Mozzarella Ice Cream with Tomato Jam and Candied Basil #FWCon #WiswconsinCheese

Mozzarella Ice Cream with Tomato Jam and Candied Basil #FWCon #WiswconsinCheese

Yikes! Has it really been two weeks since my last post? Where has the time gone? In all honesty, I have been pretty busy with my daughter finishing up her school year and I was eating a lot of heat and serve dinners Mrs. Stuntman purchased from Costco. There's nothing wrong with them, but they're not appropriate to publish here.

In addition, my summer schedule significantly changed a couple of weeks ago when Mrs. Stuntman and I agreed that I would make a return trip to the Food and Wine Conference next month. I have very fond memories from last year's conference because I was able to connect in person with so many people I had been speaking to online and because I won a recipe contest with a filet mignon dish.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

Speaking of recipe contests, Wisconsin Cheese has sponsored one for the 2015 Food and Wine Conference and this is my entry. The rules stated that each entrant develop an original, easy summer recipe, so per (what has become) my standard operating procedure, I consulted my copy of The Flavor Bible which suggested pairings with wine, bread, and fruit. I had originally planned to prepare either a crostini or bruschetta, however one evening I was replicating the caprese pasta dish I published last autumn and thought that the flavors of mozzarella, tomato and basil might work here, but I knew that a plate of sliced tomato, mozzarella and basil drizzled with some balsamic would be insufficient. I had always been intrigued by dessert menus at fine dining establishments that feature cheese plates, so it occurred to me concept of a caprese salad could be converted into a dessert.

Dish Details

For each component of this dish, I studied several versions I found from a google search and used similarities between them to develop these original recipes. I believe this dish could be featured on any fine dining dessert menu. One of the requirements was to use cheese produced from cow's milk from a Wisconsin cheese producer so I ensured I used mozzarella from one of these companies.

Ingredients

For the tomato jam:
2 pounds Roma Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Juice from 3 limes (approximately 1/2 cup)
1 pinch kosher salt
1 cup sugar

For the ice cream:
8 ounces mozzarella, coarsely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks

For the basil:
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
1 egg white
1/2 cup sugar

Method

1. Prepare the jam. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir occasionally until the jam is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

2. Prepare the ice cream. Put the mozzarella cream and milk in a blender and blend until the cheese has broken into bits. Separate the eggs and place the yolks in a separate bowl and beat, then set aside. Combine the dairy mixture with the sugar into a medium saucepan over low heat to warm. Slowly raise the heat. Once the mixture reaches approximately 100° Fahrenheit and pour approximately 1/2 cup of the dairy into the eggs to temper them. Pour the egg yolks and cream back into the dairy and stir. Continue to slowly raise the heat and stir until the mixture reaches 175° Fahrenheit, then remove from heat and transfer the custard to a medium bowl and place in an ice bath to cool, then refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours. Transfer the custard to your ice cream machine, then churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.

3. Candy the basil. Place the egg white in a bowl and then the sugar on a small plate. Dip a basil leaf into the egg white and shake off any excess, then dredge the leaf in the sugar on both sides, then place on a parchment-lined sheet pan to dry, approximately 10 to 12 hours. To plate, spoon some jam on a cold plate, top with a scoop of ice cream and garnish with candied basil leaves.

Final Thoughts

The 2015 Food and Wine Conference will be held July 17 through 19 at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida and will connect bloggers with small business owners, winemakers, chefs, public relations professionals, traditional media, new media, authors and brands. Topics of discussion will range from search engine optimization, marketing and promotion on social media, and effective writing to publishing a cookbook, working with public relations agencies and food photography. I invite you to attend and recommend you use the promotion code available from any of the 33 brand ambassadors to receive a $50 discount off of a conference ticket. Even if you are not attending, I encourage you to stay updated by following the #FWCon hashtag and by giving the Food and Wine Conference facebook page a 'Like', adding the G+ page to your circles, and following the twitter and pinterest pages. Furthermore, please 'Like' Wisconsin Cheese on facebook and follow them on twitter, pinterest and Instagram.

