Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Picnic Contest Finalist!!!!!!

Unfortunately, life gets a little hectic when you're in school. No time to blog....

I just wanted to stop in and say that my recipes got picked for a school contest. Take a looks:

Hannibal's Picnic Feast
by Jaime Tanno, CCA Culinary Student


Foie au Bacon Posé sur Onions Grillés
Chicken liver morsels wrapped in bacon, skewered and broiled until crisp, laid over grilled onions.

Feves à Tartiner en Croûte
A savory fava bean and garlic spread on a French bread croustini, topped with fresh parsley.

Poires Pochées au Sucre Brun
Bosc pears poached in brown syrup with nutmeg and cardamom, sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

A Nice Chianti
Chianti is a refreshing, red wine that is not too sweet and pairs perfectly with this meal.


The Concept

Summer is the time for blockbuster movie hits! This picnic feast is based on one of my favorite movies of all time as well as a combination of some of my favorite food items. The recipes are light and healthy, and leave you feeling refreshed…perfect for an afternoon at the park, the beach or by the lake. It is a well-rounded meal with protein, vegetables, fruits, carbs and sweets.

I have tested the recipes and found that the entire food portion can be purchased for $18.57 and will easily feed 4 people. The beverage pairing not only goes with the general theme, but it is an extremely delicious pairing and rounds off the meal nicely. I found a beautiful bottle of Chianti for only $4.99 at Trader Joe's, so it is also economical and brings the entire picnic to a total of $23.56.

This recipe can be adapted for availability during any season.

The Recipes

Foie au Bacon Posé sur Onions Grillés

Ingredients:

1 lb Chicken Liver
8 slices of bacon
4 skewers
1 white onion
½ teaspoon olive oil


1.Soak the skewers in water for at least 20 minutes prior to using them. This prevents them from catching fire or burning under the broiler.

2.Grill the onions in a skillet with the olive oil until they are fully cooked, soft and supple. Set aside to cool.

3.Wash the chicken livers and sort them into 16 bite-sized morsels, approximately ¾” squared.

4.Cut the bacon slices in half.

5.Wrap each chicken liver morsel with ½ a slice of bacon and skewer it so that it remains wrapped. 4 per skewer.

6.Place the skewers under the broiler for approximately 20 minutes, turning them over halfway thru cooking time. The liver should be firm and the bacon crisp and the internal temperature should be a minimum of 145 degrees.

7.Place the skewers on a paper towel to soak up any extra grease.

8.Cool and serve over grilled onions.

Serves 4, 1 skewer per person.

Feves à Tartiner en Croûte

Ingredients:

15 oz fava beans*
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 oz diced red pepper
1 garlic clove (crushed)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
1 - 8” French roll or baguette
8 small sprigs fresh parsley

* This recipe can be used with either Mediterranean fava beans or the more traditional broad beans. If the beans are purchased dry, they must be cooked first according to instructions. I used canned Mediterranean beans which worked just as well.

1.Blend all ingredients (except the fresh parsley) in a food processor or blender until fine and creamy.

2.Slice the French roll into ½” slices and cook in a skillet using olive oil until each side is browned and crisp. Allow to cool.

3.Serve the spread on the crouton slices and top with a sprig of fresh parsley.

Serves 4, 2 per person.



Poires Pochées au Sucre Brun

Ingredients:

4 Bosc pears
1 quart water
2 cups brown sugar
½ tsp cardamom (to taste)
½ tsp nutmeg
cinnamon (decor)
powdered sugar (décor)

1.Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact.

2.Bring the water to a light simmer, appropriate for poaching, in a deep saucepan.

3.Add brown sugar, cardamom and nutmeg, and stir until dissolved fully.

4.Poach pears in the simmering syrup for approximately 20 minutes. The pears should turn a deep golden brown color.

5.Take them out of the syrup and let them cool for 10 minutes.

6.Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

7.Chill before serving.

Serves 4, 1 each.

3 comments:

  1. I'm going to print this out and make everything. Not THIS weekend (since I'm already way overbooked again, damnit) but in the next week or two. It's all right up my alley, and I love that you included costs or I probably wouldn't have seriously considered it. :-)
    Yay!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Monday's Child: I hope YOU take photos too!

    ReplyDelete