Brie with Caramelized Onions and Cranberries

Brie cheese is easy to love. It is soft, flavourful but does not require too much of an acquired taste. I fell in love with Brie cheese years ago but it was never this popular at my dinner parties until I bought a brie baker. When the cheese is baked, it softens and spreads easily. Its heavenly rind creates a lovely contrast for melted cheesy goodness that you can spread on a slice of baguette or a cracker. I like to add a little je ne sais quoi to my baked brie with different toppings that elevate my brie to the next level. It can be as simple as a decadent French fig jam or a touch of honey and nuts. I like serving my hot brie in my brie baker with toasted slices of baguette. The presentation is simple, rustic and very Provencal.

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1-3/4 cups finely chopped sweet onions, 1 pinch salt and pepper, 2 tbsp packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp wine vinegar, 1 pinch dried Herbes de Provence, 1 tbsp chopped dried cranberries, 1 round Brie cheese, 2 tsp minced fresh parsley.

Directions:

In skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry onion, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 12 minutes.

Sprinkle with sugar; cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Stir in vinegar and Herbes de Provence, scraping up brown bits on bottom of pan; cook for 2 minutes. Scrape into bowl; let cool. Stir in cranberries. Spread onion mixture over cheese. Place on small baking sheet; bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until cheese is softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to serving plate; sprinkle with parsley.

Decadent Foccacia Bread Recipe for PLAYBOY

Please check out the most decadent Foccacia bread recipe that I have developed for the PLAYBOY's Super Bowl issue.

http://www.playboy.com/entertainment/playboy-com-ultimate-super-bowl-party-2012/2

Holiday treat from my table to yours

The recipe I have developed for the E-Zine magazine. Please check it out and enjoy.

http://emag.marinmediagroup.com/doc/marinmediagroup/vcc-businessmagazine_dec2011_final/2011121301/#42

Prosciutto, fig and blue cheese rolls with balsamic glaze

French term amuse-bouche literally means mouth amuser. It is a bite-sized treat to prepare guests for the first course. It is usually served with aperitifs and is not ordered from the menu. Chefs serve amuse-bouches as a preview of the upcoming three course meal.

Prosciutto, fig and blue cheese rolls are my favourite.  These decadent bites of flavour will tingle your guests’ mouths with surprisingly distinctive balance.  Saltiness of prosciutto, fruitiness of figs aromatized with rose water and bitterness of blue cheese.  They all come together in a heavenly harmony, drizzled with tangy but sweet balsamic reduction that gives your amuse-bouche that glorious glaze. It is a perfect way to start any dinner party. I like serving my amuse-bouches on a heavy wooden cutting board with few types of hard cheeses.

Ingredients:

6 strips of prosciutto, 2 fresh figs, few drops of rose water, a drizzle of honey, ¼ cup of crumbled blue cheese, 4 mint leaves, ½ cup of balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Cut figs into wedges and place them in a small bowl. Add few drops of rose water and a touch of honey and let them rest for 10 minutes.  Lay out 6 strips of prosciutto horizontally on a plastic wrap so they create a sheet for your rolls. Lay figs in one horizontal line at the bottom of your prosciutto sheet. Crumble blue cheese and let it rest near figs. Chiffonade some mint leaves and spread them over figs and cheese. With the help of plastic wrap, roll the prosciutto into a long roll. Refrigerate it for 15 minutes. Using a sharp knife cut the roll through the plastic wrap into small bite size pieces. Remove the plastic wrap. 

Balsamic glaze:

Pour half a cup of balsamic vinegar into a small sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Let it reduce by half so the liquid becomes syrup like. Let the balsamic reduction cool and then drizzle it over the rolls.



Fig and Olive Tapenade

This recipe was developed by one of my Home Cookin’ guests, Amanda Garbutt. Amanda and I share passion for elegant recipes that bring family and friends together. This fabulous tapenade caresses your mouth with perfectly balanced flavours. Saltiness of olives rounded out by sweet chewy bite of dried figs. Balsamic vinegar adds some delicate acidity and the liquid gold (olive oil) gives the tapenade that beautiful velvety texture. Amanda spreads goats’ cheese on crostinis and then tops it with the tapenade. I like to crumble some cheese over the tapenade. I serve this hors d'oeuvre with aperitifs. Garnishing it with a shrimp or a basil leaf takes this appetizer to the next level.

Ingredients:

Extra-virgin olive oil , 10 Green olives, pitted, 12 dried figs, 6 basil leaves, 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1 garlic clove, 12 slices baguette, ½ cup packed goat cheese or blue cheese, salt and pepper.

Directions: 

In a food processor combine the olives, figs, basil, balsamic and garlic and pulse until the ingredients are roughly chopped. Season with salt and pepper. With the motor running drizzle in olive oil until the tapenade has a smooth, spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning. Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the slices of baguette lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes. Assemble: Spread a layer of tapenade on the crostinis. Top with crumbled goat’s cheese or blue cheese and an extra sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.

Figs in Rose Water

This recipe is simple yet very elegant. Hot baked figs perfumed with fragrant rose water and caramelized with brown sugar. Earthy taste of figs flirts with a floral aroma of rose water and citrusy notes of a lemon. A dollop of light but creamy Crème fraiche on the side, adds robustness to the texture of this dessert. Pink juice of warm figs oozes on to the plate as soon as you touch softened figs with a fork. I like to decorate each serving plate with a washed rose petal to accent aromatic notes of rose water.

Ingredients: 

15 grams of butter, 8 fresh figs, 1 lemon, few drops of rose water, 6 tbsp brown sugar, 6 tbsp Crème fraiche.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400F. Grease your baking sheet with a little bit of butter. Wash your figs and cut in a half. In a separate bowl juice one lemon and add some rose water. Toss figs in this mixture and let them sit in lemon juice and rose water for few minutes. Lay out your figs cut side down on your greased baking sheet. Sprinkle them with brown sugar. Bake in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Turn them and sprinkle them with more sugar. Bake for another 3-4 minutes. Serve them hot in the juice that they produce while baking. Add a dollop of Crème fraiche on the side.

Wine Jelly with Grapes

Big ripe grapes, trapped in the sweet embrace of wine jelly and topped with the creamy richness of whipped cream... This desert is elegant, decadent and very easy to prepare! The presentation of this sweet treat is simple but spectacular; it is the perfect ending to any summer dinner party because it is light and satisfying at the same time. If you happen to enjoy additional sweetness, you can drizzle some Cassis (French black currant liqueur) over the whipped cream or simply around the edges of the dessert. You can also substitute grapes with strawberries, raspberries or any other seasonal berries, but I just adore how naturally wine and grapes come together to create a perfect balance of flavour, texture and depth...

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon unflavoured gelatin, 1 cup sugar, 2 cups dry white or sparkling wine, 15 ounces small, seedless red and green grapes, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Directions: Stir the gelatine into 2 tablespoons of water, and set aside to soften. Put the sugar and wine in a saucepan, and heat to dissolve the sugar. Do not boil. Remove the wine from the heat and whisk in the gelatin until completely dissolved. Cool.
Arrange the grapes in 6 ramekins or tea cups. Pour over the wine mixture. Cover, and chill several hours to set. To serve, run a knife around the edge of the moulds and dip the bottoms into hot water for a few seconds, then invert onto serving plates. Whip the cream with the sugar and flavouring to serve alongside.