Back in the Saddle Again

Well, back in the kitchen, anyway.  I am finally starting to get over my jet lag.   A medical professional (slash friend) told me the other day it takes one day of recovery for every hour of time difference between home and one's travel destination.  Yikes, that means TWELVE DAYS for me.  No wonder I haven't been my usual energetic self...

It's been snowing here (duh, guess that's true for every state in the country except Hawaii) so we've pretty much stayed home.  Except for a late lunch today (which Henry really deserved as he and some of our neighbors spent three hours shoveling snow and ice at the base of our street so we weren't captives in the 'hood). 

If you live in Atlanta, you want to go here:  http://www.theporterbeerbar.com/  It's a very hip, cool place in Little 5 and we so do not fit in there, but it doesn't matter.  Molly Gunn and her husband Nick Rutherford serve up some of the best casual food in the ATL.  They built the place themselves on a shoestring and the eternal optimism of youth.  Oh, and some very creative food also.  Go.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day.  Do I care?  NO!  I guess this is akin to blasphemy, but I think it's a Hallmark holiday and I am just renegade enough to say to hell with it.  Forgive me if you were expecting me to post some lovely and romantic menu, complete with a decadent chocolate creation.  Haha, we are just happy to hang out in our sweats and drink a good bottle of wine and then watch a movie (which we did last night - remember BIG NIGHT with Stanley Tucci? It inspired me to try my hand at a timpano.  Stay tuned).

But I had nothing to do yesterday as I was stuck in the house, so I decided to make a Coeur a la Creme.  I have no idea why, but in some weird way I figured it might make up for the lack of a Valentine's Day card or gift or even any acknowledgement of this silly holiday.  And of course Henry would much rather have a dessert than a gift any day (especially since the food police will actually let him eat it).  So there you have it.

Here's the recipe.


COEUR A LA CREME (adapted from Ina Garten)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (available at Whole Paycheck Foods)
Zest of 1 lemon

In electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and salt until smooth.  Scrape down bowl once or twice.  Change paddle for the whisk attachment.  On low speed, add cream, vanilla paste and lemon zest.  When blended, increase speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.  Be careful not to overbeat.

Line a coeur a la creme mold (basicaly a ceramic dish with holes in it - you can substitute a strainer) with cheesecloth, making sure that it overhangs the sides.  Spoon the cream mixture into it and smooth top.  Fold cheesecloth over top and chill for at least 24 hours.

To serve, unmold onto a plate and remove cheesecloth.  You can serve this with fresh fruit or you can be like me and gild the lily with a raspberry caramel sauce.

RASPBERRY CARAMEL SAUCE (adapted from Chez Panisse)

1 1/2 pint basket fresh raspberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water, divided
Juice of 1 lemon
1 T. Chambord or Framboise

In a food processor, puree raspberries then strain through a fine mesh to remove seeds (Note:  I hate raspberry seeds - they get stuck in your teeth and they have no useful function that I can discern.  Get rid of them!)  Put sugar and 2 tablespoons of the water in a saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat until sugar is caramelized and mixture is bubbling.  Remove from heat and (stand back, this will sputter) add remaining water.  Place back over medium heat and stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice and liqueur of choice.  Chill.

Spoon generous helpings of the cream mixture into wine glasses or glass bowls.  Drizzle sauce over and garnish with fresh raspberries.

Even if you don't celebrate Valentine's Day, if you make this for your partner, he/she will be sure to appreciate the fact that you are in their life.....

Just in case you thought that my mind has wandered away from Cambodia and everything I experienced there, trust me, it has not. Here are a few photos.

These children break my heart.  Adoptions in Cambodia are closed due to sex trafficking.

Ponder that.

Living is a problem... (because everything dies)

Today I went to see Biffy Clyro to Razz 2. Guess waht? They didn't allowed me to make pictures with my cam. Yep.

