Courtesy Artisan Publishin

Celebrity chef Thomas Keller describes how “brownies embody so much of what I love about dessert generally—they remind me of family, comfort, childhood. They draw you to them.

You can turn these into a special dessert by serving them alongside Caramel Ice Cream or with Vanilla Ice Cream  and Caramel Sauce, but they’re great with just a little whipped cream or powdered sugar— or all by themselves.”

Whether Thomas Keller is demonstrating how to make a perfect roasted chicken or a favorite comfort food desert, you know that this celebrity chef knows how to deliver fabulous food that will never disappoint your guests.

SERVINGS  12

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder or cocoa powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces

3 large eggs

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract

6 ounces 61 to 64% chocolate, chopped into chip-sized pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

Powdered sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Keller uses a 9-inch square silicone mold, because it keeps the edges from overcooking; if you use a metal or glass baking pan, butter and flour it. Set aside. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.

Melt half the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Put the remaining butter in a medium bowl. Pour the melted butter over the bowl of butter and stir to melt the butter. The butter should look creamy, with small bits of unmelted butter, and be at room temperature.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until thick and very pale. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then add one-third of the butter, and continue alternating the remaining fl our and butter. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer poked into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it. If the pick comes out wet, test a second time, because you may have hit a piece of chocolate chip; then bake for a few minutes longer if necessary.

Cool in the pan until the brownie is just a bit warmer than room temperature. Run a knife around the edges if not using a silicone mold, and invert the brownie onto a cutting board. Cut into 12 rectangles. Dust the tops with powdered sugar just before serving. (The brownies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)

NOTE

Is there anything better than chocolate brownies out of the oven? I’m not sure there is. If this defines delicious decadence for you, then try this recipe,, which you will find in Keller’s AD HOC AT HOME cookbook. In addition to recipes, you will find  sources for ingredients to this recipe as well as many others.

Excerpt from AD HOC AT HOME by THOMAS KELLER (Artisan Books). Copyright 2009. Deborah Jones photographer.

– The Gourmet Review

Thomas Keller Courtesy Deborah Jones

Sometimes it’s easier to watch a dish being made than to read a list of ingredients. So, if you’re a visual chef, take a moment to watch  celebrity Chef Thomas Keller’s step by step secrets to making his popular  roast  chicken featured at Bouchon Restaurant.

Now that you’re inspired, take a look at Keller’s baked chicken written recipe and try it yourself!

– The Gourmet Review

Courtesy Michael Mina

Could anything sound more decadent than Dungeness Crab Stuffed Prawns with orange, jalapeno hollandaise, hot and sour sauce with cucumber noodles?

As Chef Michael Mina explains, “The booming flavors of this dish are bold without a doubt. The complex combination has it all. It’s spicy, sweet, sour, and the creaminess from the hollandaise binds it together. All the elements unite in a balanced whole to provide a pleasant jolt to the palette. The undercurrent of chilies brings on a lingering heat that tantalizes and perks up the taste buds.”

This appetizer is served at Mina’s Arcadia Restaurant and is commonly enjoyed as a bar snack, but also makes a substantial first course. Mina most loves “the texture of the cooked cucumber, because it’s tender yet still remains crisp. When you think about it, basically a cucumber is a pickle, and here you’re quickly pickling it in the vinegar sauce. Creamy hollandaise on crab is a decadent pairing; it’s kind of my ode to Japanese Dynamite Crab. The zesty hot and sour sauce is extremely versatile; try it on Asian greens or as a dipping sauce for steamed lobster or shrimp.”

SERVES  4 appetizer portions

1/2 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons minced yellow onion

1 tablespoon minced celery

1/2 pound Dungeness crabmeat, picked through for shells and shredded

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 red jalapeño, seeded and minced

1/2 green jalapeño, seeded and minced

1/2 cup Cayenne Mayonnaise (recipe follows)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 prawns, preferably spot prawns, peeled with tails on

Orange-Jalapeño Hollandaise (recipe follows)

Hot and Sour Sauce with Cucumber Noodles (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

To make the crab mixture: In a small sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium-low flame. Sweat the onions and celery until soft but without color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, combine the crabmeat, parsley, jalapeños, cayenne mayonnaise, and the sautéed onion and celery; season with salt and pepper. Fold the ingredients together thoroughly to combine evenly. Cover and refrigerate.

