Every day Great Chefs searches the web for news about our celebrity chefs, here’s an article we hope you’ll enjoy.

“Chef Danko makes a special muffin for the ladies to take home and enjoy for breakfast.” That was the waiters words verbatim. Haha. My mom gave me hers so I could give it to Anderson. They were okay. I really liked the c

Source: http://tiffanyvan.com/?p=1481

Every day Great Chefs searches the web for news about our celebrity chefs, here’s an article we hope you’ll enjoy.

Richard Leach’s recipe for Glazed Ricotta Cheese with Figs and Port, from The Making of a Pastry Chef. Consists of a bottom layer of port wine reduction with figs and sugar and a custard layer of ricotta cheese, cream cheese,

Source: http://benbakesacake.blogspot.com/2005_05_01_benbakesacake_archive.html#111695419583234085

Marble Fudge Brownies
Michael Romano
Union Square Cafe
New York, New York
The best brownies are dense, rich, and loaded with chocolate. These fit the bill perfectly, and the swirl of cream cheese adds a visual and flavor cont

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Mascarpone Cheese Cake with Cookies
Killian Weigand
Biba
Boston MA

This spectacular dessert combines layers of crisp nut wafers, a cheesecake cream made with mascarpone and cream cheese, and a violet-blue sauce. The cheesecake cream, blueberry caramel, and blueberry compote may all be made one day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. The wafers may be made a day in advance and kept in an airtight container. The kataifi may be fried a few hours in advance. Assemble the desserts at the last minute.

Makes 6 to 8

Cheesecake Cream
8 ounces (1 package) natural cream cheese at room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Lacy Nut Wafers
1/4 cup almonds or hazelnuts, toasted
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Blueberry Caramel
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen unsweetened blueberries
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Blueberry Compote
2 to 4 cups fresh or thawed frozen unsweetened blueberries
1/4 cup Blueberry Caramel (above)

Kataifi Garnish
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 package kataifi dough (shredded phyllo dough)

1/8 to 1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
Confectioner´s sugar for dusting
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream, beaten to firm peaks with 1 teaspoon of sugar
6 or 8 small fresh mint sprigs

To make the cheesecake cream: Preheat the oven to 350 F and butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Beat the cheeses and sugar until light and fluffy, add the eggs, and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the lemon zest and vanilla. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, then place the cake pan in a baking pan. Place the baking pan in the oven and pour enough hot water into the baking pan to come halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cheesecake pan from the baking pan, let cool to room temperature, and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator at least 3 hours.

To make the wafers: Preheat the oven to 375 F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or grease and lightly flour them. Combine the nuts and sugar in a blender or food processor and process until very finely ground. Add the water and process briefly to form a paste. Spoon 12 to 16 small mounds of 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons of the paste 3 to 4 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until brown and bubbly, about 7 to 9 minutes. The wafers will become crisp shortly after baking; if not, return them to the oven and bake another minute or two. Let the wafers cool to room temperature on the baking sheets.

To make the blueberry caramel: Combine the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan over high heat. Boil until the sugar turns an amber color, then immediately add the blueberries and stir. Cook the sauce for 2 minutes, then strain it through a fine-meshed sieve and let cool. Add water as necessary to make a pourable sauce.

To make the compote: Roughly chop the blueberries and combine them with 1/4 cup of the blueberry caramel. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

To prepare the kataifi garnish: Heat the oil to 375 F in a deep, heavy pot or deep-fryer (almost smoking). Fry the kataifi, one large handful at a time, for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until crisp and just beginning to brown. Drain the fried kataifi on paper towels. Dust with confectioner´s sugar. Do not crowd the fryer; let the oil return to temperature between each batch.

To assemble the dessert: Blend the cheesecake mixture with the liquid heavy cream to the consistency of stiff pastry cream. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.

