Farmer's Market Menu

Tonight we had our friends the Morris's over for dinner. I love this time of year when baby root vegetables are starting to make a show at the farmers market, so my menu really encompassed the essence of fall. I promised a while ago a beet recipe so this was part of tonight's menu...but here's the warning...you have to like beets and you have to like goat cheese!

Beet Ravioli with Truffled Goat Cheese
Prosciutto Mediterranean Roast Pork Loin with Fried Capers
Pan Roasted Green Beans with Balsamic Butter
Oven Roasted Carrots
Chocolate Souffles with White Chocolate Cream

Beet Ravioli with Truffled Goat Cheese

5 oz. queso blanco goat cheese (I always use this when I have guests because it is a great way to introduce goat cheese if they have never had it...it is very mild and great for any palate)
6 medium beets
olive oil
1 teaspoon Truffle and Salt (I posted about this on my web a while ago...available at Williams Sonoma)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tbsp. fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Clean beets. Rub beets with olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast in oven for at least one hour.

Allow goat cheese to come to room temperature. Crumble goat cheese into bowl then add truffle salt, whip cream and olive oil. Mix with hand blender. This mixture will be crumbly so just try to make it consistent.

After beets have cooled remove skins. (They will peel right off). Slice into 1/8 inch think slices using a mandolin.

Put three rounds onto plate, fill each round with about 1/2-1 tbsp. goat cheese mix. Top with another round.

To serve, drizzle with olive oil and fresh thyme.

Prosciutto Mediterranean Pork Loin with Fried Capers

This is an adaptation from a recipe that I did for one my cooking classes at Williams Sonoma. The variation was just a different cut of pork and used prosciutto instead of pancetta. Here is the deal with pork. If you have a good center cut loin or tenderloin you should allow them to come to almost room temperature before you cook them. You will get a consistent temperature and it will be more juicy. Don't be afraid...this is the ONLY way I cook pork loin or tenderloin.

4 lb. pork loin roast
2 tbsp. Mediterranean sea salt (Available at Williams Sonoma and one of my new favorites!!)
4 cloves garlic
6 slices prosciutto
olive oil
1 small bottle capers
1/2 c. cornmeal

Cut cloves into halves. Make eight small openings in pork and put a garlic half in each one. Rub Mediterranean sea salt onto fatty side of loin. Wrap prosciutto around pork and drizzle with olive oil. Allow to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roast in oven for about 40 minutes. Remove and then allow to rest for about 15 minutes. While pork is resting heat a enough olive oil in a pan to fry capers. Drain capers and mix with cornmeal. Fry in oil for about 3 minutes. Remove if you need to drain the remaining oil. Remove prosciutto pieces and chop finely. Slice pork into 1/2 inch slices. Top pork slices with prosciutto and caper mix.

Pan Roasted Green Beans with Balsamic Butter

The All-Clad 13 inch french skillet works great for this...or for any pan roasting that you may do!

1 pound green beans
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. butter

Add olive oil to pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add green beans, turning quickly and often. After about 5 minutes, (have a lid handy that will cover your pan) add about 2 tablespoons water; covering with lid quickly. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes. Add balsamic and allow to reduce by half (about another 2-3 minutes) and then add butter, stirring until melted.

Oven Roasted Carrots

I love green topped carrots and the presentation is quite lovely. Just chop them off so you have 1-2 inches remaining.

12-16 six inch new carrots with green tops
2 tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter. Remove skins of carrots with peeler. Put in roasting pan and top with butter. Rub evenly over carrots. Roasted in oven for about 15 minutes.

Chocolate Souffle with White Chocolate Cream

Once again this is another recipe that I modified minimally, but nevertheless it was taken from Epicurious. These were absolutely divine!

3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (Callebaut or Valrhona, at least 60%)
1 tablespoon brandy
3 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Butter four 2/3-cup soufflé dishes; coat with sugar. Stir water and espresso powder in heavy small saucepan until espresso powder dissolves. Add chocolate and brandy. Stir over low heat until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in yolks. Cool to room temperature.
Beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar and beat until medium-firm peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into whites. Divide among soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature.)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake soufflés until puffed but still moist in center, about 14 minutes. Serve immediately, passing White Chocolate Cream separately

2 ounces good-quality white chocolate (Callebaut or El Rey) chopped
1/2 cup chilled whipping cream

Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until smooth. Remove from water. Cool to room temperature. Beat cream in medium bowl until firm peaks form. Stir half of cream into cooled chocolate; fold in remaining cream. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)