Stilton Stuffed Baked Pears

A wine country feast is the menu this month. Whether you actually live in wine country or just wish you did these recipes can transport you to a happy place. The Okanagan is my favourite wine region and the wine I have chosen to use in this dessert is Black Sage port-style Pipe . You can't actually call a wine 'port' unless it is from the proper region in Portugal. However, Pipe a Portuguese term for a wine measure, hints at the type of wine in this bottle.

This dessert is rich. Your guests will be swooning. It in itself could be the star of the meal and I just might make it for Thanksgiving. Serve with a glass of Black Sage Pipe. Use a well proportioned glass as with any wine. Port can also be decanted before serving.

Sandi at Whistlestop Cafe is on appetizer duty and who doesn't love shrimp. Chardonnay Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus. 

Val at More Than Burnt Toast brings Butternut Squash White Bean Soup
 

Susan is capitalizing on the fall bounty with her Creamy Pumpkin and Sage Polenta

Jerry at A Life, Lived is hosting and has the main course of Roasted Breast of Chicken withPinot Noir Sauce. Jerry will be in California wine country within days. Have a great time, Jerry!

Shelby at Grumpy's Honeybunch is treating us with Honey Crisp Apple Sangria

Stilton Stuffed Baked Pears

• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. butter, softened
• 1/2 c. (2 ounces) crumbled Stilton cheese
• 1/4 c. dried cranberries
• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts, toasted
• 8 peeled Bartlett pears (about 3 3/4 pounds)
• 1/4 c. apple juice 
• 1 tbsp. port

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Combine sugar and butter in a small bowl, and stir until well blended. Add cheese, cranberries, and walnuts. Stir well.
3. Cut off stem end of each pear just above where the fruit begins to widen and reserve top. Remove core from stem end, and scoop out about 2 tablespoons pulp from each pear half to form a cup, using a melon baller or spoon. If necessary, cut about 1/4 inch from base of pears so they will sit flat. Place the pears in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Fill each pear with about 2 tablespoons sugar mixture, and replace top on each.
4. Pour apple juice and port into baking dish. Bake pears at 375 F for 30 minutes or until tender. Plate the pears and pour the juice and port mixture into a pan. Reduce to about half and spoon over pears. Serve warm.

Stove Top Candied Walnuts

For the third time in as many years the electronic panel on my range is fried. This is so annoying. Of course it never happens at a convenient time. No, it has to be Christmas this time.

The short story is that I can no longer use my oven right now. The stove top is unaffected but my oven will not operate until this panel is replaced.

Did I mention that I have the Christmas Market and two dinners to cater? I am adjusting my menus so all can be completed stove top. Who knows, I might find some great new recipes and ideas.

Today I am candying walnuts for a salad. So many of the recipes, both oven and stove top, create an overly sugar crusted nut. I don't find it appealing. Today I tried something new. I left the nuts in the sugar syrup until the syrup was quite browned and then I laid them out on a cooling rack. This created the effect I was after. There wasn't a thick crust of sugar or candy around the nut and it didn't pool into a brittle. The excess candy dripped off and left a lightly sweet nut. They are perfect.

These nuts will be added to a salad of winter greens with plumped cranberries. The dressing will be a vinaigrette with raspberry vinegar and olive oil. If you don't like smoked paprika, use cayenne or your favourite chilis crushed. I can imagine that the chipotle peppers I bought in Osoyoos at a farmers' market would be tasty. These will take a couple of hours to dry.

Candied Walnuts with Smoked Paprika

1 cup walnuts, whole and pieces
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
sea salt

Add all ingredients to small pan over medium heat. Cook so it bubbles lightly until the sugar has carmelized but does not burn. Spoon the walnuts onto a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet. Drizzle the nuts with any sugar syrup left in the pan. Sprinkle the nuts with sea salt or fleur de sel. Cool completely before using in your recipe or enjoying as a snack.

Chai, Moroccan Mint Tea and Small Bites

Cream Tea, High Tea and Afternoon Tea describe formal tea. Cream Tea is served in Devon and Cornwall, England and there is an ongoing feud whether you put the clotted cream or the strawberry jam on the scone first. High Tea means that tea is taken in the dining room and therefore served on high tables.  Tea enjoyed in the garden is called Afternoon Tea and is on low tables.

