Bret’s Table Market Bag Give Away! We have a winner –

February 18, 2013    |    Print Print

The winner is Dawn Kelly!  Dawn – Please go to the contact page on my website and send me your address.  I’ll get it in the mail to you.  Thanks everyone for commenting on my blog.  There will be other opportunities to win stuff from Bret’s Table.

The Market bags I had designed and manufactured are now finished.  I’ll be giving one away similar to this one in the photograph.  To win it, all you have to do is comment on one of my blogs between now and the last day of February 2013.  Jon will draw a name on March 1st and his decision will be final.  I’ll post the name of the winner on a blog post in March.

Fine Print
Be sure your comment doesn’t look like spam 0therwise, I won’t be able to post it and your name won’t be in the drawing.

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High Hopes for Bouchon

February 10, 2013    |    Print Print

When one scores dinner reservations for four only 2 days hence at one of the premier restaurants in the US, the feeling is as if you’ve hit the jackpot.  That’s precisely what happened during our recent visit to the Sonoma Valley in California when we nabbed a table at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon restaurant in nearby Napa Valley’s Yountville.

The reservation was for 6:00 pm on a Friday evening.  According to our GPS, it was to take 45 minutes to travel from Rohnert Park to Yountville.   That amount of time might be accurate if one is traveling at 7:30 am on a Tuesday, but not 5:00 pm on a Friday.  When traveling in the evening it takes a good hour and 20 minutes, unless of course Jon is the chauffeur.  See, he’s had experience both on the back roads of Missouri and the switchbacks to Moustier, France.  We went over the “mountain” between Rohnert Park and Yountville, not around it.  If you’ve ever taken that route as the sun is setting and you are in a hurry, which I don’t recommend, you will know the use for the oh sh@t handles in a car such as a Crown Victoria.

We called ahead to let them know that we were running a bit late and wanted to arrive in one piece.  Unfortunately, the response from the person on the phone was, “We’ll only keep the reservation for 15 minutes after your scheduled arrival.”  I thought, “Really, even with a phone call?”  So we pressed on; well Jon pressed on the gas pedal.  We arrived with five minutes to spare, and all needing a serious cocktail.

Jon ordered a classic “Sidecar”, giving our delightful waiter the recipe of his preference – equal parts Hennessey, Grand Marnier, freshly squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup; shaken and served up with a sugared rim.  Easy, enough right?  Unfortunately, what was delivered fell far short of the intent.  So much so, that it was sent back to the bar and Jon ended up drinking a Coke.  Our remaining cocktails, an Eva Peron, Manhattan and Pont Neuf were all good but not stellar.  However, I wasn’t about to send mine back.  With nerve ends retracting, we perused the menu.

We were at Bouchon, the Bouchon so tasting several appetizers were in order.  Since I have made Brandade de Morue, right off the bat I wanted to try Keller’s version of the Beinets de Brandade de Morue with tomato confit and fried sage.  They were better than good; light but creamy and melt in your mouth with the confit as the perfect accompaniment.

The house made charcuterie platter was a delight for the taste buds with Jon and myself enjoying a short tower of oysters as well.  But then again, I’ve never met an oyster that I didn’t like – well once in Ventura, CA, but that’s another story.

The plat du jour for one of my dinner companions was the Roasted Sole.  To quote her, “I’ve cooked better plates in my Basics 101 culinary class”.  Off the menu, another of the four at our table ordered the Poulet Rôti with whole grain mustard spaetzle, trumpet mushrooms, butternut squash with a sauce forestière.  Jon decided on the Risotto aux Topinambours; a roasted sunchoke risotto with a brown butter sauce with a generous shaving of fresh black truffles for an extra $25.  For myself the Lotte de Mer Rôtie; a pan-roasted monkfish, braised oxtail, French green lentils, matignon of root vegetables and kale with a sauce bordelaise seemed the best choice.

I won, I won!  Not really, for I am sad to say that I was the only one that chose wisely!  My three dinner companions were underwhelmed with their choices.  My fish, however, was perfectly prepared; the French lentils tender and not overcooked as can easily happen.  The sauce was divine, so much so that I still have the memory of its deliciousness.  What did fall short was the glass of wine from Burgundy that our waiter paired with my plat.  Much to my dismay not all French wines are created equal even at $15 -$16 a glass.

