Stout Pumpkin "Sous Vide" with Goat Cheese and Maple Syrup

While this is the season for pumpkin recipes, this new creation is quite different than any other. Those of you who watch such cooking shows as "Top Chef" or "The Next Iron Chef" are familiar with the sous vide technique. I don't have the fancy equipment normally used to cook sous vide. However, vegetables can be cooked this way with a regular plastic bag or vacuum sealer.

I marinated the pumpkin in a mixture of brown sugar, spices, and Russian Imperial Stout, a smooth velvety dark beer with a rich chocolate taste. I then cooked the pumpkin "sous vide", in a sealed plastic bag.

Cooking pumpkin sous vide really changed the texture of the pumpkin in a unique way. It was perfectly delicate and creamy as in confit, though the shape of it remained completely intact. This pumpkin creation has a unique umami savory flavor with only slight caramelized sweetness from brown sugar and hints of bitter chocolate from the stout. I served my sous vide "mini pumpkins" with goat cheese crumbles and maple syrup. Savory with a bit of sweetness, this delicious creation could be a starter or a dessert.

Ingredients:

1/2 bottle Russian Imperial Stout (or other dark beer)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 half of small pumpkin (about a cup of cut-up cubes)

2 tablespoons brown sugar
Goat cheese crumbles (Chevrai soft unripened from Woolwich Dairy)
Maple syrup
Chocolate flakes

Directions:

Peel and cut the pumpkin into cubes or use a melon baller to scoop up round ball shapes.

In a bowl, pour the stout and add brown sugar and the spices. Mix really well to incorporate the sugar. Place the pumpkin into a shallow container and pour the marinade over. Refrigerate for about 1 hour and up to 2 hours maximum.

Remove the pumpkin from the marinade and toss with additional brown sugar. Place in a small plastic bag, and seal it, expelling as much air out as possible.

Submerge the plastic bag in a large pot filled with water and cook on the lowest heat setting, for an hour. Remove the pumpkin from the bag and chill.

If the pumpkins were cut into cubes, before serving, gently shape them into little round ball shapes (optional for presentation). Arrange on plates along with goat cheese crumbles. Drizzle maple syrup over and sprinkle with few chocolate flakes.

***

I am submitting this pumpkin creation to Royal Foodie Joust at the Leftover Queen Forum where the required ingredients this month are pumpkin, dark beer, and sugar.

I also would like to send this recipe over to All Through the Year Cheer event hosted for Halloween at Thought 4 Food.

Happy Halloween!

Carrot Wolfberry Super Soup

My new Carrot Wolfberry Soup is truly a "super soup". It is loaded with nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. It contains ingredients known to provide antiviral, antibacterial, and immune boosting activities, such as garlic, ginger, agave syrup, honey, and chicken soup itself. Both carrots and wolfberries provide a lot of Vitamin A and C. Wolfberries, also known goji berries, are a powerful source of many other essential vitamins and antioxidants. Not only is this soup super healthy, it is also super delicious, and an instant kid favorite, being sweetened with honey and agave syrup.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound baby carrots
1 onion
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tablespoons dried wolfberries
4 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
Salt, pepper to taste
1/2 cup cream
1/3 cup honey
2-3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoons lecithin

Directions:

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add baby carrots, onion, and bay leaves and cook for 5-8 minutes until the onions are translucent.

Add wolfberries and pour chicken stock over and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Blend well using immersion blender (can also use food processor or a regular blender). Strain back into a saucepan. Add honey, agave syrup, lecithin, and cream and mix with an immersion blender.

Heat until the soup just starts to boil and serve immediately.

***

5 Star Makeover Challenge Reminder: Create a MACARONI AND CHEESE dish with a twist (such as modern, healthy, fusion, molecular gastronomy, seasonal, or adapting to a particular cuisine style). To participate, please post about your creation mentioning "5 Star Makeover" and linking to the original announcement. Then, send me an email at natasha@5starfoodie.com or leave a comment here with a link to your blog post. All already existing blog posts are welcome for submissions. Please send your entries by Sunday, November 1. The round-up will be posted on Monday, November 2.

