Mushroom and Goat Cheese Paté

If you're a mushroom hater, stop reading now and walk away.  This baby ain't for you.  However, if you love the fungus as I do, you'll love this creamy, tangy, shroomy spread. 
I was attending a birthday celebration for a couple of fabulous gals and asked to bring along an app, which I was told I do well....patting myself on the back.  I needed something new, something different.  I wandered aimlessly through cookbooks and web-sites to no avail.  Nothing was jumping out at me.  I then chose an ingredient to fly with and tickle my taste buds.  The Mushroom.  I looked up Mushroom Paté and came across a recipe from Emeril Lagasse, who's recipes I've never used before.  So here I was, staring at what I thought sounded delish.  I have adapted this from his....couldn't just follow a recipe.  This is sooo good.  It can be made the day before and doesn't take a lot of time to assemble.  Perfecto.
p.s. use a variety of mushrooms...I chose Cremini, Shiitake and Button
p.p.s. if you don't have Truffle Oil, don't worry about it but it's worth buying a small bottle for many delicious reasons.

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Paté

3 tbsp butter
3 green onions, sliced thinly both white and green parts
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz Cremini, roughly chopped
8 oz Button Mushrooms, roughly chopped
8 oz Shiitake, roughly chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh Black pepper, generous grinding
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup goat cheese
1 1/2 tsp Truffle Oil (optional)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped


Heat a large pan over medium high heat and add the butter.  Add the garlic and onions and saute for 1 minute, making sure not to burn the garlic.  Add the mushrooms and cook stirring occasionally for 6-7 minutes.  Add the Thyme, Rosemary, wine, salt and pepper.  Cook for another 3 minutes or until most of the liquid has cooked off.  Remove from the heat.
In a food processor add both cheeses, the mushroom mixture, truffle oil and parsley.  Blend until it's all combined and creamy.  A little texture is just fine.  Taste for seasoning.  Refrigerate until cool and ready to use.  Can be made a day ahead.  Serve with toast points, crackers or crostini.

Boursin Topped Beef Tenderloin

There is no way this is a recipe...more of an idea and delicious one at that.  A while back I was craving a tenderloin steak with blue cheese.  To my shock and sadness, we had none.  This gal, was not a happy one, however I did stumble upon some wicked awesome (as my husband says) Boursin cheese in my fridge.  Seriously, how bad could that be?!  Wicked delish.  2 ingredients.  That easy. 

I don't cook my beef tenderloin steaks on the BBQ because I feel they will dry out a bit and tenderloin has very little fat.  I do mine in a cast iron pan, which can also be thrown on a grill if you wish.

My Technique - Season your steak on both sides with S & P. Get that pan hot, toss in a bit of butter and sear each side for 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness (let's pretend it's 1 1/2-2 inches thick).  Once seared, throw the whole pan in an oven pre-heated to about 425F for a few more minutes to finish cooking to no more than medium rare.  Remove the steak and let it rest for 5 minutes...tent it loosely with foil to keep it warm.  That's how this gal does it...that pan gives it a mouth watering crust and gorgeous colour.

Any steak will do just fine but I love this lean cut with the soft, garlicky cheese. 

Boursin Topped Beef Tenderloin

Perfectly cooked Beef Tenderloin Steak (read above for my technique)
Boursin (Herb & Garlic)

Top the perfectly cooked tenderloin with a good size dollop of cheese. Voila.

Mini BBT's (Bacon Basil Stuffed Tomatoes)

These are wicked good.  Bite size morsels of salty, semi spicy, juicy deliciousness that dances on the tongue.  Almost impossible to eat just one.  In fact, I can guarantee you won't stop there. 
These take a tiny bit of time to make but once they're done, they can be popped in the fridge for an hour.  Amazing for cocktail hour.  I have slightly spiced things up by mixing Sriracha with mayo to take it to another level....follow the link for the recipe....  http://delishdishcooks.blogspot.ca/#!/2013/02/spicy-mayo.html You can control the heat.  I naturally chose Basil because of the love affair between it and a tomato instead of something like spinach or lettuce. 
These bad boys look so cute on a platter and your guests will love the effort you put into them.  To make things easier, I suggest a sharp paring knife for the tomato's and a squeeze bottle, which you can pick up at a dollar store or restaurant supply store, for the mayo. 
Give it a whirl!!

Mini BBT's

24 Approx

Pint of Round Cherry Tomatoes (grape tomato's won't stand up)
5-6 large Basil leaves, sliced or torn into quarters
2 portions of Spicy Mayo (see link above), you can always store extra in the fridge
4-6 slices of bacon, cooked almost crisp

Slice a tiny piece off the bottom of a tomato so it stands upright.  Slice the top off and gently scoop out most of the seeds.  Flip upside down and let drain while doing the same to the remaining tomatoes. 
Place a piece of Basil in the tomato, top with a squirt or dollop of the mayo and pop a piece of bacon in.  Continue with the remaining tomatoes.  Once done, they can be refrigerated for up to an hour.
* A lot of this can be prepared ahead.  Cook the bacon ahead, make the mayo ahead and drain the tomatoes 1/2 hour before you prepare them.  However, don't tear the Basil in advance because the edges tend to turn a bit dark.

