Peach and Blueberry Pavlovas with a Blueberry Wine Zabaione

This is a dessert within a dessert within a dessert! Deconstructed, you have some of the most enjoyable sweets to eat..  fresh fruit, pavlova (meringue) and a rich custardy Zabaione!

Growing up in our household, my mom used the "idea" of a Zabaione, for a quick morning juice specialty. In a blender, she would whip a few egg yolks with a sprinkle of sugar and then drizzle in the orange juice.. I still remember it today as being one of my favorite morning drinks!

Together, all of these individual desserts make a gourmet delight to satisfy any dessert table!

Grilled Peach and Blueberry Pavlovas with a Blueberry Wine Zabaione

recipe by Laurie M. Vengoechea, DMC

Dessert Elements

7-8 Individual Pavlova's

Blueberry Wine Zabaione

Grilled Peaches

1 Pint Fresh Blueberries

Whipped Cream 

Pavlovas 

Preheat oven to 250

Place rack in center of oven.  

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 3-4 inch circles on the paper. Turn the parchment paper over so the circle is on the reverse side.

Ingredients

4 large egg whites

1 cup superfine or castor sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch 

Directions

1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they hold soft peaks.

2. Start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat, on high speed, until the meringue holds very stiff and shiny peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger.  The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers). 

3. Beat in the vanilla extract. 

4. Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, with a rubber spatula, gently fold in. 

5. Spread the meringue inside the circles drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges.

6. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the outside is dry and a very pale cream color. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy.) 

The cooled meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place, in an airtight container, for a few days. 

Makes 7-8 individual Pavlovas

Blueberry Wine Zabaione

Ingredients

4 egg yolks

4 Tbs. granulated sugar

4 tablespoons Blueberry Wine

1/2 tsp. Lemon Zest

Directions

1. Boil some water in a saucepan.

2. Separate the yolks from the whites and place the yolks in a heatproof bowl.  (Save the whites for a meringue dish)

3. Add the sugar and whisk (or mix with an electric hand mixer) until the mixture turns light yellow.

Place the bowl with the egg mixture on top of the pan with

boiling water. Continue whisking. Do not allow the bowl to touch the water, it will cause your zabaione to get lumpy.

4. In a thin stream, SLOWLY add the wine to the egg mixture as you keep whisking.

5. Keep beating the egg mixture until it has doubled in volume and is fluffy and light...about 10-15 minutes.

6. Take off heat. Stir in the lemon zest. Place a piece of plastic over it and keep in the refrigerator

Grilled Peaches
2-3 Large, firm but ripe peaches

1 tsp. mild olive oil

2 tsp. Turbinado Sugar or Raw Sugar

Grill Pan

Directions

Cut peaches in half and remove the pit.
Heat grill pan on medium heat.
Brush a small amount of the olive oil on peach halves so they don't stick to the grill pan.
Sprinkle a small amount of sugar over the peach as well. This will give a beautiful caramelized effect to the grilled peaches.
Place peaches on pre-heated pan pressing down for 5 seconds. Remove pressure from peach and allow to cook for around 1 minutes. When peach has nicely grilled with caramelization turn over and cook for an additional minute.
Remove to platter.
When cool slice peaches for the Pavlovas.

Putting it all together

Drizzle a few tablespoons of Zabaione on individual dishes.

Place a Pavlova on the Zabaione, fill with Grilled Peaches and fresh Blueberries.

Top with a dollop of whipped cream

Shepherd's Cottage Pie

This amazingly tasty dish has been making an appearance throughout Europe for hundreds of years. Mutton, lamb, beef and even fish, can easily find it's way into this British pie. I was first introduced to an English Shepherds pie early in my college days while on a short one month missions trip abroad. Previously in my home, we made this with a pastry crust, but recently an English girlfriend of mine told me that they make theirs without a crust all together! So easy to prepare and still just as satisfying! 

