Truffles and Trifles - Cooking School Classes Gift Baskets and Gourmet Store in Orlando Florida

MID-MARCH NEWSLETTER

When I teach classes on Cooking Fish, the first thing I tell my students is never buy the fish in the Display Case – ask for frozen in the back freezer. All their fish is frozen and the fish on display has been thawed to look nice for the buyer. You want the freshest fish possible.

Fish when caught by professional fishermen is flash-frozen on-board their boats. That protects the freshness of the fish and locks in the best possible taste and texture before it has a chance to fade. This means a longer shelf life, fewer safety concerns and usually but not always, a less expensive fish.

If you have never fished, it is one of life’s pure delights. Some of my happiest memories are fishing with my father. We would go out on Captain Ben’s boat and I was given a razor strap with a large hook tied to a piece of rope which was, in turn, tied to a railing. I would bait the hook as I was taught and fling it out into the Gulf of Mexico. I had to hold the rope so when the fish hit it, I would know immediately and be able to pull it up on the deck of the boat. Big Daddy would say, “Now if you want to fish with the boys (meaning the grown men), you have to learn how to help yourself, Little Sister.” “Yes, sir, I will. I don’t need any help.” And for the rest of my life I fished with the “Big Boys” without any help from anyone. As my grandchildren got bigger, they, of course, wanted to fish off the dock on our lake.

We went out to Bass Pro Shop and outfitted them. Every trip to Bass Pro Shop is an adventure. Each now has a rod and reel and a tackle box. They have caught fish off our dock, in mountain streams and lakes of North Carolina and in rivers and lakes of Montana. This summer we are taking them to the Keys and in what I hope, will be a walking experience for me, and we are going bone fishing.

I hope you enjoy the recipes that I have included in this edition – read the directions carefully. Tonight, we had red snapper and just fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper. It tasted like heaven.

This week we have amazing classes coming Up:

On Wednesday, an amazing trip around the Mediterranean, stopping in France, Italy, Greece, Israel and Morocco, I can guarantee you will love the trip and it will be a fraction of the cost of boarding a ship, Go to www.trufflesandtrifles.com and hit on Cooking Class and Current Schedule – you can register ON-LINE. Artichoke and orzo salad, Moroccan Braised lamb, Grilled Israeli Spicy chicken, Cassoulet, Fresh-made ravioli with roasted zucchini, tomatoes and garlic, Spanakipita, Dolmathas (stuffed grape leaves), peasant bread, Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp and broccoli, Chocolate Mousse and lemon mousse cheesecake and Moroccan coconut cakes.

Thursday, I am doing another Vegetable Class – so many people have a difficult time thinking up side dishes and this class is the answer as well as being healthy and good for your tummy. Cauliflower, broccoli and Greens salad; Sweet Potato Souffle, Fabulous Broccoli, Spinach Gratin, Roasted Vegetables, Roasted Cauliflower with walnuts; Orange Sauced Broccoli and Peppers, Green beans with Walnut Dressing; Cherry Tomatoes with Olives; Celery Root Puree; Baby Lima Beans, Whole wheat rolls and a healthy dessert with one gram of fat …and fresh fruit salad with raspberry puree.

On Saturday, we are doing a Healthy Cancer Clinic with a registered Dietitian for Cancer Survivors.

Next Wednesday is our amazing St. Patrick’s Day Class and our anniversary…great fun, great recipes. Go on-line for complete menu. And there are prizes and gifts for those who attend.

DATES FOR SUMMER KID’S CAMP for children 7 to 14

JUNE 14^th to JUNE 18^th

JUNE 21^st to JUNE 25^th

JULY 12^th to JULY 16^th

JULY 19^th to JULY 23^rd

JULY 26^th to JULY 30^TH

The cost is $325.00 per week. 11am until 3pm

Amazing new recipes and a full hands-on cooking experience for your child. They will develop knife skills, equipment skills along with preparing dishes that will not only develop their creativity but also their math and science skills. We will do a different country every day.

