Chorizo Sausage Queso Fundido
This festive fundido from Momocho's Eric Wiliams is a spicy conversation starter. (Serves 8 people)
Ingredients:
Chorizo sausage
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons guajillo powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 bunch minced cilantro
2 ounces cider vinegar
2 ounces tarragon vinegar
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Spread onto baking sheet pan and cook for 12 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Ingredients:
1 spanish onion, julienned
1 red bell pepper, (roasted, peeled, seeded
and julienned)
1 poblano chile, (roasted, peeled, seeded and
julienned)
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 or 2 small sprigs of fresh oregano, minced
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup heavy cream
Directions: Roast peppers over an open flame to blister skin for 5 to 7 minutes. Place in a mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap. Peel skin, remove seeds and julienne. Saute julienned Spanish onion with garlic and salt for 5 minutes. Add roasted pepper strips, oregano and heavy cream. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 5 to 8 minutes.
Egg Nog Panna Cotta with Amaretto Whipped Cream & White Chocolate Peppermint Bark
Dessert in a cocktail glass gives guests reason to toast. Try this anything-but-ordinary recipe from Horseshoe Casino pastry sous chef Faye Foote. (Serves 10 people)
Ingredients:
1 quart, plus 1 cup milk
1 quart, plus 1 cup egg nog
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans
12 gelatin sheets
Ingredients:
8 ounces white chocolate
8 ounces peppermint sticks
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Ingredients:
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 tablespoons amaretto
Directions:
For the panna cotta, bring the milk, cream, sugar and scraped vanilla bean to a slight boil. Allow mixture to cool slightly. Bloom the gelatin sheets in ice water until soft, then strain and squeeze out excess water. Melt the bloomed gelatin sheets in the microwave and stir into cream base. Pour into a tall-stemmed martini glass and place in the refrigerator, allowing to set overnight. For the peppermint bark, melt the white chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Crush peppermint sticks and fold them into the chocolate with the peppermint extract. Spread over a silicone mat and let harden. This can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for two to four weeks. For the amaretto whipped cream, whip the cream on medium speed until soft peaks form, add the sugar and whip to stiff peaks. Slowly add in the amaretto and vanilla and whip, just until incorporated. To serve, scoop a dollop of the whipped cream onto the panna cotta, then place 2 large pieces of peppermint bark into the whipped cream. Dust the rim of the glass with powdered sugar and stand the bark up tall.
Spiced Sponge Cake
This simple, fun recipe from Heather Haviland of Lucky's Cafe is perfect with poached pears on top. (Serves 10 people)
1/2 cup, plus 4 teaspoons sugar
3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg and ginger
(add to the flour after it has been sifted)
Pinch of white pepper
3 large eggs
Directions:
Line the bottom of a buttered 8-inch-square cake pan with wax paper, butter the paper, and sprinkle the pan with 4 teaspoons of the sugar, shaking out the excess. Sprinkle the pan with 1 tablespoon of the flour and shake out the excess. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs until they are combined, add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating, and beat the mixture until it is thick and pale. Sift the remaining 3/4 cup flour with a pinch of salt over the mixture and fold it in. Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top. Bake cake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, run a thin knife around the edge, and invert the cake onto a rack. Remove the wax paper and let the cake cool.
Vanilla Bean Poached Pears
6 pears, peeled, halved, and cored
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup seedless apple butter
Scrapings of 2 vanilla bean pods or
1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
Directions:
In a kettle or skillet large enough to hold the pear halves in one layer, combine the sugar with 2 cups of water and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice and bring the syrup to a boil. Poach the pears in it at a bare simmer, basting them occasionally, for 10 minutes or until they are just tender. Carefully transfer the pears to a colander to drain.