This recipe is pretty much allergy friendly and has ingredients that can easily be adapted to fit your dietary needs. Hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients

6 cups Mashed Potatoes (recipe follows)

2 cups Brown Sauce (recipe follows)

2 lbs. Ground Lamb or Beef

½ Onion

Salt and pepper

Butter or margarine

3 cups Dubliner Cheese Grated, I use Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese (*Please see note at the bottom)

3 Carrots cleaned and cut into small squares and cooked till tender.

1 Cup Peas (frozen not canned) cooked

6 Crimini Mushrooms cleaned and sliced

Mashed Potatoes

2-3 pounds russet potatos

3 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

3/4 to 1 cup raw milk or *Rice milk 

Salt and white pepper to taste

Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. In a large heavy saucepan simmer potatoes in salted water to cover by 1 inch 10 minutes, or until tender, and drain in a colander. In pan or bowl combine potatoes, butter or margarine, and 3/4-cup milk. With a potato masher or blender mash potatoes until just smooth, adding more milk and butter if necessary to make a creamy but not pasty potato. *Over cooking and blending your potatoes will make them too starchy. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Brown Sauce

3 shallots or scallions, finely chopped

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

10-½ -ounces beef broth, canned is fine

1 Tb. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce (this is gluten free)

1 Tsp. Fresh Tarragon leaves finely chopped

½ Tsp. thyme

Salt, pepper

Sauté chopped shallots or scallions in butter. Gradually add wortsheshire and beef broth. Let it come to a boil and add the seasonings. Cook down for a few minutes. Let simmer for a few minutes and strain. Set aside.

Ground Lamb or Beef

Finely chop ½ an onion. Sauté in 2 Tbsp. butter. Add ground meat and cook. Drain liquids. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Vegetables

Mix prepared vegetables together.

Preparations

In a lasagna or sheet cake pan, start with mashed potatoes layer your ingredients, always adding cheese and sauce after each layer. Repeat process until you end with mashed potatoes on top. Potatoes can be piped on for a decorative finish but it is not necessary. Bake Shepherds Pie in a pre-heated 375° oven for 20 minutes. If potatoes start to brown too quickly loosely cover with foil.

This recipe can also be found on my allergy friendly blog,  A Favored Life.  

*Cheese can be omitted for those with a dairy intolerance, or substitute your favorite dairy free cheese.

** Any milk ingredient in this recipe can be substituted with rice, coconut or almond milk to fit your dietary need.

Chunky Applesauce

Apple season just ended and we had a wonderful crop from our tree this year! Cinnamon and spice and everything nice has permeated throughout the house with apple fare filling the cupboards and dessert trays. Now, thoughts of holiday foods and family gatherings coming up in just in a few weeks!

This is a simple crock pot applesauce recipe that makes such a yummy, low sugar, chunky monkey type of sauce! Every slow cooker heats differently, so you decide how long you cook your apple sauce for. The original recipe I read said 4 hours for a saucy sauce, but I found that 3 hours gave me some chunky pieces which I prefer.

My apple tree produces a Fuji Apple, but I also added Red Delicious apples to cut down on the sugar addition. Plus, my previous batch of apple butter took a lot more apples than I expected.

For a completely sugar free apple sauce, find out from your produce man what the sweetest apples are for the season!! 

Yield: 3 ~ 16 oz Jars

Prep Time: 45 minutes to an hour (unless you have a rotary apple peeler)

Cook Time: 3-4 hours

INGREDIENTS

A mix of 6 pounds Fuji and Red Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks. 

1/4 cup light brown sugar (if needed)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in the Crock Pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours. 

2. For chunky applesauce as pictured, stir and mash the apples with a large spoon close to the end of the cook time.  Store applesauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or freeze in freezer jars for up to 6 months.

Enjoy!! 

xo

Grilled Rosemary Lamb | December | Cast Iron

 My Artisan Boule bread was baked in an enamel coated cast iron dutch oven, my leg of lamb was warmed/browned in my favorite antique cast iron pan, and my panini sandwhich was pressed and grilled on my cast iron grill and weighted down with a cast iron pan.

Grilled Rosemary Lamb Panini

with Currant Jelly, Spinach and English Cheddar 

on a Fresh Artisan Boule

I hope you enjoy the photo journaling of this recipe.. I enjoyed preparing it just as much as my little family enjoyed eating it!

I used the no knead procedure here. It made a WONDERFUL dough with beautiful air pockets, crunchy crust and a perfectly chewy crumb! The best recipe I have yet used for bread!

