Going Vegetarian Wine Dinner

My husband and I recently became vegetarian for a multitude of reasons. Our primary goals were to become animal friendly, greener, and healthier. When I was vegetarian (for 8 years and nearly 15 years ago), there weren't many options at restaurants. It's definitely much easier now with a vegetarian option gracing almost every menu. You will notice that the recipes on this site will now be vegetarian. With this wine party, I wanted to showcase that vegetarian food doesn't mean sacrificing the gourmet experience.

Menu:
Amuse Bouche
Grilled Three Cheese Panini with a Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Shot

First Course
Silky Cauliflower Soup with Purple and Gold Cauliflower Saute Drizzled with Truffle Oil

Second Course
Mushroom Kale Empanada with Cardamom, Tomato, and Ginger Consommé

Third Course
Butternut Squash and Mascarpone Ravioli with Hazelnut Brown Butter

Fourth Course
Linguine with Butter, Pecorino, Arugula, and Pink Peppercorn Sauce


Fifth Course
Poached pears in Honey, Ginger and Cinnamon syrup
Chocolate Honey Almond Tart
Rum Raisin Gelato


Recipes
Grilled Three Cheese Panini with a Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Shot

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

1 can good quality roasted tomatoes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped yellow onions (1 onion)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed

Directions

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, and basil. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Puree using a hand blender or in a blender. If you do it in a blender, hot liquids tend to expand so remove the plastic cap in the lid and cover with a towel. Taste for seasonings. Add additional water if you would like the soup thinner Serve hot or cold. Serves 8 small portions

Grilled Three Cheese Panini

Ingredients

10 bread slices, remove crusts
Three types of cheeses (use your favorites, I used fontina, mozzarella, and provolone)
Butter

Directions

Butter the bread on both sides. Add cheese and pan sauté until toasted.

Silky Cauliflower Soup with Purple and Gold Cauliflower Saute Drizzled with Truffle Oil

Regular cauliflower can be substituted for this recipe. I use purple and gold cauliflowers if in season. The colors impart a vibrant quality to the soup.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white portion only, rinsed well
1 head golden cauliflower, florets separated (reserve 1 cup of florets)
2 cups unsalted vegetable stock
1 ½ cups heavy cream or fat-free half and half to be healthier
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. coriander powder
Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
White truffle oil for serving
Fennel fronds for decoration

For Cauliflower Saute:

1 cup of reserved golden florets
1 head of purple cauliflower, florets separated
1 tsp thyme
Salt and pepper

Directions

For cauliflower sauté, in a pan, sauté cauliflower until a slighted browned. This releases the sugar and imparts a wonderful caramel flavor. Cover and cook for 5 min. Salt and pepper.

For soup, In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the leeks and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the stock, half/half or cream, bay leaf and coriander, bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is very tender, about 30-35 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

Puree the soup directly in the pot using a emersion blender until it is very smooth and creamy. Season with salt and white pepper. Keep the soup warm over low heat until ready to serve.

To serve: Pour soup in bowls (I use china cups). Top with 2 tbsps of the cauliflower sauté and drizzle with truffle oil. Add a fennel frond or parsley for color.

Mushroom Kale Empanada with Cardamom, Tomato, and Ginger Consommé

I was watching Top Chef last week (fyi, most talented chefs so far) and Jennifer made this broth that sounded like rasam. Naturally, I was intrigued by this application of our Indian comfort food. It’s comical how comfort food is one country is considered gourmet cuisine in another. Their broth was served with beef. I instead chose a mushroom kale empanada and made a few adjustments to the consommé. V requested the mushroom empanada but I added kale which is growing rampant in the garden. Be warned that putting together the empanadas is time consuming but a stunning show piece especially if you are aiming
to impress.

Cardamom, Tomato, and Ginger Consommé

Ingredients

6 plum tomatoes
2 whole star anise
8 pods cardamom, crushed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 head garlic
1 knob ginger
½ cup rice wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon sambal
1 can vegetable stock (reserve the can)
2 shallots, sliced thin
Salt and pepper

Directions

Add shallots to oil and cook until caramelized. Take care not to burn. Then add tomatoes with spices, ginger, and garlic. This phase is just to sweat the tomatoes (i.e., release the liquids). Deglaze with vinegar and add sugar. Add sambal and stock. Simmer for 30 minutes. Take off heat and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve. The left over strained items can be used to make vegetable stock (which is what I did). I freeze the stock to use later.

Mushroom Kale Empanada

Ingredients

1 package of uncooked tortilla wrapper
Reserved can from consommé recipe (remove the lid completely)
1 cup of chopped kale
1 small container of bela mushrooms (baby portabellas), sliced thin
2 shallots, sliced thin
2 cloves of garlic sliced thin
1 tsp crushed pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

In a sauté pan, add garlic and crushed pepper to oil. Cook until aroma releases but do not brown. Add shallots, cook for 5 min on medium heat. Add kale and cover for 15 min. Kale is a tough leafy green and needs to be braised to be edible. Otherwise, it will be tough and chewy.

Once the kale is braised, add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Add salt and
pepper to taste.

Assembling the empanadas, using the can, cut a hole into one tortilla wrapper. Each wrapper should provide 3 rounds. Place 1 tbsp or more (depends on your can) on each round and cover with another sound. Seal either by pressing. If the wrapper does not seal, then apply a tiny bit water on the edge of the round. Bake in the over until golden brown. Approximately 10-15 min.

To serve: Place two empanadas in a bowl. Pour some sauce on the bottom, not over the empanadas. Add a fennel frond on top for decoration.

I will post the other recipes shortly.

Baby Basil

Today, while working in the garden, I started pulling what appeared to be weeds. After pulling two plants, a basil aroma filled the air. I realized that these weren't weeds but tiny little basil plants!! There were almost 30 of these plants.

Another great garden moment, I saw a tiny adorable baby frog today. I hope he doesn't run away. To entice him (or her!) to stay, I plan to build a little fountain to lounge around in.

Check out the pics!

No rain but we have tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.

I don't have much time to write today. Work has pretty much been taken over my life. Here are a few pics for my blog readers to enjoy. I plan to make a caprese salad with these plump juicy tomatoes, cream fresh burrata cheese (from a local purveyor that I recently discovered), and aromatic sweet Italian basil. Simple fresh clean flavors. Bon Appetit!

Another Harvest...Salad Greens and Tomatoes

I act like a little kid when I come home every day, all wide-eyed, excited, and ready to run into the garden. I can hardly wait to harvest any potential little treasures that may have flourished during the long sunny day. Today, a handful of the tomatoes were starting to ripen. Typically, I eat them right off the vine, letting the flavor burst in my mouth. Today, an idea sparked. Why not make a salad? ...a gorgeous aromatic herb salad...some mint, basil, salad greens, arugula, red and yellow tomatoes...drizzled with a balsamic EVOO vinaigrette...

My mouth is watering thinking about the tasty salad I will be chomping down tomorrow.(I know you're jealous!)

Wine Party III - Miami Hot!

I hosted the third wine tasting last week and served Nouveau Latin American cuisine. J, a wine expert, brought three amazing wines to the party. We started with a Sauvignon Blanc, and ended with a Cabernet Sauvignon. In the middle,we tasted a Rose whose flavor just exploded like a symphony in the mouth. The palate consisted of intense strawberry flavors with hints of honey and cream.



2006 Caymus Vineyards - Napa Valley
2007 Rose Chateau D'Aqueria - Tavel
2006 EOS Sauvignon Blanc - Paso Robles

FYI, the flower and herb arrangements are from the garden.



Menu:

First Course
Pepita-Crusted Turkey and Mushroom Empanadas served with Poblano Orange Mojo
Second Course:
Pan-Fried Corn and Chive Cakes served with Avocado-Cilantro Crema
Intermezzo:
Tangerine and Mint Sorbet
Fourth Course:
Carnival Slaw with Sweet Gauva Vinaigrette
Fifth Course:
Latin-Spiced Steak with Sweet Potato and Plantain Mofongo, Lime-Spiked Vegetable Escabeche, and Mango Tomatillo Mole
Dessert:
Symphony of Berries
Berry Tiramisu
Meyer Lemon Creme Brulee with Berry Mint Compote

This time I am posting pictures of the preparation and final food. Recipes are coming soon. It takes quite a while to type the recipes. Sorry!

For your viewing pleasure:

First Course
Pepita-Crusted Turkey and Mushroom Empanadas served with Poblano Orange Mojo





Second Course:
Pan-Fried Corn and Chive Cakes served with Avocado-Cilantro Crema





Intermezzo:
Tangerine and Mint Sorbet



Fourth Course:
Carnival Slaw with Sweet Gauva Vinaigrette




Fifth Course:
Latin-Spiced Steak with Sweet Potato and Plantain Mofongo, Lime-Spiked Vegetable Escabeche, Mango and Red Onion Salsa and Mango Tomatillo Mole





Dessert:
Symphony of Berries
Berry Tiramisu
Meyer Lemon Creme Brulee with Berry Mint Compote

More Pics of the Garden

Here are more pictures of the garden. I toiled away putting in new flowering plants. The back yard needed more color. I also hired a carpenter to build a 6 foot planter for the backyard.

Kale and Sugar Snap Peas: (added a wire cage)



Zinnia, Swiss Chard, French Radish and Chinese White Radish:



Another Eggplant: (if you click on the picture, you can see the other eggplant all the way in the back)



First Tomato (Yay!):



Planter Box: (Swiss Chard, Lettuce, Spinach, Beans, Arugula, Colorful Zinnias)



Stay Tuned for Pictures of the Front Yard1

Grow Baby Grow!

This gardening endeavor taught me two important lessons: (1) to appreciate nature and all the fascinating and suprising little things that it offers; and (2) to be grateful to the farmers in this world for their hard work.

I have been very busy working, tending the garden, preparing for a visit from my in-laws and the next wine party, travelling on weekends (Jazz Fest) and well just living life...

The garden's growth slowed quite a bit for a month primarily because it was inundated with bugs and other non-beneficial little creatures. For the past few weeks, I have been checking on the plants daily, spraying with strong gusts of water (rids aphids) and picking off caterpillars (one by one). I have also been tracking the plants that attract bugs and moving them into pots to deter them from the in-ground plants. After three weeks of this painstaking work, success!! See the pics below. To get a good comparison of the plants growth, check the first garden post, The First Day of Spring.

SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND KALE:



Remember that I planted sugar snap peas in the original batch, they all died because of poor water drainage. Switched to pots and its flourishing. These are going to have be staked soon. Stay tuned.

EGGPLANTS:



I found this little guy peeking though yesterday. He's been hidden under leaves.

GARDEN: (Compare this pic to the first day)



SWISS CHARD:



THAI PEPPER:



LAVENDER:



I planted this lavendar two seasons ago and it started dying so I just cut the entire plant down to a stump. It is growing back strong and smells amazing. Can you believe this was nothing but a root.

MINT GALORE:

Oodles of Udon Noodles....

Last night while cleaning out my refrigerator, I noticed a ton of vegetables on the verge of spoiling. I tend to go crazy at the farmer's market on my weekly Sunday trips. Therefore, I find myself with a hodge podge of veggies at the end of the week. During my latest cleaning, I found yellow squash, sugar snap peas, red onions, green onions, and broccoli. I instantly thought noodle dish. I reached into my pantry for udon noodles (from my last shopping expedition to Chinatown). I threw this together in literally 20 minutes. My local Chinese take-out restaurant will definitely be losing some business because this noodle dish tasted incredible and took less time than ordering food.

Oodles of Thai Curry Vegetables and Noodles:

1 onion, quartered
1 zucchini or yellow squash, 1/2 in cubes
4 green onions, cut on diagonal
1 crown broccoli (keep florets intact)
15 sugar snap peas
1 package udon noodles
1 tablespoon red curry paste
Salt
1/2 cup of fat free half and half
1 tablespoon EVOO
Salt

1. Cook noodles according to directions. Drain.
2. In a wok, add oil and turn the heat to high.
3. Add all the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. The vegetables should still be crisp.
4. Add thai curry paste and mix to coat all the vegetables. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
5. Add half and half and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add noodles and coat with the sauce. Cook for an additional 1 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Variations: Add cilantro if you would like at the end. If you like spicy food, add more curry paste.

Vinoing Again!

Throwing a seated dinner coupled with a wine tasting is an exercise in patience and timing. During a well-executed seated dinner, guests dance from one course to another seamlessly without skipping a beat. I admit that the timing was slightly off during my first seated dinner (for more than four people that is). Typically, I opt to throw appetizer parties or buffet dinners. I expect that subsequent dinners will be easier as I adapt to the timing. The gathering started with smelling, tasting and dialoguing about the five white wines. The object of this class was to differentiate the bouquet and taste in a dry and medium-bodied Riesling and to distinguish the influence of oak in various wines.



We tasted the following wines:

Selbach 2006 Dry Riesling $17
Dr. Thanisch (vdp) H. Riesling Kabinett Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Bernkasteler Badstube 2005 $20
Bouchié-Chatellier Argile à S - 2006. Blanc | Pouilly-fumé $23
Printhie 2006 Chardonnay (Orange, Australia) $17
Taft Street 2007 Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) $16

The two big hits of the night were the Dr. Thanisch Riesling and Taft Street 2007 Chardonnay.



The Asian fusion menu consisted of:

Thai Coconut and Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Spring Onions and Cilantro Oil
Sambar Thyme Corn Muffins
Ribbons of Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Mesclun Greens and Ponzu-Balsamic-Sambal Vinaigrette
Pan-Seared Tilapia, Served on a Bed of Coconut-Ginger Scented Jasmine Rice and Drizzled with Thai Basil Oil and Papaya-Habanero Sauce
Snow Peas with Sliced Almonds and Caramelized Shallots
Molten Chocolate Cakes Served with Coconut Saffron Ice Cream

I gather tasting notes from various sources and assemble them into one description.

Dr. Thanisch (vdp) H. Riesling Kabinett Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Bernkasteler Badstube 2005
Perfumed and marked by vivid acidity, this exhibits nectarine, apricot, and mineral flavors, ,all well-defined and persistent. Light in weight, yet intense and concentrated. Drink through 2012.

Selbach 2006 Dry Reisling
This pale, straw yellow wine is wonderfully refreshing, crisp, and clean. Aromas of apple and citrus are mellow, but the tart flavors of green, Granny Smith-type apples and lemon, explode in your mouth. Bright acidity and a medium-length, spicy finish make this a wonderful wine to serve with your lighter and/or spicier dishes, fish, or garden salads.

Bouchié-Chatellier Argile à S – 2006 - Pouilly-fumé
Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, the wine displays the characteristic aromas that one expects in a quality Pouilly-Fumé -- gunflint, minerality, yellow fruit, citrus and grassy notes -- combined with tart acidity and good length on the palate. A long mineral and citrus finish. Quite juicy, lively fruit, very pleasant green apple grassy flavours. Vibrant lively style.”

Printhie 2006 Chardonnay (Orange, Australia)
Pale yellow with green hue. Bouquet is peach and nutty with buttery undertones. A refined palate displaying tropical fruit characters with a creamy mid-palate and finishes long with a twist of lemon acidity and subtle toasty French oak.

Taft Street 2007 Chardonnay (Russian River Valley)
The wine shows graceful notes of tropical melon on a juicy backdrop that stays lively through the finish. A medium gold color in the glass, this wine has a soothing nose of buttercream, lemons, and Nivea (or cold cream). In the mouth it has a nice balance with good acid and primary flavors of lemon zest, minerals, a bit of melon, and a bit of butterscotch. The wine is not too creamy, nor too oaky, and finishes nicely. Only 350 cases produced. Solidly varietal and very much fixed on well-ripened apples in its lightly oaked aromas, this likeable, middleweight effort shows a bit of oily roundness in the mouth and follows with direct, easy-to-taste flavors of appley fruit that are filled out with attractive touches of cream and vanilla.

Recipes:



Thai Coconut and Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Spring Onions and Cilantro Oil, Sambar Thyme Corn Muffin

1 26-oz can of pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie puree)
2 cloves, thinly sliced
2 cans light coconut milk
2-3 tablespoons red curry paste
1 cup fat free half and half
1 tablespoon oil

1. Heat oil in heavy pot. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add pumpkin puree, coconut milk and half and half. Stir slowly.
3. Add red curry paste. Add more if you would like it spicier. Add water to thin.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes on low.

Crispy Spring Onions

Use spring onions from the farmer’s market. Those are the best for decoration. Cut the bulb into thin slices so when they are fried, they look like blossoms. Fry in hot oil. Pull them out gently so that the blossoms do not tear apart.

Cilantro Oil

2 cups cilantro leaves, washed and patted dry
2/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Puree cilantro leaves in blender. Stream oil into blender until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sambar Thyme Corn Muffins

1 box of Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 tsp sambar powder (can be found at Indian stores)
1 tablespoon honey
Small sprigs of thyme

Prepare mix according to directions. Add honey and sambar powder. Pour into mini-muffin pan laying a small spring of thyme on top. Bake according to directions.

Assemble by pouring soup into bowl. Drizzle cilantro oil. Lay a spring onion in the middle and the corn muffin on the side.



Ribbons of Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Mesclun Greens and Ponzu-Balsamic-Sambal Vinaigrette

2 zucchini (long and similar size)
2 yellow squash (similar size)
1 tablespoon ponzu
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 bag of mesclun greens
1 tablespoon sambal
1 tablespoon honey
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil

1. Using a peeler, peel the zucchini and yellow squash in long strokes. You want thin ribbons.
2. Mix ponzu, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, pepper flakes and sesame seeds. Thoroughly mix through ribbons. Chill in fridge.
3. Mix sambal, honey, and balsamic vinegar. Slowly stream in oil until thick.
4. Assemble by placing ribbons on bottom of plate, place mesclun on top and drizzle with sambal salad dressing.

I'll post the rest of the recipes soon.

Surprise Strawberries!!

Yesterday, while trimming my patch of grass (I can't call it a lawn since it's so little!), I came across a wild strawberry patch in my backyard. The plant is so cute and already has two strawberries on it. Check out the pictures.