Hello everyone! Bon jour!
As promised in my first blog, I will be including several recipes and here's one but before that I want to share a very funny story. This happened when I was dating Jim, about 14 years ago. Let us rewind a bit. We met on a Thursday (that is when he was still a member of a gay and lesbian running group in the city - Frontrunners/Frontwalkers). After the run, he went out to dinner and later decided to go to the bars for a drink and there I was, his future Princess (in my dazzling tiara) - turned Queen of the House. So, in short, we celebrated every Thursday wherein we alternated making dinner. How romantic. One week, I was planning for my menu and decided to have a pasta course and pesto was my sauce of choice. I asked my best friend Michael Cruz of LA for his recipe. So in the process, he asked me if Jim likes garlic as much as I do. So he instructed me to put in a clove of garlic and if we really like the flavor maybe 2. I put in a head of garlic!!!! We not only drove away any potential Dracula away but also we were like garlic-puffing dragons for a week, at least! So that is my pesto story. Now here is my version of a very much revised recipe:
1 cup fresh basil (washed and dried on sheets of paper towels
1 cup pine nuts
1 - 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil (born again virgin olive oil is not a good substitute)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (only the Reggiano type please)
1 - 2 cloves of garlic (now, depends on yor taste BUT I would not put in even half a head!)
salt and pepper to taste
I start by roasting the pine nuts in a heavy skillet for about 2-3 minutes. Make sure you keep stirring to make sure that each nut is evenly browned (roasted). Let cool.
Next put the cooled pine nuts, garlic, basil leaves, parmesan cheese and maybe a teaspoon freshly ground pepper in a blender and pulse it for half a minute. Slowly drizzle the olive oil while finishing up blending the mixture. For seasoning (any dish for that matter) I keep tasting it and adjusting either the pepper or salt or more Parmesan cheese. Most of the time it is the latter.
We use this mainly for pasta but occasionally we use it on fish filets or chicaken breasts which is perfect.
Have fun, enjoy and as Ms. Julia used to say, "bon apetit!"
http://chefshop.com
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Friday, November 10, 2006
Do you enjoy cooking?
Bon jour!
I am posting this because last night we had company for dinner. Our friends (actually they are electrical guys who installed our garden lights and were coming over to check their installations) arrived around dusk and since it was still a bit light in the western horizon, I offered a glass of Stonyhill chard. We all enjoyed it and made a toast to the democrats! Hooray! Anyhow, when it got darker (for them to see if the light setting is right for effect we all wanted to achieve) I resumed my cooking. BTW, I boought everything from my favorite (used to - but now I hate it because their parking space is soon to be a high rise, that is going to be another posting) Fox and Obel on Illinois Street. I prepared a simple dish as an entree of pan-seared fresh sea scallops served with sauteed wild mushrooms and my main course was braised short ribs served with baby patty pan squash and zucchini. So what's the big deal? Here is: First they were very appreciative of us serving dinner and second, one wanted my recipe. Well, I said that I seldom use recipes. I only use one for 2 occasions: when baking and when trying a new dish I have never made before. So, how many among are like me?
This brings me back eons ago when I first attempted to bake. At that time, I was in Medical School in Manila and my very close friend Guillaume Lauzon introduced me to it. His recipe, out of a can label, tah-dah - upside down cake (UDC). I watched him a couple of times making it and then it was my turn. Well, in the process, it almost turn out to be upside down cake - on the floor! Honestly! At that time too, I had 2 nieces and a nephew (who were all in their grade school years) who enjoyed anything sweet. Almost every weekend, they asked me to bake my UDC which I gladly did. One can just imagine all the squeaking of 3 kids while I was baking. Well, everytime I shopped for my UDC, I had the convenience of having the recipe right on the label of the pineapple can. I made it so often that, eventually I could do without a recipe. So my point is, I do use recipes when baking - which to me is a science. On the other hand, a risotto is an art! The first time I cooked risotto, I used
the venerable Marcella Hazan's basic recipe. BTW, she and the late Julia Child are my cooking "mentors" meaning, I use their book a lot for techniques and recipes. And by the way, I got to meet both of them while they were visiting Chicago (and I have photos to prove it). So, as I keep making risotto, I started tweaking it, or adding different ingredients and the key to cooking without a recipe is as Ms. Child used to say, "keep tasting it". It works - all the time! And always remember, use fresh
ingredients! Fox and Obel has it!
