French Night 2 - Wild Mushroom Tartlets, Quinoa Salad, Beef Bourguignon, Crème brûlée

One of my dear friends is moving to Belgium for her new job!!!!! (Super excited for her!) Therefore, a farewell dinner is in order, and I have decided to try out some new recipes for this very special night. Since she is Italian, to save some potential embarrassment, I decided to go with another French night! Here's the menu:
Appetizer: Wild Mushroom Tartlets, Quinoa Salad
Main Course: Beef Bourguignon with Cauliflower Purée
Dessert: Crème brûlée (I just bought the torch, new toy <3)

Wild Mushroom Tartlets

Ingredients

1 basket (~ 6 oz) Wild Assorted Mushrooms, Finely Chopped (I got them from Farmer's Market, they are sooooo good!)
1/2 Cup Shallots, Finely Chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/4 Cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, Shredded
1/4 Cup White Wine
1 Tsp Thyme
1 Sheet of Puff Pastry
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Salt and Pepper to taste (I happened to have some black truffle salt and it's just perfect for this!)

1. Thaw the pastry at room temperature for an hour and preheat the oven to 400F. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the garlic and shallots. Cook for 5 minutes until translucent.
3. Add the mushrooms, cook until the liquid completely evaporates.
4. Add the wine and thyme, cook until the liquid evaporates. Set aside.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cut the pastry into squares/circles, and put a spoonful of mushroom on each square, and top with shredded parmesan cheese.
7. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash.
8. Bake until it's golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

These tartlets were gone so quickly that I didn't have a chance to take a picture before only a couple of them were left! This is so good and simple to make that it might just be my go-to appetizer for dinner parties from now on. 

Quinoa Salad (There is nothing French about it, just a salad)

Ingredients

1 Cup Quinoa
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
4 Tsp Salted Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Whole Red Onion, Chopped into Chunks
1/2 Whole Butternut Squash, Peeled and Seeded, Cut into Chunks
1 Large Carrots, Peeled and Cut into Chunks
1 Large Parsnip, Peeled and Cut into Chunks
1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
6 Oz Arugula Leaves
1 Lemon, Zest and Juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Rinse and Drain the quinoa.
3. Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in the pot you are cooking quinoa in, and add the quinoa. Stir and cook for a couple minutes.
4. Add 2 Cups of Water. Stir and let boil.
5. Turn down the heat and let it cook for around 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.
6. Cook the butter with the garlic in a pan, and pour over the vegetables, sprinkle salt and pepper.
7. Roast the vegetables for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
8. Add the pine nuts to the same pan you cook the butter, and toast them until golden brown.
9. Mix the vegetables with cooked quinoa, add the lemon zest and juice, and also salt and pepper to taste. 
10. Toss in the arugula and serve. 

This recipe is adopted from Pioneer Woman. I didn't have a big enough bowl to mix the arugula in, and that's why they were served in separate bowls. Quinoa is really one of my favorite grains, and I used tri-color quinoa to give the dish more color!

Beef Bourguignon with Cauliflower Purée

Ingredients

Beef Bourguignon (recipe adopted from epicurious and tablespoon)
5 Thick-sliced Bacon
3 Lbs Boneless Beef Chuck (I used pork shoulder this time)
1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
4 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Cup Brandy
1 Piece of Celery
1 Bay leaf
4 Parsley Sprigs
4 Thyme Sprigs
1 Lb of mushroom, Sliced
2 Carrots, Chopped into Small Chunks
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Onion, Chopped into Small Chunks
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Bottle Red Wine, Young and Full-bodied
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cauliflower Purée
2 Heads Cauliflower, Chopped
3 Cup Chicken Broth
3 Tbsp Butter
Fresh Thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Boil the bacon in salted water for 5 minutes, drain and dry, then cut into small pieces.
2. Pat the meat dry, cut them in big pieces, throw in a sealable plastic bag. Add salt, pepper and flour , shake to coat meat.
3. Brown the meat in butter in batches. Set aside.
4. Pour off excess oil from the pot, add brandy to pot, let boil for a minute, and pour over the meat.
5. To the same pot, saute the bacon, cook for a couple minutes.
6. Add chopped onion, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, stir while cooking, for about 5 minutes.
7. Add tomato paste, and cook for another minute.
8. Tie celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves together to make a bouquet garni. (I just added the herbs directly, I don't mind having them in my dish)
8. Add the meat, red wine and the herbs to the pot, let it simmer for 1 - 2 hour. Preheat the oven to 400F.
9. Season with salt and pepper. (note: make sure you under-season it because the sauce is going to reduce after you put it in the oven, I made a little saltier than I wanted :/)
10. When the sauce is reduced enough, pour the dish into a iron-cast, cover with aluminum foil, bake for another hour until the sauce is thick and meat is tender. 
11. Now, let's prepare the cauliflower purée. Heat the butter in a big pot, then add in the cauliflower, stir and cook for a few minutes.
12. Add the chicken broth and thyme, boil for about 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower is very tender. 
13. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer the cauliflower to a food processor, and blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning afterwards if needed. 
14. Return to pot if you want to keep it warm while the meat is cooking.
15. Serve the meat over the cauliflower. The cauliflower is light and a perfect balance for the heavy meat dish! 

