The Gourmet Review

These days it’s almost impossible to get my entire family, including the “Blue Baker,” on vacation. So, you can imagine it was pretty exciting when we connected in Hawaii this summer.

The Gourmet Review

There is nothing quite like the Saturday night beach barbecue at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on the Big Island of Hawaii. Executive Chef James Babian makes sure it’s an unforgettable experience.

The Gourmet Review

The setting was perfect for our first night’s dinner. Tables were scattered on the white, sandy beach and torches were lit at sunset. The lobsters were grilling – in other words, a picture perfect setting.

The Gourmet Review

First course could have been an entire meal; sushi, sashimi, seafood bisque, salads, all kinds of fresh poke, crab legs and more.

The Gourmet Review

Our plates piled high, this could have been a dinner by itself. Hard to decide from the delectable array of choices.

Nastassia Hill & Edgar Romualdo

But no, the best part was still to come. We kicked off our and sandals and meandered toward the grill, where the chef was piling platters full of fresh lobster. Next to the lobsters were the New York strip steaks charcoaled to perfection and the fresh fish of the day nearly done.  [Read the rest of this entry…]

The Gourmet Review

The Four Season Resort’s Chef James is sharing one of his personal favorite recipes. This isn’t on the menu at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, but this Thai Beef Salad recipe knocks it out of the ballpark. Serve it as an appetizer or a main course.

Don’t be put off because you haven’t seen some of the ingredients. I hadn’t either, but one trip to an Asia market was easily worth the effort for this fantastic dish. This is a seriously great recipe.

SERVES:      8 as a main dish and more if served as an appetizer

INGREDIENTS

8-10 oz Prime New York steaks, lightly seasoned and grilled to medium rare or your preference

1 tbsp Sambal or 2 Thai Chile peppers finely minced (Very hot)

1 tbsp Palm Sugar

5 tbsp Patis (fish sauce)

5 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice (1 medium size lime)

Baby romaine lettuce and mixed greens

Sesame seeds

2 large cloves garlic, sliced crosswise very thinly

2-3 sprigs fresh mint thinly sliced

Thai basil, thinly sliced

1/2 hot house cucumber , sliced

2 to 3 shallots, sliced crosswise very thinly or 1 small red onion, sliced very thinly

3 or 4 sprigs cilantro, stems removed, for garnish

1 heirloom tomato quartered for garnish per salad

Scallion oil  (just a few drops over salad as part of garnish)*

Chili Oil  (just a few drops over salad as part of garnish)

Grape Seed Oil for toasting sesame seed

PREPARATION

Grill or broil the steak until medium rare. Trim off any fat. Cool and slice thinly into pieces approximately 2 inches across and 1/8 inch thick.

Crisp the garlic  in very little  grape seed oil.

Quickly roast white sesame seeds in a dry pan until they start to pop. Keep heat low and keep them moving.

Mix chilies, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar in a small bowl. Add the sliced meat. Taste and add more fish sauce if desired.

Place the romaine, greens, heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers on a plate. Arrange the marinated beef on top. Garnish with crispy garlic, mint, thai basil, micro basil, cilantro,  sesame seeds, and light drops of Scallion oil and Chili oil.

NOTES:

*Scallion Oil is a scallion flavored  oil used in many Vietnamese dishes to garnish rice, noodles, soups and salads. It is made by heating scallions in oil for a short time and then cooling. You can purchase at an Asian market.

You’ll notice that Chef Jim garnished our salad in the photograph with beautiful nasturtium blossoms. These rank among the most common of edible flowers and have a sweet, spicy flavor similar to watercress.

– The Gourmet Review

The Gourmet Review

Grapefruit and oranges, with fresh herbs and lemon juice, make this a perfect accompaniment for any kind of lightly grilled fish seasoned with a bit of garlic infused olive oil.

Perfect anytime of year, this is a great summer combination. You’ll love this recipe for Grapefruit Citrus Salsa!

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

2        large oranges

2       grapefruit

1/4     cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4     cup fresh lemon juice

1/2     cup freshly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

2        scallions, finely sliced

3         tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

2         tablespoons orange zest

l         teaspoon lemon zest

l         teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Peel and trim the ends from each orange and grapefruit. Using a paring knife, cut along the membranes on both sides of each segment. Free the segments and add them to a medium bowl.  Then squeeze what remains of orange and grapefruit membranes to extract all remaining juice. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, scallions, mint, orange zest, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Toss lightly and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

– The Gourmet Review

The Gourmet Review

Fresh, wild grilled salmon with citrus salsa verde on the barbecue is the perfect summer meal, especially caught by our dinner guests of honor. Of course, nothing beats any kind of seafood grilled by my friend, Fred. He is the master of the barbecue.

