Another Over The Top Cognac Birthday

Sometimes I feel like I’m trying to do the splits – and at my age that is nearly impossible. I love the life we have made for ourselves. It’s simple, filled with God and built on faith. My cup truly overflows with joy.

But then again, I have always been drawn to the finer things in life. The formal dinner table so to speak. I’m attracted to the classics, to fine china and linens and all the things that do not go well with barbecue unless you are recreating the scene at Twelve Oaks.

My father was an Okie. My mother came from influence. I suppose that might be why I feel at home in either world. Most of the time I’d rather entertain simply. Well, sort of simply. When we have a picnic, the food is not served on paper plates. I even have plastic wine glasses in my picnic basket that look like crystal. My son once told me I don’t understand the concept of a picnic because there should not be dishes to wash afterwards. I say just because you are eating outdoors does not mean you cannot do so in style.

Today is my birthday. It is also National Cognac Day and Cheese Day. Seems fitting to me. You can grill cheese in a sandwich or create a cheese board with creamy delights from all around the world. You can add cognac to various dishes or sip it while stinking up the world with smelly cigars.

This year Hubby is pulling out all the stops to give me a birthday that is classy and elegant with side trips to faith and God and simplicity. So I decided to create for you yet another of my “fantasy” menus. Some of the recipes we’ve shared before, others are new. All are delicious. Life is a celebration. Praise God!

Three-Course Cognac Celebration
Appetizers
Deep Fried Goat Cheese Balls
Cognac Shrimp with Beurre Blanc Sauce

Main Course
Seared Ribeye Steaks with Cognac Cream Sauce
Roasted Red Bliss Rosemary Potatoes
Char-Braised Basil Asparagus

Dessert
Cognac Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce

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Deep Fried Goat Cheese Balls
3 oz soft Goat Cheese
1/2 cup Cornstarch
1 teaspoon dried Thyme
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
1 Egg White
2 tablespoons Water
1 loaf Sourdough Bread
1/2 cup Butter, soft
Handful Arugula

Divide goat cheese into 6 equal pieces. Roll into balls. Transfer cheese balls to a plate lined with wax paper and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Mix thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper and breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Whisk egg white with water in another small bowl. Place cornstarch in a third bowl. Set the bowls aside.

Slice Sourdough Bread into 1-inch thick rounds. Brush bread rounds with butter. Arrange on a baking sheet, set aside. Heat oven to broil.

Heat skillet on medium for 3 minutes. Add oil (about 1/2 inch deep) and heat for another 3 minutes.

While the oil heats, warm bread rounds under the broiler until golden and lightly toasted yet still soft. Remove from oven, keep warm.

Remove goat cheese from freezer and generously coat each ball in cornstarch, then egg batter, then breadcrumbs.

Carefully place goat cheese balls in heated oil, turning with metal tongs every 3-4 seconds until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to remove excess grease.

Arrange Arugula in the center a serving platter. Arrange toasted bread rounds around the Arugula. Place goat cheese balls over the Arugula bed. Serve with a butter spreader to spread the warm cheese on the bread.

Cognac Shrimp with Beurre Blanc Sauce
Beurre Blanc Sauce
12 tablespoons Butter
1 Shallot
1/2 cup Dry White Whine
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
White Pepper to taste

Cut butter into 1-tablespoon pieces. Wrap and chill well. Peel and mince shallot, set aside.

Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer the shallots, white wine, and lemon juice in the pan until the mixture is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 8 minutes or so,

Add the cream and bring to just under a simmer. When the first few bubbles rise, turn the heat down slightly. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly. Allow each pat of butter to melt completely before adding the next.

Once the butter is fully incorporated, season the Beurre Blanc sauce with white pepper. Set aside.

Cognac Shrimp
24 (about 3/4 lb) Medium shrimp
5 tablespoons Butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Cognac
Basil for garnish

Rinse, deveine and pat shrimp dry. Set aside.

In a skillet over high heat, melt 5 tablespoons of butter. Sauté shrimp, turning several times, until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low, season the shrimp with salt. Carefully add the Cognac and stir thoroughly.

Divide shrimp between four small plates. Spoon the warm Beurre Blanc Sauce over the hot shrimp. Mince basil, garnish plates and serve.

