Beignet Muffin w/Raspberries and White Chocolate Rum Sauce

"Beignet Muffin with Raspberries
drizzled in White Chocolate Rum Sauce"
Prepared by
Clarence Gardener

I wanted to create a dessert that was quick and easy. This recipe will help you to satisfy your craving for something sweet.

Usually, I like to have a dessert that uses a combination of chocolate (white or dark), butter and liquor. I prefer not to use processed or pure sugar at all and encourage you to do the same. Also, I am quite particular cooking with various flours and tend to not do so often. This obviously can create some limits for desserts especially if you are into baking cakes or any classic cake dish.

 Recently I decided to experiment and use beignet flour to prepare muffins for a dessert concept. It will give your muffins and cakes a different texture than cake flour, but with a few added ingredients you will be quite pleased.

The plan in this concept was to create a nice transition of this being an ordinary breakfast beignet muffin, to becoming the focal point of a French influenced dessert dish.

The most important element in this recipe will be the rum sauce. It really took this dessert up a notch.

INGREDIENTS:

Beignet Flour

Raspberries

Heavy Cream

White Chocolate

Puerto Rican Rum

Unsalted Butter

Eggs

Canola Oil

Cinnamon

Whipped Cream

Note: All Food Photography by Clarence Gardener

Turkey Meatballs with a Champagne Tomato Garlic Sauce!

"TURKEY MEATBALLS" 
splashed
w/Champagne Tomato Garlic Reduction"
Prepared and Plated by
Clarence Gardener

Taking a simple dish and turning it into something extraordinary is what I like to inspire people to do. A lot of times this idea seems to be not in reach at home. But when you realize the amount of effort that goes into this, you will be relieved of its simplicity.

The most important thing when preparing food, in my opinion, is the flavor. Believe it or not, some chefs and cooks forget this detail. I have been to a lot of high end restaurants to get the fine dining experience. Although the presentations may have been exceptional, I have found that the detail in the tastes have been a bit disappointing. 

Well in this situation, I decided that I would work on a tomato sauce recipe. Very simple, I know, but sauces are the primary ingredient that can either upgrade/enhance or downgrade your dish - specifically in any pasta dish or as a compliment to meat. If you can perfect an original sauce recipe, I believe you can create satisfying dishes full of flavor that will surely delight your guests. We have all heard someone say, "The secret is in my SAUCE" ... and it is very true in regards to this tomato sauce recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

Plum Tomatoes

Black Pepper

Minced Garlic

Champagne

Apple Cider Vinegar

Unsalted Butter

Thyme

Oregano

Onion Powder

Seafood Benedict

Plated by Clarence Gardener

I was very pleased with the way the Purple Potatoes presented itself on this dish.  Usually when you need to prepare a starchy side for breakfast, russet potatoes will be the first choice. But when you need to plate they will sometimes present a bland texture to your composition. Keep in mind that this choice of potato also has a bit of a nutty flavor, so it will give an additional taste and element to your dish.

Sunday Brunch is a communal time where family will come together and eat. Usually this is where comfort food will have its big showcase.

This particular weekend, I decided to create a most elegant brunch. Themed around the egg benedict dish, I wanted to create something close to comfort as possible. This benedict concept I presented underneath the jumbo shrimp, garnished with a basil stem. Here, you will find the egg (prepared over easy) covering a crab cake that was drizzled in honey mustard.

My ingredients consisted of lobster tail, crab cake, jumbo shrimp, eggs, purple potatoes, and kumquat.