Girls' Night Recipes

Once a week, the girls gather for some good food, good wine, and good company.  This tradition began when the Top Chef challenges enticed a bunch of graduate school girls not only to gather for entertaining television but to also push their own culinary boundaries.  This page is dedicated to the gastronomic triumphs the girls have achieved in 2010-2011 (academic calendar, of course).  We humbly hope you push yourself to try out our creations and that they please your tummies as much as they pleased ours.

Week One: A.Hab.'s Crispy Garlic Risotto Balls
Challenge: none


Recipe: (from Epicurious.com)
Note: I doubled my recipe and tweaked it from the original ("Crispy Garlic Risotto Cakes") to form balls rather than cakes.  Below is my version of the recipe, doubled and tweaked.


Ingredients
28 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 tsp olive oil
8 cups water
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
All purpose flour


Preparation
--Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Toss garlic cloves with 4 tsp olive oil in a small baking dish.  Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake until garlic is tender, about 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake until garlic is very tender, about 10 minutes.  Cool garlic; peel.  Puree half of garlic in processor.  Thinly slice remaining garlic.  Set garlic puree and slices aside. (Note: the first time I made this, I found it extremely difficult to slice the already-roasted garlic.  The second time I made this, I pureed all the garlic.  I noticed no difference in taste or texture.)
--Bring 8 cups of water to simmer in large saucepan.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and keep hot.
--Melt 4 tbsp butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion; saute until tender, about 3-6 minutes.  Add rice; stir until golden, about 3-6 minutes.  Add wine; stir until absorbed, about 4-8 minutes.  Add 1 cup hot water.  Adjust heat so that liquid bubbles gently.  Stir until liquid is absorbed.  Continue adding hot water 1 cup at a time until rice is just tender and mixture is very thick, simmering until liquid is absorbed after each addition and stirring frequently, about 25-40 minutes.  Transfer risotto to large bowl.  Rest until room temperature. (Note: the second time I made this, I placed it in a 9x13 casserole dish, which sped cooling time drastically and helped to cool the risotto much more evenly than in a large bowl.)
--Mix cheese, parsley, and garlic puree/slices into risotto.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
--Place all purpose flour in a shallow dish.  Pour a generous amount of favorite cooking oil (I prefer olive oil for a soy-free dish) into a heavy large skillet; heat oil to prepare it for frying.  (Note: if your oil is deep enough to cover at least half the diameter of your risotto balls, it will be much easier to "flip" and fry both "sides" evenly.)  Using a 2 tbsp disher, generously scoop risotto into a ball and lightly coat with flour.  Add about 4-5 balls to the oil and fry until crispy and golden brown; using tongs, flip ball to fry other side; about 2-3 minutes per side.  Transfer risotto balls to plate lined with paper towels to drain.  While those are draining and cooling, scoop out the next batch of risotto balls to add to oil.  Adjust oil heat when necessary.  Transfer cooled and drained risotto balls to platter.  Sprinkle with additional fresh parsley and fresh Parmesan cheese before serving.


**Note: When I made these the first time, I thought the cheese didn't come out as creamy as I expected it to.  So, in the second batch, I adjusted the recipe again by chopping my block of Parmesan cheese into small chunks.  I inserted these chunks into the scoops of risotto balls before coating them in flour (careful to "reseal" the ball after each addition).  This did the trick and left a little gooey "surprise" in the center of the risotto balls.  I look forward to trying this recipe with additional cheeses and potentially additional "surprises" in the center.

Week Two: NB's Lavender Pound Cake
Challenge: none


Recipe:

Week Three: AB's Apple Strudel
Challenge: Make a meal that your favorite artist would enjoy.


Recipe:
Ingredients
1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and coarsely shredded
3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
1/4 cup milk


Preparation


--Preheat oven to 400 F. 
--Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
--In a large bowl, stir apples, brown sugar, raisins, and cinnamon.
--Place the pastry sheet on the baking sheet and roll out slightly.
--Place the apple mixture lengthwise along the middle of the pastry sheet.
--Fold the pastry sheet around the filling. Seal the edges with a finger that has been dipped in water.
--Whisk the egg and milk together and brush along the top of the pastry.
--Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Week Four: VL's Vegan Thanksgiving Amuse-Bouche
Challenge: Create an amuse-bouche that is not only Thanksgiving-themed but that is also vegan!
Amuse-Bouche 1: Deconstructed Green Bean Casserole

Recipe:

Amuse-Bouche 2: Pumpkin Mousse Atop Cranberry Relish
 Recipe:


Week Five: AC's Halloween Sculpture
Challenge: Make an edible sculpture.


Recipe:

Week Six: KB's Chocolate Pecan Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise
Challenge: Merge salty, sweet, and savory flavor profiles into a single dish.


Recipe:

Week Seven: RG's Apple Tart
Challenge: Create an appetizer that combines two unexpected flavor profiles.




Recipe:


Week Eight: A.Hab's Candy Sushi
Challenge: Create a dish that looks like something it is not.




Recipe:
Ingredients
"Sushi"
6 cups Rice Krispies Treats
4 cups miniature marshmallows
3 tablespoons butter
1-2 boxes Fruit Roll-Ups or Fruit by the Foot
Swedish Fish
Gummi Worms

"Wasabi"
Cool Whip
Green food coloring

"Soy Sauce"
Chocolate syrup

Preparation
--Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan.
--Stir in 4 cups marshmallows until melted thoroughly.  Remove from heat.
--Mix marshmallows with 6 cups cereal until incorporated well.
--Spread over waxed paper in a shallow, broad baking dish.  Spread as thin as you can while still maintaining consistency of treat mixture.
--To make sushi, line Gummi Worms tip to tip on the shortest side of the treat mixture.  Bring edge up and roll once--do not overlap cereal because it will be too thick.  With a paring knife, slice the roll closely and move aside.  Repeat until half of treat mixture has been rolled.  If using Fruit Roll-Ups, lay sheet out and roll entire treat log until properly wrapped.  Using a paring knife, cut into thin slices.  If using Fruit by the Foot, carefully measure out width of fruit leather and cut as closely as possible.  Wrap fruit around treat.  (Note: I used Fruit by the Foot, which is pictured above.  It was likely more trouble than using Fruit Roll-Ups, which I will definitely use in the future.)
--To make sushi nigiri, cut small pieces of the treat mixture and shape into small, thick rectangles.  Top with a Swedish fish and wrap widthwise with a piece of Fruit by the Foot or Fruit Roll-Up.
--To make "wasabi," dye Cool Whip with green food coloring until desired color is achieved.
--To make "soy sauce," squeeze a dollop of your favorite chocolate sauce on serving dish.

Week Nine: AB's ???
Challenge: Make a dish that has at least one ingredient that changes properties. (Such as from a liquid to a solid.)

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