Beyond The Recipe...

Sometimes it’s Good to Have a Quickie! (Hors d’ ouevre, that is)

chefdarin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:51:58 +0000

The Superbowl is upon us and I’m sure most people who are having parties have already placed their orders for wing trays and veggie platters and have stocked up on chips, salsa, and onion dip. Perhaps you want something just a little different? Maybe you’ve had more people show up than you expected or they came with a bigger appetite than anticipated. Heck, sometimes it’s just good to have a few things in the fridge that you can grab, mix, assemble and in short order look like you were ready all along!

Hors d’oevres can run the gamut for frilly fancy canapes to the basic chips and salsa in the ceramic sombrero serving dish. If you’re planning a Superbowl party I’m willing to bet that the focus is going to be on the commercials, the game and the food. Probably in that same order. Which is why, as a chef I should cringe at saying this, it probably doesn’t pay to put a whole lot of work into your food offerings. I’m not saying they shouldn’t taste great and be appealing…just that your guests probably aren’t going to care that you made the savory tart dough a day ahead so that it could rest before you pressed it carefully into the fluted tart molds for baking…etc. You get the idea…superbowl fans want good food and lots of it but it doesn’t necessarily have to be fancy.

Cue the Convenience Products…

As much as I am all for cooking from scratch and encourage people to do it themselves, I occasionally like to play a certain game while shopping at the grocery store.

The goal: How to make something with as few steps as possible using mostly convenience products. Quite honestly, sometimes it might not even be that convenient in the end. When teaching culinary at the collegiate level, I once had a teaching assistant tell me that I was the only person he knew that could take a convenience product and make it inconvenient!

While convenience products aren’t the most economical means of cooking, and often contain more fat, sugar and calories than we need and want, there are certain times when it can be good to have the “convenience” of a shortcut. Convenience products like the tubes of Pillsbury Crescent Dough sheets are great to have on hand. Likewise are tubs of spreadable cheese spreads such as the creamy garlic and herb varieties. Living here in the south, Pimento Cheese is the cheese spread of choice. Easy to make on its own, it’s also available by the tub in any grocery store you happen to walk into (ok, maybe not in areas beyond the south but it can be made in large batches and kept on hand. Chances are you’ll come up with plenty of things to eat it on…like say perhaps a spoon, standing in front of the refrigerator, late at night, with only the glow of the interior light to illuminate the sensual creamy delicious goodness of “processed cheese food stuff” that will lull you back to sleep).

Just the other day I had one of “those moments”…what I might title a “white trash culinary epiphany”. I was in the grocery store and suddenly the sky opened up, and a bright light shone down on the Pillsbury Crescent Sheets. My gaze was afixed as it then bounced over to the pimento cheese spread and a loud voice boomed: “Feed the multitudes on the day of the great game. Go ye forth and bake up some warm cheesy bacon goodness. Their appetites will be satisfied, grateful shall they be and ye will be exalted for thy culinary creativity” -Piggly Wiggly #81, Aisle 10

The darkness was illuminated from above and a voice was heard saying "It is good!"

Thus was born not so much of a “recipe” per se, but a “concoction”. A simple quickie hors d’ouevres that can be quickly assembled and baked to feed the masses.

By the way…if you have a more creative name for this, please share your thoughts!

Pimento Cheese & Bacon Strips

Yield: 16 pieces (or enough to feed 2 Superbowl fans)

4 strips smoked bacon (or be really lazy and use the pre-cooked bacon…slacker!)
1 tube Pillsbury brand Crescent Roll Dough Sheet
1 12-oz tub pimento cheese spread (or 1 1/2 cups homemade)
1/2 cup diced yellow or red onion

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut bacon cross-wise into small pieces. Place in a heated saute pan and cook over medium low heat until bacon is crisp and fat is rendered out. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and put on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb grease.

Unroll crescent roll dough sheet on to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut the dough in half length-wise so that you have two long pieces. Separate so there is about 1-2 inches between the dough strips. Taste the pimento cheese and doctor the flavor if necessary. I sometimes add onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, a touch of hot sauce…it’s up to you. If it doesn’t need anything you’re good to go. Divide the cheese down the center of each of the dough strips and spread out slightly, leaving a half-inch wide border of dough on all sides. Sprinkle diced onions and the cooked bacon on top of the cheese. Fold the long sides of the dough up toward the center, leaving the center exposed. Tuck the ends in and pinch the corners together.

Place baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for approximately 15-17 minutes or until dough is nicely browned. Remove from oven and cool for about 8-10 minutes before cutting into strips and serving.

Osso Buco

chefdarin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:03:53 +0000

One of the more popular hands-on classes that I’ve taught both here in Savannah as well as other places around the country, has involved the cuisine of northern Italy. Just like the United States, regional cuisines of other countries vary with the climate and geography. In the U.S. the concept of “Italian Food” is born from the eating styles of southern Italy due to the large wave of immigration in the late 1800’s that came out of southern Italy, specifically the area around Naples.

