Sensual Foods - February 2010

Diva:  Lovina

Drinks:  Ashley
Pomegranate Ginger Mojito

pomegranate: culinary symbol of Aphrodite
ginger: increased circulation & sensitivity to erogenous zones

mint: calm mind and body: fresh breath inspires kissing

rum: spicy pungent scent and alcohol increases desire

Make ginger mint simple syrup:
In a saucepan over medium heat, dissolve 1 cup water, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 2/3 cup white sugar.  When sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and add  a 1-inch piece of fresh peeled ginger and 1 cup fresh mint.  Let steep for at least 30 min.  Strain syrup and store in refrigerator.


To make an individual drink:
In a highball glass, pour:
2 oz gold rum
2 oz simple syrup

2 oz pomegranate juice

squeeze of lime

stir well and add crushed ice.  
top with ginger ale


Appetizer:  Sara

Both of Sara’s dishes were decadent and a little naughty health wise. And both can be fed to other people, which is part of the sensual decadence!

Peach & Brie Bruschetta

1 baguette
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

⅓ c balsamic vinegar

⅓ c white wine

¼ c red onion, fine dice
2 bags frozen organic peaches, rough chopped

a hunk of triple cream brie

Slice the baguette into thin rounds.  Brush with olive oil.  Place on a cookie sheet and broil until toasted.  Remove from heat and set aside.

 Heat the balsamic vinegar to a low simmer and reduce to a syrup consistency. Add the peach and red onion toss slightly.



To assemble the bruschetta: 
Smear about a tablespoon of brie cheese on a piece of toast. Broil to melt slightly. Top with a small scoop of peaches.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts with Huckleberry Sauce

The bacon wrapped chestnuts are a taste explosion, and mingled with the huckleberries you get an appetizer that tantalizes multiple senses.

¾ c ketchup
2 T brown sugar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
4 T huckleberries, frozen or fresh (in season)
16 ounces sliced bacon
2 (8 ounce) cans water chestnuts, drained

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and huckleberries; combine with stick blender.

Cut bacon slices into half. Wrap chestnuts in bacon and secure with toothpicks; place in a 9x13 pan.
Bake in preheated oven until bacon is completely cooked, about 40 minutes.
Serve with side of sauce for dipping. 

Salad:  Erin (absent)

Soup:  Tiffany (sub for Colleen and our returning Dining Diva who is now a professional chef!!!)
Pine Nut Soup with Rouille

Pine nuts stimulate the libido and are rich in zinc, which is key for male potency

5 c pine nuts
5 c vegetable stock

3 ½ c half and half
5 cloves garlic, fine dice

4 pinches of cayenne

Pinch of saffron

Sea salt to taste
Crusty French bread sticks, cut 1” thick
 


Toast pine nuts in a saute pan over medium heat, shaking often to prevent burning. Remove from heat as they begin to turn light brown; set aside to cool. Pulse in food processor to rough chop, careful not to turn them into a paste. Sweat garlic in a dutch oven.  Add stock and saffron to bloom on low heat.  Add cream and nuts.  Heat over low-medium heat while stirring often. Do not bring to a boil.  Add salt and cayenne to taste. Strain in a fine sieve 2-3 times for a smooth and velvety consistency.  Return to heat to warm.  
 


Rouille

2 red peppers, roasted and peeled

3 garlic cloves
1 tsp cayenne
4 saffron, bloomed in stock

½ c breadcrumbs, fresh

¼ c vegetable stock
½ c extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste
 


Puree red pepper, garlic and cayenne.  In separate bowl, bloom saffron in stock.  Add breadcrumbs; mix to a panad.  Add to red pepper puree until smooth.  With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season the emulsion with salt and pepper.



At service:  Add a tablespoon of rouille to the bottom of the bowl.  Ladle warm soup.  Top with toasted bread sticks garnished with rouille.

Side Dish:  Tamara
Asparagus in Lemon Butter Sauce

Asparagus, nature’s viagara, is not only phallic in shape, but also contains folic acid, a necessary chemical for producing histamines, which enhance orgasms.

