A Paris Walk

Paris is a visual feast.....Bon Appetit! Bonne Nuit!

Guinness Irish Stew

It is said that on St. Patrick's Day everyone is Irish. I'm not sure who said that, but probably someone who liked a good party and a nice hearty meal. And many times a rich, hearty beef stew is in order. This past weekend we got almost 10 inches of rain with one storm that just wouldn't let up. The weather lately has seemed almost biblical in proportions and so maybe we need a saint to bring us some cheer. After a little jig in the Wellies to shake off the wetness, I made a Guinness Irish Stew yesterday. There are many recipes out there and I ended up using one from Simply Recipes, that adds Guinness and red wine. Now that's a party. I also added some sautéed mushrooms, because I like them in stew. I picked up some Dubliner Irish cheese and bread and had a nice well rounded meal. Don't worry about any green vegetables, you'll probably have plenty of green to fill the day."Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter. Lullabies, dreams and love ever after. A thousand welcomes when anyone comes...That's the Irish for You!" Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Guinness Irish Stew
(Adapted from Simply Recipes)

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 pounds well-marbled chuck beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces (not extra-lean)
6 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups beef stock, or canned beef broth
1 cup of Guinness beer
1 cup of fine red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups 1/2 inch pieces peeled carrots
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Lightly salt the beef pieces. Working in batches if necessary, add the beef (do not crowd the pan, or the meat will steam and not brown) and cook, without stirring, until nicely browned on one side, then use tongs to turn the pieces over. Continue to cook in this manner until all sides are browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2. While the meat and stock is simmering, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Set aside until the beef stew in step one has simmered for one hour.

3. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Transfer stew to serving bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Serves 4 to 6.

Diane's notes: I omitted the sugar and added 8 ounces quartered sautéed mushrooms, when I added the other vegetables.

Let's toast......"May your thoughts be as glad as shamrocks, May your heart be as light as a song, May each day bring you bright happy hours that stay with you all the year long." -Irish blessing.

Guinness Irish Stew recipe, click here.

Goat Cheese Mini-Soufflés, And Taking Care of Business

Sometimes we have to put all fun aside and take care of business. Ug-g-g....it is income tax filing time of the year again. Paperwork is not my friend. I'd rather do almost anything else, and with my procrastination tendencies, a lot of other things get done just to avoid the inevitable. Put car shopping into the mix and I'm thrown into a complete tizzy. I am not a car person...but, I try to feel the love, really I do. I mean shouldn't I be excited about spending so much money? I have been balancing income tax prep between car dealing leaving little time for cooking, so I got Chinese takeout yesterday. Opening my fortune cookie I was hoping it would say, "You will be getting a lot of money soon." No, no, no, it said....."It is what you haven't done that will torment you." Hey, don't I know it! Well the torture is just about over. I've mailed off the taxes, chosen a nice safe car and made a pretty good deal on it (thanks to my friend, Gerry!) Now they want me to pick out a color! With all of those pretty colors to choose from, at least 3 sing to me. I keep telling myself it is just a car color...pick one. Today, I know I will. In the meantime, I thought a good lunch would take care of business as visions of car colors danced through my head. Nothing like a good diversion to let the inner mind work. And a good diversion this was. I've been wanting to make Goat Cheese Mini-Soufflés since meeting Allison Hooper, the author of the cookbook, "In a Cheesemaker's Kitchen" and tasting some of her artisanal cheese. I took the cookbook out from my bookshelf and turned to the recipe I tagged earlier. I had already bought the Vermont Butter & Cheese Company goat cheese in anticipation, so I went to work. I prepped the salad as the little soufflés baked, and in no time had a tasty lunch. Now, if I only had some of her "Vermont True Decadence Brownies" leftover from last week, I could probably think a little clearer ;-)
These little cheese soufflés are light and delicate, and work just as well for a brunch alongside oven roasted potatoes and fresh fruit.

Goat Cheese Mini-Soufflés
(Adapted from "In a Cheesemaker's Kitchen", by Allison Hooper)

The souffle ingredients:
3 ounces cultured butter lightly salted
2 tablespoon bread crumbs
2 ounces all purpose flour
8 ounces whole milk
16 ounces chèvre, plain
6 eggs, separated
1 dash Tabasco
Salt and ground pepper to taste

Salad ingredients:
3/4 pound arugula
1 cup candied walnuts*
1 cup pink grapefruit

Champagne Vinaigrette ingredients:
6 tablespoons champagne vinegar
3 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
3/4 cups olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Rub the inside of six 3/4-cup souffle dishes or two and one half muffin tins with one ounce of butter. Coat with breadcrumbs and tap out excess. Set aside.

