Roasted Tomato Risotto

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Roasted Tomato Risotto

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, peeled and diced

1 ½ cups Arborio rice or other short-grain rice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 to 8 cups Chicken Stock

3 roasted tomato halves, recipe follows, chopped

4 roasted garlic cloves, recipe follows, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it slides easily across pan bottom. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. Add rice, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until rice is heated through and slightly translucent, about 1 minute.

Add enough stock to almost cover rice, about 2 cups. Simmer, stirring frequently, until rice has absorbed stock, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, and another cup of stock. Cook, stirring, until rice looks dry, then add another cup of stock. Continue gradually adding stock, cooking, and stirring, until rice is tender and creamy, about 25 minutes. Stir in butter and cheese, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

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Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

Ingredients

20 ripe tomatoes, stems and cores removed

2 large heads garlic, divided into unpeeled cloves

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut tomatoes in half cross-wise (through the equator), then place tomatoes, garlic cloves, and olive oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix gently. Line 2 large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place tomato halves on baking sheets, cut side down, and pour any olive oil left in bowl over them. Divide garlic and thyme evenly between baking sheets. Bake until tomato skins loosen, about 20 minutes.

Remove and discard tomato skins. Pour any juices that have accumulated into a bowl and reserve. Return tomatoes to oven and reduce temperature to 275 degrees. Continue roasting, periodically pouring off and reserving juices, until tomatoes are slightly shrunken and appear cooked and concentrated but not yet dry, 3 or 4 hours more.

Remove tomatoes from oven and allow them to cool on baking sheets. Discard thyme. Transfer tomatoes and garlic to separate containers. Store tomatoes, garlic cloves, and reserved tomato juices in refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Yield: 40 roasted tomato halves, approximately 20 roasted garlic cloves, and 1 to 3 cups roasted tomato juice.

Decadent Warm Soft Chocolate Cake

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One of my favorite desserts to prepare for my guests is the Warm Soft Chocolate Cake. The warm gooey center, not unlike chocolate molten lava, is so sinfully decadent. It’s very surprising how easy it is to prepare. It’s an impressive dessert too. The only trick lies in the timing. In my oven it takes exactly 8 minutes. It is great served with vanilla ice cream .

Warm Soft Chocolate Cake

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

4 oz bittersweet chocolate

2 large eggs

2 egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Butter and lightly flour 4 6-ounce molds, custard cups, ramekins, or similar containers. Tap out excess flour. Either in a double boiler or small saucepan, gently heat butter and chocolate together until chocolate is almost completely melted. In the meantime, beat eggs, yolks, and sugar together with a whisk or electric beater until light and thick.

Beat melted chocolate and butter together. While still warm, pour into egg mixture, and then quickly beat in flour until combined.

Divide batter among molds. (At this point you can refrigerate desserts for several hours, until ready to eat. Bring to room temperature before cooking.)

Bake molds on a baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes; the center will still be quite soft, but the sides will be set.

Invert each mold onto a plate and let sit about 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of mold; cake will fall out onto plate. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Octopus Carpaccio

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Carpaccio of Octopus

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 large octopus

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

3 fresh parsley sprigs

2 fresh thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

2 cups of red wine

4 cups of water

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons Spanish paprika

3 tablespoons finely chopped black olives

3 tablespoons finely chopped Ciboulette (small chive)

Directions

Place the water, wine, onion, carrot, celery, bay leave, parsley and thyme into a pot. Bring to the boil then add the octopus into the pot and reduce the heat to simmer for 40 minutes, or until the octopus is tender.

Remove the octopus from the stock and reduce the heat to low and allow the stock to reduce to ½ cup.

Allow the octopus to cool, then roll up in cling film to form a sausage shape and chill in the fridge.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the Spanish Paprika and a teaspoon of salt, cook for a couple of minutes, strain well.

Once the octopus is very cold and holding its shape, using a large, very sharp knife, slice it into thin sheets.

To serve, place the slices of octopus onto each plate. Drizzle over the Paprika Oil, Garnish the plate with the chopped black olives and Ciboulette. Add the wine reduction around.

Boiling Octopus Tips

Freezing fresh octopus first; then boiling it for 35-40 minutes, lifting it three times out of the boiling water for a few seconds and then re-submerging it.

