Sweet Corn and Vidalia Onion Bisque

With a stretch of warm days this week, Spring is in its final stages and Summer is fast approaching. I am still enjoying cooking with Spring ingredients, but I already find myself craving some Summer ingredients as well. In today's recipe, I combine the ingredients from these two seasons. Vidalia onions, sweet onions from Georgia, are just at the end of the season, whereas the season for sweet corn is just beginning. Combined together in this naturally sweet and refreshing warm-weather bisque these two ingredients perfectly compliment each other.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Agave syrup
3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from cob (about 2 cups)
3 cups stock
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Watercress (for garnish)

Directions:

In a medium pot, melt butter and add Vidalia onions. Saute onions for about 2 minutes and then add Agave syrup, stirring well. Cook the onions one more minute, stirring occasionally. Add corn, salt and pepper, mix well and cook for a few minutes. Pour stock over the vegetables and bring to boil. Lower the heat and cook for about 25 minutes or until corn is tender.

Blend well with immersion blender or in a regular blender. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. (Do ahead: Can be made in advance and refrigerated. Refrigerate for at least two hours if serving chilled.)

Swirl in 1/2 cup of cream and a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional). This soup can be served chilled or warm. Before serving, blend with immersion blender. Divide between the bowls and garnish with watercress.

***

I am submitting this recipe for the BSI Corn contest at Burp and Slurp.

Baked Eggs with Spring Onions and Applewood Smoked Bacon

We found some gorgeous spring onions at my local farmers' market this week, along with fresh free-range eggs. For lunch, I made baked eggs with spring onions, chervil, and Applewood smoked bacon. A warm crusty fresh baguette was a perfect accompaniment to this delicious meal.


Ingredients: (2 servings)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 spring onion (about 1/4 cup), chopped
1 slice bacon, chopped
4 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon chervil, finely chopped
Salt, pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Butter two individual ramekins lightly.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add bacon and fry for about two minutes, then add spring onions and fry for another few minutes or until bacon starts to brown. Remove from heat and cool.

Add two eggs into each ramekin. Then fold in the bacon and onion mixture gently and sprinkle with chervil, salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with fresh crusty bread.

***

I would like to thank Ricardo at Rico | Tried and Tested Recipes for giving me these wonderful awards.

Chicken Kiev

Kiev, mother of all Russian cities, is one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe. Kiev has unforgettable chestnut blossoms during Spring and gorgeous colored leaves in the Fall. This wonderful specialty from the city where I was born is one of my signature dishes.



Ironically, Chicken Kiev was not actually created in Ukraine. There are various stories on the origins of the dish; one tells that it was created by a French chef and first called Chicken Supreme, then renamed Chicken Kiev when later served in Russian restaurants. The Russian food historian William Pokhlebkin claimed that Chicken Kiev was invented in the Moscow Merchants' Club in the early 20th century and was renamed Chicken Kiev in one of the Soviet restaurants in later years. Regardless of the origin, Chicken Kiev has been a classic dish served in Russian and Ukrainian restaurants all over the world since the early 20th century.

My recipe is quite unique and differs from the traditional recipe. Instead of pounding the chicken, I grind it, ensuring that it is very tender. I use tarragon to flavor the butter filling and add Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1 onion
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 stick chilled butter
¼ cup breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Put chicken and onion through the meat grinder and into a large bowl. Add egg, salt, pepper, and tarragon to the bowl. Mix well by hand until the mixture is smooth. Form two big patties, place on plate or cutting board and flatten them.

Cut the ½ stick of butter in half and roll each half into a thin log. Coat with tarragon on all sides. Place one butter log in a middle of each patty, and reshape so that the chicken mixture covers the butter completely.

In a shallow dish, mix breadcrumbs, spices, and Parmesan. Coat the chicken patties with breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the chicken patties quickly (1-2 minute per side).

Bake on 375° F, covered, for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Peppers Tricolor and Truffled Mashed Potatoes.

To make Peppers Tricolor, roast the three different kinds of sweet bell peppers then drizzle them with balsamic vinegar. For Truffled Mashed Potatoes, simply add truffle oil to taste into your regular mashed potatoes. These sides compliment Chicken Kiev perfectly.

Now, take a look at what happens the moment you cut into the chicken.



The melted butter spreads across the plate and instantly forms a buttery sauce for this dish. Delicious!

