Red Wine Spaghetti

Ingredients:

4 cups water
1 bottle full bodied red wine (we used cabernet)
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/2 cup flatleaf Italian parsley

Option : Add scallops

Method:

1. Measure 1/4 cup of wine and set aside.
2. Combine the water and the remainder of the bottle of wine (about 3 cups) in a large pot and bring to a boil. 
3. Once boiling, add spaghetti and cook (stirring frequently) until al dente, about 7 minutes. 
4. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the spaghetti. Set aside.
5. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the reserved cooking liquid and 1/4 cup of reserved wine to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and toss to coat with the sauce.
7. Add the butter and stir until it melts into the pasta.
8. Add salt and pepper, parmesan, and parsley and stir to combine. 
9. Serve on its own or top with more parmesan and parsley and open up another bottle of wine!

Servings: 4

Kaiserschmarren with Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients:

For the kaiserschmarren:
8 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup dark raisins
Vanilla bean
6 tablespoons rum
2 cups crème fraîche
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature, for brushing
Additional sugar for coating

For the strawberry sauce:
1 1/2 pounds small ripe strawberries, hulled, or hulled and halved large berries, 4 cups total
1/2 a vanilla bean (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 whole star anise (optional)
Confectioners sugar, for serving

Method:

1. Preparing the batter
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Meanwhile, put the raisins and rum in a small bowl and steep for about 10 minutes. Put the crème fraîche, 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, raisins, and 1 tablespoon of the rum in a mixing bowl. Whisk until blended. Stir in the flour.

2. Beating the egg whites
Put the egg whites in a large, clean mixing bowl. Add the cream of tartar and salt. With a hand-held electric mixer on medium speed, beat until thick and foamy. Then, still beating, gradually add 1 cup of sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted out.

3. Folding in the egg whites
Drop a large scoop of the meringue onto the egg yolk batter. With a flexible rubber spatula, gently fold the whites into the batter to lighten it. Scoop the remaining meringue over the batter and gently fold it in.

4. Coating the pan
Coat a medium ovenproof skillet with the butter. Sprinkle in sugar and shake and rotate to coat the butter. Tap out any excess.

5. Baking the batter
Gently scrape the batter into the prepared skillet. Smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven until puffed, golden brown on top, and springy to a gentle touch at its center, 10 to 12 minutes.

6. Making the compote
While the batter bakes, in a nonreactive skillet stir together the berries, lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice and zest, vanilla, and star anise. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring to help the sugar dissolve and mashing a few of the berries to help thicken the sauce.

7. Serving the Kaiserschmarren
Divide the compote among serving plates. With a large serving spoon, scoop up large dollops of the Kaiserschmarren, distributing them evenly on top of the compote. Dust generously with confectioners sugar. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Wolfgang Puck

How-to Video

Salmon Wellington

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
5 ounces spinach
1 teaspoon salt (for spinach)
1 teaspoon pepper (for spinach)
⅓ cup breadcrumbs
4 ounces cream cheese
¼ cup Parmesan, shredded
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
1 sheet puff pastry, softened to room temperature
1 salmon filet
1 teaspoon salt (for salmon)
1 teaspoon pepper (for salmon)
1 egg, beaten

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. In a pan over medium heat, melt butter. 
3. Add the garlic and onions, cooking until translucent. 
4. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper, cooking until spinach is wilted. 
5. Add the breadcrumbs, cream cheese, parmesan, and dill, stirring until mixture is evenly combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. On a cutting board, smooth out the sheet of puff pastry. Place the salmon in the middle of the pastry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
7. Place several spoonfuls of the spinach mixture on top of the salmon, smoothing it out so that it does not spill over the sides. 
8. Fold the edges of the puff pastry over the salmon and spinach, starting with the longer sides and then the shorter ends. Trim any excess pastry from the ends, then fold the ends on top. Flip the puff pastry-wrapped salmon over and transfer for a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
9. Brush the beaten egg on the top and sides of the pastry. 
10. Score the top of the pastry with a knife, cutting shallow diagonal lines to create a crosshatch pattern.
11. Brush the top again with the egg wash.
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.

Slice, then serve!

Serves 2

How-to video