Coq au Vin

Spring has officially sprung here in Virginia. It's clear, sunny and cool. A perfect day for the Coq au Vin our friend requested I make. Now, I don't know if Coq au Vin is necessarily considered a spring dish b/c it's pretty hardy. However, for today, it's really the perfect meal.

Beyond the Coq au Vin, I want you to take a close look at the label of the mini-cognac I used in the recipe. Notice the TWA? If I remember correctly, it's been a while since TWA has been in business. Not sure how old this little guy is, but he still had that amazing aroma that hits the nose the second you opened him up. So, into the pot he went!

I inherited this tasty treasure from a friend whose uncle who used to travel all the time and collect mini-bottles. He had such a collection that he passed a chunk off to my buddy. Lucky for me, my friend doesn't drink cognac. Nor do I, typically, but I knew I would eventually cook with it! So, into my pocket it went. And I've enjoyed thinking about the adventures this small vial of delightful flavor went on before it became part of my Easter meal. :)

I used Ina Garten's shorthand recipe for Coq au Vin and have to say that it's a keeper. I drooled from the second the bacon hit the olive oil, until the last bite went in my mouth--

Coq Au Vin
courtesy, Ina Garten

2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced
1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy
1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen small whole onions
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

*Note- Ina is a bit heavy handed with the salt, you would do well to back off of her amounts listed here.

Mezzanine

Get thee to Mezzanine pronto.

That's really all I need to write for this one. The girls and I were having a leisurely evening out and first ventured over to Si. Cute interior and amazing smells wafting throughout the place. But, alas, there was a 45 minute wait and the bar area was awkward and could not accomodate the three of us adequately. So, we decided to roll out and find another spot.

Walking to the car, I'm running through the "list" in my mind of places I'm always meaning to drop in on. For some reason, Mezzanine rose to the top. And boy, am I glad that it did.

Richmond has really been needing this gem.

Open just six months, their "claim to fame" is a focus on local and organic items on their menu. The food is as fresh and as inventive as touted. Our party had the fried green tomatos with crab, shrimp and grits, seafood risotto, free range chicken (skin stuffed with THE GOAT!) celery root and haricot verts and the banana spring roll for dessert.

Alas, I am allergic to shellfish so I could not taste the first menu items, so I'll report those second hand to you. Our girl who had the shrimp and grits is a proper southerner who KNOWS her grits. She could not stop raving about this dish.

Our other girl who had the seafood risotto loved it so much, she was trying to break down the components so she could recreate it. Generous hunks of scallop and shrimp, it was surrounded by a roasted red pepper creaminess. The fried green tomatos were thick, but tender inside(difficult to achieve). The coating was cornmeal, thin and perfectly crisp. They were a wonder to all who beheld them.

Myself, I had the chicken and didn't talk until I was finished. Perfectly seasoned, tender, with a punch of goat cheese waiting under the skin. Combine this w/the tomato puree underneath and a swatch of pureed celery root and you have nirvana my friend.

We all opted to share the banana spring roll dessert and it was the perfect ending to a stomach pleasing meal. Sweet cream cheese and banana inside a crispy shell. cut into 4 bite sized pieces, there was a chocolate dipping sauce and toasted coconut on the plate to top things off. Delectable.

We were informed that they do brunch and have a bloody mary bar. *raises eyebrow* Now there's something to get excited about, as I have yet to imbibe a good one in this town. So, hopefully I'll be reporting back when I have one. (notice, I did not say IF)

This one is a treat for the senses, it's priced well, great staff and warm atmosphere. Can't miss.

Personally, I think it's my new favorite spot.

App's average $9
Entrees $14- $30

Mezzanine

http://www.mezzanine3433.com/

3433 W Cary St

Richmond, VA 23221

(804) 353-2186

French Chicken in a Pot

I picked up the Best Recipes & Reviews 2009 from America's Test Kitchen recently and found this gem. I'm going to recommend you pick it up as well. This edition has everything from Chicken Tikka Masala to Tiramisu. Mr. Kimball never lets me down.

If you like crispy skin on your chicken, feel free to go ahead and skip this post.

This recipe's method basically steams the chicken in the oven to create the most succulent poultry you could imagine. Chicken that tastes like chicken, novel concept! Not to mention the heavenly jus rendered from the process.

The second best part of this recipe is how amazing your house will smell while making it.

French Chicken in a Pot
Serves 4

1 (4 1/2 - 5 lb) roasting chicken
2 tspn kosher salt
1/4 tspn pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
6 whole garlic cloves, peeled & trimmed
1 bay leaf
1 med. rosemary sprig (I used thyme)- optional
1/2 - 1 tspn fresh lemon juice

Heat oven to 250. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heal oil in dutch oven over med. heat until just smoking. Add chicken, breast side down, scatter onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and herb (if using) around chicken. Cook until breast is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Using tongs inserted in cavity, flip breast side up and cook until chicken and veggies are well browned, 6-8 minutes.

Remove dutch oven from heat; place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with the lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook until thermometer reads 160 degrees in the breast. and 175 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh (80-110 minutes).

Transfer chicken to carving board, tent w/foil and let rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain juices from pot through a fine mesh strainer into a fat separator. Discard solids, you should have about 3/4 cup juices. Allow liquid to settle 5 minutes, then pour into a sauce pan over low heat. Carve chicken, adding accumulated juices to the saucepan. Stir lemon juice into jus to taste.

Chili, how can I make thee.....

.....let me count the ways.

Ok, seriously, how many ways can I futz with chili? I dunno, I feel like haven't even scratched the surface yet. I love just throwing stuff into a pot and seeing how it turns out. And apparently chili is my medium. This particular recipe is reminiscent of a diner chili, which happens to be my favorite style. I don't care for chunky veggies. I want a sweet tomato base, beans and meat. Simple, straighforward deliciousness!