Butterfly the prawns by cutting almost all the way through the underside curl of the body and open them flat to resemble a butterfly shape. Pack 1 tablespoon of the crab filling into the cavity of the prawns. Perch the prawns, tail side up, on a baking dish; season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour 2 tablespoons of water into the pan to create some steam.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes until the prawns are firm and the crab stuffing begins to brown on the edges.

PRESENTATION

Divide the cucumber noodles among 4 plates, arranging them down the center.

Set 3 crab-stuffed prawns side-by-side atop the bed of cucumbers.

Generously spoon the hollandaise over the prawns, covering all of the crab stuffing.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of the hot and sour sauce around the prawns, being sure to get some of the scallion and red pepper in each spoonful.

Cayenne Mayonnaise

SERVING  1 cup

INGREDIENTS

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon cayenne

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

1 cup canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 DIRECTIONS

To make the cayenne mayonnaise, put the yolk, mustard, cayenne, lemon juice, and water in a food processor and purée until smooth.

ith the motor running, drizzle in the oil in a thin steady stream until the mayonnaise is emulsified and thick.

Season with salt and pepper.

This may be made up to a day in advance, covered in the refrigerator. The mayonnaise will be used in the crab cake mixture. Any leftover is terrific on a roast beef or chicken sandwich.

Orange-Jalapeño Hollandaise

SERVING 1 1/4 cups

1 cup orange juice, strained

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 red jalapeño, stemmed

1 green jalapeño, stemmed

Kosher salt

2 large egg yolks

1 cup Clarified Butter (page 000), warm

1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

To make the orange-jalapeño hollandaise, simmer the orange juice in a small pot over low heat until it reduces to a thick golden syrup, about 15 minutes. You should have about 3 tablespoons of reduced juice.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool. In the meantime . . .

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Put the jalapeños in a small baking pan and toss with the canola oil; season lightly with salt.

Roast for 15 minutes until the skins begin to blister and the jalapeños soften. When cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skins and scrape out the seeds. Mince the roasted chilies finely. Set aside.

Combine the cooled orange syrup and egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.

Vigorously whisk until you get yellow ribbons. If the eggs begin to scramble or the mixture gets too hot, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk to cool.

Remove the bowl from the pot and slowly drizzle in the warm clarified butter and continue to whisk until the hollandaise is thickened and doubled in volume.

Stir in the minced jalapeños, cilantro, and a pinch of salt.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until ready to use.

If the hollandaise gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water to adjust the consistency so it’s creamy and light.

Hot and Sour Sauce with Cucumber Noodles

SERVINGS  3/4 cup

DIRECTIONS

2 cups pineapple juice, strained

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, strained

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, strained

4 scallions, white and green parts, chopped, plus 1 scallion, green part only, cut on a bias

2 shallots, sliced

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1-inch piece ginger, sliced

1/4 habanero, seeded

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 red bell pepper, minced

1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned

DIRECTIONS

To make the hot and sour sauce: Mix all the juices together in a bowl or pitcher.

In a large pot, combine the chopped scallions, shallots, garlic, ginger, and habanero.

Add the sugar, honey, and 2 tablespoons of the mixed juice. Cook over medium-low heat until the moisture evaporates from the vegetables and the sugar gets syrupy, about 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching.

Mix in the vinegar and soy, cook until the vegetables are soft and the flavor is balanced between hot and sour, another 3 minutes.

Pour in the juice mixture and simmer until the liquid has reduced by about one-third and has body, about 30 minutes. The sauce should have thickened considerably due to all of the natural fruit sugars.

Remove from the heat and strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into another pot to remove the solids. The sauce can be made to this point up to 3 days in advance, covered and refrigerator, and gently reheated before proceeding.

To finish the sauce, bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the sesame oil to emulsify the sauce.

Stir in the cucumber noodles and cook until for a couple of minutes until they begin to soften like spaghetti but still remain crisp in the center.

Using tongs, remove the cucumber noodles to a side plate, letting the excess sauce drip off. Remove the hot and sour sauce from the heat and stir in the remaining scallion and bell pepper.

WINE SUGGESTIONS

Toni Jost RIESLING ‘bacharacher haan’, mittlerhein, GERMANY 2002 – Spicy Asian flavors always match well with off-dry Rieslings from Germany. This dish needs a richer wine (as long as it is sweet).

