Espresso to Go

Ingredients:

-         ¾ cup heavy cream

-         3 tablespoons instant espresso powder

-         ¼ cup granulated sugar

-         4 tablespoons unsalted butter

-         12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into ¼ inch pieces

-         4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into ¼ inch pieces

-         30 individual chocolate-covered espresso beans

**will need 30 1-ounce foil candy cups

Preparation:

-         Heat heavy cream, instant espresso powder, sugar and butter in 1 ½ quart saucepan over medium heat

-         When hot stir to dissolve the sugar – bring to boil

-         Place semisweet and unsweetened chocolate in a 4 quart bowl

-         Pour boiling cream mixture over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes

-         Stir until smooth (your ganache is now ready)

-         Place foil cups on a baking sheet or in a muffin tin to hold cups

-         Spoon 2 level tablespoons of ganache in foil cup

-         Top each with chocolate covered espresso beans

-         Refrigerate until firm – about one hour

-         Serve immediately or place in tightly sealed plastic container in fridge

Recipe from “Death by Chocolate Cookies” by Marcel DeSaulniers

Chocolate-Stout Cake with Guinness Whipped Cream

For the cake:
Butter, for greasing pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil

For the whipped cream:
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Guinness

1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a bundt pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
2. Pour the beer and molasses into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the baking soda. The mixture will rise and foam.
3. In another large bowl, whisk the eggs and two sugars until combined, then the oil. Whisk in a little of the beer mixture to temper the eggs, then whisk in the remaining.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the liquid ingredients into the well, whisking slowly until just incorporated. Be careful not to over mix or the cake will be tough. Pour the batter in the pan and bake until the cake pulls away from the side of the pan, the top starts to crack and a cake tester comes out mostly clean when inserted in the middle, about 30 minutes. Cool cake on a wire rack, covered with a dry kitchen towel to keep it moist. After 30 minutes of cooling, invert onto a cake platter.
5. Make the whipped cream: Using a whisk, whip the cream until slightly thick. Add the sugar and Guinness and whip until peaks form. Serve each slice of cake with scoops of whipped cream. Cake adapted from “Sunday Suppers at Lucques” by Suzanne Goin.

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CHILLED SPICY WATERMELON-GINGER SOUP

Kerr Village Market – September 25

Ingredients:

8 cups seedless watermelon

¼ cup chopped shallots

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

¼ cup vodka

2 finely chopped garlic cloves

¼ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Directions:

Saute all above ingredients except watermelon in 2 tablespoons olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat until golden

1. Puree 8 cups seeded cubed watermelon in 2 batches in processor
2. Mix watermelon puree into the shallot-ginger mixture in sauce pan
3. Bring soup to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper
4. Chill until cold, then mix in 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil and 2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
5. Serve in cubed watermelon pieces (make a hole in the middle with a melon baller)

GALINA’S VODKA TIRAMISU (From Cooking with Vodka)

Kerr Village Market – September 25

Ingredients:

8 eggs, with yolks and whites separated

I/3 cup sugar

I pound mascarpone

I cup heavy cream

2 cups espresso coffee, cooled

1 cup vodka

1 cup Espresso Vodka (pg 145 The Vodka Cookbook) or Kahlua

30 ladyfingers

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated

¼ cup cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Blend the sugar into the egg yolks until fully incorporated
2. Slowly add the mascarpone to the egg yolk mixture, and mix until smooth. Set aside
3. In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside
4. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form
5. Gently fold the whipped cream and beaten egg whites into the egg mixture. Don’t over mix. It is important to leave a lot of air in the mixture
6. Spread about 1/3 of the egg/whipped cream mixture along the bottom of a 4-6 quart glass baking dish
7. Mix espresso with vodka and espresso vodka (or Kahlua) in a large mixing bowl
8. One at a time, completely soak each ladyfinger in the vodka mixture and gently place in baking dish over layer of egg/whipped cream mixture. Continue in this manner, laying soaked ladyfingers side by side to cover the bottom
9. Top with grated chocolate
10. Place another 1/3 of egg/whipped cream mixture on top of soaked ladyfingers and repeat step 8
11. Top with remaining grated chocolate followed by remaining egg/whipped cream and dust with cocoa powder
12. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or until set and serve

Alternately, you can layer the ladyfingers with the egg/whipped cream mixture and grated chocolate in individual serving dishes and chill.

