Boursin Potatoes Gratin

Yes, I was crazy enough to pair this with the over-the-top amazing beef tenderloin, which also has cream (I didn't have much else to eat that day, plus I went extra hard at the gym the next day, so it should all balance out, right? Right?)  It was partly due to my first recipe choice failing at the beginning.  I had originally chosen a gratin with leeks and Gruyère cheese; the first part is to cut up the leeks into rounds and then cook them in butter, covered, over medium heat.  Not sure what was wrong with this (apart from my reducing the original amount by half, as I did not need 10-12 servings (!)), but the leeks started carmelizing and then nearly burning, despite stirring occasionally as indicated.  The leeks had nearly disintegrated by the time I gave up on the idea and threw them out.  I searched quickly for a second choice of recipe; recalling that I had some Boursin that needed to be used up, I decided to search for Boursin gratin potatoes, wondering only briefly if it existed (nearly every combination of stuff like this that I have come up with in my head has yielded results, so I'm less surprised each time).  Sure enough, food.com came through, with a recipe that was simple and had great reviews:

http://www.food.com/recipe/boursin-cheese-potatoes-25266

Ingredients:
1 package (5 oz.) Boursin cheese (used garlic and herbs, think any variety would do)
1 c. 2% milk
1 c. heavy cream
kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
~2.5 lbs. russet potatoes (or red potatoes, as the original uses), sliced

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F (I actually used my toaster oven on the turbo setting, so you may need slightly higher temp in traditional oven.)

1. Over medium heat in a medium saucepan, cook the cheese, milk, and cream, stirring until well-combined and smooth (there were still a few tiny chunks of Boursin in mine, which I discovered after I went to pour it).

2. In a glass 8" x 8" dish, make a layer of the sliced potatoes.  Salt and pepper to taste, then pour 1/3 of the cheese/cream mixture over them.

3. Repeat the layering 2 more times.

4. Place in oven, uncovered and bake for around 1 hour.  (It took about that long even on the 'turbo' setting, so you may need additional time.)  The top should start to brown a little about halfway through the baking.

5. Once potatoes are softened to your preference, remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes prior to serving.  Enjoy!

Beef Tenderloin with Shiitake Madeira Sauce

Otherwise known as "better than going to a restaurant" and "kind of expensive for home cooking but oh so very worth it", this is one of the most complex tasting dishes I've ever cooked and is completely worthy of being a celebratory meal.  Some women, they have a bad day/week and they go out to do 'retail therapy'; me, I choose cooking something exceptional, like this.
I went to the grocery store for an advertised meat sale; it was a very, very good one, too.  So much so that I ended up buying my first ever entire/whole beef tenderloin.  They are usually far out of my price range, yet I've saved many a recipe for them, thinking that one day, I'd splurge and go for one.  Oh, am I ever glad I did.  Being such a special item, I had to choose a recipe that seemed 'worthy' of such.  I selected two--one of them had bacon, but since I had just used that in a recipe the day before, I opted for the other.  Plus, this one gave me an excuse to do my kind of retail therapy: a trip to Sur La Table :)  I had to go there to get the demi-glace, as I have yet to make that myself/none on hand.  This may well be one of the most expensive recipes I've ever done, but again, I assure you, the taste was worth every penny and ounce of effort.  It's unusual and amazing--give it a try!

*note: this does have a strong orange note to it; it may be good to reduce or even omit the zest in the sauce, as it is well present from the marinade*

Original recipe link:
http://www.ferrari-carano.com/wine-and-food/rhondas-kitchen/beef-tenderloin-with-shiitake-madeira-sauce

Ingredients:

--marinade--
~2lbs. whole beef tenderloin, trimmed (I cut off a piece that turned out to be 1 lb 11 oz., which was plenty for 3 people)
1/3 c. hoisin sauce
1 T. oyster sauce
2 T. honey
2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
Zest/peel of 1 orange, in strips
1/2 T. minced bottled garlic
a few sprigs each of fresh rosemary and thyme

--roasting--
~1/4 c. olive oil
kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste

--sauce--
1/4 c. demi-glace
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. Madeira wine (I used a decent quality, demi-sec one)
1 T. light soy sauce
2 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1/4 c. butter (I used unsalted like the recipe says, but I think you could use salted, as I ended up adding salt at the end)
1 large shallot, minced
1 1/2 c. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Place beef tenderloin in a gallon plastic Ziploc-type bag.  Add the ingredients of the 'marinade' section.  Seal bag and toss together, making sure that everything is well-mixed and meat is coated all over.  Place bag in refrigerator and let marinate for a few hours or overnight (I went 3 1/2 hours in fridge and one on countertop for next step.)

