Creme Brûlée French Toast

This is one of my most favouritest breakfast ever.  It also helps that it's a prep-ahead dish.  The rich sweetness of this pairs wonderfully with some nice smokey/salty bacon and a strong cup of coffee or, y'know, some mimosas.  It's perfect for a special occasion, or for making Sunday breakfast a treat.

Crème Brûlée French Toast

from Epicurious

ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup (based on the reviews, I reduce this to a scant tbsp)
an 8- to 9-inch round loaf country-style bread
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
1/4 teaspoon salt


preparation:
In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth and pour into a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish. Cut six 1-inch thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use, and trim crusts. Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, Grand Marnier, and salt until combined well and pour evenly over bread. Chill bread mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350° F. and bring bread to room temperature.(generally I try to leave it sitting out for about half an hour, it's still a bit chilled, but it works.  Depending on how long you leave it out, you may have to adjust the cooking time)

Bake bread mixture, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot French toast immediately.

Slowing things down this week

Once the weather starts getting colder I love to start cooking more with my slow cooker. I have had a craving for pork and apples. Came across this simple recipe from http://slowandsimple.com and it looked simple enough.

Apple Glazed Pork Roast

INGREDIENTS
4 lb. pork loin roast
6 apples
1/4 cup apple juice
3 T. brown sugar
1 t. ginger, ground

DIRECTIONS
Rub roast with salt and pepper. Brown pork roast under broiler to remove excess fat; drain well. Core and quarter apples. Place apple quarters in bottom of crockpot. Place roast on top of apples. Combine apple juice, brown sugar, and ginger. Spoon over top surface of roast, moistening well. Cover and cook on Low for 10-12 hours, until done.

A Thanksgiving Two-fer

I love Thanksgiving, especially the traditional Thanksgiving food. Since I am planning what I need to buy for the three Thanksgiving meals that I am having this year, I thought I would share two of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes.

They are both called souffles. Neither of them are your traditional egg white puffs, but they both contain eggs that make the texture lighter and airier. Hope you try one or both and like them as much as I do.

Sweet Potato Souffle
3 -4 large sweet potatoes, cut into large pieces
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
3/4 stick of butter (or 2/3 stick if you prefer)
2 eggs
1 t. lemon juice (to preserve color)
brown sugar
pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring the sweet potatoes to a boil and cook until fork tender. Cool slightly and remove skins. Add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl and whip with the sugar, milk and butter. Add the eggs and whip. Stir in lemon juice.

Transfer to a grease casserole and top with a mixture of brown sugar and chopped pecans. Bake 1 1/2 hours, until set and browned on top.

Broccoli Souffle
2 10 oz. boxes of chopped broccoli
1 can cream of celery soup
1 c. mayonnaise
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
bread crumbs
melted butter

Cook the broccoli according to package directions, drain and cool. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and combine with soup, mayonnaise and cheese. Stir in the chopped broccoli. Pour into a greased casserole dish and sprinkle bread crumbs on top and drizzle with melted butter.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve hot for best flavor.

And now for something completely different...

We're into November now, and I know Thanksgiving is just around the corner for all my American friends. So, in the spirit of the family GTG, I thought I'd post a recipe that will either bring a lot of cheer to your festive table, or perhaps cause Great Aunt Millie to start swinging from the chandelier.

I'm warning you now. This recipe is good. It was my go-to for winter parties all last year. It's a crowd pleaser.

It's also intensely alcoholic.

You're welcome.

Anna Olson's Mulled Wine


1 750ml bottle full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz
1 cup clear apple cider or cranberry juice
4 tablespoons honey
2 fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish
3 cinnamon sticks
3 whole star anise
3 whole cloves
3 whole peppercorns
1 orange, sliced
2 ounces brandy (optional)
Slowly bring all ingredients except brandy to just below a simmer. Keep below a simmer for 20 minutes, then stir in brandy (if using) and serve, garnishing each glass with a sprig of rosemary

Pumpkin Pancakes

I have a new obsession with everything pumpkin. So far this year, I have added pumpkin to yogurt and oatmeal along with making pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, and pumpkin pancakes. Admittedly it is a little over the top.

