Taste With The Eyes

French Green Beans, Mexican-Style

Haricots Verts ~ Estilo Mexicano
Tortillas Fritas, Huevos Duros, Piñones, Chiles de Arboles
Sherry Dijon Vinaigrette

Here’s a New Year’s resolution: Serve More Green Bean Dishes – especially the elegant French ones. We’re keeping our holiday buffet merry & bright with fresh haricots verts dressed in a flamboyant style! This flashy dish debuted on our Thanksgiving table and will make a repeat appearance during the Christmas season. Joyeux Noël. Feliz Navidad.

French Green Beans, Mexican-Style Recipe

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Holiday Fare: Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with a Champagne Truffle Cream

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with a Champagne Truffle Cream
Wilted Butter Lettuce and Generous Shaving of Pink-Veined Italian White Truffle

White truffles are very perishable and very delicate with an intense perfume reminiscent of earth, garlic, shallot and grana cheese. This gem arrived just a few days before our holiday party from my friends at Gourmet Attitude in NYC.

I wrapped the truffle in a paper towel and refrigerated it, in a large glass jar with fresh eggs. My house guests were treated to a special breakfast the morning after our party – poached eggs intensely flavored with truffle! The musky aromas penetrate through the egg shells, and after a simple 3 minute poaching… et voilà heavenly truffle eggs! The tip I learned from the truffle experts at Gourmet Attitude – to eschew standard wisdom and never store truffles in rice as it will dry them out. Store them with fresh eggs and extend the party into the next day.

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with a Champagne Truffle Cream was the first course in our 5-course holiday dinner earlier this week. Champagne/Truffles/Scallops – a fantastic way to begin an elegant holiday feast.

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Roasted Broccolini Soup, Creme Fraiche, Meyer Lemon

Roasted Broccolini Soup, Creme Fraiche, Meyer Lemon
Grana Padano Black Pepper Cheese Straws

It’s holiday party time! And when old friends from the restaurant industry get together, there is bound to be a feast. This year was no exception. We started cooking together around 5 pm, and the party and multiple courses lasted well into the night. Today I’m sharing the soup course… be sure to stop by here for more recipes from this over-the-top meal!

menu

cheese platter

pan-seared sea scallops, champagne truffle cream,
wilted butter lettuce, pink-veined italian white truffle

roasted broccolini soup, creme fraiche, meyer lemon,
grana padano black pepper cheese straws

rack of lamb, mint agave vinegar

brussels sprouts, pancetta, balsamic

mushroom risotto with white truffle

pavlova, lemon curd, berries and pomegranate arils

wines

schramsberg mirabelle brut rosé nv

roederer estate brut rosé nv

purple angel carmenere 2010

villa antinori chianti classico riserva 2010

e. guigal châteauneuf du pape 2007

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A Hearty Tomato Soup with Sausage and Spaghetti Squash

A Hearty Tomato Soup with Italian Sausage and Spaghetti Squash

flavored with fennel, oregano, red chile flakes, garlic, and a hint of cinnamon
topped with roasted spaghetti squash with olive oil, salt & pepper
garnished with parmesan and basil

The addition of spaghetti squash is mine, but the tomato and sausage soup idea comes from one of my favorite books…and can you believe it – it’s NOT a cookbook?

It is An Affair With A House by world-renowned interior designer Bunny Williams. She talks about being mortified when guests showed up at her (uber-fabulous) home at 11 AM and happened to be starving. She had planned to give a tour of the house and serve coffee since their schedule was tight, but all of a sudden, she had twelve people for lunch and was completely unprepared. But being the ultimate hostess, she made it work, with ease I might add… Bunny advises keeping a few cans of San Marzano tomatoes in the pantry and some Italian Sausages in the freezer. Add a simple salad and a loaf of French bread and you can be a hero too.

I thought you might say, squash? On top of soup? But it is actually a refreshing complement to the soup. Lighter, lower carbs than pasta with a nice roasted flavor and pretty color too. It makes a delightful December luncheon…

Roasted Spaghetti Squash Recipe

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Celebrate the First Taste of 2013 Harvest

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2013

The third Thursday of every November – at one second after midnight according to French law – is when the recently-harvested Beaujolais is launched. Seventy million bottles are distributed around the world with the U.S. market being the largest importer of the nascent wine. Made from the red Gamay grapes grown in the Beaujolais region – it is a wine that is young and fresh and fruity. A light to medium-bodied wine not to be taken too seriously. It is a wine to enjoy tout de suite.

Easy drinking and not complicated – this wine can be quaffed on its own or sipped with foods. We had the opportunity to taste this 2013 harvest and we were all pleasantly surprised. It is a young wine – that is evident – so there is little in terms of bouquet. But the flavors are quite nice – with hints of red fruits such as cherries and berries and a bit of spice. It is balanced with light tannins resulting in a surprisingly nice structure on the palate.

Duboeuf, the self-proclaimed “King of Beaujolais” is the largest producer by far, with 125,000 cases imported, this wine should be readily available at local retailers during the month of December. This lively bottle will pair well with roasted turkey and is great to have on hand all through the holiday season when friends stop by. But don’t plan to cellar it – this baby is meant to drink young. Consider consuming your last bottle by New Years Eve.

The 2013 release is unique in that the harvest was 2 to 3 weeks later than usual as a result of a rainy spring season which delayed flowering. Hail storms damaged vineyards throughout the region, resulting in a lower grape yield. Low yield can result in a more concentrated wine with a better structure. And fortunately for the producers, a warm September prolonged the growing season which allowed for a more balanced maturation of the grapes.

While not considered the most spectacular vintage, the 2013 is definitely refreshing and tasty and worth seeking out.