2. Remove bag from fridge and set on counter to reach room temperature (as I said, I went an hour).

3. Once meat is room temperature, remove from plastic bag and discard marinade.  Tie roast at 2" intervals (I ended up with 3 total).  Heat oven to 425°F.  Add olive oil to a Dutch oven (or roasting pan).  Season meat with salt and pepper as desired/to taste.  Place Dutch oven/pan in oven and bake until desired doneness is reached (I went ~40 min, which put my meat just past medium rare.  However, I did not rotate while baking, which I think was a mistake, as the 'doneness' level was not uniform.  I shall change this for next time).  Use a meat thermometer to test; mine registered 135°F when I decided to take it out of the oven.

4.  Let meat rest for 10 minutes.  During this time, prepare the sauce.  In a medium bowl, combine the demi-glace, cream, wine, soy sauce, tomato paste, and orange zest.

5. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook until softened, around 3-4 minutes.

6. Add the cream mixture to pan and continue cooking until sauce is well combined and slightly thickened.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Slice up beef and serve with sauce--enjoy a lot!

French Chocolate Cake

I've made this cake many times now and really love it; it's quite rich and dense, definitely for chocolate lovers :)  The recipe is another one from the book French: Delicious Classic Cuisine Made Easy by Clements & Wolf-Cohen (yes, I really love this cookbook a lot).  The first few times I made this, I could not find superfine sugar where I lived, so I used regular/granulated sugar instead; it still turned out, but not exactly the same texture (still delicious!)

My YouTube video of preparation: https://youtu.be/a6wAHp5E570

Ingredients:

3/4 c. superfine sugar, separated, plus some for sprinkling
10 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. unsalted butter, cut in pieces
2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 eggs, separated
1/4 c. all-purpose flour, sifted
pinch of salt
confectioner's sugar, for dusting (if desired)

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 325°F.  Butter a 9 1/2" springform pan, then sprinkle with superfine sugar to coat, tap out excess.

2. Set aside 3 T. of the superfine sugar (taken from the 3/4 c.).  Place the chocolate, butter, and remaining sugar in a medium heavy saucepan.  Cook over LOW heat until the chocolate and butter have melted and sugar has dissolved.

3. Remove pan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.  Let mixture cool slightly.

4. Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture (I just stirred vigorously), then stir in the flour. (I put this in bold due to my oops while making the video!)

5. In a clean, grease-free bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are frothy.  Add the salt, increase the speed, and continue beating until soft peaks form.

6. Sprinkle the remaining superfine sugar over the top of the egg whites and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy.

7. Add 1/3 of the whites the to chocolate mixture and beat in carefully.  Fold in remaining 2/3 of whites (by hand).

8. Carefully pour mixture into the prepared springform pan and tap the pan to release any air bubbles.

9. Bake the cake for 35-45 minutes (I went 36), until well-risen and top springs back when lightly touched.

10. Transfer cake to cooling rack and run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen any bits that may have stuck to the pan.  Remove the side of pan and let cool completely.  Note: the top of the cake will be crackly and the cake will deflate a bit while cooling.

11. The original recipe calls for removing the cake base at this point; I find that the cake is too fragile for this operation, so I just leave it on the base for serving.  Dust top of cake with confectioner's sugar if desired (I don't find this necessary, I like it as it is :))  Slice up and enjoy!

Buttermilk Vanilla Cookies

Mmmmm these cookies are a delicious way to use up some leftover buttermilk!  I had been craving some cookies but also cake; these cookies are right in the middle, so it was quite the nice discovery.  Very easy to make, too.
Original recipe here:
http://jensfavoritecookies.com/2014/04/08/vanilla-buttermilk-cookies/

(yep, forgot to take a plated pic again...)

Ingredients:

--cookies--
3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 c. buttermilk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 c. flour

--icing--
3 T. buttermilk
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Cream butter and sugar together.

3. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.

4. Add buttermilk, beat well.

5. Add salt, baking soda, and flour.  Beat until combined and smooth.

6. Drop onto cookie sheet with teaspoons in small balls.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes (I think I went around 13).

8. Remove to rack to cool after 1 minute.

9. To make icing, combine all icing ingredients in mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

10. Ice cookies and allow to set for a few minutes before stacking/placing on top of each other.  I dabbled just a little icing in middle of each and it skated a bit to sides (not too much, just right, but if you use too much, it will drip over sides of cookies, as shown on some).  I didn't have quite enough icing for all the cookies this made (think I was about 9 cookies short).  The cookies are really tasty even without the icing, so I just left some plain--they did not go to waste :)  Enjoy!

Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine (Epicurious/Bon Appétit version)

Yes, I love beef short ribs, not afraid to admit it.  Since they are heavy and fatty, I don't make them all that often (despite what it may look like in the blog lol--some of these are dishes I made as much as a month or two prior, this one included).  I had always wanted to try this one, just never got around to it.  Wish had before, as it is the best one I have tried yet!  The original amounts are a bit more than I needed, so I am listing the reduced amounts I used instead.