Northern Italy is a cooler climate due to its position near the base of the Alps which provides the grasslands needed for grazing cattle. Northern Italian cuisine features much more meat, often in the form of veal.

Italian for “Hollow Bone”, Osso Buco is a traditional northern Italian preparation of braised veal shanks. A cross-cut section of the veal shank is first browned to develop flavor, and then simmered in a mixture of browned vegetables (carrots, onions, celery), herbs, and liquid (wine and beef or veal stock).

The resulting thick unctuous sauce is served alongside the shank which is traditionally garnished with a mixture called “Gremolata”, a simple combination of freshly chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest.

The color of the gremolata not only perks up the appearance of the dish but also provides additional notes of flavor to the dish. The rich sauce can easily become monotone but when the flavor notes of the citric lemon zest, pungent garlic, and bright herbal flavor of parsley mix with the bass notes of the sauce, you have a symphony of flavor!

For a complete overview of the technique of braising and what you need to know to be successful, see my post on “Braising Basics”.

Osso Buco

If veal shank is unavailable or out of your budget, substitute short ribs or nice meaty oxtails for a less expensive dish that will be every bit as delicious! if you have a deep pan with a lid and oven-safe handle(s) you won’t have to transfer these to a casserole dish, simply remove the meat while browning the vegetables and then return everything to the pan and place in the oven to braise. After the initial browning, this can also be done in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes under full pressure and then allow for natural pressure release.

Yield: Approximately 4 Servings

4 pieces cross-cut veal shanks, cut to approx. 1½” thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
About 1/4 cup olive oil (may not use it all)
1 onion, cut into small dice
1 carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
1 celery stalk, cut into small dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
½ tsp. thyme leaf, dry
6-8 parsley stems
2 bay leaves
1½ cups canned diced tomatoes with juice
3 cups veal or beef stock, homemade or canned

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF. Choose a heavy shallow bottom casserole with a lid for braising the veal shanks.

Using kitchen shears, in several places snip the white connective tissue that surrounds the shank. Don’t cut the meat but instead get the shears between the meat and the tissue and snip the tissue itself. This will allow it to contract during braising without causing the meat to curl. Season veal shanks on both sides with salt and black pepper. Heat a sauté pan on the stove over medium heat until the heat can be felt radiating from the surface when your hand is held about 6 inches above the bottom. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan and heat to just below the smoking point. Add the seasoned veal shanks to the hot oil. Turn as needed until golden brown on both sides.

Once the veal is browned, remove the shanks to a plate and immediately add diced carrot, celery and onion to the pan. Continue to sauté until the vegetables are golden brown. Add the minced garlic and sauté briefly with vegetables until translucent. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables to absorb any excess oil. Cook for about 45 seconds to help cook out the raw taste of the starch. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to remove all of the flavorful bits still clinging to the pan. Reduce the wine by two-thirds and add the tomatoes and veal stock along with all of the remaining seasonings. Bring to a simmer. While sauce mixture comes to a simmer, transfer the veal shanks to the casserole, including any juices that may have accumulated on the plate. Once the sauce mixture simmers, pour it over the shanks in the casserole dish. The liquid should cover the shanks by 3/4. If there isn’t enough liquid, add more beef stock so that the shanks are nearly submerged. Cover with a lid or tightly seal with foil. Place the covered casserole into the pre-heated 350ºF. oven. Set the time for 45 minutes. When the timer goes off, check the casserole to ensure that enough stock remains to cover ½ to ¾ of the veal shank. Baste the meat with the juices; they should be simmering gently. Return pan to the oven and again re-set time for 45 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and check meat for doneness. The meat should fall readily from the bone.

Remove the meat from the pan to a warm plate. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. If the sauce is too thin for your taste, return the sauce to a small sauce pan and reduce to the desired consistency. Transfer the veal shanks to the serving plates and top with the sauce. The shanks may also be topped with a garnish of gremolata: a mixture of lemon zest, garlic and parsley.

Osso Buco is traditionally served atop a mound of Risotto Milanese (saffron risotto). One of the best parts is the bone marrow! Use a knife to scrape it out of the bone and spread on some crusty bread!

Banoffee Trifle

chefdarin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:05:58 +0000

With just a couple of days until Christmas and currently being in the middle of Chanukkah celebrations, I thought perhaps you could use a simple but delicious party dessert.

“Banoffee” is an English contraction of Bananas & Toffee, a combination of flavors and ingredients commonly enjoyed together in England.

The inspiration for this shows how one recipe or idea can easily morph and provide inspiration for many other things. It originally started with a Bailey’s Toffee Sauce that I created many years ago for a presentation I was doing at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. The sauce base is pure maple syrup which is boiled down and enhanced with a touch of Bailey’s Irish Cream. One taste of the sauce alone and your mind will be aflutter with ideas…Serve it alone on top of ice cream, combine it with toasted pecans and serve over a pecan waffle. Make a pecan waffle and serve it with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream topped with this sauce and toasted pecans…eat it by the spoonful in front of the refrigerator door! The possibilities are endless.