With a large spoon, drizzle the blueberry caramel onto each dessert plate in a random pattern. Place 1 wafer on each plate and pipe four rosettes of the cheesecake mixture evenly spaced around the wafer, leaving a well in the center. Fill the center with a spoonful of blueberry compote and place another wafer on top. Pipe three rosettes evenly spaced around the wafer, leaving a well in the center again. Fill the center with another spoonful of blueberry compote. Fluff the kataifi and place a large ‚“nest‚” atop each dessert. Dust the kataifi and one half of each plate lightly with confectioner´s sugar.

To serve: Garnish each plate with a few fresh blueberries and a dollop of whipped cream. Fit a mint sprig into each nest of kataifi.

Beef Tenderloin Stuffed with Herb Cream Cheese, with Sauce Bordelaise
Susan Spicer
Bayona
New Orleans, Louisiana
from Great Chefs of the South; included in the Great Chefs of the South cookbook

Even a perfect filet can be ‚“improved:‚” Chef Susan Spicer stuffs hers with herb-laced cream cheese, then serves them with a simple but elegant butter-wine sauce. A simply prepared vegetable, like thin haricots verts or asparagus, would seem just right with this dish.

Serves 4

Herb Cream Cheese Stuffing
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon peeled and minced garlic
2 teaspoons assorted fresh herbs, chopped (the chef uses thyme, tarragon, chives, and parsley)
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Four 6- to 8-ounce centercut beef tenderloin steaks

Bordelaise Sauce
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux wine
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped shallots
1 cup veal stock
2 tablespoons butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

To stuff the steaks: In a medium mixing bowl combine the cheese, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Cover and chill until firm.
Cut an ‚“X‚” in the top of each filet almost but not quite all the way through. Open the ‚“X‚” and stuff with 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture, pushing the cheese in well until level with the top of the steaks. Cover and chill 15 minutes.

To make the Bordelaise sauce: Combine the wine, thyme, and shallots in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup. Add the stock and continue to simmer until reduced by half. Remove the pan from the heat and reserve.

To cook the steaks: Preheat the oven to 400 F, and remove the steaks from the refrigerator. Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, and heat until almost smoking. Add the steaks, cut-side down, and sear 1 to 2 minutes on each side, turning carefully with a spatula. Make sure to scrape up the cheese crust with the steak when turning. Remove the steaks from the saute pan to a sheet pan and place in the oven to finish. Cook to desired temperature, about 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare.

While the steaks are finishing in the oven, finish the sauce. Return the sauce to a low heat and gradually whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until the sauce is glossy. Put a steak on each serving plate and surround the steaks with the sauce.

Fromage Blanc Ice Cream with Blueberry Caramel and Strawberries
Killian Weigand
Excelsior
Boston MA

Special for summer´s Red-White-and-Blue Celebration: a festive dessert with all three colors by Chef Killian Weigand of Lydia Shire´s new Excelsior in Boston, patriotic territory indeed. Pyramids of white fromage blanc ice cream are paved with bright red strawberry slices. Then comes the splash of blueberry caramel! Crisp, translucent pine nut wafers, more candy than wafer, add a final touch. The great news is that you´ll have plenty of ice cream, so you can make the ice cream once and serve this dessert several times during hot weather.

Serves 6

Fromage Blanc Ice Cream

3 pounds fromage blanc (substitute: farmer´s cheese, cream cheese, mascarpone)

3 quarts heavy (whipping) cream

1 quart buttermilk

3 vanilla beans

7 cups sugar

Pine Nut Wafers

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups corn syrup

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

3-1/4 cups pine nuts

Blueberry Caramel

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 pint Blueberries

1 cup water

6 large strawberries

Confectioner´s sugar for dusting

To prepare the ice cream: Combine the cream and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Split the vanilla beans and scrape the seeds into the cream mixture, then drop in the pods. Bring just to a boil over medium heat; remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Pick out the pods. Put the fromage blanc in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat in the cream mixture at low speed, then beat in the buttermilk. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer´s directions.

Pack into 6 pyramid molds and freeze until ready to use. Freeze any leftover ice cream in an airtight container for future use.