Grilled Lamb Chops with Chipotle Mustard and Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes

I love cooking with chile peppers, although since they were not available in the part of the world that I grew up in I only learned about them somewhat recently. The first time I ever tried chipotle, now my favorite chile, was during an American Indian inspired driving trip through the Northeast USA in May 2002.



While visiting the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut, founded by Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, we enjoyed dinner at Paragon, a fine dining restaurant located on the top floor of the Grand Pequot Tower. The restaurant offers scenic views of the countryside as well as lovely continental cuisine with seasonal local ingredients. The most special dish that evening was an amuse bouche of a miniature lamb chop with chipotle mustard. At this time, chipotle was becoming a very trendy ingredient, and I was thrilled to "discover" it firsthand. It was love at first taste!

A few months later, for my husband's birthday, inspired by my first taste of chipotle, I created these delicious Grilled Lamb Chops with Chipotle Mustard, accompanied by Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes, Corn and Red Pepper Relish.

Ingredients: (2 main course servings)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon ground mustard
6 Chipotle chiles in Adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 egg yolks
3-4 tablespoons oil

4 medium potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola

2/3 cup cooked corn
½ red pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter

1 rack of lamb, cut into individual chops, or 8 lamb loin chops
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:

Add vinegar, wine, ground mustard, chipotle chiles, salt, and sugar into a food processor and mix well. Add egg yolks, one at a time. Drizzle in the oil slowly while the food processor is running until the mixture is emulsified. Refrigerate chipotle mustard for at least an hour. (Note: this recipe should yield about a cup of chipotle mustard, store leftovers in a covered container and use within a few days for other grilled meats, burgers, or sandwiches).

Boil potatoes for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Drain and mash with milk and butter. Swirl in the gorgonzola and mix until the cheese is melted.

To prepare relish, add red pepper to a skillet with melted butter. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add green onions and corn and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Brush lamb chops with oil on both sides, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for about 2 minutes per side. Set on a rack for a few minutes before serving.

To serve: Add a layer of mashed potatoes on a plate, top with relish and lamb chops. Spoon chipotle mustard over each lamb chop.

***

I am submitting this recipe for the Chile Roundup at Girlichef.



I would like to thank Miranda at My Food and Life Encounters for a Lovely Blog Award.

Spicy Asian-Style Nooldes with Fiddleheads, Mushrooms, and Red Peppers

Fiddleheads, a unique spring ingredient, are the young coiled leaves of the ostrich fern. Their name comes from their resemblance to the scroll shape on the end of a string instrument such as a violin or a fiddle. Fiddleheads are popular in North American cooking as well as in Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and China.

As I have been experimenting with Asian flavors this week, I decided on an Asian fusion interpretation, and Jennifer from Savor the Thyme who has also been exploring fiddleheads has joined me in a co-post.

My recipe features noodles stir-fried with fiddleheads, Shiitake mushrooms, red peppers, and onions, flavored with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and hot chili oil. My family enjoyed the delightful crunchiness of fiddleheads in this preparation and thought that they tasted similar to broccoli. Overall, these flavors really came together, creating a delicious and spicy dish.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/3 cup onions, chopped
1/4 cup red peppers, chopped
1 cup fiddleheads, thoroughly cleaned
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Pinch of salt
3-4 cups of thin noodles (such as egg noodles, vermicelli, rice noodles or spaghetti), cooked al dente
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hot chili oil

Directions:

Heat two tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok or a large skillet until hot and smoky. Add mushrooms, onions, and red pepper, and sauté for about two minutes, stirring frequently. Add fiddleheads, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry for two more minutes. Add the noodles, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and season with salt. Pour soy sauce and hot chili oil over the noodles and the vegetables and stir-fry until the noodles are hot, continuously stirring. Serve immediately.

***

Please check out Jennifer's version of the noodles with fiddleheads on her blog here.

I would also like to thank Ann of Happy and Healthy Cooking for her lovely award.

NOTE (Updated): The problems with displaying blogs using blogger software in Internet Explorer seems to be fixed now. I have put the Followers box (which was the problematic gadget) back and everything seems to be working.


