Raspberry and Cranberry Slushie

One of the kitchen themes lately is to build a small arsenal of yummy, blended beverages. The experiments are going swimmingly and today's effort was a big hit, despite my concerns that the cranberry juice might make the slushie a bit bitter. No complaints were voiced, however, and many extra servings were drained. Success!

Raspberry and Cranberry Slushie

Ingredients
2 cups cranberry juice
10 oz frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon sugar
7 ounces vanilla yogurt
8 ice cubes

Directions
1. Blend all ingredients in a blender. Easy!

Notes
You can use a kitchen scale to help you measure the berries and yogurt  This recipe will yield four large glasses of juicy goodness.

Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Horseradish and Garlic Sauce

I was sure that I was going to despise this sauce when I was making it. Horseradish and garlic? Really? Still, I had heard that this was a great sauce and pressed on.

     Oh. My. God. So good!

     There's not a lot I have to say about this dish other than it is insanely good, tender and flavorful. The combination of the searing, rub and sauce really makes for a complex blend of flavors.

Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Horseradish and Garlic Sauce

Ingredients
For the Sauce
1 head garlic
Olive oil
Kosher salt
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup drained, bottled horseradish
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

For the Tenderloin
1 3-4 pound beef tenderloin roast, tied if necessary
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated beef bouillon
Kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions 
For the Sauce
1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Cut off and discard top fourth of garlic head.

3. Drizzle exposed garlic with oil and sprinkle with just a pinch of salt, then wrap head in foil but not so tight that you will not be able to easily open and check it as it cooks.

4.Roast garlic until tender and lightly golden, about 1 hour.

5. While garlic roasts, simmer cream in a saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally but do not scrape the bottom of the saucepan. Simmer until reduced to about 1 cup, then transfer to a bowl.

6. Squeeze cooked garlic into a small bowl, discarding skins, and mash together with horseradish, pepper, and a pinch of salt using a fork. Stir garlic mixture into cream.

7. Place cream and horseradish mixture back into a saucepan and simmer on low for a few minutes to marry the flavors.

For the Tenderloin
1. Increase oven temperature to 425°F.

2. Trim excess fat and silver skin from tenderloin.

3. While oven is warming, pat tenderloin dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sear in saute pan with 1 tablespoon of oil until you have a good crust.

4. Stir together bouillon, cornstarch, oregano, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl. You can also add a bit of salt and pepper.

5. Rub mixture into the meat when it is cool enough to handle.

6. Put tenderloin in oven on baking sheet lined with foil. Roast until a thermometer placed in the center of the tenderloin reads 150-155 degrees.

7. Remove meat from baking sheet and let rest on a cutting board, lightly tented with foil for 5 minutes.

8. Thinly slice the tenderloin, then drizzle with sauce.

Notes
This dish will take about two hours to prepare, but most of that is waiting for the garlic to roast. because it's rather fussy, I'd prepare any accompaniments the day before or get some help. Devote all your attention to the tenderloin.

Banana, Kiwi and Lemon Smoothie

The eldest boy child has recently complained about the substandard quality of the juices and smoothies a relative has been making for him. In response, I've been tinkering with various teas, juices (fruit and vegetable) and smoothies in order to make a little recipe book for him to follow. Alternatively, he can tap the relative on the shoulder and politely say, "Enough with the beets in the blender. Make this!" This morning's effort was pretty decent, but would even better with a simple homemade touche.

Banana, Kiwi and Lemon Smoothie

Ingredients
3 kiwis, peeled and chopped
2 bananas, peeled and chopped
4 scoops homemade lemon sorbet

Directions
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend.

Notes
This will yield four, six ounce servings. You should try to use home-made sorbet if you can, as the store bough variety can be a little too sweet. Barring that, try to find a lemon sorbet that is light in sugar. Not sugar free, just not cloying. This smoothie can be fortified with protein power or other supplements if you like.

Lemony Tea with Chamomile and Ginger

To quote the Tick, "Sometimes, when I'm feeling like a raving ding-dong, I find a nice bit of chamomile tea."

     This piping hot cup of goodness not only offers chamomile, but is also fortified with ginger and lemon for lots of vitamin C and soothing tummy relief. The holidays can be brutal, yo, so treat yourself to a nice cup of chill.

Lemony Tea with Chamomile and Ginger

Ingredients
1 small Meyer lemon, sliced
2-3 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers
1 1/2" ginger, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons honey, more to taste if needed

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a heatproof bowl.

2. Add 1 quart hot water, then allow to steep.

3. Strain and serve. (Provides four generous cups.)

Notes
If you don't have chamomile flowers, two teabags will do.