Lightly toast flour in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add butter and stir until flour and butter are combined to form a roux. Add milk while whisking over medium heat. Whisk until smooth and roux thickens to a mashed potato consistency.

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add the chèvre and egg yolks and mix using a rubber spatula, until well combined. Season the base with Tabasco, salt and pepper.

While the base is cooling, whip egg whites until they form soft peaks., then fold into the souffle base.

Divide the mixture among prepared souffle dishes. Bake in the oven until they are puff and golden brown (about 50 minutes).

Whisk together vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl, then add the oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.

Prepare the salad by dividing the arugula onto six plates. Top with candied walnuts and grapefruit, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of champagne vinaigrette.

Once baked, remove soufflés from the oven. If they fall, this is all right. Cool and run a sharp knife around the sides of the dishes to loosen the souffles. Serve immediately on the salad.

Serves 8.*I used pecans made using my Spicy Nuts recipe (click here).

Goat Cheese Mini-Soufflés recipe, click here.

Red Carpet Chocolate Cherry Martini

I can't recall the exact time we met as young stews, but Marcie and I became good friends in a short time. Her relaxed southern California manner, long chestnut hair and turquoise jewelry seemed so different from my Ohio roots. She was a Sandra Bullock lookalike, before Sandra Bullock. Not taking a lot seriously, she laughed often. She grew up riding horses year round in the warm California sun. Animals felt comfortable beside her and she beside them. She actually felt comfortable everywhere. We became roommates along with a few other friends in a carriage house on an Old Westbury estate on New York's Long Island. Pam, The Gypsy Chef was one of them, but that is a whole other story. Somewhere around the time we decided to load up our VW Bugs to move to San Fransisco, Marcie invited me to go to the Academy Awards and the Governor's Ball that year. Her charming stepfather, Jerry, an exec for Disney, was in charge of security for the ceremony and every year received tickets. Let's see...lemme think...OK, I'll go (in a New York minute!) We flew out to L.A. from New York and I met her mom and stepfather for the first time. Her mom was slim and stylish in her capri pants. As we sat and chatted, she balanced a cigarette in one hand and a martini in the other, and her somewhat husky voice was warm and inviting. She was California casual chic, with full command of life. Their ranch style home was informal, but very pulled together, just like Marilyn. Oh yeah, I even liked her name. Over her delicious dinner, her motherly wisdom realized I needed a new dress to wear to this Hollywood bash. So she loaned me one. Cinderella had nothing on me! The evening came, the red carpet rolled out and the stars arrived. I remember having a captivating conversation with the beautiful Estee Lauder as she came in with the other guests. At one point we were backstage as the winner's exited the stage after receiving their award. We saw Oscar from a whole new viewpoint. Steve Martin was a presenter then, during his "arrow through the head" days, and this year he is a co-host. (Click on the photo to enlarge the program.)The Governor's Ball afterward was a glorious blur for this 20 something. I was so glad I had Marilyn's loaner on...my Ohio dud's just wouldn' t have been right! Marcie was used to all of this, I guess that was why she was so comfortable everywhere. Picture taking was tightly controlled, so I have no pics. Marcie is looking through her photos, so hopefully I'll be able to add a few later. The next day we had a chance to have our photos taken with the large Oscar, but my dratted camera jammed....where were iphones when you needed them?! Even the studio camera men couldn't get it to unjam. I have the pictures in my mind, but the years have caused them to fade a little around the edges, just like my souvenir program. Marcie's son is very involved in acting now, so you never know if we'll be revisiting the Awards Ceremony in the future, sans the loaner dress and with a martini in my hand.Marilyn this martini is for you. Thanks for the memories.

Now....the envelope, please!

Red Carpet Chocolate Cherry MartiniPer serving:
3 ounces chilled Chocolate vodka
a splash or 2 of cherry juice

Pour the chocolate vodka in 8 ounce chilled martini glasses, or mix desired servings in a pitcher. Add a splash or 2 of chilled cherry juice, more or less according to taste. Put in a chocolate stick as a stirrer. I used Mademoiselle de Margaux Chocolate twigs. Serve immediately.
Red Carpet Chocolate Cherry Martini recipe click here.