Enjoy the Recipes:

GRILLED CORN AND SHRIMP SALAD

6 ears of corn

1/3 cup olive oil plus additional for brushing corn and shrimp

1 pound of medium shrimp, shelled (about 25 or so)

1 red onion, chopped finely

1 large fresh jalapeno chili, minced (ask me how)

1/3 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped finely

3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 bunches of watercress, rinsed well and dry and coarse stems discarded or baby greens

Brush corn with some of the additional oil and grill on a rack, turning it for about 10 to 14 minutes or until it is golden brown.
Let corn cool until it can be handled. Working over a bowl, cut off kernels with a serrated knife and with back of knife scrape pulp from cobs.
Brush the shrimp with additional oil, grill them turning and removing with they turn pink. Transfer to bowl.
Stir in onion, jalapeno and cilantro.
In small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste, add remaining 1/3 cup oil in a stream, whisking and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. (You can choose to do this in a blender).
Pour dressing over corn mixture and combine salad well.
Divide watercress and spoon salad over it.

Serves 6.

Equipment needed: Cutting board knives

Pastry Brush Measuring cup

Measuring spoons

GRILLED RED SNAPPER AND MANGO WITH CILANTRO LIME VINAGRETTE

For a complete meal, serve fish with warm corn tortillas, Spanish yellow rice, grilled zucchini and ice cream with chocolate sauce and cookies (store bought).

Serves 4

6 tablespoons olive oil

5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1-1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest

4 – 5 to 6-ounce red snapper fillets

1 large mango, peeled, cut into thick wedges

¾ teaspoon cumin seeds

8 large red-leaf lettuce leaves

Prepare grill on medium heat.
Whisk oil, 4 tablespoons cilantro, lime juice and lime zest in small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Brush all sides of fish and mango with vinaigrette. Reserve remaining vinaigrette.
Sprinkle Fish and mango with salt-pepper, and cumin seeds.
Grill fish without turning, until fish is just opaque in center and mango is soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes, – do not over-cook. If fish is not thick, do not cook as long. When you can easily cut fish with a fork it is done.
Overlap 2 lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates. Top with fish and mango. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Grill on medium-high heat Small bowl

Pastry brush Measuring spoons Plates

HONEY GLAZED SCALLOPS WITH PEACH SALSA ©copyright Marci Arthur

This can also be made with mangoes.

1-3/4 cups diced peeled peaches (about 3 large)

¼ cup diced red bell pepper

¼ cup chopped scallions

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeno chile

2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger, divided

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons oriental sesame oil

16 large sea scallops

2 tablespoons honey

Fresh cilantro leaves

Mix peaches, red bell pepper, scallions, 2 tablespoons lime juice, chopped cilantro, jalapeno, 1 teaspoon ginger, and garlic in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Salsa can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Whisk soy sauce, sesame oil and remaining 1 teaspoon ginger in medium bowl to blend. Add scallops and stir to coat. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature, turning occasionally. (Or put in zip lock bag.)
Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Whisk honey and remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice in another small bowl. Thread 4 scallops of each of 4 metal skewers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill just until opaque in centers, brushing occasionally with honey glaze, NO MORE than 2 minutes per side.
Spoon salsa in center of platter. Remove scallops from skewers and arrange on top of salsa. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

FISH AND CHIPS © copyright Marci Arthur 2009

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¾ cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 large egg

2 tablespoons club soda

2 teaspoons lemon zest

Vegetable oil for deep frying

8 flounder fillets (3 ounces each)

