Saturday, March 21, 2009

great home made BBQ sauce recipes...

BBQ Sauce Recipes
I have included three basic BBQ sauce recipes - one for each type of main ingredient. Make the basic barbecue sauce by following the recipe, then start experimenting to develop your own signature sauce.

Basic Tomato BBQ Sauce
1 regular can of tomato sauce
1 can of tomato paste
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons onion, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne
fresh ground pepper to taste
Cook the garlic and onion until it's soft, and then add all the rest of the ingredients. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. Keep stirring it often so it doesn't burn, then refrigerate for a few days before you use it. This allows the flavors to blend and mellow.

Basic Vinegar BBQ Sauce
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Stir the brown sugar into the hot water. Continue stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and heat on low for a few minutes. This perfect to coat pulled pork, but don't add so much that it gets soupy.

Basic Mustard BBQ Sauce
1 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cayenne
Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer on low for at least thirty minutes. This is great for southern pork style barbecue

Friday, March 6, 2009

best online food store

you are looking special french butter , or belgian chocolates or may be cheese with truffel mushroom pieces in it ,
you should log on www.gourmetfoodstore.com .
very affordable price and very fast shipping.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

my dream menu

Dinner Menu

Starters

Braised Blade of Local Beef with Mushrooms and Roasted Roots
Squash Risotto andAged Parmesan with Pumpkin Oil (V)
Fillet of Black Bream with Prawn and Coriander Butterover Lime Scented Potato
Starters
Fillet of Red Mullet with Black Olive and Flame Roasted Peppers infused with Orange and Carrot Flavors
Pigeon with Set Celeriac Cream touch of Pickled Shimji Mushrooms, and Young Shoots,
Honey Glazed Goat Cheese with Pressing of Roasted Vegetables comes with Fennel Seed Pastry and freash fig puree.

Mains

Roast Chump of Local Lamb with Kidney with Sage and Pancetta, Corn Puree, Winter Greens and Devilled Lamb Sauce
Breast of Duck, and Ginger with Caramelised Blood Orange and Braised Endive
Vanilla Oil infused Poached Organic Salmon, Crisp Potato with Apple and Roasted Beet
FIllet of Bass, Potato with Chorizo and Coriander,

Sweets

Classic Lemon Tart with Raspberry Sorbet
Rosemary Scented Panna-Cotta with Honey Roasted Pear and Chocolate Sauce
Selection of Handmade Ice Creams and Sorbets with Crisp Tuille and Warm Chocolate Sauce

Monday, March 2, 2009

my regular places in DC

Listed in the paragraph below are my favorite places to wine and dine in the Washington DC area…

Neyla, located in Georgetown, is great for Mediterranean food and a lively ambiance. In addition to all the different mezzes, Neyla’s veal porcini is killer.

La Fourchette, in Adams Morgan, offers rustic French food that will make you feel like you are eating in Montemarte. You have to try their escargote.

Zaytinya, in Chinatown, gives customers affordable Turkish/Greek food in a crowded and hip package. Skip the main entrees and try a lot of different “tapas” or mezze. I suggest the braised lamb with eggplant.

If you’re in Capitol Hill, you should try Locanda and Sonoma. Locanda has an amazing lamb burger, as well great panninis; Sonoma offers a lounge-like atmosphere where you can sip California wines (as well as others from around the world) and nibble on cheese and anti-pasta platters.
Casual Dining

The best burger in DC can be found Tunnicliff’s, right across the street from Capitol Hill’s Eastern Market. And right inside Eastern Market, you can find the best crab cake sandwich in the city.

Matchbox, in Chinatown (and soon to be in Capitol Hill as well), offers one of the best pizzas.

Mixtec, in Adams Morgan offers-- by far-- the best Mexican food in DC

Desert

As a desert lover, I have to mention Leopold—which is in Caddy’s Alley in Georgetown. They have the most delicious pastries and a wide variety of finger foods.

Honorable Mentions
French/Belgian: Le Paradoue,Citronelle, Montemarte, Café Belga (great for brunch)

Mediterranean: Café Divan, Café 8 (recommend the Iskender Kabob)
American: DC Coast
Pizza: 2 Amys

APRICOT LENTIL SOUP

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dried apricots
1 1/2 cups red lentils
5 cups chicken stock
3 roma (plum) tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice



DIRECTIONS
Saute onion, garlic, and apricots in olive oil. Add lentils and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, and season with cumin, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice. Puree 1/2 of the soup in a blender, then return to the pot. Serve.

CREPE BATTER

INGREDIENTS
500 g (3 cups) of flour
4 eggs
1 liter (4 cups) of milk
2 tablespoons oil
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons rum
A little butter

SERVES
6 connoisseurs
(approx. 20 crepes)

DIFFICULTY
easy
Crepes Recipe






To make the crepe batter:
Put the flour in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour and break the eggs into it. Add the salt, the oil and a little of the milk. Using a whisk, or in a food processor, beat the mixture well. When the batter is smooth, keep beating and add the rest of the milk little by little. Add the rum at the end. (The batter can also be flavored with orange blossom essence or Grand-Marnier, for example).

To make the crepes:
Melt a small piece of butter in a hot skillet. Using a ladle, pour a small amount of batter on the pan while swirling it to distribute the batter evenly and make a thin crepe. Let it cook until golden brown (it will take only a few seconds), then turn the crepe and cook the other side the same way.

Crepes are usually eaten for breakfast or as a desert with a variety of fillings: jams, chocolate spread, fruit, creams...

profiteroles


PROFITEROLES AU CHOCOLAT (CREAM PUFFS
WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE)

1 c. water
1/4 lb. butter (1/2 c.)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
4 eggs

Advance preparation:
Cream Puff Shells: Place 1 cup water, 1/4 pound butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt in saucepan. Bring to boil. As soon as butter has melted, stir in 1 cup flour and continue stirring vigorously with wooden spoon until mixture has pulled away from sides of pan and formed a ball. Transfer to large mixer bowl and add 4 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Using a pastry bag or 2 teaspoons, make small 1-inch mounds of dough on ungreased baking sheet. Place in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove puffs from oven and lower temperature to 350 degrees. Make a small hole in the side of each puff, along the natural break line. Return to oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack.

CREAM FILLING
1/3 c. sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in 2 quart saucepan. Stir in milk gradually. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir 1/2 of hot mixture into egg yolks in saucepan, boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

2 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 tbsp. butter
1 c. powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Heat over low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup powdered sugar and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in 1 teaspoon hot water at a time until desired consistency (about 2 tablespoons of water is needed).