A long, long, time ago (April 23rd, 2010 to be exact), the Epicuriosi community got together for a different approach. As suggested by Vincent, we decided to try watching a series of short films/videos to incite fresh discussion amongst all who attended. And boy did that night do just that! In total, we watched 7 shorts and commented on each of them afterwards. Of course, this wouldn't be Epicuriosi if there wasn't food, so we opted to have a kind of potluck dinner. Each person or group prepared something for that night. Curious? Let's see what we came up with...
APPETIZERS
Baked Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto by Whitney
My recipe was very simple - just tear strips of prosciutto into smaller strips, wrap around pitted dates, secure with tooth pick, place on baking tray, bake at 400 for 5 or 10 minutes until crispy et voila! You don't need to bake them, but I think we all agreed they tasted better baked.
Baked Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto
Pao de Queijo (Cheese bread) by Tatiana
Ingredients:
-4 cups of tapioca starch
-4 cups of cheese (or 1 package of 340 g of “Italiano” Sargento cheese)
-2 cups of milk
-½ cup of oil
-3 eggs
-1 tea spoon of salt
Directions:
1. Bring to boil in a big pan the oil, milk, and salt.
2. Remove from heat and stir in tapioca flour until smooth. Mix well with a wooden spoon and let it cool down or for 10 to 15 min.
3. Stir the cheese and eggs into the tapioca mixture and knead well.
4. Roll 1 tablespoon of the mixture into small balls. Tip: grease your hands with oil before making the balls.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
6. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are lightly browned (more or less 30 min in the oven). Serve them warm.
Pao de Queijo (Cheese bread)
MAIN COURSES/SALADS
Green Bean and Potato Salad by Leita
Ingredients:
-1 1/2 pounds red potatoes
-3/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
-1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
-1 small red onion, chopped
-salt and pepper to taste
-Chicken cut in cubes (1-2 breasts)
- 1-2 eggs (boiled)
For Dressing:
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 dash Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot, and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. While potatoes are boiling, pan fry the cubes of chicken in butter, salt and pepper. Also boil the eggs in a pot.
3. Throw in the green beans to steam after the first 10 minutes of boiling the potatoes. Drain, cool, and cut potatoes into quarters. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with fresh basil, red onion, salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and olive oil. Pour over the salad, and stir to coat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Sort of Anthony Bourdain Boeuf Bourguignon by Vincent
This is the third recipe I have adapted from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook. I have to say his beef bourguignon does not contain any fancy factor. This recipe uses the basic ingredients beef, onion, carrot, red wine and bouquet garni and turned them into a fabulous French beef bourguignon. This is exactly how I like a classic to be.
Anthony Bourdain - "Traditionally, this dish is cooked entirely with red wine. And that's fine, just fine. But if you listened to me earlier, and keep a stash of good, strong demi-glace * (see note) kicking around in your freezer, a couple of spoonfuls give the sauce a nice flavour boost. This is one of the easier dishes in this book, and also one of the best."
*Demi-Glace: Once referred to a mix of reduced veal stock and sauce Espanole (an old-school brown sauce). Now it implies a dark, thick, greatly reduced veal or even chicken stock. And no, I didn't listen to him nor did I use the demi-glace but it still tastes superb.
Anthony Bourdain's Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe (Adapted from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook)
-2 lbs (900 g) paleron of beef, or "chicken steak" (* see note), or same amount of should or neck, cut into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm pieces)
-Salt and pepper
-1/4 cup (56 ml) olive oil
-4 onions, thinly sliced
-2 tbsps (28 g) all purpose flour
-1 cup (225 ml) red Burgundy
-6 carrots, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
-1 garlic clove
-1 bouquet garni (* see note)
-A little chopped flat parsley
* Paleron: A noble, flavorful, and relatively tender cut from the shoulder of beef or veal, inexplicably called the "chicken steak" by American meat-cutters.
* Bouquet Garni: 1 sprig of flat parsley, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf, tied together with string and used for flavouring (usually stews or sauces). Tying the bundle in cheesecloth makes it easier to retrieve from the pot.
Directions:
Season the meat with salt and pepper.
1. In the Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add the meat, in batches - NOT ALL AT ONCE! - and sear on all sides until it is well browned (not gray). You dump too much meat in the pot at the same time and you'll overcrowd it; cool the thing down and you won't get good color. Sear the meat a little at a time, removing it and setting it aside as it finishes.
2. When all the meat is a nice, dark brown color and has been set aside, add the onions to the pot. Lower the heat to medium high until the onions are soft and golden brown (about 10 minutes).
3. Sprinkle the flour over them. Continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the red wine. Naturally, you want to scrape up all that really good fond from the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon. Bring the wine to a boil.
4. Return the meat to the pot and add the carrots, garlic, and bouquet garni. Add just enough water ( and two big spoons of demi-glace, if you have it) so that the liquid covers the meat by one third - meaning you want a ratio of 3 parts liquid to 2parts meat. This is a stew, so you want plenty of liquid, even after it cooks down and reduces. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and let cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender (break-apart-with-a-fork tender).
5. You should pay attention to the dish, meaning to check it every 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure the meat is not sticking or, God forbid, scorching. You should also skim off any foam or scum or oil collecting on the surface, using a large spoon or ladle. When done, remove and discard the bouquet garni, add the chopped parsley to the pot, and serve.
I (Vincent) replaced the demi-glace with chicken stock, and I forgot to add the flourish of parsley at the very end. There were some other very minor variations because I was doing it by memory. We only cooked it for around 2 hours (the minimum) because we didn't start early enough. Also, I browned the beef with extra virgin oil, which is a bit tricky because extra virgin olive oil can't achieve the same high temp that regular olive oil can reach. Also,I think I may have oversalted the beef, slightly. The recipe comes from this (great) episode of No Reservations where Bourdain goes over some basic cooking techniques that he feels everyone should know: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA6HUMTuEoU
Spaghetti Squash by Erin
Ingredients:
-Full squash
-Marinara or rose sauce (home made recipe is always better ;0))
-Parmesan and grated cheese of choice
Directions:APPETIZERS
Baked Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto by Whitney
My recipe was very simple - just tear strips of prosciutto into smaller strips, wrap around pitted dates, secure with tooth pick, place on baking tray, bake at 400 for 5 or 10 minutes until crispy et voila! You don't need to bake them, but I think we all agreed they tasted better baked.
Baked Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto Pao de Queijo (Cheese bread) by Tatiana
Ingredients:
-4 cups of tapioca starch
-4 cups of cheese (or 1 package of 340 g of “Italiano” Sargento cheese)
-2 cups of milk
-½ cup of oil
-3 eggs
-1 tea spoon of salt
Directions:
1. Bring to boil in a big pan the oil, milk, and salt.
2. Remove from heat and stir in tapioca flour until smooth. Mix well with a wooden spoon and let it cool down or for 10 to 15 min.
3. Stir the cheese and eggs into the tapioca mixture and knead well.
4. Roll 1 tablespoon of the mixture into small balls. Tip: grease your hands with oil before making the balls.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
6. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are lightly browned (more or less 30 min in the oven). Serve them warm.
Pao de Queijo (Cheese bread) MAIN COURSES/SALADS
Green Bean and Potato Salad by Leita
Ingredients:
-1 1/2 pounds red potatoes
-3/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
-1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
-1 small red onion, chopped
-salt and pepper to taste
-Chicken cut in cubes (1-2 breasts)
- 1-2 eggs (boiled)
For Dressing:
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 dash Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot, and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. While potatoes are boiling, pan fry the cubes of chicken in butter, salt and pepper. Also boil the eggs in a pot.
3. Throw in the green beans to steam after the first 10 minutes of boiling the potatoes. Drain, cool, and cut potatoes into quarters. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with fresh basil, red onion, salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and olive oil. Pour over the salad, and stir to coat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Sort of Anthony Bourdain Boeuf Bourguignon by Vincent
This is the third recipe I have adapted from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook. I have to say his beef bourguignon does not contain any fancy factor. This recipe uses the basic ingredients beef, onion, carrot, red wine and bouquet garni and turned them into a fabulous French beef bourguignon. This is exactly how I like a classic to be.
Anthony Bourdain - "Traditionally, this dish is cooked entirely with red wine. And that's fine, just fine. But if you listened to me earlier, and keep a stash of good, strong demi-glace * (see note) kicking around in your freezer, a couple of spoonfuls give the sauce a nice flavour boost. This is one of the easier dishes in this book, and also one of the best."
*Demi-Glace: Once referred to a mix of reduced veal stock and sauce Espanole (an old-school brown sauce). Now it implies a dark, thick, greatly reduced veal or even chicken stock. And no, I didn't listen to him nor did I use the demi-glace but it still tastes superb.
Anthony Bourdain's Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe (Adapted from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook)
-2 lbs (900 g) paleron of beef, or "chicken steak" (* see note), or same amount of should or neck, cut into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm pieces)
-Salt and pepper
-1/4 cup (56 ml) olive oil
-4 onions, thinly sliced
-2 tbsps (28 g) all purpose flour
-1 cup (225 ml) red Burgundy
-6 carrots, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
-1 garlic clove
-1 bouquet garni (* see note)
-A little chopped flat parsley
* Paleron: A noble, flavorful, and relatively tender cut from the shoulder of beef or veal, inexplicably called the "chicken steak" by American meat-cutters.
