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Just Beet It Salad

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:15:27 -0700

A salad of roasted beets with crumbly goat cheese and a delicious vinaigrette is a pretty common dish on menus these days. While I've had my fair share of this scrumptious salad, when browsing Dinner at my Place, I was intrigued by Tyler Florence's variation because he uses raw beets.

In their raw state, beets are difficult to peel; even on a mandoline, they were a little cumbersome to thinly slice, but the rest of salad is simple and worth the effort. The earthy crunchy beets, creamy tangy goat cheese, crisp bitter greens, toasted walnuts and blood orange vinaigrette combine to create a delightfully complex dish that is perfect in terms of flavor and texture. To get started on this surprising, Spring salad read more.

Shaved Beet Salad With Balsamic Vinaigrette
Tyler Florence's Dinner at My Place

Ingredients

Dressing
1 shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup blood orange-infused olive oil
Salad
1 large golden beet
1 bunch bitter greens*
1/2 head radicchio*
1/2 bunch mizuna*
1 bunch kale*
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 pound crumbled goat cheese

Directions

Toast walnuts in an 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Occasionally shake to ensure they don't burn.
Make the balsamic vinaigrette by combining shallot, parsley, mustard, vinegar and sugar in a large bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly add the olive oil. Once all the oil has been added and the vinaigrette is emulsified, season it with salt and pepper.
Peel the beet using a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler.
Using a sharp knife or mandoline, shave it into thin slices.
Wash and tear the salad greens into bite-size pieces. Toss greens with shaved beets and walnuts in a large salad bowl. Dress with balsamic vinaigrette. Top with crumbled goat cheese.

Serves 6-8.

*Substitute your favorite salad greens, if all are not available.

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Come Party With Me: Fast Thanksgiving - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:30:11 -0800

As much as I love cocktails made from fresh, seasonal ingredients, sometimes there simply isn't time - especially when you need Thanksgiving dinner ready in a hurry - to juice 20 blood oranges. The grocery store liquor aisle is crowded with generic and overly-sweet cocktail mixers, but there's one brand I trust for excellent mixers: Stirrings. With their blood orange flavor you can make a quick batch of blood orange bellinis.

Serve wine at mealtime. Call your local wine shop and ask them to set aside a couple of Thanksgiving-friendly bottles for you. Use their expertise to save time. You won't have to research wine pairings or stand in the wine aisle wondering what to buy. Don't forget sparkling apple cider, water, and soda for the kids. To look at the easy blood orange bellini recipe, read more.

Blood Orange Bellini
From Stirrings

Ingredients

1 oz. Stirrings Blood Orange Mixer
4 oz. dry sparkling wine or champagne

Directions

Chill a champagne flute.
Pour the blood orange mixer into the prepared glass.
Slowly top with sparkling wine. Garnish with blood orange wheel, if desired.

Makes 1 drink.

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Come Party With Me: Potluck - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:28:11 -0800

Don't be afraid to ask guests to bring a wine along with their potluck dinner dish. Suggest that they bring a wine that will pair with either their specific dish or the citrus glazed ham. Pick up water and non-alcoholic beverages like soda or juice.

When guests arrive have a special cocktail ready and waiting. A punch is wonderful because you can set it up and leave it, allowing guests can help themselves. Take advantage of blood orange season, and make a blood orange punch. To see the recipe please read more.

Blood Orange Punch
From Martha Stewart

2 bottles (25 oz. each) blood orange juice, chilled
3 cans (12 oz. each) natural orange soda, such as San Pellegrino Aranciata, chilled
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
8 oz. light rum
5 bitters
1 blood orange, or orange, cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges and frozen

Fill ice cube trays with 1 1/2 cups orange juice, and freeze.
To make punch, stir remaining orange juice, soda, lime juice, rum, and bitters into a 16-cup punch bowl. Before serving, add frozen orange slices.
Add ice cubes as needed to keep chilled.

Makes 8 cups.

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Happy Hour: Blood Orange Bellini

partysugar — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 12:43:41 -0800

Fashion Week started on Friday and I thought for today's happy hour cocktail I would do my favorite fashionable drink recipe, the Bellini. I first became obsessed with drinking Bellinis while reading Bergdorf Blondes. Typically a Bellini is made with fresh white peach puree but since it's winter I say we substitute the peach puree with blood orange juice. If you have never had a Bellini you MUST try one right now. Oh my gosh, this is the first time ever that I want to get up and leave my desk, run down to Whole Foods for some blood oranges, and stir up a Bellini for everyone in the office. To do the same, read more

Blood Orange Bellini
From Mario Batali

Champagne flutes
1 (750 ml) bottle prosecco
1 quart blood orange juice, or 15 blood oranges, juiced

Place the flutes in the freezer.
Chill the prosecco on ice for 30 minutes.
Open the prosecco and let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Pour 2 ounces of blood orange juice into each glass. Fill to within 1/2-inch of the top of the glass with prosecco and serve.

