Grilled Peaches/Vanilla Mascarpone

I have a love affair with chocolate, but there is one dessert that I think takes the blue ribbon.  Period.  No questions.  No discussion.  

It's that good.  Seriously.

Just asked anybody who I have ever made them for.  They are coveted.

And I will hunt you down and kill you if you try to pass this off as your own.  Got it?

This is MOSTLY the recipe I use in my home, but I am leaving out a couple of ingredients, but these still are delicious.  If you want to try the real thing, you'll have to be invited over for dinner.

One more thing, I know it's not strictly paleo, but the mascarpone is from grass fed cows.  So there.  

Grilled Peaches with Vanilla Mascarpone

4 peaches, cut in half and pit removed

1 c. hot water

1/3 c. raw honey

1 vanilla bean, cut in half and seeds scrapped out.  

4 ounces mascarpone

2 tbsp. raw honey

1 vanilla bean, seeds removed

In a 9 x 13 pan, lay peaches cut side down.  In a small bowl, whisk together water, honey and vanilla seeds.  Cut the two bean halves into 1 inch pieces and then put in marinade.  Pour over the peaches and allow to marinate for about four hours, turning the peaches about every hour.

Preheat grill to medium heat.  While grill is heating, mix mascarpone, honey and vanilla seeds with hand mixer until well blended.  

When the grill is ready, remove peaches from marinade and place cut side down on grill.  Grill about 3-5 minutes or until they have caramelized grill marks.  While they are grilling, brush peaches with marinade.  Turn peaches and brush cut sides with marinade, and grill about 2 minutes.  Turn the peaches one more time and grill about 2 more minutes.

Remove and set on a serving plate.  Scoop about 1 tbsp. of the mascarpone filling in each peach center.  Allow to set for a couple of minutes so the cheese starts to soften.

You're welcome.

Frozen Strawberry Tart

I love strawberries.  Especially fresh garden strawberries.  Mine have already had one bearing and are full of flowers right now just waiting to turn into berries.  I can't wait.  But to enjoy them when I don't have them growing in my garden is difficult because it is hard to come by organic strawberries that aren't $6.00 a container.  Luckily Whole Foods had a special one day for 1.99 each!  You can probably guess, but I bought $50.00 worth.  I froze them and I am hoping come winter there will still be plenty in my freezer to enjoy when berries are out of season.

I decided to try out a no bake strawberry tart, perfect for a hot afternoon, with some of them.  I loved it and after my fabulous taste testers gave their approval I knew it was a hit!

2 c. pecans

1/2 c. raw honey

2 tbsp. coconut butter

1 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. salt

2 c. pureed strawberries

1 c. coconut whip cream (using canned coconut milk that has been set in the refrigerator overnight)

1 c. strawberries, small dice

In a food processor, chop pecans until they resemble meal.  Add the honey, coconut butter, coconut oil and salt until the mixture starts to form a ball.  Put the mixture in a tart pan (with removable base).  Using fingers, press so the mixture evenly coats the bottoms and sides of the tart pan.  Place in refrigerator while you are working on the filling.

In a processor, chop strawberries until they pureed   Pour the puree into a bowl and then fold in the coconut whip cream.  

(I use an iSi Gourmet Whip, but if you don't have one you can scoop out the cream at the top of the can that has been chilled and whip it with your hand mixer.  However, an iSi is a tool I would tell you to invest in.  LOVE mine!)  

Once the strawberry puree and coconut whip cream are mixed, fold in the diced strawberries.  Pour the mixture in the tart mold and put in freezer for about an hour so that it starts to harden.  Remove, cover with  plastic wrap and then return to freezer until you are read to serve it.  

Enjoy!

