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Sunday, October 23, 2011

PERFECT ANYTIME OF YEAR

BANANA NUTELLA CREPES




Ingredients

For the crepes:

2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
Pinch salt, preferable gray salt
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons hazelnuts, peeled, toasted, chopped

For the filling:

4 bananas
3 tablespoons butter
2 fresh bay leaves
2 lemons, juiced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup tangerine juice
1 cup fresh raspberries, optional
1 small jar hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)

For the sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 lemons, juiced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for serving

For the crepes:

Directions
In a non-reactive bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. In a separate bowl mix the flour and salt. In a small sauce pot or saute pan over low heat melt the butter and cook it until it is light brown.
Add the egg and milk mix to the flour and salt and mix well so that there are no large clumps. Add the browned butter and mix to incorporate, being careful not to overwork batter. The batter should just coat the back of a spoon. If seems too thick, thin it out with a little more milk or water. Let the batter rest for 1 hour prior to cooking crepes.
For the filling:
Peel bananas, cut in half lengthwise and then cut 1/2-inch slices widthwise. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat melt the butter and cook until lightly browned, add the bay leaves to the hot butter and cook until it crackles slightly, add the lemon juice and sugar, stirring so that the sugar dissolves. Add the bananas and tangerine juice and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes so the flavors incorporate and the bananas are hot but not mushy. Add the raspberries, if using. Stir gently to combine. Set this mixture aside and let cool slightly.
After the crepe batter has rested for 1 hour, heat 1 (10-inch) nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 ounces of the crepe batter to the pan, remove pan from heat and tilt slightly to spread the batter over the entire pan. Return to heat and sprinkle the top with 1 teaspoon of the chopped hazelnuts. Cook for about 1 minute until the bottom side is lightly browned. With your fingertips and a spatula, carefully flip crepe and cook the second side for about 15 seconds. Set the cooked crepe on a baking sheet and repeat until you have used all of the batter. You should be able to produce 8 to 10 crepes.
Lay the crepes out on a flat surface. Spread each crepe with about 1 tablespoon of hazelnut spread. In one fourth of the crepe, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the banana mixture and fold the crepe over in half and in half again so that it has a triangular shape. Repeat this with all of the crepes.
For the sauce:
In a small saute pan over medium heat melt the butter and cook until lightly browned, add the lemon juice and brown sugar and stir to dissolve.
Serve the crepes on a plate with the sauce spooned over the top and sprinkled with the remaining chopped hazelnuts and confectioners' sugar.


A GREAT FALL COCKTAIL

GINGER GOLD RUSH



MAKES 1 DRINK
1 1/2 oz ginger liqueur (like Domaine de Canton)
1 oz Bourbon
1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Brandied cherry, for garnish

Put the brandied cherry in the bottom of a martini glass. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain over the cherry into the glass.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

GREAT NEW ITEMS UNDER CROSS VALLEY FARMS


HERE'S A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN.

THE PRODUCE TEAM HAS JUST LAUNCHED TWO NEW ITEMS

UNDER OUR




ARTISIAN ROMAINE
#1673748


WHEN I SAW THIS ONE, I WENT RIGHT TO A GRILLED CAESAR SALAD.
THE HEAD IS A PERFECT SHAPE AND COMPACT ENOUGH
FOR GREAT PLATE PRESENTATION.
CATERERS WILL LOVE THIS ITEM.


THE OTHER ITEM...

ARTISIAN BLEND
#1558725


6 DIFFERENT ARTISIAN TENDER LETTUCES
FLAVOR, TEXTURE & COLOR
CHEFS CAN CREATE SO MANY NEW SALAD OPTIONS WITH THIS ONE

any questions or comments
AskChefBill.com

Sunday, October 16, 2011

THE FALL HAS GREAT FLAVORS - ENJOY


Pecan Fig Bourbon Cake

Serves12 to 16



GOURMET January 2008
Bundt cakes are always crowd-pleasers, and this dark, moist one won't disappoint. The combination of time-honored ingredients—sweet dried figs, crunchy pecans, and aromatic bourbon—will have your guests clamoring for the recipe.

For cake

1 lb dried Black Mission figs, hard tips discarded
2 cups water
1/2 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 3/4 cups pecans (7 oz)
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes

For icing

1 cup confectioners sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Make cake:
Simmer figs in water in a heavy medium saucepan, covered, until figs are tender and most of liquid is absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Purée in a food processor with bourbon and vanilla. Cool to warm.
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour bundt pan, knocking out excess flour.
While oven preheats, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Lightly toast pecans in a shallow baking pan in oven, 8 to 10 minutes, then cool and coarsely chop. Leave oven on.
Beat together brown sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in fig mixture. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just incorporated, then fold in pecans.
Pour batter into bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, then invert onto a plate.

Make icing:
·                                 Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl, then whisk in remaining icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Cooks’ note: Cake (before icing) improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead and can be made 5 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe by Ruth Cousineau
Photography by Romulo Yanes


JUST ANOTHER WAY TO PREPARE THESE

DEVILED CHICKEN LOLLIPOPS
FROM FOOD NETWORK KITCHENS


Ingredients
12 Chef’s Line Chicken Osso Buco
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3 slices sandwich sourdough bread, crusts trimmed, torn into pieces
1 clove garlic , roughly chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 scallions, green and white part, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup honey mustard
Hot sauce, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F or a convection oven to 425 degrees F.
Stand drumettes on its wide end and season generously with salt and pepper and set aside.
Pulse the bread in a food processor to make coarse bread crumbs, (about 12 times). Add the garlic, parsley, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, to taste, and continue to pulse until finely chopped but not a paste. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl and toss with melted butter.
Brush each drumette with some honey mustard. Then press and roll each one in the bread crumbs to coat. Arrange the drumettes (standing up if you can) on a rack set over a baking sheet. Roast until chicken is cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve drumettes hot or at room temperature with hot sauce, if desired.

