05/28/2007

Cook's Corner

Region's chefs take center stage for annual dinner

The annual Michigan Chefs Dinner at Tapawingo in Ellsworth is June 10, and this year the kitchen is heavily stocked with chefs from around northern Lower Michigan.

The popular dinner will feature Tapawingo's executive chef Jeremy Kittelson and pastry chef Cary Root, Bay Harbor Yacht Club chef Dan Flynn, Stella Trattoria chef Miles Anton and La Becasse chef Guillaume Hazael-Massieux. They will be joined by Chef Ali Barker of Bistro on the Boulevard in St. Joseph and Chef Ric Halberg of Hiller's Markets in the Detroit metro area.

Guests can meet all of the chefs as they present hors d'oeuvres with champagne starting at 5 p.m. on the patio outdoors. Then, inside, each chef will present one of seven courses to follow. Cost is $175 per person, including wines and gratuity. For reservations, call (866) 588-7881 or 588-7971.

Meanwhile, Chef Pete Peterson of Tapawingo shared this often-requested spring recipe.

Rhubarb Shortcake

Rhubarb topping:

• 4 c. fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. orange juice
• Sweetened whipped cream for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine rhubarb, sugar, and orange juice in an ovenproof dish with lid. Bake, covered for 15 to 30 minutes, or until rhubarb is just tender. Rhubarb pieces should maintain their "integrity.”

Butterscotch Rum Sauce:

• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. corn syrup
• 2 oz. butter
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1&1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 1/4 t. lemon juice
• 1&1/2 T. rum

In a large, heavy saucepan, stir together the sugar, syrup, salt and butter. Cook the mixture undisturbed, until it registers 280° on a candy thermometer. Whisk in cream, vanilla, lemon juice and rum until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and then cool. Sauce will keep at least a week. Makes 1&1/2 cups.

Biscuits:

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. grated nutmeg
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 c. plus 2 T. light cream

Preheat oven to 400°. Toss together flour, sugar, baking powder and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Combine egg and cream; quickly stir into flour mixture with a fork. Drop by fork full onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until light brown.

To assemble shortcakes: Warm biscuits in a 350° oven until crisp, about 5 to 10 minutes. Split biscuits in half. Place a half on dessert plates and spoon warm rhubarb over biscuits.

Spoon on a dollop of whipped cream and replace top of biscuit. Pour a spoonful of hot caramel sauce over biscuit.

Makes 12 servings.

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Sommelier and restaurant proprietor Amanda Danielson will conduct a four-day Wine Tasting Windjammer aboard the Tall Ship Manitou, Sept. 28-Oct. 1.

Danielson and her husband, Paul, moved to Traverse City in 2000 and opened Trattoria Stella in the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. Each evening aboard the Manitou will bring discussions of winemaking histories and tastings of varietals from different countries. Dinners will feature paired wines chosen by Danielson to complement the meals.

Cost is $650 per person and includes all activities, meals and overnight accommodations. The group is limited to 22.

To make reservations, call (800) 678-0383.

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This recipe comes from The Baltimore Sun Recipe Finder. It's described as "a cinch to prepare and quite delicious.” The person who tested it suggested using ground turkey or a mixture of turkey and ground beef for a healthier alternative.

Mexican Meatloaf

• 11/2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 6.8-oz. package Spanish rice
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
• 1 8-oz. package shredded Mexican four-cheese blend (divided use)
• 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, minced (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°. In a bowl, combine ground beef or turkey, rice with seasoning package, egg, tomatoes and 1/4 cup of cheese. Place mixture in a loaf pan and flatten down.

Garnish with jalapeno peppers, if using. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven, uncover and top with the remaining cheese and place back in the oven until cheese melts. Serves 6 to 8.

Per serving (based on 8 servings): 353 calories, 24 g protein, 18 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 22 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 104 mg cholesterol, 833 mg sodium

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This recipe is also from the Recipe Finder. The reader who submitted it said her mother, who lived all her 79 years in Charleston, S.C., made these chewies at least once a week.

The person who tested the recipe said the dough is a little stiff and sticky, so she used a sheet of waxed paper to help press it into the pan.

Chinese Chews

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 16-oz. box of light-brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 c. self-rising flour
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1&1/2 c. chopped nuts

Melt butter in a pot that is large enough to hold all the ingredients. Add sugar and eggs to melted butter and mix well. Stir in flour — mixture will be thick. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Press batter into a greased 13-inch-by-9-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. Makes 40 to 50 one-inch squares.

Per serving (based on 50 squares): 96 calories, 1 g protein, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 13 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 13 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium

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If you are looking for a specific recipe; want to try and obtain the recipe for a dish you had in a restaurant; have a cooking dilemma — or have solved one and want to pass on what you learned; had good (or bad) luck with a food product; or have other information of interest to fellow cooks, please send it to: Cook's Corner, Traverse City Record-Eagle, P.O. Box 632, Traverse City, MI 49685; call (231) 933-1452 or (800) 968-8273; or e-mail: kgibbons@record-eagle.com.