Mesclun with Minty Vinaigrette, Toasted Walnuts and Borage Flowers

 

I tried to grow as much of this salad as I could. The mint, mesclin and borage came from my garden. The rest - of course - came from the store. I'm hoping to be able to grow greens throughout the summer, but it gets terribly hot here. I'll see if I can find some cool corners of the garden in which to coax greens out of the August heat.  

Mesclun with Minty Vinaigrette, Toasted Walnuts and Borage Flowers

Ingredients
Mesclun, washed and spun
Walnuts, toasted and chopped
5 fresh mint leaves
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
½ teaspoon packed golden brown sugar
Borage flowers
salt and paper to taste

Directions
1) Blend the mint leaves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and brown sugar. Add water if the emulsion is a little thick. One tablespoon may do. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2) Toss the greens with the vinaigrette, then sprinkle with borage flowers and walnuts.

Notes
Adding crumbled chevre might be a nice addition to this salad.

Baby Red Leaf Lettuce and Nasturtium Petals with Black Cherry Vinaigrette

In college I had a professor - this was in 1989 - who urged every one of us students to get some land, raise some animals and to learn how to be more self-sufficient. I'm pretty far from that goal , but I like to think that 22 years later I am finally making progress. To that end, I grew this salad from seeds. The missus worked her magic with the vinaigrette and together we came up with a lovely salad. I paired this with some stuffed quail and it was an excellent combo.

     We got our black cherry balsamic vinegar from Trader Joes, although I have also found it online. The nasturtiums and red lettuce are easy to grow, so altogether this is a fairly easy salad to put together.

Baby Red Leaf Lettuce and Nasturtium Petals with Black Cherry Vinaigrette

Ingredients
Red lettuce leaves, washed and spun
Nasturtium petals (See notes)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup black cherry balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1) Whisk the honey and Dijon together.

2) Add the black cherry balsamic vinegar and whisk.

3) Add shallots, the salt and pepper to taste.

4) Spin greens to ensure that they are dry, then dress with vinaigrette. Sprinkle nasturtium petals and serve.

Notes
Some people have sensitive allergies, so it's a good idea to remove the petals from the stamen and pistils.

Roasted Quail With Apple Stuffing And Chicken Veloute

When I was a little boy I lived on a ranch in Acton, California for two years. It was a dry, desert area near Palmdale. Every once in a while my grandfather and grandmother would come visit. They'd bring shotguns and we'd go quail hunting. The birds were - and remain - pretty easy to shoot. They aren't hard to flush, fly in a low, straight line and tire quickly. That means that they don't fly very far. In short order it's easy to bag an entire meal.

     Sadly, there's not much in the way of quail hunting in Los Angeles, so I had to but my quail from a specialty food store in Culver City called Surfas. Dear God, I spent $40 for four quail. Oy vey. Next time one of my buddies goes hunting - I still have a few friends who hunt - I am going to ask them to blast a couple of extra birds for me.

     This dish is pretty amazing. It will take about 90 minutes to prepare and will provide an amazing centerpiece for any meal. 

Roasted Quail With Apple Stuffing And Chicken Veloute

Ingredients
For the Quail
4 quail, boned and thawed
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 quarter of a medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons fennel, diced
Sprigs of thyme
Salt and pepper

For the Stuffing
3 cups baguette, ¼ to ½ inch dice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
½ cup Granny Smith apple, ¼ inch dice
3 tablespoons fennel, fine dice
8-10 lavender flowers
1 teaspoon rosemary, fine dice
salt and pepper
½ cup+ chicken stock

For the Chicken Veloute
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper

Directions
For the Stuffing
1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a saute pan. Over medium low heat, sweat the apples until they are softened.

3. While the apples are cooking - about halfway through - add the lavender flowers, fennel and rosemary.

4. Remove the mixture from the saute pan and reserve.

5. In the saute pan add 2 tablespoons of butter and toast the baguette cubes until golden brown. When done, add them to the apple mixture.

6. Gradually add the chicken stock to the stuffing until it is moist.

7. Bake the stuffing for 25 minutes until it begins to firm up, yet still yields to the touch. Reserve the stuffing and allow it to cool.

For the Veloute
1. In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer.

 2. Meanwhile, prepare a white roux by melting the butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour a bit at a time until smooth.

 3. Increase the heat to medium and whisk in the stock. Add the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook until the taste of the flour has vanished. This may take 10 to 20 minutes. You may skim any skin that forms on the surface with a spoon. Whisk frequently and add stock as needed to keep it from becoming too thick.

 4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Strain through a chinois or fine mesh strainer if you'd like.

For the Quail
1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Prepare a baste by sweating the onions, garlic and fennel in one tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Strain and reserve.