Friday, October 14, 2011

CHEF BILL IS NOW ON TWITTER




THE TIME IS HERE.
FOR NOW YOU CAN FOLLOW ON YOUR IPHONE, DROID or BB.

TWITTER
@ChefBill55


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

GREETINGS FROM GERMANY

An amazing weekend in Koln, Germany.
I will be back in the states tomorrow.
I start my Twitter page tomorrow as well.
Looking forward to hearing from you
AskChefBill.com



This was the view from the local square





These were fantastic - Just sayin

Monday, October 10, 2011

HERE IT IS - ENJOY - WE CERTAINLY DID

BACON JAM BROWNIE



For the Brownie:
1 tray Chef’s Line Chocolate Melting Cake Batter

For the Bacon Jam
2# Patuxent Farms Applewood Smoked Bacon, diced
1 c. Turbinado sugar
½ c. Rycoff Sexton sherry vinegar

Preparation:
For the Bacon Jam:
  Render the diced bacon in a heavy bottom pan. Careful not to scorch.
  Once the bacon is crisp add the sherry vinegar and turbinado sugar.
  Stir to dissolve sugar and allow to coat all of the bacon.
  Remove the bacon from the rendered fat quickly.
  Allow to cool but do not refrigerate.
  Pulse the bacon jam in a food processor. Store in a sealed container.

For the Bacon Jam Brown:
  Use a mini muffin pan for best performance. Non stick Silpat works very well.
  Spray muffin pan with Optimax spray.
  Sprinkle about 1 tsp. Bacon Jam into each cup.
  Scoop or pipe chocolate melting cake batter on top of each – ¾ full.
  Bake at 350F convection for 12 – 15 minutes. Tops will just start to crack.

Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan.
Best served warm with Butter Pecan Ice Cream.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

FIRST IN FOOD - LOOK OUT HERE WE COME


This past weekend was the first time we publicly displayed the new logo at a major event.
This was no little event - Star Chefs 2011 ICC.

Just a few recognizable Chefs

The 2011 ICC lineup includes preeminent figures in the food and beverage industry including
Grant Achatz (Alinea),
Andoni Luis Aduriz (Mugaritz Restaurant),
Massimo Bottura (Osteria Francescana),
David Burke (David Burke Kitchen),
François Chartier, Sang-Hoon Degeimbre (L’Air du Temps),
Curtis Duffy (Avenues),
Pierre Hermé (Pierre Hermé Paris),
Bill Kim (Urbanbelly and Belly Shack) - a personal favorite
Paul Liebrandt (Corton),
Tony Maws (Craigie On Main),
Ron Paprocki (Gordon Ramsay at The London),
Gilles Verot (Gilles Verot),
and Chris Young (Modernist Cuisine).


Take a look at the photo below. This interview was on the main stage of the event and if you look over Chef Grant Achatz of Alinea's shoulder you will see the US Foods logo.

This sponsorship of the event goes farther than you may realize.
We were the first major distributor to be invited to the event.



We also had a few other chefs you may recognize as well
Chef Rocco Paradiso - Chicago Division
Chef Mike Miello - Metro NY Division
Chef Tony Schmidt - Atlanta Division
Chef Bob Passarelli - Raliegh Division
and...yours truly Chef Bill

The hit of the show was a little creation inspired by my recent trip to
the Fancy Food Show as well as our new Chef's Line Chocolate Melting Cake
(yes Elspeth - the Melting Cake)

BACON JAM FILLED BROWNIES!!!
we had every corner of the show floor buzzing about our
warm Bacon Jam Brownies.

NYC Pastry Chef, Pichot Ong tried them,
liked the idea but a little sweet for his taste. He then offered suggestions on how we could possibly improve packaging and help our operators.
This is what happens when you put a group of Chefs together - Ideas!!

We also had "The Best Food" on the show floor.
That statement was made over and over again by everyone that tried the work of your chefs.
We served some 1000 plus people each day.

You CAN taste Passion!!!!

Our Menu:
STAR CHEFS MENU


Stockyards Short Rib Marinated in Black Bean Hoisin
Crispy Soba
  Siraccha Ketchup


Pan Seared Sea Scallops
 RSI Wild Mushroom Cream
Micro Celery


Strauss Lamb Tenderloins
 Twisted Gyro
  Seared Lamb Tenderloin
Chef's Line Asian Masala Tandoori Naan
Pickled Cucumbers
Harissa Yogurt
Yuzu Soy Cous Cous


Strauss Veal Tenderloin  
Morel Dusted Veal Tenderloin
Parmiggiano Gorgonzola Crisp
Micro Arugula
Beluga Lentil Salad


Strauss Lamb Loin –
Reconstructed Lebanese Kibee
Lentil Lemon Toasted Pinenut Salad
Chef’s Line Roasted Garlic Tandoori Naan
Crispy Chick Peas
 Pickled Cucumber Yogurt



Stockyards Prime Tenderloin
Red Onion Micro Green Salad
Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Sea Salt