Quick Weeknight Dinners - Session 3; Bruschetta; and Ribeye Steak with Wine Reduction Sauce

Post Date: 24 April 2015

Quick Weeknight Dinners – April 27

The Quick Weeknight Dinners class finishes this coming Monday with the third session.  For this class, I have not yet decided on the whole program, bit I am considering Salisbury Steaks, a pork chop dish, and/or perhaps seafood.  Plus there will be a surprise.

 

Bruschetta

 

 

I had not made this in a while.  The subject came up in the last Quick Weeknight Dinners class, so I decided to make a batch.  Like many Italian recipes, there are quite a few variations on this dish, although one common thread is tomato.  I start mine by cutting the tomatoes into wedges, then scooping out the pulp and skin and discarding them.  I then mince the tomato pieces and place them in a bowl with 3 cloves of minced garlic.  I then add salt, pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and chopped fresh basil leaves.  Sometimes I add some mozzarella, cutting the small cherry sized mozzarella balls into quarters and mixing them in.  I chill the mixture for at least 2 hours before serving,

I serve the bruschetta in one of two ways, both using a baguette.  In the first way I slice the baguette into then rounds, brush them with olive oil, spread on some minced garlic from a jar, and toast under the broiler.  This is convenient because everything can be done ahead of time, so when the guests arrive you just set everything out.

The second way I serve it is a bit more labor intensive and time sensitive.  I cut the baguette into 4 to 5 inch pieces, then cut in half lengthwise and discard the soft inner dough.  As with the baguette rounds above, I then spread olive oil and garlic on each piece and toast under the broiler.  Since what I am going for here is the give the guests the sensation of the warm bread and the cold bruschetta mix, as soon as the baguette slices come out of the oven, I spoon the bruschetta onto them and serve immediately

 

Ribeye Steak with Wine Reduction Sauce

This is a recipe from Food Network Magazine which my wife had marked for us to try, so we made it last Sunday evening.  Here is where you can find the recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marc-forgione/rib-eye-steaks-with-berries-and-blue-cheese.html

The reduction sauce includes port wine, dry red wine, and veal stock, so it takes quite a while to get the sauce reduced down, but the final product is well worth the wait.  It also includes shallots, mushrooms, and as the name implies, your choice of blueberries, blackberries, or huckleberries.  We used blueberries.  As regards the steaks themselves, they are started on the stove top then finished in the oven.  Some blue cheese was sprinkled on top before serving.  Overall, this one is a keeper.

Upcoming Classes

Here are the upcoming classes I will be teaching for the rest of the spring term.  The summer schedule will be out soon.

May 7, 14, and 21 – Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center

May 31 and June 6 – Sunday Afternoon – Beyond Biscotti – Plum Center

To register for this class, or any ACE cooking classes, please go to:

http://www.fcps.edu/is/ace/specialinterest.shtml and scroll down to the Culinary section

While there, be sure to check out the other culinary courses offered by ACE’s excellent chef instructors.

Till next time, keep cooking.

Contact Chef Kevin at: KJBrady@fcps.edu