5 Course Paleo Dinner for Four

One of the many positive aspects of the CrossFit gym I attend, CrossFit Primal, is the charitable functions they have. This past February they held an awards banquet called the "Woddy Awards".  It was a fun night.  Dressing up, dinner and dancing.  They also held a silent auction to benefit a local charity so I decided to donate a 5 course paleo dinner.  The winners and I were finally able to get a date that worked for everyone and this is what I served:

Amuse Bouche

Scallop and Shrimp Tequila Citrus Ceviche

4 sea scallops, rinsed, cleaned and sliced into strips

4 jumbo shrimp, deveined, shelled and sliced in 1/2 inch thin pieces

2 limes, juiced

zest of 1 lime

1/2 orange,  juiced, using half of the juice

zest of 1 orange

2 tbsp. quality tequila 

salt to taste

Mix the citrus juices, zest, and tequila together.  Fold into the scallops and shrimp.  Refrigerate, stirring once in a while, until the scallops turn opaque and the shrimp is pink, at least six hours.  Salt to taste.  Drain most of the liquid and serve with a leaf of cilantro.

 Second Course

Raw Vegetable Salad/Cilantro Dressing

1/2 lb. asparagus,  4 carrots and one jicama, cut into thin strips using a peeler

1/2 c. cilantro, minced

1/2 c. olive oil

3-4 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. honey

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and then, using an immersion blender, mix until the dressing is thick.  Fold into vegetables.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Third Course

Gazpacho/Avocado Crema

10-12 Roma tomatoes, seeded

1 red bell pepper, seeded

1 green bell pepper, seeded

1 small cucumber

1/4 red onion

1/2 jalapeño

juice of one lime

1 avocado

1/2 coconut milk, canned

Cut all of the vegetables into similar sizes.  In a vitamix or food processor, place onions, peppers, cucumber and tomatoes.  Use attachment, turn onto low and push down vegetables as they start to blend while gradually increasing speed.  Mix until blended to desired consistency.  Add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

For the crema, mix the avocado and coconut milk with an immersion blender until smooth, but not overly thick.  Serve a dollop in the center of the gazpacho.

Fourth Course

Chicken/Chipotle Butter Sauce and Roasted Mixed Peppers

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. olive oil

4 chicken breasts, pounded to same thickness 

1 c. white wine

1 chipotle in adobo, minced

4 tbsp. butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. variety of mixed peppers and tomatillos (cut into fourths), roasted (Coat each pepper and tomatillo in oil and the grill until charred slightly on each side)

Heat large saute pan over medium high heat until butter oil mix starts to brown.  Add chicken, cooking until golden brown, about 5-8 minutes and then turn.  Finish cooking and set in a warm oven while you make the sauce.

Increase the heat in the pan to high and add the wine and allow it to reduce by half.  Add the chipotle and cook for a few minutes, then slowly whisk in the butter so it mixes into the wine and becomes cohesive.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove the chicken from oven and return it to the pan, as well as any accumulated juices.  Turn chicken a few times to coat in sauce.  Remove and slice into slices.

While the chicken is cooking, slice the peppers and remove the seeds.  Then return to a small saute pan and cook over medium until they are heated again.

Place pepper mixtures on plate, then add chicken slices, and top with a couple of spoonfuls of the butter sauce.

Dessert

Raspberry Pot de Creme

5 ounces dark chocolate, at least 60%.  

6 tbsp. Chambord

3 egg yolks

1/2 c. raw honey

3/4 c. coconut milk

Melt the chocolate with the Chamord in a bowl over a pan of almost boiling water.  One the chocolate starts to melt, stir consistently until it is all melted and then remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a food processor add the egg yolks and honey, mixing well.  Scrape down sides and pulse again a time or two.  While the processor is going, slowly add the chocolate, scraping down sides about half way through and finish adding remaining chocolate.  Slowly add coconut milk until the mixture is blended well.

Pour into serving size dishes (or one large dish, right Yoder?) and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and continue to refrigerate until they are set, at least four hours.  Remove about 15 minutes prior to serving, taking off plastic.  Serve with a dollop of coconut whip cream.

Chocolate Pot de Creme

Taking a close second to my favorite dessert, the earlier posted Flourless Chocolate Torte, Pot de Creme is a classic french dessert that is rich and smooth.  It is traditionally baked in a water bath, however, this spin on the dessert, adapted from a cookbook called Colorado Cache, is by far the best I have tested. 