Hope springs eternal or should we cut our loses were my thoughts as we contemplated ordering desserts.  Jon checked to see how late The Girl and the Fig was opened that evening.  Unfortunately, there’s no way we could make it back to Sonoma before they closed, so we took our chances and kept our fingers crossed.

We ordered the Marquise au Chocolat (dark chocolate mousse and caramelized orange cream), the Profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce, and the Pomme au Four Meringuée (baked apple filled with poached prunes, walnut lady finger and toasted meringue).  It’s hard to mess up chocolate mousse, right?  Luckily they didn’t, but the caramelized orange cream was inedible.  The cream puffs with ice cream and chocolate sauce were good, but Jon said he’d had better.  The baked apple was so close to perfection, but even a small pool of crème anglaise would have set it on it’s deserved pedestal. As it was served, it came in second place.

We all had such high hopes and expectations for our dining experience and, I believe, rightly so.   As I reflect on the experience, how was it even possible that we could get a 6:00 pm reservation at Bouchon in Yountville, California on a Friday night with just two days notice?  Should that have been our first clue? Our first impression was made even before we arrived with a very unpleasant telephone conversation and then a cool reception when we arrived.  I thought we looked presentable, maybe a little frazzled, but it wasn’t like we were wearing ripped jeans and Van Halen t-shirts!  Nothing against Van Halen, but every attire has its place.

I’ve enjoyed cooking from Keller’s The French Laundry and Ad Hoc cookbooks so I know of his attention to detail and the superb quality for which he strives.  It’s not that the evening was horrible, but very sad to say we were just underwhelmed.  There were so many other places we could have dined in this part of California on that particular evening—and likely had a much better experience.  Bouchon, 6534 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599
(707) 944-8037

 

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Lunch in Santa Rosa, CA

January 27, 2013    |    Print Print

Before heading to the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco recently, I spent a delightful couple of days in Sonoma with Jon and friends tasting some of the best food and wine the valley had to offer.  Driving from San Francisco to the Sonoma Valley we anxiously anticipated a day of wine tasting, but thought it best to first have a little something to eat.

From the back seat of a Crown Victoria (really? thank you Thrifty Car Rental), our friend Janan (The Cake Diva) frantically “goolged” restaurants in the area and came up with the girl and the fig. What a delightful find!  The patio was covered and heated so we were able to enjoy lunch al fresco and sans coats, allowing our bodies to thaw a bit from the Minnesota cold.  Our waiter was a pleasure with which to chat and very knowledgeable not only with the menu that had been set before us, but other places to enjoy great dining in the area.  (I’ll post her suggestions on my blog sidebar.)

Ironically, but not surprising, I ordered a glass of French rosé from Domaine de Nizas 2011.  Hey it was the only rosé on the menu and with an 80 degree differential within hours, it felt like summer!  Of course after just a sip from my glass Janan had to order a glass for herself.  It was so delicious, bursting with fruit but yet with a balance of acidity.  It paired perfectly with the house-made charcuterie platter that was the entreé to our lunch.

Not remembering if we ordered the fig & arugula salad, but now looking a the menu, I wish we had as it included toasted pecans, dried figs, in-house pancetta, laura chenel chèvre with a fig and port vinaigrette. For our ‘plat principal’ David, Janan’s husband, and I both ordered the duck confit; one leg each not two with sweet potato lyonnaise, bacon and Brussels sprouts.  I confess I wanted to see if their confit was as good as mine.  I have to admit it was right on the mark – tender from the bone and full of flavor.  Jon savored the oxtail risotto and Janan enjoyed their signature beef carpaccio.

We had a tad more room to enjoy a cheese course. I was surprised that, of the ten choices of fromage on the menu, six were from France.  Looking at their website I now understand why as their by-line is “country food with a French passion”.  We were delighted with our choices which included L’Édel de Cleron, a pasteurized version of the famous Vacherin Mont d’Or, the famous Laura Chenel Chèvre with its creamy texture and delicate flavor, and the Petit Agour, a raw sheep’s milk, supple, smooth and pale ivory in color.

It was a difficult decision to not conclude our lunch with one of the desserts on the menu.  A few of our options were a Meyer lemon trifle with Meyer lemon curd, lemon chiffon, huckleberry compote, and almond meringue; a walnut clafouti with fromage blanc ice cream, brandy caramel, and candied walnuts; a chocolate caramel tart with salted caramel ice cream; or a lavender crème brûlée.  Alas, it was none of the above as Sonoma’s tasting rooms were calling. Reflecting on all the desserts we ordered in other restaurants during our bay area visit, I’m guessing any of these would have out-shined them all.  I would highly recommend this gem for lunch or dinner if you are anywhere near Santa Rosa, CA. 110 West Spain Street, Sonoma, CA 95476. 707.938.3634.