Crème brûlée

Ingredients

2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Tbsp Vanilla Paste
5 Whole Egg Yolks
1/2 Cup Sugar (I used a little less than that, if you like it sweeter, you can adjust from this)
4 Tbsp Baker's Sugar

1. Preheat Oven to 325 F.
2. Pour Cream into saucepan, add vanilla paste and simmer over medium-low heat.
3. Whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale yellow and thick.
4. Strain cream using a fine mesh strainer.
5. Slowly add in the warm cream while whisking the egg yolks, do it slowly to avoid cooking the eggs.
6. Place the ramekins onto a deeper baking pan, pour water until it comes halfway up the ramekins.
7. Pour custard mixture into ramekins until the rim mark. 
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until just set. Don't let it get brown.
9. Chill for at least 2 - 3 hours. (You can prepare it the night before and just put them in the fridge)
10. To serve, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the custard, use a kitchen torch to slowly brown the sugar. If the torch is adjustable, turn it to low so that you don't burn the sugar.
11. Let it sit for a minute or 2 before serve. You should have a thin layer of crispy burned sugar on top which cracks when you knock it with your spoon. Enjoy this delicious yet fatty dessert!!!! 

Lasagna

"What should I cook for dinner?" I am sure those who cook would understand the struggle of coming up with dinner ideas! I have decided to take a break on the decision making, and asked the boyfriend, "what do you want for dinner?" The answer for tonight is Lasagna! 

Ingredients

1 1/2 Lbs ground beef (I used turkey this time #health attempt)
1 Lb Hot Italian Sausage
5 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
2 Lbs Pearl Tomato/ 2 Cans Whole Tomato
( Cans might be more convenient, but I prefer to use fresh vegetables whenever I can, and I found pearl tomatoes have a more intense tomato flavor, which is perfect for lasagna)
2 Cans (6 Ounces) Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup Parsley. Minced and Divided
1/4 Cup Basil, Minced
3 Cups Ricotta Cheese/ Cottage Cheese (I personally prefer ricotta cheese)
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated and Divided
1 Lb Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced
10 Lasagna Noodles
Salt to taste

1. Boil a large pot of water for lasagna noodle.
2. While the water is boiling, in a large skillet, throw in ground beef, sausage and garlic. 
3. Cook until browned, drain half the fat. (I used ground turkey, so I didn't drain the fat)
4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 1/4 Cup Parsley, 1/4 Basil and salt.
5. Stir to combine, and let simmer for 45 minutes.
6. While the meat is cooking, beat the eggs in a medium bowl.
7. Mix in the ricotta cheese, 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan, 1/4 Cup Parsley and a dash of salt. Set aside.

8. Add some salt in the boiling water (never oil! Oil will prevent the sauce getting into the pasta) and cook the lasagna noodle one by one if necessary according to the package's instructions. 
9. Arrange 5 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of the pan. It is okay to overlap a little.
10. Spread half the cheese mixture on top of the noodle, then cover with a layer of mozzarella cheese. 
11. Spread half of the meat on top of the mozzarella cheese.
12. Repeat one more time. 
13. Sprinkle 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan on the top of the meat sauce.
14, Bake for 20 - 30 minutes at 350 F.

*Ignorance is bliss. This is the.... should I say.... pain of the cook? Since you know exactly what you put in the dish, and thus exactly how fattening the dish is...... time to go running! 

Red Pepper Pasta

This is one of my favorite pasta recipes from The Pioneer Woman ! What's special about this is that it is simple to make, it is vegetarian (that makes it healthy right?), yet at the same time, so delicious! I still remember last time when I served this dish at dinner with a couple friends, none of them could tell what is in the pasta. When I told them what's in it, they were so surprised that there is only one main ingredient, which is red bell pepper! The sweetness of the red pepper is the essence of the dish, complemented by garlic and onion, and it pairs perfectly with a glass of white. Also, it is a relatively light pasta dish since it doesn't have a lot of cream and cheese in the dish, I would say a perfect summer pasta dish. 

Ingredients

12 ounces of pasta of your choice
4 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Onion, Finely Diced
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Jar Roasted Red Pepper, Drained and Chopped
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 Cup Parmesan Shavings
Chopped Fresh Basil

1. Cook Pasta in salted water
2. Melt 2 tablespoon butter in a large skillet, add onions and garlic, saute for 2 - 3 mins until translucent. 
3. Add the chopped red peppers and cook for another 2 - 3 mins until hot.
4. Remove from skillet and transfer to a food processor. Puree the pepper mixture.
5. Heat another 2 tablespoon butter on the skillet, pour the puree back to the skillet.
6. Add Broth, salt and pepper, stir until heated.
7. Splash in the cream and stir to combine.
8. Add Parmesan and basil I used parsley because I don't have any basil)
9. Toss the pasta in the puree. 
10. Serve and eat!! 