* Bouquet Garni: 1 sprig of flat parsley, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf, tied together with string and used for flavouring (usually stews or sauces). Tying the bundle in cheesecloth makes it easier to retrieve from the pot.
Directions:
Season the meat with salt and pepper.
1. In the Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add the meat, in batches - NOT ALL AT ONCE! - and sear on all sides until it is well browned (not gray). You dump too much meat in the pot at the same time and you'll overcrowd it; cool the thing down and you won't get good color. Sear the meat a little at a time, removing it and setting it aside as it finishes.
2. When all the meat is a nice, dark brown color and has been set aside, add the onions to the pot. Lower the heat to medium high until the onions are soft and golden brown (about 10 minutes).
3. Sprinkle the flour over them. Continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the red wine. Naturally, you want to scrape up all that really good fond from the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon. Bring the wine to a boil.
4. Return the meat to the pot and add the carrots, garlic, and bouquet garni. Add just enough water ( and two big spoons of demi-glace, if you have it) so that the liquid covers the meat by one third - meaning you want a ratio of 3 parts liquid to 2parts meat. This is a stew, so you want plenty of liquid, even after it cooks down and reduces. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and let cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender (break-apart-with-a-fork tender).
5. You should pay attention to the dish, meaning to check it every 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure the meat is not sticking or, God forbid, scorching. You should also skim off any foam or scum or oil collecting on the surface, using a large spoon or ladle. When done, remove and discard the bouquet garni, add the chopped parsley to the pot, and serve.
I (Vincent) replaced the demi-glace with chicken stock, and I forgot to add the flourish of parsley at the very end. There were some other very minor variations because I was doing it by memory. We only cooked it for around 2 hours (the minimum) because we didn't start early enough. Also, I browned the beef with extra virgin oil, which is a bit tricky because extra virgin olive oil can't achieve the same high temp that regular olive oil can reach. Also,I think I may have oversalted the beef, slightly. The recipe comes from this (great) episode of No Reservations where Bourdain goes over some basic cooking techniques that he feels everyone should know: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA6HUMTuEoU
Spaghetti Squash by Erin
Ingredients:
-Full squash
-Marinara or rose sauce (home made recipe is always better ;0))
-Parmesan and grated cheese of choice
1. Pierce the whole shell of the squash several times with a large fork or skewer and place in baking dish. Cook squash in preheated 375?F oven approximately 1 hour or until flesh is tender.
2. Once the squash is cooked, let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes so it will be easier to handle, before cutting in half (if it wasn't already) and removing the seeds.
3. Once the seeds are removed, pull a fork lengthwise through the flesh to separate it into long strands. Leave it in its squash shell.
4. Add sauce and grated cheese Put back in oven for about 10 mins.
5. Let stand for a few minutes, dish out and serve.
Spaghetti Squash DESSERT
Midnight Sensation Zouzous (the improv version of something from a raw-foodist resto in Montreal) by Tijana and Martin
Ingredients:
Mix together (happily):
-200 g of date paste
-1.5 tbsp cocoa powder
-2 tbsp almond milk
-1 tbsp hazelnut butter
-a good pinch of ground/crushed cardamom
-thinly chopped pumpkin seeds
-a handful of blended oat flakes
-a pinch of cayenne pepper
-a few handfuls of almond flour (or very finely ground almonds)
Directions:
1. Make small balls/zouzous, then roll some in sesame seeds and others in poppy seeds. Makes about 15 zouzous.
ZouzousNOW FOR THE SHORTS FILMS IN THEIR ENTIRETY AND OUR COMMENTARY
9/11
Video Commentary
Individual Scores:
6
9
7.5
6
8
7
4
Vincent rated this as third best
Overall Score: 6.79/10
Aeon Flux: War
Video Commentary
Individual Scores:
6
4
7.5
8
5.5
5
Vincent rated it best of the shorts that night
Overall score: 6/10
Kylie Minogue: Come Into My World
Video Commentary:
Individual Scores:
7
7
7.5
7.5
7
7
7
Vincent rated it second best
Overall Score: 7.14/10
The White Stripes: Fell in Love With a Girl
This short was not rated, though we did watch it and enjoy it! Comments are welcome!
Tango
9.5
8
8
10
7.5
7
6.5
Vincent rated this as fourth best
Overall Score: 8.07/10
Balance
This short was not rated, but was highly enjoyed.
Two Cars, One Night
Comments:
-The children are too exposed to the adult life, they seem too grown up
-It sounds like they're more responsible than their parents
-The power of kids to take care of one's own world
*Because this was the last short of the night and because we saw it on a computer screen, comments were scattered, at best
Individual Scores:
9
7
7
5.5
6
This was Vincent's least favorite short
Overall Score: 6.9/10
Feel free to tell us what you thought of the shorts and which would be your overall pick!
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