The only tricky part of this recipe is when soaking the ladyfingers in the vodka mixture. Support the ladyfinger fully with your fingers so that it absorbs as much liquid as possible but does not disintegrate before you can lay it in the baking dish.

CORN CHOWDER

Kerr Village Market – September 25

Ingredients:

3 cups of fresh sweet corn kernels – 7 to 10 ears depending on size
(Jersey corn is my preference but then again I’m partial)

1 large red or yellow onion

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup Vodka

6 new potatoes, cup up into small cubes

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 cup heavy cream

Salt, to taste

Directions:

Start by removing the corn kernels from half the corn cobs. The other half will be grated to produce a pulp that has tons of flavor and helps produce a smooth texture. The fastest way to remove the kernels from husked, uncooked corn is by either standing the corn on its end and slicing down or laying the corn cob on its side and slicing across.

Another way to remove the corn is to first blanch it by boiling the ears for a couple of minutes and then cut off the kernels. This helps keep the kernels from flying all over the place when you remove them. It’s also a great way for removing corn for other dishes like salsa or succotash.

Either way you decide to remove them, you will end up with strips of corn that can be separated with your knife.

With the remaining ears of corn, use the large holes of a box grater to take off the majority of the corn. Do this over a bowl so you don’t loose any of the pulp and juices. If there is any remaining corn on the cob, scrap it off with the back of your knife.

As long as you are grating the corn, why not grate the onion? This will also help give the chowder a smoother, creamier texture. If you don’t want take the time, just chop it finely.

Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy bottomed soup pot and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the chicken stock and then the potatoes. Bring this to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Now add milk, the grated corn pulp and juice only, and thyme and pepper. Let this simmer for about 8 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Add the whole corn kernels that you removed from the corn cobs and the heavy cream. Let this simmer for 5 or 6 minutes until the corn kernels are cooked. Be careful not to overcook them.

Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

CUCUMBER KIMCHEE

Sniff Swirl and Slurp (Food and Vodka pairing at Coast Restaurant) – September 25

Ingredients:

6 medium cucumbers, halved lengthwise, and seeded

Kosher salt

6 cups rice wine vinegar

2 cups sugar

10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh ginger matchsticks (see Ming’s Tip, left)

3 medium red onions, halved and cut into 18-inch slices

1 cup shredded carrots

4 tablespoons Korean chile flakes (kucho karu), or 2 tablespoons red pepperflakes

1/2 cup Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

Directions:

1. Place the cucumbers in a colander set in the sink. Sprinkle the cut side of the cucumbers generously with the salt. Allow to rest at room temperature until the cucumbers have exuded liquid, about 2 hours. Rinse the cucumbers, dry them well, and slice them into 1/4-inch-thick half moons. Set aside
2. In a large, nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and onions, bring to a simmer, and remove immediately from the heat
3. In a large, nonreactive bowl, combine the cucumbers and carrots. Pour the vinegar mixture over them, add the chile flakes and fish sauce, and toss well
4. Correct the seasoning with salt. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and cover with plastic wrap. With a paring knife, punch a few holes in the plastic wrap and place the bowl in a cool, dark place. Let the mixture pickle for 24 hours. Transfer the kimchee to a tall glass jar or jars and seal tightly. Use or refrigerate

BLACK COD WITH MISO (MISO-MARINATED BLACK COD)

Adapted from Nobu: The Cookbook

Sniff Swirl and Slurp (Food and Vodka pairing at Coast Restaurant) – September 25

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Vodka

1/4 cup mirin

4 tablespoons white miso paste

3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Mix the marinate ingredients thoroughly in a plastic container (with lid) and set aside. Save some for plating purposes
2. Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and put them into the plastic container with the marinate. Cover the lid and leave to steep in the refrigerator overnight or for 24 hours
3. Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
4. Preheat an indoor grill at the same time
5. Lightly wipe off (with fingers) any excess miso marinate clinging to the fish fillets but don’t rinse it off. Place the fish on the grill and lightly grill on both sides until the surface turns brown
6. Transfer the fish fillets to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes
7. Add a few extra drops of the marinate on the plate and serve hot

BEER STICKS

Kerr Village – August 21

Makes 3 to 4 dozen sticks or pretzels, 12 rolls or 1 loaf of Hungarian Beer Bread
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast (not rapid-rise)

