FFWD: Lyonnaise Garlic and Herb Cheese



Lyonnaise Garlic and Herb Cheese

I have been having a really hard time keeping up with my postings.  To you it seems like I may have given up on my kitchen adventures, but there have been many over the past several weeks I have just not had the time to write about.  Working crazy hours right now and weekends have been very full.  I even missed last week's posting for a dish I actually had the time to make, though in my defense I was on vacation.  So that brings us to this week and a super simple recipe, thank goodness, that did not take a day and a half to make.  Not a criticism, I'm just sayin'.....

So, this cheese spread is the type of appetizer I enjoy serving, because you almost can't go wrong.  Most party guests love cheese, garlic and herbs, so herein is the perfect appetizer solution.   I used store-bought ricotta because I was unable to locate fromage blanc and, frankly, did not want to go to the trouble of making my own.  I think if I had to make this again I would use a combo of goat cheese and ricotta (if I still cannot find the fromage blanc).  Even with the vinegar and the salt this seemed to cry out for a tangy something or other.  I am taking this to a potluck lunch at work today, so we will see other's reactions.  From tasting this morning (made last night), I was surprised at how strongly the tarragon flavored the cheese.  I would have expected the garlic and shallots to overpower it, but the flavors all blended rather harmoniously. 

I hope you all have a wonderful long weekend with friends and/or family.  Please take a moment to remember the fallen soldiers who gave their lives defending the freedoms we all enjoy this Memorial Day.  Until next time, bon apetit!

FFWD: Double Chocolate Banana Tart

Hey gang, on vacay this weekend, so photos and discussion to follow, but this was truly delicious and pretty simple, really. Looks hella impressive, too. Will post next week.

Almond Flounder Meunière-French Fridays with Dorie



Almond Flounder Meuniere

Hello, dear reader. I have to tell you all about my exciting weekend in NYC, where with my job I was, coincidentally, so fortunate to be with a group of very influential home, cooking and lifestyle bloggers at an event celebrating the launch of Sandra Lee's new venture in to kitchenware and tabletop with Kmart and Sears. I was so inspired by these lovely ladies who work so hard on their blogs and have cultivated huge followings as a result.  I truly enjoyed meeting them all and talking with them about what inspires them. Sandra Lee was also rather inspiring. I found her to be warm and genuine. She said at one point that she feels the Food Network edits her personalIty out of her shows, and I must concur. She has a wicked sense of humor, but you really dont get that from her shows.   Anyway, meeting these "real" bloggers makes me want to do better with my own blog!  It's certainly something to aspire to at any rate.  If you have a chance, please check out a few of the blogs created by the attendees of this event. www.rachelferrucci.com,  www.tonyastaab.com. 

  Almond Flounder Meuniere...hmmm.  So, anyone who knows me will probably be surprised that I actually cooked this dish because I am not a fish lover at all. I have been dabbling with sea creatures as food over the past several months, however, and I think I can safely say that I...like....crab now. There, I said it.  All other seafood is still on my wait-and-see list, however, until I have that one fabulous dish.   

The entrance to the event at The Kitchen in Midtown Manhattan

  Anyway, back to the flounder.  Maybe one of you with more experience can explain why this dish came out rather on the soggy side.  I paper-toweled the filets, got a good crust on the fish, but still they were soggy.  My theory is that with an oil able to take high heat, rather than or in addition to the butter, I could have raised the heat and flash-fried the fish creating a more firm texture and crispier crust.  Your thoughts?  I'm thinking I just dont have enough, or frankly any, experience in cooking fish to know if I had even cooked it all the way through, either.  The flavors of the dish were nice, if conventional, but I was underwhelmed as was the hubby.  Hopefully the next seafood dish I attempt will be a bit more inspiring.  Until next week, bon apetit. 



A Tablescape featuring Sandra Lee products available at Sears and Kmart