Appetizers
Roasted Garlic
4 large bulbs of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil, good quality
kosher salt to tast
Using a large piece of heavy tin foil set the garlic in the middle, drizzle with oil and salt, fold foil into a pocket around the garlic. In the oven or on the grill set the pocket in on a med/high temperature. Cook for about an hour or until the garlic is a beautiful bronze color, keep watch not to let it get too brown.
Hummus
2 cans chick peas
1 bulb (entire bulb) roasted garlic (follow recipe above)
1/2-2/3 cup Tahini (to taste)
1 TSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
kosher salt to taste
1/3 cup good quality olive oil + a little for garnish
2 sprigs parsley for garnish
Open cans of chick peas, drain, wash and drain again until the liquid runs clear. Pour contents into food large food processor. Add in garlic, lemon and tahini. Whirl until smooth, add in olive oil, reserving some for garnish add in salt. Continue to whirl in processor until a beautiful paste is formed. Taste. Add a dash of this or that till it tastes good to you! Pour into a serving dish, let set in the fridge overnight if you can to marry flavors well. When you are ready to serve drizzle a little olive oil over the top and us a sprig of parsley for garnish! Yum.
Wheel of Brie coated in caramelized sugar and nuts
1 large wheel of good quality brie cheese
2 1/3 cup of sugar
dash of rose water
2 tsp slivered Pistachios
In a large heavy saucepan put in the sugar, over low/med heat stir constantly until the sugar liquefies and becomes a nice caramel color. Working quickly so that the sugar doesn't burn, add a drop or two of rose water. Quickly pour the caramel/sugar over the Brie. I typically set the cheese on a cooling rack with foil laid under it to catch the drippings, the make a mess. Before the sugar hardens in the center of the brie sprinkle the nuts. Let the sugar harden.
Serve with slivered baguette bread or crackers. I usually use this as the centerpiece of a cheese tray .
Salads
Mixed green salad with pear and caramelized pecans
1 small bag of mixed field greens
1 med pear, cut into slivers
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 cup caramelized pecans
Raspberry vinaigrette dressing
Arrange greens on a plate, sprinkle with tomatoes, add slivers of pear to each plate. Top with cheese and pecans. Serve with side of dressing.
Main Dishes
Brisket
1 large lean brisket, about 4 lbs
1/2 can cranberry sauce, jell not chunky
1 can of pureed tomatoes
2 bulbs roasted garlic, mashed well
1 yellow onion, pureed
1/2 tsp prepared yellow mustard
2 TBS cider vinegar
Mix all ingredients except the meat. Marinate with this sauce for at least 4 hours. Take the entire mixture including marinade and put into a dutch oven. Slow cook until meat is tender and falls apart. Depending on the size of your cut of meat the cooking time will vary.
Side Dishes
Spaghetti Squash with sun dried tomatoes
1 large spaghetti squash
1 small jar of sun dried tomatoes, I prefer the ones in oil
1 bulb garlic, diced fine
good quality olive oil for frying
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
With a large fork, puncture the skin of the squash multiple times, deeply. Microwave for 9 min, check to see if it is soft. If not put back in until squash is soft. Set cooked squash aside to cool. In a frying pan heat olive oil and add garlic, brown lightly, toss in the tomatoes, heat through. Set tomato/garlic mixture aside. The squash should be cool enough to handle at this point, cut into half and scoop out seeds. Remove the meat from the squash, in a large bowl mix your squash, mozzarella (reserving 1/3 cup for topping) tomato/garlic mixture and mix lightly until well blended. In a oven proof baking dish spray with non-stick cooking spray, and add mixture. Top with reserved mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 20 min at 350 degrees covered until bubbly, then remove cover and brown. Let set 5 min before serving to firm a little.
Desserts
Chocolate Lava Cakes with reduced port sauce
1 box of chocolate cake mix (I like devil's food)
12 pieces of good quality dark chocolate, they should be thick
1 bottle of good quality port
1 qt good quality vanilla bean ice cream
Raspberries for garnish
Sugar for garnish
Prepare cake's directions indicate + 2 TBS of port instead of some of the water. You can either use muffin tins or small ramekin dishes to bake, I use extra large muffin tins and simply use paper liners. In the bottom of each tin fill 1/3 full with batter, add a THICK piece of dark chocolate. Fill the tin to 3/4 way full. Bake as direction on your cake mix indicate for cupcakes. If you are in high altitude dry climates, I put a small pan of water in the oven to keep cakes very moist. In a small saucepan reduce port to a thick reduction. While cakes are still in the oven, dip each raspberry in a little sugar for garnish. When lava cakes are done, you will serve them warm/hot. On a small serving plate working quickly take paper liner off the cake, set on the plate, put a scoop of ice cream on top, drizzle with port reduction and set several berries on the side to garnish. Shaved dark chocolate is also a nice touch. Serve warm.
Beverages