Flour for dredging

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings

1 to 2 firm lemons, sliced paper thin, seeds removed and patted dry

Combine milk and lemon juice in a small non-reactive bowl, and let stand until slightly mottled –( you are making buttermilk) and thick, about 5 minutes.
In a 13x9-inch pan, toss flour, salt, cayenne, baking soda and pepper. Stir in the buttermilk mixture, egg, club soda and lemon zest. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Heat oil to 360 degrees in a deep fryer.
Have both 13 x 9-inch pans side by side. Coat the fillets, in batches in flour, seasoned with salt and pepper in a 13 x9-inch pan. Stir batter with flat whisk; then dip the fillets in it. Let any excess dip off.
Fry fillets, in batches if necessary, just until golden and crisp, 3 minutes per side. Keep warm in an oven heated to 250 degrees.
Flour onion rings and dip them in batter. Let any excess drip off. Flour the lemon slices. Fry the onions along with several floured lemon slices, in batches, until deep golden and crisp. Squeeze fresh lemon drops on top of fish right before serving. Serve immediately.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Deep fryer heated to 360 degrees

Measuring spoons Liquid measuring cups Small non-reactive bowl

2 - 13 x 9-inch aluminum pan Platter for fish & chips

LEMON SORBET

Makes 3 cups

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

¾ cup lemon juice

5 tablespoons lemon zest

In medium saucepan, heat water and sugar until dissolved.
Bring to a boil, simmer for 2 minutes and allow to completely cool. Add lemon juice and zest to sugar syrup. Chill in refrigerator.
Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker, according to manufacture’s directions.

TARTE TATIN

1 – 10-1/2 tart shell – recipe follow:

1-1/2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour

Large pinch of sea salt

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

5 to 6 tablespoons ice water

1 small/medium egg

To make the pastry, place flour and salt in a food processor and process to mix. Add butter and process to mix. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. With the food processor running, slowly add the water and process just until combined and crumbly.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a ball. Let pastry sit, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour.
Whisk together the egg and 1 teaspoon of water to make an egg wash.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Lightly flour a work surface, and roll out pastry to a 14-inch circle. Roll the pastry around the rolling pin and unroll it in a 9-1/2-inch removable bottom tart pan, with the edges of the pastry overlapping evenly all around. Gently fit pastry against the sides of the tart pan and do not trim the edges.

Tatin:

1-1/2 cups vanilla sugar

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into thin slices

5 pounds of tart apples – Granny Smith, halved and cored or use Nectarines.

SLOW COOKED BARBECUE RIBS © copyright Marci Arthur 2009

4 pounds pork baby back ribs

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cups of Ketchup

1 cup chili sauce

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons dried oregano or 5 teaspoons fresh

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 dash Dat’L Do Sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Place in a large shallow baking pan. Brown in oven for 15 minutes. Turn over and brown another 15 minutes. Drain all fat.
While ribs are baking, mix together ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and salt and pepper. Place ribs in slow cooker. Pour sauce over ribs and turn to coat.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until ribs are tender.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

Measuring cups Measuring spoons Medium bowl

Large shallow baking pan Bowl to drain fat in Slow Cooker

Tongs Wooden spoon

NECTARINE OR PEACH PUFF PASTRY TARTS

8 ounces frozen puff pastry, thawed

¼ cup of flour for rolling out pastry

1 pound nectarines or peaches, cut in half, pitted and then sliced with skin

2-4 tablespoons sugar

Chinese 5 spice

1 egg beaten well with a fork in a small bowl

Lightly whipped cream with some sugar and tablespoon of rum

Place parchment paper on baking sheet.
ON lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry to large rectangle, about 16 x 10-inches, and cut into six smaller rectangles.
Transfer to a parchment covered baking sheet. Using a fork dipped in flour, lightly press the entire exterior of a tart pastry. Using a paring knife, score ½-inch from edge of each rectangle to form a border.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut peaches or nectarines in half and remove pits, then slice fruit thinly. Arrange fruit down the center of the rectangles, leaving borders on each uncovered. Sprinkle the fruit with sugar and a little of the Chinese 5 spice. Brush edges of tart with an egg wash.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are puffed and golden and fruit is tender. Transfer tarts to a wire rack to cool slightly.
Serve warm with a dolop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED.