Baked in an enameled cast iron pot. So easy and quick!!

Mmmm.. perfect loaf!!

This pretty little piece of pottery is from my daughter Kat, who bought it for me at her college's Art Department Christmas Boutique. She bought it specifically for my photo stylings. :) I love the colors and have decided these shades really do need to appear more in my photo shoots!

I made a rosemary & herb crusted roasted lamb for Christmas dinner. It was SO moist and made the perfect grilled panini sandwiches!

Spread a hearty helping of currant jam on the inside slices of bread, thick slices of English cheddar cheese, good sized portions of lamb slices. Spread butter on outsides of bread. Place on hot cast iron grill and place a heavy cast iron pan or pot on top to weight it down. Turn over to grill on other side. When done add spinach.. Voila!

Be sure to head on over to see what my dear friend Stacey Siegal | Kitchen Serendipity | Longobat Key & Bradenton FL Photographer is cooking and photographing! 
And check out her beautiful recipes and food photos when your there.. this gal can cook!! :)

Till next year.. 
Buon Appetito!! 

Coconut Milk Chocolate Pudding

I can remember it like it was yesterday.. 

Sitting on the floor, huddled up with girlfriends in front of the fireplace on a cold winter's night. 
Home made chocolate pudding.. the one that you made with the recipe from the the Hershey's Cocoa can. I don't think pudding ever tasted so good! For some reason, it's that particular event that is re-played in my mind time and time again when I make pudding for my kids. 

It's been a breezy few days here on the West Coast.. a moderate in temperature Spring day. Comfort and warmth was on the menu! (we like our pudding still a little warm) :)

I have been wanting to try making the pudding dairy free, but i'll be honest with you.. I can't imagine pudding without the luxury of the richness of egg yolks, so as of now.. it's only milk free. I did see some dairy free and vegan recipes out there, and I'm sure I'll try them someday.. but today it's with yokes!


Chocolate Pudding | Made with Coconut Milk

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

Ingredients

2 cups whole fat coconut milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup natural cocoa powder

4 teaspoons cornstarch

3 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Directions

Put 1 1/2 cups of the milk, the sugar, and the cocoa in a nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a simmer, over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of the milk, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, and vanilla in a bowl. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and continue whisking until thick, about 2 or 3 minutes more.

While I was taking photos, I asked my Bella if she would go into the garden and choose some flowers to style with the pudding shoot. This was her choice.. perfect!! :) 

Have a favored day!!

Laurie

Smokey Spicy Beef Skewers

Mrs G's Hot Pepper Jellies is a product I have mentioned a few times here at DMC. It not only is a product I photograph, but it is a product I use quite often! It makes a beautiful glaze for biscuits,  a sweet and spicy addition for seasoned nuts, and as we've used hear for beef skewers, a wonderful addition to a tangy grilling sauce. But please.. PLEASE don't hesitate to eat it alone by the spoonful!! It's that YUMMY and perfectly balanced with heat on sweet! 

Depending on your own style, you have a few flavor options. I love the JA-HA for it's versatility, I can puree figs, cherries, prunes or apples, and make a chutney style barbecue sauce with it, or use it plain with an addition of crushed garlic and red pepper flakes.. these would be my preferences to accompany beef.  But for a chicken or fish perparation, I prefer the Jalapeño Garlic Lime, Mango Ginger and Peach habanero. (ohh the countless recipes I have yet to create) :)

For this Photo Shoot, I strictly used Mrs G's recipe from her web site. It's DE-LICIOUS! :)
Be sure to check out some of her other amazing flavor pairings and recipes!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Mrs. G's Ja-Ha pepper jelly
• 1/2 tsp smoky BBQ rub (I use The Spanish Tin's Smoky Spanish BBQ Rub)
• 1 lb boneless good quality steak, pork or chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes
• Baby pattypan squash
• Cherry or grape tomatoes

Instructions

1. For glaze, combine jelly with the BBQ Rub and warm until the jelly is melted. Remove from heat.
2. In a small, covered saucepan, cook squash in boiling water for 1 minute.
3. Alternately thread meat, squash and tomatoes on skewers. Grill skewers according to your gas or charcoal grill instructions, glazing the skewers with the reserved glaze during the last 5 minutes of grilling.