Mixed drink creations with Domaine De Canton

I received a bottle of Domain De Canton (website) from a good friend of mine - this French ginger flavored cognac is a mixing miracle. Pairs beautifully with lemon, mint, orange and many other flavors.

Try it with lemon, rosemary, soda and a bit of vodka:

1 part lemon, rosemary simple syrup (See posting on St. Germain)
1 part Domaine De Canton
1 part Vodka
Soda water

Serve over ice and garnish with a bit of mint or rosemary.

Also wonderful in a a ginger, cucumber martini - use cucumber juice, vodka and Domaine De Canton.

Post comments with your recipes!

The art of cheese at Denver's "The Truffle"

While many large supermarkets have started stocking specialty cheeses, all too often the coolers are stocked with an overwhelming assortment of mediocrity. Not so at The Truffle Cheese Shop, where owner Karen DeLibero offers an assortment of small batch, artisan cheeses - including several by famed affineur Rolf Beeler. Upon entering The Truffle, turn yourself over to one of the knowledgeable staff who will guide you through the selection and tantalize your taste buds with free samples. In addition to cheeses, this Cherry Creek gem also routinely imports fresh truffles from Italy - traditionally a very hard to find item in Denver.

Enjoy!

The Truffle Cheese Shop
2906 E. 6th Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
303-322-7363

Mastering Rotisserie on the TEC Infrared Grill

The TEC infrared grill is the testosterone filled sports superstar of grilling - great @ hitting home runs w/ searing heat up to 1600 degrees, but struggles with the delicate stuff like slow grilling. Using the rotisserie attachment can be a bit challenging due to both temperature control and flare ups that result in burnt / charred exteriors. However, by following these simple guidelines you'll be on your way to rotisserie perfection. First remove the grates from the grill and start the grill. After the ceramic has come up to temperature, close the lid and set to medium. Secure the chicken to the spit. I like to tie the legs to the spit for a bit of extra security and to maintain the shape for presentation later. Place a 12"x9" disposable aluminum roasting pan above the burners - you may need to pull the flared sides out a bit more so it rests on the edges of the grill. Mount the spit in the rotisserie holes - make sure the aluminum pan below sits directly below the chicken - blocking direct heat and catching any juices. Turn the grill down to low, and close the lid. Depending on your preparation you may want to baste on occasion - but in general try to keep the lid closed to retain heat. After 75 minutes, measure the thigh's temperature - I'm looking for about 165 degrees (make your own decisions on doneness and temperature). Once done, remove the spit from the grill and let the chicken rest. Remove the spit and serve!

Weekly Blog on Grant Family Farms CSA - Week5

Its week 5 of the Grant Family Farms CSA - and the produce keeps on coming!

This week's take includes:

• Peas
  
• Red Leaf Lettuce
  
• Kohlrabi
  
• Spring Onions
  
• Snap Peas
  
• Swiss Chard
  
• Collard Greens
  
• Radishes
  
• Broccoli
  
• Curly Parsley
  
• Beets
  
• Spinach

So how do you use all this fresh produce? Well, the answer is only limited by your own creativity. So far I've made scrambled eggs w/ spring onion, parsley, peas and cheddar cheese. I sauteed the onions in butter, until softened, then added the peas and parsley. After the peas were just cooked through, i removed to a side dish, then scrambled the eggs in the same pan. Add the vegetables and cheese before the eggs are set and serve!

I also made a tort with collard greens and swiss chard. The tort was modeled after the Torta Pasqualina found in the Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian cook book. Make a simple tart dough of flour, water and olive oil. Then portion into 6 pieces, use three pieces and roll to create a layered bottom. Mix blanched swiss chard and collard greens with cream, parmesan and ricotta cheese. I also added some saffron for a bit of extra flavor. Fill the tart with the greens, then create small indentations and fill w/ eggs. Finally, roll the remaining three pieces of dough, and layer one by one with melted butter brushed between. Seal the dough on all sides but leave one small part open - then blow air in between the layers to create a beautiful puffed top. Bake until the custard is set (about 140), then remove and let cool before slicing.

