Tag: dinner

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Bay Scallops Gratin #SundaySupper

Bay Scallops Gratin

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons LAND O LAKES®. Olive Oil & Sea Salt butter, at room temperature
  • 6 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 medium shallots, minced
  • 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma, minced
  • 4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1/2 cup panko
  • 2 pound fresh bay scallops
  • Lemon, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place 6 (6-inch round) gratin dishes on a sheet pan.

To make the topping, place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). With the mixer on low speed, add the garlic, shallot, prosciutto, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the olive oil slowly as though making mayonnaise, until combined. Fold the panko in with a rubber spatula and set aside.

Preheat the broiler, if it’s separate from your oven.

Pat the cleaned scallops dry with paper towels and distribute them among the dishes. Spoon the garlic butter evenly over the top of the scallops. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the topping is golden and sizzling and the scallops are barely done. If you want the top crustier, place the dishes under the broiler for 2 minutes, until browned. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve immediately with crusty French bread.

The original recipe came from Bare Foot Contessa and I adapted it with the addition of the LAND O LAKES®. Olive Oil & Sea Salt butter by reducing the original salt and olive oil amounts. The recipe didn’t specify type of parsley to use, I selected flat leaf parsley, but you may get a brighter flavor by using curly instead, next time I will try it and perhaps add chopped fresh tomatoes at the table.

I will tell you with out a doubt, the Olive Oil & Sea Salt butter with chopped parsley on the warm crusty french bread was to die for. I could eat the whole loaf on my own, but had to share with the man sitting next to me…

“What is your favorite Recipe made with Butter?” Comment below to win a coupon for LAND O LAKES®. Olive Oil & Sea Salt

enjoy ~ xo krayl

Join us this week for Simple and Fresh Summer Recipes #SundaySupper. We’ll share these fabulous recipes and want you to share yours with us!  The fun starts at 3pm EST and lasts all afternoon until dinner time and sometimes beyond.  All you have to do is follow the hashtag #sundaysupper on twitter or follow along on TweetChat.  Our #SundaySupper Pinterest Board will be filled with wonderful Simple and Fresh Summer Recipes. There is always room Around the Family Table for you.

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About LAND O LAKES® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt: Land O’Lakes is expanding its popular line of half-stick butter with the introduction of LAND O LAKES® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt. Ree Drummond, better known to her fans as The Pioneer Woman, is helping us explore the delicious flavor of our new Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt. Ree will create blog posts, recipes, and videos that explore how she uses this new butter to enhance simple weeknight meals.

Disclosure: The author received a full-value coupon redeemable for LAND O LAKES® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt, for recipe development and review purposes. All opinions are my own.

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Bluegrass Tavern: Baltimore, MD

IMG_1050During this weekend’s trip to Baltimore, Maryland we were able to fit in a little bit of my favorite pass time {visiting great restaurants of course!}.

Bluegrass was recommended as a neighborhood favorite doing fabulous work with seasonal ingredients. Although not necessarily local, seasonal is just as important and usually requires a chef willing to adapt to what his local purveyors are able to supply and frequently requires last-minute menu changes.

After a mis-guided young gentleman sitting on a front staircase, sent us on a wild goose chase in the wrong direction on Hanover Street, we finally back tracked to arrive at the corner tavern with outside seating as well as two floors inside. It was a little cool out so we opted for inside and were seated in a nice corner table. The rooms are cozy and the building appears to have originally been one of the brick row homes.

The interior decor was wood cabin-ish with cabinets flanking a large fireplace housing glassware with chicken wire door inserts {get ready for a furniture before/after posting coming up}.

Our server was pleasant and well versed in the menu selections and beverage pairings. The food overall was very good. Beverages were priced well and offered a large selection of both wine and craft beers. I would recommend going if you have the chance but be aware of your wallet. With our 3 courses and two drinks each the bill would be in the “VERY Nice Dinner Out” category. $$$ out of 4 / Overall B+

Bluegrass

1500 S. Hanover Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

“Bluegrass is an informal fine dining experience dedicated to the perfect pairing of food and drink, with a special focus on America’s finest bourbons. Our casual dining room features fold-away walls that provide a relaxing, social atmosphere that is open to the outdoors. Reservations are always appreciated.”

