Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Green and Yellow Artichoke Tortellini with Mushrooms, Pancetta and Spring Peas with White Wine Reduction for an Italian Fest #SundaySupper

Green and Yellow Artichoke Tortellini with Mushrooms, Pancetta and Spring Peas with White Wine Reduction for an Italian Fest #SundaySupper


My long time readers know that one of my passions I've explored on this website is Italian cuisine, so I couldn't let this week's #SundaySupper theme of Italian Fest go without participating. It's hosted by Manu of Manu's Menu. Thank you, Manu!

As this passion has developed over the years, I've tried to learn as much as I can on the topic. What fascinates me is the differences between authentic Italian food and America's version of Italian food which is the reason why I'm so appreciative of an article my friend Caroline of La Cucina Della Prima Donna wrote a few years ago that explains how Italians can still eat healthy despite calorie-laden dishes such as pasta, pizza and gelato.

As I noted in a dish I published this past fall, Italian pasta dishes tend to be simple, so I've struggled to balance genuineness with my desire to continue to prepare foods that challenge me, either in flavor profile and/or preparation. However, I think I found a compromise with an article I discovered several years ago on about.com that reviewed recipes for flavored pastas and have been using it as a source of inspiration ever since. Such is the case with this dish.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

The idea of this dish was born from episode 16 of season six's MasterChef, where the elimination challenge charged the contestants with preparing three fresh pasta dishes. One of the assigned dishes is a squid ink striped farfalle. At the time, I hadn't even considered the concept of striped pasta so I was intrigued and wanted to explore the notion. In addition, my long time readers will remember I prepared a Paglia e Fieno dish two years ago which is the second source of inspiration for this updated version.

Dish Details

When I conceptualized this dish, I imagined it to be served at a modern Italian fine dining restaurant. The dish the contestants on the show I referenced above made pasta with only stripes on one side, so I did a little digging and found a method to ensure the stripes appear on both sides. I also wanted to use seasonal ingredients so, after consulting The Flavor Bible, I decided to use artichokes for my filling in addition to mushrooms, spinach and peas. Think Like a Chef by Tom Colicchio with Catherine Young, Lori Silverbush and Sean Fri played a role in two components of the dish. The reduction was comprised from the basic sauce making technique described on page 75 and the artichoke filling on pages 129 through 130 and 134. Pasta dough was adapted from the about.com article I linked above. I also added the pancetta because The Flavor Bible noted it worked well with artichokes and I've also found I enjoy the pairing of cured pork with mushrooms.

Ingredients

For the artichoke filling:
3 lemons
3 artichokes
1 medium yellow onion, peeled
1 leek, tops trimmed and green outer leaves discarded
1 celery stalk, sliced thin
7 to 8 baby carrots, sliced thin
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs lemon thyme
1 3/4 cups white wine

For pasta dough:
8 ounces raw spinach
6 cups all-purpose flour, divided plus more as needed
Kosher salt
8 eggs, divided

For the vegetables and reduction:
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 ounces pancetta, diced
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced thin
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 medium shallot, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon thyme sprigs, for garnish

Method

1. Complete the artichoke mise en place. Combine the juice from 2 1/2 lemons and 2 quarts water in a large bowl. Trim the stem (leaving only 1-inch), then remove the outer leaves and cut off the inner leaves. Next, peel away the outer layers that encircle the heart with a pairing knife, similar to peeling an apple. Scrape out the fuzzy choke and immature leaves using a spoon, then trim the top of the choke, rubbing it with the remaining half lemon frequently to prevent it from oxidizing and turning brown. When finished place the artichoke into the lemon water and repeat the process with the other two artichokes. Cut the yellow onion in half lengthwise, then slice thinly. Repeat the process for the leek.


2. Braise the artichokes. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a high sided pot over medium heat until the pot begins to smoke. Add the onions, leek, carrots and celery (i.e. mirepoix) to the pot to sweat, reducing the heat to medium low, seasoning with kosher salt and stirring occasionally, approximately 20 minutes.


