Tapas Class

I had a great Tapas class last night at Chef's Gallery. We made empanaditas, mini tarts, stuffed tomatoes, corn muffins and chicken teriyaki. Many of the things I make in my classes are favorites of mine with a twist.

Before a class I like to try out my new variations at least once...here is where my great friends come in. They come over and taste test for me...letting me know if they like my new renditions. Below is the corn muffins with pancetta and avocado that we tried. Thanks Dave and Sandra!

Mini Chili Corn Muffins with Pancetta, Avocado and Cilantro

1 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 ¼ cups milk
3 tablespoon melted butter, plus extra for greasing
2 large fresh red chilies cored and finely chopped (less for less heat)
3 scallions, white and green finely sliced

Pancetta, Avocado, and Cilantro Filling

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 think slices pancetta or thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1 ½ inch pieces
2 large ripe Haas avocados
Lemon juice, for brushing
1 bunch cilantro
2 deep 12-hole mini muffin pans, greased

1. Put the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Stir in the eggs, milk, butter, shopped chilies, and scallions, mixing until just combined.

2. Using a teaspoon, spoon the batter into the prepared muffic pans to about two-thirds full. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for about 15 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

3. Grease the muffin pans again, add mixture as before, bake and cool as before. Repeat until all the muffin mixture has been used. Eat warm on the day of baking or store and reheat as listed below.

4. To prepare the filling, heat the oil in a sillet, add the pieces of pancetta and saute until crispy. Drain on crumpled paper towels.

5. Cut the avocado into 1/2-inch thick slices. Cut muffins in half. Put one piece of avocado in each muffin, top with a slice of crispy pancetta and a few cilantro leaves. Put the tops back on the muffins and serve. If the lids are a bit unstable, spear the whole thing together with a toothpick.

I served this with a cumin aioli.

When the cat is away...

These days it feels as though my husband is out of town more often than not. When he is gone I tend to fix myself really simple meals or enjoy some of our local eateries for dinner. Last week he was home one evening and I had a lot of fun throwing together a great meal. Of course this makes him miss home even more when he is on the road...but that is all part of the plan, right? :)

Caprese Salad
Carmelized Onions and Patty Pan
Pan Fried Salmon in a Spicy Whiskey Buerre Blanc

SimonDelivers to Reopen!!!

SimonDelivers to reopen as CobornsDelivers in October

New ownership combines 2008 Grocer of The Year with best grocery delivery service.

We're thrilled to announce that St. Cloud-based grocery retailer, Coborn's Incorporated, has acquired and will reopen SimonDelivers as CobornsDelivers beginning in October. This means that the Twin Cities' best grocery delivery service will soon be back in business and better than ever, combining SimonDelivers' unbeatable service with Coborn's reputation for outstanding freshness and value. The Minnesota Grocers Association last month named Coborn's Minnesota's 2008 Grocer of the Year.

As a former SimonDelivers customer, you will be able to easily reactivate your account and access your past order history. You can expect the same flexible, convenient delivery service, and the same fast, easy online shopping experience with CobornsDelivers.

Better prices. Better selection. Same exceptional service.

"With rising gas and grocery prices, shoppers can save a lot of time and money by using CobornsDelivers," said Coborn's president and CEO, Chris Coborn. "We're bringing our grocery store right to your door. It's a tremendous value for the growing number of customers demanding the convenience and savings of one-click shopping."

Coborn added, "Our goal is to provide Twin Cities area customers with the best online grocery experience in the country. That means exceptional customer service, top quality groceries, and lower prices."

About Coborn's

Coborn's Inc. owns and operates 34 Coborn's and Cash Wise Foods grocery stores in the upper Midwest. Coborn's, Inc. is employee owned, has been in business for 87 years, and currently employs 6,000 workers in six states.

Coborn's attributes its remarkable success to four guiding principles: customer service, freshness, value and community involvement. In addition to recognition as Minnesota's 2008 Grocer of The Year, the company has earned a reputation for outstanding community caring, donating more than $2 million and thousands of volunteer hours each year to the communities it serves.