4 cups all-purpose flour or white whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup Cameron’s Cream Ale beer, at room temperature

Coarse garlic salt

Directions:

1. Note: Using instant yeast means you don’t have to dissolve the yeast in water before adding it to the remaining ingredients. There is no salt in the dough because of the garlic salt coating.
2. In a large bowl, combine yeast and flour. Add the remaining ingredients, except the garlic salt, and mix until well incorporated. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on 2 baking sheets and sprinkle with garlic salt. Punch down dough and, using a cookie scoop, portion out balls on a silicone mat (or a VERY lightly floured surface). Using your hands, roll balls into 8-inch-long by 3/4-inch-wide sticks.
4. Place on prepared baking pans. Brush sticks with water and sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden in color.
5. To make pretzels, take the dough stick ends and loop them in toward the center, crisscrossing the ends.

CAMERON’S AUBURN ALE – PORK BELLY

Kerr Village – August 21

Ingredients:

2 pounds raw pork belly score skin side only (crosshatch)

1 Bottle Cameron’s Auburn Ale

Mix all together:

¼ cup ground cinnamon

1/8 cup ground cardamom

¼ cup ground cloves

¼ cup ground all spice

Directions:

Rub spices into pork belly – be sure it is covered all over.
Brown sugar and salt ratio 2:1 – roll rubbed pork belly in this mixture and place in fridge for 2 days

Prepare:

Wash off all brown sugar and salt and slow braise in water until tender ~2.5 hours. Cool overnight in fridge.
Mix – Sugar 2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons water – place in pot and caramelize until amber colour. Add Beer and simmer for 5 minutes. Add pork belly (cut into one inch squares).
Slowly heat up in the beer caramel sauce and reduce until the caramel glazes the pork.

CHOCOLATE PORTER CUP-CAKES

Kerr Village – August 21

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons salted butter

2-1/2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated, at room temperature

1-1/3 cups sugar

3 ounces unsweetened Baker’s chocolate, melted

1 cup Cameron’s Dark beer, flat

Chocolate Chip and Porter Cup-Cake Frosting:

1 pound semisweet real chocolate chips

2 Tablespoons salted butter

5 Tablespoons milk

½ bottle Cameron’s Dark Beer

Directions:

To make the cup-cakes:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease two 24 mini cup cake pans and line with cup cake paper or grease two 9-inch cake pans with the 2 tablespoons butter and dust with 1/4 cup of flour. Shake out and discard any excess flour, and set the pans aside.

Mix together the remaining 2-1/4 cups flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of the sugar until stiff peaks begin to form. With an electric mixer, cream together the remaining sugar with the 3/4 cup butter until light in texture. One at a time, beat in the egg yolks. Stir in the melted chocolate, the beer, and then gradually beat in the flour mixture. With a rubber spatula, fold in the egg whites. Scrape half the batter into each of the cake pans, and bake in the middle of the oven 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pans from the oven and let the cakes cool while you prepare the frosting.

To make the frosting:

Soften the chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler. (The chips should be soft, but still hold their shape.) Remove from the heat. Using an electric beater, beat the chocolate and butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the Beer and milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is soft and shiny. Remove the cakes from the pans. Frost the layers.

LIAISON COLLEGE BOURBON MARINATED SALMON

Kerr Village – July 24

Ingredients:

3 pound salmon

1 cup olive oil

1 cup bourbon

1 cup soya sauce

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup grated ginger

2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon chilli powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup sesame oil

Directions:

Rinse salmon in water and pat dry, rub the salmon with olive oil inside and outside. Wrap in saran wrap or plastic bag and put in fridge for 1 hour.
To make the marinade combine the bourbon, soya, brown sugar, ginger, pepper, garlic, chilli powder, and salt in a bowl then slowly add the sesame oil. Take the salmon and pour marinate over the fish and put back in the fridge for 2 hours.
When your BBQ is ready and hot put the salmon on and cook covered for about 5-7 minutes per side.

LIAISON COLLEGE RIB SAUCE RECIPE

Kerr Village – July 24

Ingredients:

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

12 ounces Budweiser

32 ounces prepared mustard

2 tablespoons hot sauce your choice

Directions:

In a bowl mix the sugar, salt pepper, beer and stir until dissolved.
Blend in the mustard and hot sauce.

