Saturday at Surfas

I scootered over to Surfas for a "Republica del Cacao Chocolate Magic Demo" this afternoon. From the ad:

"Join us in the Test Kitchen at Surfas as we welcome Master Pastry Chef and Chocolatier Jean-Marc Viallet. Using Republica del Cacao chocolate, Chef Viallet will reveal the magic of working with this often tricky substance. For many home bakers, chocolate can be as fickle as it is delicious. For Professional chefs, they can experience the challenges daily; “One drop of water and the chocolate is dead” says Viallet."

On the menu:
-Chocolate Gelato
-Lavender Creme Brulee
-Chocolate Financier Tea Cake
-Raspberry Chocolate Ganache
-Chocolate Cookies with single origin chocolate drops, from Ecuador (made into sandwiches using the ganache!!)

Of course, we got plenty to taste as well!

Before I left I got a shaved ice to beat the heat. They served them up with Monin flavored syrups in exotic; “knock your flop-flops” off flavors. I got black cherry and mango...wow!


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Lavender Creme Brulee

Let infuse fresh or dried lavender flowers overnight in 4 cups of heavy cream.
Whisk 8 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 5 oz sugar in a bowl.
Bring the cream to a slow boil, temper the yolks mixture.
Cook slowly then mix in 10 oz of chocolate "Los Rios".
Mix well, pass through a thieve, spoon into pre-prepared chocolate tart shells immediately.
Cool in the fridge for a few hours, then sprinkle tops with unrefined cane sugar for torching.

Pasta Alla Norma

I made this dish the other night using tomatoes from the garden and an eggplant from the farmer's market. Yowza!

Pasta Alla Norma
(for 2)

1 large eggplant cut into ½-inch cubes
Kosher salt
1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves pressed through garlic press
2 anchovy fillets , minced (about 1 generous teaspoon)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
½ lb fettuccine
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces grated parmesan

1. Toss eggplant with 1 tsp kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon regular salt) in medium bowl. Line surface of large microwave-safe plate with a paper towel and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread eggplant in even layer over towel; wipe out and reserve bowl. Microwave eggplant on high, uncovered, until dry to touch and slightly shriveled, about 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure that eggplant cooks evenly. Let cool slightly.

2. Transfer eggplant to now-empty bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and toss gently to coat; reserve plate. Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add eggplant and distribute in even layer. Cook, stirring or tossing every 1½ to 2 minutes, until well browned and fully tender, about 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer eggplant to now-empty plate and set aside.

3. Add remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil, garlic, anchovies, and pepper flakes to now-empty but still-hot skillet and cook using residual heat so garlic doesn’t burn, stirring constantly, until fragrant and garlic becomes pale golden, about 1 minute (if skillet is too cool to cook mixture, set it over medium heat). Add tomatoes, return skillet to burner over medium-high heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.

5. While pasta is cooking, return eggplant to skillet with tomatoes and gently stir to incorporate. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring gently occasionally, until eggplant is heated through and flavors are blended, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir basil and extra-virgin olive oil into sauce; season to taste with salt. Add sauce to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that sauce coats pasta. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parmesan.

Black-Bottom Coconut Bars: FAIL

It's a Martha Stewart recipe! How can it fail?!

I tried to make these for my newly retired neighbor who always brings us salsa. This afternoon I followed the recipe for what I thought would be one of the best bars yet. Instead of using foil, I buttered up a special pan that is designed to come apart after baking. There is a "fake bottom" to the pan and it just lifts out while the sides drop down. It never fails me. As I completed phase one I knew something was off; the bottom of the brownie wasn't cooking up right. There were bubbles and it wasn't pulling away from the sides. I cooked it all the way through but it just didn't look right.

However, I carried on to phase two: the coconut topping. When these were done the top came apart from the bottom, the bottom was chewy, and nothing lifted nicely apart from the pan.

My downfall was likely not using the foil. I also used an 8" pan instead of a 9" pan. However, I'm not attempting these again - they didn't taste good.

You're welcome to try Black Bottom Coconut bars by reading the recipe here.

Rösti

We have recently discovered Rösti and we're totally freaking out over here.


At Surfas' BACON DEMO last week (Chef Amy Jurist proves that everything is better with bacon. Watch as she performs culinary magic with bacon "the Candy of Meat".) We drooled over the yummy treats that were prepared before our eyes. I was frantically writing lists of new tools for the kitchen and products to try (Vegalene, pre-cut parchment paper, Thai peanut sauce...on BACON). One of the recipes made used this potato in a foil bag called Rösti. They sold it there and I picked up a couple. It's just boiled potatoes but it's so yummy and easy to prepare. You open the bag and fry (no oil needed!) for 15 minutes, then flip and fry 6 more. That's it.

Tonight for dinner I prepared a bag with the rest of the prosciutto and some melted cheese. OMG. The taste of this dish took us back overseas...the potatoes tasted so different than what we have here. Must be the water...

Dining Al Fresco featuring the new table

al⋅fres⋅co
  [al-fres-koh]
–adverb
out-of-doors; in the open air: to dine alfresco.

We arrived home from a week away to an empty refrigerator and a full bounty in the garden. While we were away, our new pergola was stained with "fresh brew" and our patio furniture from Room & Board arrived this morning. This afternoon we went to "Entertaining with Bacon" at Surfas and picked up some 8oz martini glasses (finally a normal size!). Cupboard staples of olive oil, garlic, capers, parmesan, and angel hair pasta combined nicely with basil and two kinds of tomatoes from the garden. That along with Chianti and the sunset, and our new patio table is at home.