All these details aside, the common thread is that dainty sandwiches and sweets are served with tea. In this modern era we would be as likely to serve green tea, herbal tea, chai or Moroccan mint tea. Sandwiches are now mini pitas or crostini and dainties might be fruit skewers or mini phyllo tarts.

Medjool Dates stuffed with chevre or feta is drop dead delicious. Garnish with orange zest and it is ready to go. These little pitas are made by quartering the mini pita bread and stuffing with a curried egg salad. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Mixed Nut Phyllo Tarts

This is much less work than making your own pastry and lighter than purchased unbaked pastry shells. Use any mix of unsalted nuts you have on hand. When working with phyllo pastry, I brush some melted butter on the countertop so the first sheet doesn’t move around.

1 c. maple syrup 

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. melted butter, cooled 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. coarsely chopped mixed unsalted nuts 

1 pkg. phyllo dough, thawed

1/2 c. melted butter 

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract, mixing well. Stir in nuts. Set aside.

Lay out 1 sheet of phyllo pastry on your countertop and brush with melted butter. Set another sheet over the first and brush with melted butter. Repeat until you have 5 sheets of phyllo layered. Cut into 3 inch squares.

Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with oil. Press phyllo squares carefully into the pan. Fill with maple nut filling.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to12 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and shells are golden. Cool in the pan for a minute or two then remove and cool on rack. Makes about 48 tarts. 

Chai

3 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked open with the back of a spoon

6 whole cloves

1/4 tsp. fennel seeds

1/2 cinnamon stick

1/4 in. slice of fresh ginger 

5 black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp. loose black tea leaves 

4 c. water

1/2 c. half and half cream 

1 to 2 tbsp. light brown sugar, cane sugar or honey, according to taste 

Place spices and herbs in a medium size saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes.

Add tea leaves and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on medium for 5 minutes. Add cream and sugar. Stir for about a minute, over low heat, until steaming. Strain and pour into a teapot or cups. This can be made ahead and reheated. It will keep several days in the refrigerator. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Moroccan Mint Tea  

1 tbsp. loose Chinese gunpowder green tea 

5 c. boiling water 

3 to 4 tbsp. sugar, or to taste 

1 large bunch fresh mint

Put tea in teapot and pour in 1 c. boiling water, then swirl gently to warm pot and rinse tea. Strain out and discard water, reserving tea leaves in pot.

Add remaining 4 cups boiling water to tea and let steep 2 minutes. Stir in sugar to taste and mint sprigs and steep 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve in small heatproof glasses.

Homemade Ravioli in Walnut Sauce

Mushroom Ravioli in a Walnut Sauce 

 Serves 4

For the Walnut sauce

• 1/4 cup walnut butter
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Pepper
• ½ clove garlic

For the Pasta           from The Joy of Cooking

• 3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 large eggs or 7 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• Water as needed

For the Ravioli filling

• 25 grams dried mixed wild mushrooms, reconstituted and chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup soft goat cheese
• Small bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper

1. Before making the walnut sauce, separate a small quantity of the walnuts for a garnish. Then put the remainder and the other ingredients in a blender, with plenty of oil and when blitzed, keep to one side.
2. Make the filling by frying the mushrooms in the oil and garlic, and then mixing with the goat cheese and parsley. Season to taste and leave to cool.
3. Make the pasta by mixing the flour and salt with the eggs. Add water and oil as needed. Work the dough until it becomes soft and elastic.  Let dough rest for 30 minutes before rolling.
4. Roll sheets of pasta with pasta maker or with a rolling pin.  Use a ravioli press, pasta cutter or a round biscuit cutter to make raviolis.
5. Place a teaspoon of filling on the pasta and press closed with your fingers; eggs or milk will not be needed. Boil in plenty of salted boiling water, and drain when just al dente.
6. To make the walnut sauce, saute the garlic in olive oil.  Add walnut butter to melt.  Add grated parmesan and coarsely ground black pepper.  Coat the ravioli lightly with the sauce.  If the sauce is too thick, loosen it up with a little of the pasta water.  Serve immediately with a few chopped walnuts.

Walnut Butter

1 cup walnuts, toasted

Puree the walnuts in a food processor for about 3 minutes.  No extra oil should be required.  It makes a firm butter.

Chipotle Pecan Tamales

I have been itching to make tamales.  I have the masa, the corn husks, the chipotles and the desire! 