The Gourmet Review

Combine the salmon with great friends, and it’s the perfect recipe for a warm summer night. So, it took me about a nano second to accept an invitation from my friends, Dorothy and Fred, to join them for dinner.

The Gourmet Review

Their cousins, Chris and Karen,  had just arrived from a fishing trip in Nooksak, Canada. Lucky for us, they caught lots of king salmon and had them on ice. Doesn’t get any fresher than this.

The Gourmet Review

Dorothy knows I love heirloom baby tomatoes, so the salad featured these summer gems in orange, yellow and green. Miniature mozzarella balls and fresh basil, parsley and mint growing on the deck completed the salad.

The Gourmet Review

Desert was either a healthy choice of fresh raspberries or a slightly more decadent bowl of ice cream AND berries..

The Gourmet Reviewv

Great friends, wine, food and sunset. A perfect summer evening!

– The Gourmet Review

The Gourmet REview

Whenever my husband and I go to our friend’s house for dinner, we know we’ll have great food.  Linda is a gourmet cook and her husband, Hal, always pairs wines perfectly with each course.

The Gourmet Review

So this particular evening,  I was fascinated by Linda’s quail egg crostini appetizer, as I had never cooked or eaten quail eggs.  These delicate looking eggs were beautiful and tasty. They were much like a regular egg, but the brown, mottled shells were  more interesting and miniature in size, as you would expect.

The Gourmet Review

Hal finds the eggs at a Vietnamese market, but assures me that you can pick them up at just about any public market.

The Gourmet Review

Next step was the coppa. This reminded me a lot of prosciutto or parma ham, but the Italian meat has its own distinctive flavor. Hal slices his own, but you can also get the coppa pre sliced at any Italian deli.

The Gourmet Review

Then it’s time to finish with a little grated cheese. Check out the recipe. Then open a bottle of wine and it’s time to start the party!

– The Gourmet Review

The Gourmet Review

Quail egg crostini was a gastronomique surprise for me. I had never tasted  quail egg before. I loved this appetizer from my friend, Linda, who created the crostini appetizer as the first course for a fabulous gourmet dinner.

SERVES:    10 appetizers

INGREDIENTS

l    Baguette

10 slices mild Coppa (this is a traditional Italian cold cut similar to prosciutto)

1    package of 10 Quail eggs (these look like miniature eggs)

1    tbsp butter or Pam No Stick Cooking Spray

Pinch  Truffle salt

1/4 Cup grated Pecorino Truffle Cheese

PREPARATION

Slice 10 pieces of Baguette ½” thick.

Lightly toast bread in Panini Press or under broil setting in oven until lightly browned.

Fry Quail eggs sunnyside up  in frying pan with butter or Non Stick Cooking spray.

Take Quail eggs off burner while  yokes are soft.

Add pinch of truffle salt to season eggs.

Sprinkle grated Pecorino Truffle Cheese on top of eggs.

ASSEMBLE

Place l slice Coppa onto lightly grilled baguette slice.

Gently add Quail egg on top of Coppa. Be careful not to break yolk.

Add pinch of Truffle Salt on top of eggs.

Finish with a sprinkle of grated Pecorino Truffle Cheese as finish garnie.

– The Gourmet Review

The Gourmet Review

With the opening of Dungeness crab season just around the corner, it’s time to share my favorite mustard sauce. It’s simple, easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious.

Try it on any fresh crab, but it is especially good on Dungeness crab from the Pacific Northwest. If you can’t purchase nearby, then order it to be delivered. Get ready for a gourmet dinner!

INGREDIENTS

1/3  Cup Dijon Mustard (or substitute any grainy mustard for a second sauce)

1      Cup Mayonnaise (you can substitute low fat if you wish)

PREPARATION

Mix the ingredients and take a taste. Adjust the mustard to taste.

Serve with cracked Dungeness crab, hot garlic bread and a big tossed green salad.

That’s as easy as it gets!

.   .   .   AND BEYOND

My mother used to order a very grainy mustard from New Orleans that had a bit of zing to it. For me, part of the fun is trying different mustards. The great thing about this recipe is that you can vary the intensity of the mustard to taste and try a variety of mustards if you need multiple sauces.