Next Blogs: Wine Tasting in Sonoma, Dinner at Bouchon, and Restaurants in San Francisco

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Lemon Meringue Tartlets

January 14, 2013    |    Print Print

The abundance of citrus in the markets continues so tis the season to enjoy them at every opportunity.  Just the other night I sautéed a couple of pieces of halibut and served it with a citrus sauce and slices of grapefruit supremes alongside.  What I love about the bright and crisp flavors of citrus is that it reminds me of the more pleasant days of summer during the cold Minnesota winters.

Something else to do during winter is watch episodes of Julia Child: Cooking with Master Chefs.  One particular episode I enjoyed watching was a chef making a citrus fruit galette.  She thinly sliced some lemons, fanned the slices on a round of pastry dough, sprinkle them with sugar, then folded the dough around the fruit forming the galette.  After it was baked and cooled, lime curd was spooned atop the lemon slices and topped with meringue.   It looked beautiful and sounded delicious!

After watching the show I was inspired to take some of the components and make something of my own.  I started with Simca Beck’s paté sucrée while adding the zest of an organic orange.  I also formed the dough in individual tart rings instead of making a galette.   Thinking the dough would cook faster than the lemons, I baked the sugared lemons separately on a Silpat; they burned before they got soft…dangit.  Next I tried cooking the lemon slices in the tart shell.  The lemon slices remained chewy though the tart shell was beautifully cooked.  Nertz…what to try next?

I had candied some grapefruit peel the previous week so that gave me the idea of blanching the lemon slices first to soften the rind and then cook them in simple syrup — for an hour no less.  They did get softer, but not soft enough for my taste to line the bottom of a Lemon Curd – Meringue Tart.  So try my recipe below for a lovely lemon tart, sans lemon slices, while I keep experimenting in the kitchen.

Simca’s Pâte Sublime (Delicate Sweet Pastry Dough with Cream)
Yield about 1 ½ pounds pastry dough, enough for two 8 to 9 inch tart shells or 8 individual 3-inch tart rings

9 ounces (2 cups) all-purpose flour
1 ounce (1/4 cup) cake flour, not self-rising
1/8 ounce (1 teaspoon) baking powder
3/4 ounce (2 tablespoons) super fine granulated sugar
5 ounces (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
zest of one medium orange, preferably organic (optional)
4 – 6 tablespoons heavy cream, beaten with 1 large egg yolk*
2 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed (optional)

Place dry ingredients in bowl of a food processor and process 2 seconds to combine.  Evenly distribute the butter around the bowl of the processor and pulse on/off for 8 to 10 seconds (about 20 pulses) or until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal.

*If using 2 tablespoons orange juice cut back on the amount of cream by the same amount.   More or less liquid may be needed depending on the amount of moisture already in the flour.

With the processor running, add the egg mixture through the pour-tube and process just until the mixture starts to hold together.  Turn out onto a floured surface and quickly smear together with the heel of your hand to blend, gathering it back onto itself with a bench knife.  If making two tarts, divide it evenly into two disks, otherwise it’s fine leaving it in one disk for the individual tartlets.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Chill for at least 1 hour prior to rolling or up to one day in the refrigerator.  It can also be frozen for up to one month.

If making one large tart, roll out the dough in a circle about 1½ inches larger than the tart pan.  If making individual tartlets, roll out to about 3/16-inch.  Set a tart ring on the dough and cut around it about 1-inch larger than the ring.  Gently form the dough in the ring.  After it is formed, cut off any dough sticking above the ring.

Set on a parchment or Silpat lined sheet pan.  When the tart(s) have been formed place them in the freezer for at least an hour.  Once frozen they can be tightly wrapped and kept for up to a month as well.  Preheat the oven to 350°F.   Line the tart(s) with parchment paper and pie weights and cook for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Lemon Curd
3 large egg yolks
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of kosher salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and eggs until evenly blended and set aside.  In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt until the sugar has melted.

Slowly whisk in the the hot liquid into the eggs to temper them.  Return the egg mixture back into the saucepan and whisk on very low heat until the curd thickens.  Be patient as it can take up to an hour.