Remove the artichokes from the lemon water and add to the pot. Drizzle the chokes with approximately 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and lemon thyme sprigs. Add the wine to the pot and enough water to cover the artichokes. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat, partially cover the pot and let them simmer until the chokes can easily be pierced with a knife, approximately 30 minutes.


Once finished remove from the heat and allow the artichokes to cool in the braising fluid. Purée the artichokes with the mirepoix adding just enough braising fluid so the mixture has the consistency similar to toothpaste. Cover and set aside until the pasta dough has been prepared.


3. Prepare the spinach. Coarsely chop the spinach, then rinse it under cold water. Place the wet spinach leaves in a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and add a pinch of kosher salt until the spinach wilts, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the spinach from the pan and let it cool. Once the spinach has cooled enough to handle, place them in a double layer of paper towels and squeeze out as much water from them as possible. Purée the spinach in the blender.


4. Make and roll the pasta dough. Make two mounds of flour, each using 3 cups. Dig a hole in each mound to form a well big enough to hold the eggs, then add a pinch of salt to each mound. Whisk 4 eggs together, then pour them into one well. Whisk the remaining 4 eggs together with the puréed spinach and pour it into the second well. Make, knead and roll each dough separately by following the instructions of Steps 4 and 5 in this prior agnolotti dish, however stop rolling the dough one setting thicker than desired. (For example, my Atlas machine has 6 settings but wanted my pasta as thin as setting 5 so I stopped rolling the dough at setting 4.) Many pasta dough recipes direct the cook to use a clean flat surface but I recommend using a sheet pan because the sides will contain the eggs in the event that the well should break. Dust both sides of each pasta dough with flour and then roll each dough up as if you were rolling a cigarette, then cut it lengthwise in half similar to this picture, cutting along the blue rubber band. Unroll each half and wet the edge of the cut side of each green pasta sheet with water, then lay a yellow pasta sheet next to the green so the yellow sheet overlaps the green sheet by a 1/4-inch. Repeat the process with the remaining sheets. Pass the combined dough through the pasta roller at the final setting.


5. Form the tortellini. Using a ring mold, cut circles in the pasta sheets in a manner that half of the circle is green and the other half is yellow. Using the reserved artichoke filling and the pasta cirecles, fold the tortellini in the manner demonstrated in this YouTube video, ensuring that each tortellino is folded in a manner so the half circle has a different color on each side. If you're not preparing the dish immediately, place each tortellino on a sheet pan dusted with flour and place in the freezer.

6. Prepare the sauce and finish the dish. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the tortellini to the pot and boil until they float to the top, approximately 2 minutes. Remove the tortellini from the pot and set aside to reserve. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the pancetta to render the fat, approximately 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pancetta to sweat and reduce, stirring occasionally. Add the peas to the skillet and cook until heated through.


Remove the pancetta, mushrooms and peas from the pan and reserve. If the pan is dry, add the remaining tablespoon to the skillet, then the shallot to sweat for approximately 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with wine and scrape the bottom to release any fond and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and continue to simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain out any solids in the sauce and return it to the skillet over low heat and add the butter, stirring until it melts. Adjust the seasoning of the sauce with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. To plate, spoon some of the reduction into a bowl, top the reduction with the mushrooms, pancetta and peas, then place tortellini onto the vegetables. Garnish with lemon thyme sprigs.


Final Thoughts

I was discussing this dish with my friend, Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Kiss My Smoke before I published it today. I explained that this dish is as far as I can escalate the complexity of fresh pasta. As I stated above, I intended this dish to be an example of food that could be served at a modern Italian fine dining establishment. Overall, I was pleased with the taste of the dish, as it was well balanced with strong flavors, however I was not happy with it's presentation. If you perform a google image search for tortellini fine dining, you'll get a general idea of what I had in mind. I think the issue is the size of the pasta circles I cut. I used a 3-inch ring cutter so when I went to wrap them around my finger, I found that they didn't reach all the way around. so I ended up folding both corners over to seal with water. When I make tortellini again, I'd use my 5-inch ring mold. I hoped to document the process of forming the tortellini in a little more detail with pictures, however I so focused with making the tortellini I forgot about my camera.

