Bistro by the Tracks in Knoxville

I had this wonderful dessert wine yesterday when I dined at Bistro by the Tracks.  It is a chocolate infused Zinfandel from Rosenblum Cellars .  I will definitely be bringing a few bottles of this back with me.

 "It's dark ruby and purple, and the aroma is like creamy cherry chocolate pie. The taste is crazy. It's a candy bar in a bottle with a little alcohol. Pour it over some ice cream and have some fun. 90,000 points!" - Mark Tarbell, Arizona Republic, Feb. 14, 2007

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me so I have no pictures of my meal but you can follow this link for a preview of the restaurant and the menu, Bistro by the Tracks .  This is the best meal I have had since I left Canada and the restaurant is in a brand new location, in a brand new building.  But it has been a favourite neighbourhood restaurant for years.  It came highly recommended on Chowhound .

I had two small plates - firstly, a wedge of iceberg lettuce with bleu cheese dressing and secondly, a deboned quail with raspberry glaze on French lentils.  They were both wonderful and beautifully presented.  For dessert, I had the cheese plate.  It featured three generous pieces of imported cheese, marcona almonds , quince paste, green apple slices and crostini.  Desiree Chocolate Dessert Wine was perfect.

Did you know that there is a website for Albertans to check availability of liquors and wines?  The Liquor, Wines and Spirits directory will tell you if a particular alcohol is available in Alberta and, if so, where you can find it.  Handy!

Panettone - Italian Christmas Bread

I have loved panettone even before I had it for breakfast on the Amalfi Coast.  It arrives in the Italian markets in December and if it doesn't sell out, it will still be there in January.  Panettone is a yeast bread with raisins and citron and lemon peel.  Pandoro is a simple 'golden' batter without fruit.


It is lovely just sliced and slathered with butter.  But it is also nice toasted or made into a bread pudding.  I have always heard that it cannot be made properly outside Italy.  And that may be so.  I have never eaten a panettone that was made anywhere but Italy.

When I found these panettone forms in the cooking store, it challenged me to give it a try.  I have used raisins, dried cranberries and some candied ginger in the place of citron.

American Style Panettone

Biga

1 1/2 c all purpose flour

1/2 c cool water

1/16 t instant yeast

Dough
3 large eggs
1/2 c unsalted butter, cut into about 10 chunks
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/3 c sugar
5 t instant yeast
1 1/2 t salt
2 t vanilla
1/4 to 1/2 t Fiori di Sicilia , to taste
1 1/2 c dried fruit, chopped if large

1.      Make the biga by combining the flour, water and yeast, kneading briefly to make a stiff dough; if you are using a bread machine, allow the dough to knead for 5 minutes then cancel the machine.

2.     Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and allow it to rise overnight, about 12 hours.  It will become bubbly. 

3.     To make the dough, in the bowl of an electric mixer (or in the pan of your bread machine), combine all of the ingredients except the dried fruit.  This dough is very difficult to make by hand so it is suggested to use a machine.  If you are making this by hand, then mix the dry ingredients and cut in the butter or work in with your fingers, until it reaches a fine meal consistendy.  Lighty beat the eggs with the liquid flavourings and add to dry ingredients.  Add biga.

4.    If kneading by hand, it will take 30 - 50 minutes.  Do not add more flour even if it appears to be too sticky.  As you continue to knead it will come together.  I find it best to knead it in a bowl rather than on the counter top.  If using a bread machine, put it on the dough cycle.  If using a stand mixer with paddle, then stop occasionally to scrape down the sides.  The dough will be quite sticky.

5.     Let rest for an hour.

6.     Add dried fruits and knead until just incorporated.  Too much kneading will release the sugars from the fruits and this will interfere with the yeast and rising.

7.     Form into a ball and place in a panettone form.  Set aside in a warm place for 2 hours to rise.  It may not double but that is all right.

