to a taste of his gourmet soul food.

While I sipped my Button's Dirty Martini (Grey Goose with olive juice) I looked around and really started to people watch. Even in the early evening (6 p.m) the place was hopping- the waitresses were attractive and upbeat, the customers had smiling faces and the bar was jam-packed.

My boyfriend and I decided to split the pork chops with a prickly pear puree, caramelized apples, dijon apple butter and jalapeno cheese grits. The pork chops were perfection...crispy, charred crust with a moist, tender inside. The perfectly cooked chop went perfect with the smoky cheese grits and the apple butter.

I also snuck a bite of my girlfriend's pot roast with a beef jus, garlic mashed potatoes and veggies. It was quite tasty but had nothing on our pork chops. Also around the table were the infamous fried green tomatoes with andouille sausage, a fried egg and gravy along with homemade macaroni and cheese. The mac & cheese was gooey and comforting but had a slight overload of nutmeg.

Buttons satisfied on all levels...food and ambiance combined. On my next visit, I'm looking forward to trying the curried grilled lamb chops with chorizo, artichoke radicchio orzo and a fennel cream sauce- sounds amazing!

The next day was Valentine's day and I was looking forward to dinner ALL day at work. After arriving home to find beautiful roses, chilled champagne and a set table...it was time for an outstanding dinner made by my significant other who just happens to be a chef...lucky me:)

The menu was:

Carrot saffron soup with turmeric

Heirloom tomato and spring mix salad with avocado, orange, braised onions, fleur de sel and a citrus vinaigrette

Homemade ravioli with fresh, steamed lobster, sage and a roasted butternut squash buerre blanc
(may I please mention the ravioli was cut into hearts? :)

Prime grilled filet of beef with Moroccan-spiced fingerling potatoes, asparagus and spinach with a braised pearl onion buerre rouge (red wine butter sauce)

After the truly fantastic meal (and about two hours to let our food settle), I was in charge of dessert and totally cheated with help from Central Markets' bakery.

Along with Häagen-Dazs vanilla bean ice cream and fresh berries, we split chocolate mousse cake with a raspberry coulis and chocolate ganache. I guess the saying is true...food really is the way to my heart!

The next night, we decided to put our leftover pasta dough to good use. We rolled the dough out into 2-inch circles for ravioli and stuffed them with sauteed ground sirloin, red peppers, onion, garlic, rosemary, salt and thyme. With the additional stuffing, I deglazed my Dutch oven with red wine and let simmer to create a hearty sauce for the ravioli- nice "leftover" meal.

Tuesday evening I headed to the Covey for a late dinner with a friend. We started with the beer sampler and the sliders with a garlic mayo, smoked Gouda and fried onions. Although the fried onions were stone cold, the mini burger was delicious. The beef was nicely seasoned, the bread was soft and sweet and the smoked Gouda pulled it all together.

For our entree, we spilt the slow roasted chicken with green beans almandine, caramelized onion mashed potatoes and a Texas Wheat gravy. This dish was really delcious as well. The chicken was moist, the skin was crispy, the green beans were al dente and the gravy was icing on the cake- we just wished for a bit more.

Last evening, I played chef for a few friends to watch the Top Chef finale. The menu was:

Cayenne-cashew crusted chicken breasts with a raspberry jalapeno sauce

At first, I wanted to do a pecan crusted chicken but I found some spicy cashews at CM that looked really good. So, I made a crust in the food processor with homemade bread crumbs, the cayenne cashews and chopped Italian parsley.

Next, I started the whole "dredge station" process with seasoned flour (salt, pepper, cumin and paprika), whisked eggs and my cashew breading. I pan-fried the breaded chicken breasts for a few minutes each side then finished them in the oven for about 10 minutes.

For the sauce, I pureed raspberries, seeded and ribbed jalapenos, honey, olive oil, salt, lime juice and cilantro. Ordinarily, I would strain the raspberry seeds but I couldn't find the dang strainer! Next, I added the puree to my saucepan and let it simmer with a bit of red wine while the chicken cooked. Serve atop chicken.

