Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Faux Gras (and our 100th post)

This is the 100th post on the DuMond Twins website. Here's to the next 100...

Last month, Sheri' and Mark DuMond put together a dinner party for eight (M & S included) with a French theme. Foie gras seemed like a good choice, but since the DuMonds are lacto-ovo-pesco-vegetarians, goose innards weren't going to make the menu. But they found a recipe and adapted it.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup tawny port
2 15-oz. cans garbanzo beans
2 tsp. white truffle oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Put half the butter in a small skillet and melt over medium heat. Crank the heat down to medium-low and saute the onions in the butter until caramelized and very well done. Add the port and stir well into the cooked onions.

Cook over medium heat until the port in the pan has reduced by about half. Take off the stove and cool completely down to room temperature.

Put the garbanzo beans in a food processor and add the onions and remaining liquid from the pan. Add the truffle oil and buzz the mixture until it becomes a thick paste. Add the remaining soft butter and process until very smooth. Use salt and pepper to season to your taste.

Put the finished product on a serving plate and chill until cold. (If you're serving individually to guests like we did, put a mound or quenelle on small plates and serve with small toasts they can put the faux gras on.)

Monday, December 14, 2009

Gado Gado Salad

The flavors of peanut and coconut were meant to go together. This Indonesian-inspired salad from Mark and Sheri' DuMond is one that can be changed depending on what you have on hand. We didn't include tofu, bean sprouts or cucumbers, but you certainly could.

Mesclun salad greens
1/2 cup soybeans, boiled, drained and cooled
1/2 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup snow peas

1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup reduced fat peanut butter
1 tsp. red curry paste
1 tsp. sriracha hot chili sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

To make the dressing, put the ingredients from coconut milk through soy sauce in a blender and buzz until smooth. Add soy sauce, lime or whatever to get the flavor you desire.

Arrange on salad plates the greens, soybeans, chickpeas, egg, tomatoes and snow peas. Serve the salad with the dressing separate.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Ace DuMond's Hollandaise: Easy as 3-2-1

Ace DuMond's hollandaise sauce (and Eggs Florentine for that matter) is legendary. Have you ever met anyone who tasted Ace's hollandaise that didn't like it? Didn't think so...

It turns out his recipe is as simple as a quick formula: 3-2-1. As in three egg yolks, two tablespoons lemon juice, one stick of butter.

3 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Salt & cayenne pepper, to taste

Put the egg yolks and lemon juice in a blender and buzz briefly. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or the microwave. Slowly pour the hot butter into the blender while it's running. Add a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper (you decide how much).

Serve immediately.