wetnwildgrl LRFA's blog: "Erica's blog"

Crab Cakes Chez Grand-mere Created by Durango chef Michel Poumay, these crab cakes have become a favorite at his restaurant. Serves 4 as an entree, 8 as an appetizer. Ingredients 1 pound fresh jumbo lump crab meat 1 finely diced shallot 1 finely diced garlic clove 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 2 eggs, separated (save egg whites) 6-8 sea (not bay) scallops 2 tablespoons heavy cream Pinch salt Pinch white pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Directions Preheat oven to 375. In a mixing bowl, combine crab meat, shallot, garlic, baking powder, cilantro and egg yolks with a rubber spatula. In a blender or food processor combine scallops, egg whites and cream, salt and pepper. Purée for 2 minutes. Combine crab meat and scallop mixture and form crab cakes. In a nonstick fry pan melt butter and oil and pan fry cakes on each side to a lightly golden brown. Place cakes on a cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes. Serve with a rouille (right). Wine ideas: When dining at Chez Grand-mère, you might well want to spring for a bottle of crisp, minerally Pouilly-Fuissé from Charton- Trebuchet or other similarly exalted Burgundy off its extensive, Francophile wine list. At home, you could go with the same wine, or save a few bucks to spend on extra crab and choose an unoaked chardonnay such as Wishing Tree or Plantagenet Omrah from Western Australia, both of which run less than $20. -Tara Q. Thomas Brewhouse Mussels Chef Sean Clark of Steamworks Brewing Co. in Durango developed this recipe for the brewhouse, recently named "Best of the Festival" at Telluride Brews and Blues Fest. Serves 6-8. Ingredients 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup diced celery 1/4 cup diced carrots 1 medium shallot, chopped 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh minced thyme 2 pounds green lip mussels, scrubbed clean 4 ounces lager beer 3 tablespoons minced parsley Zest from 1 lemon 1 1/4 tablespoons sugar Fresh ground pepper and kosher salt to taste Directions Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced celery, carrots, shallots, garlic and fresh thyme to skillet and sauté until mixture begins to caramelize on the bottom. Over high heat, add mussels, beer, parsley, lemon zest and sugar to skillet and simmer high for 3-4 minutes, covered. Uncover and reduce heat to a simmer then season to taste with fresh ground pepper and salt. Discard unopened shells. Transfer contents to a large bowl. Serve immediately garnished with lemon. Wine ideas: Stick with beer - whatever you used to cook the mussels in, especially Steamworks Steam Engine Lager, which has both the sweetness and the hops bitterness to stand on equal footing with the dish. If you don't like beer, switch out the lager in the recipe with a crisp chardonnay, and drink the rest of the bottle with dinner. -Tara Q. Thomas Croque Monsieur This French hot sandwich is made of bread, ham, cheese and béchamel sauce. This recipe, from Jean-Pierre chef/owner Jean-Pierre Bleger can be found throughout France. The Croque Madame variation has a sunnyside-up egg on top. Serves 2. Ingredients: Béchamel sauce: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 teaspoons all purpose-flour 1 pint milk 1 egg yolk Pinch of nutmeg Pinch of salt and pepper Croque Monsieur: 4 slices brioche bread (or any artisan bread) 2 slices of ham 8 teaspoons béchamel sauce 4 ounces shredded Gruyere Directions Make béchamel sauce: Slowly melt butter in a sauce pan. Add flour, and stir constantly with a wooden spatula. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Over medium heat, add milk and stir vigorously for about 4 minutes. Whisk in egg yolk and continue whisking over a medium heat until mixture thickens. Do not boil. Make Croque Monsieur: Heat oven to 375. Warm brioche slices in a nonstick fry pan. Spread a coat of bechamel sauce on the first slice, then layer a slice of ham, an ounce of the Gruyere, and top it with a second slice of ham and top with a slice of brioche. Repeat process to make the second sandwich. Mix remaining béchamel and Gruyere over the top of each sandwich. Place in oven for 7-8 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Serve hot with a mixed green salad. Wine ideas: The fruity ease of a Beaujolais works well here. Skip the Nouveaus (especially if you find them at this time of year, as they'll have languished on the shelf for