2018 Holiday Gift Guide for The Food Lover!

By: The Food Hunter

If there's someone in your life that is adventurous in the kitchen, the holidays are the perfect time to gift them a cool new kitchen tool or food product. To make your shopping easier I've gathered some of my favorite items that I feel every at-home chef and/or food lover will enjoy. While you are browsing the list below don't forget to purchase something for your own kitchen! 

The JK Adams Slate Rectangle Serving Trays are decorated with a beautiful illustrations of food. These slate servers are an elegant way to present your favorite appetizers or cheese course.

Cutting boards are one of those things that pretty much everyone uses. The Walnut Boos Boards are crafted of a single piece of wood, making them both durable and fancy. I use them interchangeably for cutting and serving foods.

Everyone needs a beautiful casserole dish that can go straight from the oven to the table. The Rachael Ray Cityscapes Ceramic 9"x13" Rectangular Baker in Dark Sea Salt Gray is just that. Perfect for baking and serving an array of dishes the baker is dishwasher, microwave, oven and freezer safe.

A good Dutch Oven is essential to the home cook. The Anolon Advanced Graphite 2-in-1 5 Qt. Dutch Oven & 10" Everything Pan, allows busy home cooks to prepare today’s popular one-pot and one-pan recipes with greater ease and convenience. The pan doubles as a lid for the Dutch oven saving space in small kitchens. This pan/pot is extremely versatile and easy to maintain.

If presentation is half the battle this gorgeous tart dish from Emile Henry is a guaranteed winner. The rectangular shape and high sides will give a new dimension to  tarts, quiches, and clafoutis. 

The high quality and uniqueness of the Circulon Elementum 15" Open Oval Grill Pan makes it a wonderful addition to everyone's kitchen. The pan is crafted of fast and even-heating hard-anodized aluminum and features a nonstick interior and exterior surface for added convenience and durability.

The baker in all of us will love this Sheet Pan with Nonstick Baking Mat from Ayesha Bakeware. Constructed of uncoated aluminized steel for efficient heat distribution and even baking the durable sheet pan is also nonstick with the addition of a flexible silicone baking sheet. The pan's rolled edges provide a confident hand hold even when wearing bulky oven mitts.

Some of the best Italian olive oil comes from Poggio Cappiano estate, run by Fabrizzio Mazzantini.T his family owned and operated olive groove produces 3 varietals of some of the most amazing olive oil I've ever tasted. Best drizzled over vegetables, meats or fresh bread.

Avissi Prosecco is a brilliant sparkling wine from the Veneto region of Italy. The bouquet reveals fragrant aromas of honeysuckle with refreshing flavors of green apple and ripe pear, and a delicate finish. A superb aperitif, ideal with any meal.

ZOS is the only wine saver that eliminates 100% of the oxygen that can spoil wine. Simply insert it into an open bottle of wine and the cartridge immediately begins to absorb the oxygen preserving the remaining contents within minutes. ZOS fits into most 750ml bottles of wine and cartridges last for up to 10 bottles depending on oxygen exposure. 

Basil Hayden's Bourbon uses a one-of-a-kind recipe with twice as much rye as traditional bourbons to create its trademark spicy finish.Artfully aged and bottled at 80 proof, Basil Hayden's Bourbon is a light-bodied, smooth, super-premium whiskey. Sip it neat or on the rocks to appreciate its slight honey and pepper tasting notes, or mix it up in a classic or contemporary cocktail.

Braised Pork Shanks With Prosciutto and Porcini Mushrooms

By: The Food Hunter

When the cold weather finally sets in here in Arizona I will be ready with this hearty braised pork shank recipe I found on Epicurious.com. The reconstituted porcini mushrooms and chopped prosciutto add a touch of intense flavor and sophistication to this otherwise bowl of pure comfort food.

Braised Pork Shanks With Prosciutto and Porcini Mushrooms

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
4 whole fresh pork shanks with rind (each 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped leek (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 ounces prosciutto, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
3 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Place porcini mushrooms in small bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling water over and let stand until mushrooms soften, at least 30 minutes. Drain and chop mushrooms; reserve soaking liquid.

