Category: Contests

Guinness Braised Lamb Stew with Herbs de Provence and Roasted Parsnip Crust

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Artizone Chicago and My Daily Find Chicago is having a Flavors of Fall Cooking Contest. I created this Guinness Braised Lamb Stew  with Herb De Provence and Roasted Parsnip Crust using my surprise contest box. I picked the Slow Cooked Category and received the most beautiful large parsnips and a bag of aromatic herb de Provence.

After a week of challenging myself to come up with a creative recipe, I put together this hopefully winning combo. But I need your help. It doesn’t matter how wonderful the recipe is, I need to popular vote to get the next round, before the serious food judges look at it. Can you help me out?

Please go here to vote for me.

Don’t you want to see me on TV demonstrating this fantastic recipe that will wow your dinner guests?

Lamb shanks, minced red onion and bits of parsnip are gently braised with Guinness Stout and aromatic Herbs de Provence until tender for a few hours. Strips of large parsnips are sliced paper thin , lightly tossed in olive oil, formed into a crust in a mini spring form pan, and filled with the lamb stew to roast until crispy on top and tender as a bottom crust. The sweet parsnip, the mild American Lamb shanks,aromatic herbs de Provence, and the rich slightly bitter Guinness all form together for the simple,elegant fall entrée that will impress your guests.

Guinness Braised Lamb Stew with Herbs de Provence and Roasted Parsnip Crust
 
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An elegant roasted parsnip crust filled with aromatic tender lamb stew.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon Pommace oil
  • 2 lbs American Lamb shanks cut in half ( total 4 pieces)
  • 1 cup chopped cubed parsnip
  • ½ red onion minced
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
  • 11.2 oz bottle of Guinness
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 -3 very large wide parsnips
  • oloive oil for brushing
  • herbs de provence for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a large sauce pan, heat the oil.
  2. Add the lamb shanks and season with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides.
  3. Add the red onion and chopped parsnip.
  4. Add the water and bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat to very low, cover and simmer for 1 hour until tender.
  6. Remove lamb shanks from pot, and remove meat from the bone.
  7. Add the meat back to to pot with the by now reduced liquid.
  8. Add the Guinness.
  9. In a separate small fry pan, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir constantly as the butter and flour form a roux. Cook until deep golden in color.
  10. Remove from heat and add the lamb and vegetable stock.
  11. Stir the mixture and and cook for 15 more minutes until thickened.
  12. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  13. With a mandolin carefully julienne very thin strips of peeled parsnip .
  14. Toss the various pieces of parsnip with olive oil , kosher salt an pepper.
  15. Take mini spring form pans and line with parsnip along bottom, sides, etc. Take the larger pieces and tuck into side to overlap the pan, like a flower. This is not precise, but you want to cover the top of the " pie" by using the various sized strips.
  16. Sprinkle with herbs de Provence.
  17. Wrap bottom of forms with foil and place on a baking sheet.
  18. Roast at 400 F for 5 minutes until edges satrt to rapidly brown. Reduce temp to 350 and roast for another 40 minutes until deeply caramelized and bubbly.
  19. Carefully unlock spring form and release upwards the pie onto a plate. ( works better if it sits for a few minutes to cool down).
Notes
need 4 small spring forms mandolin
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Duck Rillettes on Goat Cheese Croquettes with Black Pepper Balsamic Cranberry Relish…Marx Foods Iron Foodie

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I was stunned when it was announced by Foodie Blogroll and Marx Foods, that I was chosen as one of the twenty five challengers for Iron Foodie. I didn’t even see the email. As I said before, I have stopped with contests for a lot reasons. But this was real challenge that I believe is more about skill , than say…popularity.

Iron Foodie 2010 | Here's Why that will be me:
MarxFoods.com -- Fine Bulk Foods The Foodie BlogRoll

A mystery box was sent to all of us, with instructions to make a dish with at least three of the eight ingredients  in the box. The box contained Aji Panca Chilies, Dried  Wild Porcini’s, Smoked Sea Salt,Maple Sugar, Fennel Pollen, Bourbon Vanilla Beans, Dulse( dried sea weed), and Tellicherry Peppercorns.

I chose to use four ingredients in my Amuse Bouche. Smoked Sea Salt, Fennel Pollen, Maple Sugar, andTellicherry Peppercorns. There are three components to this recipe that will go a long way.

Rillettes are slow cooked meat such as duck, pork, rabbit that are cured with salt and spices , then simmered in fat for hours, and then beat into a paste to eaten as a spread. Wonderful for the holidays and long lasting if preserved and sealed in fat.

