Homemade Meringue Mushrooms

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Preparation:

Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Place room temperature egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. It is important that the bowl and whisk both be very clean, so that the egg whites whip properly.
Begin beating the egg whites on medium speed. Once they are very frothy, stop the mixer and add the cream of tartar. Start the mixer again and continue to beat the egg whites. Once they form soft peaks, increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time. Beat the whites until they are very shiny and hold stiff peaks, but are not dry or crumbly.
Spoon the meringue into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip, or the open end of a coupler.



First, pipe the mushroom caps: hold the pastry bag at a 90-degree angle about 1/2 inch from the parchment paper. Using firm and even pressure, squeeze out a round meringue disc about 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch high. Stop squeezing, then twist the bag and lift it from the meringue to get a clean “break” from the cap. Repeat in regular intervals on the baking sheet until you have approximately 2 dozen mushroom caps. You can smooth out the tops of your mushrooms by wetting your index finger and lightly running it along the caps.
Next, pipe the mushroom stems. Again position the bag perpendicular about 1/2-inch from the baking sheet. Begin squeezing the bag to form a 1-inch round base. Continue to squeeze as you slowly and evenly draw the bag up, forming a tapering stem about 1.5 inches tall. Use the remaining meringue to pipe as many stems as possible—some stems invariably tilt and collapse, so you should always make extras.

 

Bake the meringues at 200 degrees for about 90 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking. The meringues should be hard and dry to the touch, and you should be able to easily lift one from the parchment. Once the meringues are done, turn off the oven and let them sit in the oven for several hours or overnight.
To assemble the mushrooms, melt the white chocolate in a small bowl. Use a toothpick to carve a small hole in the bottom of a mushroom cap. Dip the top of a stem in the white chocolate, and stick the chocolate-covered stem top in the hole of the mushroom cap. Place the mushroom on a baking tray to set, and repeat with remaining caps and stems.
Place the cocoa powder in a sifter, and lightly sift cocoa over the tops of the mushrooms. Mushrooms can be stored for up to a 5-6 days in an airtight container in a cool, dry room. Note that humidity can make the mushroom soft and collapse, so do not place them on a cake or in a refrigerated environment until immediately before serving.

Roasted Peaches with Almond Crème Anglaise

My cat - Kosha, she likes to sit on top of my computer, while I am blogging-))
She is 16 years old. Older than my kids-)))



Ingredients for the almond crème anglaise:

• 1⁄2 cup ground almonds
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 Tbs. cornstarch
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• Tiny pinch of salt

Ingredients for the peaches:

• 6 firm yet ripe peaches, about 2 lb. total
• 3 to 4 Tbs. grand marnier
• 2 to 3 Tbs. sugar
• Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar, then gradually whisk in the milk and the ground almonds until thoroughly blended. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 7 to 10 minutes; do not let it boil. Place in a larger bowl partially filled with ice water and let cool, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the almond extract and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
To prepare the peaches, using a small, sharp knife, score a line around the equator of each peach. Have ready a large bowl three-fourths full of ice water. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Submerge as many peaches as will fit in the pan without crowding them. Cover and boil until the skins start to split, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice water. Using your fingertips or the knife, carefully peel the peaches. Repeat with any remaining peaches.
Place the peaches in a baking dish just large enough to accommodate them without touching, drizzle evenly with the grand marnier and sprinkle evenly with the sugar. Add water to a depth of about 1/4 inch. Bake until the sugar caramelizes and the peaches are just tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 25 to 30 minutes; they should keep their shape. Remove and let cool to room temperature.
Place the peaches on individual plates and drizzle with some of the juices from the baking dish. Drizzle the almond crème anglaise in a pool surrounding each peach. Garnish with mint sprigs, almonds and serve.
Serve with a floral, aromatic white wine, such as Viognier from Condrieu, or a bracing Armagnac.

Cherry Tomato and Bean Salad with Crumbled Feta Cheese

This salad makes a wonderful accompaniment to grilled meats and poultry.



Ingredients:

• 1 15-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cup cherry tomatoes in mixed colors and
•   shapes, stemmed and halved
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice  
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3-4 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss together beans, tomatoes, onion, feta cheese, garlic and herbs.



Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the top, season with salt and pepper, and toss again to coat.

Long time ago I made these bowls. They are so special and beautiful to me. -))

Curried Butternut Squash Soup and Homemade Apple Chips

...The summer ends and we wonder who we are
And there you go, my friends, with your boxes in your car
And today I passed the high school, the river, the maple tree
I passed the farms that made it
Through the last days of the century
And I knew that I was going to learn again
Again, in this less hazy light
I saw the fields beyond the fields
The fields beyond the fields

And the colors are much brighter now
It's like they really want to tell the truth
We give our testimony to the end of the summer
It's the end of the summer,
You can spin the light to gold.

from Dar Williams Lyrics
"The End Of The Summer"

 

Ingredients for the homemade apple chips:

• 2 large apples (Gala or Idared work well)
• Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Ingredients for butternut squash soup:

• 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil  
• 3/4 cup sliced shallots 
• 6 cups unsalted chicken stock, warmed, plus more as needed
• 1 butternut squash (midium size), peeled and cubed
• 2 carrots, peeled and cubed
• 1 russet potato, peeled and diced (optional)
• 1⁄3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. curry
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• small sage leaves for garnish

Directions for homemade apple chips:

Preheat oven to 200˚F.
Thinly slice apples crosswise about 1/8-inch thick with a mandoline or sharp knife. Arrange apple slices in a single layer on two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets.
In small bowl, combine cayenne pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon. Put mixture into a sieve and sprinkle evenly over apple slices.



Bake in the top and bottom third of the oven until apples are dry and crisp, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and let ‘chips’ cool completely before transferring to a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Makes about 2 cups apple chips.



Directions for butternut squash soup:

In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash, the carrots, potato, broth and the 1/2 tsp. salt, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.



Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.



In a blender or food processor, puree the soup, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the heavy cream. Heat the soup until just hot, then stir in the curry and adjust the seasoning with salt. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve immediately. Garnish with small sage leaves.