After the sauce, came the Banana Pudding Crepes that I originally created for one of my Christmas themed classes at 700 Kitchen Cooking School. The filling for the crepes is a simple one of cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla that I frequently use with berries and fresh fruit. In the case of the crepes, I added diced bananas to the filling and topped the crepes with the sauce.

Fast forward to now…take each of the various components, layer and combine them with pound cake to make a dessert for a crowd: Banoffee Trifle!

Banoffee Trifle

“Banoffee” is an English contraction of Bananas and Toffee which are commonly eaten in the form of a pie or tart in England. Here I’ve turned this traditional English flavor combination into a trifle perfect for a large party.

Yield: 12-16 Servings
2 cups pure maple syrup
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur
2 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups sour cream
1 9”x5” loaf poundcake (purchased or homemade)
6 bananas
1 cup toasted and chopped pecans

Place maple syrup in a 2-quart saucepan and place over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and continue to boil until syrup reduces and starts darkening to the color of a dark iced tea.

Immediately remove from heat, and add heavy cream while whisking vigorously. Be careful of the large amount of steam that will be released when adding the cream. Add butter and Bailey’s Irish cream liqueur and whisk until butter is incorporated. Cool before assembling trifle. (Sauce may be prepared to this point a week in advance and then rewarmed to thin out slightly.)

Place cream cheese and sugar and vanilla into a mixer bowl and beat with electric mixer until smooth. When cream cheese is creamy, add the sour cream and beat until smooth. Taste and adjust according to preference with sugar or vanilla. (Filling can be prepared 2 days in advance.)

Cut poundcake into half-inch cubes. Peel and slice bananas in half lengthwise and then slice on bias into ¼-inch thick slices.

Assembly:
In a large trifle bowl or other large clear bowl, pour one-third of the toffee sauce. Scatter half of the cake cubes over the toffee sauce. Spread one-third of the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake cubes. Top the cream cheese with one-third of the bananas and chopped pecans. Add remaining cake cubes and then alternate the remaining ingredients in the same order until used up (reserving a few pecans for garnish on top), or bowl is full.

The Well-Equipped Kitchen

chefdarin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:07:13 +0000

Even at an early age I believed in the importance of sampling everything.

I’ve enjoyed cooking as far back as I can remember. One of my earliest memories was that of standing on a small step-stool at the kitchen sink after church on Sunday afternoon. While mom was busy finishing up Sunday dinner I was occupying myself with the lettuce core, cucumber trimmings, carrot peels, and any other vegetable scraps mom may have discarded. I wasn’t playing…I was diligently “making” my own salad in a cool whip container!

"How in the world did all of this fit in here to begin with???"

As much as I liked helping in the kitchen and cooking on my own as I got older, there were certain tasks that I dreaded like the plague…one of those was emptying the dishwasher. It wasn’t so much that emptying the dishwasher was the problem, the real problem was figuring out how each item went back into the drawer that it supposedly called “home”. There were a couple of drawers that were the culinary equivalent of trying to get a map re-folded to just the way it originally was….simply impossible! Too much stuff! That is exactly the problem with most people’s kitchens – too many things that don’t really warrant keeping around but “what if I need it sometime?”

Talking about this in my cooking classes recently, a guest brought up a good point…it’s not necessarily that these are items people are buying for themselves, many times they are a gift of a well-intentioned family member or friend that knows we like to cook. So, when visiting a cookware store they must apparently look for the most obscure looking gadget and say “I bet they don’t have this!” (they’re probably right…and with good reason!). Feeling quite confident that they’ve just found the culinary holy grail, they purchase it as that thoughtful gift that you end up stuffing in the drawer, cabinet or other hiding place where it sits for the next umpteen years!

Too often we ourselves probably think …”If I only had that item it would make things so much easier”. Acquiring items is not the same as acquiring skills. I think that often the more “things” we have in the kitchen, probably the fewer actual skills that we have because we’re trying to rely on something else to do a task for us. In the meantime we struggle with cabinets and drawers filled to overflowing with many things that rarely see the light of day. When we do use them, then we have that much more to wash and put away.

A well-equipped kitchen is one that has good, sturdy, high-quality items that can function in many different ways. It’s easy to get excited over specialty baking pans, electric appliances and other things that are fun to use but too often people overlook two of the most basic items in the kitchen: the chef’s knife and a good cutting board. Regardless of what type of cooking or baking you do, these two items form the basis of the well-equipped kitchen.

If you haven’t already made out your list for Santa, or you’re not sure what gift to get those who love to cook, here are a few of my favorite things:

The Epicurean brand cutting boards are the ones that I use in my hands-on classes I teach at 700 Kitchen Cooking School here in Savannah. They are the best of both wood and plastic: dishwasher safe, easy on knives, lightweight, and require no special care and maintenance. Available in a wide-range of sizes, the smaller ones are great to double up as trivets for hot casserole and baking dishes on the table since they’re heat-safe up to 350 degrees.