Yes, more classes!!!

Will the fun never end?? In case you missed out on my classes at Cooks of Crocus Hill last time around, here are 4 more coming up.

An Intro To Food and Cooking: Indian - 5 openings

Participation
Tuesday, September 16, 6:00 PM-9:00 PM, $65

For the beginner chef, this hands-on class offers the perfect introduction to basic cooking. We’ll cover a wide range of techniques, including emulsifying, pan-roasting, reductions and meat cookery. By the end of the session, you will have prepared a fabulous meal and have new culinary skills to last a lifetime. Each group of four students makes each menu item.

Menu: Chicken Biryani; Cucumber Raita; Homemade Naan; Green Chutney with Coconut; Indian-Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Raisins and Cashews; Ginger Wok Cauliflower; Pineapple Foster.

Rents and Runts in Edina: Cooking with Family - 4 openings

Participation
Saturday, September 20, 11:00 AM-2:00 PM, $65

Have a budding chef in the family? Here’s the perfect way to not only encourage their fondness for food, but also spend quality time together. Rachael will show parents or grandparents and kids 8–12 the secrets to making awesome homemade pizza and a few other culinary tricks along the way.

Menu: Homemade Pizzas; Vegetables and Fruits Carved into Flowers and Animals; Yogurt Vanilla Dip for Fruit; Hummus Dip for Vegetables; Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls.

Dinner Paired with Belgian Beer: Menu 2 - 15 openings

Demonstration, with lots of drinking!
Friday, October 3, 6:00 PM-9:00 PM, $70
Rachael Rydbeck with Josh Pepper

Rachael and Josh are back with another take on this fun-packed, popular class. Here’s how it works: Josh picks one of his favorite Belgian beers, offers up a couple of words to describe the flavor — sweet, spicy, rich, herbal — then Rachael builds a dish on that theme. You’ll be amazed at how well the two go together.

Menu: Belgian Pale Ale paired with Our Favorite Spiced Nuts; Saison paired with Mushroom-Sage Bruschetta; Flanders paired with Crab Fritters with Lemon Aïoli; Flanders Brown paired with Cauliflower Beignets with Sea Scallops and Golden Raisin Puree; Dubbel paired with Roasted Cornish Hens with Caramelized Root Vegetables and Dried-Currant Sauce; Tripel paired with Lemon Crêpes.

3 30-Minute Meals: Quick and Easy - 13 openings

Demonstration
Saturday, November 15, 1:00 PM-4:00 PM, $65

Think you don’t have time to make dinner€This class covers the essential skills for any time-starved cook: key kitchen tools, short cuts for quick preparation, and the art of sauces. Watch as Rachael uses her mad kitchen skills — stat! — to assemble nine awesome recipes that you’d be proud to serve to your family or holiday guests.

Menu: Snapper in Coconut Red Curry Sauce, Perfect Rice, Green Beans Almondine; Pan-Fried Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Sage and Capers, Toasted Orzo with Mixed Vegetables, Steamed Broccoli with Cheddar Cheese; Filet Mignon with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe and Bananas Foster.

Book of the Month: The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern

My recommended book for the month is one that I wouldn't consider a staple for most home cooks, but if you are looking for delicious desserts, this is one of my favorites.

Claudia Fleming is respected in the food world for her creative desserts that are both unique and very delicious. Some of her recipes take time and others can be prepared very quickly. If you are looking to spend some time in the kitchen to wow your guests or just tickle your palate, you can't go wrong here.

Her book is broken into different sections based on main ingredient, such as: Berries, Stone Fruits, Nuts, Spices, Chocolate, etc. And I find myself getting hungry just looking at the pictures and reading through the recipes, and I am not even a dessert person!

One of my favorite things in her book is how she recommends serving her desserts. Here is one example: The recipe for Pecan Sandies recommends serving them with Roasted Chestnut Honey Pears and/or Cream-Cheese Ice Cream. All of which are recipes in her book.