It is possible to cook it faster, but you will run the risk of scrambling the eggs.  When the curd has thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon) remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the butter.

Spoon into a clean bowl and set the bowl in an ice bath, stirring until the curd has cooled.  Then cover the top with food film, pressing it down directly on the curd.  Place in the refrigerator to set up completely

Italian Meringue*
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
2 egg whites (from large eggs), at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

In a small pot over low heat, combine sugar and water.  Swirl the pot over the burner to dissolve the sugar completely.  Once the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring.   Increase the heat and boil to 240°F using a candy thermometer to get it right.  Wash down the inside wall of the pot with a wet pastry brush, which helps prevent sugar crystals from forming around the sides and falling in, causing a chain reaction.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the eggs whites on low speed until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium, and beat until soft peaks form.  With the mixer running, pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over fluffed egg whites.  Beat until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.  *Meringue can easily be doubled (use 5 egg whites though) if you like a lot on top of your tart.

If making individual tarts, divide curd between them.   Meringue can be spooned on or use a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe in a design that you like.  Using a blowtorch (the same kind as is used for crème brûlée), brown the meringue and serve immediately.

 

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Union Restaurant

January 4, 2013    |    Print Print

A group of friends and I recently had dinner at Union Restaurant, the former home of Shinder’s bookstore in downtown Minneapolis.  The design firm of Shea, Inc., hit it on the mark.  There are no vestiges of the bookstore, but instead a large room divided by a lively bar in the center, half walls, semi-circle banquettes and tables accommodating various numbers of patrons.

I considered myself privileged to have had a table with unobstructed views of the front line and Executive Chef Jim Christiansen inspecting each plate before it left the kitchen.  Previously he’s worked at Il Gatto, Sea Change, La Belle Vie and most recently at Noma in Denmark.

I was just re-reading the menu and saw again the first menu item:  donut holes, savory with shallots, bacon, and västerbotten cheese.   Västerbotten — of course it’s a region in Sweden.  We all knew that right?  Not!  One Google search and I found that this area is known for this hard cow’s milk cheese.  The cheese has tiny eyes or holes with a firm grainy texture.  Rumor has it that it’s better than Parmigiano-Reggiano.  I wonder if my friends of Swedish descent would concur?  Better yet, I wonder of my friends who hail from Italy have an opinion.

I can’t give you my opinion on how good the Västerbotten tasted that evening as I was enjoying my Sherry Castelvetrano (vodka, house blended sherries, goat cheese stuffed Castelvetrano green olives).  By the time I finished reading the menu, I had long forgotten about the savory donuts and therefore the cheese.  I’ve since read other reviews that said they are one of the must haves on the menu.   Aurgh!

I had moved on to Beef Tartare with oysters, smoked cream cheese, and capers with potato chips, Lamb Meatballs with black olive parsley, zucchini and sheep’s milk cheese and Fried Smelt with crispy endive, orange, avocado, and salsa verde.  Two of us enjoyed plenty of smelt; no one else budged on the offer to taste, even with arm-twisting.  It was just like any fish that is freshly battered and allowed to swim in hot oil for a couple minutes.  In other words, they were fresh and perfectly cooked.   While sharing these delightful appetizers, I did notice Jon on the other side of the table enjoying a plate of oysters on the half-shell.  I know, I know, I could have ordered them too, he reminded me.

With every item on the dinner menu looking so tempting, I used my standard way of choosing—no, not rock, paper, scissors.  I always go with what would I least likely cook at home.  It was between the veal breast braised with tonnato sauce, preserved tomatoes and white beans or the suckling pig confit with sage oil, apple juice potato and leek.

I had an ever so brief vision of biology lab concerning the later, so I cajoled Chris into ordering it, while I decided on the veal.  The grilled Rainbow Trout with crispy artichoke hearts, smoke ham and watercress did make the top three options, as the crispy artichoke hearts intrigued me, but the veal still won out.

We were both winners.  Both were melting in our mouth tender and each with a respective flavor of pure pork or beef.   The most difficult task next time will be having to choose between these two delights or deciding on something new to enjoy.    Part of me hopes the Chef Christiansen will have changed the menu so that I have only the fond memory and be forced from my now comfort zone.