The purchase of a good-quality chef’s knife is one of the most important things you can do to enhance your cooking and food preparation. The second most important thing you can do is to learn to use it correctly! I love the St. Moritz Elite line of knives by Messermeister. Again, these are the same ones that I use in the hands-on classes at 700 Kitchen so if you’ve been a guest in one of my classes you know how great these really are! The forged manufacturing method means that they’ll be heavier-duty and retain an edge for a longer period of time. The balance of these knives is one of my favorite aspects. They so well-balanced that you can balance the chef’s knife on an out-stretched index finger. The bolster-less edge also means that they’ll sharpen evenly. The two piece set priced below what many single knives sell for is a great value. A chef’s knife and a paring knife are the two most commonly used knives in any kitchen.

Good heavy duty measuring cups with sturdy handles will always be appreciated! I always recommend having at LEAST two sets of measuring spoons and dry measuring cups. This will make cooking much easier without the need to wash and dry measuring cups multiple times in the preparation of a recipe. Two sets of measuring spoons are useful so that you can use one set for dry spices and ingredients and the other one for extracts and other liquids.

The “salad sac” will keep your salad greens, vegetables and herbs in good condition much longer than many other methods I’ve used. I LOVE this for herbs, particularly if you grow them. Wash your salad greens, herbs, etc. and place them directly in the bag. Don’t spin or pat them dry. Pull the drawstring shut and bounce the bag around a bit to encourage the excess water to soak into the terrycloth bag. The bag will keep the herbs and greens in a moist environment and help them stay crisp and nice much longer without them getting slimy and nasty as is often the case in plastic bags. It also eliminates the need to frequently change out water when storing herbs in a cup or glass.

While it looks more like a cat’s toy than a kitchen tool, the “Duo Whisk” really does a great job of emulsifying vinaigrettes and aerating whipped cream and egg whites. The benefit is provided by the small interior wire sphere which helps to incorporate more air while whipping. When you only need a standard whisk and aren’t looking to aerate a mixture, simply remove the interior sphere by separating the outer tines of the whisk.

Few kitchen tools are a versatile as a Microplane rasp-style zester. The fine teeth of this tool easily remove the zest of citrus fruit but also perfectly mince garlic and ginger, grate chocolate and Parmesan cheese, and are also perfect for freshly grated nutmeg. A quick rinse with hot water and it’s clean! I personally recommend and prefer the original version without a handle (#40001) because I think it’s easier to scrape food off of and also easier to clean since the underside isn’t bent inward to accommodate a handle. Some people just need to get a grip in things and for them I recommend the one with the handle (#40020)

If you’ve ever been in even just one of my classes you’ll know that I preach hatred toward garlic presses and encourage everyone to go home and throw them away with great delight. Rejoice in the freedom it brings from the horrid mess that they are to clean! Well, I guess it’s time for me to eat crow because I was recently given a sample of the “Garlic Twist” to try out for myself. Skeptical of most “gimmicky” looking things I decided I’d give it a shot…experiencing is believing and that’s the same way I discovered how great the Duo Whisk and Salad Sacs are as well. I brought it home ready to say “see…it’s a gimmick” and well dang, they were right…it really is easy to use and best of all, easy to clean up! To use the Garlic Twist you pull the two sides apart and put in several cloves of garlic at once. Put the pieces back together like a small jewelry box and twist the sides in opposite directions. While you’re twisting, inside thick plastic teeth chop the garlic as fine as you like…twist more for a finer degree. Scrape out the garlic, give a good rinse in hot water and you’re done! Easy to use and easy to clean up! If I only needed one clove of garlic I’d still be inclined to smash, crush and chop with my chef’s knife but for several cloves I now reach for the Garlic Twist!

If you or someone you know wants to feel more empowered in the kitchen then “CookWise” and “BakeWise” need to be on your bookshelf. Authored by Shirley Corriher, renowned food scientist that even Julia Child used to consult for the who, what, and why on food, these books will help demystify cooking techniques, troubleshoot problems, and help you better understand what to do and why. Both books feature Shirley’s easy to use “At A Glance” charts for the best things to do for proper results on everything from specific cooking techniques to specific types of recipes. Each recipe includes a list of helpful learning points that you’ll be able to apply to other recipes using the same techniques and ingredients.

Thanksgiving Dinner with Better Mornings Atlanta

chefdarin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:24:28 +0000

While you wouldn’t know it by looking at the retail stores already decked out for Christmas, Thanksgiving is just over a week away! Chances are that your menu is molded by tradition or expectation….whether it’s the fond memories of grandma’s stuffing, or the dread of aunt Tillie’s JELLO mold of lemon gelatin with shredded cabbage, sliced green olives, and crushed pineapple. Getting overly creative at Thanksgiving can be a recipe for disappointment. Everyone has their favorite items that they expect to see each year. Yet for the culinarily inclined and adventurous, it can be a time when you want to stretch the creative muscle and mix it up with some new recipes. My suggestion: Do a little of both.

I was recently excited to get an invitation to prepare a Thanksgiving menu with the anchors of “Better Mornings Atlanta” (BMA), an Atlanta area morning show on CBS Atlanta (WGCL). Later today I’ll be joining Brandon Rudat & Justin Lock from BMA to showcase a menu that features the traditional flavors of Thanksgiving with a few slight tweaks to make it a little untraditional.