To prepare the wafers: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the sugar, corn syrup and butter for 3 minutes. Mix in the pine nuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto the parchment paper, leaving space for them to spread, and bake until golden. While the wafers are still hot, cut into perfect rounds with a 2 or 2-1/2-inch cookie cutter, pulling away the trimmings. Let cool, then gently lift and store in an airtight container.

To prepare the blueberry caramel: Put the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and cook to 230 F on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Stir in blueberries and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until the berries release their color. Adjust with water to desired thickness.

To serve: Slice each strawberry vertically into four pieces. Remove the molds from the freezer and let them warm slightly. Lightly dust one end of oblong dessert plates, or one side of round plates, with confectioner´s sugar. Unmold an ice cream pyramid onto the dusted portion of each plate. Lean a strawberry slice against each side of the pyramids. Stand a wafer in the top of each. Spoon blueberry caramel on the other side of each plate, drawing through it with a toothpick or the sharp point of a knife to create a sunburst effect.

Browned Cream Cheese Omelet with Vanilla Sauce and Cherries
Reinhard Gerer
KORSO bei der Oper
Bristol Hotel
Vienna, Austria

Forget all about breakfast: here is a better use for eggs. This sweet omelet, made with the traditional cheesecake combination of cream cheese, sour cream, and lemon zest, is a fluffy alternative to heavy desserts. Simple vanilla sauce and fresh cherries poached with cinnamon and Kirschwasser are the perfect accompaniments.

Serves 4 to 5

• Cherries
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• One 3-inch piece cinnamon bark
• 3/4 pound cherries, stemmed and pitted
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons Kirschwasser (cherry brandy)

Vanilla Sauce

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon heavy (whipping) cream
• 4 extra-large eggs, separated
• Pinch of salt
• 32 ounces cream cheese or white cheese (fromage blanc) at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• Two 2-inch pieces lemon zest, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• Confectioner´s sugar for dusting

To prepare the cherries: Heat the red wine, sugar, and cinnamon together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat and stir in the cornstarch and Kirschwasser. Add the cherries and simmer until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside and keep warm.

To prepare the vanilla sauce: Put the cream and sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the cream; drop in the pod. – Stir to blend. While the cream is heating, stir the egg yolks, rum, and cornstarch together in a bowl. When the cream reaches a boil, remove from heat. Whisk a large spoonful of the hot cream into the egg mixture to temper, then pour the egg mixture into the hot cream while whisking to blend. Return to the heat and stir gently until the mixture thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and set aside, keeping it – warm over warm water or in an insulated container.

To prepare the omelet: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites stiff with the pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon zest, sugar, vanilla sugar, and flour. Mix briefly until smooth. Gently fold a large spoonful of meringue into the cheese mixture to lighten, then gently fold in the remaining meringue in two additions.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in an ovenproof medium omelet pan or saute pan over medium heat; tilt the pan to spread the butter over the entire bottom of the pan. Pour the omelet batter into the pan and place over the heat for 1 minute to set. Place in the oven and bake 8 minutes. Dot the remaining butter over the top. Using two spatulas, turn the omelet over in the pan and bake 6 more minutes. Remove from the oven and tear the omelet apart with two forks. Dust with confectioner´s sugar and put back in the oven for 2 more minutes to caramelize the sugar.

To serve: Stir the heavy cream into the vanilla sauce. Slip the omelet out of the pan onto a warmed serving platter, browned side up. Spoon vanilla sauce on the plate around the omelet. Spoon cherries over and around the omelet. Garnish with mint leaves.

killian weigand biba boston ma this spectacular afters combines layers of crumbly nut wafers, a cheesecake cream made with mascarpone and cream cheese, and a violet-blue gravy. the wafers may be made a be disclosed of day in feeling and …

richard leach’s recipe for glazed ricotta cheese with figs and port, from the making of a pastry chef. consists of a bottom layer of port wine reduction with figs and sugar and a custard layer of ricotta cheese, cream cheese, cream, …

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