nearly a year) and go for one with the name of a village, such as Brouilly (Monsieur) or Fleurie (Madame). Jadot and Dubouef both make excellent examples for $15 or less. -Tara Q. Thomas Miso Broiled Black Cod "Saikyo-Yaki" This is a favorite of chef Sergio Verduzco at East by Southwest in Durango, and one that is easy to make at home. The ingredients can be found in Asian specialty stores or some supermarkets. Sal- mon, yellowtail, sea bass, or cod are good substitutes. Verduzco says the sweetness of miso against the richness of fish is "an exuberant combination." Serves 8. Ingredients 2 ounces sake 6 ounces sweet mirin (cooking rice wine) 2 cups white miso paste 1 cup sugar 1 3-pound black cod fillet cut on the bias into five, skin-on portions (or ask the butcher/fishmonger to slice it for you) Directions In a saucepan, bring sake and mirin to a boil for at least 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol in the sake. Reduce heat to low, add miso paste and stir until smooth. Add sugar and continue to mix until sugar granules dissolve. Stir constantly to keep sauce from scorching. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool completely. In a nonreactive container, marinate cod fillet, at least overnight, preferably 48 hours. Lay marinated fillets flat on a baking tray, and broil under a medium flame for approximately 10 minutes, or until a blistered glaze forms. Serve with a side of sticky rice and cucumber salad. Wine ideas: The satin richness and broad, ricey flavor of a cool, high-quality sake is dreamy with the sweet, meaty flavor of miso-glazed cod. Look for examples from importers such as Japan Prestige Sake International or Vine Connections, which makes buying sake easier with English translations on the labels. -Tara Q. Thomas Herb-Grilled Trout with Pancetta and Aged Sherry Vinaigrette This recipe is a favorite among Alison Dance's customers at her Cyprus Cafe in Durango. Serves 4. Ingredients 1 cup diced pancetta 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 red onion, thinly sliced 2-3 tablespoons aged sherry vinegar 4 trout filets, boned 1 tablespoon minced oregano 1 tablespoon minced parsley Olive oil Salt and pepper Directions Make vinaigrette: Cook pancetta in a medium pan over medium heat until crispy. Remove pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve drippings. In the same pan, sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. In a bowl, combine sautéed onion with pancetta, 6 tablespoons of pancetta drippings and 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar. Taste and adjust proportions; set aside. Oil and preheat a grill to medium high. Rinse trout filets and pat dry. Rub olive oil on both sides. Combine oregano and parsley. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper and the herb mixture. Place fish flesh side down on the grill for 3 minutes then turn fish 90 degrees to create cross-hatch grill marks. Grill 1 more minute and turn fish over. Finish grilling skin side down. Remove from grill and place on serving platter. Ladle warm vinaigrette over trout and serve. Wine ideas: Trout has a delicate flavor, but the pancetta ups the richness of this dish considerably. Find a wine that has a light body (to let the delicacy of the meat come through) yet a strong backbone (to stand up to the pork fat) - like a riesling. Try Eroica, a riesling from Washington State made by Chateau Ste. Michelle in conjunction with Ernst Loosen, a winegrower from Germany's Mosel, or Bonny Doon's Pacific Rim Riesling, a bargain at $11. -Tara Q. Thomas Rouille Ingredients 1 cup mayonnaise 8 finely puréed garlic cloves 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons real lemon juice Directions Combine mayonnaise, garlic, cayenne and lemon. Serve alongside crab cakes and garnish with baby lettuces. Aunt Lydia's Meat Loaf This recipe adapted from Ken & Sue's in Durango comes from Sue Fusco's 90-year-old aunt, who lives in Coral Gables, Fla. Serves 8-10. Ingredients 1 pound ground pork sausage 2 pounds ground top round beef 1 cup half and half 3 eggs 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon coarse grind black pepper 1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste 3/4 cup bread crumbs Directions Preheat oven to 400. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients well and separate into two loaves on a sheet pan. Bake 1 hour. Let loaves rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.