Mix it up with St. Germain

After having St. Germain elderflower liqueur in Bistro One's wonderful Fleur De Lys cocktail, I decided to experiment with a bottle myself. Try my wonderful lemon, rosemary, orange soda following the recipe below.

First create a simple syrup with lemon and rosemary (bring strips of lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar to a simmer - cook until sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add a couple of sprigs of rosemary. Let steep and cool for several minutes. Then strain and store.)

Mix:
1/2 part lemon, rosemary syrup
1 part Vodka (or more to taste)
1/2 part St. Germain

Serve on ice, fill to top with Italian Blood Orange Soda, stir and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Thanks to Tina and Tom @ Lido Wine for the St. Germains - it was perfect!

Choffy?

Found an interesting new product called Choffy - finely ground cocoa beans that you brew. For about $15 I purchased 12 ounces; brewing instructions call for 2 tablespoons per serving, so, this should work out to about 35 6 oz cups.

The flavor was good, similar to coffee with a bit of bitterness - when sweetened with a bit of vanilla soymilk and agave syrup it was excellent. Not sure that this will ever supplant my morning cup of coffee but it is a nice option when you feel like something different.

Don't skimp on the portions - 2 TBS per 6 oz of water was a must other wise it was too watered down.

Weekly Blog on Grant Family Farms CSA - Week4

Week 4's share from the Grant Family Farms CSA included:

1. Baby Beets
   
2. Peas
   
3. Garlic Scapes
   
4. Cilantro
   
5. Radishes
   
6. Kohlrabi
   
7. Red Leaf Lettuce
   
8. Green Lettuce
   
9. Curly Kale
   
10. Tuscan Kale
    
11. Rhubarb
    
12. Broccoli

It was a busy week with lots of dining out so I didn't have a lot of opportunities to experiment with the produce. The beets were halved or quartered to create a uniform size, then steamed with the greens and finished with a bit of salt, pepper and olive oil. The garlic scapes were sauteed in sesame oil. Then the kale was added and mixed until coated with the sesame oil. Hot chicken broth was added and the dish allowed to simmer until the greens cooked down and the broth reduced. The dish was finished with salt, pepper, sesame seeds and a bit of fresh sesame oil. This turned out great!

The only other interesting dish was a slaw from the kohlrabi - i peeled the kohlrabi, then shredded on a mandolin. While the kohlrabi dried a bit, i made a light dressing in the blender with mayo, lime, chipotle chili, honey, salt, pepper, rice wine vinegar, cilantro and olive oil. I added the olive olive oil while blending - adding enough to achieve the desired thickness / texture and flavor.

I then tossed the shredded kohlrabi with the dressing, added freshly chopped cilantro and allowed to settle in the fridge for about an hour. This was delicious - the texture was crisp, and the flavor spicy, tangy and a bit sweet.

Just picked up Week 5 today - included some perfect, fresh, sweet red cherries from the western slope - Yum!

Cherry Heaven - Kasteel Rouge

I recently had this beer at the Cheeky Monk on Colfax as a dessert beer to follow up my Mussels and Frites, and several other great beers. The beer has a very strong cherry flavor without being heavy, syrupy or overly sweet. I was recently able to find it through my favorite wine store - Lido Wine in old town Littleton. Thanks Tom and Tina for bringing it in for me!

WOW - Stuffed Chicken Breast

Last night I made a delicious meal of Chicken breast stuffed with mushroom ragu, and goat cheese accompanied by a light lemon and garlic kale.

To make filing, saute lardons of bacon until they've released their fat and are slightly crispty. Remove and reserve the bacon, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. Saute finely diced onion and shallots in the bacon fat until soft and starting to darken. Deglaze the pan with a bit of white wine and simmer until the alcohol has evaporated and the wine has become syrupy. Add an assortment of diced mushrooms (I used regular white, oyster and fresh porcini) and saute until they've released their juices. Remove from heat and add the reserved bacon and minced chives. Let cool, then incorporate into goat cheese. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed (Optionally, add a few drops of truffle oil to add that extra punch of earthy flavor). Texture should be smooth with chunks of mushroom. Cover and chill until ready to assemble chicken.