8.     Bake in a 350F oven for about 45 minutes.  Test with a wooden skewer inserted in the middle.  If it comes out clean, the cake is done.  You may have to cover the cake with tin foil to prevent over browning.  You can also check doneness with an instant read thermometer.  The internal temperature of the bread should be 190-205F.

9.     Cool before cutting.  Dust with icing sugar before serving, if desired.

Cuban Style Skirt Steak with Moros y Cristianos

While I was in Orlando, I had a most fabulous meal at Padrino's.  It was a simple skirt steak with rice and beans but the Cubans have such a way with seasonings.  And the atmosphere was so much fun, too.  This is my take on a Cuban skirt steak.  Garnish with lime slices, cilantro and deep fried sweet plantain.

Skirt steak is rarely sold in Canada but it is much the same as a flank steak.  This is a less tender cut of beef but very flavourful.  Slow moist heat tenderizes it beautifully.  It is usually marinated, also.

The recipe for Moros & Cristianos is included although I served the rice and beans separately.  I don't like gray looking rice.  Moros & Cristianos is an old reference to the Moors and Spanairds, blacks and whites.  A sofrito is used with the black beans.  This can be made in a larger quantity and stored in the refrigerator to use over a couple of weeks.  Or I have also seen it in a jar in the grocery store here in the south.

Cuban Style Skirt Steak                Serves 4

2 c water

4 peeled garlic cloves

1 cinnamon stick, broken or 1/2 t ground cinnamon

1 t mustard seeds

1 bay leaf

2 pieces of whole cloves or ¼ t ground cloves

¼ t ground ginger

1 t ground cumin

1 t salt

1 t ground black pepper

1 c roughly chopped cilantro

1 T chopped fresh oregano or 1 t dried oregano

2 T red wine vinegar

4 - 6 to 8 oz skirt steaks

1/3 c vegetable oil

mojo sauce 

sliced limes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 13 ingredients in blender. Purée until marinade is almost smooth. Arrange skirt steaks in baking dish. Pour marinade over.  Cover dish tightly with foil.  Roast in oven 1 hour.  Remove dish from oven; uncover and let steaks cool in marinade 2 hours.  Cover and refrigerate in marinade overnight.

Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle steaks on both sides with salt and pepper.  Pour oil into heavy large skillet; heat over high heat until oil is very hot.  Add steaks to skillet and cook until crisp outside, about 3 minutes per side.  Drain briefly on paper towels.  Arrange steaks on platter; spoon Red Onion Mojo over.  Garnish with lime slices and serve.

Red Onion Mojo

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 very large red onions, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise 
(about 5 cups)

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

2 cups (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves (from 1 large bunch)

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until tender and translucent but not brown, about 10 minutes. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.)

Add lime juice to onions and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove onions from heat. Stir in cilantro leaves.

Moros y Cristianos  (white rice with Cuban black beans) recipe courtesy of Andy Natal from Torrance, California In Cuba, the name of this dish refers to the mix of African and Spanish cultures. Vegetarians can make an entrée of this soul-satisfying side. 1 can of black beans 2-3 cups of already cooked white rice 1/3 cup of sofrito casero (Blend onion, bell pepper, garlic and cilantro til puree) Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon of oregano and a drizzle of apple cider vinegar 1 garlic clove finely chopped 1 cup of beer or broth 1/2 can tomato sauce In a pot, add olive oil and sautee garlic and sofrito for a minute. Add salt, pepper, cumin and oregano to sofrito and mix. Add beans and mix well. Add tomato sauce and beer or broth and mix. After 5 minutes, add apple cider vinegar and stir.  Add 2-3 cups of already cooked white rice (at room temperature) and mix well.  Cook until all is absorbed (about 10-15 minutes). Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

I Made it onto Tastespotting! Yahoo!

TasteSpotting is another fabulous foodie site.  My recipe for lavash made the cut!  Also one of my pics of the chocolates we made was chosen.  Check out items #61426,  #61810 and #62559 on their website.  Click on link.

