Filet Zanti

Do you remember those commercials from the Beef Council proclaiming "Beef. It's what's for dinner"? Those words have been going through my head all week.  So when it came time for dinner this evening, beef is exactly what I wanted!  Now, I don't know about you, but when I think beef, I think a thick, juicy steak, filet if possible.  So I pulled out one of my Special Requests cookbooks of recipes from area restaurants and decided on Filet Zanti from Zanti's Ristoranti.  Doesn't this look beautiful?  It was!  And do you know what else?  Making a meal this delicious is also easy.  Not only that, but this recipe serves one. So if you find yourself alone some evening, you can make this wonderful meal just for yourself.  It can easily be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled.  Here's another tip, no need to fire up the grill, particularly if you're making just one.  I cooked mine in a pan on top of the stove and it turned out beautifully.  Here is the recipe straight from the book; my dinner plate is pictured below.  

Doesn't mine look as pretty as the picture?  What are you waiting for?  Dig in!

Happy Friday!

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Foodie Friday @ Little Brick Ranch
Friday Favorites
Food on Friday
Fantabulous Friday
I'm Lovin' It Friday

Smoky Corn Chowder

No smoky barbecue for us this weekend.  With temperatures in the upper nineties, and humidity about the same, it's far too oppressive to be outside for more than a minute or two.  So we'll get our smoky goodness in this delicious Corn Chowder from SqWires Restaurant in St. Louis, another recipe from the SPECIAL REQUESTS cookbook.  Making soup in the heat of the summer may not strike you as the best choice for the season, but it is the perfect way to enjoy the fresh corn that is beginning to show up at local farm stands.  I have tasted a lot of corn chowder recipes, and this beats all of the others hands down. Perfect with a crusty roll and lightly dressed salad, a Cardinal victory will be the sweet dessert.

Smoky Corn Chowder

7 tablespoons butter, divided

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 slices bacon, diced

2 cups fresh corn kernels

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, minced

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced

1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

5 cups chicken stock

2 cups heavy cream

4 cups diced Yukon Gold potatoes

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste

To make a roux, melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat.  Add flour; cook, stirring frequently, until very lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.  Set aside.

In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon in remaining 1 tablespoon butter until crisp, about 6 minutes.  Add corn, onion, carrot and poblano pepper; saute until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder; cook about 2 minutes.  Add stock.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Add cream and potatoes; simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.  Gradually whisk in roux, cooking the soup for a few minutes after each addition, until the soup reaches the desired consistency.  (You may not need all of the roux.)  Add black pepper and salt to taste.

The best way to remove corn from the cob is with this handy little tool:

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INVOLTINI DI PETTI DE POLLO (Chicken Spiedini from Roberto's Trattoria)

I prepared a romantic dinner for two tonight as it was to be a relaxing evening with no baseball since the Cardinals had a day off after yesterday's Opening Day debacle game against the Padres (and I don't quite get why the day off so soon, but am thankful nonetheless after the performance by closer Ryan Franklin who, I might add, makes less of a closer than Kyra Sedgwick, but I digress). 


When spring hits our eating habits change abruptly.  We are avid baseball fans, so we spend more time watching the games than we do in the kitchen.  As a consequence we do a lot of grilling, make a variety of cold plate suppers (e.g. cold soups, chicken, shrimp or crab salad, cheese and fruit plates, etc.) and have lots of green salads ranging from a simple Caesar to a more complex grilled steak salad, or spicy, meat-filled taco salad. I welcome the change of seasons and this altered way of cooking.  


It's more relaxed and carefree and many things can be prepared early in the day, to be pulled out when it's time for dinner and enjoyed with a glass of chilled wine (or if the game's going badly, a shot of whiskey) with our feet up.  So tonight's dinner is one that will say farewell to winter.  We are looking forward to the lighter fare of spring. This absolutely heavenly dish is from a cookbook I mention a lot called Special Requests.  It is from a local restaurant and while it took a bit of time, it was certainly well worth it.  Treat yourself, and then take the summer off!

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