Black Pepper Balsamic Cranberry Relish is a new take on a holiday staple. Rather than cooked stove top, I roasted the cranberries with less sugars and balsamic vinegar. The true flavors shine and are not masked by heavy sugars like traditional cranberry sauces. The tartness offsets the rich fattiness of the Rillettes.

Goat Cheese Croquettes are inspired by of one my favorite salads of crusted fried goat cheese with apples. I decided to make small patties to top off with the other two components. I rolled them in fennel pollen ,orange zest and panko before frying.

Be sure to have the rillettes at room temperature when assembling. Many of the components can be made ahead, leaving the goat cheese for last.

I was expecting this to be really rich. It is rich but not unbearably so. It’s like the entire holiday meal in one luscious mouthful.

Check out my other challengers.

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Duck Rillettes on Goat Cheese Croquettes with Black Pepper Balsamic Cranberry Relish

Duck Rillettes

24-48 hours prep. Several hours cooking time.

  • 1 whole ducking quartered
  • 1 tsp  Marx Foods smoked sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • Bay leaves
  • 4 allspice cloves
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • Marx Foods Ground Tellicherry black pepper
  • 2 tsp Marx Foods Fennel Pollen
  • 1-2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1/3 cup Cognac

*you may want to purchase additional duck fat for sealing.

  1. In a dish season raw duck with salt, bay leaves, allspice, garlic, pepper, etc.
  2. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 24 hrs, but up to 48 hours.
  3. Place seasoned duck in Dutch oven.
  4. Add vegetable stock and fennel pollen.
  5. Place and cover in oven at 250.
  6. Cook for 4-5 hours until liquid is mostly gone, meat is tender, and fat is rendered.
  7. Remove carcass bones and skin, allspice, bay leaves.
  8. Add the soft garlic cloves to meat pile.
  9. Strain liquid and fat and add to shredded meat with cognac, and continue to cook for a two more hours in oven.
  10. Reserve some fat.
  11. Beat meat with fat but not to make a paste.
  12. Place in jars or one dish.
  13. Cover with reserved fat to seal.
  14. Stores for several months in the refrigerator as long as sealed well in fat.

Black Pepper  Balsamic Cranberry Relish

Can be made days ahead

  • 1 bag /1lb cranberries
  • 3 tablespoons Marx Foods Maple Sugar
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 2-3tabslespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Ground Marx Foods Tellicherry Pepper
  1. Wash cranberries.
  2. Place in metal baking pan.
  3. Add maple sugar, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of water.
  4. Toss all ingredients.
  5. Roast at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  6. Stir halfway through roasting.
  7. Remove from heat and cool.

Goat Cheese Croquettes

  • Log of goat cheese (4oz log makes 7 croquettes)
  • 1 tsp Marx Foods Fennel Pollen
  • Orange zest( 1 orange)
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Vegetable oil to coat pan
  1. Zest orange peel and add to fennel pollen.
  2. Make round patties with goat cheese by hand.
  3. Dust with fennel pollen mixed with orange zest.
  4. Roll in Panko.
  5. Heat oil. Fry croquettes on each side for a few minutes until panko crust is browned. Be careful and only turn minimally (once on each side)

Assembly

Take a croquette. Top with rillettes. Top with cranberry relish. Garnish with dusting of fennel pollen and orange zest.

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Win a Trip with BlackAtlas.com to Dine with Chef Marcus Samuelsson at Red Rooster Harlem

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I have to break away from the Great Hallow Tweet to tell my readers about this great event from Black Atlas at American Airlines! Or better yet, I will let the Top  Chef Master, Marcus Samuelsson , tell you himself. How opportune that this event falls on my birthday weekend! Wish me luck as I wish you luck in entering.

I don’t know about you, but visiting historic Harlem would be awesome. Let Marcus take you on a brief tour and show you his world.

Here is the information!

Register in the Black Atlas Community to enter now!

AMERICAN AIRLINES, THROUGH BLACKATLAS.COM, TO HOST EXCLUSIVE
MUSIC, FOOD AND WINE TASTING EVENT AT MARCUS SAMUELSSON’S
NEW RESTAURANT, RED ROOSTER HARLEM

Registered Users of American’s BlackAtlas.com Website Can Win Tickets to Meet Celebrity Chef and Sample Food and Wine at Pre-Opening Party on Nov. 15

Grand Prize Includes Trip for Two to New York City with Airfare,
Hotel, $200 Gift Card and Tickets to Event

NEW YORK – American Airlines, through BlackAtlas.com, the first online travel community for people interested in Black culture, will host a private music, food and wine tasting for some of its lucky members next month. Registered users of BlackAtlas.com will have the opportunity to join Travel Expert-at-Large Nelson George and celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson on Nov. 15 for a preview of his eagerly-anticipated restaurant, Red Rooster Harlem.

Award-winning chef and cookbook author Samuelsson is the youngest chef ever to receive two three-star reviews from The New York Times, the first in 1995 after just three months as Executive Chef and co-owner of Aquavit, and the second in 2001, also for Aquavit. He has received consecutive four-star ratings in Forbes’ annual All-Star Eateries feature, was named one of the “40 Under 40” by Crain’s, and has been hailed as one of The Great Chefs of America by the Culinary Institute of America. Recently, Chef Samuelsson won out over 21 fellow chefs on the second season of the television competition “Top Chef Masters” on Bravo, and received $115,000 for the UNICEF Tap Project. A video of Chef Samuelsson exploring Harlem, the location of his new restaurant Red Rooster Harlem, can be found on BlackAtlas.com.

American Airlines and Chef Samuelsson will host a pre-opening dinner party at Red Rooster Harlem. The restaurant will celebrate the roots of American cuisine in one of New York City’s liveliest and most culturally-rich neighborhoods. The event will consist of a four-course meal, prepared specially by Chef Samuelsson. Each course will be paired with a South African wine, provided by Heritage Link Brands, the preeminent importer and distributor of wine produced by people of African descent throughout the world. A musical performance by American R&B and soul singer-songwriter Chrisette Michele will conclude the evening’s activities.

“These unique BlackAtlas.com events in New York allow those of us at American Airlines to share and support our customers’ interests and build a closer relationship with them,” said Art Torno, American’s Vice President for New York. “It also allows us to show our support for such beloved New Yorkers as Chef Marcus Samuelsson, a ‘global citizen’ whose new restaurant, Red Rooster Harlem, will represent the diverse tastes of American cuisine.”

Currently registered members of BlackAtlas.com, and those who register between Oct. 27 and Nov. 4, will be entered to win a grand prize of one pair of tickets to the exclusive event, which will include round-trip Economy Class airfare for two to New York City on American from anywhere in the 48 contiguous united States, two-night hotel accommodations for two and a $200 gift card. The grand prize winner will be announced on or around Nov. 5. In addition, 15 users of BlackAtlas.com who live in New York and New Jersey, who are currently registered or who register between Oct. 27 and Nov. 9, will also be entered for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the event. Local winners will be announced on or around Nov. 10. See www.blackatlas.com for full terms and conditions.

“BlackAtlas.com, has taken social networking to new heights for Black travelers,” said Monte Ford, American’s Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. “The online community has become the resource for those looking to explore their passions and interests in Black history and culture worldwide. BlackAtlas.com has given Black travelers everywhere the opportunity to better plan their next trip and share their stories when they return.”

BlackAtlas.com is the first-of-its-kind social networking site combining the best features of a travel site with the power of an online social network for travelers to share experiences unique to the Black community. Through video, commentary, photos, and blogs, BlackAtlas.com users can share content across social networks, create profiles, rate content, save content to Favorites, create downloadable travel guides and link to promotional fares on AA.com. Content is categorized into destination/city-specific information and category-specific information, such as travel tips, restaurants, nightlife, culture, arts and museums, historic sites, beauty and barber shops, and places of worship. The Red Rooster Harlem Music, Food and Wine Pairing event is part of a series of events that American Airlines has been presenting exclusively for members of BlackAtlas.com in New York.

For more information on Black culture, the Red Rooster Harlem Music, Food and Wine Pairing and the BlackAtlas social network, please visit BlackAtlas.com.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection® serve 250 cities in 40 countries with, on average, more than 3,400 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American’s award-winning website, AA.com®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve nearly 700 destinations in more than 130 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, We know why you fly and AAdvantage are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. (NYSE: AMR)

AmericanAirlines® We know why you fly®

Current AMR Corp. releases can be accessed on the Internet.

The address is http://www.aa.com

Duck Fat and Garlic "Toasted" Camembert Mini Grilled Cheese…Holiday Cooking With Ile De France


I love small plates and little nibbles. I also love all things rich ( my men, my life, my food). One of the most most beautiful and richest cuisines out there is French. I look back at long ago my school years in Paris and wish I took advantage of the resources out there then. But I was young and Paris was my Movable Feast.

This past week was the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau. My old friend Terry treated me to the Annual Fete at the French American Chamber Of Commerce. This is an opportunity for many restaurants to display their food in the small plate format. One place was making grilled Camembert sandwiches on a hot plate. I took a bite and noticed the Camembert didn’t melt through the grilled bread. Terry and I were talking about earlier and I had a revelation. I was going to make this dish with the duck fat I rendered that was in the freezer.

