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Dear reader…
The following recipes are from years of putting pen to paper, or today, fingertips on a keyboard (1-2 at a time). The recipes are not just a matter of measuring, but also small anecdotes of where, when and why they were cooked. Not all recipes are invented by me, but dishes that were cooked with care, and a passion for the trade. Many of the recipes to follow have seasonal inspirations, as well as daily challenges from awesome people like yourself who were craving a specific dish.
Enjoy….
Egg Cocotte with Truffles and Cream
Serves 4
I like to serve cocottes whenever possible, especially for breakfast, but also when bubbles are served, it’s easy to make, easy to cook and fast to serve. The dish is also a great course for a New Years dinner. If possible store the truffles in an airtight container with the eggs, for 2-3 days to allow the aroma of the truffles to permeate the eggs.
I like to use black truffles in this kind of recipe. I find black to be a bit more earthy than white, where white is more perfumy, not to mention a lot cheaper.
Should truffles not be available, then succumb to truffle oil.
Ingredients:
● 4 eggs
● 2-2.5 oz of fresh black truffles
● 1 cup heavy cream
● zest from ¼ lemon
● 1/4 stick of softened butter
● salt and fresh pepper mill
● 4 oz of grated Emmental cheese
● 4 8 oz cocottes
Slice the truffles as thinly as possible. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small pan/pot, then immediately add the truffle slices, turn off the heat, add lemon zest.
Stir and cover pan, set aside until almost cold.
Preheat an oven to 300 degrees, brush the inside of the cocottes with the softened butter and season with salt and pepper, put 3/4 of the grated cheese into one cocotte, and rotate it to coat the inside. Tip the excess cheese into a second cocotte, repeat in remaining dishes.
Divide the cooled cream and truffle mixture between the cocottes. Carefully tip an egg into each one, sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Place the cocottes in a small roasting pan, pour in warm water to surround the cocottes halfway up, and place it in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes.
The egg whites should be set and the yolk runny. If you like more firm eggs, then cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Asian Beef Salad
Serves 4
Years ago a very talented cook whose name I can’t recall introduced me to this extremely flavorful dish, loaded with garlic that loves bubbles. I never had anything like it, but I was blown away by its pungent flavors. I encourage you to choose your company carefully because the garlic will dominate the next 12 hours.
The dish has two components, the salad and the beef. The dressings are similar in preparation but together make for a very interesting combination.
I will share basically two recipes for the dish to complete, one is part of the beef dish, the other the salad/lettuce.
For the beef, 8 oz of very lean beef like top round or top sirloin. With a very sharp knife, slice the meat as thinly as your knife skills allow, transfer to a small mixing bowl, set aside.
For the lettuce, take a head of Romaine, clean, wash, and discard big outer leaves, choosing the medium inner leaves. Place leaves in a small mixing bowl, set aside. (Keep smaller leaves for Caesar salad.)
Beef Dressing:
● 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
● sauce
● 1/4cup raw peeled garlic
● 1/4 cup peeled and chopped fresh ginger
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth and well pureed, pour an adequate amount over sliced beef to season the beef, toss and set aside.
Lettuce dressing:
● 1/4 cup sour cream
● 1/4 cup mirin
● 1/4 cup peeled garlic
● 1/4 cup peeled and chopped fresh ginger
Blend all ingredients until smooth and well pureed, and pour an adequate amount over lettuce leaves, toss and set aside.
Arrange plates for service. Place lettuce leaves on each plate, and next to them a small pile of the seasoned beef. Serve.
Roasted Eggplant and Garlic Soup
Serves 6
I have to admit that eggplant never made its way onto my “can’t live without ingredient” list. It was not a vegetable that showed up much during my early kitchen years. I noticed that it was a staple in Italian restaurants once I arrived and began cooking in the United States. It quickly became clear to me, well, when in Rome! Not literally, but the prevalence of Italian cooking, as well as the broader Mediterranean influence, in my adopted homeland, meant that I needed to add this versatile nightshade to my comfort zone. While the vegetable–it’s actually a fruit, of course–doesn’t have a lot to offer from a flavor perspective, it is capable of offering itself up as a sponge for whatever you’re cooking it in, and can certainly substitute ably for a number of proteins.
Ingredients:
● 3 large eggplants
● 2 whole garlic heads
● olive oil
● 2 cups chopped onions
● 3 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes
● 1/2 cup chopped basil
● 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
● pinch red chili flakes
● 4 1/2 cups chicken stock
● salt and pepper to taste
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
Cut eggplants into 1-inch cubes, toss with salt and pepper, place on a paper towel for 20 minutes so the pieces can exude some of that considerable moisture, then pat dry. Transfer to a roasting pan, sprinkle with olive oil. Cut the heads of garlic in half on the horizontal, wrap in aluminum foil with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the package to the roasting pan and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove eggplant, but continue roasting the garlic for another 35 minutes.
In a large soup pot, sauté chopped onions, basil, thyme and chili flakes for 5 minutes. Squeeze cooked garlic out from the husks and add to the onion mixture. Add eggplant, tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Puree the soup until smooth.
Once pureed, strain the soup through a chinois bring the soup back to light boil, soignee the soup, season with salt and pepper to taste.
I hope I have inspired you to have a bit of fun, maybe challenge a dusty pot and pan to return to the stove. Otherwise, call 305-663-2100 for reservations.
Jan Jorgensen, Two Chefs Restaurant
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