Roasted Asparagus with Parm and Pine Nuts

Easiest. Recipe. Ever.  I'm sure I've said that before...in fact, I know I have.  It's a just a twist on my usual steamed or grilled version.  For those that don't do the nut thing or eat them, just omit and it's still delish.  I wouldn't lie.  It's not in my nature when it comes to food.  Ever.
Make this for your mom this weekend!  She'll love you for it!  Happy Mother's Day!!

Roasted Asparagus with Parm and Pine Nuts

Serves 4

1 lb Asparagus, ends snapped
2 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp Parmesan, freshly shaved or grated
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Quick zest of a lemon, optional


Pre-heat the oven to 400 F (alternatively, you could grill these for about 7 minutes).  Toss the asparagus with the olive oil and a little salt and pepper to taste.  Spread out on a baking sheet or a baking dish.  Roast for 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with parm, pine nuts and lemon zest if using.  Voila.

Gorgeous Marinated Flank Steak

The name....I know.  What else am I suppose to call it?  Any ideas, let me know.  However, it is gorgeous.  It looked even more gorgeous on the plate with the rest of the other gorgeous food.
With the bout of fantastic warm weather we've had, I had a deep need for summertime food.  This entire meal made that happen.  I love a piece of flank....beefy flavour and when you cook it right, it's juicy.  Do not over cook a piece of flank (think medium rare) and slice it against the grain on a bias.  This ensures wicked awesomeness, as my husband puts it.  I also believe in marinating flank.  It has tough fibres and the marinating helps to break those down.  This marinade I came up with, hits every little spot and will become a staple in this household.  It was delish.
p.s. marinate this for at least 4 hours and up to 24.


That screams Summer...

 

 

Look at the sheer juciness of it all.....Oh. My. Goodness.

 



Yep, gorgeous....

Gorgeous Marinated Flank Steak

Serves 2-3
 
1 - 1 1/2 lb Flank Steak

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp either Dijon or Grainy Mustard, or a combo
Salt & Pepper

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a shallow dish or large resealable plastic bag.  Toss the steak in, soaking both sides and pop in the fridge for 4-24 hours. 
Grease the grills on the BBQ.  Pre-heat to high.  Grill the steak for about 3 minutes per side or until medium rare has been achieved.  Remove the steak and let it rest for 5 minutes. 
To serve, slice it against the grain thinly and on the bias.  Serve with all of it's delicious juices.

Tandoori Chicken Thighs

FINALLY, we've seen some Spring like weather, although it feels like summer.  Man, was that a loooong winter.  I wouldn't normally complain about it but snow the last week of April....c'mon Mother Nature, we've all had a few choice names for you this year.  With Spring in mind comes the BBQ.  .....Tandoori Chicken on the Q it was going to be. It breaks away from the typical barbecued chicken and gives your taste buds something to talk about.  I've grilled it for the added flavour.  You could broil or bake it at a high heat if you wish. 
I chose boneless skinless thighs because I love the flavour without the fat and unlike the breast, they don't dry out.  Boneless because they cook faster....it makes for an easy weeknight dinner.  There seem to be a million different Tandoori recipes but this is what I came up with.  If you insist on the red colour, throw in a little food colouring but I don't do food colouring and I'm quite content with the way it looks.
A few things....if you want some heat, add a bit of chili flakes or a pinch of Cayenne to the marinade.  If you are using a non-fat yogurt, add 1-2 tsp of olive oil....it needs some fat.  Also, oil your grill before you pop those babies on.  If they're not heated up properly and oiled, your chicken will stick and probably tear when you flip it.  Live and learn....I did.

 

 

 

Tandoori Chicken Thighs

 

Serves 3-4

 

 

6 Boneless skinless Chicken Thighs

1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt, preferably full fat (if you use low fat, add 1-2 tsp olive oil)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp Garam Masala

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Turmeric

1/2 tsp Cumin

1-2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1/2 tsp salt

Fresh ground pepper

Pinch of Chili Flakes or Cayenne (optional)

 

Place the Chicken Thighs in a resealable plastic bag.  Combine the remaining ingredients, mix well and pour into the bag.  Marinate for 12-24 hours.

Oil the grates of the grill and preheat on high*.  Remove the chicken from the bag, shaking off any excess marinade.  Place on the grill, making sure the chicken is flat and opened up, not rolled.  Try to avoid any flare-ups.  Grill for 4 minutes per side or until juices run clear. 

*A high heat ensures gorgeous char marks for a more authentic look and flavour.