I've reviewed the process of making fresh pasta several times in the past and I've hoped to dedicate a post focused solely on this one aspect, however my hands get rather messy with flour and eggs when I knead the dough so it's difficult to take pictures. Probably the best demonstration I've found is this one by Chef Tomm Johnson I found on YouTube. He initially combines the wet and dry ingredients in a mixing bowl instead of using the well method I describe above, however.

Be sure to check out the other great Italian dishes before you go!

Appetizers:
Mains:
Dessert:
Beverages:
And Artichoke Torta plus More Recipes for Italian Fest from Sunday Supper Movement

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement

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Thursday, February 11, 2016

Filet Mignon with Warm Shallot Vinaigrette, Sautéed Mushrooms and Toasted Baguette

Filet Mignon with Warm Shallot Vinaigrette, Sautéed Mushrooms and Toasted Baguette


When my birthday occurred a couple of months ago, Mrs. Stuntman took me out to dinner the day prior because she had to work on the evening of my actual birthday. On my actual birthday, I posted a picture of the dish I ate for dinner on instagram. Call this an update but this could easily be served this weekend for Valentine's Day if you don't want to go out to eat.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

I was surfing the net recently and came across a dish that won a Top Chef challenge in a prior season. It paired halibut with a vinaigrette. Vinaigrettes are ubiquitous in dressing salads, but are more uncommonly used by home cooks as a sauce to complement a protein and I wanted to explore the idea. In addition, the supermarket I normally patronize had USDA Choice New York steaks on sale, however they were a little too large of a portion for my family so I purchased filets instead. A quick review of The Flavor Bible revealed that beef steaks pair well with shallots, mushrooms and Dijon mustard.

Dish Details

I would like to think that this dish would be served at any fine dining steakhouse. I adapted a vinaigrette from Food & Wine but the remaining components of this dish are original.

Ingredients

2 shallots, sliced thinly
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 8-ounce beef tenderloin steaks, approximately 1-inch thick
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 baguette, cut into 1/2" slices on a bias
Basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (for garnish)

Method

1. Prepare the vinaigrette. Combine the shallots and 1/2 cup olive oil in a saucepan over medium low heat and sweat, stirring frequently until softened, approximately 10 minutes.


Transfer the contents of the saucepan to a blender and let it cool slightly. Add the vinegar and mustard into the blender and purée until smooth. Add in the parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper to taste, then keep warm over low heat.


2. Sear the steaks. Place 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and heat until the oil starts to smoke. While the oil is heating, season the filets with salt and pepper then add them to the skillet to sear, approximately 4 minutes. Flip the steaks to sear on the opposite side but reduce the heat to medium, until desired doneness is reached, approximately 6 minutes for medium rare.


3. Sauté mushrooms and finish the dish. If the skillet is dry once the steaks are removed, add the remaining teaspoon olive oil then the mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms until they shrink, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and stir until fragrant, approximately one minute, then deglaze with the white wine, scraping any fond from the pan. Season with salt and pepper and continue to simmer until the wine has evaporated.


While the wine is reducing, put the baguette slices on a aluminum foil lined sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler, checking every 30 seconds until the desired color is reached.


To plate, follow the classic design of starch at 10 o'clock, protein at 2 o'clock with sauce under the protein and vegetables at 6 o'clock by spooning a tablespoon of vinaigrette onto a plate right of center, then placing the filet onto the vinaigrette at the center of the plate. Using a slotted spoon, drizzle some mushrooms off to the side of the filet then lean a baguette slice against the filet on the opposite side of the vinaigrette and garnish the dish with the chiffonade basil.