Original recipe:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/red-wine-braised-shortribs-367736

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lbs. beef short ribs, bone-in, in 2-3" chunks
kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
2 T. canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 1/2 celery stalks, chopped
2 T. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. tomato paste
3 c. dry red wine (used cabernet sauvignon, as recipe suggested)
7 springs Italian parsley (flat-leaf)
6 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs oregano
2 small sprigs rosemary
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
3 c. beef stock

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. (You can actually wait a bit before doing this, just be sure to remember!)

2. Season short ribs with salt and pepper.  In a Dutch oven, add the oil over medium-high heat.  Brown ribs on all sides, in two batches.  Place on plate and set aside.  Pour off all but 2 T. of drippings from the pot.

3. Add onions, carrots, and celery to pot.  Cook, stirring often, until onions are browned, around 5 minutes.

4. Add flour and tomato paste.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, until mixture is deep red and well-combined.

5. Stir in the wine, then add short ribs and any accumulated juices.  Bring mixture to a boil.

6. Lower heat to medium and simmer until wine is reduced by half, about 25 minutes.

7. Add all herbs to pot, along with garlic.  Stir in stock.  Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and transfer to oven.

8. Cook in oven until short ribs are tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  If desired, strain sauce (I did not--think I just fished out the big pieces of herbs).  Served over desired side and enjoy! (I chose medium egg noodles, sans surprise :))

Blanquette de Veau (White Veal Stew)

This. was. amazing. It takes time, not a weeknight meal by any means--so worth it, though.  This is a traditional French dish, one that somehow I had never managed to get around to trying in France until my most recent trip there.  The version I had was one made at home, by a wonderful family I was lucky enough to stay with for a second time in one of my very favorite places in France.  It was made with chicken (blanquette de poulet) and was a bit quicker version; still wonderful nonetheless.  It can be made with other meats as well--this version is with veal, as the title indicates.  I used a recipe from a cookbook that is titled French: Delicious Classic Cuisine Made Easy (by Clements and Wolf-Cohen).  It is a book I bought a long time back at Borders (when that store still existed), and from the discount section, no less.  I modified only a little here and there to this recipe.  Next time, I shall have baguette on hand to mop up the amazing sauce...

Ingredients:

3 lbs. veal shoulder, cut into pieces (the original calls for boneless; I accidentally got bone-in and still used it (with bones) and all went well)
2 cans (14 oz. each) chicken broth
3 cups homemade chicken stock
1 medium to large onion (mine was in-between), studded with 2 cloves
4 carrots, sliced, divided
2 small or 1 large leek (I had a rather large one), light green and white parts sliced (dark green parts discarded)
1 garlic clove, halved
bouquet garni (I tied together some thyme, rosemary, Italian parsley, and a fresh bay leaf)
1 T. black peppercorns
5 T. butter, divided
1/2 lb. white mushrooms, quartered if large (mine were)
1/2 lb. pearl onions, outer layer peeled
1 T. superfine sugar (I am betting you could sub regular granulated; I had the superfine, so I used it)
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. heavy cream or crème fraîche (I opted for heavy cream, as didn't feel like a trip to special store just for the latter)
pinch of ground nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste (original recipe calls for white pepper, but this is just for appearance)

Instructions:

1. Put the veal in a large pot (preferably a Dutch oven).  Pour the chicken broth and chicken stock over the veal to cover and turn on burner to medium-high heat.  Bring to boil and skim off any foam that surfaces.

2. Add the studded onion, ONE of the sliced carrots, the leek(s), garlic, bouquet garni, and peppercorns.  Lower the heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, in a frying pan/skillet, melt 1 T. of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden on edges.  Transfer to a large bowl.

4. Lower heat slightly (like just above medium; original recipe does not call for lowering and I think it was actually a little too high; next time, I plan to lower at this stage) or remove pan from heat for a minute.  Add another 1 T. of butter to pan, melt, and then add pearl onions.  Sprinkle with the sugar, along with 6 T. of the veal cooking liquid.  Cover and simmer for around 10 minutes, or until onions are tender and liquid has evaporated, shaking pan to toss onions occasionally.  (I think I made it to about 8 minutes before the liquid appeared to be completely gone.)

5. Transfer the onions to the same bowl as the mushrooms.

6. Once the veal mixture is done simmering, use a slotted spoon to transfer only the veal to the same bowl as the mushroom and onions.

7. Strain the cooking liquid into a large bowl.  Discard the vegetables and bouquet garni.  Wash the pot and return it to medium heat.

8. Melt the remaining 3 T. butter.  Sprinkle flour over the butter and whisk together; continue whisking constantly (mixture must NOT brown!) for 1-2 minutes.

9. Slowly whisk in the reserved cooking liquid.  Increase heat slightly and bring to boil.  Simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes, until smooth and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally and skimming foam if needed.

10. Add the remaining carrots and cook for 10 more minutes.

11. Whisk the cream into the sauce and simmer for a minute.

12. Return the reserved meat, mushrooms, and onions to the sauce and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming as needed and stirring occasionally.

13. Season with pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  If you had bone-in meat, remove bones before serving.  Ladle into bowls and enjoy a bit of heaven :)