Don’t have fresh Dungeness crab? Call University Seafood and have it shipped overnight, so it’s ready for your next party.

-The Gourmet Review

Courtesy Wynn Las Vegas

 If you love Garth Brooks, you’ll love seeing him in concert.  Knock me over loving this show. I’m not a country fan, so I was a skeptic. Walked out thinking it was one of the best concerts  I’d ever seen.   .   .   .   Ever.

Garth walked on stage with his guitar and, without a single musical accompaniment, mesmerized the audience with songs from  the history of American music. It reminded me of a Paul McCartney concert, when McCartney did the same thing. No band, no fancy light shows, no dancers. Just pure talent. Was Garth singing to each and every one of us? Sure seemed like it.

Garth celebrates his 100th concert August 20th in the intimate Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas.It’s no wonder that Garth Brooks is certified by the Recording Industry Association of America as the No l selling solo artist in the history of American music.

Buy tickets early to catch his sold out concerts. While you’re at it, check into the Wynn Las Vegas for the weekend. Guarantee it will be unforgettable. Who knows? That throw of the dice might just be a lucky one!

– The Gourmet Review

Courtesy James Pierce

Summer is the perfect time for a barbecue. Grilled filet mignon is always a favorite. My 90 year old father, his lovely wife, Vicki, and my nephew all came this weekend for a visit. My nephew loves photography, so he was behind the camera capturing food and fun.

Courtesy James Pierce

I’m a great believer in easy, healthy dining, so this evening was no exception. Vicki brought beautiful orange, red and yellow heirloom tomatoes. She prepared sliced tomatoes with homemade salad dressing.

Courtesy James Pierce

There’s one rule in my kitchen. All salads have a combination of at least 3 to 4 chopped, fresh herbs. So, tonight’s tomatoes were topped with chervil, parsley, tarragon and chives. During the winter, I still buy fresh herbs at the grocery store, but they are never as good as freshly picked.

Next, the filets were pulled from a ziplock bag with garlic infused extra virgin olive oil*. (I poke a few holes with a fork into the steaks to tenderize).These had been placed in the ziplock about an hour before starting the salad.  Then onto a red hot barbecue with a pinch of  salt and pepper.

Next,  it was time to blanch some haricot verte (green beans), as well as saute some Walla Walla sweet onions (any sweet onion will do) in a large frying pan. While onions are cooking until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes on medium heat, I added some black sesame seeds. I warm these in a pan with no oil just to bring out the flavor while the onions are sauteing. Once the beans were drained, I added the haricot verte and the black sesame seeds to the onions and lightly tossed.

Courtesy James Pierce

Time to pull the steaks off the grill and prepare plates. Again, it’s those fresh herbs. Love them. A few sprigs of fresh sage and rosemary  are aromatic and provide an elegant garnish.

After dinner, I fudged a bit. Don’t tell anyone, but I always keep a container of Toll House cookie dough in the fridge and voila – warm cookies out of the oven. No fuss. Throw in some great wine and there you have  a perfect summer evening!

-The Gourmet Review

.   .   .   AND BEYOND

*I keep a container of olive oil, to which I add a handful of freshly peeled garlic cloves, close at hand  (of course I’m lazy and buy at the store already peeled). I’m always reaching for this, as the combination of extra virgin olive oil and garlic  is great in salads, fish, meats or essentially anything you want to prepare.

The Gourmet Review

Every time I go to lunch at my friend, Barbara’s, the smell of homemade banana bread is wafting through the entire house. Finally, she shared the recipe handed down by her mother. Hope you enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 ¾ C Flour

1 ¼ tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Baking Soda

¾ tsp salt

2/3 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup shortening (we always substitute butter)

2 Eggs

½ Cup walnuts (we usually skip the nuts)

Bananas 2 – 3 ripe ones

DIRECTIONS

Sift flour and measure.

Add B powder, soda, salt.

Sift twice again. (This is optional or you can just mix things together).

Gradually add sugar to  shortening.

Add eggs one at a time.

Add nuts.

Peel and mash bananas to measure one cup. (Or, just add 2 or 3 bananas).

Add half of flour mixture to batter.

Add bananas and rest of flour and just barely mix.

Pour into greased loaf pan.

Bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees.  (Length of time depends on your oven.) I like to use the middle rack.

Check with toothpick. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Enjoy.