Using skin on, frenched chicken breasts, cut a small pocket into the center of the breast. You should be able to make one incision, moving the knife laterally to carefully expand the pocket the length of the chicken breast. Carefully stuff the pocket with the mushroom cheese mixture - take care not to overfill and burst through the skin or flesh. Using tooth pics, seal up the pocket. Salt and pepper the exterior of the chicken. Heat an oven proof skillet to medium, and melt butter with olive oil. Saute the chicken, skin side down until it has developed an nice golden exterior. Then flip, and move 325 degree oven for 12 - 15 minutes to cook through. Watch the breast carefully to avoid overcooking.

While the breast is in the oven, melt butter and olive oil in a pot. Add garlic scapes, and chili flake. Then add sliced kale. Add a bit of moisture to help the kale cook down - i use chicken stock. Once cooked, remove from heat and finish with a bit of lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and a bit of olive oil.

Plate the kale and serve the chicken breast slightly askew over the kale.

Oogave Soda!

Just picked up a 4 pack of Oogavé soda's at wholefoods - Wow, barely over 100 calories for a 12 ounce soda and the flavors rock. So far I've tried the Ginger Ale and Root Beer (the root beer is my favorite).

Oogavé is also a denver based company - so it fits right in with my buy local philosophy!

A little on the pricy side (@ $1.75 per bottle), but for a special treat these are worth it! And much better for you then any of the mainstream sodas.

The perfect solution to summer's heat - Haut Marin

The Haut Marin Cuvee Marine 2008 ($16) was a delicious light white wine that was the perfect solution to the summer time heat. Crisp, acidic with hints of pineapple and green apple - this wine was perfect on its own and would pair beautifully with many light fish dishes. I purchased mine from my friends Tom and Tina at Lido Wine. According to Tina, who's wine palate is much more advance then mine ... "It's a 100% colombard, and the aromas and flavors are of fresh shelled peas, mineral, lime and floral notes."

Weekly Blog on Grant Family Farms CSA - Week3

So I should have started this on week 1 - the first week of delivery, but i hadn't even started the blog yet so I think that I should get a pass!

This year I've taken out a small share from the Grant Family Farms through their CSA program. For about $20 per week, you get a delivery of fresh produce to a local pick up point. This will be a series of blog posts chronicling the weekly contents and various ways to use them.

This weeks farmers basket included: collard greens, curly kale, tucscan kale, kholrabi, rhubarb, spring beets, spring turnips, garlic scapes, cilantro, italian parsley, green lettuce, and red leaf lettuce.

The spring beets are sweet and tender - I recommend separating the greens from the bulb. Toss the bulbs in olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast the bulbs gently in the oven until you can run a knife through with little to no resistance. Let the roasted beets cool, and prepare the greens. Saute the greens in a bit of olive oil, butter, salt and a quick squeeze of lemon. Once the bulbs are cooled, quarter or half depending on size. Plate the greens, then the bulb quarters. Finish with a drizzle of aged balsamic, high quality extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. For an bit more pizazz add some crumbled blue cheese.

Every week has included another bunch of cilantro - so I've had to be creative to keep using it. A couple of ideas have been: Cilantro rice with lime, turkey burgers with cilantro, lime, cumin, diced green chili, finished with extra sharp cheddar cheese, cilantro and collard greens slowly braised with paprika.

I cooked the rhubarb down with a bit of lemon juice, sugar, whole star anise and vanilla. Once soft and starting to disintegrate, added quartered fresh strawberries. This compote can be served chunky with plain yogurt, or as a topping to many summer desserts. Alternatively you could blend and strain into a smooth sauce that would be perfect base for a light summer cocktail with either rum or vodka, then finished with a sprig of mint.