2 lb. asparagus
4 T butter
4 cloves garlic
juice and zest of 1 lemon
salt
1-2 T honey
4 T sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Combine lemon juice, zest, garlic and salt.  Let sit to infuse flavors.  Steam asparagus till crisp tender.  Melt butter and add to lemon juice mixture.  Add honey to taste and whisk well.  Pour sauce over steamed asparagus and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Entree:  Stacey
Beef Tenderloin with Mashed Potatoes and Buerre Blanc

An indulgent and sensual treat.

Beurre Blanc

1 T minced shallots
2 T white wine vinegar
1 ½ T dry vermouth
1 ½ T fresh lemon juice
½ c heavy cream
1 c unsalted butter (can reduce to ½ c)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the shallots, vinegar, vermouth, and lemon juice in a saucepan.  Cook rapidly over high heat until the liquid has almost all evaporated 1-2 minutes.  Add the cream and cook over medium heat until the mixture has reduced and thickened slightly, 1-2 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside until you are ready to serve the sauce.  Just before serving, place the sauce in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling water.  Add the butter and salt and white pepper, whisk just until the butter has melted.  Serve immediately. 

 (From The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins)

Cook tenderloin in olive oil and butter in cast iron skillets with herbs de Provence and kosher salt.

Serve tenderloin with mashed potatoes and beurre blanc sauce. 


Dessert:  Mariah
No-Bake Strawberry Pie with Chocolate Chunks

Chocolate stimulates the neurotransmitters that make you feel sensual and go perfectly with strawberries, or "fruit nipples". 

4 c ripe strawberries, sliced
1 No-Bake Pecan Crust
1 c ripe strawberries, whole
5 pitted dates, soaked 10 minutes in warm water and drained
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
nondairy dark chocolate chunks, preferably from a good, organic, fair-trade bar

Arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the prepared crust and set aside.  In a food processor or blender, combine the whole strawberries with the 5 soaked dates and lemon juice.  Puree until smooth.  pour this mixture over the sliced strawberries.  Arrange the chocolate chunks, on top of the sauce and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.  (This helps the pie set and make it perfect for slicing.

No-Bake Pecan Crust

2 c raw pecans or almonds
¾ to 1 c pitted dates, preferably Medjool
¼ tsp salt
Canola oil for greasing pan

Place the nuts in a food processor, and grind them until they are a coarse meal.  Add the dates and salt and process until thoroughly combined.  Press the mixture into a nonstick or very lightly oiled 8- or 9-ince tart pan or spring form pan.

(from The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau)

Wild Card:  Aven
Sensual Oil Blends and Culinary Tattoos

Sweet: ginger, geranium, bergamot, lavender, ylang ylang, lemon

Spicy:  ginger, eranium, bergamot, clove, chamomile, lime

Lottery:  Bonnie

Edible Flowers - August 2009

Diva: Aven

Drinks: Sara
Hibiscus Cooler

2 c boiling water
½ c dried hibiscus flowers
¾ c sugar
¼ c lime juice
4 c chilled water
ice
champagne

Lavender Bees Knees

1 ½ oz gin
½ oz lemon juice
5 sprigs fresh lavender
1 spoon honey

Mix lavender and hot water – let steep for 5 minutes. Muddle to augment. Whisk in honey.

Add lavender, honey, gin, lemon juice, strain into cocktail shaker. Stir and strain into glass.

Appetizer: Ashley
Herb and Flower Dip

Mix chopped fresh calendula flowers, garlic flowers and onion flowers to taste into softened cream cheese. A second combo was chopped arugula flowers, basil flowers, and oregano flowers to taste into softened cream cheese. Serve with assorted crackers.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Mix chopped basil, garlic and oregano flowers into goat cheese to
taste. Remove pistil from inside the male squash blossoms. Gently brush any dirt or bugs from the blossoms but do not wash under water. Stuff the blossom with the cheese mixture; twisting the ends closed. Follow the directions on the box of tempura batter. Dip the blossoms into the batter and fry in deep oil until light golden and crispy; about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately

Bridget, Sara's mom (and Camas' grandmom!), joins us!