The weakest link of the evening was the desserts.  We ordered the yogurt semifredo and a carrot cake.  You know something is amiss when 5 people decide not to finish two desserts.  We’ll cut the pastry kitchen some slack as Christiansen informed us during our post dinner conversation that the pastry kitchen had been without a leader, until that very night.  One of the dinner guests at our table was the Cake Diva, who handed him her business card.  My wish is that the desserts will soon match the caliber of the rest of the menu.  If not, I’m hoping Christiansen will give the Cake Diva a call for a consult.

After dinner, we had to check out the four season rooftop dining room.    There were beautiful views of downtown with the holiday lights glistening and the snow falling.  I’m already imagining a summer evening with refreshing cocktails in hand and the anticipation of another stellar menu for the season.   Should I book a reservation now for Saturday, June 22?  Union Rooftop Restaurant, 731 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403.  612-455-6690.  E-mail: info@unionmpls.com

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Birdhouse on Hennepin, they’ve flown the coop –

December 28, 2012    |    Print Print

Last night we enjoyed a quiet dinner on the second floor of Stewart and Heidi Woodman’s latest restaurant, Birdhouse.  I know it’s been open for a while but last night we finally got out of our rut and made a reservation.  Luckily, neither a stereo speaker nor a TV were mounted in the room where we sat.  Therefore, we didn’t have to yell to carry on a conversation.  I know, I know, just call me old-fashioned.  However, according to another blog I was reading today, we are both hoping this is the wave of being unplugged while dining starts in 2013.

Reading the drink menu from top to bottom, I couldn’t make up my mind as they all looked intriguing.  I wanted to go down the list enjoying each one!  I realized, however, that wouldn’t be the wisest move.  Collin, our waiter, was twisting my arm to try the Raven but the Sidecar with flamed orange infused brandy had my name written all over it.

With cocktail in hand, we read the dinner menu from front to back while poor Collin patiently answered our questions, providing every detail; how’s the cod brandade prepared; tell us about the lamb neck with spaetzle; oh and is the linguine house-made? Hmmm, so many choices.

Just because — we ordered the deviled eggs and the cod brandade as a first course.   In the end, the best part about the egg was the pickled celery.  Who knew there could be “pickled celery”; but why not?  I was amazed at how much flavor could be packed into one small julienne gently resting on a mound of creaminess with a hint of truffle oil; though, it could have used just a titch of salt.  The brandade of cod was smooth with small dices of perfectly cooked potatoes and topped with a bit of tomato jam.  The combination made for a tasty spread for the basket of crostini that accompanied it.  I wanted to order the fried smelt with remoulade sauce, but couldn’t convince my dinner companions to partake.  Next time, with the hope they are still on the menu.

For my main course, I landed on having the spareribs with sautéed greens and baked beans and a side of Brussels Sprouts.  The ribs didn’t have the usual stickingly sweet sauce, but were smoky, tender, and delicious.  The bed of greens were gently sautéed and accompanied by baked beans that had never seen brown sugar nor ketchup.  All paired beautifully with my glass of Trenza Tinot a blend of Tempranillo, Syrah, Grenache and Mouvedre.

Chris enjoyed a plate of light as clouds ricotta gnocchi with spicy lamb in a flavorful pomodoro sauce.  Of course, JT, being the breakfast expert, ordered his easy-over eggs with with lamb sausage and wild rice pancakes with real maple syrup.  There were no complaints coming from his side of the table, so he must have enjoyed every morsel.

It wasn’t long before we got on the subject of France with Collin; imagine that!   He was there for two weeks back in June and gave us the low down on where he stayed in the cities that he had  visited.  He raved about the New Orient Hotel in the 8th arr and the charming village of Cassis just east of Marseille. I wonder if I can convince anyone to go with me to France again?  He also mentioned the fact that his spouse works for a publishing company and they produce e-cookbooks.  I may need to pull the cookbook project off the shelf in 2013.

All in all a great evening and would definitely return as everything on the menu looked delicious.  Birdhouse on Hennepin, 2516 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55405, 612.377.2213.

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Citrus and Cucumber Salad

December 27, 2012    |    Print Print

We are in the throes of citrus season (I’ll throw in persimmon season too) and, depending on where you live, this season is brief.  Growing up in Florida we had orange, tangerine, persimmon, and fig trees in our yard.  What we didn’t pick from our own trees we were able to find at the roadside stands on the way to Starke or Jacksonville.  Indian River fruit as well as pecans were abundant and locally grown.

While I no longer live in Florida, I am very fortunate to still have family there and friends in southern California.  Therefore, I’m still blessed with an abundance of these fruits via the mailman.

