Restaurants in Paris

2010-03-07T01:20:55Z

Where are the best places to eat in Paris?

How/Where to post a recipe?

2010-03-08T03:09:02Z

I'd like to post a recipe, and also a tip on using a Southern Traditional Foods product. How and where can I do that? I think this is going to be a very good site, but at this point, it's not overly "user friendly."

Thanks!! Sandi

Fun Guy Steak Sauce

2010-04-04T15:38:37Z

Preparation Time: 5 Mins.

Active Cooking Time: 15-20 Mins.

Inactive Cooking Time: 10-15 Mins.

Skill Level: Easy.

Clean Up: Easy

Servings: 2

This is a great mushroom and red wine sauce which is ideal for serving with steak and a loaded baked potato.

Unless you are drinking an extremely expensive Cabernet Sauvignon, use the same wine for the sauce as you intend to serve with the meal.

NEVER use cheap or old wine to cook with – it will spoil the flavor.

Ingredients

Mushrooms (12 oz)
Unsalted Butter (4 tbsps)
Red Wine (1 cup)
Cinnamon (1 stick)
All Purpose flour (approx. 1 tbsp)

Wine Pairing

Cabaret Sauvignon

Preparation

Cook the steaks and baked potato. I usually start with the baked potatoes in the microwave (10 or 11 minutes per potatoe) and do the steaks in butter using the same pan that I’m going to use for the mushrooms. When the steaks are done to your taste set them aside to rest and deglaze the pan with a little wine.

Method

Melt the butter in a small skillet over a medium/low heat.

While the butter is melting, slice the mushrooms.

Add the mushrooms to the melted butter and stir to make sure they are all covered.

Simmer on medium/low for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the red wine and increase the heat to medium/high.

Stir occasionally and when the wine starts to bubble reduce the heat to low. Add the cinnamon stick.

Simmer on low for 3-4 minutes to allow the wine to reduce to about 75%.

While stirring, add the all purpose flour a pinch at a time until the sauce begins to thicken.

Remove the cinnamon stick and serve while hot over steak.

What do you think about this Food and Wine forum?

2010-03-05T16:27:55Z

Welcome to the Kitchen and Cellar forum.

A community for people that are interested in good food and drink to share their thoughts, ask questions and offer help and guidance to others.

Everyone is welcome, from home cooks (no matter how bad) through to professional chefs and from people who can’t tell a Riesling from a Merlot to dedicated oenophiles.

The community itself will decide what can (and cannot) be discussed here but here are some ideas to get us started:

• Submit a recipe and have your peers vote for it.

• Ask a chef how to make a certain dish better.

• Ask a wine lover which type of wine to serve with a certain dish.

• Submit tasting notes on a wine and see if other people agree with you.

• If wine isn’t your thing, what about beer or even tea and coffee?

• If you have moved away from the area you were raised perhaps you are missing a certain local product that a member of the community can get for you.

• Tell the community about your favorite restaurants.

• Before visiting another city (or even country) ask where the best places to eat are.

So, let’s serve up a feast of gastronomic information…

bon appétit

What is Macerated?

2010-03-16T17:02:49Z

What does it mean on a menu when it says seasonal fresh berries, macerated, then topped with whipped cream?

The Best Apple Pie Ever!

2010-03-31T17:37:22Z

Ingredients

  1    double pastry crust; 9- or 
       -10-inch, prepa
  6 md Granny Smith apple; peeled 
       -and sliced (6
       SAUCE:
  2 tb cornstarch
  2 ts cinnamon
1/2 ts salt
  6 tb sugar
  6 tb butter; melted
2/3 c  light corn syrup
  1 ts vanilla
  1 tb lemon juice
       TOPPING:
3/4 c  brown sugar
  3 tb flour
  6 tb light corn syrup
  4 tb softened butter
1/4 c  walnut halves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425§.

Place bottom crust in large deep-dish pie pan. Fill bottom crust with sliced apples. Combine ingredients in sauce mixture and pour evenly over apples. Combine ingredients for topping mixture. Put about 1/2 cup of the topping mixture on top of the apples and sauce mixture. Cover with top crust. Make several slits for steam.