If you missed my previous post because of these Internet Explorer problems, please check it out - Onigiri with Tomatoes, Onions, and Bacon

Onigiri with Tomatoes, Onions, and Bacon

Onigiri are a Japanese specialty made out of white rice and is often oval or triangular shape. These rice balls can be wrapped in nori, or seaweed, but it is optional. Onigiri are not like sushi because they are made of plain rice whereas sushi is made of special rice with sugar and vinegar. Some traditional fillings for onigiri include pickled ume fruits, salted salmon or tuna, but the fillings can vary to include a variety of ingredients.

I decided to make my onigiri with tomato, onion, and bacon filling. We loved the smoky flavors of the bacon combined with bright sweetness of tomatoes in these scrumptious rice balls.

Ingredients: (yields 4 rice balls)

1 cup cooked white rice (prepared very soft with additional water, lightly salted)
2 slices Applewood smoked bacon, chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, peeled, and chopped (about 2/3 cup)
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 sheet nori, cut into 4 thin stripes

Directions:

Heat oil in a skillet until hot, then add bacon and onions. Saute for a few minutes until the bacon starts to brown. Add tomatoes and saute for another minute. Pour vegetable broth over, lower the heat, and let the mixture simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. Cool.

Flatten 1/4 cupful of rice into a disk. Place 1-2 tablespoons of filling on top and roll into a ball. Wrap with nori. Repeat with remaining rice and filling.

***

I am submitting this recipe for this month's Royal Foodie Joust at Leftover Queen where the required ingredients are rice, tomatoes, and bacon.

Miso and Honey-Marinated Sablefish with Sesame Ramps Emulsion

This weekend I was fortunate to find some interesting ingredients at my supermarket that I have never cooked with before. The two finds featured in today's recipe are ramps and fresh wild Alaskan sablefish. Ramps, or wild leeks, has been quite a trendy ingredient and I have seen quite a few recipes using ramps this spring. Ramps are usually found through foraging and therefore more common at the farmers markets. In Wegmans it is a new food item, and they didn't have a code for it in their system yet.

Sablefish, also known as black cod, is a deep sea fish from the waters of the North Pacific, in this case, wild caught near Alaska. The majority of sablefish is exported and used in Japan. Inspired by this fact and also by my husband's description of a sablefish preparation he recently had, I created a recipe with Japanese influences.

Ingredients: (2 servings)

1/2 cup mirin (rice wine)
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons white miso
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 fillet sablefish (about .75oz)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cups ramps, cleaned, trimmed (white parts only), and chopped,
1 teaspoon fresh granted ginger
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions:

In a bowl, combine mirin and rice vinegar. Whisk in miso and honey until dissolved. Mix in ginger and salt. Place sablefish in a plastic bag, pour marinade over, and seal the bag. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. Remove sablefish from marinade, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 10 minutes or until flaky.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat vegetable oil. Add ramps and ginger and saute for a few minutes or until the ramps are translucent. Add vegetable broth and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Blend the mixture until smooth and add sesame oil in a slow stream until incorporated into the emulsion. Season with salt and pepper to taste (optional).

Serve sablefish over steamed rice and pour sesame ramps emulsion over. Garnish with scallions if desired.

Spiced Mango Fried Ravioli with Lavender Syrup

Mango is a model "superfruit", full of nutritional value and many essential vitamins. It is one of our favorite fruits and we use it regularly in smoothies, fruit salads, and salsas. Today, I created a new and unique recipe featuring this wonderful ingredient.

In this preparation, the chunks of ripe mango are scented with cardamom and crystallized ginger, wrapped in a dough, lightly fried, and served with a special lavender syrup. After the initial taste of the delicious crispy dough, bright mango flavors burst forth with a warming aromatic spice of ginger and cardamom, followed by delicate sweet, floral notes from the lavender syrup. It is a true delight.

Ingredients: (12 ravioli or 4 servings)

1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons dry lavender

Homemade pasta dough, rolled out very thin and cut out in 12 2-inch squares
(or can also use 12 wonton squares)
1 large mango, cut in 1/4-inch chunks
1 tablespoon crystallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
Vegetable oil
Blueberries (optional)

Directions:

In a small pan, combine water, sugar, honey, and lavender. Bring to boil and cook for a few minutes on medium heat until honey and sugar are dissolved, stirring occasionally. Take of the heat, cover, and let the mixture steep for about 20 minutes. Strain.

In a bowl, place mango chunks and sprinkle with crystallized ginger and cardamom. Mix gently.