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Sink Your Teeth Into Blood-Orange Sorbet

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:15:47 -0700

Inspired by the vampire-themed party, I decided to make my own bloody, yet delicious, treat. With Halloween only a few days away, I pulled out the ice-cream maker and started on a blood orange and mint sorbet - a perfect treat for your fangtastic friends! Although the last time I made ice cream, I had a problem with curdling custard, making this sorbet was easier and much less risky.

I started with a mint-infused simple syrup. While it cooled, I pulled out my glass citrus press (just like my grandmother had!) and hand-juiced the blood oranges. Even with the manual juicing, the whole process is quite quick and in only a few hours, I had refreshing and flavorful sorbet. If you want to feed your vamp guests this sensational sorbet, keep reading.

TV Dinners: There Will Be Blood - Blood Orange Milkshake

YumSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:31:51 -0800

I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!

Chances are, you've heard about the milkshake line from the Oscar-nominated film There Will Be Blood - don't forget to fill out your Oscar ballot! - and even though the milkshake in the movie is just a metaphor, I still can't help but crave one each time I hear the line. To cool down your Oscar party, I suggest you whip up a batch of milkshakes. You could go any flavor, but why not keep up a theme with blood orange milkshakes? Whatever you do, just be sure to have really long straws.

And in case you haven't seen the infamous milkshake scene, I've found it for you. You can find it, plus a recipe for a blood orange milkshake, when you read more.

Blood Orange Milkshake
Adapted from Roger's Trinbago and inspired by There Will Be Blood

2 cups milk
6 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 blood orange peeled, seeded and divided into segments

Pour the milk into the blender.
Add ice cream and blend for three minutes.
Add orange segments. Blend for two minutes.
Pour into a large glass.
Garnish with a really long straw.

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Minty Blood Orange Sorbet

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:07:09 -0700

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Mahi-Mahi With Blood Orange, Avocado Salsa

partysugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 05:28:11 -0800

When the succulent fruits of summer seem far away, I use citrus to jazz up my meals. For example, tonight's quick-fix dinner features a salsa with juicy blood oranges. Fresh fish fillets are rapidly seared on the stove in this made-in-minutes dish. To create this colorful fish that will brighten up a winter's night, read more

Mahi-Mahi with Blood Orange, Avocado Salsa
From Bon Appetit

1 blood orange, or regular orange
1/2 cup 1/3-inch cubes avocado
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 teaspoons minced red jalapeño
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 6-ounce mahi-mahi fillets

Using small sharp knife, cut peel and white pith from orange. Working over small bowl, cut between membranes to release segments.
Add avocado, onion, jalapeño, and lime juice to oranges in bowl; stir gently to blend. Season salsa to taste with salt.
Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add fish to skillet and sauté until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Place 1 fillet on each of 2 plates. Spoon salsa atop fish and serve.

Serves 2.

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Would You Drink This TruBlood Beverage?

YumSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:50:00 -0700

True Blood fans: If you've ever wanted to know what a TruBlood, well, truly tastes like, you're in luck. At last weekend's Comic-Con, the producers of the show announced the launch of an official beverage, made from - what else? - the juice of blood oranges.

In the HBO series, vampires are accepted into society and coexist with humans - but rather than drink human blood, they imbibe a synthetic supplement, TruBlood. And while Tom Colicchio recently concocted a bloody good substitute, thirsty viewers can now pre-order the real McCoy.

I celebrated the season premiere with festive food of my own, so I can't wait to try the drink just for the novelty of it - although I won't likely be stocking my shelves with it. Would you buy this drink?

Source

Come Party With Me: My Birthday - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:14:56 -0700

Obviously, I think my birthday is a cause for celebration, and with celebration comes champagne! When choosing a signature drink for my bash, I wanted something that would subtly echo the floral motif of my invitations without being too juvenile. A playful twist on a classic, grownup cocktail seems fitting for someone turning 27.

I've settled on this variation on the French 75 cocktail; it features blood oranges so it has a slightly pink, but not too pink, hue. Better yet, it will please both cocktail connoisseurs and casual drinkers, and it can be made in large batches. To get the recipe, read more.

Blood Orange French 75
Bon Appetit

Ingredients

3 blood oranges (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups gin
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon angostura bitters
2 750-ml bottles chilled Champagne

Directions
Serves 12.

Cut 1 orange in half through stem. Cut each half crosswise into 6 slices; reserve for garnish.
Using small knife, cut peel and white pith from remaining 2 oranges; chop oranges.
Transfer chopped oranges with juices to bowl; mash with potato masher or wooden spoon. Stir in gin, sugar, and bitters.
Strain into 2-cup measuring cup, pressing on solids to release liquid. Chill 4 hours.
Pour scant 2 tablespoons gin mixture into each of 12 glasses; fill with Champagne and garnish with orange.

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