by Kathy Douglas | Apr 21, 2017 | Cocktails
Who needs pie when you can have a pie cocktail? These tasty mini drinks start with the shot glass rimmed in ground pecans and sweetened chocolate. The shooters are a combination of bourbon, liquors, and cream making a delicious boozy chocolate pecan pie in a shot glass. We guarantee your guests will love this new twist on a Kentucky Derby classic dessert.
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup toasted pecan pieces
¼ cup sweet ground cocoa
2 tablespoons simple syrup*
1 ounce Makers Mark bourbon
1 ½ ounces Rivulet Artisanal Pecan Liquor, available at Liquor Barn
2 ounces Godiva Dark Chocolate Liquor
2 ounces Whipping Cream
INSTRUCTIONS
Grind the toasted pecans in a spice grinder until finely ground. In a small bowl, add an equal amount of sweet, ground cocoa to the ground pecans and combine thoroughly. In a shallow dish add a small amount of simple syrup. Dip the top of the shot glass in the simple syrup, then in the pecan chocolate mixture to rim the top of the shot glass
In a cocktail shaker, add some ice, then the bourbon, pecan liquor, Godiva, and whipping cream. Shake for 30 seconds and strain into a liquid measuring cup. Pour into the shot glasses. Our recipe makes six shooter size drinks.
* If you don’t have simple syrup on hand, you can quickly prepare it by combining equal parts white sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat on the stove, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves. Then cool the liquid to room temperature before using.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 18, 2017 | Desserts
Perfect for spring or summer parties, these quick and easy tartlets make a tasty treat for any social occasion. The recipe comes together is a short time and can be refrigerated until ready to serve. You can make your lemon curd or use a high-quality jarred version such as Williams-Sonoma, Stonewall Kitchens, or Wilkin and Sons.
INGREDIENTS
30 frozen filo tartlet shells
½ stick butter
1 cup sugar
One large egg and one large egg yolk
1 ½ tablespoons flour
½ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch cinnamon
5 tablespoons lemon curd, high quality jarred or homemade
15 raspberries, sliced in half
30 baby mint sprigs, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set the frozen filo shells on a cookie sheet. Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, combine them until light and fluffy. Incorporate the eggs and mix in well. Add the flour and mix until combined. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, and cinnamon, mixing again until well combined. Carefully spoon into the filo cups. Bake for 15 minutes and then cool completely.
When cooled, add ½ teaspoon of lemon curd to each cup. Top with ½ of a raspberry and mint sprig, if using. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 7, 2017 | Appetizers
Top these soft and crunchy Southern Pecan Biscuits with delicious shredded honey ham, a spicy ginger pepper jelly, and a slice of sweet pineapple. Easy to make, the dough for the biscuits comes together quickly in the work bowl of a food processor; chilled, then roll, cut, and bake. The balance of the appetizer is finished in just minutes, making these treats perfect for any spring party or buffet. We recommend Bermuda Jam Factory’s Ginger Pepper Jam for its mild heat and sweet ginger finish. You can find it at the Fresh Market.
Pecan Biscuits
INGREDIENTS
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup finely sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
Appetizer
INGREDIENTS
30 Pecan Biscuits (recipe below)
¼ cup, room temperature whipped cream cheese
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely shredded cooked honey ham
2 tablespoons plus 1 ½ teaspoons Bermuda Jam Factory Ginger Pepper Jam or other high-quality Pepper Jam
Thinly sliced pineapple slivers, ½” x 1” by 1/8” thick
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the pecans in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the food processor to fine chop the pecans. Add the cheeses, butter, flour, salt, and cayenne pepper and pulse until dough forms. Turn dough out onto the work surface and gently knead, about 5-7 times, until it just comes together. Divide into two equal pieces and pat into two thin disks. Wrap with plastic and place in the refrigerator. Chill until dough is firm, at least 2 hours up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Roll the dough into 3/8 “ thick circle. The biscuits will crumble if cut too thin so be sure to stay at 3/8 of an inch. Using a round cookie cutter, cut into 2” round biscuits. Gather the remaining dough, gently shape into a disk and refrigerate until cold before you cut again. Repeat this process and cut all the dough into about 30 biscuits. Bake the biscuits until crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Be careful, when warm they can be crumbly. Let cool completely before handling.