Place 3 or 4 mango chunks (along with a few ginger pieces) onto each dough square. Moisten the edges, fold in half to form a triangle, and pinch the edges together to seal. Reserve any remaining mango chunks.

Fry the ravioli in a deep fryer or a regular pot filled with vegetable oil until golden. Divide mango ravioli among plates, and arrange mango chunks and blueberries alongside the ravioli. Pour lavender syrup all over.

***

I would like to submit this recipe for the Mango Recipe Challenge at Fake Food Free.

All Things French - Part 2

The French brunch for my daughter's birthday was served buffet style, but I still thought it would be proper to have seven courses. The first three courses were described in Part 1 and included Petit Pain Au Chocolat, Crêpes with Meyer Lemon Cream and Sweet Strawberry Coulis, and Baked Croque Monsieur. Here are the remaining four dishes.

Fleur De Sel Roasted Potatoes with Truffled Aioli



I thought of this new way of making baby potatoes at the last minute. Since I used only egg whites to make the cake, I had plenty of leftover egg yolks and truffled aioli was a perfect and delicious accompaniment to the roasted baby potatoes seasoned with the delicate Fleur De Sel.

Ingredients:
2 pounds baby red potatoes
2-3 tablespoons Grape seed oil
1.5 tablespoons Fleur De Sel

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2/3 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons truffle oil

Directions:

Mash the garlic into a paste. Add garlic, egg yolks, and lemon juice into a food processor and blend well. Keep the food processor going, and add the olive oil in a steady thin stream very slowly until the oil is incorporated and the mixture thickens. Add the truffle oil in the same way. Chill for at least an hour to allow the flavors to develop. (Yields about 1 cup of aioli)

Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. Quater the baby potatoes and arrange in a large baking sheet, skins down. Drizzle with grape seed oil and sprinkle all over with Fleur De Sel. Roast potatoes for about 20 minutes, stir the potatoes, and then cook for another 5 minutes. Serve potatoes with the truffled aioli.

Crustless Zucchini Tart

This delicate savory tart was a new creation as well and it was very easy and quick to make.

Ingredients:

2 cups large zucchini, grated (about 2 zucchini)
1 cup leeks, minced (2 leeks, white parts only)
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Butter

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients together to blend well. Butter a 12-inch tart pan and pour the zucchini mixture, spreading evenly. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Mango-Berry Salad with Crystallized Ginger and Honey-Lime Syrup


In this sophisticated fruit salad, the mango chunks were mixed with strawberries and blueberries, tossed with crystallized ginger, and seasoned with honey-lime syrup (made simply by boiling water, honey and lime together). The combined flavors of the fruits, ginger, and syrup were fantastic.

Chocolate Financier



For a sweet finish, I made a Chocolate Financier cake that features my daughter's two favorite ingredients - chocolate and almonds. The cake came out very rich, but not too sweet, with a deep chocolate flavor. I had to double the recipe to make the cake big enough for 18-20 servings, but otherwise I actually managed to follow the recipe. The original recipe can be found here.

***

I am submitting the Fleur De Sel Roasted Potatoes with Truffled Aioli recipe for the May's Potato Ho Down

***

I would like to thank Sweta of Bonne Nutrition for giving me the Friendship award.

All Things French - Part 1

This weekend we celebrated my daughter's 5th birthday with two very successful birthday parties. We invited her friends for a "Cinderella Bluebird" party at a nature park where the kids learned about birds, went on a nature walk, and making little bird feeders.

Then, Sunday morning, we had birthday brunch for the family and my daughter requested a French theme as inspired by her current favorite musical Les Miserables. I created a French-inspired menu, combining some of the dishes that I have made before and some new creations.

Petit Pain Au Chocolat


I got the idea for this recipe years ago from Bon Appétit. It's a quick and easy way of making these delicious pastries. The original recipe can be found here.

Crêpes with Meyer Lemon Cream and Sweet Strawberry Coulis


I had to share this recent creation with my extended family. You can find the recipe and the individual presentation of this dish here.

Baked Croque Monsieur



Originally, I planned on making Petit Croque Monsieur sandwiches, but this would have been too time consuming. Instead, I created a new dish which was simply a baked Croque Monsieur.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Pinch of salt, pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Brioche, cut in slices (3 6 1/2 x 2 inch loafs)
1/2 pound ham, sliced
10 Gruyere cheese slices
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 tomato, sliced in 1/4-inch chunks
2 tablespoons mint, chopped

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and dry mustard together.