NOTE

Michael Mina once again spotlights West Coast seafood in this dish.  If you  want  an elegant appetizer, the Dungeness crab stuffed prawns is perfect.  Or,  invite your friends for a hand’s on cooking/dining evening. This time of year the prawns might be a fun New Year’s Eve party appetizer.

I love anything with Dungeness crab. If you can’t find  at your local seafood market, you can order delivered to your door by calling  206-632-3900.

– The Gourmet Review

Courtesy Michael Mina

Michael Mina, a two time James Beard award winning chef,  is one of our country’s great culinary masters.  Enjoy his classic famous cheese fondue from Mina’s Stonehill Tavern restaurant.

SERVES 3

INGREDIENTS

1/2 loaf Sourdough bread – diced into cubes large enough for dipping (1”x1”)

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1 cup shredded Ementhaler cheese

1 cay leaf

1 clove of garlic, smashed

1/2 T Kirsch Liqueur or Brandy

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 cup white wine

Salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place garlic, white wine, Kirsch & bay leaf in pan, bring to a boil

Mix cornstarch with 1 Tbs water to make a slurry

While liquid is boiling, whisk in cheese and slurry rapidly until emulsified

Finish with salt & pepper

Serve with cubed sourdough & enjoy!

RECOMMENDED WINES – Enjoy your favorite burgundy.

NOTE

There’s nothing quite like cheese fondue for a casual dinner during the winter, especially holiday time. This is an easy dish for guests. Try it and consider it a great option for New Year’s Eve entertaining.

– The Gourmet Review

This recipe for turkey stuffing has been passed from generation to generation in my family. Can a stuffing melt in your mouth? Probably not, but this comes close.  When the turkey comes out of the oven and carving begins, it’s all I can do to keep people from “tasting” pieces of skin, turkey and stuffing that randomly falls onto the cutting board. This turkey stuffing recipe is easy and quick to make and can be prepared in the morning just before the turkey goes into the oven. I like to have the onions and celery prepped – chopped and ready to go in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.

1 14 oz. package Pepperidge Farm Herb  Seasoned Stuffing Mix (Blue Label)

1 cube butter

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped sweet or yellow onion

2 cups chicken broth

l small apple sliced or diced into small pieces

l egg

powdered sage

Directions

Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium high heat.  Add the onions and celery and cook 2 – 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add broth and stuffing mix to saucepan. Then stir diced apple and  slightly beaten egg to make the stuffing moist and lots of powdered sage. Be sure to put the sage in your hand and crush slightly with your hands to bring out the flavor. I’ve never measured the sage, but I’m always surprised how much sage this recipe takes to bring out the flavor. Use liberally. This is one of the few times I do not use fresh herbs. Salt and pepper to taste.

Mix thoroughly and fill both ends of the turkey. Put leftovers in a casserole dish. I personally love the stuffing in the bird so it has all the turkey juices making it soft!

– The Gourmet Review

Courtesy Georges V

Leave it to the Four Seasons George V,  Paris to become a winter wonderland of white lights, exquisite flowers and a showcase for Swarovski crystals. Jeff Leatham, perhaps the most talented artistic director/floral genius anywhere, has transformed the hotel lobby into a forest of Christmas trees hung with crystal curtains made to order for the George V.

Courtesy Georges V

The Swarovski’s Crystal Palace project was created in 2002 to create interpretations of large crystal chandelier making with signature lighting and design using cut crystal. You can visit the Swarovski Crystal Palace exhibition at the hotel through January 15th. It’s not to be missed.

Courtesy Georges V

For those of us who can’t make the trip, we will have to be content to savor the photographs. The George V Paris wishes all my readers a Merry Christmas.

– The Gourmet Review

Google Images

Christmas and Thanksgiving don’t need to be chaotic. Here’s my secret to a relaxed holiday season. In addition to the list included in my “Christmas Grocery List” post, I swear by my general “To Do” checklist.

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I print it at the beginning of the holiday season and it helps me navigate the days leading up to both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Print and make personal notations for next year and see if this doesn’t remove the normal stress of the holidays. Make your notes now and next year you’ll be ready to go!

The Fearless Foodie 

-The Gourmet Review

Google Images

Holidays are a time for tradition in my house.  There are certain parts of both Thanksgiving and Christmas day that are always the same, and I think my family finds comfort in that. Sometimes, by necessity, we find something new that gets a family vote and sometimes there is change over the years. This is usually done by necessity or by surprise when we discover something so fabulous that the family votes this to be worthy of subsequent holiday traditions.

My mother set the bar for absolutely the best turkey, stuffing, gravy and mashed potatoes. She had her secrets and those were passed down to my sister and me and now I’m turning over to my kids and the “Blue Baker”. And so tradition is passed from one generation to the next. That’s as it should be.

We love home made “Doo Dads”, otherwise known as party mix. Several weeks before the holiday and when the kids were young, they would pull out a large, plastic garbage bag and then pour in the boxes of wheat, corn and rice chex, cheerios, pretzels and nuts. One would hold and another pour. This would then be mixed up in smaller ziplock bags and held in the freezer. Now just a day or two before everyone flies home for the holidays, I pull the bags of party mix out of the freezer and finish cooking. Of course, I have to check my list. Every single person has a personal request.  Child #1 – no peanuts and pretzels, but love the salt.  Child #2 – more Worcestershire and salt during cooking. Child #3 – light chex only , no peanuts, ok maybe just a few brown chex, and love the pretzels. Husband – no salt and yes to pretzels.  “Blue Baker” –  loves the corn and rice chex! I line up bowls with names for each one’s preferences, but mostly, everyone takes out what they don’t love.  How does one keep it all straight?

Over the years, new traditions included adding a breakfast casserole that could be made the day before and pulled out for brunch on the holiday. Over the years, one of my daughters has slowly converted this favorite recipe to a more healthy version. The casserole is  served with a fruit platter prepared the day. It is served with the french bakery styled croissants ordered from Williams and Sonoma that I pull out of the freezer the night before. By morning, the croissants are enormous after rising all night and by l0:00 am they go in the oven. The entire house smells like a french bakery. Ummmmmm.

Some traditions are fun, but just don’t make the cut. When my “Blue Baker” was two years old and we were making the stuffing, she was sitting on the counter to see what was going on. I turned my back for just a moment, and when my focus returned to the bowl, I noticed brown things sticking up throughout the stuffing. Upon closer reflection, these were Oreo cookies that had been added in a most decorative way. Very gently, I removed her from the counter and carefully removed the Oreos. She got points for making an otherwise dull looking dish very pretty. The Oreo tradition, however, was a one year tradition.

Now, as recipes are passed down, it’s time to teach the next generation. My son carves the turkey, one daughter recreates her grandmother’s mashed potatoes and another has created a new desert tradition.

Our favorite family bakery closed many years ago. This is where we got our parker house rolls, the chocolate chiffon cake with mint icing and drizzled chocolate for my husband, marionberry or raspberry pies for my kids and of course the traditional pumpkin pie. There was always the occasional running around the kitchen with a spoon of whipped cream right before the serving of desert when the kids were little. That was my sister’s contribution. Now, my oldest daughter has taken over making home made raspberry pie and another daughter makes mint chocolate lava cakes. This is all stuff of memories past and those in the making. No wonder I look forward to this time of year.

 Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season.

– The Gourmet Review

David Ravandi creates another great cocktail with Uno Dos Tres Tequila, otherwise known as 1 2 3 Tequila. This one is perfect for the holidays. Festive red and green, it is the perfect party drink.  I particularly love the design of the bottles, with each one depicting an ancient myth behind the 100% pure blue agave tequila.

INGREDIENTS

1 oz orange juice

2 oz.  uno blanco tequila

3 oz fresh pomegranate juice

pomegranate seeds for garnish

sprig fresh mint for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Serve on the rocks. Or, shake vigorously with cracked ice in a stainless steel shaker and strain into a broad bowled, stemmed cocktail glass. Both create a delicious, simple pomegranate cocktail.

Garnish with pomegranate seeds and sprig of fresh mint.

For more details on David Ravandi and his certified organic tequila, check out this Dine Wine and Beyond post.

– The Gourmet Review

Courtesy Very Creative Husband

Sometimes a man just needs a special award for creativity. Rumor has it that a very important executive at Wynn Las Vegas got lots of points when he presented his wife with this beautiful Hermes bag.

Thanks to cake artist Flora, Aghababyan at Wynn Resort Las Vegas,   this handbag reproduction was enjoyed by all attending the birthday party. There appears to be  no challenge that Flora  and Wynn Resort can’t meet.

PS Can you believe this is really a cake?

– The Gourmet Review