Escargots à la Bourguignonne

I had a fantastic weekend that was filled with a luncheon, birthday party, spontaneous sleepover followed by an impromptu brunch, Derby viewing, Chinese takeout and a movie, long run, outdoor yoga, calls to my mom and mother-in-law, evening stroll, and an anniversary dinner. Seven years ago this weekend, I met my husband for the first time in NYC. Although this anniversary should get overlooked now that we have a true wedding anniversary, we still like to celebrate in a fun way.

I decided to make a typical French dish, not only because we are total Francophiles, but also because one of my best friends in the world is currently in the best city in the world – Paris. Thomas and I began our honeymoon in The City of Light, where we enjoyed intimate dinners at bistros and cafés, romantic strolls along the Seine, and smooches amongst world-famous landmarks. So, in honor of our superfluous anniversary celebration and my friend’s French vacation, I thought that we could live vicariously through her with a classic preparation of Escargots à la Bourguignonne. Bon appétit!



Escargots à la Bourguignonne

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can snails and cleaned snail shells (both can be found in specialty food stores)
1 ½ or 2 sticks unsalted softened butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
French baguette



Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine softened butter, garlic, shallot, red wine, and parsley in a food processor until smooth. Sample the garlic butter with a piece of French bread and season with salt and pepper accordingly.

Spoon a small amount of butter into each shell, place one snail inside, and then top with more butter. Place shells in a snail well dish, or just face up in a baking dish or ramekin like I did. Bake until very bubbly and browned, about 7-10 minutes.

Serve with a salade verte (green salad) and a French baguette for soaking up the garlic herb butter.

Spicy Avocado Toast with Fried Egg

I’m a bit reluctant to say “Happy Cinco de Mayo” today. Not because I don’t want to celebrate the holiday, but because for the past few weeks, all I have read lately has been about Mexican food. Blogs and food magazines have completely inundated us with posts and articles about the perfect guacamole, salsa, margarita, or name-a-conventional-Mexican-dish here. I get it, I do. People want to eat typical Mexican food on Cinco de Mayo. They also want to knock back Coronas and smash piñatas, but that doesn’t mean that I necessarily have to. I want to celebrate in my own way.

I wanted to make a dish using traditional Mexican ingredients that was more interesting than flan, but less labor intensive than huevos rancheros. And while I had a surplus of rapidly ripening avocados, I settled on a gussied-up version of NYC’s Café Gitane’s avocado toast. Since their incredibly simple dish only consists of toast, avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, and crushed red pepper, I decided to top it with a fried egg (mostly because I think everything tastes better with a fried egg). Although this dish is not necessarily considered Mexican, it does feature traditional ingredients such as avocados and chili peppers. And if this avocado toast doesn’t quite have you doing the Mexican hat dance, then throw in an ice cold Corona to spice up the fiesta. With my reluctance lessened and stomach full, I can now festively say “Happy Cinco de Mayo!”



Spicy Avocado Toast with Fried Egg

Ingredients

Bread
Avocado
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Crushed red pepper
Egg

Method

Toast bread and brush with olive oil. Cut the avocado in half, core it, and slice lengthwise. Place sliced avocado on toast and sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and crushed red pepper. At Café Gitane, the avocado is mashed, but I think slicing looks more elegant.

In a frying pan, fry and season the egg to your liking and then place over avocado toast. Buen provecho!

Cosmo Crunch - Mixed Nut Brittle with Cranberries and Orange Zest

It took two failed attempts, lots of research, and one sleepless midnight cooking session, but I finally managed to make my Cranberry Orange Mixed Nut Brittle. Third time really is a charm. The burns, sticky messes, frustration, and mild case of insomnia were well worth it because my final creation ended up even better than I had originally planned. My initial vision was to make a peanut brittle as a Mother’s Day gift, but as I managed to botch two batches and watch my necessary ingredients dwindle down to nothing, I came up with a new and improved plan – Cranberry Orange Mixed Nut Brittle.

With my mom being an avid lover of all things cranberry and orange (and a devoted Cosmopolitan drinker), this brittle makes a perfect Mother’s Day gift. The chewy cranberries and orange zest make for a great texture balance against the crunchy almonds, cashews, and pecans. The addition of Cointreau adds a bit of pep as well. My tip to making this brittle successfully on the very first try – Use a candy thermometer! Cooking is indeed a science and when changing the molecular makeup of sucrose, proper tools are necessary. Don’t let this scare you though, because I have done all of the dirty work – all in the name of science…and Mother’s Day. So, Mom, here’s to you! And here’s hoping that it doesn’t take you three attempts to make a perfect Cosmopolitan. Actually, that would make for a super fun Mother’s Day!




Cranberry Orange Mixed Nut Brittle (AKA Cosmo Crunch)

Ingredients

3 cups sugar
1 ½ cups water
1 cup mixed salted nuts (I used almonds, cashews, and pecans)
¾ cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon Cointreau or orange juice
Cooking spray

Method

In a small bowl, combine mixed nuts, dried cranberries, orange zest, cinnamon, and Cointreau. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Continue to boil until the mixture reaches 300 degrees. This takes about 20-25 minutes. Do not stir or whisk, as this affects the sugar molecules. You may swirl the pan if you are worried about burning. This mixture is scalding hot, so use extreme caution.

Once the mixture reaches 300 degrees and appears to be an amber color, pour in the nuts and cranberries. Cook for one more minute and then transfer the mixture to the sprayed sheet pan. Use a spatula to quickly and lightly spread into an even layer. Let it cool completely to set. Break into pieces and enjoy!

