Ultimate Recipe Showdown

One of the Food Network shows that has caught my eye recently is The Ultimate Recipe Showdown. In this show, three average schmoes compete in a given category with their own recipes from home. The first show I caught was the comfort foods challenge. The winner of the challenge, Rick Massa, made a cheese lover's 5 cheese mac and cheese that had me wanting to lick my tv screen. The plus to this show: the winners of each challenge had their recipe adapted and put on the T.G.I. Friday's menu. Since there isn't a Fridays in the town I live in, I had to wait until I made a trip to Grand Rapids for the weekend to try the melty, cheesy goodness. And that's just what I ordered. It came at a bargain price of $5.99. They altered his recipe by using penne pasta instead of cellantini, and topping the dish with a sliced, grilled chicken breast.

I must say that the cheese sauce was delightful, and the chicken breast was juicy and tender and seasoned to perfection. I could definitely taste the potential of the ingredients in this dish. However, it was a busy friday night at the restaurant, and the penne definitely tasted like it had been sitting around for a while. It had a nice gluey texture. (Err not-so-nice.) I almost ordered it without bacon, trying to be healthy, but I wanted to see what it brought to the dish. It gave a certain depth and smokiness that couldn't be completed by the cheeses. I certainly have hope for making the actual recipe at home.

Cheese Lover's 5 Cheese Mac and Cheese (Cheesy, isn't it?) :

• Kosher salt
• 1 (16-ounce) package macaroni (cellentani or other curly noodle)
• 1/4 pound bacon, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more to butter baking dish
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups grated fontina
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
  
• 3/4 cup grated Gruyere
• 3/4 cup grated white Cheddar (Australian)
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain.

In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, saute the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Saute the onion in the bacon drippings until soft. Add the 5 tablespoons butter to the onion mixture and melt the butter stirring with a wooden spoon.

Using a whisk, add the flour, and stir constantly until well mixed with the fat making a roux. Whisk in the mustard. Gradually add the milk and cream whisking constantly.

Add the thyme, bay leaf, and salt. Let come to a simmer and stir frequently for 15 minutes.

Strain the hot milk mixture into a metal bowl and discard the solids. Working quickly, mix in 1 cup fontina, blue cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere, 1/2 cup white Cheddar, 1/2 cup Parmesan, the reserved bacon, and parsley. Continue to stir until all cheese is melted.

Add the cooked noodles to the cheese mixture to coat. Add the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Mix the remaining cheese and bread crumbs together and sprinkle on top of the noodles. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown. Remove from oven when done and rest for 5 minutes.

I can't wait to try this recipe. If you make it, be sure to comment here on how you liked it, and any other suggestions that may be helpful.

Review : Max Brenner

I think the art of chocolate is something that has been diluted over the years. It has been deduced, especially in America, to things like powdered drinks and fat-free syrups. We may go through most of our childhoods only tasting chocolate flavored things, but never getting to enjoy the real seduction of chocolate. I'm not saying that special reserve 90% cacao is the only answer, but some percentage of cocoa beans is encouraged.
Chocolate, by far, is one of my favorite foods. In fact, I crave it. It is my brand of heroine. I must keep some in the house at all times or I go nuts when the craving it. When visiting friends in NYC, they suggested we go to eat at Max Brenner. I had first heard of Max Brenner on Food Network, but it had since moved to a twinging in the back of my brain. I tried to describe a place to them, a place of chocolate that I wanted to try, but it wasn't until we were seated and I saw the menu that I realize this was the place I had dreamed of trying. And I was in heaven. The place was packed, but we didn't have to wait long for a table on the overflowing sidewalk outside. The sun was just setting behind the large buildings surrounding us, and I began to get chilled, so I ordered some drinking chocolate. To call this 'hot chocolate' would be completely incorrect. This was how chocolate was meant to be drank.

