Food Blogger and Wine Enthusiast

Food Blogger and Wine Enthusiast
Thoughts From A Young Chef On Recipes, Restaurants & Vino

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Delish Fish

The special I created for the beautiful swordfish we got in was a hit, so I had to share with you guys what I did.  Usually our fish of the day is served with some kind of sauce or salsa but I did just a simple glaze of chipotle peppers, lime juice and brown sugar.  I pushed the peppers through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, about 10 peppers for a restaurant batch, and whisked in a 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 cup of lime juice.  Depending on how spicy your chipotle peppers are you may need to adjust the sugar and lime juice amounts.  We simply served it with white rice and black beans sauteed in bacon fat and seasoned with salt, pepper and cilantro.  Glaze the fish right at the end so it doesn't burn and garnish with cilantro leaves.  Pair with a crisp white wine, a citrussy Sauvignon Blanc would do the trick.  I like Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Sauv Blanc or Fume Blanc, both under $15.  Enjoy!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Other decent wines out of Napa :-)

So I had Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 tonight with 24 hour marinated London Broil and the outcome was perfect. Just about anything 2007, Napa region, and Cabernet is fool-proof.  I marinated the London Broil in worcestershire, prepared horseradish and red wine.  Cooking note:  if you are cooking on a grill (mine approximately 550 degrees, open lid) pull it at 115- 120 degrees, tent with foil and let it rest, allowing the meat to relax and the juices to run back into it.  The meat will carry-over cook for at least 10-15 degrees, making your perfectly marinated roast over-cooked if your not careful!  Slice against the grain for the most tender result.  I can't emphasize enough how important food and wine pairing is.  Talk to your local wine enthusiast or sommelier about pairing wine and food, or follow my blog!!


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Wine and Bacon???

My new favorite tasting note in wine is bacon.  I have had two different wines in the last two weeks describing bacon and I love it!!  Dante Robino Syrah 2009 is the better example of the two.  Wines coming out of  Mendoza in the last couple years have shown excellent potential.  Vines in the area are typically grown in sand, instead of clay.  Malbec is the typical grape coming out of Mendoza but this Syrah is bangin'!  Made from 100% Syrah, this wine is a deep, intense red, with fruit and spice notes, and a smooth finish.  The bacon note comes from the finish, more from the mouth feel.  Think bacon fat on your tongue.  A delicious food wine or enjoyed sipping with friends.  A definite conversation piece!

New Blogger, Lots To Say!

In an attempt to find the method to cook the perfect sous vide egg, I have decided to start a blog.  This might sound rather rash considering I was just looking for a recipe, but the sheer fact that I am willing to go through the time and effort (and a carton of eggs mind you!) says that I have a deep devotion to food and its perfect preparation.

First, a little about me.  I am a classically trained chef, culinary degree in hand, and currently work as a sous chef in a fine dining restaurant here in Florida.  I live with my boyfriend, D, who, at the moment, is really sick of trying soft boiled eggs.  He's one of those people that will reorganize the pantry into edibles and non edibles but leave his shoes all over the house.  Drives me crazy.  But he's being a really good sport tasting all my experiments.  He is the one who actually encouraged me to start a blog to share my love of food, fine dining and wine. Both my mother and grandmother are exceptional cooks so its safe to say that's where my love of cooking comes from.  I LOVE eating great food and eating at great restaurants.

I recently went to Las Vegas for vacation and was on a mission to have one amazing meal while I was there.  There are so many awesome restaurants (Robuchon, Circo, Mix, Bouchon, Fleur, just to name a few!) but the one I really wanted to try was Aureole, chef Charlie Palmer's Las Vegas version of his successful New York restaurant. I was blown away.  The first thing that catches your eye is the enormous wine tower, complete with wine angels that pluck wine from the 42 foot tower via harnesses.  The second is the level of service that I was about to experience.  I have never had the manager carry my drink on a silver tray from the bar, where we were waiting to the rest of the party, to the table for me!  The wine list was literally a computer in the shape of a iPad, slightly larger and with a stylus. We had at least three waiters tending to the table at all times.  However, the star of the night would be the food.

Three of us had the parallel tasting menu, which is three courses with one ingredient in each course done two ways, and three of us ordered a la carte.  You'll have to click the link and check out the delicious dishes we ate that night but believe me when I say five star.  Every course was perfectly prepared and plated.  All the a la carte diners at out table were given complimentary courses so they would have something to nosh on while we enjoyed our tasting menu.  Desserts was endless!  In addition to out parallel tasting desserts the waiter brought out 4 other dessert plates consisting of nothing but absolute deliciousness.  To. Die. For.

So, to say that I might be looking for the meal to top that meal is accurate.  I hope to someday create the meal that tops that meal.  I believe that innovation along with tradition will make that possible.

So, the egg thing.  I found that on a stove top with water holding between 140 and 145 degrees F for 27 minutes is perfect.  The egg is cooked in the shell.  When it is finished, carefully crack the shell open, drain off any excess liquid and serve.  Tonight D and our friend, J, will be enjoying my project over a bed of jasmine rice with soy sauce, hot chili oil and sesame seeds.  I can't remember where I saw this suggestion today, otherwise I would credit it, but I'll be blogging about how it turns out.

Off to cook!  Cheers!