Judging the Garlic Festival Cook-off

The Gilroy Garlic Festival is to celebrate its 35th year on July 26, 27, 28, 2013.  Chef Wendy Brodie has been the consultant to the Cook Off competition as well as judging each of the past many years and again this year on July 27th the competition will take place on the cook-off stage.  This year Wendy will also be an emcee during the event.  The festival is one of the best run festival in the U.S. and has received accolades and has been copied by many other events throughout the country as well as some in foreign countries.  There are close to 200 enterants sending in their favorite recipes, from around the country, even Canada, for acceptance.  The review committee has first crack at them to determine if they are meetiing all the contest criteria.  They are then scrutinized to assure they meet the rest of the criteria such as length of time to prepare and ingredients.  When they get to Wendy there are about 50+ and she reviews them for a further sampling of diversity and reasonabilness thus ending up with about 20 to cook and sample for final entrance into the contest.  There will be 10 recipes selected, 8 of which will compete and the other 2 as stand-by just in case one of the top 8 is not there at the time.  Wendy is joined by 5 to 10 volunteers from the Garlic Festival committee to come to her home and help cook all of them.  Incidentely her home by then has that wonderful arroma of the "Stinking Rose".  Please plan to attend this terrific festival including the Cook Off; you will be excitedlly entertained.  www.gilroygarlicfestival.com and 408-842-1625.  Hope to see you there.

Chef Wendy Brodie on Comcase Channel 19

TV channel on Comcast, Channel 19 will be airing on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 with guests Chef Wendy Brodie and Bob Bussinger to discuss Thanksgiving ideas from soup and nuts to table decor and much more. Tune in at 1:00 pm.

Wendy Brodie to Meals on Wheels

The Meals on Wheels, Monterey, Culinary Classique d'Elegance 2012.  This is the 16th year of this exciting event.  Wendy has participated each year and has, at times, had local chefs particiate with her.  The event details:  Sunday, November 18, 2012 @ The Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach.  Reception and silent auction is 4:30 PM to 5:454 PM.  Table viewing is 5:45 PM to 6:00 PM.  and then on to the food and live auction at 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.  Wendy will have her friend/chef Arlene Mead in the kitchen as well as several other friends assisting.  Also with friend serving the wonderful creations thus prepared.  The table decorations will have been accomplished by Monique Gardiner and Cheryl Fournier. Anticipating a sold-out group again as is every year.  To check out further informaton go to:  www.mowmp.org for more information.
Cheers and Bon Appetite!

Recipe: Chicken Roulade

 

         

 

ART OF FOOD

Catering & Cooking Classes

 

              

Chicken Roulade

Ingredients: Makes 1 roll

1 Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless

1/4 cup Spinach, wilted
1/4 cup Mushrooms, thin sliced and sautéed
1/4 Red Bell Pepper, 1/4 inch strips sautéed
2 Tbl Caramelized onions
Plastic Wrap
String (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Procedure:

Lay out the chicken breast, with the side down that had the skin, between two sheets of plastic wrap. Place on a heavy chopping block or cutting board. Pound with a flat surfaced tenderizing hammer (not textured). Flatten to a 1/4 inch thickness, shaping as you pound so it does not leave gaps in the meat. However, don’t worry if you have some gaps, it will roll up nicely anyway.

Assembly:

Remove and discard the top sheet of plastic wrap. Season breast with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. **Then lay out the wilted spinach, leaving about an inch on each side clear. Next lay the cooked mushrooms, red bell peppers and caramelized onions centered in a mounded line in the same direction as you will roll the breast up.

Roll the breast tightly, using the plastic wrap to keep it secure. Be careful not to roll the plastic wrap inside the roulade. When rolled very tight, holding each end of the plastic wrap twist each end in opposite directions. This will create the sausage like roulade and tighten it even more. Then tie the ends with string or use plastic wrap stretched out like a string.

**Place spinach in a microwave bowl, cover with plastic wrap and heat about 50 seconds. Spinach should be just wilted and not watery.

Cut mushrooms into thin slices and sauté in a little vegetable oil until tender and season with salt and pepper.

Cut red bell pepper into 1/4 inch strips and sauté in a little vegetable oil until tender, season with salt and pepper.

To caramelized onions, place chopped onions in a sauté pan over low heat with a little cooking oil. Slowly sauté until transparent and a bit golden but not too dark. The slow sauté allows the sugars of the onion to come out and cause the browning.

Cooking:

In a large pot of simmering water, place the roulades and poach for about 15-minutes, remove from the water and rest for about 10-minutes. Cut one end of plastic wrap and squeeze out chicken and juice (save juice for sauce). To cut the roulade shave slice each end for a flat surface, then make a diagonal cut in the center (sometimes you can get three pieces out of one roulade).  Then stand roulade upright on plate, for main course.

Sauce:  In a sauce pan combine juices from roulades with chicken stock and a little cream sherry.  To thicken dilute a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch with water, stock or sherry until dissolved slowly whisking into boiling liquid until it coats the back of a spoon.  May need to season with a little salt and pepper.