3. Gently stuff the quail.

4. Season each one with salt and pepper. Place a dollop of butter atop each bird.

5. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Every three minutes, baste with the butter.

6. Drizzle each quail with veloute, garnish with sprigs of thyme and serve.

Notes
For the veloute, you may need to add additional stock if it cools and thickens while you are waiting for the quail to roast. The quail will start to smoke in the last few minutes of the cooking process as the fat begins to render. Just make sure you have adequate ventilation. You can also double the stuffing recipe and serve each bird on a bed of stuffing.

Meyer Lemon and Honey Vinaigrette

I have a pet peeve when I'm out to dinner. I ha-ha-hate ordering a wonderful steak only to have it served with a lackluster vegetable accompaniment. I think a fresh, simple salad is a great compliment to beef. Done right, it's quick, cheap and flavorful. I served this salad with a beef tenderloin and it was just perfect. The Meyer lemon, radishes and baby greens came from my garden. The tomatoes were store-bought.

     For a decadent meal, serve this dressing on a salad, as well as the two previous dishes presented on this blog (Lobster Bisque and Beef Tenderloin). You will be in some kind crazy good food coma.

Meyer Lemon and Honey Vinaigrette

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

6 tablespoons Pinot Grigio wine vinegar

2 tablespoons organic honey

2 tablespoons minced shallot

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice and vinegar to begin the emulsifying process.

2. Drizzle in the honey and continue to whisk.

3. Add the shallot, salt and pepper, whisk and taste.

4. Dress the salad, making sure they are as dry as possible. (Wet greens will repel the dressing.)

Notes

Here's a bit of trivia: Meyer lemons originated in China, and were brought to the United States by a US Dept. of Agriculture employee with a last name of Meyer in 1908. They were popularized by Alice Waters and Martha Stewart.

Lobster Bisque

It took me a few attempts to get this bisque dialed in. It will require about two hours of effort and will yield about 2 quarts. I think this is one of those dishes that is best prepared with a helper.

Lobster Bisque 

Ingredients 
16 oz. lobster tails, removed from shells and diced. Reserve shells.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small, sweet onions, small dice
2 stalks celery, small dice
2 carrots, small dice
4 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 Roma tomatoes, skin and seeds removed, each cut into 8 chunks
1 cup sherry
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups of beef stock
1 tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions 
1) Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and melt 3 tablespoons butter in it. Add the lobster shells, onion, celery, carrots, thyme, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook until the shells are red and the vegetables are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2) Pour in the sherry, then sprinkle in the flour, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes.

3) Add beef stock and cream and salt and pepper to taste.

4) Gently simmer until the soup is reduced and thickened 45 minutes to 1 hour.

5) Remove lobster shells.

6) Add the diced lobster and cook for additional 10 minutes.

7) Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Notes 
This bisque takes a fair amount of effort and prep, but it is so worth it!

Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic Espresso Sauce

garnish with roasted french radishes and chopped parsley

The local halal market has a great meat counter. One day we noticed that the beef tenderloin was $8.99 a pound. We picked up a few pounds and invited friends over for dinner. This is a really great entree because the marinade is reduced to make a sauce. It's not too labor intensive, either.

Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic Espresso Sauce

Ingredients
2 1/2 to 3 pounds beef tenderloin

3 tablespoons grainy mustard or Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 cups espresso (I use instant espresso and mix it into cold water.)

1/3 cup brown sugar

cracked pepper to taste

salt to taste

1 cup beef broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. Remove the silver skin.

2. If necessary, fold thin ends back on themselves and tie to create a uniform thickness. (See photo below.)

3. Combine mustard, garlic, shallots, balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, espresso, brown sugar, beef broth and black pepper in a large bowl or in doubled up gallon Ziplock bags. Add the meat and marinate for 2 hours, turning occasionally.

4. Remove the meat from the marinade, strain and reserve.

5. Bring marinade to a boil and then lower the heat to medium low. Reduce the sauce by 1/2 or until nape. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk it in. (Keep an eye on the sauce to make sure it doesn’t cook down into a syrup.)

6. Dry the meat with paper towels, sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt and grill or sear in a hot pan. 

Cook the meat for about 3-5 minutes per side. 

7. Transfer to a baking sheet and finish the meat in a 450 degree oven until it’s medium rare. (Insert a meat thermometer until it reads 160 degrees.) 

8. Let the meat rest, slice, spoon sauce on top, then garnish. 

Notes
With this dish the only things to keep in mind are to tie the ends if they are thin so that the tenderloin roasts evenly. Also,  make sure that the sauce does not reduce so much that you end up with a syrup. That's it, really. :)

You can see how I folded the thin end of the tenderloin back on itself and tied it to create a uniform thickness.