Deconstructed Pesto Pea Salad

I had two epic fails while cooking today. I should I have known to stay out of the kitchen since I couldn't even walk and chew gum on the way to the market earlier. When I got home, I attempted to whip up a fun treat to send my mom as a Mother’s Day gift, but unfortunately, I may be sending her flowers instead. I managed to botch not one but two batches of homemade peanut brittle. First, the sugar burned and then the syrup never fully set, leaving a sticky and nutty mess. My back up plan of chocolate and orange truffles was later foiled due to me putting way too much trust into a terrible online recipe. The truffles were such sad little melting blobs, even after I refrigerated and then froze them. I just could not win today.

With my culinary ego thoroughly bruised, I didn’t want to take any chances and fail miserably on a fancy dinner tonight. I settled on a pesto dish that requires absolutely no work whatsoever. You don’t even need a mortar and pestle or food processor for the pesto – keeping it simple tonight! Maybe tomorrow I will locate my motor skills and settle back into the swing of things. And hopefully, once I regain my culinary chops, my mom will be able look forward to receiving something other than flowers this year.



Deconstructed Pesto Pea Salad

Ingredients

Green peas
Fresh basil
Minced roasted garlic
Walnut pieces or pine nuts
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method

Toss cooked green peas with fresh chopped basil, minced roasted garlic, walnut pieces, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Traditional English Sticky Toffee Pudding

For best results, read with a British accent

News of the royal wedding is everywhere these days. From William and Kate’s Lifetime movie, to their rumored passed canapés, to the tacky royal heirloom replica ring that can be yours for just $19.90, I am eating it all right up. I’m not afraid to say that I have been hit by Middleton Mania. Who didn’t dream about being a princess, right? Since I hadn’t yet been born to witness Diana and Charles’ wedding day, I plan to forfeit my DVR capabilities and wake up at an ungodly hour to celebrate with the royal family on this side of the pond. But to sweeten the deal, I will need a jolly good treat to serve as my waking motivation. I want to say “Cheerio!” to something other than a bowl of Cheerios.

In honor of Kate and William’s upcoming royal wedding, I decided to make a traditional English sticky toffee pudding. The last time I was in London, I had dinner at the oldest restaurant in the city, Rules Restaurant, where I enjoyed the best sticky toffee pudding I have ever had. Puddings in Great Britain are completely different than in the US as they are more of a dense, spongy cake than a custard-based dessert. Puddings, such as black pudding, can also refer to a type of sausage that features all kinds of animal bits, bobs, and blood, but we won’t go there. What made my date-filled dessert at Rules Restaurant so spectacular was how the cakey pudding was completely drenched in rich toffee sauce. I used this recipe with the hopes of recreating the amazingly gooey English treat.


Although I am quite certain that Kate and William are serving a much more sophisticated and posh dessert at their royal wedding, this sticky toffee pudding is just perfect for curling up to the telly and watching Kate become a princess. Plus, since I made it ahead of time, the toffee sauce will have even more time to soak into the cake, making it even more delicious. I’m sure that when I wake up so bloody early on Friday morning, I will be happy to have this sticky toffee pudding ready to greet me...

That is, if I can wait that long. Maybe just one little bite…

Brilliant! Fit for a queen...I mean princess!

Crystallized Spearmint Leaves

You can’t celebrate Earth Day without something green. My crystallized mint leaves are green in every sense of the word. Not only are the mint leaves certified organic, but they also require absolutely no cooking time, making them environmentally friendly and energy free treats. Try these crystallized mint leaves with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, fresh mixed berries, hot cup of tea, or simply on their own as an after dinner mint. Have a happy Earth Day!


Organic Ingredients

Mint leaves
Egg white
Evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar (as much as you want to coat the leaves)

Method

Brush egg white on mint leaves with your fingertips to lightly coat on both sides. Gently toss the leaves with sugar in a small bowl. Let leaves stand at room temperature for a few hours, or until crisp and dry.

Springtime Green Eggs and Ham – Asparagus, Green Pea, and Goat Cheese Quiche in Prosciutto Cups

In Dr. Seuss’ classic tale, Sam-I-Am’s preparation of green eggs and ham is not the most appetizing to say the least. With persistence, he tries to make his friend sample his strangely colored eggs, knowing that he will love them once he tastes them. His friend resists at first, but after much convincing, he tries and actually enjoys the dish. With the “Don’t knock it until you try it” moral of this story being all well and good, I think that Sam-I-Am maybe needed to spice things up a little in order to sidestep his unrelenting questioning. My take on this fictional fare involves lots of springtime vegetables, goat cheese, and prosciutto. Thankfully, I did not have to chase my husband all around the house, car, train, and boat or introduce woodland creatures into the equation to make him try my version of green eggs and ham. This quick and fun dish makes for an appetizing addition to your Easter brunch!




Springtime Green Eggs and Ham

Ingredients
Yield – one ramekin

3 slices prosciutto, fat trimmed
1 egg
1 egg white
Crumbled goat cheese
2 spears asparagus, chopped
1/3 cup green peas
Pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat ramekin with cooking spray and then line with slices of prosciutto to form a cup at the bottom. Make the prosciutto edges overflow a bit so that they can get crisp and browned.

Whisk the eggs until smooth, and then crumble in goat cheese. Blanch the chopped asparagus and peas and add to the beaten eggs once cooled. Season only with pepper since prosciutto is usually very salty.

Pour the mixture into the prosciutto-lined ramekin. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the egg has set. If using cupcake tins, reduce the amount of prosciutto and cooking time.