The Holiest of Moles

By Maggie Radzwiller

Have you often considered the similarities between a great bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape and a fabulous mole? No? Well you should. The French blend thirteen different grape varietals to create their masterpiece, originally in homage to the Pope. Nuns in central Mexico once fretted about what to serve an incoming Archbishop and literally combined almost all that they had together to create the national dish celebrated at feasts today. Both are expressions of love that have been handed down generation to generation for us to enjoy.

If you’ve got the time to craft your own mole, go for it. (Hope you have all 20 ingredients on hand!) If you don’t, Dean & DeLuca’s San Angel Black Mole Sauce is a luxurious, rich sauce that will help you to create an authentic Mexican meal in minutes. This is a sauce that will give you pleasure with year-round recipes. You don’t even have to turn on the oven or grill in the summer!

Mole Chicken Tacos with Farmers’ Market Salsa
1 jar San Angel Black Mole Sauce
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded, cooking juices reserved
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
8 oz. crumbled queso fresco
Flour or corn tortillas, 3 per person

Just before you’re ready to serve the tacos, warm the sauce with the reserved cooking juices on the stove and stir in the shredded chicken. What could be faster? Simply wrap your tortillas in a paper towel and microwave for 60 seconds. Garnish with the shredded lettuce, salsa and cheese.

Farmers’ Market Salsa
2 fist-sized ripe tomatoes, finely diced 1 c chopped red onion

1 jalapeno, finely minced
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced

½ teaspoon of each: Dean & DeLuca Cyprus Flake Salt, Ground Tellicherry Peppercorns and Ancho Powder

Combine all the ingredients and enjoy with your tacos.

Serve with a great summer lettuce salad, rice or refried beans.

Filed under: chicken, maggie radzwiller, mexican, mole, recipe, salsa, san angel, sauce, tacos

Do You Yuzu?

By Maggie Radzwiller

Hardly the Marilyn Monroe of citrus, this sometimes knobby, splotchy and irregular shaped fruit seems to have taken the culinary world by storm. A cross between a Mandarin orange and an Ichang lemon, Yakami Orchards has made a Yuzu marmalade that bursts with the freshest, most intense fruit flavor I have ever tasted.

Yakami Orchards is located in one of the most beautiful places on Earth on the Miyazaki Prefecture, the Southernmost Island of Japan. If you’ve ever dreamed about escaping to a deserted island, this is the one!

From this amazing island, the Yuzu is now available in the form of a marmalade that has incredible diversity. Yes, it’s just fine on Cream Cheese Biscuits or an H & H Bagel. However this is one totally essential pantry item that begs you to explore your inner chef.

Asian Beef Salad with Yuzu-Ponzu Dressing
Yield: 2 entrées or 24 canapés

Entrée salads:
-2 lbs steak, tri-tip or Brandt Private Reserve Flat Iron
-1each: red, yellow, orange Holland peppers
-1 large English cucumber
-1 medium red onion
-1 bunch cilantro

Yuzu-Ponzu Dressing:
-2 T Yuzu Marmalade
-2 T ponzu sauce
-2 T sesame oil
-1½ c. rice wine vinegar

Canapés:
-2 English cucumbers, each cut in to 12 1” round pieces

Grill the steak to your preferred doneness. Allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes and then refrigerate it for about an hour. Because it will firm up and be twice as easy to cut.

The trick to this recipe is cutting all of the ingredients the same way. Try a technique used by chefs and it will reduce your prep time to a mere 15 minutes.

First, set each item up so that you can easily dice it. Cut your steak in to even, thin slices. Put the slices in to a stack. Holding it firmly and using a very sharp knife slice it lengthwise in to strips that are the same size as the slices. Then finalize the dice by going in the short length next.

Create a flat side on the cucumber and turn it so that the flat side is against the cutting board. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, removing the pith and seeds. Cut the onion in half and break it down the same as the steak. Chop the cilantro. Combine all of the ingredients.

Pour the dressing over the beef salad and toss. If making canapés, use a melon scoop to create a pouch in to each slice and spoon the salad in. Delish!

Use this same recipe with fish like a cleaned, whole red snapper. Place it in an aluminum foil pouch, pour the dressing on, wrap it securely and cook it on top of a grill or in the oven for about 20 minutes.

I definitely yuzu and so should you.