However, the pumpkin pancakes were awesome! And with this weekend being Halloween, I thought this was a timely recipe. Enjoy!!

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp groun all spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

Combine wet ingredients in large bowl. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

Heat lightly oiled griddle or frying pan. Use approximately 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. Cook until golden brown on both sides.

(The first time I made these, I added some chocolate chips. They were heaven! We are having company this weekend--my best friend just moved home from Europe!!--and I can't wait to make these again for Halloween brunch! Also, the last time I made them I had leftovers and just put them in the fridge and had them for breakfast a couple of mornings after microwaving them for a few seconds.)

Bacon Cheddar Scones

How about a breakfast recipe? This week's recipe is from Annie's Eats, adapted from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather. I've been meaning to try it since someone posted it on another board a few weeks ago.

Ingredients

For the scones:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. ground black pepper (depending on your preference)
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1½ cups grated cheddar cheese
4 green onions, thinly slices
10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped or crumbled into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk (plus up to ½ cup extra, if needed)

For the egg wash:
1 large egg
2 tbsp. water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and black pepper; mix briefly to combine.  Add the cubes of butter and mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are about the size of small peas.  (Alternatively, this can be done in a regular mixing bowl, using a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.)  Add in the grated cheese and mix just until incorporated.

Mix in the green onions, bacon, and 1 cup of the buttermilk into the flour-butter mixture.  Stir by hand just until all the ingredients are incorporated.  If the dough is too dry to come together, mix in the remaining buttermilk a tablespoon or two at a time until the dough can be formed into a ball.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat the dough into an 8-inch disk.  Slice the dough into 8 to 10 wedges.

In a small bowl combine the egg and water and whisk together.  Brush each wedge lightly with the egg wash.  Transfer the scones to an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Down here in South it finally feels like Fall. I've been waiting for it and the weather here after a blistering summer has become cooler. This makes it the perfect time of year for making soup. This recipe is one of my favorites because of its ease and tastiness. It's also reasonably healthy which makes it even more of a plus. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced sweet onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 3-16  oz chicken broth boxes 

1 (10-ounce) can Mexicorn (corn and bell peppers), drained and rinsed

1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (-ounce) can green chiles, drained (the smallest can possible I can't recall how big but the can is tiny)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or sliced ( If you have a carnivorous husband use 3)

2 teaspoons fajita seasoning blend or to taste

2 tablespoons ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes, see below

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add celery, carrot, and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, and stir. Flour will form a paste; allow paste to cook for at least 2 minutes. Gradually add chicken broth, whisking. Heat the mixture until it begins to simmer and thicken, approximately 7-8 minutes.

Note: At this point, you have the base for pretty much any chicken soup you want to make! Add mexicorn, beans, green chiles, and garlic. Mix and return to a simmer. Add cooked chicken and spices, seasoning the soup to taste. Simmer over low heat, covered, for 20-30 minutes.

After flavors have had time to meld, the soup is ready to eat.

Garnish Ideas:
Shredded cheese
Jalapenos
Chopped fresh cilantro
Fat free sour cream
Salsa
Sliced avacado
Corn tortilla chips
Your favorite cornbread

Serve with your favorite garnishes and enjoy!

** disclaimer I don't really use recipes so if something seems a miss and you want to add more go for it. I never really make anything the same way twice.**

~So I've been stewing on my portion sizes all day so I came home and made it. I changed a few things around since this morning. I was to gung ho about posting I guess. Maybe I should also look into writing recipes down. ~

Dessert!!

I wanted to switch it up a bit this week with a dessert recipe, and we're trying to eat a *little* bit healthier, so I found this cookie recipe on www.cookinglight.com. I figured it would be worth a shot, and that's what it's all about, right?!

Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
• 1/3 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso, if desired. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.

3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

104

Fat:

6.5g (sat 2.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.4g)

Protein:

1.6g

Carbohydrate:

10.9g

Fiber:

0.8g

Cholesterol:

23mg

Iron:

0.6mg

Sodium:

46mg

Calcium:

11mg

Pizza Pot Pie

Okay, it is moving into fall and that means that I am craving some comfort foods. So I hit the cookbooks this week to figure out what I wanted to post for this week's recipe of the week. I came across the Pizza Pot Pie in Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins' Silver Palate Cookbook (p. 166). This could be easily adapted to be a vegetarian option for those who are interested!