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Seared Ribeye Steaks with Cognac Cream Sauce
Ribeye Steaks
2 bone-in Ribeye Steaks
Fresh Himalayan Pink Salt
Coarse Black Pepper
2 tablespoon Butter, soft
3 Garlic Cloves
Olive Oil

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Season generously on both sides with fresh salt and coarse pepper. Massage into the meat. Let steaks rest on the counter for about 20 minutes to allow the salt to do its thing.

Place soft butter in a small bowl. Peel garlic, press into the butter and set aside. Peel and mince shallot. Use a mortar and pestle to roughly crush the peppercorns. Set aside until ready to use.

Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Place a cast iron griddle on one side of the grill to warm. Once the griddle is hot, brush with olive oil.

Place steaks directly on the grate to sear about 3 minutes per side. Reduce heat below the griddle to medium-low. Transfer seared steaks to the griddle. Add about a tablespoon of garlic butter on each steak, letting butter melt over the meat and sizzle on the griddle. Turn steaks over, continue to cook to desired doneness.

Remove steaks to a warm platter. Cover and let rest while the sauce is made.

Cognac Cream Sauce
1 large Shallot
1 tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns
3 tablespoons Butter
1/3 cup Cognac
1/3 cup Heavy Cream

Peel and finely mince shallot. In a small cast iron skillet over medium heat sauté shallots until lightly browned. Add peppercorns and remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, allowing butter to melt and blend with the shallots. Simmer for about 2 minutes for the flavors to mingle, stirring frequently.

Remove skillet from heat, add the Cognac. Carefully return the skillet to the burner. DO NOT allow cognac to ignite. Simmer for a few minutes and let the Cognac reduce by half. Once reduced, add heavy cream. Simmer until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add any steak drippings that may have accumulated while the steaks were resting. Plate steaks, generously spoon Cognac Cream Sauce over the steaks.

Roasted Red Bliss Rosemary Potatoes
3 Garlic Cloves
2 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary
8 medium Red Potatoes
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter

Heat oven to 450-degrees.

Peel and mince garlic, set aside. Roughly chop rosemary, set aside. Wash potatoes and pat dry. Cut into large wedges.

Place potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Add garlic, rosemary, salt and white pepper. Toss well. (I’m one of those use your hands cooks, so I toss the potatoes around in my hands rather than to use a spoon).

Pour potatoes out onto a rimmed baking pan large enough to hold potatoes in a single layer. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes, shaking pan occasionally to allow for even roasting.

When the potatoes are nicely roasted on the outside, tender on the inside, add butter to the roasting pan. Cover and allow butter to melt. Swirl potatoes through the melted butter just before serving.

Char-Braised Basil Asparagus
1 lb Green Asparagus, trimmed
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Basil Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 Lemon, freshly squeezed juice only
Basil Leaves for garnish

Rinse the asparagus and trim off the ends, leaving spears about 8 inches long. Season asparagus with salt and pepper, set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat the Basil Olive Oil and butter to sizzling. Turn down the heat to medium and add the asparagus.

Using a broad spatula, turn the spears over from time to time until they are browned and become tender, about 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus.

While the asparagus chars, cut the lemon in half. Stack basil leaves and cut into small ribbons. Set aside.

Just before serving, squeeze half of a lemon over the asparagus. The pan will spurt and sizzle. Roll the asparagus in the sizzling juice, then transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with basil and serve at once.

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Cognac Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce
Poached Pears
2 medium firm Pears
1-3/4 cups Water
4 tablespoons Cognac
4 tablespoons Sugar
3/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 (2-inch) Cinnamon Stick

From the bottom core pears, leaving stems intact. Peel pears. If necessary, trim bottom to allow pears to sit level.

In a large saucepan mix water, cognac, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon stick. Place pears in the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and allow to simmer for 35 minutes or until pears are almost tender.

Drain pears; reserving poaching liquid. Allow pears to cool completely. While the pears are cooling, make the chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Sauce
3 oz Dark Chocolate (about 1/2-cup chocolate chips)
4 tablespoons Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Poaching Liquid

Note: If using solid chocolate, chop into smaller pieces.

Place chocolate, heavy cream and poaching liquid in a microwave safe bowl. Warm at 50% powder in 1 minutes intervals until the chocolate begins to melt, stirring between intervals until fully incorporated.

Place pears on dessert plates. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and serve with snifters of cognac.

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 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth