Ingredients:
- 1 2 1/2-pound piece beef tenderloin, well trimmed, meat cut into 2x1x1/2 inch strips
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1 pound small button mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 cup canned beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Cognac
- 3/4 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon paprika
Pat meat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat until very hot. Working in batches, add meat in single layer and cook just until brown on outside, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped shallots and sauté until tender, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes. Add button mushrooms. Sprinkle with pepper and sauté until liquid evaporates, about 12 minutes. Add beef broth, then Cognac. Simmer until liquid thickens and just coats mushrooms, about 14 minutes. Stir in crème fraîche and Dijon mustard. Add meat and any accumulated juices from baking sheet. Simmer over medium-low heat until meat is heated through but still medium-rare, about 2 minutes. Stir in chopped dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes:
They sell meat that is "cut for Stroganoff," which makes the recipe slightly easier. I think I could have gotten away with buying less meat, because there seemed to be a lot of beef in proportion to the pasta. I did liked the flavor of the sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
Toss Brussels sprouts with oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until well coated.
Transfer to a large 4-sided sheet pan in 1 layer and roast 10 minutes. Sprinkle caraway seeds over Brussels sprouts and toss, then spread out in 1 layer and roast until Brussels sprouts are crisp-tender and well browned in spots, about 10 minutes more.
Notes:
Because I was pressed for time, I took the ingredients and sautéed the sprouts rather than roasting them. I may have added a little bit of salt for extra flavor. I liked the taste of the caraway seeds.
Cherry-Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Cherry Sauce (Modified)
Ingredients:
For Sauce:
- 4 cups fresh cherries (about 1 1/2 pounds), pitted, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cherry-flavored brandy or brandy
- 1/3 cup cherry preserves
For Ice Cream:
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 cup chilled whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Make sauce:
Combine cherries and sugar in heavy large saucepan; toss to coat. Let stand until juices form, about 2 hours. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid thickens slightly, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in brandy. Transfer 1 cup cherry mixture to small bowl; reserve for use in ice cream. Mix preserves into remaining cherry mixture in saucepan; reserve for sauce. Chill both cherry mixtures separately at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
Make ice cream:
Pour half and half into heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; steep 30 minutes. Whisk sugar and yolks in medium bowl to blend well. Bring half and half to simmer. Gradually whisk hot half and half into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat. Mix in whipping cream and vanilla. Refrigerate until cold, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.
Using ice cream maker, process custard until almost firm, following manufacturer's instructions; add reserved 1 cup cherry mixture. Process until ice cream firms, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer to container; cover and freeze. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep frozen.)
Scoop ice cream into bowls. Top with reserved sauce and serve.
Notes:
I modified this recipe significantly in order to make a cherry ice cream. Instead of making a sauce, I simply used the core "ice cream" ingredients (replacing the vanilla beans with vanilla bean paste), and added 2 cups of cherries (from a jar), 1/4 cup brandy, and 1/8 cup sugar. If I had been using fresh cherries, I might have added more sugar, as the cherries I used were floating in syrup.
I belatedly learned that Cognac (which I purchased for the Stroganoff) was a variety of brandy. Unfortunately, by that time, I had already purchased separate bottles of Cognac and a bottle of brandy, and wasted some money.
I liked how the recipe turned out. It complimented the rest of the meal nicely.
Bonus: Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon superfine or granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
- 1 drop of vanilla extract
- 1 dash of dark rum (optional)
Instructions:
Pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to steam but not boil.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until smooth. Add 1/3 cup of the sugar and whisk until pale and slightly fluffy. Gradually and slowly, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking continuously to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat, stirring frequently, until the custard thinly coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not let boil.
Pour back into the bowl and set aside for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooled to room temperature. For more rapid chilling, fill a sink halfway with cold water and ice and place the bowl of mixture in it for 20 minutes. Never put the hot mixture into the refrigerator.
Put the pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla extract, remaining sugar, and a dash of rum, if using, into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add to the chilled custard and whisk well. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
When the churning is completed, use a spoon or spatula to scrape the ice cream into a freezer-proof container with a lid. Freeze until it reaches the correct scooping texture (at least 2 hours). Dust each portion with a little ground cinnamon before serving.
Notes:
I did not make this ice cream for the dinner party; I actually made it for a movie night but didn't feel like dedicating a separate entry to the recipe.
I added some freshly ground nutmeg to the recipe, and liked how that turned out.
No comments:
Post a Comment