2lbs sweet Italian sausage, in 1-inch pieces
2lbs hot Italian sausage, in 1-inch pieces
4 1/2 cups of tomato sauce (recipe suggests spicy sauce)
2 cups ricotta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
2 1/2 tablespoons of dried oregano
2 eggs
Freshly grated pepper to taste
4 cups of grated mozzarella cheese
Pizza Dough for crust

Preheat oven to 350F.

In heavy skillet, saute sausages until brown, drain well, and transfer to a bowl. Add tomato sauce to bowl and set aside.

Mix ricotta, parmigiano-reggiano, 1/2 cup of parsley, 2 tbsp of oregano, 1 egg, and pepper.

In rectangular oven-proof dish (9x13), spread half the sausage/tomato sauce mixture. Dot this half with ricotta mixture and sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella evenly over surface. Sprinkle with half remaining parsley and half remaining oregano. Repeat.

Roll out dough to about 1/3 inch , being certain dough is about 1 inch larger than baking dish all the way around. Transfer dough to top of pizza and tuck in the excess all around. Beat remaining egg w/1 tbsp of water and brush on top of crust.

(Recipe also says you can reserve some extra dough and cut out shapes to decorate the top, if you feel so inclined)

Bake for 35-45 minutes, then let pizza stand 30 minutes before serving.

Thai Ground Pork Salad

It was hard to pick a recipe to post. I decided to first narrow it down to a protein that we haven't used yet.

The first thing I thought of was pork. Well, that should be easy, right? Wrong. Then I had to decide on whether I wanted to do a loin, or ribs, or sausage, or chops, etc... whew.

So, when I was getting frustrated by looking up too many things online, I decided to open my Food & Wine 2010 Annual Cookbook. Looking at their pictures always makes me drool. I flipped right to the pork section, and while it was still difficult to pick something, I decided on this Thai ground pork salad. I'm obsessed with Thai food right now (have been for a few years, actually), and we haven't done anything similar yet, so I thought it was perfect.

If you don't like heat, feel free to reduce or omit the jalapeño (duh). I hope you all enjoy!

Thai Ground Pork Salad
From Food & Wine Annual Cookbook, 2010 (pg. 170)

Total time: 40 min
6 servings

2 pounds ground pork
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 small shallots, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced, plus sliced jalapeño for garnish
Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Sriracha chile sauce, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup chopped basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup chopped salted peanuts
1 head Boston or other leafy lettuce

In a bowl, mix the pork, garlic, shallots, and minced jalapeño. In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and the 1 teaspoon of Sriracha.

In a skillet, heat the oil. Add the pork mixture; cook over high heat, stirring to break up the meat, until no pink remains, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime mixture. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Top with peanuts and sliced jalapeños. Serve with lime wedges, Sriracha, and lettuce for wrapping.

Pair a vivid, lightly sweet Riesling with this meal.

Week Six: Mini Pita Burgers with Cucumber Mint Salad

With the holiday weekend just ahead I thought a recipe involving burgers would be appropriate. This is a twist on the traditonal burgers on the grill. I have made this recipe in the past, courtesy of Women's Health. My husband raves about them. Curious to see what you all think!

Salad:
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 c chopped mint
Kosher salt to taste
2 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

Burgers:
1/4 c grated onion (1 small onion)
1/4 c chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried garlic
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coriander
1-2 pinches of salt
1 lb lean ground beef
4 6-inch whole-wheat pitas, cut in half

1. Whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, mint, and salt in medium bowl. Add cucumbers and toss. Set aside.

2. Place onion, parsley, cumin, garlic paprika, coriander, and salt in medium bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.

3. Add beef and blend mixture into meat with your hands. (Don't overhandle meat or burgers will get tough.)

4. Form beef into 16 mini patties and grill until cooked, 3-4 minutes per side. While burgers cook, lightly warm pita in toaster.

5. To serve, stuff pita pocket with 4 or 5 cucumber slices and 2 burgers and drizzle juices from salad. Serve remaining salad on side.

Week Five: Sun-dried Tomato and Artichoke Chicken

Sorry I've been so behind, Ladies! Not only did I forget that Thursday was the new recipe post day but I have yet to post my pictures and reviews from last week's menu...which was fabulous, by the way. Hopefully, this recipe will be as good as Rebecca's and you ladies enjoy it. So here it is:

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 3/4 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine, divided
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions

In a saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is hot add the onions and saute until translucent. Stir in the artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes, then add the salt, pepper and garlic. When the garlic begins to lightly brown, deglaze with 1/4 cup of the white wine. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the butter, allow it to melt, then toss in the Parmesan and parsley.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool before stuffing the chicken breast.

Rinse, trim and pound out chicken breasts to about 1/4-inch thick. Do not over-pound as holes in the chicken will make it difficult for the chicken to retain the stuffing.

Put 1/4 of the stuffing mixture at 1 end of a chicken breast. Gentle roll the chicken breast folding the ends in to help keep the stuffing from coming out during the cooking process. Secure the chicken roll with 2 toothpicks. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts and stuffing.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a medium saute pan over high heat. Add the chicken breasts, with the secured side of the chicken first, to insure the roll with stay together. Brown the chicken on all sides, add remaining butter, and deglaze with remaining white wine.

Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and discard the toothpicks. Slice each breast on a bias into 5 pieces and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with remaining pan drippings, garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan and serve.

Week Four - Mushroom and Bacon-Stuffed Trout

If you have looked at my other blog, you may have noticed that I have a list running down the right hand side. This is my 101 things in 1001 days challenge and my time runs out on September 28th. So I thought I would use this post to kill two birds with one stone, and be able to check off "cook a whole fish."

I like fish. I like it a lot and I like all kinds of fish, but trout is one of my most favorite. You don't see it on restaurant menus very often here and I always order it when I do. I thought I would take a stab at making this recipe from Cooking Light.

Mushroom and Bacon-Stuffed Trout

• 2 (1-ounce) slices white bread
• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions (about 2 bunches)
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• 8 (8-ounce) dressed whole rainbow trout
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges and fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place bread in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until crumbly. Sprinkle crumbs on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until golden.

Increase oven temperature to 400°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add green onions and onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until mushrooms soften and most of liquid evaporates. Add chopped thyme; cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Combine mushroom mixture, breadcrumbs, and bacon in a bowl.

Open trout flat as you would a book. Drizzle trout evenly with juice; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Spoon about 1/4 cup mushroom mixture onto bottom half of each fish; fold over to cover with top half of fish. Arrange fish on a foil-lined broiler pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork or until desired degree or doneness. Garnish with lemon wedges and thyme sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.

Week Three Recipe: Cumin Lamb, Sweet Pepper & Onion Kebabs

I love lamb.  I really do.  When we were on our honeymoon in Greece we ate a lot of lamb.  I also love to cook food on sticks in the summer.  We have "meat and vegetables on sticks" about once a week throughout the summer months.

This recipe comes from the Summer issue of the LCBO Food & Drink magazine.  The LCBO is where we buy our liquor up here in Ontario (it actually stands for Liquor Control Board of Ontario).  Yup, only in special circumstances can you get wine in a grocery store, and you can forget about beer or spirits.  But anyway, several times a year the LCBO puts out a great magazine full of wonderful drink ideas and fantastic recipes.  I've made so many things out of them, and refuse to let Derek throw any of the magazines out.  If you'd like to take a search through some of what they've had in the past, go here. (This is one of my favourite things I've made from these magazines.  I made it at least 3 times in the Fall/Winter of 2004)

Cumin Lamb, Sweet Pepper & Onion Kebabs

If you love lamb, but don't feel like grilling a whole leg, kebabs are the perfect solution.  As most of the lamb in the supermarket is frozen, it's easiest to find these fresh cuts at a butcher shop or farmers' market.

Serves 4

• 3/4 lb (375g) boneless lamb, such as boneless leg or tenderloin
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) lemon juice
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) finely minced ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp (10 mL) cumin
• 2 tsp (10 mL) liquid honey
• 1 large sweet pepper, preferably yellow
• 1 small red onion
• Salt and black pepper

1. Cut lamb into bite-sized chunks for threading onto skewers.  In a bowl just large enough to hold lamb, whisk lemon juice with oil, ginger, garlic, cumin and honey.  Add lamb and stir to coat.  Refrigerate covered, turning occasionally, at least 4 hours but preferable overnight.

2. Oil grill and preheat barbecue to medium-high.  Slice pepper and red onion into chunks.  Thread onto skewers randomly with lamb.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill, turning occasionally and basting with marinade until cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes.  Adjust heat as needed.

3. Remove to a platter.  Excellent with grilled pita or flatbread, tzatziki and a tossed green or Greek salad.

Bonus: the magazine also suggest wine pairings!

What to Serve

Henry of Pelham Reserve Baco Noir VQA (Vintage Essentials, $24.95 CAD) (this one is from Ontario, if you can find it, try it!)
William Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis ($21.95 CAD)

Week Two Recipe: Grilled Salmon with Blueberry Pan Sauce

This summer, I have developed a new appreciation for blueberries.

I have encountered different versions of blueberry balsamic sauces at various restaurants, topping everything from pork chops to ice cream. This recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine says that it's perfect for a rich fish like salmon, but I'm interested to see what you pair with it.

Grilled Salmon with Quick Blueberry Pan Sauce

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Active time: 40 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil plus additional for brushing
• 3/4 cup sliced shallots
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme plus additional for seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice plus additional for seasoning
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 4 7-ounce salmon steaks or fillets with skin (each about 3/4 inch thick)
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint, divided

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon allspice. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add blueberries, 1/4 cup water, and vinegar. Stir to blend. Mash berries with potato masher or back of fork and cook until sauce thickens, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm before using.
2. Brush grill rack with oil. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush salmon on both sides with oil; sprinkle with coarse salt, thyme, allspice, and black pepper.
3. Grill salmon until just opaque in center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Stir 2 tablespoons sliced mint into warm blueberry sauce. Spoon sauce over salmon and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon mint. Serve immediately.

Note: An additional note from the editors on BA's website suggests adding a dash of lemon juice to the sauce to bring out the blueberry flavour.

Week One Recipe: Peach Crème Brûlée Tart

I thought I'd get the ball rolling here! This is a recipe I've been wanting to try for years now, and it's perfect because peach season has just begun, though theoretically, you could use just about any fruit in place of the peaches.

Peach Crème Brûlée Tart (from Cooking Light)
Cooking Deadline: August 4th

Ingredients

• 1/2  (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 3 1/2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 2  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1  (4-inch) piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 1  large egg, lightly beaten
• 2  cups  sliced ripe peeled peaches
• 1/3  cup  sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Fit the dough into a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan, and pierce dough with a fork; bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

3. Place 1/4 cup sugar, flour, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds and bean to milk mixture. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly.

4. Place egg in a large bowl. Gradually stir hot milk mixture into egg. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Spoon custard into a small bowl. Place bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice. Cool 20 minutes or until thoroughly chilled, stirring occasionally. Discard vanilla bean.

*If using vanilla extract add it after you've begun to chill the custard. Let cool for 20 minutes*

5. Spread chilled custard into bottom of prepared crust. Arrange the peach slices spoke-like on top of chilled custard. Sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar evenly over peach slices. (Alternatively you could place the peaches on the bottom and the custard on the top for a more crème brûlée like appearance - just remember that the 1/3 cup sugar needs to go on the top of the tart).

6. Holding a kitchen blow torch about 2 inches from the top of the tart, heat the sugar, moving the torch back and forth, until the sugar is melted and caramelized (about 3 minutes). If you don't have a blow torch, you can use the broiler of your oven. Just be sure to cover the exposed areas of crust with foil so it doesn't burn!

Serves 8

Nutritional Information

Calories: 247 (32% from fat)

Fat: 8.8g (sat 3.7g,mono 3.7g,poly 1g)

Protein: 4.5g

Carbohydrate: 37.9g

Fiber: 0.9g

Cholesterol: 36mg

Iron: 0.3mg

Sodium: 175mg

Calcium: 80mg