I came across an interesting post for some nut butters that can be purchased.  One flavour combination appealed to me and that was a spicy chipotle pecan butter.  I am attempting to recreate this butter and using it in a Tex Mex style tamale.  I thought that sweet corn would complement the spicy and nutty flavour of the butter filling. 

Tamale Dough

4 cups masa mix
4 cups lukewarm water or stock (I used the soaking liquid from the chipotles and stock)
2 cups of fresh or frozen corn off the cob
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups lard

If using fresh corn on the cob, grill on a barbecue until tender.  With a sharp knife, cut all the kernels off the cob.  If using frozen corn kernels this step is not necessary.  Place the corn in a food processor and pulse two or three times to slightly break up the kernels.  Set aside.

Combine masa mix, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Work in the water or broth using a stand mixer, if possible, or otherwise your fingers to make a soft, moist dough.  Beat this masa mixture until it is light and smooth and resembles a cake batter.  Stir in the corn.  Let sit for 20 minutes.

In another bowl, beat lard or shortening until fluffy.  If you have a stand mixer, this is ideal.  Beat it until very light and fluffy and until it almost triples in volume.  This will ensure a light tamale.

Slowly add the whipped lard to the dough a little at a time and mix in gently until well combined.  Refrigerate until you are ready to use it.  At this point you can test the dough to see if it has been beaten enough.  Drop a small amount, about the size of a raspberry into a glass of cold water.  If it floats, you will have a light and fluffy tamale.

Spicy Chipotle Pecan Butter

1 cup pecans, toasted
2 dried chipotle peppers, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes.
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Puree the pecans until a butter is formed, about 3 minutes.  Chop the chipotles into small pieces and add to butter.  Continue to puree until they are very finely chopped.  Add salt to taste.








To assemble the tamales:

Soak corn husks for 20 minutes and drain well.

Smear each corn husk with two or three tablespoons of the masa mixture.  Drop a teaspoon of the nut butter in the centre.  Roll the corn husk to encase the nut butter in masa and tie.

Repeat this until all of the masa mixture is used.

Steam the tamales for 45 minutes in a large pot.  Use a rack to keep the tamales out of the water so they are just steamed.

Grilled Sirloin Steaks with Blue Cheese Walnut Butter

This is another recipe using a home made nut butter.  I loved the last Daring Cooks challenge and made several different recipes.   I am combining walnut butter with blue cheese to make a luscious topping for a grilled steak.  Such an easy way to ramp up your next barbecue.

For a more polished presentation, this butter can be formed into a log by wrapping it in plastic wrap.  Chill until firm and slice thickly.  Put a pat on each steak.

Grilled Sirloin Steaks with Blue Cheese Walnut Butter           

• 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled  
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, finely crumbled 
• 1/4 cup walnut butter 
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 - 1 1/2-to 1 3/4-pound sirloin steaks (1 inch thick) 

• Combine cheese, butter, parsley, garlic and rosemary in medium bowl. Stir to blend well. Mix in walnut butter.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer blue cheese butter to small bowl. (NOTE: Blue cheese butter can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring butter to room temperature before using.)
• Season steaks as you like.  I like Montreal steak spice but you can simply use salt and pepper.   Cover and let stand 1/2 hour at room temperature.
• Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Grill steaks to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to platter and let stand 5 minutes.
• Cut each steak into 3 equal portions. Top each portion with a spoonful of blue cheese butter and serve.
• Serves 6.

Marcona Almonds...Yum!

I have been craving some nice marcona almonds.  I had a few on a cheese plate in a nice restaurant in Knoxville and instantly became addicted.  Marcona almonds come from Spain and are so sweet and delicious.  They are simply prepared by roasting or frying in a little olive oil and finished with a sprinkle of sea salt.  This is a perfect cocktail hour snack.

Of course, I cannot buy them locally.  I have not actually seen them available anywhere but  I found a wonderful online nut store called Nuts Online.  They have an amazing selection and ship to Canada.  No problem clearing customs and they arrived in less than a week.

I didn't just order marconas!  I might as well get more for the postage that I am paying.  I bought some almond flour - 5 pounds of almond flour!  I can see macarons and other interesting cakes and cookies in my future.  I also purchased some unsalted raw pistachios, unsalted raw cashews and some beautiful Spanish pinenuts.