Filed under: canapes, japan, maggie radzwiller, Marmalade, recipe, salad, steak, yakami, Yuzu

So Many Salts, So Little Time

by Maggie Radzwiller

Why on Earth would one need all these different salts?

Salt is salt.

Just like white wine is white wine. Chardonnay is like Viognier.

And red wine is red wine. Zinfandel is like Pinot Noir.

Meat is meat, right? Rib Eyes are like Filets.

Fish is just fish. Tuna is like Halibut.

Get it?

As you create and establish your own palette of salts and spices, you should feel free to experiment. Why buy pre-made blends when you can create your own? You’ll need a mortar and pestle or that old coffee grinder out of your cupboard. Begin with the Dean & DeLuca Salt Essentials and add to them whatever other herbs you fancy, as we’ve done below.

If you’re looking to season your pork tenderloin in a way that will have your dining companions thinking that you’re a shoe-in for Top Chef, Salt Essentials’ Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt, yellow mustard seeds, star anise and Dean & DeLuca Quatre Spices will do the trick.

-1 T Alaea salt
-1 t Quatre Spice
-¼ t mustard seeds
-2 pieces star anise

Try a cowboy steak blend made with the chardonnay and oak-smoked Fumee de Sel salt, chili powder, marjoram and ancho chile powder for a little extra kick. All can be found online in our spice and herb section.

-1 T Fumee de Sel salt

-1 t chili powder

-1 t marjoram

-pinch Dean & DeLuca Ancho Chile Powder

Making a killer batch of pasta sauce with those farmer’s market tomatoes? Consider making your own signature blend with the collection’s Cypress Flake Mediterranean sea salt, crushed red pepper, tellicherry peppercorns and Dean & DeLuca Herbs for Meat.
-1 Cypress Flake Mediterranean salt
-2 t Herbs for Meat
-½ t tellicherry peppercorns
-½ t crushed red pepper flakes

Whipping up Saag Paneer? This time use the Murray River Salt, Dean & DeLuca Curry Powder Blend, Tellicherry Peppercorns and tarragon.
-1 T Murray River salt
-2 t Curry Powder Blend
-½ t tellicherry peppercorns
-1 t tarragon

With that beautiful piece of Mako, blend Dean & DeLuca Candied Flowers with the Himalayan Pink Salt.

-2 of each flower to 1 T salt

Have fun and take chances. Create an edible work of art!

Filed under: collection, edible flowers, flavored, herb, maggie radzwiller, mortar, pestle, recipe, rub, salt, sea, spice

Barbecue Sauce for Grown-Ups

By Maggie Radzwiller

Let’s face it, there’s an over-abundance of barbecue sauces on the market. But just like beer, salsa, and mustard, we all have one that strikes a chord and makes us think there’s simply no way that we could find one better. You just know that it’ll make a lot of your favorite foods taste even better.

The Dean & DeLuca Black Truffle Barbecue Sauce is just that for me. It’s become something far more than a sauce that I brush on my meat or vegetables near the end of their cooking time. I baste it on seasoned pork ribs, wrapped in foil, oven braised and grilled (yes, I baste more of the sauce on when it hits the grill!) The full flavor of the sauce can be tasted all the way down to the bone.

All of us have a myriad of condiments and sauces in the fridge. How many times have we held them in our hands and tried to remember just how long they’ve been in there? My advice to you is to not buy just one bottle as this one can be savored and enjoyed in a single day. No need to worry about a “best if enjoyed by” date on this bottle.

It can morph into your new favorite marinade by combining it with red wine or sherry vinegar. It’s much lower in carbs than other barbecue sauces but still bullish on the truffles and tomato. Also, try blending it into some ground lamb to discover your next best burger.

Barbecued Pork or Beef Ribs
1 rack of ribs, about 3 ½ lbs., cut in to equal halves
Yield: Dinner for 4 or appetizer for 6
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Double-layer 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil under the racks
Season meat liberally with Dean & DeLuca Chile Powder Blend

Baste with ½ a 13.5 oz jar of Dean & DeLuca Black Truffle Barbecue Sauce

Wrap the rack, 1 segment over the other, into a neat pouch with seams facing up
Cook in the oven for an 1½ hours (or until there’s a slight “jiggle” at the bone)
Finish on your grill and baste with the remaining sauce

You can also keep them for several days until needed in the fridge to save you time

