Thanks for visiting my food blog, The Manifest Recipe! I have recently changed this site over to Wordpress; I invite you to continue the fun over at www.manifestrecipe.com. I will no longer be updating this page. If you were in the middle of reading previous posts, please note that all posts from here have been switched over to the new site as well :)
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I'm a really nice person. I am super shy and probably won't approach you, but if we ever have the chance to meet I promise I'll be super nice to you because that's just who I am.
Unless you're rude to me. Then I'll be like...
...and walk away.
Because of this, I often get taken advantage of on a personal and professional level. Such is life, I know, but it takes the wind out of your sails for a hot minute every time regardless. This is fine however because what matters is how you bounce back- it's not about how you start, it's about how you finish, right? And boy howdy have I come up with an idea to bounce back with.
I will share in more detail once all the cards are in place. But, suffice to say that it is a food venture that doesn't currently exist on the market (at least locally in Austin) which puts a unique spin on a popular food item here in Texas. What could it be?
Think on it. I'll be teasing in upcoming posts until the time is right for the big reveal!
In the meantime, I am embarrassingly behind on my recipe posts so I will share a recipe that I made last night. It is one that I have been wanting to make and one that I am especially proud of: Beef Wellington.
Ok, well, mini Beef Wellingtons
Aren't they cute?
If you aren't familiar with this dish, Beef Wellington is an old English recipe with a hard-to-trace origin story often misbelieved to be named after the Duke of Wellington. Although the dish bears an uncanny resemblance to French dish, filet de bœuf en croûte, it is first officially referenced in a recipe The Los Angeles Times published in 1903; 36 years later, the dish was mentioned in an unnamed New York food guide which stated: "Tenderloin of Beef Wellington. Larded tenderloin of beef. Roast very rare. Allow to cool and roll into pie crust. Slice in portions and serve with sauce Madire".
This dish has been replicated by many, but Beef Wellington was made most relevant again in modern culture by renowned popular Chef and television personality, Gordon Ramsay.
You know, this guy:
But this is how I like to remember Chef Ramsay:
During the holiday season, this video is in the queue with all my other favorite Christmas movies. It so perfectly emulates the homely familial spirit associated with the holidays (and food in general!). Plus, it actually looks like a sophisticated dish that I can actually pull off (especially now that I've made mini versions). I might try making this version for Christmas dinner this year...
Anyways,
the Beef Wellington recipe I made last night is a handheld version of the upscale dish from popular food and cooking site delish. Sidenote: If you ever find yourself wanting some recipe inspiration, I highly recommend using this site!
This dish requires a little prep and takes some effort, but the end result is totally worth it!
Beef Wellington Bites
Ingredients
1 Tbl. vegetable oil
2 sheets frozen puff pastry (find a great homemade puff pastry recipe here from kitchn)
1/2-2 lb beef tenderloin, trimmed and cut into cubes
1 Tbl. butter
6 oz. Cremini mushrooms, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 Tbl. Rosemary, chopped (+ sprigs for garnish)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard (I used yellow)
1 egg, lightly beaten
pinch kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper
Add meat to skillet and sear all over until browned on all sides (~2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and clean skillet.
Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots. Sauté until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in rosemary and remove from heat.
On a lightly floured surface, unfold and roll out puff pastry into a large square, ~ 1/8 in. thick. Cut into 16 squares.
Place piece of meat in center of each square and dollop with mustard. Top meat with mushrooms and shallots mixture.
Fold pastry edges over the meat and pinch to seal.
Place on baking sheets and brush with egg wash
10. Bake 14-16 minutes or until golden-brown. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.
Do you ever go to a restaurant and critique your food, knowingly or unknowingly, as if you were a food critic working on an article?
Me too.
For example...
Have you been to The Chalmun's Cantina in Mos Eisley? They have the best blue milk in the galaxy. I mean, top notch.
This common refreshment has the taste and consistency of condensed milk and comes from a healthy stock of cage-free free-range Banthas which roam a large desert preserve on the outskirts of Tattooine. If you are looking for the most refreshingly sweet glass of blue milk after scavenging the brutal desert all day, Chalmun's is your place. That being said, it can be found across the galaxy; if you're near Coruscant, I recommend stopping by Dex's Diner to get your blue milk fix in more ways than one! Dex's is one of the only places in the galaxy where you can get blue milk yogurt, ice cream, or cheese. Be sure to try if you're a fan next time you're in the capital.
Or what about the Sweetroll from the land of Skyrim?
Both are decadent desserts that can be found in various places throughout the realm of Skyrim. Try looking in city taverns, like The Bannered Mare in Whiterun, or inns, such as The Sleeping Giant in Riverun; Sweetrolls and Boiled Creme Treats alike can also be found in palaces, like the Palace of Kings in Windhelm, and most marketplaces. During the Fire Festival in Solitude, these treats abound at the Bard's College where the Burning of King Olaf takes place. Be sure to take a few home to your kids who will love you forever if you bring them some of these tasty treats. This will be their exact reaction:
Also, we can't forget the practicality (and tastiness) of lembas bread, or waybread for those of you who speak the Common Tongue. No one can argue this bread's usefulness; it keeps for months and lasts forever as the smallest bite can fill the stomach of a grown man...
See?
Sadly, the recipe for lembas is unknown and is only given to members of the Elvish race; only on very rare occasions is it given to non-Elves. If you are one such person and have received this functional yet delicious food, count yourselves among the lucky ones. Lembas is best used for long journeys and in sparsely populated areas and good to have around for the long winter months when food is scarce as only very little need be consumed in a sitting.
And last but not least... my personal favorite... The White Queen's Turkish Delight. Let the powdery sugary goodness fill your soul with every sinfully soft delicious bite. With its ooey-gooey gelatin filling and softly dusted sugared coating, this dessert is a crowd-pleaser that will make any little brother turn against his family just to have some more.
If you wonderful, smart, beautiful people haven't already guessed....this was a joke post. April Fools!!!!!!!
Keep those jokes light today folks. Today is supposed to be all in good fun. Don't tell your boyfriend you're pregnant...that's not funny, that's heart-attack inducing.