POM Nectarine Frozen Foam and Cookbook Winner

Recently, I received two new juice flavors from POM Wonderful, POM Nectarine and POM Kiwi. I enjoyed sampling both of those flavors. POM Nectarine was a particular favorite with great balance of tartness and sweetness. I decided to do some molecular gastronomy experiments to further explore the layers of flavor by transforming the liquid juice into different textures.

First, I added 1/2 teaspoon of lecithin to 1/2 cup of POM Nectarine juice and blended it with my immersion blender to make a POM Nectarine Foam.





It was incredibly light and airy and tasted slightly sweet, with nectarine flavor dominating and with almost no tartness at all.



Next, I filled a bowl with the Pom Nectarine foam.



I covered my bowl with plastic wrap and it in a freezer, without stirring at all overnight. It looked exactly the same as the day before!



Of course, it was completely frozen. It wasn't exactly the texture of a sorbet or granita, but something a little bit different, with with the tiny air bubbles still intact. The flavor was fascinating as well as it was basically separated in different layers - tart flavor of pomegranate was concentrated in a middle, following by a layer of sweet nectarine and ending with a surprise savory finish, most likely due to the lecithin addition.



When this frozen delight began to melt, I was happy to see it turning back into a regular foam! This was a fun exploration.

***

The winner of the Park Avenue Celebration cookbook is Faith (randomly selected using random.org)! Please send me your mailing address here or natasha@5starfoodie.com .

Filet Mignon à la Crème and a Cookbook Giveaway

Today, Kelsey at the Naptime Chef is hosting a fall Park Avenue-style “virtual” dinner party with food bloggers and writers, to celebrate the release of Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations. This book is the highly anticipated follow-up to the best selling cookbook, Park Avenue Potluck. Created and authored by members of The Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), the new cookbook is to be released nationwide in October 2009 and offers advice on how to celebrate in style with a compilation of sensational recipes, entertaining ideas, party-planning tips, and personal anecdotes from New York’s most celebrated hostesses. Award-winning food writer and contributing New York Times columnist, Florence Fabricant authors and edits each recipe as well as contributes to the book.



In addition of featuring recipes from the new cookbook, this virtual dinner party will be supporting the fight against cancer. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations will provide funding for The Society’s patient care, research and education programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Founded in 1946 by a group of pioneering women, The Society strives to bring comfort and care to improve the quality of life of patients treated at the Center.

My contribution to the party is an entrée, Filet Mignon à la Crème. I was fortunate to get two gorgeous grass-fed filet mignons that prepared with mushroom cream sauce, the filets tasted wonderfully savory and delicious. We loved the earthy tones and the touch of spiciness of the sauce.



Filet Mignon à la Crème

Ingredients: (makes 2 servings)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 filet mignons, each about 1½ inches thick
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
5 white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Cognac
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the steaks and sear for about 3 minutes on each side, a trifle less than medium rare. Remove them to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add the shallot and mushrooms to the skillet, reduce the heat, and sauté until the mushrooms have wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the Cognac and stir. Add the cream, stirring constantly, until the mixture achieves a sauce-like consistency. Stir in the mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Return the steaks and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Reheat over low heat and baste the steaks. Serve immediately.

***

Please check out other dishes at the Park Avenue-style Virtual Dinner Party today at Naptime Chef blog!





COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY: One reader will be receiving a free copy of the new Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations cookbook! Please leave a comment and I will randomly select a winner!

Update: Thank you all for such wonderful comments and participating in the giveaway! The giveaway is now closed and the winner has been randomly selected & announced here.

5 Star Makeover: Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is a beloved dish that a lot of us love to re-make in many different versions. Just a little while ago, I also created my own version of this classic, Macaroni and Cheese A La Russe that is now one of our favorite meals.



Yesterday, I decided to further explore the flavors and textures of Macaroni and Cheese by deconstructing it and infusing it with truffles.