Truffle Burger
Yield: 4 burgers
2 lbs. of ground beef or lamb
2 shallots, peeled and minced
1 bunch of parsley, minced
¼ cup Dean & Deluca Black Truffle Barbecue Sauce
2 Tablespoons red wine
½ teaspoon Dean & DeLuca Truffle Salt
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and cover with plastic wrap
Marinate for at least 2 hours
Divide the meat into 4 burgers
Form into patties that are thinner than ¾” (they will plump as you cook them)
Cook in a pan or on the grill to your favorite doneness

Remember: Pressing the burgers down will cause the juices and flavors to escape

Ultra-Easy Marinade
Yield: 3½ lbs. split chicken and several steaks
½ a jar of Dean & DeLuca Black Truffle Barbecue Sauce
¼ c. of either red wine or sherry vinegar
Mix together and combine with your favorite protein in a zip lock bag overnight

Dean & DeLuca Ancho Butter
Yield: 4 ears of corn and 3 lbs of other veggies
½ a stick of butter
½ teaspoon of Dean & DeLuca Ancho Chile Powder
1 lime, juiced
Combine all ingredients and melt
Brush on your favorite vegetables and grill

Filed under: ancho, barbecue, bbq, burger, butter, grill, maggie radzwiller, marinade, recipe, ribs, sauce, summer, truffle

Surprise Guests? No Time? No Problem.

by Maggie Radzwiller

“You’ve invited the Van Helsings to stay with us this weekend? How do you expect me to pull this together with the way our schedules are this week? Have you lost your mind?”

Since one of my real lives is that of a caterer, I wouldn’t normally tell you this but I have the perfect solution for the tragic couple.

If you’re reading this blog you already know how to get to the Dean & DeLuca website, but let me guide you to my favorite items that are a mere UPS delivery away.

Okay. You get to the house with minutes to spare. It’s important that the best but simplest to prepare be served first this evening. By the time your guests arrive you have the Terrabianca Italian Antipasti (grilled eggplant, cipollini onions, marinated artichokes and Taggiasca olives) in bowls, served with focaccia and of course Negroni cocktails!

Since you’re still unwinding from your week, I think the Rack of Lamb Meal is the way to go for dinner. Rack of lamb, garlic mashed potatoes and braised artichokes – delish or what? Enjoy your antipasti and cocktails while your dinner is in the oven.

What to drink with dinner? Dean & DeLuca has put together a Pinot Noir Tour that features distinctly different personalities of wine that will allow you to conduct your own wine tasting while you dine. Hey, you’re not driving so take this opportunity to enjoy it!

No worries for breakfast the next morning. A platter of Daniel Boulud Salmon, Smoked Sturgeon and Smoked Sable. All you’ll need is some lovely dark bread or bagels and cream cheese. Don’t forget the Counter Culture Coffee!

This should help to get you to a good survival point where you can catch up and enjoy your weekend. Take my advice and go out for lunch on Saturday!

A great start to your Saturday dinner are the Southwestern Hors d’oeuvres, paired with my “maggie”ritas and the best guacamole recipe.

Get the freshest veggies from your local farmer’s market, if you’re not near a Dean & DeLuca. For the best beef you’ll ever have, heat the grill and throw on your favorite cut from the Brandt selection. Since you’re cooking for the Van Helsings, I think you’d better go for the strips. Consider making a crumbled blue cheese and balsamic sauce for the steaks.

A very selectively-allocated and precious wine, the Antiqvs Pisoni Vineyard Syrah is available through the website at a special price right now. This wine will fully stand up to the task of these flavors.

You will look like the most organized, efficient and talented hosts ever. Your only problem – you may never get rid of the Van Helsings.

“Maggie”ritas
I can’t take any credit because it is the authentic method:
-Equal parts of really good tequila, fresh lime juice and Cointreau (unless you can get your hands on an orange liqueur from Mexico)
-Shake!

Guacamole
-2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and smashed (not pureed, leave small chunks)
-1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
-1 serrano chile, seeds removed, very finely diced
-1 lime, zest finely grated or microplaned and juice
-2 T. red onion, finely chopped
-Salt and pepper to taste
Serves 4

Negroni Cocktails
-Equal parts of a good gin such as No. 209, sweet vermouth and Campari
-Shake and serve with a lemon twist and orange slice

Filed under: appetizer, brandt beef, catering, diy, guacamole, hosting, maggie radzwiller, recipe, wine

A Marriage Made in Heaven & Savored Here on Earth

by Maggie Radzwiller

It made perfect sense to me when I heard that Dean & DeLuca had partnered their coffee program to feature the seasonal varietals offered by Counter Culture Coffee. Both companies are known for uncompromising standards of quality and perfection – as well as having a lot of fun doing their job!