Final Thoughts

This dish is about as spontaneous as I'll get because I did not plan to publish it here when I went shopping for the ingredients in the morning I prepared it. In fact, I composed it while I was there in the supermarket based upon the ingredients I knew I had in my pantry. Still, it was well balanced with the baguette offering a texture contrast. In addition, the acidity of the vinaigrette balanced out the sweet flavors in the basil and the savory steak from the standpoint of the flavor profile. From an execution standpoint, I altered my method slightly in preparing a filet because I found that, by following my prior method, the center was too rare for my taste and, in many cases, blue in the center.

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Sunday, July 19, 2015

Halibut with Sugar Snap Peas, Mushrooms and Potatoes en Papillote for a Farmstand Food #SundaySupper

Halibut with Sugar Snap Peas, Mushrooms and Potatoes en Papillote for a Farmstand Food #SundaySupper




I guess you can call it history repeating itself. If you're reading this on the day it's published, I am currently out of town at Food and Wine Conference in Orlando. If you remember, I published a baby backs ribs dish when I was at the Conference last year, however this year I have the pleasure of co-hosting this week's #SundaySupper event of Farmstand Food with Colleen of FoodieTots.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

The cloaest I have been able to find in my area to a farmstand is a farmer's market and the day I picked up ingredients for my squid ink pasta dish I also noticed some sugar snap peas. I've gotten into the habit of bringing my copy of The Flavor Bible when I go and a quick check yielded halibut, potatoes and mushrooms as complementary foods.

Dish Details

I adapted this recipe I found on myrecipes.com. This cooking technique originates out of France, however I've yet to see it on a menu at a French restaurant.

Ingredients

4 baby potatoes, quartered
6 ounces sugar snap peas, edges trimmed
1/2 carrot, julienned
4 ounces assorted mushrooms (I used cremini, oyster and shiitake but use whatever you have on hand)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 6-ounce halibut fillets
Lemon slices, for garnish

Special equipment: Parchment paper

Method

1. Prepare the pouches. Cut parchment paper into 4 equal size sheets approximately 18-inches by 24-inches. Fold each sheet in half lengthwise and cut the corners so each sheet looks similar to a teardrop. When you unfold the parchment, it should look like a Valentine's Day heart. Set aside.

2. Par-cook the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 450° Fahrenheit, then bring a medium saucepan filled with salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and boil for 2 minutes, then add the sugar snap peas. Continue to boil for an additional minute, then remove the peas and potatoes with a slotted spoon and immediately submerge into a bowl with ice water. Once cooled, drain the ice water from the vegetables and toss in a medium bowl the carrots, mushrooms, olive oil and herbs, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Prepare the packets and steam. Divide the vegetables into four equal portions and place one portion on a sheet of parchment paper in the center, but just off to one side of the crease. Season the halibut with salt and pepper, then lay a fillet on top of the vegetables and refold the empty side of the parchment back over the food. Seal each pouch by folding the parchment as demonstrated in this YouTube video. Repeat this process 3 additional times for each pouch. Carefully place the pouches onto a sheet pan, then place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Once the pouches have been removed from the oven, let them rest for 5 minutes to allow for any carryover cooking. Serve by placing each pouch onto a warmed plate. Allow each diner to open the pouches by tearing the top of the parchment and garnish with lemon.


Final Thoughts

The term en papillote is French for "in parchment" but this cooking technique works equally well with aluminum foil. The dish itself was well balanced and Mrs. Stuntman requested I prepare it again.

Before you go, please check out other dishes using farmstand food prepared for this week's #SundaySupper event:

Appetizers, Sides and Salads
Entreés
Desserts

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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Sunday, March 22, 2015

Roasted Lamb Chops, Fontina Cheese Polenta with Asparagus and Mushrooms for a Spring Fling #SundaySupper

Roasted Lamb Chops, Fontina Cheese Polenta with Asparagus and Mushrooms for a Spring Fling #SundaySupper




This week, the team at #SundaySupper has decided to celebrate the change of seasons with a theme of Spring Fling. For some strange reason, I associate lamb with spring. Maybe because it's a popular entrée on Easter Sunday? Lamb isn't the only thing that comes to mind when I think of spring, however. Possibilities are almost endless with things like artichokes, ramps, carrots, strawberries and fennel at their peak. I only wish this theme was a little later in the season because many items don't come into season until April or May.