Served in a loveable "hug mug", this tasty concoction of melted chocolate and cream was what I had been missing out on. They sell these wonderful demitasses in the shop inside the restaurant, and for a reasonable price. I immediatly wanted to buy two, but I didn't want to risk airline travel with them, and the sell them online! I have yet to purchase a set, but it is definitely on my wishlist.
While oohing and aahing over the hot, dense, creamy chocolate I was devouring, we enjoyed a Mediterranean sampler appetizer to delay the gratification that only another chocolate treat would bring. This delightful adjournment consisted of fresh warm pita bread, hummus with olive oil, babaganush (MXC fans, unite!), spanish eggplant dip, and greek stuffed grape leaves. My mind was whirling from the chocolate-induced endorphines while I ate, and everything was delicious. I had never had babaganush before, but at the time, it just seemed like another tasty hummus alternative.
And then it happened.... we ordered dessert. So much to choose from and only one chance to try. I splurged for the Banana Hazlenut Cream Crepe, because if it's one thing I like with my chocolate, it's bananas. And then the server brought out more silverware for our desserts, and it included a rubber scraper. That's when I knew...

That I was not going to be disappointed. My mind raced as I tried to imagine what type of chocolaty goodness would necessitate a rubber scraper. Our desserts arrived and I instantly wondered if I should've skipped the appetizer.

For there, in the halogen glow of the street lights, Chocolate Heaven was set before me. In all of its glory it contained fresh bananas and melted chocolate chunks in a light french crepe, drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with crunchy candied hazlnut bits. Accompanying the center of my universe was vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries, blueberries, and even more liquid chocolate to drizzle as I pleased.

I regreat to inform those of you who have endured my droning on about chocolate to get to this point that I was unable to finish the entire crepe. None of my partners in chocolate crime that night could either. The center of the crepe was pure, unaldulterated melted chocolate of the finest variety I have tasted in a long, long time. After setting down my fork for the last time in frustration for not being able to finish my bliss, I sat back and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath to remember that moment. Full of chocolate happiness.

Besides the great food, and wonderful service, Max Brenner is an artist's dream. They sell their menus because they truly are works of art. If you appreciate a nice layout, some good illustration, and mouth watering photography, be sure to check out their website for some inspiring eye candy. (And check out their online shop for real candy.)

The only negative: Max Brenner only has two locations in the US, and they're both in New York City. So for now we'll have to make special trips and lust over the chocolate possibilities. Here's hoping they expand a bit.

I give this wonderful restaurant 5 stars, out of 5
★★★★★





Special thanks to Malissa and Chris...for giving me wonderful culinary experiences while staying with them in NYC.

Turkey Pastrami

Pastrami is a meat I never really paid much attention to before... until now. Pastrami is usually made from beef brisket, salted and then partially dried. It is then rubbed with spices and smoked to perfection. Slices from your local deli may be a little costly, but well worth it.
While waiting on a very busy saturday at the deli counter of my local supermarket, I had my heart set on some thinly sliced roast beef, or plain ole smoked ham. My ears perked up when the lady in front of me ordered turkey pastrami for $3.99/lb. I watched the deli worker carve thin slices of the heavily spiced meat and my mouth watered. Turkey pastrami? For that price? Ok, I'll give it a whirl. And whirl me it did. Not only is turkey leaner and more healthy than beef for those of us striving to be healthier, it also comes at a nicer price.
I couldn't wait for a sandwhich, as soon as it came out of the grocery bag, I popped a slice into my mouth. Wow. This is turkey? For real? Not that it would pass for beef, but the smoky flavor and the cracked pepper, allspice, and mustard seed were enough to put away the last little voice in my head that was screaming, "but turkey's bland!". I was in love. The smokiness gives the turkey a likeness to ham in color and texture, as well as a touch of hammy tasty goodness. So far I've only piled this meat high on a sandwhich of cheese, tomato, and light mayo; and popped a slice in my mouth now and then when perusing what's in the refrigerator. Other than sandwhiches of endless varieties, or an adventurous pizza topping, I'm not sure what else I would do with it. What about you? Do you like pastrami?