FIRST COURSE

Bluegrass, Baltimore Scallops

taylor bay scallops / egg yolk vermicelli, oyster mushrooms, dill butter

Bluegrass Baltimore, Aspargrass

spring asparagus / vermont quark ravioli, hazelnut honey

MAIN COURSE

Bluegrass Baltimore, Beef Tips

crispy smoked creekstone beef belly  / anson mills aged cheddar grits, pickled red cabbage, cheerwine bbq sauce

Bluegrass Baltimore, Grouper

pan seared grouper / butter braised leeks, crispy hen of the woods mushrooms, pomme puree, hendricks gin

DESSERT

Bluegrass Baltimore, Big A** Smore

I forget the official name but basically: Big A** S’more

My mouth is watering just thinking about the grouper again. DELISH! ~ kf.

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Tangerine Thyme Cocktail Recipe

If at first you don’t succeed try, try and try again. At least that was the theme for this Spring Herb inspired cocktail. Luckily we were heading to a friends’ home for the Cinco/Derby weekend and I would have a few people to play with me. Taste testing versions #1 & #2 till we agreed #3 was the ideal version of a beverage I had never before made but had agreed to use as my contribution to the newly formed Sunday Supper Movement. A group of bloggers committed to bringing the family and friends back to the table for the Sunday meal.

I had something close to a recipe in my head but needed to adjust as the local shop in Baltimore, Graul’s, did not offer the mixer I was hoping to use {I feel a version 4 & 5 coming on}. However the basics stayed the same.

 

 

* Thyme & Tangerine Infused Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar into 1 cup water over heat till sugar dsolves. {Make sure to watch as the sugar is likely to burn if you turn your head to say check the crushed ice maker is filled….}

Place 4-5 sprigs of fresh cut Thyme and about 1/4 tangerine peel to mixture. Continue to heat on low. Set aside to chill. {I found that if you leave this over night the Thyme flavor will really develop and adds much more to the flavor but play around with your preference level.}

Tangerine Thyme Refresher

INGREDIENTS:

{makes one cocktail}

  • 1-1 1/2 ounces of Gin
  • 3 Parts Tangerine Soda
  • 1 Part Thyme infused Simple Syrup
  • Sprig of Thyme & small amount of Thyme leaves for garnish
  • Tangerine Peel

After testing three versions –

* San Pelgrino Tangerine was the prefered decided to have the best fizz, and Tangerine flavor with out adding to much sweetness.

* Gin was preferred over Vodka even with the “Vodka Drinkers” and gave it the herbal quality I was looking for. But give it a try yourself if you are skeptical.

* Some asked for more fizz which could be added with Tonic or Club based on your taste

* edible flowers are optional but my taste testers comments made them worth it. “I don’t know how it tastes but it is beautiful” ; “I wouldn’t change a thing”

Try your own versions with your own taste testers and let me know what you think in the comments below!

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Asparagus Soup… Cold Spring Trend

We all know there is more than one way to do pretty much everything but when I came across “Asparagus Soup with Poached Egg” twice in two days and thought it was worth testing and sharing.

The first one is from Williams-Sonoma and I found it when I was at my local shop drooling over pretty much everything in the shop. They had recipe cards on the counter and this one caught my attention as someone in my house is a poached egg freak. So I am always looking for new recipes to make.

The second came to me today via email from the About.com Food e-newsletter along with other tasty cold soups. Perfect timing for the warm weather the entire country is having.

Being in the height of the Asparagus season, it should be fairly easy to acquire  most of the ingredients called for in the recipes. Even easier if you are growing your own…. I will be testing them both at our home over the weekend and posting the results but would love to hear your feedback as well and which one you prefered, why, etc.. {with pictures of course!!}

Happy Spring!! ~ kf.

