Thursday, January 17, 2013

Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam Night: Dried Apricot Tart

Dried Apricot, Peach, and Pecan Tart

Tart Crust

1 1/8 cups all –purpose flour

1 ½ tsp sugar

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/8 tsp kosher salt

¼ cup cold water

Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam Night: Black and Bleu Ahi with Duo of Sauces

Black and Bleu Ahi with Wasabi Butter, and Candied Ginger-Kiwi Sauce

Candied Ginger-Kiwi Sauce

1 kiwi, peeled and diced

1 TBS rice wine vinegar

2 TBS lime juice

2 tsp brown sugar

1 ½ TBS peeled ginger, sliced into 2” julienne strips

½ cup orange juice

2 tsp sugar

Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam Night: Beef Barley Soup

Beef & Barley Soup with a Southeast Asian Twist

Ingredients:

2 TBS peanut oil

1 lbs stewing beef

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger

¼ cup pearl barley

2 star anise

½ cinnamon stick

2 cloves

1 tsp chipotle powder, or to taste

4 cups low-sodium beef broth

5 cups water

2 TBS fish sauce, or to taste

1 TBS fresh lime juice, or to taste

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for about 10 minutes, until browned on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef from the pan and place in a bowl. Reduce the heat to medium, add the celery, onion, ginger, and barley, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until onion is softened and golden. Add the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, and chipotle powder and cook for about 2 minutes, until aromatic.

Return the beef to the pan, add the beef stock, water, and fish sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 1-1.5 hours, until the beef is tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef from the pan. Cool slightly, then shred the meat. Return the beef to the pan and cook to heat through. Add the lime juice. Taste and add additional fish sauce or lime juice if needed. Stir in the cilantro, mint, and scallions. Spoon into soup bowls and serve.

Serves 4

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Wine Dinner Extra: Jeraboam Night: Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

John and Monique
Adapted from: Into the Vietnamese Kitchen

Ingredients

Rice Paper Wrappers
Rice Stick Noodles
Carrots, peeled and julienned
Cucumber, julienned
Fresh Mint leaves
Fresh Basil leaves
Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped
Butter Lettuce Leaves

Sauce Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Peanut Oil
1 Tablespoon minced Garlic
1/2- 1 Teaspoon Red Chile Flakes
2 Teaspoons Tomato Paste
1 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Hoisin Sauce
1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cornstarch dissolved in a little Water
Roasted Peanuts, Chopped
Toasted Sesame Seeds

Directions

Place rice stick noodles in heatproof bowl. Pour water brought to a boil over them. Let stand for 5-6 minutes, until noodles are tender. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.

Lay out ingredients assembly line style starting with rice paper wrappers.
Pour almost boiling hot water in a dish that will fit the rice paper wrappers (I use a pie plate). Place one rice paper wrapper in the water, swirl around a little till the wrapper is pliable. Take the wrapper out of the water and place on your work surface.

On the bottom third of the wrapper place a lettuce leaf (or part of one depending on the size of the lettuce leaf). Top with some rice noodles, carrot sticks, cucumber, and herbs to taste.

Roll burrito style - bring up bottom of wrapper over fillings, fold in sides, continue rolling into cylinder shape.

For the sauce:
Heat oil in small saucepan over medium high. Add Garlic and Red Chile Flakes. Once fragrant add Tomato Paste. Cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of water.

Stir in Peanut Butter. Once incorporated add Hoisin Sauce and Fish Sauce. When mixture comes to a boil, add in Cornstarch and water mixture. Bring back to a boil and stir for 1 minute.

Remove from heat, let cool. Top with chopped peanuts and sesame seeds.