Mint Ice Cream Sandwich Featuring The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mint Ice Cream Sandwich Featuring The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies

A couple of months ago, Mrs. Stuntman came home from the supermarket with some ice cream sandwiches. At first, I couldn't understand the purchase. Why eat frozen food in the dead of winter? I might have even mocked her, suggesting that she could even store them outside overnight as it was colder there than in the freezer. Alas, a couple of nights later, I found myself reaching for one as I was watching television. As I was eating it, I was reminded of my favorite ice cream sandwich, It's-It. For the uninitiated, it's ice cream sandwiched between two oatmeal cookies, then dipped in chocolate. As I was eating the dessert, I thought to myself, I could do this better. Taking inspiration from the It's-It, I really liked the idea of using cookies in the dish instead of a chocolate wafer found in many store bought varieties which made me think of my friend Susan of The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen.

You might remember Susan from last summer when she prepared a Peach Slab Pie for my Adding Some Class with... series. If you'll remember, I noted at the time that she had successfully funded a Kickstarter campaign to open a bake shop. Well, I'm happy to announce (if you were unaware previously) that the bake shop is now open for business! The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop features Susan's Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies, Triple Choc-o-lot Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Cookies, in addition to a Cookie Sampler Package that contains 4 each: Original Chocolate Chip, Triple Choc-olot Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies plus a Cookie of the Month Club where she highlights cookies with seasonal flavors. Each order arrives in a beautiful gift box that contains cellophane pouches with two cookies in each pouch (or single-packed in the case of her Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Cookies).

After making my own purchase of Susan's cookies, I can highly recommend you do the same. In my case, I used Susan's Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies in this dish. If you have been reading this website for any length of time, you know I'm not a fan of taking short cuts, so you might be asking yourself why are you taking a short cut here? I would reply with is this a short cut? Had I baked my own, I would have used the same quality of ingredients Susan uses and prepared them with the same care which is a huge contrast to the mechanically prepared confections found at the supermarket. The mint flavored ice cream was made to appease my daughter because it's one of her favorite flavors in addition to it's visual appeal.

The Challenge

Successfully complement cookies from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop.

The Source

I adapted David Lebovitz's Mint Chip Ice Cream recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 pinch salt
2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
5 large egg yolks
1 to 2 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 dozen The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies

Method

1. Combine the milk, sugar, remaining heavy cream, salt and mint leaves in a small saucepan and scald over medium-low heat. Once hot, shut off the heat, cover and let the mixture sit for 60 minutes to allow the mint leaves to steep and let the flavors infuse. After the hour has elapsed, strain out the mint leaves, and discard but not before pressing down on them against the strainer with a spatula to extract as much flavor as they can muster.

2. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl and set aside. Rewarm the mint-infused milk, then slowly whisk in a small portion into the bowl with the egg yolks to warm the yolks. Combine the warmed yolks back into the infused milk and cook over medium-low to medium heat until the mixture reaches 170º Fahrenheit, stirring constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Strain the infused milk and eggs into a bowl with the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and green food coloring (if using), then let it cool. Cover, then refrigerate overnight. Churn it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

3. To serve, place one cookie on a plate, flat side up then top with a scoop of ice cream, then a second cookie, pressing down on the second cookie so the ice cream fills it's circumference.

Successful?

The mint flavor was a little strong but it still complemented the cookies well. Once again, I highly recommend you to patronize Susan's bake shop, but if you're unable to do so, please 'Like' her facebook page, add her on G+, follow her on twitter, Instagram and pinterest.

Roasted Lamb Chops, Fontina Cheese Polenta with Asparagus and Mushrooms for a Spring Fling #SundaySupper

Roasted Lamb Chops, Fontina Cheese Polenta with Asparagus and Mushrooms for a Spring Fling #SundaySupper

This week, the team at #SundaySupper has decided to celebrate the change of seasons with a theme of Spring Fling. For some strange reason, I associate lamb with spring. Maybe because it's a popular entrée on Easter Sunday? Lamb isn't the only thing that comes to mind when I think of spring, however. Possibilities are almost endless with things like artichokes, ramps, carrots, strawberries and fennel at their peak. I only wish this theme was a little later in the season because many items don't come into season until April or May.

It's no secret that I rely on my copy of The Flavor Bible and this is no different. When I looked at lamb, it suggested it paired well with asparagus, polenta and morel mushrooms, which are all in season at this time of year. The only place I found locally that had morels was Whole Foods but they wanted $50 per pound, so I used a cheaper alternative.