I will say, all modesty aside, that I think this is my favorite one thus far in my home cooking career. Not as spicy as my other chilis, it's a nice balance between sweet (tomatoes/ketchup), sour(lea & perrins chicken marinade/beer), salty and spicy. Some of you might turn your nose up at the ketchup, but I saw someone use it recently on food network's Triple D (one of my fav shows currently!) and I thought I'd give it a shot. In my opinion, I think it works!

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Chili

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 c. ketchup

1 T. Lea & Perrins "White" Worcestershire/Chicken Marinade
1 large onion, chopped fine (I pulverize mine in the food processor)
4 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 bottle Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Pinch of dried Oregano
Chili powder
Cumin
Garlic Powder

Red Chili Flake
4 regular cans beans of your choice
Salt
Pepper
3-4 frozen/fresh chicken breasts
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, rub chicken down with olive oil and season with pinch of oregano, chili powder (be generous), 1 tspn cumin, salt and pepper. Roast anywhere from 35 minutes (fresh) to 45 minutes (frozen). Place in bottom of crockpot. Pour in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, ketchup, lea & perrins chicken marinade and beans.

On stovetop, sweat onions and garlic over medium heat until translucent (approx 5 minutes). Adding palmful of chili powder, 1 tspn cumin, salt and pepper while onions cook. Pour in beer and reduce by half. Pour into crockpot with rest of ingredients.

Cook on low all day, or cook on high for a few hours. Shred chicken a few hours in when tender.

Serve with your favorite sides! Preferably a nice beer bread or jalepeno corn bread~!

Pepper Encrusted Pork Tenderloin

This is one I can't believe I haven't blogged about before! It's a standard and a favorite in our home. Originally from Cooking Light, this recipe's title is a mouthful, but just wait until you try it! My two changes were to use brown sugar instead of regular white sugar and I strain the sauce. I always want to eat this delectable sauce like it's a soup. Yes, Virginia, it is that good.....




Peppercorn-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Soy-Caramel Sauce

The crushed peppercorns that coat the pork provide taste and texture counterpoints to the smooth, semisweet sauce. When adding the soy mixture to the caramelized sugar, be careful of steam that may rise from the pan.

Cooking spray
1/4 cup minced white onion
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar(brown)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce(tamari)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons butter
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add water and sugar; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat; carefully stir in soy sauce, vinegar, and mustard. Add butter, stirring with a whisk. Set aside; keep warm.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Rub tenderloins evenly with crushed peppercorns, thyme, and salt. Heat a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add tenderloins, browning on all sides (about 5 minutes). Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink); let stand 10 minutes. Cut each tenderloin into 12 slices; serve with sauce.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 slices pork and 2 tablespoons sauce)

Whipped Cauliflower

Ahhhhhhhh New Year's resolutions! That's what brings me to this post today. After the holiday noshing on fondues and all things lovely and fattening, I am craving vegetation. And I'm laying starches to the side at the moment. Enter, Cauliflower.

Even if you detest Cauliflower, I'm going to challenge you to try this recipe and tell me you didn't like it. Very yummy! Not potatoes by any stretch, but certainly a worthy accompaniment to any protein. In my case, my pepper encrusted pork tenderloin with a soy ginger sauce, which I will post about next!

This makes either 2 generous portions or 4 modest ones.

Bella's Whipped Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower
2 Tbsp half and half
1 Tbsp butter

1 can chicken broth

Salt

Fresh ground pepper(or white pepper)

Special equipment: Food processor or blender

Cut head of cauliflower into florets. Trimming stems closely. Place in pot and pour in chicken broth. Boil until tender (approx 10 minutes). Strain. Place in food processor with all other ingredients. Pulse approx. 5 times or until the texture pleases your palate. Season to taste.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Creamy Mushroom Phyllo

This is one of my favorite hors d'oeuvres to make and eat! I will assemble and freeze these beauties about a week before a party. If you can't find dried porcini's, don't worry. The tastiest batch I've ever made had a combination of dried portobello, chanterelle and wood ear mushrooms. So, don't be afraid to mix it up! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.


Creamy Mushroom Phyllo Triangles
courtesy Cooking Light

This elegant appetizer takes a couple of hours to make, but you can do all the preparation ahead of time. Don't fold triangles too tightly or the mixture will burst through the phyllo. Assemble and freeze up to two weeks before the party. Don't thaw the triangles before baking; just add seven minutes to the baking time.

3/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 3/4 ounce)
1 pound button mushrooms
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 8 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
24 (18 x 14-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
Olive oil-flavored cooking spray

Cover porcini mushrooms with boiling water in a bowl. Let stand 1 hour. Drain well; chop.
Place half of button mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 8 times or until finely chopped. Remove from processor. Repeat procedure with remaining button mushrooms. Add onion to processor; pulse 8 times or until finely chopped.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add button mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates (about 10 minutes). Stir in porcini mushrooms, oregano, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese; stir until cheese melts. Stir in parsley.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place 1 phyllo sheet on a large cutting board or work surface (cover remaining phyllo to prevent drying). Cut sheet in half lengthwise; lightly coat with cooking spray. Fold each phyllo piece in half lengthwise to form a (3 1/2-inch-wide) strip. Spoon a level tablespoon of mushroom mixture onto 1 short end of each strip, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold 1 corner of edge with 1-inch border over mixture, forming a triangle; continue folding back and forth into a triangle to end of strip. Repeat procedure with remaining phyllo, cooking spray, and mushroom mixture. Place triangles, seam side down, on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat tops with cooking spray.

Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.