It's no secret that I rely on my copy of The Flavor Bible and this is no different. When I looked at lamb, it suggested it paired well with asparagus, polenta and morel mushrooms, which are all in season at this time of year. The only place I found locally that had morels was Whole Foods but they wanted $50 per pound, so I used a cheaper alternative.

The Challenge

Create a composed dish using seasonal ingredients.

The Source

I paired a rack of lamb recipe from Simply Recipes with an adaptation of a polenta and mushroom dish from Fine Cooking influenced by a side dish from Taste of Home.

Ingredients

2 racks of lamb, 1 to 2 pounds each, Frenched
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
4 to 5 cloves minced garlic, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups whole milk
1 cup corn meal
1 pound fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed, then cut into 1 to 2 inch lengths
1 8-ounce package sliced cremini mushrooms
1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese

Method

1. Marinate the lamb. Combine half of the rosemary, thyme, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil and the racks of lamb in a resealable plastic bag. Season with salt and pepper. Ensure the marinade covers all sides of the lamb and refrigerate overnight. Let the lamb come to room temperature before roasting.

2. Prepare the polenta: In a large saucepan, bring the milk and chicken stock to a boil, then season with salt. Whisk in the corn meal slowly so it doesn't clump. Once it has been added, reduce the heat to medium low and stir occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed, approximately 30 minutes.


3. Roast the lamb. While the polenta cooks, preheat the oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Remove the lamb from the marinade and discard the marinade. Reseason the lamb with salt and pepper, then place on a foil-lined sheet pan with the fat side up. Roast the lamb, first by searing it at 450 for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300° Fahrenheit for 10 to 20 minutes until the desired doneness has reached. Cook to 135° Fahrenheit for medium rare. Tent with foil and set aside for 15 minutes to allow for carryover cooking while you finish the dish.


4. Sauté the vegetables and finish the dish. While the lamb roasts, add the remaining olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the asparagus and cook until it softens, approximately. Add the mushrooms, then the other half of the rosemary, thyme and garlic and season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are cooked through. Stir the Fontina into the polenta and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then cut the lamb into individual chops. To plate, spoon some polenta on a plate, top with the asparagus and mushrooms and then three to four chops. Serve immediately.


Successful?

There are a couple of execution items to discuss but first I want to thank Valerie of Lifestyle Food Artistry for co-hosting this week's event with me. It has been a pleasure to work with her.

For the polenta, I substituted chicken stock and milk for water that the original recipe uses because I felt there was an opportunity to layer flavor that wouldn't otherwise be there with water. In addition, I felt the sear on the lamb was insufficient and recommend to pan sear the rack of lamb first before finishing it in the oven similar to the dish I prepared 2 years ago. Despite these flaws, it still was a well balanced dish from a flavor profile standpoint.

Other #SundaySupper dishes this week:

Beverages
Appetizers
Sides
Entreés
Desserts

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Duck Confit Agnolotti with Wild Mushroom Sauce

Duck Confit Agnolotti with Wild Mushroom Sauce




You know all those quick and easy recipes that make up a significant portion of the internet? This isn't one of them. I'm very proud of this dish because it's one of my most ambitious plates of food I've constructed to date. If you replicate it, plan on starting it Friday evening to be served for Sunday dinner.

Last month, I tried something new when I seared duck breasts. You might remember that I bought a whole bird for the dish so I had parts leftover and I decided to prepare the leg quarters in a confit. Confit is a French technique that was used to preserve food before refrigeration was invented and it involves salt curing meats before poaching it in fat over low heat. It has since become somewhat of a novelty for it's flavor.

Since I have already made several ravioli dishes, I wanted to attempt another filled pasta shape I previously had yet to attempt and thought the agnolotto would be challenging. I would call the agnolotti a cousin to the ravioli because the difference between the two is that the pasta in a raviolo is cut to form its shape on all sides but the agnolotto pasta is folded over so that only three sides are cut.