Most importantly for me is that Counter Culture Coffee happens to be “my home team”. It was here in Durham, North Carolina that the sustainable and community-based coffee company started in 1995. As far as I could tell, Counter Culture Coffee could have just as easily been called “Coffee with a Conscience”. How many companies actually care abut the impact that growing, cultivating and developing fields have upon wildlife in the region? How many companies want their farmers to be treated like rock stars instead of taking the praise and merely shielding the growers’ identities?

I was opening a restaurant with two other chefs in Durham and was asked to meet with Fred Houk, who, along with Brett Smith, had decided to begin their venture. After meeting with Fred, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that we both had missions of being the best. Fred wanted to give each and every customer exactly what they wanted instead of what he thought you should have. Each and every account was given as much poetic license to develop their own blends to match their personalities.

Fast forward to the present. Fifteen years later, when most companies can rest on their reputations, the bar is raised for both Counter Culture Coffee and Dean & DeLuca. Mark Daley, CEO of Dean & DeLuca succinctly put it, “Once you stop trying to be the best, you’ll fail.”

In addition to being able to stop in to one of their locations for the best cup of coffee that you’ve ever had, you’ll be able to buy both fresh and pre-bagged beans. For those of you who don’t live near a Dean & DeLuca, no worries – the seasonal varietals are available on the website.

Since seasonal coffees, like any other produce, have peaks of freshness, don’t get too attached to a specific varietal. But as one goes out of season, know that Dean & DeLuca will choose another to fill the shoes of the one you loved with one that just might be better than the last!

If you’re truly a coffee junkie add a shot of Counter Culture Coffee to your favorite ketchup or BBQ sauce (like the Dean & DeLuca Black Truffle Barbeque Sauce). You can also add finely ground coffee to your favorite steak seasoning or blends such as the Dean & DeLuca Moroccan Rub.

My favorite? When I tasted the Ndaroini-Nyeri, a single lot from the foothills of Mt. Kenya, it was like being wrapped in a thick, plush robe at an aromatherapy spa. The aromas of cassis and rich chocolate smelled like I was baking a lava cake. Incredibly, it was just as terrific iced. So refreshing during the dog days of summer.

Enjoy this original recipe.

Ndaroini-Nyeri Single Lot Lava Cakes

This recipe works best if you have a coffee press pot or an espresso machine.

-Six 4-oz. soufflé cups
– 2 shots of Counter Culture Coffee Ndaroini Nyeri Single Lot Coffee made in an espresso machine or 3 oz. press pot coffee
– 13 oz. of Dean & Deluca’s best bittersweet chocolate

– 4 extra large eggs
– ¹⁄₂ c. sugar
– ¹⁄₄ c. of room temperature unsalted butter
– ¹⁄₃ + 1 T. all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray the six 4-oz. soufflé cups with pan release and place them on a rimmed baking pan.

Prepare the coffee. Place the chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave or in the top of a double boiler. Stir until smooth and set aside.

Stir the coffee in to the chocolate to combine. In a separate bowl whisk the sugar and butter until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time until well combined. Add the flour. Stir only enough to moisten the flour. Stir in the coffee chocolate mixture until smooth.

Divide the batter in to the soufflé cups. Bake in the center of your oven for 12 minutes, until the edges just begin to form a crust but with the center slightly loose in the center.

Turn them upside down and serve immediately with slightly sweetened whipped cream.

Maggie Radzwiller is a nationally-recognized chef and restaurant veteran known for thinking outside the box. For nearly 25 years, she has worked in everything culinary managing and operating restaurants from coast to coast. She currently owns Comfort Cuisine, a personal chef and catering company in Durham, North Carolina and acts as the in-house chef for Lowcountry Produce. Maggie has been recognized in The New York Times, Southern Living, Esquire Magazine, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine and USA Today. John Mariani of Esquire Magazine says, “What Maggie Radzwiller doesn’t know about the restaurant business isn’t worth knowing.”

Filed under: cake, coffee, counter culture, dessert, espresso, iced, kenya, lava, maggie radzwiller, recipe