Cooking demonstration recipes, January 22, 2009

Cauliflower & Leek Soup with Seared Bay Scallops (serves 6)
Ingredients
1 large head of Cauliflower, (rough chopped w/ stem)
1 Leek, (rough chopped & rinsed of any dirt)
1 small onion (rough chopped)
1 32 oz. box (natural) Chicken stock or 4 cups home made
½ cup milk
¼ cup olive oil, Salt & ground white pepper to taste
½# fresh bay scallops (remove side nubs & any sand)

Method
In a medium / heavy-bottomed large pot over med. heat
Add the ingredients in this order…
olive oil, onion, leeks, cauliflower,
cover and cook for 4 minutes to sweat.
Add Chicken stock & increase to med-high heat.
Cook for 10 minutes until just about tender. Add milk and 1 teaspoon salt & a big pinch of pepper. Cook 3 more minutes.
( Sear the bay scallops in a hot sauté pan with 2 tblsp. Butter)
Blend the soup until smooth in a powerful blender,
season & serve in wide rimmed soup bowls.
Place 6 scallops around the edge of the soup
sprinkle chopped parsley or chives in the middle
You can add more stock or use less of the cooking liquid to get the consistency you desire.
Note: You can substitute parsnips for the cauliflower and use sautéed chopped green apple in place of the scallops.

Lobster, mango & Shaved Fennel Salad on a
Pan-Fried Angel Hair pasta, Shitake & Scallion Cake
with Roasted Tomato Sauce (serves six)

Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce (pre-heat oven to 350)
Ingredients
1 can whole plum tomatoes (peeled w/basil) med-chop
½ medium onion (small diced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/3 cup olive oil, ½ cup chopped fresh basil

Method
In large (oven proof) sauté pan put oil & rest of ingredients
Bring to a boil on the stove top and put into oven for 20 minutes
Season with S & P & chopped Basil

Lobster, Mango & Shaved Fennel Salad
Meat from a 1½ # Lobster, sliced on bias in bite size pieces
½ fresh fennel bulb, shaved super thin
½ ripe mango peeled w/ potato peeler & diced in ¼ inch cubes
½ cup simple vinaigrette or Annie’s poppy seed dressing

Pasta Cake
2/3 cup sliced scallions (green & white part)
1 ½ cups sliced shiitake mushrooms (lightly sautéed)
½ # Vermicelli (angel hair) cooked & rinsed w/ cool water

Custard for pasta cake
Blend together: 2 cups light cream, 5 large eggs
1/2 tesp. Salt, pinch white pepper

Method
Mix pasta, scallion and mushrooms into custard and let sit 15 minutes.
Season to taste w/ S&P.
Heat large skillet (med-high heat) w/ 1/3 cup olive oil
(Note: Individual Blini pans can be used instead of skillet)
Add the pasta to fill the pan ½ way up the side.
Pour in extra custard to hold pasta together.
When set loosen cake with spatula and brown on bottom
Add more oil if needed. Flip over and brown.
Place cake on cutting board, cut into six wedges

Plating (room temp. plates)
Toss Salad ingredients together & season w/ Fresh ground black pepper & salt (save some Lobster for the top of salad)
Place pasta cake wedge in middle of plate. Put salad on cake and one side of plate. Ladle warm tomato sauce on other side of plate. Enjoy!

Chocolate Soufflé
Yield:-One large Soufflé (1½ quart Ramekin)
or Six Soufflés (12 0z Ramekins)

Ingredients
8 ounces semi-sweet Chocolate
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
¼ cup Coffee
4 Oz.(½ Stick) Soft (Un-salted) Butter
(additional ½ stick of butter to coat the ramekins)
10 Eggs ( Room temp) Separated
1½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 400.degrees
Heavily Butter & sugar the Ramekins, Place in the refrigerator.
Place the Chocolate, cocoa & coffee in large mixing bowl and melt over a water-bath,
add butter & stir until smooth. Remove from heat
Mix together the yolks & vanilla & add them to the Chocolate mixture
Beat the Egg Whites until they form soft and moist peaks
In two additions fold whites into the chocolate mixture until smooth
Fill the ramekins 4/5 full and bake on middle rack of the oven until well risen and the tops are slightly colored around 12- 15 minutes for 12oz. ramekins and 35- 40 minutes for the larger ones.
Remove soufflés from oven and sprinkle tops with confectionery sugar
Serve them with whipped cream in a side dish. Yum!