Queso fresco mashed potatoes with cilantro and lime

Of course I can't make normal mashed potatoes:) These started with fork-tender boiled potatoes that I added warm cream and butter to. As I mashed, I added queso fresco, a bit of olive oil and salt. Right before serving, I added a quick splash of lime juice to balance with the rich potatoes and salty cheese. Serve potatoes under chicken with rasperry sauce.

There was a pretty great response with this meal. Next time, I'm definitely finding a strainer for the raspberry seeds!

upscale burgers and a date with trouble

My new favorite place to waste time (and money) is World Market. I ventured there this past week and for under $50- I found an array of culinary goodies. For myself, I bought a nice bottle of Australian Shiraz and a square, white serving platter with 12 little "compartments" within it for sauces, spreads, olives, etc.

For my girlfriend with a birthday coming up, I filled a basket with jarred honey, Nutella, champagne, water crackers, marmalade, balsamic vinegar, chocolates and cheeses for entertaining. I told her to hope I don't keep them for myself :)

Culinary class last week began our new found "journey" of cuisine from around the world- this week was Europe. Prior to class, we were assigned regions in which to study and everyone shared in class. Amongst my pick (Ireland), there was Germany, Hungary, England, Sweden and Belgium.

Within our groups, we were required to recreate a traditional dish from these regions as well as prepare an individual dish of our country made with potatoes. My group was assigned Russian pierogies, Shepherd's pie and Irish coddle. Of course I took the coddle- an Irish casserole traditionally served with layered sliced potatoes, bacon, sausage and onions.

For my play on the dish, I first fried some bacon and used the reserved bacon fat to saute sliced onions, apples, thyme sprigs and rosemary with a bottle of Guinness. After a dash of caraway seeds and some salt to taste, I let the saucepan of yumminess simmer away.

Meanwhile, I sliced and fried my own potato chips with salt and fried thyme. I then chopped my reserved bacon and grilled a link of pork sausage on the grill pan. When the sausage was finished, I sliced it on the bias and added it to the onion, apple and Guinness mixture.

My Irish "coddle" was plated with the the onions and apples beneath the sliced sausage topped with the homemade chips, crumbled bacon and was garnished with reserved fried thyme. Next week is Asian cuisine- I'm extremely looking forward to this one.

After work the next evening, I was off to Austin for a weekend of much needed merriment and partying for my bestie's Tyler 24th birthday blowout- it was a blowout indeed. After my 3 hour ride it was time to dress to impress and meet my girlfriends at Kenichi for a night on the town.

Fashionable late, I arrived to find chilled champagne and spicy edamame already on the table. Who could want more? We were then presented with an array of rolls and sashimi- my favored was sea bass sashimi served with paper-thin apple slices and crushed macadamias.

After an evening of antics on West 6th, I awoke early with a yearning for breakfast tacos. With my mind on my beloved Taco Shack on Lamar, my dad swayed me into trying the Tamale House on airport.The tacos were SO worth it. My dad ordered a simple choice of bacon, eggs and cheese while I went for chorizo, eggs and cheese with a homemade guacamole.

When we finally arrived home to inhale the tacos, I was more concerned with figuring out everything in the homemade salsa. The salsa was extremely fresh and had an almost sweet and salty flavor combination. After dousing my taco with salsa, I dove in and the flavors were extreme. The guacamole was a thinner and smoother puree than the guacamole I'm accustomed too- perfect accompaniment.

After my breakfast taco and orange juice pick-me-up, I headed to the Central Market on Lamar to find things to make for my girlfriend's cocktail party later that evening. I decided to make spring rolls with wasabi aioli and spiced nuts...fun to make, fun to eat and able to sit out at a cocktail party without wilting or ruining.

For the spring rolls, I layered napa cabbage, blanched asparagus, cilantro, pickled ginger and salt atop soaked and dried rice paper. I sliced the spring rolls on a bias and served them sitting up. For the sauce, I made a wasabi aioli with tubed prepared wasabi, mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and chopped cilantro.

