Yield 2 cups

Ingredients:

16 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (preferably Valrhona)
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ tsp vanilla paste

Procedure: 

1. Chop or break chocolate into small pieces (makes them easier to melt).
2. Add cream to saucepan and bring to a simmer being careful to not allow to boil. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
3. Add vanilla paste and stir until combined.
4. Place fondue pot on low flame and start dipping.

Best items to dip; strawberries, raspberries, bananas, graham crackers, marshmallows, and pound cake.

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

6 to 8 large 2 1/2-inch-thick veal shanks, each patted dry and tied securely with kitchen string to keep the meat attached to the bone
Valrhona cocoa powder
All-purpose flour for dredging the veal shanks
6 tbsp Unsalted butter plus additional if necessary
6 tbsp  Olive oil plus additional if necessary
1 cup   White or red wine
1 cup   Finely diced onion
½  cup finely diced carrots
½  cup finely diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 to 4 cups beef broth 
Fresh parsley sprigs, fresh thyme sprigs, and 1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper as needed

Preparation:

1. Combine equal parts flour and cocoa powder together and whisk until incorporated.
2. Season the veal shanks with salt and pepper and dredge them in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.
3. In a heavy skillet heat 3 tablespoons of the butter and 3 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat. When butter is melted brown the veal shanks in batches, adding some of the additional butter and oil as necessary. As shanks brown transfer to your braising pan.
4.  Deglaze the pan with the wine. Be sure to scrape up all the brown bits clinging to the bottom and sides of the skillet, bring to a boil and reduce to about 1/2 cup, and reserve.
5. Using the same skillet and moderate heat add the remaining olive oil, when hot add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally until the vegetables are softened. 
6. Add vegetables to the braising pan with the shanks. Add the reserved wine mixture, herbs and enough of the broth to almost cover the shanks.
7. Braise the mixture, covered, in the middle of a preheated 325°F oven for 2 hours, or until the veal is tender.
8. Strain the pan juices into a saucepan, pressing hard on the solids, and skim the fat.
9. Boil the juices for 15 minutes, or until they are reduced to about half, baste the shanks with some of the reduced juices, and bake them, basting them 3 or 4 times with some of the remaining juices, for 10 minutes more, or until they are glazed.

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 basket fresh strawberries, sliced
½ cup Almonds, toasted (see below)
1 cup   Fresh diced leeks, roasted (see below)
½ cup Shredded or shaved  ricotta salata cheese
½ lb     Baby Arugula or Rocket
Chocolate balsamic dressing (see recipe HERE)

Preparation:

1. Wash and slice strawberries.
2. Toss diced leeks in olive oil salt and pepper and spread on a sheet pan. Roast in a 350 degree oven until golden brown and tender.  Let cool.
3. Shave or shred the ricotta salata cheese.
4. Toast almonds in a sauté pan or on a sheet pan in the oven until toasty.  When they begin to release their aroma they are done.
5. In a large bowl add all ingredients except the cheese.
6. Toss until completely mixed.
7. Portion onto plates and finish with the cheese.

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Yield 1 cup

Ingredients:

½ tbsp Dijon Mustard
¼ cup  Chocolate Balsamic
1tbsp   Valrhona Cocoa
½ cup  Salad oil (Grapeseed or Canola)
1tbsp   Honey
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Mix mustard, balsamic and cocoa until combined and there are no lumps
2. Slowly add oil until thick consistency. Be sure to add slowly or it will break.
3. Add honey, salt and pepper to taste. 

NOTE:     This dressing should taste chocolaty and tangy not be too sweet.  More vinegar-like than sweet.  Lasts about 30 day under refrigeration.

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Yield: About 1 ½ cups
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup light corn syrup
1tsp vanilla paste
1 cup heavy cream

Preparation

1. Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy medium saucepan.
2. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush.
3. While sugar mixture is cooking add vanilla paste to cream.
4. Once sugar mixture has reached amber color remove from heat and carefully add cream. The mixture may bubble vigorously so proceed with caution.
5. Return cream and sugar mixture back to medium heat and stir until any caramel bits dissolve and sauce is smooth.

This sauce may be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.  Re-heat over medium to low heat until just pourable.

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Types of sauces

Pan Sauce:  A pan sauce is made in a matter of minutes with just a handful of ingredients but can look and taste nearly as rich as a classic labor-intensive French sauce.  The base of a pan sauce is the “fond” or brown bits which cling to the bottom of the pan after sautéing or searing any type of protein. Once the food is removed from the skillet aromatics, such as garlic, onions or shallots can be sautéed in the pan and in a process called deglazing, liquid is added and the fond is scraped up.  The liquid is then simmered and reduced to concentrate the flavors and thicken.  A pan sauce is usually enriched with butter which is whisked in at the end.