I absolutely love her ice cream recipes and have enjoyed making several different flavors. Should you be looking for some unique flavors, here are a few she includes:

Ice Cream Recipes
Basil
Black and White Chocolate Malteds
Black Mint
Black Pepper
Brandied-Fig
Buttermilk
Caramel
Coconut
Cream-Cheese
Earl Grey
Eggnog
Ginger
Gingersnap
Lemon Verbena
Licorice
Milk Chocolate Malted
Prune-Armagnac
Sweet-Corn
Tarragon
Vanilla

And just for fun, I thought I would include one of her recipes that I really enjoyed. Though I made it without the lavender, wich I am sure is a major foux pas.

Lavender-Lemon Pound Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons dried lavender
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup strained lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of the lavender. Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes, then strain, discarding the lavender. Set aside to cool.
   
   
2. Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes.
   
   
3. In a bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Using a whisk, fold the lemon zest and a third of the flour mixture into the eggs until thoroughly combined. Fold in the rest of the flour in two batches. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup of the batter with the melted butter and the vanilla. Add this to the remaining batter and fold to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
   
   
4. Bake the cake until a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. If the top of the cake seems to be getting overly browned before the center is set, cover with foil, and continue baking.
   
   
5. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of lavender. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
   
   
6. Transfer the cake to a wire rack. Using a cake tester or skewer, poke the cake all over. Brush the loaf with half the syrup and let cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack, remove the pan, and brush syrup over the bottom and sides of the cake. Reinvert the cake and brush with the remaining syrup. Let cool completely.

And my favorite part, Serving Suggestions:

Serve with Blackberry Compote
For something more complex, add Yogurt Sorbet
For a composed dessert, add whipped crème fraîche and Lemon Confit

News from Personal Fitness Systems

I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Keith Gosline, an extremely hard working and dedicated personal trainer, for the past two years. Recently Keith started a newsletter and is gearing up to start his own blog as well. I am writing food bits in these newsletters and thought I would paste my latest article here. If you are interested in receiving Keith's Newsletter (the last one covered topics such as Aerobic Fundamentals and Periodization Training), just email him at keith@pfswellness.com.


Quick and Easy Asian Soba Noodle Salad

This is a salad that keeps well in the fridge. Add fish, beef or chicken to dress it up.

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound soba noodles, cooked until tender and refreshed in ice water
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, cut on the bias
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 cup lightly crushed toasted cashews
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

1. Place noodles in strainer in large bowl. Boil 8 cups of water. Pour water over soba noodles and stir once to separate. Let cook for 10 minutes or until al dente. Pull strainer out of water and put into bowl of ice water.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce and sesame oil.
3. To the noodles, add green onions, bean sprouts, carrots, cucumber, cashews, cilantro, sesame seeds, and the soy mixture and mix thoroughly.

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagass, 2002


Tips For Eating Out

Many people go out to eat to treat themselves and if you do, keeping these tips in mind can help you as you decide what you want to splurge on. However, if you eat out frequently, these ideas may become "best practice" tips for you.

Great options:

• Order several healthy sides for lunch.
• Add a side potato to a full salad.
• Ask waiter for healthy options.
• Google health facts on the restaurant you are planning on attending
• Always dress your own sandwiches and salads.
• Split with a friend or take leftovers home.
• Drink mint with lime in your water instead of sodas.
• Taste your food before adding salt or pepper.
• Order a side salad so you don't eat too much bread before your meal.
• Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes before your stomach recognizes food.

Avoid:

• Large pasta dishes.
• Fast food restaurants.
• Breaded or fried foods .
• Foods coated in dressings or sugary syrups .
• Avoid creamy dressings.

Mojitos

One of the things I did in preparation for my Cuban dinner party was to work on a mojito recipe. I have made several batches inspired by recipes and just intuition, but my favorite has been from Cooks Illustrated, which I will share with you below:

Mojitos

1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup superfine sugar, plus extra to taste
3 cups carbonated water
1 1/2 cups light rum
1 cup lime juice from 8 limes
Pinch salt

Using a wooden spoon, muddle (crush) the mint and sugar in a pitcher until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the water, rum, lime juice, and salt and season with additional sugar to taste.

