Russian Monday: Chicken Liver Pâté With Red Wine & Cranberry Jelly

History of pâté is rooted in the distant past and many countries contest the right to be named its birthplace, however, by default this right is held by France. In truth, French chefs have simply revived the dish loved by ancient Romans. Interestingly enough, in medieval times, pates were served as feast culmination, and hence were decorated in the most luxurious fashion, often made with “surprise” inside, when live birds could fly out from inside of the dish brought into the feast hall. Often pâtés were cooked wrapped in the layer of dough, like pies. Dough was simply a wrapper and secondary to the stuffing, hence word “pâté” has started being used only for what was inside of such pies.

Oysters on Ice with Shallots, Red Wine Vinegar, and Lemon

Raw oysters are one of those shellfish that you either love or hate. They do, however, have a reputation as an aphrodisiac, which has helped increase their popularity. If you have never eaten a raw oyster before, make sure that you squeeze lemon juice on it and watch to make sure it contracts before you eat it.

Millet Fritters with Spiced Red Wine Plum Sauce

Warm dishes with spices are coming back in style with the changing season. Millet Fritters with Spiced Red Wine Plum Sauce is a lovely way to start.

Osso Buco Lamb with Sun-dried Tomatoes

Perfect for a chilly spring night, this hearty dish is very delicious. The flavors are amazing. The lamb is fragrant with wine, rosemary, thyme and garlic, and falling-apart tender. My husband loved it and would be worthy of repeating.

Black Forest Mini Pavlova With Chocolate Mousse

This mouthwatering Black Forest Mini Pavlova With Chocolate Mousse dessert is rich and extremely delicious. Use the good quality dark chocolate for the most authentic and intense chocolate flavor. These are real luxurious sweet treats.

Pickled Red Cabbage

This is great appetizer, excellent with hot roasts or as a side dish. Pickled red cabbage can even be used as part of a salad or in a sandwich. If you like pickled vegetables you should try the recipe for pickled beets. It is very delicious!

Wild Mushroom Beef Stew

Here is a beef stew with the added complexity of wild mushrooms to give it some extra body and flavor. Neither the type of meat nor the choice of vegetables is vitally important, because this dish is very flexible. Add some celery if you like or potatoes, or other vegetables of your choice.

French Pot Roast - Boeuf à la Mode

NUTMEG and MACE are Sister Spices.

Mace resembles nutmeg, but is more pungent. It is the traditional spice for pound cake, but is also enhances the taste of cherry pie, chocolate dishes, and whipped cream. It is very good, indeed, in seafood and fish sauces, or in chicken fricassees, or French pot roast. But since it is on the potent side start - as with all spices - with a pinch when experimenting, adding more if a fuller flavor is desired.

Hearty Beef Stew with Lingonberries

Stews are ideal foods for party service - informal parties, of course - because continued cooking doesn't seem to hurt them. Use any of the less tender cuts for stew, but you will find that if you use very fat, gristly cuts you may have a less pleasing result than if you use good cuts of less tender parts. Chuck, round, rump, and shin all are good stewing cuts, and one should remember not to have too much fat on the meat. Three pounds of beef will serve six people amply and should leave some for the next day.

About 40 minutes before the stew is ready for the table, the vegetables can be added and allowed to cook with the meat. Almost any combination of vegetables may be added. Small onions, celery, peas, green beans, lima beans, potatoes, salsify - practically any vegetable is good.

Many people like dumplings with stew. Some prefer boiled rice, other noodles. I hope you like my recipe for this holiday beef stew with lingonberries.

Bon Appétit!

Mulled Wine - Perfect Drink for a Holiday Season

We have many beautiful holidays a head of us, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. For these occasions, nothing is too beautiful. Once a year, one can indulge in an accumulation of crystal, silver, china, an abundance of light and reflections, without fear of criticism. But as always, good taste will keep the display within bounds. A successful holiday party can be an enchanted memory for a whole year.

Roasted Beet Risotto with Glazed Carrots and Fresh Dill

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons - not just all the dawns of autumn, nor the shorter, cooler days, but the evenings as well. Soft, sad evenings when shadows are lengthening and leaves beginning their transformations through gold, red and yellow to brown. I love the rustling as they fall and the sudden gusts of wind and dust. There is a wistful, mellow feeling in the air during autumn which makes us pause and take stock, beckoning us to reflect a little on our lives. Mornings when it is good to go mushrooming, and pick figs; to invite friends over for a long breakfast; and to experiment with some new dishes in the kitchen using some of the tawny autumn fruits and vegetables.

Chocolate Cake with Poached Pears in Red Wine and Happy Birthday to Everyone Who Was Born in the Month of July!

I had a desire today to bake something special, not only for my Birthday but for everyone who is celebrating Birthday in July. This is an easily prepared dessert with a sophisticated taste. Warm poached pears coated in a rich red wine sauce on a top of chocolate heaven - who could resist?

Happy Birthday Dear Friends, I wish you all very sweet year!


Adapted from Gâteau «Reine de Saba» by Pierre Hermé

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 5 oz dark chocolate with 60% cocoa, chopped into very small pieces
• 4 Tbsp. butter, room temperature plus more for greasing
• 3 eggs, separate 
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup potato starch 
• 2/3 cup almond flour 

For the poached pears:

• 4-6 pears, peeled and cored 
• 2 cup red wine, recommend Shiraz or Merlot
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 cinnamon stick 
• 1 anise star
• lemon zest from 1 lemon

Directions: 

To make a poached pears: Combine wine, honey, sugar lemon zest, cinnamon stick and anise star, and bring to a boil. When the wine mixture is boiling, turn heat down to a simmer and add the pears. Simmer pears for 25-30 minutes until they are tender and are easily poked through with a fork. Remove pears and let them cool. Boil wine sauce until the liquid has been reduced by half.

To make a cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Butter an 9-inch pan with 2-inch sides.

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over but not touching barely simmering water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring, until the chocolate melts, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and continue to stir until the butter melts and is incorporated. Let it cool.

In a bowl, sift together the almond flour and potato starch. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar. Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Fold in the starch mixture and then the chocolate mixture until blended.

In a clean grease-free bowl, using an electric mixer beat the egg whites slowly until they are frothy. Increase the speed, and continue beating until the whites are stiff and glossy. Stir one-fourth of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites just until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the top. Bake until the top is risen and crusty and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

To serve, top the cake with the poached pears and red wine sauce.

Roasted Flank Steak with Mushrooms and Thyme

Ingredients:

• 1 flank steak, about 1 1/2 lb. trimmed
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced
• salt and ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil for marinade plus 1 Tbsp for a cooking pan
• 1 onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Place the steak in a large glass dish. Combine fresh thyme, garlic, salt, ground pepper, oil and red wine, pour over the meat. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Let the meat stand in the mixture for several hours in the refrigerator, turning occasionally. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 40 minutes before cooking. Bringing the meat to room temperature helps it to cir more evenly.



Preheat the oven to 400F.

Heat a heavy nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbs. of the oil. Remove the stake from the marinade. Put the steak in the pan and sear it, turning once, for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until browned. Spread the marinade over steak and add onions; place pan in oven. Roast at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer the steak to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.



In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Cut the steak into thin slices on the diagonal, using a sharp knife. Serve with roasted onions and mushrooms.



Our Peach Tree is Blooming. Last year we had 3 peaches. Let see what this young tree will bring us this year.