Finish this elegant dessert with coconut whip cream and raspberries and no one will ever know how easy it was when you present it to your dinner guests.

10 oz. melted chocolate, 70% or more

6 tbsp. Kahlua 

6 tbsp. fresh orange juice, strained

1/2 c. raw honey

6 egg yolks

1 1/4 c. coconut milk, canned

Melt the chocolate with the Kahlua and oj in a double boiler.  The chocolate needs to be completely melted and smooth.

Meanwhile, in a food processor mix the egg yolks and the honey.  Once the chocolate is melted, with food processor running, slowly add the chocolate mixture, scraping down as necessary, until the mixture is well blended.  Keep the food processor running and slowly add the coconut milk until it starts to thicken and completely incorporated.

Pour into serving size bowls and refrigerate until set.  Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before serving.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

My name is Ginnie and I am cooking nerd.  I love kitchen gadgets.  I have quite the collection.  I think my two favorites are my propane torch (a real one, not the crappy "kitchen" one") and my iSi Gourmet Whip.

Sunday evening we had a few friends over for dinner, and in preparation for The 21 Day Sugar Detox that I am doing, I figured I might as well go out with a bang by having what is the best Flourless Chocolate Torte...ever.

The recipe is not of my own creation, but I adapted it to make it paleo.  I have seen some other recipes out there, but there is nothing compared to this one by Cooks Illustrated.  Sublime perfection.

Anyways, you can't eat this torte without cream.  However, it was Sunday, and I didn't have any on hand so I couldn't run to the store.  In the past I have done the coconut milk whip cream.  You know, put the can in the fridge overnight, take out the thick part, and then whip it?  It's good, and it works okay.  But I thought I should give it a try in my iSi.  So I just chilled the can, shook it well, put it in the iSi, and it turned out perfect!  Just like whip cream foam.  I was jumping for joy!  (Now you get why I am a  kitchen nerd!)

10 eggs

1 lb. 4 oz. dark chocolate (I used 70% Valrhona)

1 1/4 c. coconut oil

1/4 c. water

1 tbsp. espresso powder

Kettle of boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven.  Oil a 9" springfoam pan on the bottom and sides, then place a parchment circle in the pan and then oil it again.  Wrap foil around the lower half of the pan evenly.  Place the pan in large roasting pan.

Mix espresso powder and water together.

In large stand mixer, whip eggs on medium fast speed until they pale and thicken, about 8-10 minutes.  

Meanwhile, in a large boil placed over simmering water, melt the chocolate, coconut oil and espresso together.

When the chocolate mixture is smooth, remove from heat and fold in 1/3 of the eggs.  Fold in the next 1/3 and then the last 1/3.  Place the mixture in the springfoam pan, smooth the top and the fill the boiling water in the roasting pan until it comes half way up the sides of the spring foam.

Place in the oven and cook 23-27 minutes, removing from the oven when the center temperature reaches 140 degrees.  It may seem underdone, but that is okay.  As long as it is at the 140 degrees it will turn out perfectly.

Remove from the oven and the water batch, and place the torte on a cooling rack.  Cool it until it reaches room temperature.  Cover it and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight preferably.

Remove sides and slice with a warm knife.

Serve with coconut whip cream and berries of your choice.

Enjoy!

Berry Cobbler

I love berry cobblers.  The warm, bubbly, slightly sweet berry mix with a great dough on top can't be beat.  Especially when it is 12 degrees out side.  I have made a single serving type crisp, but this time I did a butter (Kerry Gold: grass fed cows!) dough to make more of a cobbler.  Lucky me I had frozen some organic cherries this summer...it made me at least think of warmer weather when I was eating it last night...and this morning for breakfast...and possibly for dessert again tonight.  Just lovely it is.