Forget butter, but use the duck fat for that extra dimension. I also decided to add mushed blanched garlic to create a Gascony style Butter. Before the health police start, did you know Duck Fat is better for you than butter? Duck Fat has less saturated fats than butter 32% versus 62%. Duck fat has higher Mono Saturated Fat than butter and is more comparable to Olive Oil (read about it here).

So when I received my Ile de France sample, I was ready. With the Holidays you want a quick easy recipe to assemble and that will keep warm with minimal fuss. Toasting in the oven , rather than frying works very well and insures the cheese is melted through.

Duck Fat and Garlic “Toasted” Camembert Mini Grilled Cheese
makes 12 and can be increased easily increased
24 slices of Baguette
1/2-3/4 cup Duck Fat (can be purchased )
5 cloves of Garlic ( or to taste)
Ile De France Camembert Cheese
Dried Thyme
Water to blanch garlic

In a small saucepan , blanch garlic cloves until tender( about 1 minute).
In a small mixing bowl mash the garlic into the duck fat. You can use a immersion blender or food processor to make smooth.
Take a pastry brush and brush each slice of Baguette.
Assemble small wedges of Camembert into two slices of bread.
Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with dried Thyme.
Bake at 350 F until golden, approx 15 minutes. Turn/flip sandwiches midway and press down with spatula to aid the cheese in melting. Turn up to 400 F the last few minutes to insure crispness and browning.
Serve on passed platters or on small plates with dressed greens.
*Can be kept in warming oven until ready to serve.


Fried Smelts , A Meme, and A Request

Over the next months most of us will be eating out fair share of Turkeys, Geese,duckings, and other game to celebrate the holidays depending on our cultures and regions. Some people like the Italians even manage to create seafood feats around the holidays.
A fish that has always captured my attention and liking has been the lowly smelt. I’m not sure of its popularity in other areas of the world, but in the this salt water fish found at the mouths of rivers,can be found Midwest, and even east and west coasts. Tiny and and sardine like that are eaten by salmon and lake trout and are often served fried or eaten whole and live. Used as bait, they are relatively cheap and very good for you. The roe is used as a garnish for many sushi.
Michele of Big Black Dogs turned me onto a great fish fry batter from Tyler Florence for fish and chips that I wanted to try out with my bag of flash frozen smelts. Rice flour, seltzer water, baking powder,egg, salt and pepper make a crunchy light delightful batter that cant be beat. Try it. These fried smelts even tasted good the following day in a sandwhich with some sauce and squeezed lemon

My new blogger friend Jamie at Life’s A Feast( where has this sensation been hiding in my world, I’m so out of it!) awarded me The Over the Top Award. Never has that been so true. Now you all know I’m awful with sort of thing but I will answer this One Word Meme because its’ my Birthday and I’m just fooling around today.

1. Where is your cell phone? Hand
2. Your hair? Nappy
3. Your mother? Heart
4. Your father? Peace
5. Your favorite food? Asian
6. Your dream last night? None
7. Your favorite drink? Wine
8. Your dream/goal? Success
9. What room are you in? Main
10. Your hobby? Cakes
11. Your fear? Poverty
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Europe
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. Something you aren’t? Unsure
15. Muffins? Meh
16. Wish list item? Weightloss
17. Where did you grow up? D.C
18. Last thing you did? Email
19. What are you wearing? PJ’s
20. Your TV? On
21. Your pets? None
22. Friends? Many
23. Your life? Fascinating
24. Your mood? Wishful
25. Missing someone? Marc
26. Vehicle? Audi
27. Something you’re not wearing? Cosmetics
28. Your favorite store? Pete’s
29.Your favorite color? Burgundy
30. When was the last time you laughed? Night
31. Last time you cried? Friday
32. Your best friend? Mommy
33. One place you go to over and over again? Store
34. One person who e-mails you regularly? Marc
35. Favorite place to eat? Home

Now I have to choose 6 bloggers to follow suite.

Jeanne Cooksister
Louise Month of Edible Celebrations
Michele Big Black Dogs
RJ Flamingo Flamingo Musings
The Duo Dishes
Marye Baking Delights

I know a lot of the over the Top People because birds of a feather flock together, just Im not so sure many actually do Memes. So it’s hard to choose.


I’m awful at promoting myself. I guess that’s something I need to work on more this year. I created this wonderful recipe ( Chestnut Stuffed Sesame Pork Chops with PAMA Balsamic Reduction) for the PAMA contest. I need you to make this Birthday Girl happy and vote for me. Vote every day if you like, because I really want to go to Aspen for the Food and Wine Classic. I think this recipe is worthy of that. Vote Here.