Bake for 45 minutes or until apples are tender and juices are bubbling. Remove from oven. Spread the rest of the topping mixture over the warm pie, being careful not to break the crust. Return to oven for 10 minutes or until topping is bubbly. Make sure you don't overcook, or the nuts could burn. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting.

Alabama Oysters Rock

2010-03-08T18:56:25Z

Preparation Time: 20 – 30 Mins.

Active Cooking Time: 15 Mins.

Inactive Cooking Time: 10 – 15 Mins.

Skill Level: Easy. (Depending on your shucking skills)

Clean Up: Easy.

Servings: 1 Dozen Oysters as a main dish or 2 Dozen Oysters as an appetizer.

Click for Printable Recipe

This is a relatively quick and easy topping for baked oysters which is based on the classic Oysters Rockefeller. If you a proficient shucker the entire process should only take 30 – 40 minutes but it is a fully hands on process so if you are having friends over for dinner I would suggest getting all the preparation done in advance.

The recipe yields enough topping for 2 dozen appetizer oysters if it is used sparingly or it can be heaped a bit more generously on a single dozen to make a more filling entrée. If you are cooking alone this recipe doesn’t allow much inactive time to enjoy with your dinner companions but if you can get a volunteer to shuck the oysters while you prepare the sauce then this is an ideal recipe for working side by side with someone while enjoying a glass of your favorite beverage.

We found that the 2008 Sauvignon Republic (Sauvignon Blanc) from the Marlborough region of New Zealand was an excellent pairing but an un- or lightly- oaked Chardonnay (such as Toad Hollow) would also be good. If you are a fan of having hot sauce on your oysters a dry Riesling would be a safe bet; look to the wineries of Oregon for American offerings or any German example with Trocken on the label.

Ingredients

Oysters (12 or 24)
Unsalted Butter (4 tbsps)
Garlic (2 cloves minced)
Shallots (2 finely chopped)
Spinach (8 oz)
Tarragon (2 fresh sprigs or approx 1 tsp dried)
Heavy Cream (3/4 Cup)
Grated Parmesan (1/3 Cup)
Saltine Crackers (1 per oyster + 10 for crumbs)
Olive Oil (2 tbsp)

Optional

Lemon
Pepper Sauce

Wine Pairing

Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand – Marlborough)

Preparation

Pre heat oven to 425°F (218°C or Gas Mark 7)

Peel garlic cloves and either finely chop or use a garlic press to mince them.

Peel shallots and finely chop.

Wash spinach and roughly chop.

De-stem tarragon and roughly chop.

Crumble 10 saltines and add them to a small mixing bowl.

Grate Parmesan.

Line a baking tray (big enough for all the oysters) with aluminum foil.

Shuck oysters and lay them on the half shell on the baking trays.
(Tip: Spread the tray with rock salt to steady the oysters)

Method

Melt the butter in a medium size skillet over a medium/high heat.

Sauté the garlic in the butter until lightly brown (about 2 mins).

Add half the garlic butter to the crumbled saltines in the mixing bowl – mix & set aside.

Lower heat to medium and add the shallots and spinach to the remaining garlic butter; cook (stirring occasionally) until the spinach starts to wilt (about 3 mins).

Add the shallot and spinach to the mixing bowl; add the olive oil and stir – set aside to cool.

Deglaze the skillet (using some of the wine).

Add the heavy cream to the skillet and heat on medium until bubbling.

Pour the contents of the mixing bowl into the skillet, add the tarragon and stir until everything has a coating of cream.

Lower the heat slightly and simmer for about 2 minutes to reduce the cream then add the parmesan.

Stir the cheese into the mixture and simmer until it has melted (about 2-3 mins).

Spoon about 1 tsp of the mixture on to each oyster; if using fewer oysters add another tsp (or more) to each.

Bake the oysters in the middle of the oven until golden (about 10 mins).