Williams-Sonoma: ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH POACHED EGGS

Ingredients:

•2 Tbs. olive oil

•1 large leek, white and light green portions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

•Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

•1 tsp. minced garlic

•1 tsp. Hungarian paprika, plus more for sprinkling

•1 1/2 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed, spears cut into 1-inch pieces

•2 Tbs. chicken or vegetable stock concentrate

•3 cups water

•1 cup baby spinach leaves

•6 poached eggs

•Fresh tarragon leaves, flat-leaf parsley leaves and chopped chives for garnish

Directions:

In a Cuisinart soup maker and blender over high heat, warm the olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the leek, season with salt and pepper and cook, using the stir function occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the 1 tsp. paprika and cook, using the stir function occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the asparagus, stock concentrate and water and cook, using the stir function occasionally, until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes.

Place the spinach on top of the soup mixture and cook for 1 minute. Using a towel, hold the lid down and blend on the highest setting until the soup is smooth.

Season the poached eggs with salt and pepper and lightly sprinkle with paprika. Pour the soup into 6 warmed bowls and top each with 1 poached egg. Garnish with tarragon, parsley and chives and serve immediately. Serves 6.

About.com: Cream of Asparagus Soup with Poached Egg

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

•2 bundles green or white asparagus, trimmed

•1 leek, washed and trimmed

•½ stick/50g Butter

•1 pint/400ml vegetable (or chicken stock for a non vegetarian soup)

•1 tbsp heavy cream

•1 tbsp olive oil

•4 medium eggs, poached

Preparation:

Serves 4

•Cut the asparagus into 1″/3cm lengths.   Reserve the tips and set aside.

•Halve the leek lengthwise and cut into ½”/1 cm pieces.

•Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the leek and asparagus.  Sauté for 3 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften.  Add the stock and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes, until the asparagus is soft and cooked through.

•Blend the soup in a food processor or with a hand blender, until smooth.  Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper and return to the pan.  Add the double cream and warm through.

•Meanwhile, toss the asparagus tips in the olive oil, and heat a ridged griddle pan.  Griddle the asparagus for 2 minutes.  Serve the soup in warmed soup bowls if eating warm, or leave to cool if wanting to serve cold. Top each bowl with a lightly poached egg and some asparagus tips.

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Entertaining: Lets Agree to Disagree.

I follow Bon Appetit on twitter for daily postings and tips. I pick up the magazine when in my local grocery store. I visit their website frequently. Sometimes I have even cook the suggested recipes. Big Fan right. Then yesterday they post an article, 6 Rules for Setting Your Valentine’s Day Table, listing “rules” for setting your table and I have to say I was disappointed. Perhaps it was the title that I disagree with, maybe “suggestions” would have been a better title.

One ~ I do not feel there are rules for setting any table. There maybe etiquette to follow and I frequently refer to Ms Emily Post and her granddaughter, Ms Peggy Post, for guidance however, RULES for a dinner for two people? Not buying it. The table should be set with what makes you happy and makes you feel good about the experience. I love to set a beautiful table and the style of cooking can also play a big part in the selection of the dinner and serveware.

Two ~ The term formal dining room should be removed from the english language. Not that you can’t have a formal dinner party or set a formal table but simply having a room where you have a large table and host friends and families does not make a formal space. It is possible to entertain at a table large table and not at all have a formal feel. In fact I do it all the time and my guests always end up saying they wish they had a big table like we have.

Three ~ Although I sort of understand where the author is heading with the comment don’t eat at a large table, instead move to the breakfast nook. I once again disagree. There HAS to be a more romantic place in your house to set up a table for two than the kitchen. Cover a small coffee table with a linen and place it in your bedroom with candles, music, etc.. small balcony, anywhere. Different is good when it comes to romance.

Overall I understand where the author, Julia Bainbridge, was going with the story and there are points that I agree with. For instance, I TOTALLY agree with the unscented candles in the space you are eating your meal. And also agree with her on the choice of scented version, Jo Malone is at the top of my list. {I could go on and on about candles. I feel a new post coming on.}

Whatever your Vday dinner brings make it personal and your own experience. kf.