The Challenge

Create a composed dish using seasonal ingredients.

The Source

I paired a rack of lamb recipe from Simply Recipes with an adaptation of a polenta and mushroom dish from Fine Cooking influenced by a side dish from Taste of Home.

Ingredients

2 racks of lamb, 1 to 2 pounds each, Frenched
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
4 to 5 cloves minced garlic, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups whole milk
1 cup corn meal
1 pound fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed, then cut into 1 to 2 inch lengths
1 8-ounce package sliced cremini mushrooms
1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese

Method

1. Marinate the lamb. Combine half of the rosemary, thyme, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil and the racks of lamb in a resealable plastic bag. Season with salt and pepper. Ensure the marinade covers all sides of the lamb and refrigerate overnight. Let the lamb come to room temperature before roasting.

2. Prepare the polenta: In a large saucepan, bring the milk and chicken stock to a boil, then season with salt. Whisk in the corn meal slowly so it doesn't clump. Once it has been added, reduce the heat to medium low and stir occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed, approximately 30 minutes.

3. Roast the lamb. While the polenta cooks, preheat the oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Remove the lamb from the marinade and discard the marinade. Reseason the lamb with salt and pepper, then place on a foil-lined sheet pan with the fat side up. Roast the lamb, first by searing it at 450 for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300° Fahrenheit for 10 to 20 minutes until the desired doneness has reached. Cook to 135° Fahrenheit for medium rare. Tent with foil and set aside for 15 minutes to allow for carryover cooking while you finish the dish.

4. Sauté the vegetables and finish the dish. While the lamb roasts, add the remaining olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the asparagus and cook until it softens, approximately. Add the mushrooms, then the other half of the rosemary, thyme and garlic and season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are cooked through. Stir the Fontina into the polenta and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then cut the lamb into individual chops. To plate, spoon some polenta on a plate, top with the asparagus and mushrooms and then three to four chops. Serve immediately.

Successful?

There are a couple of execution items to discuss but first I want to thank Valerie of Lifestyle Food Artistry for co-hosting this week's event with me. It has been a pleasure to work with her.

For the polenta, I substituted chicken stock and milk for water that the original recipe uses because I felt there was an opportunity to layer flavor that wouldn't otherwise be there with water. In addition, I felt the sear on the lamb was insufficient and recommend to pan sear the rack of lamb first before finishing it in the oven similar to the dish I prepared 2 years ago. Despite these flaws, it still was a well balanced dish from a flavor profile standpoint.

Other #SundaySupper dishes this week:

Beverages

• Easter Egg Smoothie by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Home-made Limoncello by Manu's Menu
• Meyer Lemon Rosemary Martini by The Redhead Baker

Appetizers

• Asparagus and Roasted Garlic Hummus by Palatable Pastime
• Baked Lemon and Goat Cheese Dip by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Cauliflower Salad by Wallflour Girl
• Green Asparagus Soup with Seared Scallops by An Appealing Plan
• Panzanella Primavera by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Salmon Berry and Almond Salad with Lemon Honey Dressing by Family Foodie
• Skillet Spinach Artichoke Dip by Life Tastes Good

Sides

• Asparagus Gribiche by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Early Peas with Pearl Onions in Cream by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Mustard Vinaigrette by Food Done Light
• Sauteed Artichokes & Potatoes by Carrie's Experimental Kitchen
• Spring Green Rice by Magnolia Days

Entreés

• Artichoke Pesto Pasta by PancakeWarriors
• Crispy Honey Chicken Spring Salad by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Early Spring Risotto by Cooking Chat
• Honey Lemon Shrimp by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Irish Lamb Stew by Food Lust People Love
• Perfect Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Chives by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Quiche Florentine by Curious Cuisiniere
• Roasted Lamb Chops, Fontina Cheese Polenta with Asparagus and Mushrooms by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Root Vegetable Risotto by Momma's Meals
• Spring Lemon Pasta by MealDiva
• Spring Pea & Chèvre Souffle by FoodieTots
• Spring Vegetable Risotto by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Salmon and Strawberry Spinach Salad with a Kentucky Maple Vinaigrette by Dandelion Greens
• Tilapia with Classic Pesto by Whole Food | Real Families
• Veal Stew with Spring Greens by The Texan New Yorker