Now’s the time to enjoy and preserve these orbs of sunshine while in season.  My friend Jeff recently made Grapefruit-Ginger Marmalade.  I’m twisting his arm with the hope that he’ll share a pint or at least the recipe.  I’ll make the biscuits!

Then there are Meyer lemons that can be preserved.  These can be savored in a couple of months with your favorite tagine.  Be sure to pack a few extras in the salt and aromatics to enjoy when tomato season comes around again.  They are perfect paired with slices of big boy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and torn fresh basil leaves, all drizzled with a good extra virgin olive oil and balsamic.

Photogragh by David Schmit

While we delight in the citrus season enjoy them peeled and eaten out of hand, or be indulgent and supreme a few in a salad.  The preparation below includes Meyer lemons, navel oranges and grapefruit.

Serves 4

1 – 2 Meyer lemons, depending on size
Kosher salt to taste
1 sweet red bell pepper
1 English cucumber
1 navel orange, supremed*
1 ruby red grapefruit, supremed
1 head of frisée, torn into bite size pieces
1 head of endive, separated into individual spears
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2-3 teaspoon Vinegar du Citron or fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe avocado, sliced just before serving
1/4 cup or so, pecans toasted and chopped (optional)

Wash the lemons, and slice as thin as possible – no thicker than 1/8 inch – making sure to leave the rind on. Using the tip of a paring knife, pick out as many seeds as possible.

Put the lemon slices on a plate and sprinkle liberally with salt.

Remove the stem, core, and seeds of the bell pepper. Cut the flesh into thin strips, no more than 1/8-inch thick.  Set aside.

With a mandolin and leaving the peel on, slice the cucumber paper thin into long ribbons until reaching the seeds. Then slice from the opposite side.  Set the sliced cucumber ribbons aside.

Prepare frisée and endive by washing and drying.  Set aside until ready to assemble.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the mustard and vinegar (or lemon juice) in a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion.

When ready to serve, dress each vegetable separately (bell pepper, cucumber, frisée, and endive) with a little vinaigrette. Choose a very shallow serving bowl or deep individual serving plates.

Drain the lemon slices and lay a couple on each plate. Divide the remaining ingredients on each plate, tucking the cucumber ribbons in among the lettuces. Slice and add avocado.  Toss a few pecans around each plate.  Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette, and serve.

*I could spend the day, photographing how to supreme citrus or send you to a link that gives you all the details.  I’ve chosen to send you to a link that explains it perfectly.  How to Supreme Citrus from the blog Chef In You.

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Shrimp Scampi – New Direction

December 26, 2012    |    Print Print

For years I cooked shrimp scampi from a 1999 Cooks Illustrated recipe.  This year however, I was cooking for more than two, so I went searching for a recipe that could be baked.

I googled  “Baked Shrimp Scampi” and landed on one created by Ina Garten.  Her recipe is quite simple but my adaption is even easier, which was exactly what I needed for Christmas lunch.

If I hadn’t made this for Christmas, I’d definitely serve it for a New Year’s Eve Dinner or New Year’s Day brunch.

About 2 1/2 pounds – 36 pieces (12 to 15 count) shrimp in the shell
3 tablespoons good olive oil
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup minced shallots
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup brioche bread crumbs
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425°F or 400°F convection.

Peel shrimp and devein if necessary.  Freeze the shells in a freezer bag and make shrimp stock later.*  Divide shrimp among 6 individual gratin dishes.  Sprinkle shrimp with a little freshly ground black pepper and place dishes on two sheet pans.  Allow the shrimp to sit at room temperature while making the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small sauté pan, heat butter and oil.  Sauté shallots for a couple of minutes or until translucent.  Add salt to taste, garlic, 1/2 the parsley, thyme, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and lemon juice and cook for about another minute, but not longer.

Divide the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp and sprinkle each the remaining parsley and then the bread crumbs.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly.  If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute.  Serve with lemon wedges.

*Shrimp Stock
Shrimp shells
2 carrots, preferably organic, chopped
4 sprigs parsley
1 small onion, peeled and diced
10 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 stalk celery, chopped into 1-inch pieces

Place all ingredients in a pot.  Cover with cold water and bring to a simmer.  Simmer on low for about 45 minutes.  Strain, discarding solids.  Cool liquid down immediately.   Place in containers and freeze for future use.

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