Chez L'Ami Louis in English

When I opened this window with the image of a “Chez L'Ami Louis” from a Family Album of Paris, which was hand painted by Aida Gruebler in San Antonio, Venezuela, where I go back to reconnect with my friends and myself, I did that to express my dreams, emotions, experiences and find friends.

On September 22, 2007 I started to write to others, enter to their house and to their lives, to visit their cooking and sharing recipes, the table and dreams with you.

My friends, family, nephews, neighbors have been looking at this site and have shared my dreams.

I found a space for expression and sharing, which has filled my need to be in contact with more people, impacting others and get recognition as cook.

"The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated."

William James Quote

Lost in Translation

Recientemente varios de mis amigos que no hablan español me han pedido que coloque versiones de mis recetas traducidas al Inglés es por eso que en los próximos días verán aquí en mi blog publicaciones en Inglés, todas las recetas que voy a colocar en Inglés son recetas ya publicadas por mi en Español, por lo que al comienzo de cada receta voy a colocar un link para ver la versión en Español.

He evaluado varias opciones referentes a como publicar mis recetas también en Inglés, he buscado en otros blogs de cocina ideas referentes a como hacer publicaciones en los dos idiomas, incluso he pensado en la opción de hacer un Blog solo en Inglés pero pienso que me tomaría mucho más tiempo hacerlo ya que esto ha sido para mi más como un hobby más que un trabajo ya que mis días también tengo que dedicarlos a mi otro trabajo.

Así que como un regalo para mis amigos voy a publicar alrededor de unas 10 recetas mientras pienso y decido si creo un blog solo en inglés o sigo incorporando las recetas aquí alternadamente en Español y en Inglés.

New York Style Cheesecake

Recientemente preparé una torta de queso inspirada en una receta de Cheeseckae del Libro The Last Course, the Desserts of Gramercy Tavern de Claudia Fleming. Un amigo lector de mi blog me había dicho que hay una receta muy fácil de Tia Florita, Cheese Cake de Microondas y Cheese Cake con Salsa de Moras.

El cheesecake que preparé, hecho sin huevos, es particularmente ligero y cremoso. El sabor del queso y la crema dulce combina perfectamente con el coulis de moras.

Para la Base crocante yo hice mis propias galletas dulces, las cuales tienen un sabor a miel y una textura crujiente. Si quieres hacer estas galletas puedes escribirme y te envio la receta, después de hornearlas se parten con un rodillo. Si te parece que es mucho trabajo simplemente utiliza galletas dulces tipo Maria.

Cheese Cake

Ingredientes

Base crocante

2 ½ cucharadas de Azúcar

1 ¾ tazas de galletas dulces

6 cucharadas de Mantequilla

Relleno

1 cucharadita de Gelatina sin sabor

1 ½ taza de Crema de leche (Crema Dulce)

½ taza de Queso Crema (4 onzas)

½ taza de Yogurt

3 cucharadas de Azúcar

½ cucharada de Esencia de vainilla

¼ de la pulpa de una vaina de Vainilla (Opcional)

Coulis de Mora

300 gramos de Moras rojas y negras

¼ taza de Azúcar

Procedimiento

Base crocante

Procese las galletitas hasta obtener migas. Agregue luego el azúcar y la mantequilla fundida.

En la base de un molde de 20cm de diámetro y 3cm de alto coloque las migas presionando para formar una base pareja.

Lleve a horno y cocine a 180ºC durante 10 minutos. Retire y deje enfriar completamente.

Relleno

Coloque la gelatina en un bol con un ¼ taza de la crema de leche. Déjela hidratarse durante 5 minutos. Mientras tanto en una olla coloque ½ taza de crema de leche y el queso crema y lleve a fuego medio, remueva hasta que el queso este completamente derretido. Añada esta mezcla al bol con la gelatina y mezcle hasta que la gelatina se disuelva. Cuele con un colador fino y deje enfriar completamente.

En un bol con una batidora eléctrica bata la crema de leche restante, el yogurt, azúcar, esencia de vainilla y la pulpa, hasta que la mezcla haga picos. Agregue una tercera parte de la crema en la mezcla del queso y mezcle con movimientos envolventes, luego siga con las dos terceras partes restantes. Agregue la mezcla en la base completamente fría y refrigere por lo menos durante 4 horas.

Coulis

Coloque las moras con azúcar a hervir suavemente, licue, cuele y deje enfriar. Refrigere por lo menos durante una hora.

Presentación

Corte en porciones y acompañe con el coulis de mora, decore con fress o moras.