On the right side of the plate you see just simple cooked macaroni tossed with a little bit of butter. In a middle is a truffle froth, made by bringing the cream and a few truffle slices to boil, seasoned with a pinch of salt and then quickly blending it with the immersion blender. Finally, on the left is very finely shredded white cheddar and yellow cheddar cheeses. When you get a macaroni on a fork and slide it across the plate, dipping it into truffle froth and the cheese mixture, you get a perfect bite of Truffled Macaroni and Cheese.



This month's 5 Star Makeover Challenge is to create a MACARONI AND CHEESE dish with a twist (such as modern, healthy, fusion, molecular gastronomy, seasonal, or adapting to a particular cuisine style). To participate, please post about your creation mentioning "5 Star Makeover" and linking to this post. Then, send me an email at natasha@5starfoodie.com or leave a comment here with a link to your blog post. All existing blog posts are welcome for submissions. Please send your entries by Sunday, November 1. The round-up will be posted on Monday, November 2.

Veal Involtini with Fontina and Truffles

Recently, I was fortunate to receive several truffle products from the new La Boutique De La Truffle. The owner, Céline Labaune of Gourmet Attitude, imports and provides truffles for high-end restaurants, including 5 Stars French Laundry, Per Se, and Alinea. The new La Boutique De La Truffle offers the fine truffles as well as more affordable specialties such as truffle honey and truffle carpaccio.



As soon as I saw the truffle carpaccio, I knew that I wanted to make the Veal Involtini with Fontina and Truffles, a dish that I created for the celebration of our first Valentine's day as a married couple. As truffles, either fresh or preserved, are an occasional splurge, I haven't made this dish since that day and now was thrilled to make it again.

Ingredients: (2 servings)

2 thin veal scallopini, at least 2 inch wide
Truffle salt (or sea salt), pepper to taste
4 tablespoons shredded Fontina cheese
Truffle Carpaccio
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Place each veal scallopini between plastic wrap and pound thin with meat tenderizer. Cut in half to approximately make squares. Sprinkle with truffle salt and pepper. On one side of each veal square, place a tablespoon of Fontina cheese and three slices (or more) truffle slices. Roll the veal up and secure with a toothpick or a string. Dust lightly with flour.

On a medium heat, in a skillet heat butter and oil. Add veal rolls and saute until light brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Keep warm until ready to serve. Remove the toothpick or string.

Serve, topped with additional truffle carpaccio slices, accompanied by angel hair pasta or orzo.

Apples 3 Ways

I always look forward to going to Wegmans in the Fall because it is only during this season that their Apple Cider Bread is available. This scrumptious bread is made with fresh-pressed apple cider and loaded with sweet chunks of Gala and Ginger Gold apples and plump golden raisins. Hints of cinnamon together with the scent of apple combine in a wonderful aroma that fills the whole house when we bring the bread home, just as if we were baking this bread in our own oven.



To pair with our favorite Autumn bread, we found the perfect cheese, Apple Smoked Cheddar from Carr Valley Cheese in Wisconsin. This award winning cheese is made out of cow milk. It is a white cheddar, applewood smoked and hand rubbed with paprika. Its aroma is reminiscent to that of a smoked gouda. It is a mild cheddar with a smooth and buttery texture. The smoky flavors are balanced with hints of sweetness and a little bit of spiciness from its rind.



To accompany our apple bread and cheese, we enjoyed a chilled bottle of French Kerisac apple cider, refreshing and bubbly, mildly alcoholic and not too sweet. This is one of our favorite cider beverages, from Brittany in France.



This triple helping of Apples 3 Ways provided a delightful Autumn lunch!

Butternut Squash "Chocolate Spice" Soup

My butternut squash soup recipe was originally inspired by an Apple Rutabaga Soup from Patrick O'Connell's Refined American Cuisine: The Inn at Little Washington. According to Patrick O'Connell's recipe, a number of autumn vegetables such as rutabaga, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots had to be cooked together with apples and then blended into a delicious soup. Although I did follow this recipe once or twice, I soon had to adjust the recipe because I could not always find rutabaga in the supermarket.