Salad: Colleen
Caprese Salad

cherry tomatoes, halved
pearl size fresh mozzarella
mixed greens
basil flowers to garnish
Dressing - Basil balsamic vinaigrette

1 c olive oil
2 c packed basil leaves
¼ c balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper

blend or food process basil and olive oil together. heat on low heat for about 10-15 minutes - don't cook the oil. let cool for a little bit. add vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper and use an immersion blender to mix. refrigerate.

Soup: Tamara
Jason's Tomato Soup served with Oregano and Basil Blossoms

½ large red onion
4 cloves garlic
4 or 5 sundried tomatoes
½ c fresh basil (or 1 T dried)
2 tsp dried oregano
2 T flour
2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
4 c of water
1 T balsamic vinegar

Saute the onions and garlic till soft and translucent.
Add in sundried tomatoes.
Stir in flour and cook for one minute.
Add tomatoes, water and herbs.
Bring to a boil (just before it boils add vinegar) and then simmer for 20 mins.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh oregano and basil blossoms.

Side Dish: Mariah
Potato Balls with Hibiscus Flower Syrup

4 c Mashed Potatoes (I added salt, pepper, and white pepper)
4 Egg yokes
2 T shopped parsley
4 egg Whites

Beat egg yokes and parsley into hot mashed taters – cool slightly.

Beat egg whites until stiff, fold egg whites into potato mixture. Shape into balls – bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 400 until crisp.

Hibiscus Flower Syrup

4 c sugar
4 c water
Heat until sugar is fully dissolved

Add Hibiscus Flowers and bring to boil stirring frequently. Turn mixture to simmer and simmer until the syrup reduces to about one third the original amount. Strain hibiscus flowers and pour mixture over the potato balls.

Entree: Erin
Chicken with Figs and Artichoke Hearts

1 ½ cups dry white wine
3 T tomato paste
3 T minced garlic
3 T brown sugar
1 ½ tsp oregano
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 ½ tsp poultry seasoning
1 ½ tsp chicken (or vege) base
1 ½ c drained marinated artichoke hearts
1 c pitted dried plums
1 c dried figs, cut into halves
3 T drained rinsed capers
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T sour cream

Combine the wine, tomato paste, garlic, brown sugar, oregano, salt, poultry seasoning, and chicken base in a bowl and mix well. Stir in the artichoke hearts, dried plums, figs and capers. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a baking dish. Spoon the wine mixture over the chicken, turning to coat.

Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 to 10 hours,turning oc

casionally. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a serving platter. Stir the sour cream into the sauce and pour over the chicken. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

(from Colorado Colore: A Palate of Tastes, Junior League of Denver, 2002)

Dessert: Bonnie
Lavender Shortbread

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lavender buds
½ c sugar
½ tsp salt
1 c chilled, cubed butter
½ c cashew pieces
2 c flour

Soak lavender buds in vanilla for approximately 1 hour.

Blend sugar and salt in food processor. Add butter and cashew pieces and pulse until smooth. Strain out lavender buds and blend vanilla into sugar/butter mixture. Add flour and process until blended but slightly crumbly, occasionally scraping down bowl. Split dough in half and gather each into ball, flatten into disk and cover in plastic wrap. Place in fridge until cold, approximately 30 minutes. Place rack in top third of oven and preheat to 250 degrees. Press each half of dough in 4 inch round cakepan and bake for 30 minutes. Turn and bake an additional 30 minutes until light golden. Cut while warm then cool.

Honey Lavender Ice Cream

2 c heavy cream
1 c half-and-half
2/3 c mild honey
2 T dried edible lavender flowers*
2 large eggs
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla*
¾ c huckleberries*

Bring cream, half-and-half, honey, and lavender just to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, then remove pan from heat. Let steep, covered, 30 minutes.

Pour cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard lavender. Return mixture to cleaned saucepan and heat over moderate heat until hot.

Whisk together eggs and salt in a large bowl, then add 1 cup hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Pour into remaining hot cream mixture in saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175°F on thermometer, about 5 minutes (do not let boil).

Pour custard through sieve into cleaned bowl and cool completely, stirring occasionally. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.

Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.

Cooks' notes:
To cool custard quickly after straining, set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir until chilled. Custard can chill up to 1 day before freezing. Ice cream keeps 1 week.

(From Gourmet, *Bonnie’s additions)

Lottery: Aven

Birthday Girl, Aven