Butter a 13x9x2-inch casserole pan. Arrange half of brioche slices and pour 1/4 of the egg mixture over brioche, then add a layer of ham and Gruyere cheese slices. Top with remaining brioche and pour the rest of the egg mixture all over. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Bake Croque Monsieur for 35-40 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden. Sprinkle with tomatoes and mint.

to be continued

All Things French - Part 2

Guilt-Free Chocolate Milkshake

Have you ever wondered how you can satisfy your craving for chocolate without feeling guilty about extra calories, fat, and cholesterol? I have recently created a chocolate milkshake that allows you to do just that.

The combination of Oikos Greek yogurt, fat free while still thick and delicious, together with banana creates a creamy, rich milkshake texture, while agave syrup provides a natural sweetness. The only small amount of fat in this concoction may come from cocoa powder. There are cocoa powders that are completely fat free such Wonderslim. However, Hershey's only has 0.5 grams and Scharffen Berger contains 1 gram per serving. Chocolate here is an essential indulgence and thus I recommend this as the only concession.

Ingredients: (2 cups)

1 1/2 cups skim nonfat milk
2 tablespoons plain Oikos Greek yogurt
1 banana, sliced
2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon agave syrup

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large measuring cup and blend with immersion blender or mix in a regular blender until smooth and bubbly on top. Serve immediately.

***

I would like to submit this shake recipe for the Maman and Gourmand Smoothie/Shake Recipe Contest. It's not too late to enter (deadline is May 9) and a winner will get a fabulous Health Master. Also, check out many fabulous giveaways going on at Maman and Gourmand right now!

5 Star Restaurant Review: Studio at Laguna Beach

Studio is a new 5-star Mobil restaurant situated high atop an oceanside bluff alongside the beautiful Montage hotel in Laguna Beach, California. The restaurant opened in 2003 under Chef James Boyce, who defined the restaurant’s concept, blending modern French cuisine with California influences, featuring fresh, seasonal, and artisanal ingredients. Prior to joining Studio, James Boyce worked at Mary Elaine’s in Scottsdale, a 5-star Mobil restaurant at the time. After five years working with Studio, in 2009 Chef Boyce finally achieved a 5-star Mobil award for his signature restaurant. Ironically, just prior to this accomplishment, he announced his decision to leave Studio to become co-owner of another restaurant, Cotton Row, in Huntsville, Alabama.

At present, Studio is without a Chef de Cuisine, while most of James Boyce’s team remains in place and the two Sous Chefs in charge of the kitchen. The restaurant is searching for a new head chef, and with many qualified candidates vying for a job with the 5-star establishment, they are very close to an announcement of his successor. The menu remains for the moment intact, as conceptualized by Chef James Boyce, with only minor seasonal changes for garnishes and side dishes.

The weather for our visit to Studio was magnificent, sunny and warm, and having arrived early, we enjoyed walking around the grounds and admiring gorgeous views of the ocean and Laguna Beach. When it was time for our dinner, we were seated in a bright dining room surrounded by tall glass windows that offered a spectacular sunset view of the ocean shore. Right outside our window, several bunnies cheerfully munched the manicured grass and played around.


The staff at Studio was very warm and friendly and we enjoyed a pleasant discourse with them throughout the evening. Their knowledgeable sommelier recommended a lovely wine, Witness Tree Hanson 2005 Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley. Full-bodied and well-balanced, with notes of fruit and earth, it accentuated the fresh seasonal flavors from our Spring Tasting Menu, and paired well with both our fish and lamb courses to come.


We began with an amuse bouche, a delightful morsel of braised bacon and roasted yellow cherry tomatoes. These tomatoes were bursting with bright and fresh spring flavors and offered a perfect preview of the fresh ingredients in the Spring Tasting Menu.


For our first course, we had Green Garlic and Nettle Soup. Green Garlic is young garlic, resembling a scallion, and is more subtle and delicate than typical garlic. Nettle is an herb, used in cooking in a manner similar to spinach. The soup bowls arrived with a miniature pine nut panna cotta placed in the middle, and surrounded by several droplets of chive oil. The soup was then poured around the panna cotta at the table to complete the dish. We loved the delicate and sweet flavor of these ingredients, as the garlic and nettle combined nicely with the nutty and creamy panna cotta. This was an excellent Spring soup.