In fact, over the years, I have made many different variations of the soup, often using whatever ingredients I had in the refrigerator at a time. As a result, my recipe now looks almost nothing like the original at all. Butternut squash became the main focus with apple being a supportive flavor.

Another highlight in my version is allspice. As I was measuring the ingredients to write up the recipe today, I looked at Patrick O'Connell's recipe to check how much allspice he uses and, to my surprise, discovered that he doesn't add any allspice at all. Apparently, this was my own addition, essential to the history of this soup at our house. When my daughter was two, she tried the butternut squash soup for the very first time and loved it. But she was suspicious of the little brown specks in her bowl. I told her it was a special spice and let her smell the allspice itself. Because of the brown color and a sweet aromatic smell, she named allspice a "chocolate spice" and the soup became known as the "chocolate spice soup", her all-time favorite.

As Patrick O'Connell describes in his cookbook, "this soup looks and tastes like liquid autumn". Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
4 cups butternut squash cubes
1 onion, chopped
2/3 cup baby carrots
1 cup apples, peeled, cut up in chunks
1/2 teaspoon allspice
3.5 cups chicken stock
Salt, Cayenne pepper to taste
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup cream

Directions: (6 servings)

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add butternut squash, onion, and carrots and cook the vegetables for 5-8 minutes until the onions are translucent.

Add apples and allspice, mix well. Pour chicken stock over and season with salt to taste. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Let the vegetable stand, covered for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Blend well using immersion blender (can also use food processor or a regular blender). Strain back into a saucepan. Add maple syrup and cream and mix with an immersion blender.

Heat until the soup just starts to boil and serve immediately. Swirl cayenne pepper into each individual bowl.

***

I would like to send this soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen.

I would like to thank Diana at A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa for the Tasty Award.

Susanna Foo's Gourmet Kitchen

On our trip to Valley Forge last weekend in addition to dining with Martha Washington, we also celebrated my birthday with a dinner in the Susanna Foo's Gourmet Kitchen, located in the nearby Radnor, Pennsylvania. Susanna Foo is a pioneer in Asian Fusion cuisine, pairing traditional Chinese dishes with classical French techniques and presenting Chinese cuisine in a modern style. She was born in inner Mongolia, China, and raised in Taiwan, then traveled to United States. Her renowned Susanna Foo's restaurant in the center of Philadelphia has recently closed after 22 years and opened a more casual Gourmet Kitchen in Radnor to be near her family.

I have been a huge fan of Susanna Foo ever since I made her Korean-Style Grilled Sirloin in Pear Jalapeno Marinade from her cookbook Susanna Foo Fresh Inspiration a few years ago. This was one of the best tasting and most tender steaks we've had. I couldn't wait to sample some of her classic dishes in her restaurant.

We started our dinner with crabmeat ravioli, topped with roe and served with butternut squash and adamame emulsion. We loved the delicate texture of these handcrafted ravioli. Butternut squash was a nice seasonal autumn addition.



My daughter had Popcorn Pork Ravioli, lightly fried miniature dumplings, accompanied by sweet roasted white corn, tomatoes and jalapeno peppers. She ate every single one of her delicious ravioli!



We couldn't resist sampling a lobster salad and a lobster spring roll, resting on an avocado tower. We especially liked the spring roll paired with the sweet and spicy flavors of the apple wasabi chutney that was served along with this dish.





With our meal, my husband and I tried Kaguyahime(Bamboo Princess) sake. The light fruity flavors of the sake complimented all of our dishes nicely.



For our main course, we sampled Susanna's Classic Crispy Duck. The meat was moist and tender while the skin was perfectly crispy. We also really enjoyed the light whipped sweet potatoes with the crispy duck.



We also tried a special Mongolian-style inspired rack of lamb with a wonderfully flavorful star anise sauce. The side dish of coconut polenta was a terrific addition.



For our dessert, we shared a warm peach crisp with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.



We had a delicious dinner at Susanna Foo's Gourmet Kitchen and enjoyed the relaxed casual atmosphere of the restaurant.

