Misc End of Week Cooking
So, the other big meal I made last week was a bit of a bust. The meal was colorful and had a variety of flavors and textures. But, I tried to make something Caribbean-inspired, which is TOTALLY not me. It showed. While the meal didn't necessarily hit the mark, it did help me to understand my own cooking style more. We all want to experiment with food, which is never a bad thing, but we all also have our "comfort zone," our sweet spot, our niche where we know we do the best. It is here that we produce food that people go back for seconds and thirds for. It is when we cook in this style, our style, that we can be the most proud of our dish and call it a true masterpiece. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't push our limits and try new things-we would never find new techniques or ingredients that way. But, it does mean that we know where our culinary home is.
I won't bore you with the not so fabulous dinner recipes from my mock-Caribbean/southern cooking night. It was good, but wasn't the biggest success. However, a few other creations from the end of the week will make the blog. Zucchini, Corn and Parmesan Frittata was a super simple meal and easily used up some of the leftover vegetables I had in the fridge. Also, Lemon Cornmeal Scones made a great gift, paired with Strawberry Lemon Basil Jam and tea.
Zucchini, Corn and Parmesan Frittata: Yields 4-6 Servings
2 T butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
2 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
salt and pepper
8 eggs, beaten
2 T heavy cream (or milk)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salad, for topping (I used mixed greens and tomatoes tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, but use whatever you have on hand)
1. Heat oven to 350.
2. In a large non-stick skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and sweat 3-4 minutes. Add zucchini, cooking an additional 3-4 minutes, or until softened and starting to brown. Stir in corn; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are starting to caramelize.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with cream or milk. Pour over vegetable mixture. Shake a little to settle eggs. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top.
4. Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the eggs are mostly set. Switch on the broiler and broil until the top is golden brown.
5. Let cool slightly. Run a spatula around the sides of the pan to ensure that the frittata is loose. Slide onto a plate. Top with salad, cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Lemon Cornmeal Scones: Yields 12 mini-scones
2 cups flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 T sugar, plus additional for brushing
1 stick of cold butter, cut into small cubes
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus additional for brushing
1. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, mix in butter until the dough resembles small peas.
2. Stir in lemon zest, vanilla and buttermilk. Work only until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Knead 10 times on a lightly floured surface. Press into a flattened log a little over a foot long. Cut into 12 small triangles. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, or until firm.
5. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400.
6. When scones are firm, transfer to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. If using as a gift (as I was), let cool before packing.
Both of these recipes were pretty darn simple and still full of flavor. I really enjoyed making them! No real other noteworthy cooking last week, but there was definitely some noteworthy eating. Last night I dined at an amazing restaurant in Eastford, Connecticut called Still River Cafe. I went with my boyfriend's family to celebrate a 50th Anniversary. The entire experience, in my humble opinion, was a home run. The setting, an old barn on the actual farm where the food is grown, was gorgeous - remodeled and re-furnished into something very classy. An upscale oasis in the middle of the woods. It was a little hidden; one of those blink-and-you-miss-it sort of places. You don't really know what to expect as you walk to the door, traipsing through dirt and gravel in your Coach heels. But, upon entering, you are immediately struck by the beautiful woodwork and large windows over-looking the garden. The service at the restaurant was also spot-on. Our waitress was attentive and welcoming. She didn't seem phased at all by my vegetarian diet and gluten allergy - speaking with the chef(s) before each course to discuss or create a dish for me.
To begin, this restaurant takes a drink menu of only beer and wine to a whole new level. They had a whole list of cocktails using different wines. I sampled most all of them and was pleasantly surprised to find that each was delicious and distinctly different from the others on the menu. I truly loved the idea of wine cocktails, and totally plan on stealing the idea someday for myself. The amuse bouche was a trio, which I quickly learned was the restaurants signature theme (everything in threes). It consisted of a Pea Gazpacho with Miso Cream, a Pea Ravioli (a molecular gastronomy creation), and a Carrot Marshmallow. The presentation was beautiful and each item was a new experience. The gazpacho was spicy and creamy; the ravioli burst in your mouth like a Gusher; the marshmallow was airy and sweet. By now, we were off to a very good start. Next, I enjoyed the appetizer of Slow Roasted Beets which were served with pistachios and a goat cheese parfait. Again, the attention to detail in presentation was amazing. Instead of serving the parfait in a shot glass, as most places would do, they served it in an eggshell. Ingenious.
For an entree, the restaurant actually prepared a vegetable plate for me. It included a variety of vegetables and cheeses, including parsnip fries, porcini mushroom mouse, sauteed mushrooms, baby carrots, roasted fingerling potatoes, Brussels sprouts and micro-greens. Because the restaurant's signature is preparing one item three ways, they actually even sectioned my plate into three. For not being able to use gluten, the chef did a wonderful job in putting together something sophisticated and cohesive. There was still a contrast of flavors and textures, pulled together by an overall earthiness in the meal. Dessert was also a hit. The SRC Signature Coffee was amazing. Served in a mini french press, this coffee was robust with flavors of orange and cardamom. As a die-hard chai tea fan, this coffee was heaven in a cup. I enjoyed the Coffee and Doughnuts dessert, sans
doughnut. My gluten-free version included flour-less chocolate cake and coffee creme anglais. The cake, which looked like a mini hot chocolate, was almost like fudge. A bit thick and rich. The airy frosting on top and the creme anglais were wonderful compliments, however, lightening the dish and making it smoother on the palate. I would have imagined that the doughnut should have been dunked in the creme anglais, but it was great on the cake too. The restaurant also concluded the meal with blueberry and chocolate meringues. Again, a light and sweet hit. This was a sophisticated locavore meal that made a lasting impression on me. I truly enjoyed every bite. If you are ever in Connecticut, I highly recommend you head to the woods for a fabulous meal that you are sure to love. The restaurant's website is www.stillrivercafe.com for additional information.
