Beurre Rouge

Beurre Rouge
1/4 cup red wine
1 - 1 1/2 cups salted butter, cold and cut into cubes
pepper, to taste

Bring the wine to a boil in a saucepan and reduce by half.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and gradually whisk in the butter, cube by cube, to form a thick, rice sauce. Season to taste.

This sauce recipe is a very easy and basic beurre rouge. Red wine vinegar, shallots, garlic, and peppercorns may be added along with the wine to form a reduction and the sauce may then be strained at the end. Cream can also be added as a 'cheat' to form a more stable beurre rouge. Beurre rouge is an a la minute (last minute) sauce that does not hold well for long periods of time. 

Beef Fillet with Pommes Duchesse and Veg

• Seared Fillet of Beef
• Herbed Pommes Duchesse
• Carrot Puree
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Glazed Cherry Tomatoes
• Beurre Rouge
• Balsamic Pearls

Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Sage Brown Butter Sauce
salted butter
fresh sage, chiffonade
minced garlic
cracked black pepper
all-purpose (plain) flour and/or heavy cream

Melt the butter slowly and gradually in a saucepan over low heat. Once butter is melted and the sage, garlic, and pepper. Continue heating until the butter turns a golden, nutty brown. The sauce may be served as is, or is may be thickened as desired. This may be done by adding a small amount of flour and whisking in. Or by adding some cream. If using cream, heat it before adding to the butter to prevent the sauce from splitting. Do not bring the sauce to a simmer or boil after adding a thickener. 

Butternut Squash Ravioli, Chickpeas, Sage Butter, Herb Foam

• Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli
• Spiced Roasted Crispy Chickpeas
• Sage Brown Butter Sauce
• Herb Foam

Ginger Butter

Ginger Butter
salted butter
ground ginger OR finely grated fresh ginger

Blend together. Very tasty on Irish soda bread, fresh biscuits, grilled salmon, sauteed vegetables, blueberry muffins, scones, and more!

I am not writing a post on the "Crescent Biscuits" as I have shared that recipe in the past, so here is a link to it:
 http://bexysbakingblog.blogspot.ca/2017/10/crescent-roll-biscuits.html

Maître d'Hôtel Butter

Maître d'Hôtel Butter
salted butter, softened
mined garlic
mined parsley
lemon zest
lemon juice
cracked black pepper

Whip all ingredients together until smooth. I like to put the butter in a pastry bag and pipe it into stars, but it can also just be spread into a bowl or balled with a melon baller. Alternately roll the butter into a log, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Then slice into rounds. This is a very good topping/sauce for grilled steaks and other flavorful meats. 

Basic Puff Pastry Dough

Basic Puff Pastry Dough
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1 1/4 cups cubed salted butter, frozen (divided)
1/2 cup ice water

lace the flour in a food processor. Add 1/4 cup butter and pulse 12 times.
Add the remaining 1 cup butter and pulse 5 times until butter begins to break up.
Add the water and pulse a couple times until dough seems moistened.
At this point the dough will not look like it is coming together, but don't be tempted to add more water.
Dump the mixture onto a work table and bring it together with your hands until it forms a ball.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, approximately 12x15 inches.
Fold dough in thirds width-wise, the roll up from the short edge.
Flatten, wrap well, and let chill at least one hour but overnight for best results.

Allow dough to warm to room temperature before using. It will still seem quite firm but once it is begun to roll out, the butter will soften and the dough will become pliable.
Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out as many rounds (or fluted rounds) as possible. 
Scraps can be gathered and rerolled once and cut, more than that and they will not bake evenly.
Again, it is best to chill these again before baking but it is not crucial.
Bake at 425◦F for about 15-20 minutes until golden and risen, depending on size.


Use for a variety of savory and even sweet dishes: vol-au-vent, tarts, pot pies, mille feuilles, croissants, etc.

Rosemary and Thyme Buttered Roast Beef

Rosemary and Thyme Buttered Roast Beef
1 large hip of beef roast
2 pounds unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh rosemary
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 Tablespoon cracked black pepper

Blend the butter with the rosemary, thyme, garlic, and pepper. 
Rub the roast all over with the compound butter mixture, allowing the butter to coat the entire surface of the roast.
Cover the roast and slow roast, basting occasionally with the pan drippings.
The compound butter mixture melts and enrobes the beef with flavor as it roasts. The result is a moist, tender, flavorful roast and plenty of rich, tasty pan drippings than will make an excellent gravy.

Easy Butter Pastry

Easy Butter Pastry
1 1/2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1 Tablespoon granulated (white) sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup ice water

Mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Blend in the butter until the mixture begins to clump together. Add the water and blend to form a dough. Gently knead into a ball.
At this point the dough can be wrapped and chilled to be used later, or used immediately.
You can use a rolling pin on this dough, but it's really not necessary. It's an easy dough that can just be pressed into the pan.