Helpful hints for a pan sauce:

1. I recommend a stainless steel pan.  A nonstick pan will not give the fond needed for the base of your sauce.  A cast iron skillet will make your sauce taste metallic and it will look dirty. Be sure to use the proper sized skillet.  If you overcrowd your pan the food will steam and not give the fond needed for your sauce.
2. Make sure you have all your “mise en place” or all your tools and ingredients ready. Pan sauces are made quickly so you need everything to be ready to go.
3. Types of liquid- If you are cooking chicken I recommend white wine, chicken stock or chicken broth; for red meat, red wine, beef stock or broth or for fish, white wine, fish stock, clam broth, or fruit juice. 
4. If you do not have or choose not to use wine you can substitute ½ cup broth or stock with one tablespoon of lemon juice or wine flavored vinegar.
5. A wooden spoon or utensil works best for scraping the fond while deglazing.
6. I recommend having the butter for finishing ready- cubed and very cold. Cold butter is easier to incorporate into a sauce than softened butter and it makes for a sturdier emulsion that is more resistant to breaking.
7. Very important! Start with the best ingredients you can find and you will be rewarded with a great sauce.  Don’t cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink.  The same for stocks and broths.  These ingredients are going to reduce and the flavor will concentrate. If it doesn’t taste good at the beginning it will taste terrible when reduced.

Cream Sauce
Cream sauce is probably the easiest sauce and the most versatile. You can be very creative with this sauce by flavoring it with just about anything; saffron, mustard, sundried tomato, pesto etc. Cream sauces thicken just by reducing the cream.  Don’t try to substitute half n half for heavy cream when making a cream sauces, soups or casseroles as half n half is homogenized for shelf life and will break or separate when exposed to high heat. 

Steps for a Cream Sauce

1. Sauté or heat the flavoring ingredient for your sauce.
2. Add cream.
3. Reduce until desired thickness.
4. Taste and season.

If for some reason you reduced your sauce too much or the flavor is too strong, salty or it just flat there are a couple of things to do to fix it. Any cream sauce will brighten with a little hint of acid.  Lemon juice is my favorite but you can use wine or vinegar as well. If your sauce is too concentrated, salty or over reduced add more cream and reduce again until it reaches the desired flavor and consistency. 

If your cream sauce doesn’t seem to be thickening or it is taking a long time to thicken turn the heat up until the creams bubbles with medium to large bubbles until it reaches the proper consistency.  Watch carefully so that it doesn’t boil over! Adjust the heat if necessary.

Buerre  Blanc or Butter Sauce
Buerre blanc or white butter sauce is a rich, hot butter sauce. Traditionally made with a shallot and white wine reduction to which cold butter is added (off the heat to prevent separation).  This is a wonderful sauce and it is very easy to be creative with.  Here are a few things to remember when making this sauce:  

1. Always use a stainless steel pan.
2. Sauté aromatics or desired flavorings.
3. Add acid and reduce to “au sec” or almost dry
4. Whisk in cold butter a few cubes at a time.
5. Always work over medium to low heat but whisk in butter off the heat so your sauce does not separate.

 If you are making this sauce ahead of time and need it to hold you can stabilize by adding cream (however then it is not a true beurre blanc).

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Ingredients:
4 cups cranberry juice
2 tbsp mulling spice
½ cup brandy
Cinnamon sticks
4 orange slices
This is great for parties.  You can also make this as a festive chilled cocktail.  Instead of using brandy substitute vodka and serve chilled over ice.  You can also make a festive martini with this.

Method:
Heat cranberry and mulling spice.  Let steep for about 20 minutes. Strain.  Add brandy and mix well.  Pour into 4 mugs and garnish with orange slices and cinnamon stick.

Yields 4 drinks.

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Ingredients:
2 tbsp Maple Spice Monin
1 Shot  rum
1 cup Hot coffee or steamed milk
Whipped cream
Caramel or chocolate sauce
For a non alcoholic version omit the rum.  You can also use bourbon for this instead of the rum.

Method:
In a mug add steamed milk or hot coffee, rum, and maple spice monin.  Top with whipped cream and drizzle chocolate or caramel sauce on top.

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Ingredients:
2tbsp Valrhona Cocoa Powder
1 cup Steamed Milk or Half n Half
2tbsp Monin Peppermint Syrup
Whipped Cream
Chocolate sprinkles for garnish
Or Candy Cane
For an alcoholic version substitute peppermint schnapps for the Monin peppermint.

Method:
Steam milk or half ‘n half whisk in Valrhona cocoa powder until incorporated. Pour mixture into a mug add peppermint monin.  Stir with a candy cane and top with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.

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½ tsp rosemary simple syrup
2 tbsp orange juice
Champagne or sparkling wine

In a champagne flute add orange juice and simple syrup.  Slowly pour your favorite sparkling wine or champagne.

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