Tata for now, merci au revoir!
http://www.fox-obel.com/index.asp
http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0063.htm
I am posting this because last night we had company for dinner. Our friends (actually they are electrical guys who installed our garden lights and were coming over to check their installations) arrived around dusk and since it was still a bit light in the western horizon, I offered a glass of Stonyhill chard. We all enjoyed it and made a toast to the democrats! Hooray! Anyhow, when it got darker (for them to see if the light setting is right for effect we all wanted to achieve) I resumed my cooking. BTW, I boought everything from my favorite (used to - but now I hate it because their parking space is soon to be a high rise, that is going to be another posting) Fox and Obel on Illinois Street. I prepared a simple dish as an entree of pan-seared fresh sea scallops served with sauteed wild mushrooms and my main course was braised short ribs served with baby patty pan squash and zucchini. So what's the big deal? Here is: First they were very appreciative of us serving dinner and second, one wanted my recipe. Well, I said that I seldom use recipes. I only use one for 2 occasions: when baking and when trying a new dish I have never made before. So, how many among are like me?
This brings me back eons ago when I first attempted to bake. At that time, I was in Medical School in Manila and my very close friend Guillaume Lauzon introduced me to it. His recipe, out of a can label, tah-dah - upside down cake (UDC). I watched him a couple of times making it and then it was my turn. Well, in the process, it almost turn out to be upside down cake - on the floor! Honestly! At that time too, I had 2 nieces and a nephew (who were all in their grade school years) who enjoyed anything sweet. Almost every weekend, they asked me to bake my UDC which I gladly did. One can just imagine all the squeaking of 3 kids while I was baking. Well, everytime I shopped for my UDC, I had the convenience of having the recipe right on the label of the pineapple can. I made it so often that, eventually I could do without a recipe. So my point is, I do use recipes when baking - which to me is a science. On the other hand, a risotto is an art! The first time I cooked risotto, I used
the venerable Marcella Hazan's basic recipe. BTW, she and the late Julia Child are my cooking "mentors" meaning, I use their book a lot for techniques and recipes. And by the way, I got to meet both of them while they were visiting Chicago (and I have photos to prove it). So, as I keep making risotto, I started tweaking it, or adding different ingredients and the key to cooking without a recipe is as Ms. Child used to say, "keep tasting it". It works - all the time! And always remember, use fresh
ingredients! Fox and Obel has it!
Tata for now, merci au revoir!
http://www.fox-obel.com/index.asp
http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0063.htm
Thursday, November 09, 2006
25th anniversary at Maxim's
Bon jour! Goodmorning everyone!
Here is the list of dishes served at the 25th Anniversary of Tallgrass Restaurant in Lockport and Carlos in Highland Park. Here goes (all 25 tastings):
1. Quail egg, Scottish smoked salmon with Champagne sabayon
2. Foie gras (yes dear fellow Chicagoans, it was a treat, since FG is banned in Cook County), walnut bread and chutney
3. Shrimp mousse and pesto cone
4. Grilled brioche of Serrano ham and gruyere cheese
5. Parmesan deviled egg
6. Lump crab meat with Bechamel sauce
7. Duck confit and mushroom puff pastry
8. Lobster Lasagna (a classic Burcenski dish)
9. Ahi tuna bruschetta
10. Pumpernickel crusted halibut
11. Belgian endive, sweet potato and Kabocha-curry reduction
12. PEI mussels with diver scallop mousse, Swiss chard-sage reduction
13. Herbed Morgan ranch Kobe beef filet, wild mushrooms, baby spinach, cabernet-thyme reduction (yum!)
14. Morgan ranch Kobe beef short rib, mized root vegetables
15. Basil mashed potatoes, pinot noir-rosemary reduction
16. Gruyere cup and apple compote
17. Feta walnut and orange beet roll
18. Canadian bacon-Manchego terrine
19. Goat cheese mousse and date bread, hazelnut and stilton plum
20. Spiced pumpkin mousse cake, apple vanilla syrup
21. Red bartlett pear bavarian , almonds, pear sorbet, blueberry reduction
22. Pistachio crisp, mango mousse and raisin boda
23. Callebaut dark chocolate souffle
24. Callebaut dark chocolate truffle
25. Valrohna chocolate and ajo panca truffle
There you go. Congratulations Chef Bob Burcenski and Sommelier Tom Alves of Tallgrass and Debbie and Carlos Nieto and Chef Ramiro Velasquez of Carlos. Hope that we all can be together next year for their 26th anniversary and 26 tastings!