The Challenge

Successfully execute cooking techniques not previously attempted.

The Source

I took the confit recipe from page 183 of Think Like a Chef by Tom Colicchio with Catherine Young, Lori Silverbush and Sean Fri and used it in the pasta filling recipe on page 160 of the recipe guide from the Top Chef University DVD set. Furthermore, I applied my pasta dough ingredients from pages 102 to 104 of Cook Like A Rock Star by Anne Burrell with Suzanne Lenzer to the agnolotti procedure I found on thekitchn.com and paired it with Chef Wolfgang Puck's mushroom sauce on foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

FOR THE DUCK CONFIT:
3 tablespoons kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 shallot, peeled and sliced thin
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 duck leg quarters
Black pepper, coarsely ground
Duck fat, as needed (I was able to get away with one 12-ounce container, but more may be needed)

FOR THE PASTA FILLING:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup button mushrooms, chopped fine
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Meat from duck confit recipe
1/2 cup plus more as needed chicken stock, divided
1 tablespoon Italian parsley

FOR THE PASTA DOUGH:
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 plus 4 large eggs, divided
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
Kosher salt

FOR THE SAUCE:
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup mushroom trimmings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig fresh thyme
8 ounces assorted wild mushrooms (I used a box containing trumpets, White Beech, and Brown Hon-shemeji), trimmed and sliced
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Watercress leaves, for garnish.

Method

1. Cure the duck. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt in an even layer to the bottom of a dish. Scatter half of the garlic, shallot and thyme over the salt, then place the duck leg quarters on top of the herbs. Add the remaining salt, garlic, shallot and thyme over the leg quarters then season with freshly ground black pepper. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Duck leg quarters before curing overnight

2. Finish the confit. Preheat the oven to 225° Fahrenheit. While you're waiting for the oven, melt the duck fat over medium low heat in a saucepan. Remove the duck leg quarters from the cure and discard the cure. Brush off any salt and herbs stuck to the duck legs, then add them to high-sided baking dish in a single layer. Pour enough duck fat over the leg quarters to completely submerge them in the fat, then place the baking dish in the oven to slowly simmer the leg quarters until the meat is tender and can be separated easily from the bone, approximately 2 to 3 hours. Remove the confit from the oven and set aside to cool. The confit can be stored in the refrigerator in it's own fat covered in plastic wrap for up to one month.

Duck leg quarters just about to go into the oven

Duck leg quarters finished in the oven

3. Prepare the agnolotti filling. If the duck fat has solidified, I recommend putting the baking dish with the confit back into the oven at 200° Fahrenheit or cooler (if your oven has a warm setting) until liquefied. Remove the skin from the leg quarters, then pull the meat off the bone using a fork. Shred the meat similar to pulled pork. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the shallots, garlic and mushrooms then sweat, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add in the shredded duck confit, then deglaze with 1/2 cup chicken stock. Simmer and reduce until the mixture is wet but not runny. Add in the parsley and set aside to cool. Once cool, add the contents of the skillet to a blender and purée, adding chicken stock, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the filling has the consistency similar toothpaste. Remove the pasta filling to a disposable pastry bag or a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and place in the refrigerator until the pasta dough has been prepared.

Shredded duck confit

Pasta filling before the purée

4. Prepare the pasta dough. In a medium bowl, combine 4 eggs, 1 egg yolk, olive oil and water, then set aside. On a clean flat surface, place the flour in the shape of a mound, then dig a hole large enough to hold the egg mixture in the middle of the flour so that it looks like a volcano. Season the hole (called a well) with salt. Empty the eggs into the well, then stir with a fork in a circular motion, slowly incorporating flour into the wet ingredients but being mindful not to allow any of the egg mixture to spill over the sides of the flour. Once the eggs contain enough flour so they are no longer in danger of spilling over the well, add in the rest of the flour with your hands. Once the dough has become homogeneous, knead the dough by rolling it over onto itself with the heels of the palms of your hands, then turning it 90 degrees and repeating the process until it becomes tacky but not sticky, adding more flour or water, as needed. Once the dough has reached the proper texture, wrap it in plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Finished pasta dough