Preheat oven to 325F. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add pork, in batches if necessary, and saut until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to rimmed baking sheet.

Spoon off and discard all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, leek, celery, and prosciutto. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft and beginning to color, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Mix in garlic and chopped porcini. Add wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add broth and reserved mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment in bowl. Mix in 1 teaspoon sage and 1 teaspoon rosemary. Return pork and any accumulated juices to pot, arranging in single layer.

Bring pork mixture to boil, cover pot, and place in oven. Braise pork until very tender, turning over every 30 minutes, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Simmer until just warm before continuing.

Preheat oven to 425F. Transfer pork to rimmed baking sheet. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sage, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and black pepper. Roast pork until browned, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, tilt pan and spoon any fat from surface of sauce. Boil until sauce coats spoon lightly, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon sauce onto large shallow platter or divide among 4 shallow bowls. Top sauce with pork, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Insider's View Wine Dinner

By: The Food Hunter

I've said it before, and it still holds true, the Insider's View Wine Dinner at Different Pointe of View Restaurant is by far my favorite in the city.  Featuring top winemakers from around the world and amazing cuisine prepared tableside; the 12 person only event is an up-close and intimate food and wine experience.

The evening begins with an outdoor sunset wine reception hosted by a representative of the featured vineyard.  Guests are able to mix and mingle, while sipping wine, munching on small bites and admiring the fabulous city skyline.

The fun continues in the main dining room where Executive Chef Anthony DeMuro prepares a five-course dinner, entirely table-side. While watching Chef DeMuro perform his culinary magic guests are privy too insider stories from the wine representative.

On a recent visit we had the pleasure of dining with Sandy Walheim, winemaker from Francis Ford Coppola's Virginia Dare Winery. Every wine we tasted in the collection had a story which Sandy graciously shared with us through out the night.

The Insider's View experience consists of several courses which Chef DeMuro expertly pairs with a different varietal of the vinter's wine. The first course featured the fruit forward Virginia Dare Pinot Noir accompanied by chef's sous vide duck breast and golden lentils.

Up next was the bold and slightly spicy Lost Colony red blend, served along side an earthy mushroom risotto.

This was followed by a glass of Director's Cut Cinema paired with bison and smoked maple sweet potatoes.

The grande finale, which was my favorite of the evening, was a flat bread topped with a flavorful tomato reduction, thinly sliced beef, grated Parmesan and shaved truffles. Served with a glass of Eleanor this course was amazing!

If you are looking for a unique and delicious wine dinner in Phoenix I highly recommend the Insider's View Dinner at Different Pointe of View....Be sure to come hungry!!!

Pin-Wheel Style Beef Brasciole

By: The Food Hunter
Italian braciole is pieces of rolled and tied beef which are filled with various ingredients. Braciole is often cooked in "gravy" (Italian red pasta sauce) but can also be grilled like Mario Batali's recipe below.

The filling ingredients vary depending on who you ask. Though most include the basic mix of cheese, meat and herbs.


 

Pin-Wheel Style Beef Brasciole

(adapted from Mario Batali)

2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 ounces thinly sliced salami, cut into 1/4-inch-wide matchsticks
8 ounces Italian Fontina, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Cheese
1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
One 10-inch-long beef tenderloin roast cut from the
tenderloin (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), butterflied

salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, add the garlic, parsley, salami, fontina, Parmigiano, breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup of olive oil, and mix well to combine. Set aside. 

Cut six 15-inch-long pieces of kitchen twine. Open out the beef, season on both sides with salt and pepper, and place it on a work so a long side is toward you. Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the beef, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the side farthest from you; press and gently pack the stuffing mixture onto the beef to keep it in place. 

 

Starting from the side nearest you, roll up the meat like a jelly roll, pressing any stuffing that falls out of the ends back into the roll, and tie tightly with the twine, spacing the ties evenly. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to make a compact roll, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight. 

Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Carefully unwrap the beef roll and, using a very sharp knife, cut it between the ties into six thick pinwheels. Brush gently on both sides with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Gently lay the pinwheels on the hottest part of the grill and cook, unmoved, for 5 to 7 minutes. Using a thick spatula, carefully turn each pinwheel over and cook for about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare.