My blog has moved...

Hello my dear followers! Please note that my blog has moved. It is now La Maison by Karine at www.lamaisonbykarine.com. Please feel free to check it out, comment and let me know what you think.

Enjoy and thank you!

Furniture is back!

I was excited like a kid in a candy store. Upholstery by Jorge's came by yesterday at 4pm. Al and his son are terrific. I had a wonderful experience dealing with them, and the quality of the work is impeccable. I am in love with my new/old furniture and my grandma would be so happy!

It's that time of the year again...

I love braised meats. At the end of the winter, I can't wait to start summer cooking, but now, with the weather getting crispier and the leaves changing colors, I prefer my wines red and my meat braised. A whole bottle of red wine, preferably a burgundy, a few fresh herbs, garlic and a mirepoix added to a seared piece of chuck, and you're set for dinner.

My new book

Been trying to locate classic books for furniture and design and this one so far is not deceiving. Laid out like a dictionary with tons of pictures, it covers period and modern pieces.

À la demande de Véro, and for the pleasure of all... my bagatelle recipe!

Berries Bagatelle

Note that the berries in this recipe could be replaced with fresh and juicy peaches, or any ripe seasonal fruit of your liking.

Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening, soften
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder).

In another bowl, mix together the shortening, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs. Add the dry ingredients the the shortening mixture. Gradually incorporate the milk.

When well combined, pour in a 9x9 square baking pan, greased. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, depending on your oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

When cool enough to handle, remove from the pan and let cool completely on a rack. When cool, cut in cubes of about 1" x 1".

Filling and Assembling

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 1 package (4 servings) vanilla instant pudding mix
• 2 cups heavy or whipping cream, whipped
• Cake cubes
• 5 cups fresh berries
• Toasted almonds, slivered or sliced

With an electric mixer, mix the condensed milk and the water. Add the instant pudding package and mix well. Refrigerate until thickened, about 20 minutes. Delicately fold in the whipped cream.

Pour 1/3 of the pudding mix into a bagatelle serving bowl, top with fresh berries, cake cubes and repeat in order to get three layers, finishing with the pudding mixture, keeping a layer of berries and the almonds for decoration later. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Decorate with the rest of the berries and the almonds.

Hand carving in wood

Wood work is truly special to me. It represents so much, the artisanal side of furniture, the art of making something useful truly beautiful. A good friend of mine posted this video on my Facebook Wall and I had to share it here because it gives a good idea of what wood carving is. All individually made by hand, these furniture pieces, from Kindel, are really magnificent. Thanks Sonya!

Furniture getting ready for upholstering

I inherited my grandma's Queen Anne style furniture. She used to upholster the pieces herself when she was changing her décor, which was often. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The pieces are in pretty good shape, according the the upholsterer and the job will be done easily, for a cost however. Upholstery is hard work, but nothing equals furniture that has history, and a story. Here are the before pictures. I still need to chose my fabric, which is a process you can't really rush.

I also love estate sales. Here is a find from a south side estate sale that will also get an upholstery treatment.

And finally the famous pink chairs! For those of you who have been to our house, you remember these. Some people suggested I should keep these Salvation Army treasures the way they are, but I finally made my decision. They'll get it done too! They are the most amazing find ever!

The "after" pictures will come soon after I find the fabric. The upholsterer is great and should be done with all pieces in 10 days after he starts. Stay tuned!

Latest find for our Moroccan style bedroom

Found on Craigslist last week! Amazing piece made completely of oak. Could not find anything comparable new, had to go vintage. I am in love with it. More pictures of the finished bedroom to come.

A new look for an old secretary desk

So I bought this secretary desk at White Elephant, a resale shop in Chicago, for the benefit of the Children's Hospital. I really like that place and have found more than a few things over the past 3 years.

I wanted to transform its look from colonial to French country, so my best bet was to go with shades of blues, greys and beiges. I am really please with the result. It took a bit of time to sand it down, then I applied a coat of grey paint with a regular brush. After a day of drying, I applied a thin coat of cream colored paint using a wet rag, and voilà!

The change of a name...

So Haute Cuisine To Go was my first idea...  Then, when I started creating my menu, and dishes that would fit into a certain market, I realized there was nothing haute cuisine about it.  However, something even better came about...  All this food I was thinking about, all these comforting, simple but classic dishes were the type of dishes you would find on the menu of a bistrot.

So I introduce to you Bistrot To Go!  More than a blog, BTG is physical mean to order food!  Yes, I cook, you eat!  I am so happy that I was able to find a way, outside of having a restaurant, to nurture my passion.  I am still working on my branding, the website will be up very soon!  It is exciting to finally have an outlet for all these ideas.

The type of food that will grace the page of the website are classics like Homemade Meat Sauce for pasta, Homemade Marinara Sauce with Herbs, seasonal soups that will change accordingly, and a wonderful maple fudge with pecans and a chocolate fudge with walnuts.  Many other desserts, that will change depending on the seasons, the mood I'm in and the demand of the customers, will also be offered.  For example, many people can't get enough of the date bars.  Some things will also be offered vegan.

On top of all these new ideas, Rama and I are busy with the house!  It is going fast, and we have so much shopping around to do.  Designing a house is very exciting, and you quickly realize that so many people just don't ask questions, don't shop around and don't dare.  So many houses are all the same.  We want to really take advantage of the fact that we are building from scratch to truly build a house that is exactly how we want it.  Pictures to come soon!

I have to go tend to my bœuf bourguignon in the oven right now, the condo is filled with wonderful smells!  Haute Cuisine Privée tomorrow with six wonderful guests!

As promised, my Osso Bucco step by step...

So here it is (à la demande générale, as we say in French)!  My classic osso bucco recipe, step by step with pictures!  There is no way to mess this up, it is super easy, but so tasty.  Try it once and you'll be hooked for life!

Classic Osso Bucco

• 4 to 6 veal shanks
• 1/4 cup flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 bottle dry white wine
• 14.5-ounce can plum tomatoes, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• Grated zest of 2 oranges
• 1 cup veal stock, or beef stock (more, if needed)

Heat the oven to 350°F. Put the flour on a plate, add generous amounts of salt and pepper, and coat the veal slices, with flour, patting to remove excess.

 

Heat the oil and butter in a Creuset or in an oven-proof pot big enough for all the veal slices to touch the bottom. Add half the slices and sear them over high heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn them, brown the other side and remove them to a plate. Brown the remaining slices and remove them also.

Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and carrot and sauté until brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Pour in the wine and boil until reduced by half, stirring to dissolve the brown bits at the bottom.

Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, orange zest, veal or beef stock, salt, and pepper. Immerse the veal slices in the sauce (the sauce should come at least halfway up the sides of the shanks.) Cover the pan and bring it to a boil.

 

Transfer to the oven, and braise the shanks until the meat is very tender and falling from the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir from time to time, gently turning the slices, and if the pan seems dry, add more stock.

Serve with Gremolata (see recipe below).

Gremolata

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• One bunch of Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
• Grated zest of 2 lemons

Remove stems from parsley, and chop the leaves together with the garlic. Stir in the grated lemon zest and pile the gremolata in a bowl.

Party Favors for Baby Shower

Maple Fudge for all!  What a great way to please your guests!  Way better than inedible party store candies, in fact, you can't even compare!  The beauty of this is that the boxes can be customized to fit the sex of the baby, or even the event!  Wedding favors, anniversaries, birthdays, showers, bachelorette parties...  It's infinite what can be done with these!

Sooooo busy these days!

I have a wonderful new project going on. It keeps me busy, very busy. But creativity is a double-edged sword; it keeps you alive and makes you dream, but it also keeps you awake at night and on your toes, 24/7. Rest assured, I am not complaining, but seeing it is now 4:30 in the morning and that I haven't closed my eyes yet, let's just say that I am on the latter edge of the sword today.

But the beauty of my new venture is that it involves food, lots of it. So it pleases me to be able to stay awake because I worry about food. I'd rather worry about food than about closing day at NYSE.

I want to share with you in the next few days my osso bucco recipe. I took pictures of all the steps when I made it last Saturday. It will be up very soon, I promise. In fact, as soon as I can pack a few more hours rolling in bed.

Fall has arrived for good in Chicago. The leaves are turning all shades of yellow, orange and brown, at lightning' speed it seems. But this also means that our house will be slowly coming up. We are expecting demolition in the next few days, which should take about a week, and then time to build from the ground up! It is quite exciting! The choices, the materials, the colors, the textures, the disposition... All that makes for more sleepless night, filled with creative ideas and head full of thoughts. I can only imagine the life of an artist. Wait... Aren't we all artists in our own way?

The results, the weekend, the sauces and the pleasure!

So what!?  Yes, I am guilty!  I cooked all weekend!  I did not (or almost did not) touch a computer all weekend! I am guilty of cooking and enjoying my close relationship to food.  Cooking is the closest relation to human contact that we have.  We eat our food.  We deliberately put other substances in our mouth to feed and satisfy ourselves.  So why not make the best of it?  Make the best food, be on a mission to cook and savor the most magnificient food ever!  I think this is the path to good health and perfect balance.  Cook at home.  A lot of veggies (but add olive oil, salt, pepper), bake them, broil them, vapor them, sauté them, anyway you want it, but never overcook them!

So here is one of the best recipes for me for the October 2010 issue of Food & Wine: Lamb Ragout with Olives and Peppers.  That lamb was succulent, different, easy to put together and so worth the time.  Because remember that a long overall time for a recipe doesn't mean "hard" or "complicated".  If you're home on a Sunday afternoon, put this baby in the oven, wait for the in-laws and have enough lamb for all.  That is why I would put a little more than the required amount of ingredients, for the whole recipe.  And remember to add some veggies on the side.

Lamb Ragout with Olives and Peppers

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large white onions, coarsely chopped
• 4 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 10 cups water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sliced pitted Picholine olive.
• 3/4 cup sliced roasted red pepper.
• 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
• 2 cups Israeli couscous 

1. Preheat the oven to 250°. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Season the lamb with salt and black pepper and add it to the casserole. Cook over moderately high heat, turning the pieces once or twice, until deeply browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a platter.
2. Add the onions, celery and carrots to the casserole. Cover and cook over low heat just until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook over moderately high heat, stirring until the paste is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pot, until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Return the lamb and any accumulated juices to the casserole. Cover and braise in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours, until tender.
3. Transfer the lamb to the platter. Remove any fat and gristle and coarsely shred the meat. Strain the broth and discard the solids. Skim the fat from the surface of the broth. Return the broth to the casserole and boil until reduced to 4 cups, about 30 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the flour to form a paste; whisk it into the broth and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the lamb to the sauce. Add the olives, red peppers and tarragon and keep warm.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the couscous and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the couscous and transfer to shallow bowls. Spoon the lamb ragout over the couscous and serve. 

Source: Food & Wine, from Chef Recipes Made Easy: Simple Wine-Friendly Recipes, published October 2010

Lamb Ragout with Olives and Peppers

 Make this recipe, you will not be disappointed.  Make sure you add a little more of everything.

"Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."  ~Jim Davis

The Results, TGIF, and a cooking weekend ahead

It is Friday, finally!  After a week of slacking, I have ahead of me a weekend of meat sauce, marinara sauce, chicken à la king, and maple fudge!  Yes, the orders are coming in, and I love it!  I really appreciate cooking for others, more so than cooking for myself, and it's a real treat to be able to reach more people with Haute Cuisine!  So I will be spending this coming weekend cooking, canning, dressing up the jars!

Batch of Meat Sauce with Fresh Herbs

So because of all this cooking, I will be taking a break (yes, another!) from the Food & Wine magazine.  We are going out to eat Saturday and Sunday, so there won't be any recipes to post, but great restaurant experiences and reviews!  Yesterday, however, I made the Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage, and I am really happy I did as it turned out great.  I was quite skeptic before, but a few bites of this warm salad type dish and I was convinced to add it to my repertoire of recipes I would be willing to make again!  The crispness of the barely cooked cabbage really complemented perfectly the savoriness of the pork.  And cabbage (especially red) is so good for you.  Red cabbage is packed with anthocyanins, healthful compounds from the flavonoid class of plant nutrients),   We both finished our plates and could not wait for lunch today to have the leftovers.  Please note that I made my recipe using good balsamic vinegar instead of vin cotto.  Here is the recipe and a picture:

Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast with at least 1/4-inch cap of fat
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons vin cotto, plus more for drizzling (see Note)
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1 pound red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 large red-skinned or Bosc pear, cored and cut into thin sticks 

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Trim the fat from the top of the pork loin and cut into thin strips. Spread the fat strips on a large rimmed baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and bake for about 25 minutes, until the fat is melted and the cracklings are browned and crisp. Transfer the cracklings to paper towels to drain. Pour the melted fat into a small bowl; you should have about 2 tablespoons.
2. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and bake for 10 minutes, until golden. Let cool and coarsely chop. Reduce the oven to 300°.
3. Trim off any silver skin from the pork loin and slice the meat crosswise into 4 pieces. Set each piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an 1/8-inch thickness.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the 3 tablespoons of vin cotto, the shallot and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
5. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Season the pork scaloppine with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Add 2 of the scaloppine to the hot oil and cook over high heat until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the scaloppine and cook for about 20 seconds longer. Transfer the scaloppine to a large rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Cook the remaining scaloppine in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
6. Pour off the oil in the skillet and wipe it out. Add the vinaigrette and the melted pork fat to the skillet and warm over moderately high heat. Add the cabbage and pear and toss until warm, 30 seconds. Transfer the salad and scaloppine to plates and garnish the salad with the cracklings. Sprinkle with the walnuts, drizzle with vin cotto and serve. 

Source: Food & Wine, from Best Pairings for Italian Wines, published October 2010

Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage

Have a great weekend readers, and make sure to eat tasty homemade food!  Bon appétit!

One word: SLACKER!

Ok, ok, I am so sorry!  Yesterday, because of the lack of inspiration brought upon by the Scaloppine, I decided to slack off and order Big Bowl!  I love their pad thai, I think it might be one of the best in the city.  So here are the remnants of yesterday's portion that I furiously ingested after a hard core session of Hot Yoga (sorry for the fork, but after training, chop sticks are just not for me :)!

So tonight, I will go ahead and do the Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage, no excuse!  Will keep you posted tomorrow!  Bon appétit!

The Results and the Next Challenge - Day 7

Ok, I have to admit it, I am getting a little tired of the main courses in the issue of Food & Wine...  Tonight, I will try the Pork Scaloppine with Cabbage, but tomorrow, I might do a few appetizers/starters instead of a main.

Good news though, the Mushroom-Sausage Ragù served over polenta from yesterday night was really nice!  I used Rustic Coarse Polenta Integrale, from Anson Mills (www.ansonmills.com), which was the best polenta I ever had!  I love mushrooms, so this recipe is definitely for me.  If you love morels, you're good to go!  The only downside is that I did not take a picture...  We were reviewing the house plans with the architect, and the picture totally slipped through the cracks...  Sorry readers!  Will get back on track here tonight!  I promise to make the recipe again though and will post then.  You should try it too, it's fast and easy, and you can make ahead of time.  Here it is:

Mushroom-Sausage Ragù

• 1 cup dried morel mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 sweet Italian sausages
• 1/2 pound shiitake caps, quartered
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 thinly sliced shallots
• 6 water chestnuts, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Chopped parsley, for garnish 

1. Soak the morels in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water until softened. Rinse and pat dry; reserve the soaking liquid. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the sausages, cover and cook over moderate heat until no longer pink within; slice 1/4 inch thick. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the shiitake, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened. Add the shallots and morels; cover and cook for 4 minutes. Add the water chestnuts. Pour in the morel soaking liquid. Add the sausages and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Off the heat, swirl in the butter and sprinkle with parsley. Serve over polenta.

Source: Food & Wine, from What Sommeliers Know Best, published October 2010

Talk to you tomorrow!  Bon appétit!

How-To Videos

Readers, I want to compile a list of How-To videos that would help everybody and anybody in the kitchen, from how to separate an egg to how to score a duck breast.  Leave your comments!  Thank you so much!

The Results and the Next Challenge - Day 6

Skate, skate, skate!  One word: DELECTABLE!

The Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Purée recipe was wonderful.  I like skate for its look, but also because in terms of taste, it's like a cross between fish and sea scallops.  The brown butter was the perfect match for this dish, and the parsnip purée made every bite creamy and smooth.  I would have liked to have more of the brown butter though.  Maybe 6 tablespoons instead of 4 are in order, as well as a little more lemon juice.  I will definitely make this again!  Here is the recipe, from Ken Frank:

Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Purée

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup sliced blanched almonds
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Four 6- to 8-ounce boneless skate wings
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

1. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the parsnips and cook over moderately high heat, stirring often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the water and a pinch of salt, cover and cook over low heat until the parsnips are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and boil over moderately high heat until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Transfer the parsnips and liquid to a blender and puree until very smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper; cover and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the sliced almonds in a pie plate and toast in the oven for about 7 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°. In a large skillet, heat 1/8 inch of vegetable oil. Season the skate with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Fry 2 pieces of skate over high heat until they are golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn and fry the skate until just opaque throughout, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer the skate to a large rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Fry the remaining skate.
4. Pour off the oil and wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and melt over high heat. Cook the butter until it starts to turn brown, about 1 minute. Add the almonds and shake the skillet. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the lemon juice.
5. Spoon the parsnip puree onto plates and top with the skate. Drizzle the butter-almond sauce over the fish and serve. 

Source: Food & Wine, from Best Pairings for California Wines, published October 2010

Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Purée

Tonight, I am making the Mushroom-Sausage Ragù.  I really love mushrooms, especially morels and shiitakes, and this recipe is full of them!  Can't wait!  Talk to you tomorrow!  Bon appétit!

The Next Challenge - Day 5

The week has started.  It's time to cook!  I made a batch of pasta sauce (good old Italian meat sauce) that I am in the process of canning right now.  I will start selling the goods, I have my first client picking up some jars tomorrow (thanks Tammy! :)

Plus, tonight, the Food & Wine challenge resumes with Pan-Fried Skate with Brown Butter and Parsnip Purée.  Skate is a cartilaginous fish from the Rajidae family, it's a ray.  Here is a picture of the skate wing before I started the recipe:

Skate wing (uncooked)