LIAISON COLLEGE RIB RUB

Kerr Village – July 24

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Paprika

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon brown sugar let dry out for a few yours before mixing into other ingredients

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground celery seeds

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoons cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoons dried marjoram

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and mix well, store in air tight container for up to 1 year.

LIAISON COLLEGE BOURBON APRICOT BARBEQUE SAUCE

Kerr Village – July 24

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh apricots peeled pitted and cut into chunks, or canned drained and cut into chunks

¼ cup minced onion

¼ cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Bourbon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 large cloves of Garlic

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

2 cups water or fruit juice

2 cups tomato paste

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground allspice

Directions:

Place the apricots, onions, vinegar, bourbon, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce
In a blender and puree until smooth, transfer to a pot and add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Simmer for 30 minutes and stir occasionally.

LIAISON COLLEGE STICKY SPARERIBS

Kerr Village – July 24

Ingredients:

½ cup soya sauce

1 ¼ shoaxing wine

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon garlic

2 tablespoons Honey

3 tablespoons Guilin chilli sauce

2 tablespoons tamarind

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon hoi sin sauce

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

2 pounds spare ribs

1 inch of ginger

4 cups water

Directions:

In a pot put the ribs and the ginger and the water, simmer 30 minutes and then drain.
In a pot pan put some oil and brown the ribs, then add all the ingredients and stir to mix well.
Simmer the ribs in the sauce for 30 minutes.

SIX GREAT FISH FOR GRILLING

Kerr Village – July 24

1. Farmed raised Catfish – A great fish for beginners, it holds together well when turning and on the grill
2. You can substitute with-Tilapia, Orange Roughy, or Perch
3. Grouper – great with citrus marinades, substitutions would be, Snapper, Mahi-mahi or Ling Cod
4. Salmon – It is hard to go wrong with Salmon, or you can use, Char, Halibut, Tuna
5. Trout – great on the grill. Substitutions are, Char, Walleye Whitefish
6. Tuna – Tuna is served rare and great grilled. Substitutions are Salmon, Shark, Swordfish
7. Whitefish – hickory is good for smoking on this fish or you can use Northern Pike, Trout, Walleye

PACIFIC RIM EGGLPANT

Kerr Village – July 17

Ingredients:

Eggplant 1 piece

Vegtable oil for frying Eggplant 3 cups

Garlic chopped 1 tablespoon

Ginger chopped ½ Tablespoon

Oyster sauce ½ cup

Fish Sauce 1 teaspoon

Hoi sin Sauce ¼ cup

Chilli Sauce 1 teaspoon

Chopped Coriander 1 handful

Salt and Pepper to taste

Water ½ teaspoon

Sugar ¼ cup

Directions:

Cut eggplant into 1 inch by 1 inch cubes, in a pot put the oil and heat up to medium high heat. When hot fry the eggplant golden brown and remove to a toweled plate to drain.
In another pot put the sugar and water and caramelize until amber colour. Then add in the hoi sin, oyster, chilli, fish sauces and stir carefully for the caramel will splatter. Add in the garlic and ginger and stir well, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Then you can add in the eggplant and check seasoning and stir. Final step is to add the chopped coriander.

BASIL AND RASPBERRY MERINGUES

Kerr Village – July 17

Ingredients:

groundnut oil, for greasing

4 egg whites

110g granulated sugar

110g caster sugar, plus a little more for the

a pinch of salt

grated zest of 1 lemon

500g raspberries

good handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 110C/gas mark ¼.
Rub a trace of oil over a sheet of greaseproof paper and use to line a baking tray. Alternatively, use oiled baking parchment or a silicone sheet.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff and really dry – longer than you would for any other recipe that includes whipped egg whites. Continue whisking while you add the granulated sugar, one tablespoonful at a time, until the whites regain their former stiffness.
Using a metal spoon, lightly fold in the caster sugar, salt, lemon zest, a small handful of raspberries and basil leaves, being careful not to knock out the air.
Put tablespoonfuls of the mixture on to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven for about two hours, until crisp but slightly gooey in the middle. Turn off the oven and, with the door open, leave the meringues in it until cold.
When ready to serve add a teaspoon of caster sugar, or for taste. Use to sandwich the meringues together. Serve with the remaining raspberries.