Holiday Bundt Cake

This week's Tuesday's With Dorie recipe is a Bundt cake.  The recipe was chosen by Britin of The Nitty Britty.   I have never ever made a Bundt cake!



The pan cost me $32.  That was the costliest part of this project.  I purchased a traditional pan so I would be able to use it all year round.  As opposed to those fancy shapes that would be limiting.




The recipe All-In-One Holiday Bundt Cake is a rather uninspiring name for a very tasty dessert. Nutmeg, ginger, pumpkin, apple, cranberries, pecans are the dominating flavours.   Rather than using canned pumpkin puree, I roasted a pie pumpkin and purreed it.  They are in season, after all.  It will also add more flavour.  This could be served for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

But I don't know if it is me, or my pan or the recipe but I made the cake twice and both times it did not release from the pan.  The first time, I made it with finely chopped pineapple and added dried cranberries.  It was delicious but I couldn't taste the dried cranberries.  The fresh ones were like bursts of beautiful tartness.  With the second cake, I used the finely chopped apple, as in the recipe.  I buttered and floured the pan both times.  So now I have two broken cakes that I cannot serve to guests!  I would say that the recipe is wrong in suggesting to only cool for 10 - 15 minutes before removing from the pan.  I would leave it to completely cool in the pan before removing.

All-In-One Holiday Bundt Cake    adapted from Baking-From My Home to Yours


2 c     all purpose flour
2 t      baking powder
1/2 t   baking soda
2 t      ground cinnamon
1/4 t   freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 1/2 t grated fresh ginger (or 1 t ground ginger)
1 1/4 sticks ( 1/2 c + 2T ) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c     sugar
1/2 c  packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 t      pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 c roasted pumpkin puree
1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped or grated
1 c     cranberries, halved or coarsely chopped
1/2 c  dried cranberries, chopped and hydrated in 1/4 c boiling water for 10 minutes
1 c     pecans, coarsely chopped
confectioners' sugar for dusting


Centre a rack in the oven and preheat to 350F.  Butter and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan. 


Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ground ginger, if using it. 


Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a had mixer and a large bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, and beat for 1 minute after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the pumpkin, chopped apple and grated ginger, if using it.  Don't worry if the mixture looks curdled.  Still on low speed, add dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated.  With a rubber spatula, stir in the cranberries, dried cranberries and pecans.  Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.  Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool to room temperature on the rack.


Just before bringing to the table, dust with confectioners' sugar or drizzle with maple syrup icing.


Maple Icing


To 6 tablespoon of confectioners' sugar add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.  Add more maple syrup, as necessary, to make an icing that runs nicely off the tip of a spoon.  Drizzle the icing over the cake.  Let sit for a few minutes to set before serving.


Serving Suggestions


If wrapped well, this will keep at room temperature for 5 days.  It serves best the second day, after flavours have had a chance to mingle.  By the 5th day, it could be sliced thinly and toasted for breakfast. This can be frozen up to 2 months.  Try it toasted for breakfast smothered in butter and maple syrup or served fresh with whipped cream or ice cream.

Southern Favourites - Meat 'n 3's and Boiled Peanuts

There is a name down here for the kind of eatery that serves simple home cookin'.  They are called 'Meat n Threes'.  You choose the meat and 3 sides.  H&H in Macon, Georgia is the most famous, but it wasn't open when I was there.  So I went to S&S instead.   I didn't have time for the sit-down meal so I had takeout.  It was great but way too much food.  And way too many choices - ham, roast chicken, fried chicken, salisbury steak, whipped potatoes, cheese potatoes, baked squash, string beans, cracklin' cornbread, etc, etc.

Then there were the roadside stands with local stuff like boiled peanuts!  I tried them, but it was a waste of $5 for me!  Too salty, too gummy and too much of the shell flavour.

Peaches, vidalia onions, peach cider and pecans were all in season in Georgia.