After rolling spring rolls for a couple hours and chatting with Mom, I cleaned up and "glamorized myself" for the cocktail party. Running out the door with the spring rolls, wasabi aioli, rosemary spiced nuts, a bottle of pinot and Ty's birthday gift- I was good to go.

The night was one to remember- fun people, interesting conversations, bar hopping until 3am...blah, blah. Let's get to the food:)

The spread was great...especially at 3am after a night of partying. We had the infamously delicious Thundercloud party platter of sandwiches, mini-quiches (homemade of course), munchies from Moonshine (shrimp "corn dogs" and chile bacon mac and cheese...upscale comfort food at its finest) and a delicious vanilla butter cream birthday cake a la Central Market.

The next morning, a group of us struggled to recover from the previous nights events and headed to the Counter Cafe on Lamar for a delicious organic breakfast in a diner-style setting. I ordered the breakfast tacos (I'm addicted) but my favorite was the eggs benedict. Eager to take part of nonconformity to its predecessor, this benedict ousted the english muffin for a dense, yet fluffy homemade biscuit and the typical Canadian bacon for perfect slice of spiced salami. After two perfectly poached eggs and a drizzle of hollandaise, this was a bite worth waiting for.

A few hours later, I met the fam at Galaxy Cafe in the Triangle to celebrate my Uncle Jack's birthday. The food here is pretty straightforward and always delivers for me. I ordered the fresh mozzarella, roma tomato and basil sandwich served on ciabatta with a drizzle of olive oil. I wasn't shouting from the rooftops about it, but it was pretty good. I was more concerned with the delicious sweet potato fries and stealing my little cousins homemade mac and cheese from his child's plate (sad, i know).

After the meal, my Mom brought out the gorgeous coconut cake we ordered from Texas French Bread and my uncle Jack blew out his candles. Although I'm not a huge coconut fan, the cake was so pretty that I was happy staring at it.

After too much food and a long nap, I awoke to start prepping dinner for the evening. Eager to please a long-time friend from high school, the menu was:

Blood orange mimosas and rose Prosecco

Sirloin burgers with arugula, avocado, rosemary-sauteed onions , heirloom tomatoes and a horseradish aioli or grilled eggplant "burgers"

For the burgers, I added minced ginger, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes to the ground sirloin. The eggplant was sliced and seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. The eggplant, burgers and whole wheat buns were all grilled on the outdoor grill.

For the accompaniments, I used sliced heirloom tomatoes with salt and pepper, sliced avocado with lime juice, fresh, peppery arugula and onions sauteed with salt, olive oil and minced fresh rosemary.

For the aioli, I combined horseradish, mayonnaise and lemon juice for a quick sauce.

My "grown-up" fruit salad

This delicious fruit salad is compliments to my cousin Catherine. I used her idea, then put a twist of my own on it. First start with any fruit of your choice- I used blackberries, blueberries, red grapes, Asian pears and oranges. The trick is to dice everything uniformly small so every bite has a piece of everything. For smaller fruits and berries, I left my berries whole and sliced my grapes in half.

After combining the diced fruit, I added lemon juice, lemon zest, chiffonade mint, sugar and a healthy douse of champagne. Let the mixture macerate and cool in the fridge while preparing the rest of the meal.

Cabbage slaw

Baked sweet potato fries

Gingerbread cake with caramelized ginger and Meyer lemon curd

Ok...who is obsessed with Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) as much as I am?
No one...so don't even try it. Her boxed desserts are marvelous for all of you "non-bakers".

My mom picked up her gingerbread mix with crystallized ginger and served it with Meyer lemon curd from Williams-Sonoma...it was a knockout dessert.

After a great (and tiresome) weekend in Austin, I was glad to be back to Fort Worth. A couple nights later, my girlfriend Cat and I headed to Cafe Aspen. Although it was my first time to dine there, I had heard positive things about the food.

We started with Chopin and Belevedere dirty martinis and a couple appetizers- quesadillas with candied walnuts, brie, caramelized onions and bacon with a mango salsa along with fried calamari with a marinara sauce. Surprisingly, I had no complaints...I'll be back.