Carefully spread a very thin layer of cream cheese on each biscuit, top with 1 tablespoon of shredded ham, ½ teaspoon hot pepper jelly, and add a slice of pineapple.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 3, 2017 | Entrees
Harissa is one of the basic flavorings in Tunisian cuisine – a combination of French, Arabic, Mediterranean and the Middle East. In this recipe, its spicy flavor is offset by the sweet honey. Rubbed on the chicken, then roasted, the pan drippings are used to make a delicious glossy sauce. Add contrasting flavors to the dish with smoky potatoes and lemon aioli.
Harissa and Honey Chicken
INGREDIENTS
6 chicken thighs, skinned and deboned
¾ cup honey, divided
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon dried harissa spice mix
1 tablespoon paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ lime, juiced
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
¾ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
In a bowl combine ½ cup honey, ½ cup olive oil, harissa, paprika, turmeric, lime juice and kosher salt. Mix together until well combined; add the chicken, rubbing the mixture all over the thighs. Place in a plastic bag; add any extra liquid. Seal the bag tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to six hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat an oven-proof skillet to very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil then add the chicken still covered in the rub. Discard any remaining rub or liquid in the bag. Sear for 3 minutes, turn over the chicken and sear another 3 minutes. Add ½ cup chicken stock to the pan and place in the oven. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and remove the chicken from the pan; cover and keep warm. Place the pan back on the stove over medium heat. Add the remaining chicken stock and ¼ cup honey. Cook until the sauce is reduced by half and very thick. Add the chicken back in the pan and turn to coat well with the sauce or brush the warm sauce over the chicken. Serve with the smoky potatoes sprinkled with parsley.
Smoky Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds fingerling or small potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt plus more if needed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Note: This recipe uses a smoking gun to smoke the potatoes. If you don’t have a smoking gun, you can omit the smoking step and use smoked salt in place of sea salt.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the potatoes in half, length-wise. Toss in the olive oil and sea salt. Place cut side down and roast 15 minutes. Turn over and roast 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven. If using a smoking gun, place a rack in a deep pan and place the hot potatoes on the rack and cover tightly with foil. Following the directions, use a smoking gun with apple-wood chips to smoke the potatoes.
Serve with the lemon aioli sprinkled with sea salt and parsley.
Lemon Aioli
INGREDIENTS
2 large egg yolks
¼ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
1 cup extra light olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, white pepper and Dijon mustard in a blender. Blend on medium high until well mixed. Add the garlic one clove at a time until well combined. Reduce the blender speed to medium and slowly stream the oil in starting with small drops and then increasing little at a time to make sure the oil is well combined.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 27, 2017 | Entrees
Date night will never be the same. Impress your special loved one with our delicious poached lobster tail and creamy pasta. The Tarragon Truffle Pappardelle is served with a pea puree on the side to add in the pasta, as little or as much as you desire, for a delicious flavor combination.
INGREDIENTS
Lobster Tails
2 lobster tails
2 pounds butter, melted
Pasta
1 ½ cups cream
8 ounce box of Pappardelle
2 ounces black truffle butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Kosher salt
White pepper
Pea Puree
2 cups fresh spring peas
½ cup vegetable stock
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
Lobster Tails
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the lobsters in boiling water for 1-1/2 minutes. Immediately add to a bowl of ice water. When cold, remove the shells from the tails – set the shells and the lobster aside in separate bowls.
To a small pot, add enough melted clarified butter to cover all the lobster tails. Add a thermometer and heat the butter to just 140 degrees. When the butter is at the correct temperature, add the lobster tails and poach in the butter for 15-20 minutes. Watch the heat and maintain the 140-degree temperature by removing the pan from the stovetop if the heat increases and replace when it reaches the proper temperature. Remove from the butter and place on a warm plate, cover with foil to keep warm.
Pasta
While the lobster tails cook, add the cream to a medium saucepan. Add the lobster shells and bring the cream to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the shells. Keep the cream warm, discard the shells.
Heat a large pot with boiling water. Add a handful of salt and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Strain the water off the pasta.
In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the truffle butter, whisk in the cream. When combined, add the tarragon, lemon, and ¼ teaspoon salt; bring to a light simmer. Adjust the seasoning with kosher salt and white pepper. Add the pasta and stir gently to mix thoroughly.
Pea Puree
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the fresh peas and blanch for one minute. Strain off the water and add the peas to a high-speed blender. Add the stock, salt, olive oil and lemon juice; blend until very smooth. Add more salt and pepper to your taste desire. Add to a saucepan, cover, and keep warm on low on the stovetop until ready to serve.
To serve, add the pasta and top with a lobster tail. Serve the pea puree on the side.
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