Chocolate Truffle Torte with Raspberry Coulis

I've been making this torte for nearly five years and it has become our family favorite. It is extremely easy to make and comes out dense with just the right balance of flavor and texture. The raspberry coulis is a must have and pairs perfectly with the cake. The recipe below serves 8-12. Enjoy!

HELPFUL HINTS
1. The raspberry coulis can be made several days ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
2. Though the recipe below calls for various kinds of chocolate, it can also be made with entirely semi-sweet chocolate chips and it tastes wonderful.

INGREDIENTS
Cake
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt

Glaze
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
4 oz sweet chocolate
8 Tbs butter, softened
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Raspberry Coulis
12 oz frozen raspberries, thawed
3 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Torte
1. Preheat oven to Convect bake at 350 degrees
2. Butter and flour a 9 inch round cake pan
















3. In a medium saucepan, heat butter and corn syrup over low heat
4. Stir frequently until butter is melted
5. Stir in chocolate chips and continue to stir over low heat until chips are melted
















6. Remove pan from heat
7. Stir in vanilla and flour then mix until well blended and smooth
















8. Stir in sugar, eggs and salt and mix well
















9. Pour batter into prepared pan
















10. Bake 20-25 minutes or until center springs back when pressed lightly with finger



11. Cool for 10 minutes then turn out onto cooling rack - cool completely

Glaze
1. In a small saucepan, melt chocolates over very low heat, stirring constantly
2. Stir until almost melted, then remove from heat and stir until melted and smooth
3. Stir in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time
















4. Stir in corn syrup
5. Pour over the torte, allowing the glaze to coat the sides

6. Refrigerate until the glaze is set

Raspberry Coulis
1. Combine in food processor and run until smooth.

2. Run through mesh sieve if desired

Roast Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Ragout

This Food Network inspired recipe was just about the most delicious steak I've ever made. Ragout is a derivative of the French verb "ragouter," meaning "to stimulate the appetite," and is typically a thick, rich, well-seasoned stew of meat, poultry or fish and sometimes vegetables. In this case, it was done with mushrooms and was amazing. Of the major cuts of beef, the short loin is the most tender. "Tenderloin" comes from the short loin and can be sold as tenderloin roasts or cut into filet mignon steaks. The recipe below yields about 8 servings. Enjoy!

HELPS

1. You can find high quality beef tenderloin at the more specialty grocery stores. It's a little on the expensive side but much less than you'd pay for filet mignon at a nice restaurant.

2. Be careful not to leave the ragout on the heat too long or it will become too thick.

3. Though the recipe calls for a variety of mushrooms, if those are too difficult to find or are too pricey, you can just go with the white button mushrooms and the taste is still excellent.

INGREDIENTS
Beef Tenderloin
2 ½ pounds center-cut beef tenderloin roast, cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 Tbs butter

Mushroom Ragout
1 lb mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, cremini, or white button
2-3 Tbs unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
1/2 cup Marsala
1/3 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS
Beef Tenderloin
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Season the beef all over with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
















4. Add the oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering. Add the butter and swirl to melt.
















5. Add the beef and sear until mahogany brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total.































6. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 125 degrees F. for medium-rare, about 25 minutes.
7. Transfer the roast to a cutting board, tent it very loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Serve with the mushroom ragout.

Mushroom Ragout
1. Clean and quarter all the mushrooms and put in a bowl.
2. Heat 2 Tbs of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the mushrooms and spread them out evenly in the pan.
















3. increase the heat to high. Let the mushrooms cook undisturbed until they brown, then shake the pan to turn them over.
4. Add the additional butter along the sides of the pan as the mushrooms cook if the pan seems very dry.
5. Continue to cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
















7. Season the mushrooms with the salt and pepper and add the thyme.
8. Pull the pan off the heat and add the Marsala.
















9. Return pan to the heat and scrape up any of the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
10. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil.

















11. Remove from the heat and serve.

Baked Herb and Parmesan Fries with Lemon Garlic Aoli

These fries are delicious. The combination of the herbs, Parmesan and the lemon garlic aoli will keep you eating these until your plate is empty, and even then you may have to sneak a few from your friends. Very easy to make, they're even somewhat healthy given that these are baked, not fried. The recipe below yields 4-5 servings, depending on whether or not these are the core dish or a side. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Fries
8 large potatoes
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
8 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
8 Tbs freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Aoli
2 cups mayonaisse
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs freshly grated Parmesan
4 Tbs lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Fries
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
2. Cut the potatoes in half, lengthwise, then repeat.






























3. Cut lengthwise into quarter inch thick pieces.
















4. Place fries in a large mixing bowl.















5. Add garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil.















6. Mix until fries are fully coated.
7. Place fries on a bakeware liner lined sheet pan, ensuring that each fry lies flat.















8. Bake approximately 20 minutes then using a spatula, flip each fry.
9. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes.
10. Place in serving dish and sprinkle parmesan on top of the fries.

Aoli
1. Mix ingredients together in a small bowl





























2. Transfer to small individual size bowls for dipping

Havarti Stuffed Pesto Burgers

This is one of my favorite burgers of all time, probably because I love fresh pesto, combining the tastes of basil and roasted pine nuts, and I also love Havarti. The best thing about this burger is that the cheese cooks on the inside of the burger, making for a very soft and gooey center. This is not the kind of burger you would need to add ketchup or mustard to, though we do like to add tomato, lettuce and sometimes avocado. The recipe below yields 8 very large burgers. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
4 lbs ground beef
2 10oz jars of basil pesto
2 eggs
8 large slices Havarti cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
Lettuce, Tomatoes, Avocado, etc. (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix 10 oz pesto into ground beef until well incorporated

















2. Mix in eggs

















3. Add salt and pepper
4. Divide beef into 16 equal patties
5. On top of 8 of the patties, add 1 heaping Tbs of pesto

















6. Add one slice of Havarti, folded, on top of pesto

















7. Add additional patty on top, then seal closed by pressing sides together































8. Combine mayo and remaining pesto

















9. Grill on low heat
10. Garnish with Pesto mayo and other ingredients

Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

This delicious side dish was created by a local friend, Julie Ahrens. The green beans were tender and the combination of the crispy bacon, sweet brown sugar and the touch of soy make this one a keeper. The recipe below yields 10-12 servings. Enjoy!

HELPFUL HINTS
1. Have your ice bath ready to go. If you wait until the green beans are done blanching, you may end up over boiling them while you scramble to get it ready.
2. These bundles make a great vegetable for a main course or could be used as a formal appetizer.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
8 bacon strips, cut in half and cooked but not crisp
6 Tbs butter, melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp soy sauce

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat over to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat a large post of salted water to a rolling boil.
3. Place green beans in pot and cook for 3-5 minutes.





























4. Remove the beans from the pot with a strainer and place them in ice water. Drain.















5. Place about 8-10 beans on each bacon strip.
6. Wrap bacon around beans and secure with a toothpick.
7. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.















8. In a small bowl, combine butter, sugar, garlic salt and soy sauce.















9. Brush generously over bundles.





























10. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is crisp and beans reach desired tenderness.