Caution: The shells will be hot!

Serve with saltine crackers, lemon wedges and pepper sauce.

How can I get oysters to open?

2010-03-09T12:47:49Z

I'd read a lot of articles and watched YouTube videos on shucking oysters but I still have a problem.

I bought 24 oysters that were "pre-opened" and had been held closed with tape but when I cut the tape they still needed a lot of work to open them. I think because the oysters were still alive they had re-sealed their shells.

Out of the 24 I was only able to get 11 or 12 open.

Are there any tips and tricks for getting a higher percentage of oysters to come out of their shell?

What advice would you give to a first time griller?

2010-03-14T21:53:31Z

I just bought a new grill and want to start cooking out. Are there any grill experts who can give me some advice?

Alaskan Hot-cod

2010-03-09T17:58:02Z

Preparation Time: 10 - 15 Mins.

Active Cooking Time: 0 Mins.

Inactive Cooking Time: 20 Mins.

Skill Level: Easy.

Clean Up: Very Easy.

Servings: 2

This is a very quick and easy spicy fish dish that has the added bonus that there is virtually no clean up afterwards – everything is done on parchment paper so just a quick wipe of the baking sheet and wash your plates & silverware and you are done.

We used Alaskan Cod but any meaty, large flake white fish would do; if you use a delicate flakey fish this would tend to break up during the baking and not look as attractive when served.

Depending on which seasoning is used this can be quite a fiery dish and the Alaskan cod is a meaty fish so it can stand up to a red wine. The dish also has asparagus which can prove difficult to pair with wine so we served it with a 2008 Robert Mondavi Zinfandel which helped soothe the tongue between spicy mouthfuls.

If you are an “only white wine goes with fish” type person (nothing wrong with that!) I would recommend a Sauvignon Blanc from a cool climate such as Russian River Valley which would make a good match for the asparagus and have enough acidity to cleanse the palate and leave you wanting more of the fish.

It would also be interesting to pair this dish with a German Riesling that is halbtrocken (literally “half dry” or semi-sweet). If anyone tries this combination please leave us feedback below.

Ingredients

Alaskan Cod (2 – 6 oz fillets)
Unsalted Butter (2 tbsps cut into 2 pieces + 1 tsp)
Asparagus (1 lb)
Orange Juice (2 tbsps)
Seasoning - We used Zatarain’s Big & Zesty Creole Seasoning but you can substitute this for any fish friendly seasoning, herbs or even just salt and pepper for a milder taste.
Wild Rice (1/2 cup)
Parchment Paper (2 – 15x15 inch squares)
Water (1/4 cup)

Optional

Cornbread

Wine Pairing

Zinfandel (USA – Robert Mondavi)

Method

Pre heat oven to 400°F (200°C or Gas Mark 6)

Add rice, water and 1tsp of butter to a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Fold parchment paper in half and create a crease. Open back out and place on a work surface.

Rub butter over one half but don’t use all the butter as you will need it later.

Place the fish on the centre of the buttered half and coat both sides with seasoning.

Put the unused butter on top of the fish.

Break off the asparagus tips and arrange them around the fish.

Pour 1 tbsp of orange juice over each fish.

Fold the parchment over the fish. Fold and crimp the edges to make a sealed parcel.

Place parcels on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes.

If the rice is ready before the fish, remove the rice from the heat and leave to one side, covered, to maintain moisture and heat. Lightly fluff with a fork if it becomes too sticky.

Arrange the rice on a plate and slide the fish and asparagus from the parchment on top of the rice. Pour any remaining juices over the asparagus.

Caution: When opening the parchment there may be hot steam released; use oven gloves.

Top Questions - KitchenAndCellar

Restaurants in Paris

How/Where to post a recipe?

Fun Guy Steak Sauce

What do you think about this Food and Wine forum?

What is Macerated?

The Best Apple Pie Ever!

Alabama Oysters Rock

How can I get oysters to open?

What advice would you give to a first time griller?

Alaskan Hot-cod