I'll be cooking a couple of simple pantry-staple meals next week as I didn't get to go to the Green Market this weekend. I promise they will be great though!! Until then, Happy Cooking.
I won't bore you with the not so fabulous dinner recipes from my mock-Caribbean/southern cooking night. It was good, but wasn't the biggest success. However, a few other creations from the end of the week will make the blog. Zucchini, Corn and Parmesan Frittata was a super simple meal and easily used up some of the leftover vegetables I had in the fridge. Also, Lemon Cornmeal Scones made a great gift, paired with Strawberry Lemon Basil Jam and tea.Zucchini, Corn and Parmesan Frittata: Yields 4-6 Servings
2 T butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
2 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
salt and pepper
8 eggs, beaten
2 T heavy cream (or milk)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
salad, for topping (I used mixed greens and tomatoes tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, but use whatever you have on hand)
1. Heat oven to 350.
2. In a large non-stick skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and sweat 3-4 minutes. Add zucchini, cooking an additional 3-4 minutes, or until softened and starting to brown. Stir in corn; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are starting to caramelize.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with cream or milk. Pour over vegetable mixture. Shake a little to settle eggs. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top.
4. Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the eggs are mostly set. Switch on the broiler and broil until the top is golden brown.
5. Let cool slightly. Run a spatula around the sides of the pan to ensure that the frittata is loose. Slide onto a plate. Top with salad, cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Lemon Cornmeal Scones: Yields 12 mini-scones
2 cups flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 T sugar, plus additional for brushing
1 stick of cold butter, cut into small cubes
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus additional for brushing
1. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, mix in butter until the dough resembles small peas.
2. Stir in lemon zest, vanilla and buttermilk. Work only until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Knead 10 times on a lightly floured surface. Press into a flattened log a little over a foot long. Cut into 12 small triangles. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, or until firm.
5. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400.
6. When scones are firm, transfer to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. If using as a gift (as I was), let cool before packing.
Both of these recipes were pretty darn simple and still full of flavor. I really enjoyed making them! No real other noteworthy cooking last week, but there was definitely some noteworthy eating. Last night I dined at an amazing restaurant in Eastford, Connecticut called Still River Cafe. I went with my boyfriend's family to celebrate a 50th Anniversary. The entire experience, in my humble opinion, was a home run. The setting, an old barn on the actual farm where the food is grown, was gorgeous - remodeled and re-furnished into something very classy. An upscale oasis in the middle of the woods. It was a little hidden; one of those blink-and-you-miss-it sort of places. You don't really know what to expect as you walk to the door, traipsing through dirt and gravel in your Coach heels. But, upon entering, you are immediately struck by the beautiful woodwork and large windows over-looking the garden. The service at the restaurant was also spot-on. Our waitress was attentive and welcoming. She didn't seem phased at all by my vegetarian diet and gluten allergy - speaking with the chef(s) before each course to discuss or create a dish for me.
To begin, this restaurant takes a drink menu of only beer and wine to a whole new level. They had a whole list of cocktails using different wines. I sampled most all of them and was pleasantly surprised to find that each was delicious and distinctly different from the others on the menu. I truly loved the idea of wine cocktails, and totally plan on stealing the idea someday for myself. The amuse bouche was a trio, which I quickly learned was the restaurants signature theme (everything in threes). It consisted of a Pea Gazpacho with Miso Cream, a Pea Ravioli (a molecular gastronomy creation), and a Carrot Marshmallow. The presentation was beautiful and each item was a new experience. The gazpacho was spicy and creamy; the ravioli burst in your mouth like a Gusher; the marshmallow was airy and sweet. By now, we were off to a very good start. Next, I enjoyed the appetizer of Slow Roasted Beets which were served with pistachios and a goat cheese parfait. Again, the attention to detail in presentation was amazing. Instead of serving the parfait in a shot glass, as most places would do, they served it in an eggshell. Ingenious.
For an entree, the restaurant actually prepared a vegetable plate for me. It included a variety of vegetables and cheeses, including parsnip fries, porcini mushroom mouse, sauteed mushrooms, baby carrots, roasted fingerling potatoes, Brussels sprouts and micro-greens. Because the restaurant's signature is preparing one item three ways, they actually even sectioned my plate into three. For not being able to use gluten, the chef did a wonderful job in putting together something sophisticated and cohesive. There was still a contrast of flavors and textures, pulled together by an overall earthiness in the meal. Dessert was also a hit. The SRC Signature Coffee was amazing. Served in a mini french press, this coffee was robust with flavors of orange and cardamom. As a die-hard chai tea fan, this coffee was heaven in a cup. I enjoyed the Coffee and Doughnuts dessert, sans
doughnut. My gluten-free version included flour-less chocolate cake and coffee creme anglais. The cake, which looked like a mini hot chocolate, was almost like fudge. A bit thick and rich. The airy frosting on top and the creme anglais were wonderful compliments, however, lightening the dish and making it smoother on the palate. I would have imagined that the doughnut should have been dunked in the creme anglais, but it was great on the cake too. The restaurant also concluded the meal with blueberry and chocolate meringues. Again, a light and sweet hit. This was a sophisticated locavore meal that made a lasting impression on me. I truly enjoyed every bite. If you are ever in Connecticut, I highly recommend you head to the woods for a fabulous meal that you are sure to love. The restaurant's website is www.stillrivercafe.com for additional information.I'll be cooking a couple of simple pantry-staple meals next week as I didn't get to go to the Green Market this weekend. I promise they will be great though!! Until then, Happy Cooking.
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