Al Czervik
01-12-2014, 05:57 PM
I'm not sure about all the rest of you, but I get into ruts where I seem to cook the same old things over and over again. My wife and I have a rotation of a couple dozen meals that we enjoy and prepare consistently well, but after a while we need to change things up. With that in mind, plus the current Throwdown going on
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178591
I figured I would try to prepare something completely different. For inspiration, I called on a fond memory of decades gone by...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_eYSuPKP3Y
I'm not normally much of a dessert type of person but this meal called for one, or at least it called for my version of one (to be explained later). Ingredients as follows...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/21/9vfc.jpg
Dump chocolate in the food processor...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/577/3dzw.jpg
Chop up into fine granules...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/707/yoev.jpg
Add butter, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, egg yoke and blend...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/845/352y.jpg
And pour into plastic wrap lined ramekin to be chilled in fridge overnight. This is now basically a big chocolate truffle. :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/827/47h4.jpg
Fast forward to the next day. Start of with a couple small lobster tails and some shrimp (aka crevettes in French :idea:)...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/36/8iz9.jpg
Coated with oil, sprinkled lightly with various herbs/seasonings and on to the Weber they go...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/59/y3cg.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/138/mmki.jpg
And a few minutes later they are good to go... :mrgreen:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/9/yx01.jpg
While the lobster and crevettes were resting peacefully in the fridge, it was time to make up some sauce. Start by melting some butter...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/41/kyad.jpg
Add some flour, whisk for a minute or two to make a roux and forget to focus the farkin' camera... :mad:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/826/nrfz.jpg
Add warm half and half and continue to whisk over heat until it begins to thicken...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/843/r8mm.jpg
Add salt, pepper, some grated nutmeg and whisk thoroughly...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/706/uhnq.jpg
Add about 3oz of grated Gruyere...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/21/fvfq.jpg
And once it's all stirred in and melted we have a Mornay sauce... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/543/zaak.jpg
At this point, I poured off about half of the Mornay sauce (for later use) and added dijon mustard, lemon juice, dry sherry and a few drops of hot sauce...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/19/nwjm.jpg
I gave it a good wisk and I added one egg yoke...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/854/0adq.jpg
Whisked all together and now we have a Thermidor sauce... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/855/uyfr.jpg
Now back to the lobster and crevettes. Gave them a rough chop...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/838/3znk.jpg
Added the Thermidor sauce...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/839/3hvq.jpg
Spooned the mixture (plus some grated parmesan and parsley)back into the reserved lobster shells...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/824/xr6k.jpg
And on to the Traeger for about 15 minutes at 375F...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/34/6od8.jpg
Remember the chocolate truffle I made the day before? Well I spooned it into a little pâté dish and plated it up with a couple graham crakers...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/547/cnip.jpg
Consequently I'm calling this a truffle pâté... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/703/3isq.jpg
Wow. This is really taking a long time isn't it? :shocked: I'm getting thirsty. Is anyone else getting thirsty? Well, I think it's about time for a little snifter of brandy... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/546/2vq4.jpg
Oops. I almost forgot one of the critical ingredients...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/191/1q0y.jpg
And here we have the finished meal. Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a Mornay sauce, garnished with truffle pâté, brandy and a fried egg on top and Spam (which is under the fried egg)... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/839/8dcj.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/829/j2vb.jpg
If you made it to the end of this post, thank you for hanging in there. If you are wondering, I did eat it all and it was very tasty... :hungry: Not sure I would do it again unless I had nothing better to do, but it was "Something Completely Different" and well worth the effort. :mrgreen:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178591
I figured I would try to prepare something completely different. For inspiration, I called on a fond memory of decades gone by...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_eYSuPKP3Y
I'm not normally much of a dessert type of person but this meal called for one, or at least it called for my version of one (to be explained later). Ingredients as follows...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/21/9vfc.jpg
Dump chocolate in the food processor...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/577/3dzw.jpg
Chop up into fine granules...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/707/yoev.jpg
Add butter, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, egg yoke and blend...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/845/352y.jpg
And pour into plastic wrap lined ramekin to be chilled in fridge overnight. This is now basically a big chocolate truffle. :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/827/47h4.jpg
Fast forward to the next day. Start of with a couple small lobster tails and some shrimp (aka crevettes in French :idea:)...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/36/8iz9.jpg
Coated with oil, sprinkled lightly with various herbs/seasonings and on to the Weber they go...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/59/y3cg.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/138/mmki.jpg
And a few minutes later they are good to go... :mrgreen:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/9/yx01.jpg
While the lobster and crevettes were resting peacefully in the fridge, it was time to make up some sauce. Start by melting some butter...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/41/kyad.jpg
Add some flour, whisk for a minute or two to make a roux and forget to focus the farkin' camera... :mad:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/826/nrfz.jpg
Add warm half and half and continue to whisk over heat until it begins to thicken...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/843/r8mm.jpg
Add salt, pepper, some grated nutmeg and whisk thoroughly...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/706/uhnq.jpg
Add about 3oz of grated Gruyere...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/21/fvfq.jpg
And once it's all stirred in and melted we have a Mornay sauce... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/543/zaak.jpg
At this point, I poured off about half of the Mornay sauce (for later use) and added dijon mustard, lemon juice, dry sherry and a few drops of hot sauce...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/19/nwjm.jpg
I gave it a good wisk and I added one egg yoke...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/854/0adq.jpg
Whisked all together and now we have a Thermidor sauce... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/855/uyfr.jpg
Now back to the lobster and crevettes. Gave them a rough chop...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/838/3znk.jpg
Added the Thermidor sauce...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/839/3hvq.jpg
Spooned the mixture (plus some grated parmesan and parsley)back into the reserved lobster shells...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/824/xr6k.jpg
And on to the Traeger for about 15 minutes at 375F...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/34/6od8.jpg
Remember the chocolate truffle I made the day before? Well I spooned it into a little pâté dish and plated it up with a couple graham crakers...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/547/cnip.jpg
Consequently I'm calling this a truffle pâté... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/703/3isq.jpg
Wow. This is really taking a long time isn't it? :shocked: I'm getting thirsty. Is anyone else getting thirsty? Well, I think it's about time for a little snifter of brandy... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/546/2vq4.jpg
Oops. I almost forgot one of the critical ingredients...
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/191/1q0y.jpg
And here we have the finished meal. Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a Mornay sauce, garnished with truffle pâté, brandy and a fried egg on top and Spam (which is under the fried egg)... :thumb:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/839/8dcj.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/829/j2vb.jpg
If you made it to the end of this post, thank you for hanging in there. If you are wondering, I did eat it all and it was very tasty... :hungry: Not sure I would do it again unless I had nothing better to do, but it was "Something Completely Different" and well worth the effort. :mrgreen: