Filets & Mushroom Ragout

The filets were huge and cooked perfectly. Ruth Chris beware.  I read and tried a super technique for cooking thick steaks, not just filets. Think it through. Room temperature for about 30 minutes. Salt and pepper steaks. Place on foil lined cookie sheet. Put steaks in oven for 25 minutes at 275 degrees.  After that, sautee the steaks in a mixture of olive oil andbutter until browned on all sides. Let rest a few minutes. It should be pink inside but warm.

Mushroom Ragout

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3. 1 large shallot, minced

4. 1 1/2 pounds mixed wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, oysters and shiitake, thickly sliced

5. 2 tablespoons brandy or Cognac

6. 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

7. 1 cup heavy cream

8. Salt and freshly ground pepper

9. 2 tablespoons snipped chives

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large deep skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the shallot and cook over moderately high heat until softened, 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, tossing, until browned, about 15 minutes. Add the brandy; simmer until evaporated. Add the broth and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half. Add the cream and cook until slightly reduced, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the chives.

Salad was a wedge of lettuce topped with a blue cheese dressing.

Simple, yet elegant.

BTW---Wine was Stag's Leap Merlot, Vintage 2005 from a very private collection in the family winery.

It aged beautifully and was superb.

Chef Pete' in control

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Sometimes you learn from experience. Bravo on the attempt. I will not embellish on this but share with you the virgin text & photos.

Tonight:

Bronzed Talapia in compote
OK... I cheated w/ Costco's marinated fish, then threw together sweet yellow onion, overly rip baby tomatoes, my precious Pesto, pinch of garlic, sun dried tomato infused olive oil, & red vino.

Ok, Java & Deb said too much oil. Other, than that Chef Pete' is batting a 1000.

Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving. - Rosalind Russell

Bella Sera,
Chef Pete'

V-

Good to hear from u.
i confess.... after the onion compote fish & seconds. Followed by egg nog.
I capped the evening off w/ Tums.

Yuengling-----Beer not Chinese Food

I can't help but share this. Yuengling beer was made in my neck of the world. Pottsville, PA. America's oldest family owned brewery. In my younger day it was nothing but a local beer. Often considered to be the bottom of the line because it was local, yet, it had devoted followers. I am a fan of Yuengling beer. I used to visit PA and always (if driving) bring cases of the stuff home. A trend similar to Coors when it was unavailable in every state. Today Yuengling is available in 13 states due to great marketing by the family. How impressed I was when it became available in FL. How I snickered at a race track when folks wanted a beer but all they had was Yuengling.  When you're hard up you'll drink any beer. I always enjoyed when they returned to the counter and said, " Damn, that was good, I'll have another".

Here is a short video about the company,. recently on ABC news.
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=8905895

Sorry but you have to see the advertisement before you get to the good stuff.

ENJOY..........

A seasonal take on things

A fan of the Blog and previous contributor have added this latest take on gourmet for the ladies bridge lunch group.

Scrumptious.  The presentation was great, the combinations really neat.  What do we have here?

Let me tell you. Pumpkin Soup served in carved out mini pumpkins. (Carving demo took place later)

Assocated with that was "Basil Garlic Chicken". Chicken breast stuffed with slices of celery, carrots & onions, wrapped in buttery phyllo dough and served with a basil cream sauce & garnished with vertical slivers of  sauteed onions, carrots and onions.  Accompaniment was a salad of red potao's and green beans.

Oh, to have been invited. I could have slurped up any extras.

Blown away by Chef Pete'

A casual take on the inventiveness of this "Iron Chef" hopeful.

Dear VG,
Deb and I just ADORE your cooking blog. It has given us GREAT inspiration. So much so that she and I decided to share cooking duties, at Buck Run, last night..... And we are still in amour. Who said deux cooks spoil le broth?

Simple menu:

Pot roast in gravy

Dirty potatoes (okay, they boiled over)

My Compote> carrots in olive oil, w/ basil, yellow onion, garlic and wine infusal

Then "Dove Promises" for a bit of decadence. As one said "Let chocolate warm your soul". That one really hit home with me. Makes a person......

Cap the evening w/ "Bailey's Irish Creme" in mini chocolate cordial cups. Add warm conversation + two beautiful women and you have a Bella Sera.

Not every dinner experience is, or can be, worthy of http://every-day-is-a-banquet.blogspot.com/ . Nevertheless, it is fun to try our hand. We will try, again this Sabbath with dinner for 14.

Learning to say "I Love You” in a different language",

Chef Pete'

New Chef joins Every-Day-Is-A-Banquet

I would love to share some things with you and your blog. I have a couple of favorites that I enjoy making when the days are short and the nights are cold. The first is a simple, humble, and very tasty soup. It is a potato soup, with spicy sausage, bacon, onion and kale. Just the thing to knock off the chill from a day of cheering on your favorite football team. Just make sure you have an end table close by. You will need a place to set your bowl down as you fall asleep for an after dinner nap. Do not be bothered with taking you bowl to the sink, you will need it again as soon as you wake up. The recipe follows:

1 lb Italian sausage (spicy)
2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced in half, and then in 1/4 inch slices
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 lb of bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups kale or Swiss chard, chopped
4 cans chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Brown the sausage and bacon until cooked through, drain and set aside

In a croc pot set to low add the sausage, potatoes, onion, bacon, garlic, and chicken broth,.
Allow to cook until the potatoes are tender, add the whipping cream and stir in the kale just before serving.

Enjoy.

Chef Shawn

Back in the Saddle Again

The transition to Florida was disrupting. I apologize.  Schedules change, activities are different.   If it makes you feel any better or jealous, we have been dining on stone carbs, ahi tuna, yellowtail snapper, scallops and shrimp. Yesterday we bought 5 pounds of shrimp right off the boat. Yummmm.  As the title goes, everyday is a banquet. We have also have had our fair share of easy and comfort food. Last night was chicken noodle soup made with mirepoux and leftover broasted chicken.  I guess it's your definition of gourmet. Tonight, I'm thinking steak or beef, brown gravy, corn, mashed potato's. I'm ashamed. 

A friend has shared this recipe, which we have had. It is wonderful, light and easy. If I can get flank steak at the grocery today, this will probably suffice for the later.

Next edition might be Chef Pete' with a new recipe.

Korean-Style Grilled Flank Steak

Serves4

Active time:25 min Start to finish:45 min

Serving flank steak (a favorite for the grill) Korean style is always a hit—guests make lettuce-leaf bundles with rice and thin slices of the meat and do the garnishing on their own.

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons Sriracha (Southeast Asian chile sauce)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 to 1 1/4 lb flank steak
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Accompaniments:white rice; soft leaf lettuce

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, Sriracha, sugar, and sesame oil.
Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-high heat.
Oil grill rack, then grill steak, covered, turning over once, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and drizzle with 2 tablespoons sauce, then let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes. Thinly slice steak across the grain. Serve with remaining sauce, scallions, and sesame seeds