Garlic Herb Buttered Sauteed Veg

pan, high heat
splash oil
handful thinly sliced tomatillos
sprinkle of chopped leeks
spoonful of rainbow chard diced stems
big dab garlic herb butter
salt and pepper
a few thinly sliced watermelon radish pieces
Saute, saute, saute!!

Garlic Herb Butter Toasts

Garlic Herb Butter
2 pounds salted butter, softened
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh dill
cracked black pepper, to taste

Blend or cream all ingredients together until smooth.
For toasts: spread slices of bread (I used day old baguette) liberally with butter and toast until crisp. 

This butter can also be used as a sauce on steaks or for basting fish in a pan, or spread on warm bread, or a variety of other uses.

Butter Poached Trout

This is the butter poaching mixture I used for poaching my trout yesterday. I love butter poaching, especially for fish, as it is an easy, fast, and gentle way of perfectly cooking fish and gives a wonderful flavor. Straight butter can be used (I always use salted), but here I flavored it. I used this recipe for trout but it may be used on a variety of other fishes and even vegetables and other proteins. The herbs and spices may also be varied to better suit the flavors. 

Butter Poaching Liquid
3 pounds salted butter
1 cup white wine
splash apple cider vinegar
3 bay leaves
2 star anise
fennel seeds
crushed red chili flakes
dill weed
dried tarragon
peppercorns

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add in the remaining ingredients and leave mixture to steep until just lukewarm. 
For service the way I recommend is doing it is to keep the batch in the pot, then ladle some into a small pot to poach individual portions of fish. The butter can be used a few times until it goes brown, then it should be discarded.
If poaching multiple pieces of fish at one time, just use the big pot.
Poaching time is only a couple of minutes, depending on size. Gently lower the fillet into the pot then turn heat to high. Boiling will cook the fish more quickly but will also cause the butter to brown quickly. A more gentle simmer is better.

Garlic Biscuits

Fresh homemade biscuits + fresh homemade garlic butter + toaster oven = delicious homemade garlic biscuits to go with pasta.
To make my own garlic butter, I went with a on-the-fly cheat version. I melted a little salted butter, quickly crushed a garlic clove, added some Italian seasoning, paprika, and black pepper, stirred it all together, and spooned it onto biscuit halves. I let them stand to absorb all that buttery goodness for a few minutes before I toasted them.

People's Choice Award: Cheesy Pasta with Bacon

This is the dish from yesterday's blackbox competition I promised I would share. In the limited time, space, and pantry I had, I tried to create a dish that the spectators would love, but also one that was refined enough that the judges would enjoy too. It seemed to be successful, I god a gold in the People's Choice Award and silver with the judges. Here is a general recipe as to how I remember making my dish.

1. Grab A LOT of bacon and quickly chop it up. Throw it in a hot pan.
2. Meanwhile, peel and dice five small red onions. Toss it in with your bacon.
3. While that sweats down, mince up some fresh tarragon.
4. Strain the bacon and red onion, reserving the bacon fat. Return the fat to the pan and add a cup of salted butter. Melt it.
5. Add about a cup or two of all-purpose flour and whisk until you have a thick roux.
6. Gradually whisk in one to two liters of whole milk and keep the heat on high, stirring often, to thicken the sauce.
7. While sauce is on the go, cook your pasta noodle sin boiling salted water.
8. Season your sauce with salt, black pepper, dijon mustard, tabasco sauce, garlic seasoning mix. Through some worchestershire and more tabasco sauce into your bacon and red onion.
9. Cube up some cheddar cheese and throw into the sauce, reserving some cheese for the end. Melt it down a bit, then throw in some parmesan flakes as well.
10. Melt the cheese into the sauce, and season it again.
11. Strain your pasta and stir in the sauce and bacon and red onion. Stir in the extra cheddar and tarragon, reserving a little of each for garnish.
12. Taste and adjust seasoning, consistency, and cheesiness and enjoy!!!

Vanilla Cashew Butter

What could be better than peanut butter, almond butter, and even Nutella? (Ok, maybe not Nutella, it is hard to compete with the combination of chocolate AND hazelnuts on a spoon) How about vanilla cashew butter?

My partner's mother recently got a fancy new food processor as a gift and has been coming up with all sorts of neat goodies. This machine really cuts down on prep work and time and allows hummus and and pesto and pasta making in a fraction of the time Of course the machine is also great for nut butters. I love nut butters. I have made a few at home myself, but my food processor is not quite as good and it is easier (and pricier) just to buy a jar of nut butter. I had never had cashew butter before, but it is comparable to peanut butter, only milder. The addition of vanilla really makes it a treat! This butter is tasty for sandwiches, oatmeal, even a dip for fruits and vegetables, or my favorite way; on a spoon. It is such a yummy treat and a jar of it certainly doesn't last long in my apartment.

Cocoa Butter Pecan Cake

I have never made a butter pecan cake before. I’ve seen it in the boxed mixes, but never really had or made an authentic one. I received a request for one, and began looking up recipes. Of course being the chocoholic I am, I decided to enrich my version with a touch of cocoa as well. If you prefer a plain butter pecan cake, simply replace the cocoa with ¼ cup additional flour.

