Chocolate Souffles

Admittedly, this is probably one of the most ambitious dessert recipes I've ever struggled to make made!  It originates from a cookbook that is choke full of recipes of a similar nature.  So, if you are looking for a kitchen challenge, this is the cookbook for you:

Thankfully, I did not spend money to acquire such a wonderfully frustrating compilation of recipes.  This was actually one of many "free gifts" that my husband's American Express card offered to us many months ago.  We were intrigued by this one, and said, what the heck?!

I probably wouldn't have purchased this for myself if I had flipped through it first.  I like a challenge, don't get me wrong, but almost every recipe in this particular cookbook requires some very obscure ingredient(s) that you would never have on hand 99.99% of the time!  The glossy pictures only make things worse, causing you to drool over how delicious everything looks!  Beware... these delectable palate pleasing recipes require a trip to the store, and hunting of the shelves for items you have never bought before in your life. Joy.

So, when I came across this particular recipe for Chocolate Souffles, I danced a happy dance!  Not only was I craving a light and delicious chocolate dessert, but I actually had ALL of the required ingredients to make said dessert :-)  Rejoice!

If you haven't tried making any kind of souffle in your life, you've probably at least heard about how difficult they can be to "master."  After my third time making this recipe, I still don't know that I've truly mastered the art of souffleing (?), but I can say this... they tasted damn good every time!

Here is the recipe:

Step 3:  I scaled this recipe back to make just 2 servings instead of 6, since souffle must be eaten right out of the oven, piping hot!  I'm sure it would turn out more perfectly if I stuck to the recipe for 6 servings, though.  Which means, I must have a dinner party for 6!

Ta Da!

Top with powdered sugar (or not) and dive in!

Next time, I want to make a delicious chocolate sauce to pour over the top... it would be amazing!  I think this would also turn out better if I had smaller ramekins.  Some day I will invest in some :-)

Bon Appetit!

Librarian turned Foodie

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Hi Foodie Friends ~

I really wanted to wait until I had a fabulous recipe to share with you before writing another blog post. This time of year, I am always inspired to make fresh seafood to compliment the beginning of Spring, with its milder temps and more sunshine!  Since seafood and white wine tend to make an excellent pairing, this is also a great time of year to restock those delicious Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays!

If you LOVE shrimp as I do, [even if you simply "like" it] I think you will enjoy this recipe.  It comes from Giada de Laurentiis, and I cannot take credit for her masterpiece. I did make a few slight alterations to suit our tastes, but I don't think they compromised the deliciousness of this dish in any way.

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Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Ingredients:

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper flakes (I used 1/2 tsp. --- and this was plenty of spice for us!).
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced (I used half of a medium onion)
1 - 15oz. can diced tomatoes with their juices
1 cup dry white wine (I used 1/2 cup of a rich Napa Chardonnay)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
3 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves (I used 1 tbsp. dried --- didn't have fresh on hand)

Directions:

1.  Toss the shrimp with the salt and red pepper flakes.
2.  In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the shrimp for about 1 minute and promptly remove to a plate and set aside.  Do not overcook the shrimp!
3.  Saute the onion in the pan for about 5 minutes, adding more olive oil if necessary.  Stir in the can of diced tomatoes, white wine, garlic, and oregano.  Cook for about 10 minutes, reducing the sauce slightly.
4.  Once the sauce has been reduced, return the shrimp and all its juices to the pan, along with the parsley and basil.  Stir to combine and heat through, about 3 minutes longer.  Again, be careful not to overcook the shrimp, as they will become tough and rubbery quickly!

Serves 3-4

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We chose to serve steamed broccoli alongside the shrimp, but you could definitely go for a more hearty side, such as mashed or roasted potatoes, rice, or a slice of hearty artisan bread to soak up the leftover sauce!

Be warned that if you choose to use the full teaspoon of red pepper flakes, this dish will be quite potent!  Even using just the 1/2 teaspoon gave this shrimp a very noticeable kick of heat.  I am a huge fan of red pepper flakes, especially in Italian dishes and sauces, but one can easily add too much, overpowering all of the other amazing flavors in the meal.

We drank what remained of the Laird 2008 Red Hen Chardonnay from Napa Valley (1/2 cup was used in the sauce) with this meal, and it was delicious!  This wine had a very rich golden color and mouth-feel.  It had nice toast and oak flavors with good acidity to balance them out.

Cheers to Spring!

Librarian turned Foodie