Note:  Can be used for hors d’oeuvres:  One can also make 1/4 inch rounds (not too thin as to have them come apart) for hors d’oeuvres.  Serve hot or cold on a crouton, croustade, etc.

 

              

 

 

 

 

Wendy Brodie's Exciting two-tone soup

Go to www.Facebook.com/ChefWendyBrodie to see photo.

As seen on Public Television
Two-Tone Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients:
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup (recipe follows)
Creamed Tomato Soup (recipe follows)
Crème Fraiche

Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
2 Tbls. Oil, cooking
1⁄2 cup Onion, yellow, chopped
1⁄4 cup Celery, chopped
1⁄4 cup Carrots, finely chopped
1 clove Garlic, finely chopped
1 1⁄2 cups Tomatoes, crushed
1 cup Tomato or V8 Juice
1⁄2 cup Cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
In a sauté pan, heat 2 cooking oil, sauté chopped onions, chopped celery, chopped carrots and chopped garlic. When they are softened, add crushed tomatoes, tomato juice and cream. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add to blender and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup

Ingredients:
3 Bell Peppers, Red
2 Tbls. Oil
1 Onion, yellow, large, chopped
2 Shallots, large, chopped
1 clove Garlic, chopped
3⁄4 cup Dry Sherry
1 cup Chicken Stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
Roast bell peppers until the skin turns black. Place peppers in a plastic bag and secure end, allowing the peppers to self-steam in bag for about 10 minutes to loosen skin. Remove from bag and pull off skin and take seeds out. Chop into large pieces and set aside.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and sauté chopped onion, chopped shallots, and chopped garlic. Add dry sherry and cook for 15 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Add chicken stock. Cook for about another 10 minutes. Add reserved bell peppers and simmer a few more minutes.

Place soup in blender and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Set aside until the next soup is ready.

Procedure:
Using a piece of cardboard or plastic, pour the soups in the same bowl separately. If the soups are thick enough, pour them simultaneously in either side of the bowl. Garnish with crème Fraiche.

P.O. Box 221940

Carmel, CA 93922

Phone: 831-626-9000

Fax: 831-626-9001

http://www.ArtofFoodTV.com

wendy@ArtofFoodTV.com

As seen on Public Television

Catering Awarded

Hi from the depths of Carmel Highlands on the Central Coast of California.  I am renewing my connections by publishing this note.  Our catering business, dba: Lincoln Court Catering, has just received a most prestigious award for "the Best of Carmel Awards in the Wedding Reception Locations & Services Category" by the Carmel Award Program committee.  Thank you Carmel by the Sea for this great recognition!

The Magic of Ventana Inn & Spa at Big Sur, CA

We are just now coming out of the wonderful aura of a couple of days spent at the Ventana Inn and Spa in glorious Big Sur.  We had two days in a luxurious room which is complete in every detail:  the mattress; ‘juuuust right’, hot tub, shower, television, location, view, all the necessary amenities and more.  The maid service is exceptional as well, everything in its right place, plenty of it and of great quality.  The joint heads of Housekeeping, Rosa and Vicente are true landmarks of Ventana.  So that being so magical; there’s more.  All the maids, bellmen, desk clerks are wonderfully pleasant and helpful.  David the Landscape manager has done and maintains a most lush and beautifully appropriate environment throughout the property.  The pathway to the Restaurant is a must to allow more of the magic of Ventana to seep in. Even a pleasant guided hike around the property with Dava or any of the available guides gives you an in depth approach to the history and environment of Ventana and Big Sur.  Thanks to Steve Copeland for his staff of hikers.  Lunch and dinners at the Restaurant at Ventana has always been and still is a terrific experience, or should I say adventure.  Food and Beverage director Kara Stout is the essence of hospitality.  She is most gracious in hosting and looking after guests while dining.  Executive Chef Truman Jones is quite accomplished in food innovation, presentation and ah, the flavors.  His chef’s tasting selections were indeed superb.  The rest of the staff at the restaurant is equally admirable; Matt the wine man, Richard the server/dining-room manager, Karlene the smiling hostess and all the servers, bartenders and cooks.  Especially great to see Chico at the grill; he’s been there, that we know of, for over 25-years; the same with Richard and Matt.  It seems that every department still maintains employees for that length of time and even longer.  We just couldn’t miss the Ventana Store with its unique array of art, gifts and practical and wear-able items.  Under the direction of Store Manager, Brigga Mosca it maintains a current style and content in all aspects.  We had memorable massages at the Spa, having selected deep tissue as our particular style and even at wine and cheese time they give a complimentary neck and back massage as you melt into another of Ventana’s special amenities.  And yes, even Yoga classes.  The man directing all of these wonderful adventures is General Manager Steve Johnson who is ever present in all areas watchful and contributing to guests’ wants, needs and pleasure.  Congratulations on your hospitality and your great staff.  We returned home enveloped in lifted spirits, restful reflections and overall peace and tranquility.  Camelot could not have http://jdvhotels22px.trvlclick.com/hotels/centralcoast/ventana