Cocoa Butter Pecan Cake

 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans

2 cups granulated (white) sugar

8 large egg whites

2 teaspoons almond extract

3 cups cake/pastry flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Melt the two Tablespoons of butter. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet, drizzle with the melted butter, and toast, stirring often, for about 20 minutes until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, leave oven set to 350◦F. Grease and flour your pans (three 9-inch round pans or tank cake pans or whatever).

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the almond extract.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Stir into the butter mixture in three additions, alternately with the milk in two additions, beating until just combined. Fold in the pecans.

Bake for about 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before turning out to cool completely.

I really liked how this butter pecan cake turned out – it has a buttery flavor without being greasy. It is chock full of pecans that provide lots of flavor since they are toasted, and add texture to the cake without being crunchy. Because of the use of many egg whites, the cake is fluffy in texture – just be sure not to overmix, a no-no for cakes contrary to popular belief. Try butter pecan cake for a little something different or for pecan lovers!

Garlic Butter

Garlic Butter
1/4 cup salted butter (or use unsalted and season with salt as desired)
3 cloves garlic
6-8 black peppercorns
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Leave the butter at room temperature briefly to soften.
Finely mince the garlic cloves. Then use the back of a spoon to mash it up until softened and no longer crunchy.
Crush the peppercorns with the back of a knife. 
Beat the butter in a small bowl until pliable. Add in the garlic, peppercorns, and rosemary. Beat until combined. Taste and adjust - if it isn't garlicky enough for you, add more garlic. Add more pepper or rosemary if desired. Salted butter should provide enough salt, but add a touch more if you wish.

The butter is now ready, but I recommend transferring it to another serving dish for presentation. I pressed a flour design into my butter. Alternatively, if really soft the butter may be piped with a pastry bag into rosettes, or the butter can be scooped with a melon baller. The butter can be stored in the refrigerator for at least a week. It is best served at room temperature, but will readily melt if spread onto warm bread. Use the amunt of butter for the amount of garlic butter needed, and adjust seasonings accordingly. This butter is excellent for making garlic bread, spread on any type of rolls, or even to season and cook meats. Homemade garlic butter is so easy to make - and better-tasting and better for you than commercially produced varities. 

Buttertart Bars

Rich, sweet, buttery buttertarts are great all year round, but they seem to be especially popular around holiday times. Though buttertarts are not particularly difficult to make, the forming of each individual tartlet can be tedious and time-consuming. These bars are a great way to get all of the flavor of buttertarts in a convenient, handheld bar. The crust is a rich and buttery shortbread crust instead of the typical pie crust, which I think pairs even better with the filling.

Buttertart Bars
CRUST
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
FILLING
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup golden corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan.
CRUST: Crumble all ingredients together well. Press evenly and firmly into prepared pan.
FILLING: Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. beat in the corn syrup and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Sprinkle the raisins evenly over the baked crust. Pour the filling over top. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until almost set. Cool until set before cutting.

Les Escargots

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in France - eat snails. It's mandatory. Well, not actually, but personally I think when traveling to places, you have to try as many of the local specialties as possible. And snails are certainly a specialty of France - where else do people eat snails? I went to France with the goal of not leaving without having eaten snails. 

We found a French bistro that served snails as an appetizer, so I went for those. I was presented with a dozen beautiful snails flavored in a garlic herb butter. I didn't know there existed special snail plates, with twelve small round indents to hold the shells, along with a special pair of snail tongs to grasp the snail shell while pulling out the snail flesh with a special, tiny snail fork. No one ever told me snails were so difficult to eat. They give you special tools and everything, yet the snails are so slippery from the garlic butter, it is difficult to hold them. I ended up sort of getting the hang of it, but also using my hands. Good thing the restaurant wasn't too fancy. 

I actually quite enjoyed the snails. I mean, just about anything tastes good when slathered in garlic and butter, right? Snails are a little chewy, but the texture isn't unpleasant and they are high in protein. Snails are often accompanied by pieces of fresh baguette to soak up the extra garlic butter that leaks out of them. Snails may not sound appealing, which is why menus list them as "escargots" but they are quite tasty and I would eat them again. 

See? I did finish them. Well, all but one, which I shared. I'm surprised no one else at the table wanted to try one!

All-Butter Pie Crust

All-Butter Pie Crust
1 3/4 cups all-purpose (plain) flour, plus more for dusting
2 Tablespoons granulated (white) sugar, or a pinch for a savory pie
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 teaspoons apple cider or white vinegar
approximately 1/3 cup ice-cold water

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse in 1/3 of the butter until combined. Pulse in the remaining butter to form coarse crumbs. Add the vinegar; pulse quickly a few times while adding 1/3 cup ice water. If dough is still crumbly, add a little more ice water, one Tablespoon at a time, being careful not to overwork dough.
Flatten dough into a round disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Use dough as needed. Rolled out to 1/8-inch thick, it will make one 9-inch pie crust.