4 c. mixed berries

2 tbsp. arrowroot

2 c. almond flour

4 ounces butter, sliced and then cubed

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 c. sliced almonds

2 tbsp. raw honey

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Mix the berries with the arrowroot evenly, and then place in a 9 x 13 pan.  Mix almond flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.  Using a pastry blender, mix in the butter so the butter pieces get to about pea size pieces.  Add the almonds and fold well.  Place the mixture over the top of the berries, and then drizzle the honey over the top evenly.

Cook for about 30-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the berries are bubbling.  Mine took about 45 minutes because I used frozen cherries.

Serve with vanilla almond ice cream!

Enjoy!

A new Foster.  Forget the bananas.  They've got nothing on this...

Peaches Foster.  That's right, banana can take a back seat.

I purchased some peaches at the Farmer's Market that needed to be eaten right away.  And I was craving caramel.  Plus I had a couple of pints of raspberries and I love them with peaches anyway.  So, this is what I came up with.

And it's damn good. 

6 larges peaches, skin removed and cut into quarters

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4-1/2 honey, depending on your sweet tooth

1/4 tsp. salt

2/3 c. dark rum (no substitutions for this, sorry.  Don't even try.)
1 tsp. vanilla

2 pints raspberries

Heat butter in large pan over medium heat.  Allow butter to melt until you start to see brown flecks.  Add the honey and salt, and whisk until the mixture is combined well, a few minutes at most.  Add the rum and light away pyro.  Or, you could take the boring route and allow the mixture to come to a boil and reduce.  It will take about 5-6 minutes to get the alcohol out, maybe more.  

Anyways, once the fire is out, add the raspberries and fold gently.  Serve over vanilla bean ice cream.

Did I already say it's damn good?  Because it is.

Blueberry Peach Crisp

I was craving a fruit crisp one night, after everyone was in bed of course, and this is what I came up with.  How can you go wrong with peach and blueberry?  And even better, I didn't have to share!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly oil an 8 ounce ramekin.  

1/3 c. blueberries

1/3 c. peaches, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 tbsp. arrowroot

2 tbsp. unsweetened coconut

1/4 c. almond flour

1 tbsp. coconut butter

Gently mix peaches and blueberries in one bowl.  Mix arrowroot and coconut in a different bowl and the gently fold with fruit mixture.  Put mixture in ramekin.

Mix together almond flour and coconut butter until the pieces are pea size.

Top fruit mixture with flour topping.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

I didn't feel that I need to add sugar to this because the coconut was sufficient.  You could always add a little raw honey if you want something a little sweeter.

Chocolate Almond Coconut Chewy Bars

Do you remember the days when you got dessert with your schools lunches?  You know, when they used to actually COOK at the school, and it was homemade?  Well, one I recall was a peanut butter dessert with chocolate frosting.  One night I was going through some old recipes and came across this one and knew I had to make it Paleo.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil 13x9x1 jelly roll pan.

1 c. raw honey

1/3 c. coconut oil, left solid

1 tsp. almond extract

1 egg

1/2 c. almond butter

1 c. almond flour

 3/4 c. unsweetened, shredded coconut

1 c. sliced raw almonds

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2. almond butter

1/2 c. coconut butter

1/2 c. raw honey

3-4 tbsp. cocoa powder

2-4 tbsp. almond milk

Mix honey and coconut oil together until well blended.  Add extract, egg, and almond butter and mix well.  Add the remaining ingredients, mixing together.  Spread in jelly roll pan so it is evenly distributed.

Cook for 20-25 minutes until the base turns golden.  Allow to cool about five minutes and then spread the 1/2 c. almond butter evenly over the top.  This base is designed to be chewy so it may pull if you aren't gentle with it.

Allow to cool.  For the frosting, mix coconut butter, honey and cocoa together.  Add the almond milk until the frosting becomes smooth and spreadable.  

After the base has cooled, evenly spread the chocolate frosting.  Refrigerate and slice into 2 inch squares...or eat a whole row if you are so inclined.

My other favorite thing was a toast that I remember getting in kindergarten for snack.  (Yes, believe it or not they used to actually provide a snack and milk for us!) I think it was just cooked in oven with butter and cinnamon and sugar.  It isn't Paleo, but it was good!