French Night - Coq Au Vin, Ratatouille, Orange Chocolate Souffle

I don't do dinner parties very often because it's way tooooooo much work for me. First, I have to clean the apartment. Then, I have to think about what to cook, which is hard sometimes because you have to think about what's not too hard to cook for 5-6 people, yet still special and delicious at the same time. Well, I always wanted to have this friend of mine over, but it never happened, and now she's leaving!!! So, I guess I have to do it!! And she is definitely the best guest one could ever asked for! She helps so much with the cooking and cleaning, and now I wish this would have happened more before she leaves. :( Sad
We  (or mainly my idea) decided on a French theme tonight. A three-course meal with home-made herbal bread. 
Appetizer: Ratatouille
Main Course: Coq Au Vin
Dessert: Orange Chocolate Souffle
I think the guests were happy about the food (I hope they are not just being nice lol) and it was definitely a fun sun day night! Here are the recipes. 

Ratatoille

Ingredients

5 cloves Garlic (minced)
3 Shallots / 1 Onion (diced)
2 Small Zucchini (diced large)
2 Small Yellow Squash (diced large)
1 Eggplant (diced large)
3 Small tomatoes (diced large)
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp Oregano
1/4 Tsp Thyme
1/4 Tsp Coriander
1/2 Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Red wine Vinegar 
Some Fresh Basil

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan, and add garlic and onion. Saute for a couple minutes.
2. Add in the tomato, and let it simmer for 5 minutes until all the juices come out.
3. Add all the oregano, thyme, coriander, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar, cook it for another 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the eggplant, squash and zucchini.
5. Keep stirring for another 10-15 minutes to cook the vegetables. 
6. Add in the basil and serve.

                                                          Coq Au Vin

Ingredients

4 Slices Bacon (diced)
1 whole Fryer Chicken (chopped) [I bought some chicken parts instead, 2 split breast, 3 drumstick, 3 thighs)
4 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1/2 Whole Onion (diced)
4 small tomatoes
1 lb White Mushroom (sliced)
Fresh Parsley (minced)
2 Cups Burgundy Wine/ young red
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
2. Saute the bacon pieces in an iron cast. Remove the bacon and leave the bacon grease.
3. Skin side down, cook the chicken in bacon grease until both sides are golden brown. Set aside.
4. Saute the onion and garlic in the chicken bacon grease until onions are translucent.
5. Add in the carrots and mushroom.
6. Add in the tomatoes and cook until the juices come out.
7. Pour the Burgundy wine and cook until boil. 
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Place the chicken in the iron cast, and pour the sauce over the chicken a couple times.
10. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in oven for 1.5 hours. 
11. Serve over pasta or just by itself!

Orange Chocolate Souffle

Orange and Chocolate are just one of those matches in heaven! 

Ingredients

8 Ounces Good Quality Semisweet Dark Chocolate
3/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
3 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (melted)
2 Tbsp Grand Marnier 
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 Tsp Salt
Zest of One Orange
6 Large Eggs, separated
Pinch of Cream of Tartar
Powdered Sugar for decoration

1. Preheat the over to 350 F.
2. Melt the chocolate over simmering water.
3. Add in the orange zest, heavy whipping cream, sugar, grand marnier, salt and vanilla extract. Stir over low heat and cool in fridge.
4. Add in the butter. 
5. Whisk the egg yolks one by one into the chocolate mix. Set aside.
6. Using electric mixer to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. 
7. Fold in the chocolate mixture in 4 additions.
8. Pour the souffle mixture into the ramekins and bake for 15 minutes. (Should still be moist in center)
9. Sift with powdered sugar and add some orange zest for decoration. Serve right away! 

* I got most of the vegetables from a local farmer's market, and you can definitely taste the difference, especially how sweet the tomatoes are. The quality of the ingredients are often the key to a delicious dish. 

Coconut Curry Shrimp

For those who loves Asian food and find it hard to cook yourself! This is a very simple recipe from Pioneer Woman. I have tried it a while ago and found it to be very tasty even though it's such an easy meal to prepare. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Butter
1 Lb Peeled and Deveined Raw Shrimp (I like to buy the shrimp with shell and everything, then peel and devein myself, but it's up to you)
1 Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
I can Coconut Milk (Around 13 Oz)
2 Tbsp Honey
1 Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Curry Powder
Fresh Basil Leaves, Chopped
Salt to Taste
Hot Sauce Optional

1. Heat the butter in a skillet, and cook the shrimp. (Shrimps cook fast, so turn them over once color starts to change)
2. Set aside on a plate.
3. Use the same skillet, add onion and garlic and cook for a couple minutes.
4. Add the curry powder and continue cooking for another couple minutes.
5. Pour in the coconut milk, cook while stirring.
6. Add honey, salt and lime juice, and let it cook for a while.
7. Add the shrimp into the sauce and let it simmer for a couple minutes. 
8. Finally, add in the basil. (And hot sauce if you eat spicy)
9. Serve it over rice. (I'd say jasmine/basmati )