CADS Dinner 03-12-2012
at the
Herb Residence, Palo Alto
Lemon Hummus
3/4 cup dried chickpeas soaked overnight
1/4-1/2 preserved lemon, rind only, chopped ( can replace this with zest of 2 lemons. I used Meyer lemons)
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (used Meyer lemons again)
2 garlic cloves smashed (use green garlic if available - about 2 large stacks, white part only- coarsely chopped)
1/2-1 teaspoon ground cumin
After soaking garbanzo beans, drain, add fresh water to cover by about 2 inches and bring to boil. Simmer over low heat until tender about 1 hour depending on soaking time. Add water as needed to keep them covered. Drain when cooked, keeping about 1/2 cup cooking water. Add everything to food processor and blend until smooth. Add small amounts of cooking water as needed to get desired consistency.
Herbed Farmer’s Cheese
8 oz of Farmer’s cheese, preferably Cowgirl Cremery
about 1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh herbs (depends on what is available and good. Dill is always good, I added chives and parsley too. About 2 tablespoons of each. Basil works well too. Amount and type is determined by your taste.
2-3 tablespoons of minced green garlic - white part only.
1-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
Put cheese in a bowl and let warm up so it can be blended with a fork.
Finely chop herbs and green garlic. If green garlic is unavailable, crush 1-2 cloves of garlic and cook in 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil until brown then discard and let oil cool to room temp.
Add herbs and garlic to cheese and use a fork to blend it together. Add olive oil about 1 tablespoon at a time and continue blending. Add oil and blend until desired consistency is achieved.
Let stand at room temp for 1-2 for flavors to meld.
Serve.
Smoked Trout Pate
3/4 lb of smoked trout filets (boneless). The quality of this sets the flavors. Get the best. I used Draeger’s Brand
1/2 cup very finely diced onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
1 cup Mayonnaise (Best Foods)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Lemon juice to taste ( I usually add juice of 1 meyer lemon - maybe at bit more. Add and taste)
Crumple trout in food processor and pulse to chop.
Transfer trout to bowl and add all remaining ingredients and blend together by hand. Do not process everything together visual and texture suffers.
Adjust lemon and taste to get desired result
Serve with anything but dark rye bread is very good.
Chicken Breast with Mushrooms and Wine
4-6 halves of boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of extraneous fat and connective tissue, tenders removed, and pounded to about equal thickness
Extra Virgin olive oil
Butter - 3-4 tablespoons depending on amount of chicken
Flour - 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Mushrooms - I usually use a mix of crimini and available fresh wild mushrooms. about 1 lb. total. chopped.
Dried porcini or morel mushrooms soaked in boiling water for 20-30 minutes, amount depends on you but I use several to get a dark mushroom liquid. Remove mushrooms, chop and add to fresh mushrooms.
Wine - 1/2 cup unoaked wine. Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, I used some open Voignier
Parsley - several tablespoons chopped.
Put large plate in oven and heat to about 150-200F
Rinse and pat chicken breasts dry
Heat large pan over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter to the pan
While butter is melting, dredge breasts in 1/4 cup of flour and shake to remove excess
Add breasts to skillet and cook, adjusting heat so as not to burn, turn once and cook until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes per side depending on thickness of breast. Could be longer. Keep testing it.
When breasts are done, but on warmed plate, cover with foil and return to oven. Turn oven off. Cook remaining breasts if necessary, adding additional flour and oil and butter as needed.
Add mushrooms to pan and cook undisturbed until liquid from mushrooms evaporates. Stir and continue cooking, add butter if needed to prevent burning - about 1-2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup mushroom liquid, turn up heat and cook to liquid is nearly evaporated.
Add wine and cook until reduced by 1/2, 2-3 minutes. Adjust heat so not to burn
Add another tablespoon of butter and cook to sauce is thickened, add breasts and any juice, turn them in sauce several times and serve
Garnish with parsley.
Boiled Asparagus
Wash Asparagus and break off bottoms. I used thick spears1/2 -1 inch diameter
Bring pot of heavily salted water to a boil and medium high heat
Add asparagus
When water returns to boil, check asparagus with fork for doneness. It should be nearly cooked when boil returns. If fork goes through with some resistance, remove from heat, drain and plate.
Dress with a little olive oil or walnut oil and salt.
Roasted Pears with Balsamic glaze, Aged Manchego cheese and honey
2-3 firm but ripe Bosc pears, halved and cored
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4-1/2 lb. Manchego cheese or fresh goat cheese, cut into 4-6 pieces. I used 12 month old aged Manchego
1/4 cup honey (not solid. needs to be able to pour)
Fresh ground pepper
Put a rack into the middle of an oven and heat to 400 F
Put butter in 8 inch square baking dish and melt in oven - about 3 minutes
Arrange pears in dish, cut side down, in one layer. Roast in oven until tender - about 20 minutes.
Pour vinegar over pears and roast another 5 minutes
Arrange pears cut side down on serving plates, spoon juices over pears. Place cheese beside pears and drizzle pears and cheese with honey. dress with pepper and serve.