Desserts

• Berry Shortcakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Blueberry Coconut Macaroons by Pies and Plots
• Blueberry Rhubarb Muffins by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Carrot Cake Cookies by Noshing With The Nolands
• Carrot Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Gluten Free Healthy Hummingbird Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Lemon Cream Pie with Girl Scouts Lemonade Cookie Crust by Our Good Life
• Lemon Meringue Pie by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Low-Fat Strawberry Muffins by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Matcha Strawberry Cake by Brunch with Joy
• Palm Sunday Easter Bread by Love and Confections
• Pretzels, Peanut Butter, and Beer Cake Recipe by Recipe for Perfection
• Sticky Carrot Squares by What Smells So Good?
• Three Berry Coconut Crispies by Simply Healthy Family

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

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Light Stunt: Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

As I've networked within the community, I have discovered that women who write food blogs far outnumber men who do which makes me part of a minority. I would also be willing to bet that a woman is reading these very words. Now, I love each of my readers equally but ladies, this post isn't for you to read. I will now ask you to bring your significant others into the room to read between the two lines of asterisks.

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Gentlemen, allow me to quickly introduce myself. I am DB and I have assumed the alias Foodie Stuntman. As you're aware, Valentine's Day was about a week ago. I must admit, I'm not a big fan of it as I discussed previously. So, as opposed to displaying your affection on a holiday manufactured by Hallmark Cards where we're obligated to do so, surprise her when she doesn't expect it. She'll appreciate it more. (And no, don't prepare this dessert because you came home with a door ding on her passenger side rear fender or spent too much money hanging out with the boys at the sports bar the Saturday prior.) To that end, I found this dessert online that's easy to prepare.

Now, this site is called Crazy Foodie Stunts and I always challenge myself, so...

The Challenge

Get us guys in the kitchen to make something for our significant others.

The Source

Adapted from a recipe I found on iVillage

Equipment Needed

(I've attached sample pictures of some of the items.)

1 medium saucepan
1 baking spatula
1 heatproof (stainless steel or Pyrex) bowl medium size
3 additional large preparation bowls
1 hand mixer or stand mixer if you're lucky to have one.
1 whisk
4 cocktail, wine or martini glasses

Ingredients

3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1 tablespoon whole milk
2 large eggs, separated (You'll need 2 of the 3 additional bowls for this)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
whip cream, for serving
Chocolate shavings or chips, for garnish

Method

1. Fill the saucepan halfway with water. Place the heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan. If the water touches the bottom of the bowl, pour a little bit of the water out enough so that the water does not touch it. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Add the chocolate and milk in the heatproof bowl, then place the bowl back over the simmering water. Stir with the baking spatula until melted, then remove the bowl from heat and let it cool off for a minute or two. (By the way, if you want to sound sophisticated, this is called a double boiler set up. Yes, you could melt the chocolate in the nuclear oven, but I've never found radiation very tasty.)

2. While the chocolate is cooling, add the sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks. Use the whisk to stir until thick and creamy. Then add the chocolate from the heatproof bowl and stir everything using the whisk until just combined.

3. Add the heavy cream to the remaining preparation bowl. Using your mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. (Only the first three minutes of the video I've provided are relevant.) Add the chocolate mixture to the cream and stir until just combined.

4. Clean the beaters from your mixer and re-attach. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form using the same procedure in step 3. Stir in some of the egg whites then fold in the rest of the egg whites. Spoon a portion of the mousse into each of your serving glasses, cover with either plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours. While you're waiting for it to set, be sure to clean up the kitchen and wash the dishes before grabbing a beer and watching the game. When you're ready to serve, top each glass with whip cream and garnish it with chocolate shavings or chips.

5. Enjoy the appreciation from your significant other.

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So ladies, you've seen the picture above. However if your guy presents this dessert on you suddenly, please accept the gift at face value and appreciate it as a token of affection. No, he isn't softening you for some bad news later on.