5. Roll the dough. Open the setting of a pasta roller to its widest. Cut off a portion of the pasta dough and flatten it, ensuring to re-wrap the remaining pasta dough that isn't being rolled. Dust a clean working surface with flour and pass the portion of the dough through the pasta roller, then fold it into thirds and pass the dough through the roller a second time at its widest setting, dusting the dough with flour if it feels too sticky, as needed. Fold it into thirds again, passing the dough through the pasta roller a third time at the widest setting and again, dusting the dough flour if necessary. Adjust the pasta roller to the next thinnest setting (i.e. if the roller is widest at setting 1, switch it to setting 2), and pass through the pasta roller just once at that setting. Continue to pass the dough through the roller once at the next thinnest setting, dusting the dough with flour as required, until your pasta sheets have reached the desired thinness. (My Atlas machine has six settings, but I rolled my dough to setting 5.) The pasta sheets will most likely become too long so cut them crosswise so they are more easily managed. Once the dough has been rolled, dust liberally with flour on both sides, cover with a clean towel and set aside. Repeat this procedure with another portion of dough until all portions have been rolled.

Pasta rolled about halfway through the settings

6. Construct the agnolotti. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl. Dust a clean working surface with flour and lay a pasta sheet on top, re-covering the unused pasta sheets. Cut a small hole in one corner of the piping bag and pipe a line of filling lengthwise down the middle of the pasta sheet, then apply the beaten egg to one side of the pasta sheet on either side of the filling.

Pasta filling piped onto pasta sheet with one side brushed with the beaten egg

Fold the pasta sheet over lengthwise on top of the filling and use the egg wash to seal. Make indentations into the pasta sheet on top of the filling by pinching the pasta with a finger to form individual agnolotti pouches, pushing out any air in between.


Cut the agnolotti, first lengthwise along the pasta sheet to remove the excess pasta, then on the indentations to create each agnolotto.


Repeat this process with the remaining pasta sheets and filling until the pasta and filling have been used. Place the agnolotti on a flour-dusted sheet pan in a single layer to freeze if not using immediately. Once the pasta has frozen, transfer the agnolotti to a resealable bag for easier storage.

7. Prepare the sauce and finish the dish. Start the sauce by preparing a mushroom stock. Combine the mushroom trimmings with the chicken stock in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the mixture to 1 cup, then strain out the mushrooms and reserve the mushroom stock.


While the stock is reducing, fire a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the shallots, garlic and thyme and sweat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes. Deglaze with the reserved mushroom stock and reduce for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and simmer until the sauce has thickened, then season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.


Put the agnolotti into the water and boil, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the agnolotti from the boiling water once they float to the top and toss with the sauce. To plate, spoon some sauce into warmed bowls, top with agnolotti and garnish with watercress leaves.

Successful?

Before I proceed with the execution of the dish, I need to review some items. First, I should specify that I used my copy of The Flavor Bible to pair ingredients which suggested pairing wild mushrooms, shallots and watercress with duck confit.

I have been considering a separate pasta dough post but have not been able to complete it because my hands get rather messy as I'm kneading the dough and then again when I'm rolling the pasta. In fact, Mrs. Stuntman took the picture above of a pasta sheet in the process of being passed through the roller. If you need further explanation on how to prepare pasta dough, I invite you to view Chef Tom Johnson's instructional YouTube video which is the best demonstration I've found. Chef Johnson's personality is a little dry but his advice is solid. Mrs. Stuntman also took the final picture of the plated dish above.

I recommend sparingly seasoning the pasta filling in step 3 and the sauce in step 7 because, as I was shredding the confit, I tasted a scrap and noticed the meat being on the edge of too salty.

The dish itself was a little rich so I might pair this pasta with a different sauce, however Mrs. Stuntman enjoyed it and requested I prepare it again.

Don't forget! You have a until Saturday to enter my giveaway of Krayl Funch's book, An Appealing Plan: A Year Of Everyday Celebrations. Please click here for more information.

