chocolate fudge with bourbon sugar

Thanks Bon Appetit!  As a bonus, you'll have leftover bourbon sugar to use with other desserts (or in your morning coffee, oatmeal, grapefuit....)http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chocolate-fudge-with-bourbon-sugar

eggplant 'lasagna'

This is rich and delicious - I used a merguez kind of lamb sausage that my local butcher makes.  First I peeled and sliced an eggplant into 1/4" slices, coated with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and roasted the slices at 400 degrees until tender (about 12-15 minutes).  While the eggplant roasted I made my bechamel (white) sauce.

The casserole was 2 layers of:  bechamel, eggplant slices, grated Fontina cheese, sliced cooked lamb sausage.  Topped with more bechamel and grated Parmesan.

Baked at 400 degrees until hot throughout and browned on top (about 15 minutes), set a few moments before serving.

steak and potatoes

Chile-Glazed Flank Steak with Spicy Ketchup

Serves 4.  A quick 30-minute meal courtesy of the October 2014 issue of Sunset magazine.  Great with some fries!

            3 Tbs. chipotle hot sauce

            2 Tbs. packed light brown sugar

            2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

            ⅓ c. ketchup

            ¼ tsp. salt

            1 tsp. cracked black pepper

            1¼ lbs. flank steak

Heat grill to high.  In a small bowl, combine hot sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and ketchup.  Put half the mixture in a shallow dish for marinating the meat and reserve the other half to serve as ketchup.  Season steak with salt and pepper.  Add steak to dish and turn to coat; marinate 10 minutes.

Grill steak, brushing occasionally with any remaining marinade as you go, 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.  Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes.  Serve with reserved ketchup.    

We served this with a potato-goat cheese gratin out of the Dec. 2014 issue of Bon Appetit magazine, wedges of potatoes roasted in olive oil, salt and pepper,  and rosemary at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes; crumbled goat cheese on top and broiled until bubbly.  

simply swordfish

A delightful dinner thanks to Saveur magazine:  http://www.saveur.com/find/seared%20swordfish%20with%20herb%20butter

cheesy potatoes

Smashed Potatoes with Raclette

Serves 8  We like to get the Raclette cheese at Trader Joe’s, just cut the slices in half to drape over each potato!

            3½ lbs. small Yukon Gold or fingerling potatoes, scrubbed

            kosher salt

            ½ c. olive oil

            fresh ground black pepper

            2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

            1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary

            12 garlic cloves, smashed

            ½ lb. Raclette sliced cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large pot, cover the potatoes with salted cold water.  Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Drain potatoes and spread them out on 2 baking sheets to cool slightly.  Lightly crush potatoes so they split at the sides but remain intact. 

Drizzle olive oil over potatoes and season with salt and pepper, carefully turning to coat.  Sprinkle thyme, rosemary, and garlic on top.  Roast for about 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until golden and crisp; discard the garlic.

Remove potatoes from oven and turn broiler to high.  Cut cheese slices to approximate size of potatoes, drape a piece of cheese over each potato.  Broil each sheet until cheese melts, becomes bubbly and starts to brown. 

spiced lamb chops

This lovely recipe is from Food and Wine magazine - we chose to use wonderful New Mexico lamb.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/merguez-spiced-colorado-lamb

small-er beef wellingtons

“Mini” Beef Wellingtons

Makes 8, but they are big enough to share.  We served this Martha Stewart recipe for Christmas Dinner 2014.  It is nice to be able to make them in advance and just bake from frozen.  Or, chill them for at least one hour and then bake for 25 minutes for medium-rare.  Of course, if you like mushrooms, you would serve with a side of sautéed mushrooms.

            1 beef tenderloin (5 lbs.), trimmed and halved crosswise

            coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

            2 Tbs. oil

            2 pkg. (12 oz. each) all-butter puff pastry, thawed

            8 oz. mousse pâté (like foie de canard)

            2 large eggs

Season beef with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a heavy skillet over high heat.  Add one beef piece (remember, you cut the tenderloin in half); cook, turning, until browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes a side.  Transfer to cutting board; repeat with second half.  Let cool, 40 minutes.  Cut each half into 4 equal pieces.

Roll out 1 sheet puff pastry to a little larger than 16 x 12 inches.  Trim edges; cut into four 8-by6-inch squares.  Place one piece of beef, cut side down, on a pastry square; top with 2 Tbs. mousse, spreading evenly.  Lightly beat 1 egg, then brush over edges of pastry, fold up corners to enclose filling, and gently press to seal.  Repeat with remaining pastry, beef, and mousse.  Arrange Wellingtons, seam-side up, on a parchment-lined baking sheet; wrap well in plastic and then foil.  Freeze up to 2 weeks. 

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly beat remaining egg, then brush over frozen Wellingtons.  Divide between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake about 35 minutes for medium-rare.  Remove Wellingtons from baking sheet and let rest 10 minutes before serving.