A virtual place for those who like for their nosebuds and tastebuds to dance. Life is many things, sometimes hard, uphill and bleak. And yet when we take the time to enjoy some of the necessities, these necessities become gifts. So, here we share the present of presence: perfume and food advice; how-to tips; product safety; dreamy concoctions; and shortcuts as well as the scenic route. Smell and taste your way thru life!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Food for thought: Gourmet alchemy 101: Costco shortcuts
GOURMET ALCHEMY
So, I've finally joined the ranks and got a Costco membership. Cheap grape tomatoes! Whole cows for $20! An orchard of berries for $6! Then, a funny thing happened: I started identifying all sorts of food I'd had at parties that came straight from the shelves of Costco.
I thought about minor changes and improvements to make food less commonplace.
Ingredient(s) from Costco:
Can be assembled earlier in the day:
Olive tapenade
deli meats such as salami, turkey ham, roasted turkey
mozzarella or Monterey jack cheese, sliced
croissants or loaf bread, sliced
New creation: Mufuletta Sandwich for lunch or informal dinner
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
Can be assembled the night before (don't want the scallops to go bad!)
5 lbs (or whatever ridiculous amount is being sold) bacon
Bay scallops
Extra ingredient: black pepper or garam masala for the adventuresome
New creation: Bacon-wrapped scallops hors d'oeuvre
Sprinkle black pepper or masala on scallops in a bowl, then wrap in bacon that has been cut in 3 pieces. Secure with a toothpick. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until bacon is crispy, but still flexible & not breaking. There should be plenty of drippings in the pan. Transfer to plate lined with paper towel. Serve warm.
Ingredients:
Whipping cream
Half-and-half
Honey
Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar
Extra ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon Sea salt; 1 oz. water
New creation: Premium honey-vanilla ice cream
Mix 1/4 honey with salt and water until honey and salt are dissolved. Mixture should be warm, not hot, and should take less than 4 minutes. Cool mixture until room temperature, then cool in fridge or freezer.
Mix 1 cup whipping cream and 1 1/4 cups half-and half with honey mixture. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla.
Blend in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Chill 3 hours.
Ingredients from Costco:
Chocolate chips
Whipping cream
Honey
Madeleines (little tea cakes) or brownie bites
Fresh berries
Ingredients from home:
2 oz. liqueur, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla or orange or almond extract, optional
New creation: Chocolate fondue station
In a glass bowl, melt chocolate chips in microwave at 50% power for a couple minutes (depends on amount of chips and wattage of microwave), until chocolate chips are gooey and glistening. Slowly add cream, stir well, and return to microwave. Microwave 1 more minute at 70% power. Stir vigorously until all chips are melted and sauce is a thick liquid. Add spice, liqueur or extract; stir again until flavorings are blended.
Serve in bowl on a platter arranged with fruit and cakes. Or, arrange fruit and cakes on a tiered stand and serve fondue in a bowl beside stand.
Ingredients from Costco:
Grape tomatoes, washed
Marinated fresh mozzarella balls, drained of most of oil (but try and retain seasonings)
Optional ingredients:
Fresh basil
Fresh or dried oregano
Sea salt
Finely minced red onion or shallot or scallions
New creation: Insalata caprese in 5 minutes!
In a large bowl, mix drained mozzarella and grape tomatoes. Add optional ingredients to taste. Serves 8-10
Variation: Caprese "panini"
Load tomatoes and mozzarella with a little oil and salt* in French bread. Press down hard, then quickly wrap in foil. Bake in 400-degree oven for 12 minutes, until cheese is melted.
*Add cooked chicken, sardines, and/or a sliced hard-boiled egg if you want something more substantial.
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