Lori Lynn, Author at Taste With The Eyes

Spaetzle!

For our “Wolfgang Puck” themed dinner party I made his goulash with spaetzle.

The “scoop” of spaetzle on top of the tender and delicious goulash is my artistic interpretation:)

Eggs are always so photogenic. Eggs are mixed with milk.

Flour is mixed with salt and pepper. Freshly grated nutmeg is added.

Wet and dry ingredients are combined. The dough is refrigerated for at least an hour.

This nifty gadget, a sliding spaetzle maker, is really handy and makes this a fun recipe. The dough is ladled into the feeder then slid back and forth over the holes. (It gets a little messy). This was a good investment of only $12.99, as I will surely make spaetzle again, especially for my nephews.

The dough drips into the boiling water.

After boiling for about 4 or 5 minutes the spaetzle is shocked in ice water. Then drained and coated very lightly with peanut oil.

Butter is melted in a pan, then the cold spaetzle is heated in the butter and finished with chopped parsley, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.

A big thank you to my blogger friend, Merisi in Vienna, Austria for her recipe guidance and authentic input. Please visit her beautiful blog “Merisi’s Vienna For Beginners – Virtual Postcards from Vienna”

The goulash recipe is next!

2019 UPDATE: COMPLETE RECIPE NOW POSTED HERE! Come read about my hearty Chicken Spätzle Soup too!

Scallops, Cauliflower Cream, Balsamic Reduction

This is just one of the fabulous dishes we had at our dinner party. Caramelized scallops are served over a heavenly cauliflower puree with cream, finished with a swirl of balsamic reduction.

Pat’s inspiration for this dish came from Chef Reddington of Redd Restaurant, Napa Valley.

The cauliflower florettes are sauteed with capers, slivered almonds, and golden raisins. A delicious combination of flavors and textures.

She chose Treana 2005 Central Coast 50% Marsanne 50% Viognier from the Mer Soleil Vineyard to pair with this dish. Excellent!

Happy Birthday Pat!

More Cilantro Mint Vinaigrette

This vinaigrette is so fresh, bright and tasty, I’m glad I had some left over. It was perfect with my warm Bahía Magdalena scallops, and equally delicious with shrimp. The conundrum, how to serve it?

Shrimp Cocktail?

Simply tossed with chilled shrimp?

It makes a fabulous vinaigrette for salads:

As salad dressing for a spicy lettuce mix with roasted cashews?

As a light sauce for chopped red and green heirloom tomatoes with shaved Manchego cheese and gray salt?

Wolfgang Puck serves this vinaigrette with Grilled Lamb Chops.
I’ll have to try that, too!

Bahía Magdalena Scallops with Cilantro Mint Vinaigrette

These huge fresh beautiful scallops come from Baja California, Mexico. They are served over mixed lettuces tossed with Olea Farms lemon blush olive oil from Paso Robles, California and toasted pine nuts.

The scallops are dusted in flour, dipped in egg, then rolled in Panko breadcrumbs before frying in hot peanut oil until golden brown. Then seasoned with sea salt.

Ingredient Still Life.
Cilantro Mint Vinaigrette inspired by Wolfgang Puck.
Seasoned Rice Vinegar, Hot Chili Sesame Oil, Hawaiian Honey, fresh ginger, mint, parsley, and cilantro are pureed in a food processor then peanut oil is added slowly to make the vinaigrette.

Bahía Magdalena
A very beautiful coastline offers plenty of beaches, inlets, marshes and mangrove swamps that are the sanctuary of resident and migratory sea birds and its waters are rich in species for commercial and sports fishing. The great Bahía Magdalena is not only the gate entrance to the Pacific, it is a natural reserve of gray whales that arrive to its waters to fulfill their biological cycle during the months of January to March. From bajaquest.com

Buen Apetito!

Filet Mignon with Madeira Sauce

Steakhouse Style Dinner Very Easy To Prepare: A super tender Filet Mignon with an intensely rich and flavorful Madeira sauce.

To get a nice crust on the outside of the filet: salt and pepper the meat, then dip it in olive oil. Put the filet in a very hot pan and sear each side for three minutes without moving it. Finish cooking by putting the skillet right into a 450 degree oven to reach desired doneness depending on the thickness of the steaks. This steak took 3 minutes in the oven for medium. Let the meat rest before serving.

MADEIRA SAUCE

Cook 1 cup of Madeira wine with 1/4 cup of minced shallots and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme and reduce by about a third.

Then add 1 cup of beef stock and reduce further.

Whisk in 2 T. of butter and add fresh ground pepper and salt to taste.

Great with Hot & Garlicy Spinach and Soybeans.