The Houndstooth Gourmet

Sometimes I just need a hit of chocolate after a meal. Chocolate, even a small piece, leaves me feeling complete and sated. I don’t need the Mississippi Mud Pie from the ’80s-just good quality chocolate to tickle the palate. Like at Hank’s Oyster Bar. No desserts on the menu, but you get a couple chunks of bittersweet chocolate with your bill. It suits me fine most of the time, and when it doesn’t, there’s always a fried Snickers bar at Eammon’s a few blocks away on King Street! Actually, I haven’t yet talked Frank in to sharing one, but I’m working on it!

A couple years ago, Rachel Ray was on  Poprah Oprah demonstrating her recipe for Chocolate Cups. If the Oprah liked it, well, I had to give it a try.

It’s incredible and so easy. With a couple ingredients and about 5 minutes, you can whip together an impressive dessert for just you, or for entertaining guests.

Here’s a recipe for Chocolate Cups, adapted from the original recipe from Rachel Ray. I served it with reduced calorie Cool Whip, and defrosted and lightly sugared mixed berries from Costco. I highly recommend the berry pairing!

Chocolate Cups

serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups milk (I actually used 1%, and it held together)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate morsels
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• pinch salt
• whipped cream (optional)
• berries (optional)

Directions

Place milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, place chocolate, eggs, sugar and salt in a blender and blend until mixed well. With the blender on low, slowly and carefully, pour the boiled milk through the small hole in the top of the blender cover. Increase speed to high and blend thoroughly.

Pour mixture into 6 serving cups and place the cups on a baking sheet. Refrigerate to cool and set, at least 3 hours. If making a day ahead, cover each serving with plastic wrap to preserve freshness and avoid picking up odors.

Serve with whipped cream and sweetened berries.

Tags: dessert, fruit, chocolate by Ramona
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Plums had been showing up at my local farmers markets and their aubergine beauty drew me to them.

I dabbled in a plum upside down cake yet still had a handful leftover. They were beginning to look a little sad and shriveled so “what to do with them?”, I thought. It’s fall and I begin to think about roasts and turkey married with delicious fruits. “Ah, a sauce!”.
Here’s a recipe for a sauce using plums and savory herbs. The flavors compliment meats such as pork, chicken, turkey and veal.

Enjoy.

What you’ll need:

For the sauce.

Ingredients:

8 prune plums or 2 black plums halved, pitted and sliced
3 Tbsp. raspberry jam
1 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot diced fine
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped fine (or 2 tsp. dry)
1 Tbsp. fresh sage chopped fine (or 1 tsp. dry)
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add herbs and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken stock and plums. Simmer in covered pan for 10 minutes, until plums are completely softened. Add jam and balsamic vinegar. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add butter, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate.

This sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead, or frozen and gently reheated when ready to use.

For the pork.

Turn on broiler and place rack 6-8 inches below broiler.
Pat 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick boneless pork chops dry. Salt and pepper each side. Place pork chops in a pan lined with heavy duty aluminum foil.
Place pan on rack under broiler and broil on each side for 5 minutes. Turn off broiler and set oven to 425 degrees. Allow pork chops to continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 145-150 degrees. Allow pork chops to rest for 8-10 minutes before serving with plum sauce.

For cleaning.

Ingredients:

1 dishwasher

1 Bichon Frise

* Weekend Herb Blogging is a weekly event sponsored by Kalyn’s Kitchen and hosted by Ulrike at Küchenlatein this week.

Tags: sauce, Recipe, pork, fruit by Ramona
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Tags: Recipe, fruit, cake by Ramona
3 Comments »

Summer is waning despite the heat and humidity here today. I’m looking forward to fall and all the soups, stews and braises I’ll be making. Over the next few weeks the produce will change at the markets so preserve, can and freeze what you can. Before long, we’ll be talking about asparagus and ramps in the Spring! That’s the best part of eating locally. It’s like the seasons; they change and each one is special in their own way.
Here’s a last hooray! for summer fruit.

Nectarine, sour cherry and blueberry cobbler.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, 1/4 cup
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
4-5 cups fruit total (use any you have on hand; frozen and thawed fruit works well too)
3/4 cup sugar

Directions:

In a 9×13 inch pan, melt the butter.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, milk and baking powder. Pour over butter.
Spread fruit evenly on top.
Dust with remaining 3/4 cup sugar.

Bake on middle rack of oven 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Don’t forget the ice cream!

Tags: Recipe, fruit, baking by Ramona
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Last Sunday at the Dupont Market I bought blackberries. They are still sweet and plump, so keep an eye out for them and enjoy while they last! Here’s a recipe for an easy and light cheesecake, with blackberry topping.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 tablespoon cinnamon

24 ounces Cream Cheese - softened

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup blackberry jam

2 cups fresh blackberries - or you can substitue frozen berries

Directions

Pre heat oven to 325 and allow cream cheese to come to room temperature.

Combine together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. I used a food processor. Press evenly onto bottom of a springform pan.

In mixer, whip cream cheese with paddle attachment. Add eggs one at a time. Add sugar slowly. Pour mixture over crust.

Bake on middle rack for 45-50 minutes until set. Depending on your oven and size of springform pan, you may need slightly more or less baking time.

Mix sour cream and sugar until incorporated. Mix in vanilla. Pour over cheesecake and continue to bake 10 additional minutes. Allow to cool completely.

In the meantime, combine preserves and berries in pan and heat on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool.

Pour berry mixture over cheesecake and serve.

Hint: make both cheesecake and topping the day before. Store covered in refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat berry mixture in pan or microwave. Serve berries poured over entire cake, or along side for individual use.

Tags: Recipe, fruit, baking by Ramona
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