Here is the list of dishes served at the 25th Anniversary of Tallgrass Restaurant in Lockport and Carlos in Highland Park. Here goes (all 25 tastings):
1. Quail egg, Scottish smoked salmon with Champagne sabayon
2. Foie gras (yes dear fellow Chicagoans, it was a treat, since FG is banned in Cook County), walnut bread and chutney
3. Shrimp mousse and pesto cone
4. Grilled brioche of Serrano ham and gruyere cheese
5. Parmesan deviled egg
6. Lump crab meat with Bechamel sauce
7. Duck confit and mushroom puff pastry
8. Lobster Lasagna (a classic Burcenski dish)
9. Ahi tuna bruschetta
10. Pumpernickel crusted halibut
11. Belgian endive, sweet potato and Kabocha-curry reduction
12. PEI mussels with diver scallop mousse, Swiss chard-sage reduction
13. Herbed Morgan ranch Kobe beef filet, wild mushrooms, baby spinach, cabernet-thyme reduction (yum!)
14. Morgan ranch Kobe beef short rib, mized root vegetables
15. Basil mashed potatoes, pinot noir-rosemary reduction
16. Gruyere cup and apple compote
17. Feta walnut and orange beet roll
18. Canadian bacon-Manchego terrine
19. Goat cheese mousse and date bread, hazelnut and stilton plum
20. Spiced pumpkin mousse cake, apple vanilla syrup
21. Red bartlett pear bavarian , almonds, pear sorbet, blueberry reduction
22. Pistachio crisp, mango mousse and raisin boda
23. Callebaut dark chocolate souffle
24. Callebaut dark chocolate truffle
25. Valrohna chocolate and ajo panca truffle
There you go. Congratulations Chef Bob Burcenski and Sommelier Tom Alves of Tallgrass and Debbie and Carlos Nieto and Chef Ramiro Velasquez of Carlos. Hope that we all can be together next year for their 26th anniversary and 26 tastings!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Welcome!
Welcome everyone!
I just got back from a wonderful trip to Paris. I got back Sunday evening and the following night is the 25th anniversary of Tallgrass Restaurant in Lockport, IL (about 30 miles south of Chicago) and Carlos in Highland Park. They will be celebrating at the renovated and restored , tres chic Maxim's on Goethe Street. On Thursday, I will post all of the 25 dishes they served. Websites are at the bottom on this posting.
The weather in Paris was great throughout the week (60's and sunny) and the food was (as always) great as well. One of the highlights was lunch at Meurice (2 stars). Had foie gras and black truffles for entry, and roasted partridge with wild mushrooms for my main course. We also dined at l'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Aux Lyonnais, Chez Denise, Chez Christine and at the Maison de Truffe in the Madeleine area.
In this blog, I plan to post recipes, my reviews of Chicago restaurants (my favorites, newly opened ones and new finds), and exciting dining events around the city (and maybe abroad and in other cities).
Merci au revoir!
Jose-Marie
http://www.tallgrassrestaurant.com
http://www.carlos-restaurant.com
I just got back from a wonderful trip to Paris. I got back Sunday evening and the following night is the 25th anniversary of Tallgrass Restaurant in Lockport, IL (about 30 miles south of Chicago) and Carlos in Highland Park. They will be celebrating at the renovated and restored , tres chic Maxim's on Goethe Street. On Thursday, I will post all of the 25 dishes they served. Websites are at the bottom on this posting.
The weather in Paris was great throughout the week (60's and sunny) and the food was (as always) great as well. One of the highlights was lunch at Meurice (2 stars). Had foie gras and black truffles for entry, and roasted partridge with wild mushrooms for my main course. We also dined at l'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Aux Lyonnais, Chez Denise, Chez Christine and at the Maison de Truffe in the Madeleine area.
In this blog, I plan to post recipes, my reviews of Chicago restaurants (my favorites, newly opened ones and new finds), and exciting dining events around the city (and maybe abroad and in other cities).
Merci au revoir!
Jose-Marie
http://www.tallgrassrestaurant.com
http://www.carlos-restaurant.com
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