Our second course was a salad of baby greens accompanied by thin slices of radish and golden balsamic dressing. This salad was very enjoyable, and the fresh California produce continued the Spring Menu theme. However, we believe the dish was too simple to be served in a 5-star restaurant.



Next, we tried an oven roasted daurade, a white meaty fish from France. The daurade was roasted with its crispy skin on. I found the fish to be mild on its own, improved by addition of the citrus flavors from artichoke barigoule, fried capers and herb butter. The texture and salty taste from the crispy skin was essential to the dish. We also enjoyed a side dish for this course, red orach, also called mountain spinach or French spinach, and this green contributed a salty, spinach-like taste to the overall dish as well.


Our main course was lamb loin served with fava bean puree, pea tendrils, and rosemary port reduction. While we liked the mild smoky flavors of the lamb, it was not as tender as we had hoped it would be. We thought that the preparations for both fish and meat courses were too safe and overly simplistic.


Our cheese course was lovely, featuring a unique gouda-style Pondhopper cheese from Tumalo Farms in Oregon. This is a firm goat milk cheese made with a local microbrew, producing a mild flavor with sweet nuttiness and yeasty aroma. A delicate sunflower honey and juicy poached kishu tangerines were a perfect accompaniment to this delicious cheese.


We also loved the dark chocolate custard cake with coconut milk cream, honey dressing, and young coconut. This rich and decadent dessert was a wonderful ending to our meal.


Overall, we had a very enjoyable meal at the Studio’s charming dining room with its stunning ocean views. Although the menu was safe and a bit too simplistic for a restaurant of this level, we definitely appreciated the quality of the fresh seasonal greens, vegetables, and fruits that accompanied every course.

Candied Tomatoes with Basil Cookies and Honey Greek Yogurt

Sometimes, I shop for specific ingredients to make a recipe I already have in mind, but most of the time, it's the fresh ingredients that I find in my supermarket that inspire me to create a recipe. This was exactly what happened two days before the deadline for the TomatoMania contest at Sippity Sup.

First, some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes caught my eye.


Then, I saw, or actually smelled, this living organic basil from Shenandoah growers. The sweet aroma of this basil was incredible!


Finally, I was fortunate to have received coupons for organic Oikos Greek yogurt made by StonyField Farm. I couldn't believe that this creamy and delicious Greek yogurt was actually fat-free!


These ingredients, especially tomato and basil, are typically used in savory dishes. However, we all know that tomato is a fruit. I thought it would be a great idea to explore the sweet side of tomato and create this unique dessert. The candied tomatoes with basil cookies and honey Greek yogurt was definitely a winning combination and the extra basil cookies have disappeared minutes after the tomato dessert.

Ingredients: (4 servings)

Cookies: (about 1 dozen)
1 ½ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
¾ cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 egg
About 1 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Tomatoes:
2 large heirloom tomatoes
4 tablespoons butter, softened
4 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons honey
Additional sugar

Yogurt:
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Cookies:
Finely chop basil and place in a food processor. Add lemon juice and mix until well blended. Pour into a bowl and whisk in the egg.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. In a third large bowl, cream butter and sugar together, then mix in the basil-egg mixture and flour mixture, until the dough forms. Shape in a ball, cover in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Scoop tablespoonfuls of cookie dough and form into small rounds. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes. Then, bake for about 12-15 minutes.

Tomatoes:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut tomatoes in half and arrange the tomato halves on a baking sheet. Mash butter with sugar and honey to form a paste. Spread ¼ of the mixture on each tomato half. Sprinkle generously with additional sugar. Bake tomatoes for about 15-20 minutes.

Yogurt:
Mix honey and Greek yogurt together.

Assembly:
On each plate place a tomato half, top with a generous dollop of honey yogurt, and add one or two cookies on a side.

***

I am excited to share that my tomato dessert was selected as one of the winners for the TomatoMania contest. Please check out the other winners on Sippity Sup as well as his many fabulous recipes and videos!

I also would like to submit this recipe for this month's Royal Joust contest at the Leftover Queen's Forum. It's a perfect match for the red, green, and white colors which is this month's criteria. You can view the other wonderful entries and vote here!