So far the kholrabi has been a bit of a mystery - my own research indicated that you could cook the greens, but my first attempt still rendered rather tough eats. Perhaps with a bit more time they would cook down like collards into a more silky and soft dish. The main head can be prepared in many ways - I tried peeling, cutting into wedges, tossing with oil, salt and pepper then grilling. This came out well - make sure you cook out all of the raw crunch though! I finished with a bit of high quality extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and a bit of chopped parsley.

The garlic scapes have been wonderful additions to various kale or collard greens dishes - just be careful to not overcook or you'll loose the flavor. Speaking of kale, my favorite method is super easy - olive oil, butter, salt, roughly chopped garlic scapes and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper in a saute pan. Melt the butter and let the peppers release their flavor into the oil. Add roughly chopped kale and stir to coat with the butter and oil mixture. You may want to add a bit more moisture to help the kale steam and cook down - either lemon juice or chicken stock works well. I recommend finishing with a bit of lemon to cut through the oil and maintain a nice light, fresh, clean taste.

Kale also worked well with a light summer pasta made with grilled chicken sausages, fresh tomatoes, parsley, onion, garlic and, of course, cilantro! Cook the sausages until browned on all sides, then remove and let cool. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock. Then saute the onions, garlic, red pepper flake and summer squash. While cooking the pasta, slice the sausages on bias. Reserve some of the pasta cooking liquids, and drain the cooked pasta. Return the cooking liquids to the pot and add the onions, garlic, summer squash, and kale. Cook over medium heat until the kale has cooked through. Take off the heat and add the tomatoes, cilantro, italian parsley, fresh mozarella and the cooked posta. Stir to combine, then finish with high quality extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

The lettuces have been super fresh and wonderful in a light salad finished with a freshly prepared vinaigrette. I shake most of my vinaigrette's in a squeeze bottle for easy dressing, storage and cleanup. My favorite vinaigrette is olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, minced shallot and a bit of white truffle oil to give it a bit more body. Lightly dressed greens in this dressing will always be a hit.

Good luck with your weekly basket and I hope that I've inspired you to try something new!

Weekly Blog on Grant Family Farms CSA - Farm Tour

A couple of weeks ago I visited the Grant Family Farm north of Fort Collins to check on my produce. As you'll see from other blog postings, I've been receiving a weekly produce basket as part of my veggie share for the year. The folks at Grant Family Farms really do make you feel like you're part of the farm - after all, if the farm is hit by hail, you feel it in your weekly produce basket!

The tour included a a visit to the ducks, and turkeys - both for sale to members. The turkeys require a down payment but will be ready in time for thanksgiving.

The surrounding farm land is spacious and open - nothing but beautiful blue sky, green grasses and light mountain breezes rolling off the foothills. The field in the picture below is of over winter wheat almost ready for harvest. This organic wheat should show up in our basics later in the year as artisan ground whole wheat flower.

We also toured the newly created hen houses where the farm raises all their free range Rhode Island Reds and collects the beautiful small, brown eggs. The eggs, although small, are full flavored with bright, golden, thick yolks and will continue to get larger as the birds mature. As explained by our host with the bull horn - the hens are allowed to freely roam through out the yard and near by fields, scavenging for bugs, and worms to supplement their normal grain diet. To help protect the hens, the farm has enlisted the services of a couple of llamas (not pictured), which they claim keep watch over the flock and will ward off any hungry coyotes.

As we continued the tour around the farm we were able to see the farm hands in action transplanting row upon row of tomato seedlings from the near by hot house to the fields. It was easy to imagine how in a few weeks, all these fields would be bursting with produce ready to harvest and bring to the dinner table. We can even see the changes in produce week over week - what started off in week 1 as small, delicious heads of red leaf lettuce have matured into larger, fuller heads each and every week.

I hope you stay tuned each week as I give you the blow by blow of the week's take and how to prepare it in fresh and fun ways.