Pour the mixture over ice and serve.

Cubano

Saturday night we had a group of friends over for Cuban food. Now Cuban food, I found to be quite tricky. I did my homework as usual and read as much as I could find on the subject. But most of what I found included beans, plantains/bananas or other starchy root, white fish and pork. One ingredient that was in many recipes was a sour orange juice I tried to replicate by mixing equal parts lime juice and orange juice. There was a lot of oil used either for deep frying or pan frying and not a lot of heat (spices, peppers, etc.) which surprised me.

It was great to learn about Cuban culture and their food, but I still feel like I didn't quite tap into the secrets of the cuisine. There are a couple of Cuban restaurants in the Twin Cities, so I think it is time I checked them out to see what I can learn. :)

My menu for the evening:

Entremes de Camarones (Shrimp tapas)

Mojitos

Mango and Avocado Salad

Cuban-Style Black Beans and Rice

Shredded Beef with Roasted Peppers and Chorizo

Yucca in Garlic Sauce

Banana Crème Brulee

Tonsillitis and Carrots

Will it never end for me? Two weeks ago I was hit with a particularly nasty case of tonsillitis among other things. My immune system has been devastated by mono and I am doing everything I can to help rebuild. One of the things I have been doing lately is juicing carrots. This is in part due to a wonderful visit from my parents during my time of dire illness. It was great to see them and they took great care of me. (I think this was the most alone time I have had with the two of them since I was one, which made it all the more special.) They make a lot of healthy smoothies and always juiced when I was a kid and suggested I try it again.

I have a wonderful Champion juicer, a gift from the rents, which I only juice with on occasion. In the past we have used it to make delicious peanut butter as well as frozen desserts. Insert frozen pineapple out comes pineapple sorbet au naterale. I have had the occasional "science experiment" where I thought juiced herbs might make a great addition to a dish. In retrospect I will leave that extra step of insanity to the chefs of fine dining restaurants.

On Saturday Joel and I purchased a 25 pound bag of carrots and I have been steadily working my way through them. I am slightly allergic to carrot juice so will be adding other elements such as celery, cucumber and apple, but pure carrot juice is my favorite. I feel so invigorated after I drink it. Ok, so that is enough about me and carrots.

Here is a pic of my juicer. I push the carrots through the top, the juice drops in the middle (which I strain before drinking) and the pulp I collect in a bowl as it comes out the end. If you are in the area, stop by some morning for a glass of carrot juice, I love to share!

Upcoming Classes!

Still some room left!

An Introduction to Food and Cooking: Asian (Participation) - 1 spot left

Cooks of Crocus Hill

Monday August 25th 6-9pm

Designed for the beginner chef, this hands-on class offers the perfect introduction to basic cooking. We'll cover a wide range of techniques, including emulsifying, pan roasting, reductions and meat cookery. By the end of the session, you'll have both a fabulous meal to enjoy and new culinary skills to last a lifetime. Each group makes all the recipes.

Menu: Sweet-and-Sour Chicken; Savory Garlicky Salad; Potstickers with Dipping Sauce; Perfect Rice; Passion Fruit Cream Pie.

Hands-on Party Tapas - 5 spots left

Chef's Gallery

Thursday, August 28, 6pm-9pm

Rachael will discuss how to plan and prepare ahead for a dinner party, demonstrate chopping techniques, assembly and storage, and how to make excellent dipping sauces for any occasion. You will make each of the items with two or three other people, so come with friends if you wish.

We will sip wine as we prepare Stuffed Tomatoes, Spicy Beef Empanaditas with Cumin Aioli, Grilled Chicken Skewers, Mini Chili Corn Muffins with Pancetta, Avocado and Cilantro, and Blueberry Tartlets with Lemon Curd.