Baking sheet covered with parchment paper Cutting board Paring knife

Measuring spoons KitchenAid with whisk attachment for beating cream

Rolling pin Fork Small bowl for beating egg

Spoon for serving cream Dessert plates

FRENCH BREAD – 2 loaves

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon Crisco shortening

1 cup boiling water

¾ cup cold water

1 teaspoon sugar

¾ cup warm water – 105 to 115 degrees

6 cups sifted all purpose flour

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 package or 1-1/2 tablespoons Rapid Rise yeast

Measure sugar, salt and shortening in a large bowl and pour boiling water over mixture and stir until shortening is melted. Add ¾ cold water and cool to lukewarm.
Dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar and ¼ cup warm water and sprinkle yeast over water. Let stand for 10 minutes, then stir rapidly with a flat whisk. Add to lukewarm water and stir.
Stir in 2 cups flour and beat until smooth. You can use KitchenAid mixer with dough hook for this step.
Gradually add 4 cups of remaining flour to form a stiff dough.
Turn dough out on a lightly floured counter and knead until smooth and elastic or when finger poke in, dough bounces back and dough feels like a baby’s bottom.. Place dough in a lightly buttered warm bowl; grease top of dough by turning it over in bowl.
Cover bowl and parchment and a clean towel. Allow to rise in warm area until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Punch down risen dough. Turn onto lightly floured counter and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough into two parts. Shape into loaves by rolling each piece into a 7” by 16” rectangle. Roll lengthwise, like you were filling a jelly-roll pan. Seal edges well and taper ends to form an oblong.
Place on parchment covered baking sheets, seam side down and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Brush loaves with slightly beaten egg white and 1 tablespoon of water. Slash with a razor or sharp knife on the diagonal every 2-1/2 to 3 inches.
Bake in a preheated hot over set at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 20 minutes more. Less time for convection and we will use convection.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

Measuring cups Measuring spoons Large bowl

KitchenAid with hook attachment Wooden spoon

Plastic spatula Parchment paper Tea towel

Baking sheet covered with parchment Razor or sharp knife

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH COFFEE CREAM FILLING

2-1/4 cups flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup European cocoa, unsweetened

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup strong coffee, cooled

3 large eggs

8 ounces sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

Coffee Cream filling, recipe follows

Coffee buttercream, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with liners and set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer, fitted with flat paddle, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add oil, coffee and eggs. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Mix in sour cream and vanilla.
Spoon batter into sprayed muffin liners, filling each 2/3’s full. Bake until skewer comes out clean, about 16 to 18 minutes – less if using convection heat. Cool on rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on racks.
Spoon coffee cream filling into a squeeze bottle with a ling narrow tip. Insert tip into top of cupcake and squeeze about 1 tablespoon into center of each cupcake.
Spread Coffee buttercream evenly over cupcakes.

COFFEE CREAM FILLING:

1 – 3ounce package cream cheese, softened

¼ cup coffee flavored liqueur

1 8 ounce container of frozen chocolate flavored whipped topping, thawed

1. In small bowl, whip cream cheese at medium speed with hand mixer until smooth. Slowly add liqueur and fold in whipped topping. Cover and chill.

COFFEE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups confectioners ’ sugar

¼ cup strong brewed coffee

In bowl of electric mixer, fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth, and then add coffee. Combine until smooth and fluffgy.

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Friends from High School Cherry Hill, New Jersey	Marci Arthur and friends at Truffles & Trifles	Celebration at Truffles & Trifles

In a glass bowl (nonreactive) that has been washed with boiling water to sterilize it, combine 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1-1/2 teaspoons of buttermilk (recipe below on how to make buttermilk**). Cover bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Stir.

RECIPE FOR BUTTERMILK:
1 CUP WHOLE MILK
1-1/2 TEASPOONS FRESH LEMON JUICE OR WHITE VINEGAR

STIR TO COMBINE AND ALLOW TO SIT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE FOR 30 MINUTES, AND YOU HAVE BUTTERMILK.