Chef Darin Sehnert on the set of "Better Mornings Atlanta"

Justin Lock, Tracye Hutchins, Brandon Rudat & Jennifer Valdez of Better Mornings Atlanta sample Chef Darin's "Stress Free Thanksgiving"

I think Thanksgiving dinner is easiest when you have a large crowd. The bigger challenge can be when you want traditional tastes but may only be cooking for 2-6 people. Who wants to mess with a full turkey for just a couple of people?

The menu below is from my hands-on cooking class “Stress Free Thanksgiving” that I offer each year at 700 Kitchen Cooking School, part of the Mansion on Forsyth Park hotel in the historic district of Savannah, GA. Most of the items can be prepared at least partially in advance to ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy the day with your guests!

In addition to the menu I presented on the show this morning, I’ve included additional recipes that you can use as alternatives or to bulk up the number of menu offerings. The recipes for the slaw and turkey are included in this post while the others can be accessed by clicking on the links below:

Thanksgiving Menu

Apple, Fennel, & Celery Root Slaw with Cranberry Pecan Dressing

Alternative Salad: Spinach & Roasted Pumpkin Salad

Roasted Mini Pumpkins filled with Corn Pudding

Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms, Browned Butter & Gremolata

Turkey Roulades with Italian Sausage & Dried Fruit Stuffing
in Madeira Onion Sauce

Alternative Entree:
Autumn Meatloaf Baked in Miniature Pumpkins

Cranberry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake

Alternative Desserts:
Spiced Pumpkin Souffles
Green Tomato Pie

Apple, Fennel & Celery Root Slaw with Cranberry Orange Pecan Dressing

Tart apples combine with the refreshing flavors of fennel & celery root to make a seasonal salad that’s just a little out of the ordinary. Serve it as a salad or eat it as a relish, it can be made a day or two in advance and is easy to put together.

Yield: 10-12 Servings

3 Granny Smith or McIntosh apples
1 fennel bulb
1 bulb celery root
1 14-oz. can whole-berry cranberry sauce
¼ cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan pieces, toasted, divided use
1 cup dried cranberries

Leave skin on apples and cut into quarters and remove core.

Trim upper stalks from fennel and split bulb into quarters. Remove core from fennel.

Peel the celery root by cutting away the outer dark skin. Cut into pieces small enough to fit in the feed tube of a food processor fitted with the coarse steel shredding blade. Shred apples, fennel and celery root. Place shredded vegetables in a large mixing bowl.

Combine the cranberry sauce, orange juice concentrate, lemon zest & juice, salt and a half –cup the pecans in the workbowl of a food processor and pulse for about 15-30 seconds.

Pour dressing over shredded vegetables. Add the remaining chopped pecans and the dried cranberries. Stir to mix completely.

May be prepared 1 day in advance.

Turkey Roulades with Italian Sausage and Dried Fruits

Cooking for a small group? Turkey tenderloins are easy to find in most stores and can easily be butterflied and pounded out to encase a sweet and savory filling of Italian sausage, fruit & nuts. Cooking for a large crowd? Simply replace the tenderloins with a boneless turkey breast that has been butterflied and pounded.

Yield: 4 servings

2 mild Italian sausage links, (or ½ lb. bulk Italian sausage)
½ tart green apple (such as granny smith), peeled and diced 1/8”
1 tablespoon 1/8” diced dried apricots
1 tablespoon 1/8” diced prunes
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
1 slice smoked bacon, cut cross-wise into thin strips
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 turkey breast tenderloins
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup flour
½ cup finely diced yellow onion
¼ cup Madeira wine
1 ½ cups chicken stock

Into a medium mixing bowl, squeeze out the ground sausage from inside the casings. Add the apple, apricots, prunes, pine nuts, bacon, nutmegs, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix to combine.

Place the tenderloin on your cutting board so that it’s running lengthwise in front of you. Starting at the top center of the tenderloin, using a chef’s knife or boning knife, draw it lengthwise to make a cut running lengthwise and slightly downward to open up the left side as a “flap”. Do the same on the right side. Think of the tenderloin as a tri-fold business letter and you’re making the cuts to open up each flat. There will be one long tendon running lengthwise inside. Using a paring knife, try to carefully remove it by scraping the meat from the tendon, be careful not to make a whole in the tenderloin. Once both sides are “opened”, cover the tenderloin with a piece of waxed or parchment paper and use a heavy bottomed sauté pan or skillet to pound out the tenderloin to an even thickness of about 5/16”. Repeat with the second tenderloin.

With the pounded turkey tenderloin spread out on the cutting board, place half of the sausage filling in the center and spread it out to cover two-thirds of the tenderloin, leaving about a 1-inch space on the left and right sides, and about 2-inches on the side farthest from you. The sides will get folded inward while rolling and the filling will get pushed away from you as you’re rolling. Leaving these spaces empty will make it easier for the filling to spread without squeezing out of the roulade. Starting on the side nearest you, begin to roll the turkey tenderloin away from you while folding the sides inward as you roll. Roll up as you would a burrito or egg roll.

Tie with kitchen twine to hold it together.

Heat a large sauce pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, season flour with salt and pepper and lightly dredge turkey breasts. Using a pair of tongs, place roulades into hot pan and brown on all sides. When roulades are brown, remove from pan and set aside on a plate. Add diced onions to saucepan and turn heat down and let sweat until soft. Deglaze pan with Madeira wine and place roulades back into pan. Add chicken stock and cover tightly. Simmer on low until filling reaches 165 degrees. Remove roulades from pan and set aside on a plate. Reduce sauce until thickened. Slice roulades and overlap on plate and drizzle with sauce.

Roasted Mini Pumpkins filled with Corn Pudding

chefdarin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 07:09:59 +0000

As I’ve previously mentioned, the mini pumpkins that are usually available this time of year are great for not only decorating the Thanksgiving table, but also for eating such as the recipe for meatloaf that I’ve done in the past, or this one for a side item perfectly suited to gracing the Thanksgiving table. I’ve been doing these in my cooking classes for a number of years and this year have had the opportunity to showcase them in a couple of different television appearances focusing on Thanksgiving menus. I recently did these for a segment for the morning program on WSAV NBC News 3 here in Savannah and will be showcasing them on Better Mornings Atlanta later this week when I cook Thanksgiving Dinner live on the show with their anchors.

Unfortunately mini pumpkins can sometimes be difficult to find, either because it was a bad year with minimal supply, or they were marked down to make room for other seasonal oriented items. I suggest buying a supply of them when you first see them at the beginning of the season and enjoy them as a decorative arrangement in a large basket or stacked on a tray on a sideboard. You’ll have a beautiful seasonal décor element and as the season wears on you can draw from the display for your meals.

Mini Pumpkins filled with Corn Pudding

Many people don’t realize that the miniature pumpkins you see in the fall are actually edible! While the corn pudding can just as well be baked in a greased casserole dish, baking the corn pudding in the roasted pumpkins gives your guests an edible dish!

Yield: 8 servings
8 mini pumpkins
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup finely diced yellow onion
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
½ cup milk
1 15-oz. can creamed corn

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

About 1-inch away from the stem, make a circular cut around the stem of each pumpkin. Remove pumpkin tops and scrape off any seeds or loose filaments that may be attached. Discard tops. Using a small metal spoon, scrape out seeds from pumpkin cavities. Season the insides of pumpkins with salt and pepper. Turn pumpkins upside down on a foil-lined baking tray and roast in the pre-heated oven until a knife can easily pierce the side of the pumpkin. Remove pumpkins from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Keep pumpkins warm if finished before the filling is ready.

While pumpkins are roasting, heat a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add oil & butter to sauté pan. Once butter has melted add the onions and kosher salt. Sweat the onions until tender and soft. Remove and cool while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to mix thoroughly. Make a well in the center and set aside. Crack eggs into 3 quart bowl and beat until blended. Add milk, creamed corn, and onions to the eggs. Mix until blended together. Pour liquid ingredients in the well of the dry ingredients and fold until batter is moistened and dry pockets no longer remain.

Turn pumpkins right-side up and spoon corn pudding mixture inside.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes or until center is just barely set.
Serve warm.

Spinach & Roasted Pumpkin Salad

chefdarin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:00:01 +0000

This salad showcases some of the many flavors that are abundant this time of year. Not only are the colors of outdoor foliage bright and beautiful, but so are the colors of produce such as pomegranates, pumpkins, figs, pomegranates and the other luscious prizes of the fall harvest.

Adding some cooked chicken either poached or from a rotisserie bird purchased at the grocery store could make this into a hearty entrée salad. Grilled sausages served alongside would also turn this into a relatively quick hearty meal. Finish the meal with a fruit cobbler that goes into the oven after the pumpkin is roasted and you’ve just made an easy, delicious, and healthy seasonal meal!

Spinach & Roasted Pumpkin Salad
For best flavor and texture, be sure to use the small pie or sugar pumpkins when making this salad or when roasting pumpkin as a side dish. The large carving pumpkins are too fibrous and watery and lack flavor. If fresh figs aren’t available, they may be omitted or replaced with dried mission figs that have had the stems removed and quartered.

Yield: 12 Servings
8 slices smoked bacon
2 small sugar pumpkins
1 large yellow onion
¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup sherry vinegar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons coarse-grained mustard
1 large shallot, finely minced
½ cup olive oil
2 10-oz. packages fresh baby spinach
6 fresh figs, quartered
1 pomegranate, broken up to remove seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lay bacon strips on parchment lined baking sheet with sides. Place bacon tray in the oven and cook until bacon is crisp, about 18-20 minutes. Return to oven if bacon isn’t crisp enough to crumble when the time is up. When bacon is crisp, remove from pan and drain on absorbent paper towels. Crumble and set aside.

Wash off exterior of pumpkins well. Using a large chef’s knife, split the pumpkins in half lengthwise. Scrape out seeds from interior and discard or save for roasting as a snack. Slice a small piece off the top and bottom of each pumpkin half so you can stand it upright. Starting where the skin and flesh meet, remove the skin from the pumpkin by trimming the skin with a chef’s knife, cutting with the curvature of the fruit. Cut pumpkin halves into one-inch thick slices and then one-inch chunks. Place pumpkin pieces in a large bowl. Cut the onion into 1-inch chunks and add to bowl with pumpkin. Season and toss the pumpkins and onions with olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and half the sugar. Toss to coat evenly and scatter evenly on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and roast until a paring knife can be inserted easily, about 15-20 minutes.

When pumpkin is tender, remove from the oven and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Return to oven and roast until sugar is caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

In the bottom of a large mixing bowl, combine the sherry vinegar, salt, freshly ground black pepper, mustard and shallot. Whisk to blend and dissolve the salt. While whisking vigorously in a zig-zag motion, drizzle in the olive oil until blended with vinegar and emulsified. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary with salt and pepper. Add the spinach and roasted pumpkin pieces. Toss to coat evenly with the dressing and turn out onto a large platter. Sprinkle the top with the crumbled bacon and garnish the edges with fresh fig quarters. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the top for garnish.

I believe in the Magic of Macy’s!– (and Cranberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake)

chefdarin — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 06:57:42 +0000

This weekend I was excited and honored to have been asked to be the featured Guest Chef for a “Holiday Entertaining” culinary special event at the Macy’s at Oglethorpe Mall here in Savannah, GA.

I received the invite and request back in late August and it never occurred to any of us at the time that the Savannah Rock’n’Roll Marathon also happened to be the same day. Luckily, the mall isn’t near downtown and it gave me an excuse to escape the anticipated 80,000 people anticipated to be downtown for the marathon that morning. A little careful menu planning allowed me to take everything home with me on Friday so I could hit the mall directly and avoid the marathon mess. Unsure of what we might see as a turnout I was fully anticipating that it might be me and a handful of guests gathered around the demo station. What a pleasant surprise to find that we filled all of the seating and I believe even had to bring out a few more chairs (with some of the guests choosing to stand in the back).

With help from Karen, a member of the audience, I shared the wonders and mighty fine flavors that result from cooking in a pressure cooker as we made Chicken Cacciatore which was served over creamy polenta.

Next up it was time to discuss fruits & vegetables as I launched into the preparation of Apple & Celery Root Slaw with Cranberry Pecan Dressing. The quote of the day came from a young member of the audience. When I asked who knew the difference between a fruit and a vegetable he quickly raised his hand and explained: “Fruits taste good on their own but vegetables have to have things done to them to make them good!” Of course as we passed samples of raw celery root around the audience he seemed to eat it quite easily on its own without “something being done to it”!

The final item on the day’s menu was Cranberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake. We didn’t actually prepare the cake in the presentation but it was a great opportunity to see the many interesting ways in which people tend to measure flour. Which, unfortunately, are not always correct!

Thanks to everyone that chose to come out and join me for a few recipes, cooking tips, and hopefully lots of fun!

Thanks to Kewan Smith of Macy’s Special Events and the many associates of the Savannah store that helped create a fun event and provide assistance to make it happen!

It’s not nice when you don’t laugh at Chef Darin’s jokes!

Cranberry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake

Cranberries were originally called “craneberries” by the early colonists because the blossom resembles a sand-hills crane. High in vitamin C, New England sailors started using them in the early 19^th century to prevent scurvy while out at sea. Although pineapple-upside down cake has not been traced any earlier than the 1920’s, the idea probably stemmed from “skillet cakes” which were cooked in cast iron skillets on the stovetop by early western settlers. Their natural tartness makes them perfect for the caramelized sweetness of an upside down cake. I have deepened the “American” roots of this cake by using cornmeal for texture and flavor.

1 9-inch cake (10-12 servings)

12 tablespoons butter (1 ½ sticks), softened, divided use
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (no need to thaw if using frozen)
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated or chopped
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
½ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place 4 tablespoons of butter in the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan. Place pan in oven and allow to heat until butter is melted but not browned. Remove pan from oven and cool. Spray sides of pan with vegetable spray once it’s cool enough to pick up and handle. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter in bottom of pan. Pour cranberries over butter and sugar (no need to thaw if frozen…use straight from freezer).

Place remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter, granulated sugar, and grated zest of the orange in the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium mixing bowl. Begin beating and cream the mixture until light and fluffy, scraping bowl periodically.

While butter and sugar are creaming, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and allspice in a medium bowl and stir to blend completely.

When butter and sugar is light and fluffy, add the vanilla extract followed by the eggs, one at a time. Scrape in sour cream and mix completely. When sour cream is incorporated, add the dry ingredients and mix on low until flour is incorporated. Turn up speed to medium and beat about 2 minutes to develop cake structure. Scrape batter on top of cranberries in cake pan and bake until golden brown on top and toothpick inserted comes out clean or with only one or two crumbs, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before inverting on a serving plate.

Muscadine Grapes in Port Wine Syrup

chefdarin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:00:29 +0000

Each fall here in the southeast you’ll find cartons of giant purple grapes with a very thick skin called Muscadines. They are part of the family of “slip-skin” grapes, as are their green-gold cousins the Scuppernong, and Concord grapes from the northeast. “Slip-skin means” that the flesh can be easily popped out of the skins by squeezing the side of the grape and popping the flesh out of the top stem opening. This is the method in which they are usually eaten since the flesh itself is edible but quite thick and leathery. Quite often I will honestly just eat the whole thing, sometimes including the seeds, and consider it an addition to my daily dietary fiber! Both Muscadines and Scuppernongs are often used for making a sweet style of wine here in the south.

A couple of years back I started offering a class called “Fresh from the Market” where I would take guests to the farmer’s market to shop for produce for a seasonal market-inspired menu. That first fall we had many people that had never seen Muscadine grapes, much less eaten them. Quite honestly, they were fairly new to me as well. The first time I tried one the taste immediately reminded me of ruby port wine and I couldn’t get that thought out of my head. I then began to think of how the two could be brought together and this recipe was the result of that experimentation.

Muscadines in Port Wine Syrup with Vanilla Ice Cream

The thick-skinned Muscadine grape is native to the southeastern United States and has been cultivated here since the 16^th century. Skinning and seeding the grapes can be a little tedious but will be worth it when you taste this sweet treat! If you don’t mind a little extra fiber in your diet and a bit of crunch, you can skip the part of seeding the grapes. This isn’t a hard and fast recipe. you just want to have a nice thick flavorful syrup in which to poach the grapes. Adjust all quantities as you like or need.

Yield: 8 Servings
1 dry quart muscadine grapes (“dry quart” is the labeling term for the large plastic clamshell container that they are commonly packed in)
½ cup of reserved muscadine juice from peeling the grapes (add water if necessary to bring up to ½ cup)
½ cup port wine
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 quarts vanilla ice cream

Peel the muscadines by holding over a medium bowl with stem end facing the bowl. Squeeze the grape with your thumb, index and middle finger until the top splits open and the flesh is ejected from the skin. Place the grape skins in a 1-quart saucepan. Remove seeds by either cutting the flesh in half and poking them out, or squeeze the seeds out the stem end of the grape. Set seeded grapes aside.

Strain the juice from the peeled grapes and add water if necessary to bring the quantity up to ½ cup. Place grape juice into the saucepan with the skins and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes or until mixture is syrupy and reduced by half. If the grape skins are not tender to the bite, continue to simmer. Add peeled grapes to sauce and serve warm over ice cream.

The Great Pumpkin

chefdarin — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:03:00 +0000

As the days shorten and grow cooler, the autumn months are one of my favorite. Perhaps it’s the respite from the heat of summer, the new season of vegetables and cooler weather that inspire “comfort cooking”, or a combination of both. For some people I think it’s the “routine” that we often fall into this time of year. That annual routine of holidays and celebrations starting with various weekend harvest festivals and then stretching to Halloween, Thanksgiving and the climax of Christmas and New Years.

I love the distinct sweet, hearty and flavorful creations that come from cooking this time of year. Winter squash is piled high in the markets and pomegranates and figs are brightening the shelves and just waiting to add a sparkle of color and touch of flavor to our meals.

Pumpkins are a versatile fruit that often get relegated to the role of decorative element or pie ingredient. We often forget that the native Americans depended upon them along with other squashes as a primary food source, more typically eaten in savory preparations rather than desserts. The fact is, most things that can be done with butternut and acorn squash can also be done with pumpkins. Of course they make delicious soups but how often have you served pumpkin as a side dish or part of a salad?

When selecting pumpkins for cooking, focus on the smaller “pie pumpkins” or the miniature varieties often known as “Jack-be-Little”. Pie pumpkins also known as “sugar pumpkins” are best for cooking as they tend to have a denser flesh with less water to dilute flavor and a greater percentage of sugar for flavor. The miniature pumpkins, which most people don’t even realize are edible, are great for single serving salads, soups, desserts, and even casserole-style dishes. When selecting pumpkins, look for those that are weighty for their size and are firm without any soft spots. Store pumpkins and winter squash in a cool dry place until ready to use.

If you’re using them for soups or need the puree, the easiest method of cooking them is to treat them like any other winter squash and split them in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and then place cut-side down on a parchment or foil-lined (to minimize clean-up) baking sheet. Roast in a 375-400F degree oven until soft to touch on the exterior.

Placing them cut-side down allows the interior moisture to help steam and soften them. When softened, cool and scrape the flesh from the interior of the skin.

Miniature pumpkins are both attractive and edible! Scoop the interior seeds, season the interior and roast upside down until tender. Fill them with pumpkin pie mix, corn pudding or even your favorite meatloaf mixture and bake until cooked through. Salad greens and seasonal fruits such as figs, dates, and pears can be arranged inside the roasted pumpkins for a decorative salad that can be assembled in advance.