Great Salad

As promised here is a great salad recipe. I believe it is from one of the issues of Fine Cooking magazine.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Salad with Spiced Pecan Vinaigrette

½ cup pecans coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
½ teaspoon of chilli powder
3 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
1/3 cup virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
salt
¼ cup thinly sliced shallots
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
6 cups mixed salad greens
1 small ripe pear halved, cored, and thinly sliced

Pre-heat oven to 450F
Put the pecans and butter in a square Pyrex dish and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the chilli powder and toss. Bake the nuts until toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Put the squash on a heavy duty rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the oil over the squash and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat. Roast the squash until browned on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Flip with a metal spatula and continue to roast until the squash is tender and nicely browned about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Put the shallots in a small bowl, cover with hot water and let soak for 15 minutes the drain.

Combine the vinegar, mustard, brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil.

Combine the salad greens and shallots in a large bowl; sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt. Drizzle just enough of the dressing over the salad to coat lightly and toss. Divide the greens among plates and scatter the pecans, squash, and pears over the greens. Drizzle a little more dressing if desired and serve.

New Quests and Quests Revisited

As we enjoyed our New Year's Eve supper, our discussion revolved around how many new recipes we had tried in 2009. Probably the most fun we had was experimenting with the various pizza recipes we gleaned from Peter Reinhart's book. We now usually make pizza once a week. It is fun and it is delicious. And then of course was the challenge to find the perfect chili recipe. With a few modifications I think the one posted on this site is one of the best. I have had quite a few friends try it and they loved it. What quest will be pursued in 2010? Well, definitely we will continue on our quest for the perfect pizza. The possibilities are endless. Also as an amateur chef I have never really been into desserts. So I may try my hand at a few sweet treats. I will certainly post my failures and triumphs. Also now that I have this whole blogging thing down pat I also hope to include many more photos and videos of my adventures. The best to everyone in 2010.

New Year's Eve

Well the meal was an unqualified success. The salad was outstanding. Maybe one of the best recipes out there. I will post it soon. And of course how can you go wrong with tenderloin and lobster tails. Absolutely delicious. This was my first attempt at making peach crepes. I was very happy with the outcome. Unfortunately I could not take any pictures since my daughter made off with my camera for her New Year's Eve in Montreal.

New Year's Eve Feast

Getting ready for New Year's Eve feast. Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Salad with Spiced Pecan Vinaigrette, Surf and Turf-Beef Tenderloin with Pinot Noir Sauce and Broiled Lobster Tails, served with braised carrots , Peach and Grand Marnier filled Crepes with Cream and of course a nice Pinot Noir and some bubbly for later. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Could not figure out what to make for supper. Someone bought me a bottle of Marsala wine. I thought I would look up Chicken Marsala. I found quite a few recipes but decided to settle on this one. This was easy to make and was excellent. Just be sure your chicken breasts are thin. I found the best way is to slice them in half and then pound them a bit to make them thin. I served this with baked potatoes and green beens.

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients
1/4 lb (115 g) pancetta chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, butterflied and pounded to uniform 1/4-inch (5-mm) thickness
6 tbsp (90 mL) butter, divided
1 lb (450 g) sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) Marsala wine
1 cup (250 mL) chicken broth
1/4 cup (60 mL) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh parsley
Directions
In a large skillet, cook the pancetta or bacon until crisp. Transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. Do not wipe out the pan.

In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the breasts to coat them. Pat off excess flour.

Return skillet to the heat. Add 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter. When it foams, add half of the chicken pieces and cook, turning often, until they are browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.

Add 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter to the pan and brown the remaining breasts.

Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often until the mushrooms release their liquid. Turn up the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is almost gone.

Add the garlic and pancetta or bacon to the pan and stir for 1 minute.

Add the wine and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the liquid to 1/4 cup (60 mL). Add the chicken broth and return to a boil. Let the mixture bubble for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook until the mixture returns to a boil. Taste for seasoning.

Return the chicken to the pan and cook until hot. Sprinkle with parsley and serve at once.

Early New Years

Celebrated New Year early with Adam and Mel since they will be in Oakville for the New Year. Had somewhat of a feast. Herb-and-Salt-Crusted Standing Rib Roast with Morel Sauce, Crushed Potato and Watercress Cakes, Rainbow Chard with Lemon, Fennel, and Parmigiano. This was a rather labour intensive meal but the outcome was worth it. Just search http://www.finecooking.com/ for the recipes. Everything was delicious.

The Arrogant Chef's Amazing Wings

The Arrogant Chef’s Amazing Wings
(Recipe for 30 wings)

As promised here is the recipe for my amazing wings. Wings are not usually considered high end food but these wings are truly gourmet.


Coating:
1 cup of flour
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp paprika
Mix well together and coat wings.

Sauce:
6 tablespoons of Frank’s Hot Sauce
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 tbsp of vinegar
5 tbsp light brown sugar
¼ to ½ teaspoon of Tabasco
Generous pinch of onion powder

Instructions:

Coat the wings in the coating and let sit for 15 minutes. Mix sauce ingredients in sauce pan and heat on low. Deep fry wings at 190C or 374F for approximately 13 minutes or until crispy brown. Remove wings from fryer and serve with sauce on or on the side.