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Sunday, February 22, 2015

Beef Sliders with Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions, Bleu Cheese and Bacon for a Red Carpet Party #SundaySupper

Beef Sliders with Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions, Bleu Cheese and Bacon for a Red Carpet Party #SundaySupper




Before I start, I have a little housekeeping matter to discuss. This past Thursday, my facebook world went through, ahem...let's call it an adjustment. For whatever reason, the website seized my personal profile as Foodie Stuntman and forced me to convert it to a facebook page, so everyone on my friends list are now 'Likes' to Foodie Stuntman, the page. As soon as I can replicate the content that was in the old personal profile, I plan on deleting the page and I won't be updating it any further. In addition, I've opened a new facebook personal profile under DB Stuntman and I ask you send me a friend request there, if you wish and haven't done so already. My Crazy Foodie Stunts facebook page, twitter, pinterest and G+ are unaffected.

Moving onto the dish: I remember watching America's Best Cook on Food Network last spring where one of the challenges was to prepare a burger. It occurred to me that I hadn't addressed the concept here so I prepared one this past August but it had influences and flavors from other cuisines and I wanted to address the dish from a classic American standpoint. The opportunity arose with this week's #SundaySupper theme of Red Carpet Party hosted by Katie of Ruffles and Truffles.

You might be asking yourself right now, How does a burger relate to the Oscars? so let me make the connection. The only nominee in this year's Best Picture category that I've seen is American Sniper. In it, Bradley Cooper plays the title role of Chris Kyle who was born and raised in Texas. I then started to think of food The Lone Star State does well and thought of steakhouses, so I started looking at steakhouse menus, where burgers are common as a happy hour item or appetizer.

So let's discuss this classic American staple. For me, the toppings are secondary to the burger patty. I used bleu cheese, mushrooms, onions and bacon in this instance, but if you want to replicate this dish, feel free to adjust them to your tastes. My father taught me to use 80/20 ground beef because anything leaner will result in a dry burger because there is little fat to render during the process of cooking it, which makes the burger juicy. I further fortify my burger with freshly shredded parmesan cheese, which is my secret ingredient. In addition, parmesan is naturally salty so it also seasons the patty.

The Challenge

Demonstrate my burger recipe and to compare it with others.

The Source

This dish is a Crazy Foodie Stunts original

Ingredients

1 1/2-pound 80/20 ground beef
1/3-1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces (i.e. slices) bacon, cut into batons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, cut in half, root to stem and then sliced crosswise, thin
1 8-ounced package, pre-sliced cremini or baby bella mushrooms
2 ounces crumbled bleu cheese
Slider buns

Method

1. Prepare the burger patties: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, parmesan cheese and garlic, then season the mixture with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into patties slightly wider than the slider buns, about 1 dozen.

2. Prepare the toppings: Place the batons in a dry sauté pan over medium heat and cook until crisp and the fat has rendered, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and drain the bacon fat from the pan then replace it with the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions have browned and the mushrooms have reduced, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove to a bowl and set aside to keep warm.



3. Prepare the burgers: Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Sear the patties until cooked through to desired doneness, approximately 3 minutes per side for medium rare. To plate, place a burger patty on a slider bun and top with onions, mushrooms, bacon and bleu cheese. Serve immediately.


Successful?

From the standpoint of the dish itself, Mrs. Stuntman asked if there were any leftover sliders to take for a brown bag lunch the next day after polishing off a couple of them for dinner. Whether or not the challenge was successful is still undetermined because I would need to put my burger patties up against any other home cook's patties. Recipe contest anyone? Let me know if you're up for it.

Meanwhile, I invite you to enjoy the red carpet in addition to the awards show and encourage you to do so with one or more of these other foods featured this week:


Nominees for Best Supporting Appetizers:
Nominees for Best Course in a Leading Role:
Nominees for Best Supporting Sips:
Nominees for Best Delectable Desserts:
Nominees for Best Dressed Table:
Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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