5 Star Makeover Challenge: Peaches & Cream Roundup

In my recent post for frozen peaches and cream "dumplings", I had asked my fellow foodies to join me in a 5-Star Makeover Challenge and create their own twists on peaches and cream. Please enjoy their wonderful creations!

PEACHES AND CREAM PUFFS by Laura, Real Mom Kitchen.



This is a great dessert recipe that is easy to make and delicious! Laura says, "The flaky puff pastry went well with the sweet cream cheese mixture, whipped cream and the slight tartness from the peaches."

GRILLED PEACHES WITH BELLINI ZABAGLIONE by Greg, Sippity Sup.



Greg gives us useful information about peaches and zabaglione in a fun storytelling way, and the resulting dish, a perfectly sweet grilled peach immersed in a bellini zabaglione "cocktail", is just amazing!

PEACH FROZEN YOGURT by Therese-Marie, Feasting on ... Glutein-free pixels.



This is a healthier version of fresh peach frozen yogurt with low fat yogurt and agave nectar. Therese-Marie says, "My results were smooth, creamy with a natural tang from the yogurt and soft sweetness from the peaches and the Agave Nectar. Best of all the taste was fresh, fragrant and each cool spoonful was a precious bit of summer, frozen in time for a moment, then melting on my tongue."

PEACHES ‘N CREAM PIE, Jessica, Food Mayhem



This luscious pie is just perfect. And the wonderful thing about it that this pie is meant to be made a day ahead and chilled to set, with no reheating required for serving. Great recipe to bookmark for the upcoming holidays!

PEACHES AND "VLA" ON A VANILLA CAKE by Selba, Selby's Food Corner.



"Vla" is a Dutch word for cornstarch pudding, or custard, and for this makeover, Selba has substituted a light pudding for cream, to pair with peaches and a scrumptious vanilla cake.

PEACHES AND CREAM FRENCH TOAST SANDWICHES WITH WARM PEACH COMPOTE by Faith, Thought 4 Food.



This is an ultimate French toast, stuffed with Neufchatel cheese and fresh local peaches and topped with a delicious compote of peaches and golden raisins. The combination of creamy tangy Neufchatel cheese and sweet peaches sounds incredible!

PEACH CLAFOUTIS by Angela, Spinach Tiger



Angela's makeover involves both peaches & cream and a traditional clafoutis that is typically prepared with cherries. Adding nutmeg to this peach dish is a terrific idea. Who wouldn't love to wake up to this heavenly peach clafoutis every morning?!

PEACHES AND CREAM TWO WAYS: DOUGHBALL AND TEMPURA by MomGateway



This makeover two ways features a cold creamy filling of peaches, sour cream, and brown sugar inside hot fried biscuit dough and tempura. The contrast in temperatures and the play on textures is very intriguing!

FRESH PEACH ICE CREAM by Lo, Burp! Where Food Happens



This whipped peach ice cream made from fresh peaches is wonderfully light and airy. It sounds perfectly refreshing!

***

Thank you all who joined me for this delightful last taste of summer! I will be making the 5-Star Makeovers regular monthly events with a roundup event posted on the first Monday of the month. Look for an announcement of the second challenge next week!

***

I would like to share that I have joined a new site that officially launches today, springpad.

Springpad is a free online personal organizer that helps people get things done. From food and entertainment to parenting and managing the day-to-day, springpad makes it easy for you to collect, use and share content from bloggers, brands and trusted friends to help organize your life. To date, the springpad community of hundreds of food bloggers and thousands of members have already collected and shared more than 50,000 recipes and created more than 15,000 weekly meal plans.

Here are some highlights of the new springpad for those who love to cook:

* use the web clipper or click on our partners’ Save It buttons to collect recipes from across the web
* personalize and share your recipes by adding notes, photos and video
* automatically generate shopping lists
* access your recipes, shopping lists and meal plans on the go with the springpad mobile web app
* use your recipes in one of springpad’s many apps like the weekly meal planner

Please visit my springpad profile and check out this fantastic application!