I can delicious Filet Mignon in Crust with secret sauce



Dear Folks,

as you know, sometimes, people manage to still surprise you and when such event is a positive one, it can overwhelming.

In food it is exactly the same but sometimes better, because it involves many senses, such as smell, taste, sight, etc…

Today I am going to share with you a wonderful recipe. I did not had it in a Restaurant but in the house of my friend Fil, apparently it was something that his Grandmother use to cook for him.

It is a dish with several steps, so bear with me, still it will be all worth it, and I am sure that your guests will be impressed as it is not a common dish, still delicious.

It is a filet mignon in crust served with a secret sauce.

Such combination of strong flavour’s require a strong full bodied Red Wine.

Bon Apetit

Chef Gourmet Du Art

Shopping List

3 large filet mignon steaks (two fingers high)

150g of Ham

Rosemary branches Q.B.

Garlic Cloves Q.B.

1 Pack of Millefoglie Pastry (multi-layer ready pastry)

1 Egg Yolk

1 container of Anchovies

1 container of Capers

Olive Oil (good quality) Q.B.

Fresh Parsley Q.B.

Preparation

Step 1) In a large grill pan rub it with olive oil (with garlic if you wish) and cook both side of the filet mignon steak (it is enough to make burn marks on both sides, leave it read in the middle (leave the steaks aside);

Step 2) Open the pastry in a tray, in the middle put the first steak (clean the blood before you place it in the pastry), add a slice of ham on top, and then a rosemary branch. Repeat it with all steaks and form a tower;

Step 3) Close the pastry by wrapping the tower. Make small slices on the top for better cooking;

Step 4) Pre-heat the hoven at 200°, place the pastry and control the cooking process, do not allow to burn, you can also from time to time try to turn the pastry for better cooking (be careful with liquids as the meat will release some blood);

Step 5) Whisk the Egg Yolk and cover the top of the pastry with it, let it be in the hoven for a few minutes still.

Step 6) When it is all cooked remove it from the hoven and let it rest for a bit;

Step 7) Crush four spoons of capers with anchovies, fresh parsley with a bit of olive oil. When you will have a smooth paste add more olive oil and mix it with a fork, place it in a sauce pot with a little spoon.

Step 8) Slice the pastry and serve one by person with the sauce over it.

Step 9) You can serve this delicious dish with hoven small potatoes if you wish.

I can delicious Lobster Claw with Paccheri Pasta - Astice con Paccheri



Dear Folks,

last Saturday my friend and neighbour and I, together with our families organized a Gourmet dinner. Our sole objective was to create a delicious meal using only fresh and quality ingredients.

Because all of us enjoy seafood and with the first glances of Autumn, Summer nostalgia is kicking in, we have decided to use as main ingredient “Lobster Claw”.

Therefore, we have split the shopping list and gather together a few hours in his beautiful kitchen and start experimenting. The end-result was a big Uau, it came really delicious, so it is time to share it with you all, the good followers of this Blog.

Please bare in mind that it is pasta, thus you need to eat it immediately after it is prepared. Use a nice chilled dry White Muller Thurgau from Italy.

Hope that you will enjoy it as much as we did. It can also be considered an aphrodisiac dish, so you can prepare it for your loved one.

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art

Shopping List:

Fresh and alive Lobster Claw (1 for every two adults circa 400g.)

2 large red onions

Chili Powder q.b.

2 Garlic cloves

400g of small fresh red tomatoes

100g of Fresh Basil

1 Lemon zest

1 small pack of Saffron

1 kg of Pasta Gragnano Paccheri (large loops), 200g for every two adults.

Salt q.b.

Black Pepper q.b.

1 small glass of Cognac

Step 1) Slice the tail out of the Lobster Claw and slice in two half’s the head, slice into pieces the tail;

Step 2) In a large frying pan fry the onions, together with the garlic and the Chili Powder;

Step 3) Remove the garlic from the pan and add the pieces of Lobster Claw;

Step 4) Turn the pieces of Lobster Claw, it should be all fried. Once you are comfortable with the level of cooking add the cognac. Be careful as it will catch fire, don’t worry, it is normal and wait till it finishes, take the lobster out, retrive the shell from the small pieces and crush the big ones;

Step 5) Add to the mixture the small tomatoes sliced in half’s and the chopped basil (the fresh tomatoes and basil should have been prepared a few hours before and kept in the fridge);

Step 6) Mix once in a while all the mixture, lower the fire, wait till the tomatoes melt into a delicious sauce, add salt and pepper to your taste;

Step 7) Bring to boiling point a large pan with water, add salt, lemon peel and the saffron wait 5 minutes, retrieve a cup of this mixture and keep it aside, add the pasta and count ten minutes (if the cooking time of the pasta is 13 minutes);

Step 8) Take the pasta out using a strainer;

Step 9) Pour the pasta into the frying pan where the sauce and the Lobster Claw is and mix it. Add the cup of the water of the pasta and cook it all for another 3 minutes;

Serve it in a large tray and eat it immediately, pasta should be eaten hot.

P.S. This Post is dedicated to Adriano who invented this delicious dish.

Another great secret from Italy



Dear Folks,

a few days ago, I had the pleasure of once again paying a visit to a wonderful restaurant on the shores of Lago Maggiore. This piece of heaven on earth, was the idyllic place to pay my homages to a great warm summer.

This restaurant is called Tiffany and it is inside the Hotel Camin located in the small town of Colmegna just a few kilometres out of Luino. Usually the west coast of the lake is more known to Tourists, but let me tell you that the east coast is a pleasant surprise where lovers of nature, sailing and relax, can find their inner self’s.

The restaurant overlooks the magnificent Lago Maggiore, and the particular location of Colmegna on the Lake give us a rare view of the full length of the lake towards south giving us the sensation of being at the sea.

The Hotel offers also a beautiful Lido, gardens by the lake, beach and Marina.

The restaurant is quite, chic, simple and beautiful, because we are close-by to Switzerland, many of its guests arrive from there and many come by boat.

You will not get disappointed with food and wine, after all you are in Italy. Even the most exquisite of the foodie's will find his or hers good surprise.

There you go, another exquisite hint and a small secret for you to share with friends and family.

Oh, in this part of the lake people tend to rent either houses or apartments and escape from Hotels.

Here’s the Restaurant contacts as it better for you to make a reservation:

Camin Hotel Colmegna – Ristorante Tiffany

Via Pallazi, 1 – Colmegna – Luino (VA)

Telephone: 0039 0332 510855/510330

Email: info@caminhotel.com

Hope that you will enjoy this gran venue.

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art