I mean, I understand that, sometimes, I can't take pictures with my reflex; it's a big camera (well, not SO big, I mean, Canon EOS 1000D) and someone should think that I want to sell them or something like that (nothing could be further from reality, since in fact, I always try to sign my photos so nobody could steal them. I could never sell one of my photos unless the band allowed me, is like "selling his art" and could not do it).

The point is that in the bigger Razzmataz, they allow me to do pictures with my reflex... why not here? Still a mistery for me...

Anyway, I enjoyed the concert, and for "celebrate" those who doesn't allow people to do pictures in their concerts... here is a little bunch of pictures I made last Sziget (and that weren't unreleased before).

Ejoy them!

Paul Smith from Maxïmo Park
(see more gorgeous pictures!)

 

Nicky Wire from Manic Street Preachers

Brian Molko from Placebo

Stefan Olsdal from Placebo

Tom Smith from Editors

 

The Subways

If you want to see more pictures taken by me, please, visit my Flickr! I'll love to know your opinion!

Have a nice sunday!

happy.... happy....

gong xi fat cai, xin nian kuai le.

Happy valentine.

Happy Sunday.

special for me : happy shopping!!

yeaaaay!

A Valentine's Dinner for Two: Food Tip of the Day - Saturday, February 13th, 2010

Tomorrow is of course St Valentine's Day, the day when lovers around the world exchange cards and gifts with one another in celebration of their love. It is also a day, however, when special meals will be enjoyed, especially perhaps at a favourite restaurant.

There are those, however, who prefer to spend the evening at home, in only each other's company, as opposed to the public surrounds of even the most intimate restaurants. This can present a problem in determining what to cook and prepare for the big Valentine's Day dinner. It was with this factor in mind that I created the site linked to below, "A Valentine's Dinner for Two." Although such as this blog only considers main courses on an ongoing basis, the site considers everything from the starter/appetizer, right through to the after dinner coffee and cocktails.

I very much hope that you will take a look at the site and that it does prove of use to you tomorrow, or indeed on any occasion when you are looking to prepare that romantic meal for two.

A Valentine's Dinner for Two

Valentine's Recipe: Chicken and Red Pepper Stir Fry in a Heart-Shaped Puff Pastry Tart

Better late (or almost late, in this instance,) than never is a very common expression. Although I had intended to start offering Valentine's Day recipe suggestions on this blog last Monday, various things unfortunately got in my way. Here, therefore, is my first such suggestion. The quantities in this recipe are stated per person.

Ingredients

1 chicken breast fillet
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 small onion
4oz puff pastry
1/2 tomato
2oz green beans
2 tsp roughly chopped parsley
Flour for rolling the pastry
Butter for greasing
Eggwash for glazing
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

The oven should be put on to preheat to 200C or equivalent. The pastry should then be rolled out in a rectangular shape on a floured surface or board to a thickness of slightly less than a quarter of an inch. A sharp knife should then be used to cut as large a heart shape from the pastry as is possible. It does not require any great artistic skill to cut a heart in this way, merely a steady hand and a little care. If preferred, of course, a template may be employed. If desired, smaller shapes such as stars can be cut from the remaining pastry as an effective form of garnish.

The pastries should then be placed on to a baking sheet, lightly greased with butter. A fork should be used to make holes in the heart, all over, other than a border all around the edges of about 1/2". The pastries should then be glazed with the beaten egg and put in to the heated oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes, until raised and golden.

The chicken breast, red pepper and onion should all be chopped in to circa 1" pieces. A little sunflower oil should be heated in a wok or deep frying pan before the chicken is added and stir fried for about a minute. The red pepper and onion should be added for the second minute.

The green beans should be essentially only blanched, in boiling water for two minutes. The tomato can simply be cut in half or can be presented as I have done by cutting deep around the centre at alternate forty-five degree angles.

When the pastry is ready, it should be transferred on to a plate and the central area which was forked should be very easily depressed. The parsley should then be mixed through the stir fry and seasoning to taste and the stir fry used to fill the heart. The remaining garnishings may then be added.