In other news, Mrs. Stuntman and I did celebrate Valentine's Day but we decided to do so on Sunday the 16th at Frances in San Francisco. You might recognize it because it was awarded one Michelin star in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The dishes we ordered were:

Roasted Turnip Empanada-Sultana Raisin, Salsa Verde

Tuscan Kale & Butter Bean Soup-Farro, Crostini, Roasted Chicken and Garlic Broth

Winter Vegetable Casserole-Hen of the Wood Mushrooms, Buttermilk Biscuits

Sonoma Duck Breast-Pumpkin Seed Dukkah, Roasted Winter Squash, Blood Orange

Crisp Bintje Potatoes & Charred Broccolini, Taleggio di Peghera

Basil and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream with Lemon Curd

Basil and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream with Lemon Curd

Once again, I must thank you for your patience this month. If I can be candid for a moment, I'm finding it difficult to organize my daily schedule because after I prepare dinner, eat and then wash the dishes, I'm exhausted. Regardless, since I published my last composed dessert, I caved and purchased an ice cream maker. I've made a point in the past that I've been able to do so without one when I published a gelato, a sorbet and an ice cream but (especially with the roasted figs dessert) I'm finding that I'm happiest when ice cream is one component of a dish.

If you don't own one and would like to, I recommend checking out the about.com article before purchasing one. I chose a pre-freeze bowl option because hand-churning a manual type might seem fun for the first couple of times, I knew I'd tire of it eventually and the addition of ice and rock salt is too cumbersome for me. The electric freezer machines were, for the most part, too expensive.

Once the machine was delivered, I consulted The Flavor Bible which noted basil and lemon complementing chocolate. While I could understand theoretically the acidity of the lemon contrasting the sweetness of the chocolate, the addition of the basil intrigued me. It also triggered a memory I have of a basil gelato I ate at Yoshi's in San Francisco several years ago while Mrs. Stuntman and I celebrated our anniversary. I was skeptical at first of an herb in a dessert application. I was only familiar with in a savory setting but left that evening convinced. It then occurred to me that mint is an herb commonly used in desserts but I wanted to explore the idea further.

The Challenge

Interesting flavor profiles.

The Source

For the ice cream custard, I adapted the recipe from epicurious and the lemon curd from the Wall Street Journal.

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped plus more for garnish
1 pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 2 cups white sugar, divided
4 large plus 10 egg yolks, divided
3 whole eggs
1 cup and 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
Juice from 4 lemons
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

1. Prepare the ice cream custard: Combine the milk, 1/4 cup sugar, basil and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring along the way. Once it reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and let the basil steep for 30 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender (reserving the saucepan) and blend until the basil is ground finely.

While the basil steeps, beat 4 of the yolks and 1/4 cup sugar in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale. Add the milk to the egg yolks in a steady stream and beat to combine. Pour mixture back into the reserved saucepan and cook over medium heat continually stirring with a wooden spoon until the temperature reaches 175° Fahrenheit on an instant read thermometer. (Do not let the mixture boil!)

Strain the mixture into a metal bowl, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and then follow the directions on your ice cream maker, adding the chocolate chips during the last few minutes of churning.

2. Prepare the curd: Combine the remaining 10 egg yolks, 3 whole eggs, remaining 2 cups sugar and the lemon juice in a mixing bowl.

Heat cream until it just begins to simmer in a medium saucepan, then pour into the egg yolk mixture in a steady stream while whisking. Then pour it back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened and darkened in color, approximately 5 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a metal bowl, stir to cool and cover with a plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 or more hours to set. To plate, spoon the curd onto a chilled plate and top with a scoop or two of ice cream.

Successful?

If I were to prepare this ice cream again, I might use a chocolate swirl because the basil and the lemon were definitely the dominant flavors, however the flavors were still well balanced.

In other news, Mrs. Stuntman took me, her father (visiting from overseas) and our daughter to Napa Valley last weekend. I don't do restaurant reviews but I thought I might note my experiences.

Friday night we ate at The Royal Oak at the Silverado Resort where I had a filet mignon with a roast shallot and smoked sea salt compound butter.

Saturday we had a 4-course lunch while on a tour on the Napa Valley Wine Train.

The appetizer course of shrimp, flavored cheddar, and grapes.

For the second course, I ate the bay shrimp and pumpkin soup.

The entreé course was a pan seared ahi tuna with a saffron tomato broth and grilled bread.

Finally, I had the vanilla bean crème brûlée with a blueberry garnish.

Sunday, we went into Yountville to the legendary Bouchon Bakery. Among the items we purchased were some macarons and a fig tart.