Tyler Florence Fridays – Brownies

This is a first for me, my first time participating in Tyler Florence Fridays.  What a dilemma!  Which recipe do I select?  

I was watching a video on-line of  Tyler, at work.  Never having seen him in action before, I was impressed.  He has an easygoing manner with good nature flowing onto the camera consistently.  He is quite likable and I can understand why you gals like him, not only as a chef, but as a person.  (Note: I stayed away from the word, “man”.)

First, I thought I would go with a pasta since I found a few recipes that looked scrumptious.  Then I saw an eggplant recipe and here I am with an eggplant and nothing to do with it.  Then, I checked out salads.  Then I talked to myself and asked what do I really want to do.

No question about it.  I want to make Amaretto Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts.  Amaretto, walnuts and brownies…..that is a dream come true.

This recipe sets off the Gluten Alarm - I made this with all purpose flour.  If you are gluten free, I don’t think it would be difficult to make the proper substitutions.  My apologies but it is CHOCOLATE.  Chocolate is for me, gluten girl, Chaya.

Amaretto Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts  -   Tyler Florence   

Ingredients        

2 sticks butter  (I used margarine)

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (I do not have bittersweet chips so I used bittersweet baking chocolate – that big bar, cut up in squares)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch salt

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur

1 1/2 cups walnuts  (I used less than one cup.  I like nuts as toppings but not so much, hidden in cakes and brownies.)

Powdered sugar, for garnish (I skipped this.)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a 9 by 9 square baking pan with parchment paper, making sure paper hangs over the edges.  (I used aluminum foil.  I find it easier to handle than parchment paper.)

Grease paper with butter so the brownies don’t stick.

Melt butter and chocolate over a double-boiler and stir gently until smooth and shiny. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside.

Whisk together eggs, sugar and amaretto in a mixing bowl until combined.

Pour in chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until combined.

Gradually add flour mixture, then add walnuts and incorporate with a wooden spoon.

Transfer batter to baking pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the pan. (40 minutes was fine in my oven so check at that time, please)

the oven is waiting

When done, invert onto a cutting board, remove paper and cut into squares. Garnish with powdered sugar and serve.

I have to tell you that these brownies were the best.  They were not the fudgiest which I love.  They were not  oozing chocolate which I also love.  They were dark and firm and not too sweet.  I often find that many cakes, cookies, brownies and all sweets, live up to their name (sweets) and are cloying and leave an aftertaste.

Tyler’s brownies are my kind of brownies.  The taste was superb.  If your sugar tooth craves more and more sugar and doesn’t appreciate the dark chocolate, this may not be for you.  I admit that I doubt this.  These were really good, a more subtle taste, than some of the sweeter varieties.  I think, it is worth a try.  You too may make it a regular on your brownie list.

Today is a new day and the brownies are even better.  Make this one, ladies and you won’t regret it.

Veggie Coated Baked Fillets

I have come to the conclusion that no matter how hard I attempt to stick to a recipe, much of the time, I end up with a dish quite different from the original.  It is not that I plan this.  No, I am usually intrigued by the recipe and then, a line jumps out of me and gets me thinking….thinking differently than the recipe.  

Tonight, I found a flounder recipe from CD Kitchen.  I should have ended up with fish surrounded by celery and onion and covered with a cheese sauce.

I ended with flounder breaded in minced vegetables, walnuts and corn meal baked with tomatoes and onion wedges.  That was for two of my fillets.

I thought I had not diced the onions and celery small enough but it turned out that the size was perfect.  It left a crunchy feeling when eating and it stayed as a crust, on the fish.  Instead of egg, I think mustard would be a good way to coat it before the vegetables.  Next time, I want to play with this a bit.

The other two, which were to be made according to the recipe also, ended up as  fillets coated with corn meal and smothered in mushrooms.

Good intentions……  I like the results though.  We will still eat well.

Veggie Coated Baked Fillets

4 flounder fillets

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 cup soy flour (any flour will work as will potato starch or corn starch)

1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts (buzz through the food processor)

1/4 cup corn meal

2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks

one onion, cut into chunks

potatoes could also be used but should be partially cooked before adding to the fish

Method:

Preheat oven 400  degrees.

Dice onions and celery. 

Set  up a baking dish.  Spray with olive oil.

Set up a shallow bowl with beaten egg.  Another bowl should hold the vegetables,  ground walnuts and corn meal.  As an afterthought, I would add carrots to the onions and celery and omit the walnuts.  A third bowl holds the soy flour.

Dip the fish first into the soy flour, then the egg and finally the vegetable mixture.  Dredge both sides thoroughly. 

Remove and place into baking dish.

Add chunks of tomatoes and onions.  Spray tops of vegetables with olive oil cooking spray.

Place in oven and bake at 400 degrees for twenty minutes.

Remove and place on a plate, decoratively surrounding fish with vegetables.

Mushroom Fish

Following the previous method, dip fish into egg, then cornmeal.  Top with paprika and parsley.

Place into greased pan and surround and cover with sliced mushrooms.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Remove and display in serving dish, with mushrooms surrounding fish or mounded on top of fish.  Sprinkle some more parsley or some green, on the top.

 

We want to eat fish rather than meat or dairy at least twice a week.  I am going to be searching for good recipes.  Stand by for new fish recipes.