Hey Guys!! A while back I made my first four-course meal for my family. I worked with my boyfriend and created a menu heavily inspired by two amazing chefs; Gordon Ramsay and Chef Andy Chlebana. Unlike most of my other multi-course meals, this one did not have a direct theme. I mostly came up with a menu that consisted of this which all sounded good. Since then I have tried to keep my menus more cohesive and consistent. Anyways, I am rambling so let’s discuss what I made. I knew I wanted to make bread … because I love making bread! So I decided to go with one of my favorites that I learned in my Foundations of Baking and Pastry class; Cottage Cheese Dill Bread, you’ve gotta trust the process with this one. It sounds strange but it is so good, the cottage cheese does wonders for the texture and the dill gives an amazing pickle flavor to the bread, top that with some flaky salt and you’ve got a glorious bread perfect for all occasions! Next, I decided on a Warm Eggplant, Tomato, and Burrata appetizer. I love making things with fresh fruits and vegetables and who doesn’t love burrata? Thin slices of tomato and grilled eggplant topped with creamy burrata, arugula, and a tangy dressing … chef’s kiss! For the main course, we went with Mustard and Herb Meatballs with Balsamic Glaze and Parmesan Cheese. These meatballs tasted delicious; they were warm, savory, juicy, and flavorful. Served with a quick arugula salad and topped with balsamic glaze and parmesan cheese, they were the perfect entree for this meal! Lastly for dessert, I wanted to tie it all together with a creamy Caramel Crème Brûlée. At the time I was practicing for my Baking and Pastry Final so I knew that I wanted to make this delicious dessert one more time before it was for a grade. So yeah, that’s the menu now let’s get into how we did it!
The Bread: Cottage Cheese Dill Bread
- 2 Pounds 6 Ounces Bread Flour
- 1 Pounds 6.1 Ounces Cottage Cheese
- 7.4 Ounces Milk
- 2.1 Ounces Sugar
- 2.7 Ounces Butter
- 0.4 Ounces Dill, Fresh and Chopped
- 2.7 Ounces Whole Egg
- 0.7 Ounces Instant Yeast
- 0.85 Ounces Salt
- Flaky Sea Salt, To Top
The Appetizer: Warm Eggplant, Tomato, and Burrata
- 3 Eggplants, Trimmed and Sliced 1/2 Inch Thick
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Pounds Heirloom Tomatoes, Sliced 1/2 Inch Thick
- 3 Ounces Arugula Leaves
- 3 Balls Burrata
- 1 Shallot, Peeled and Diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, Peeled and Diced
- 3 Rosemary Sprigs, Leaves Picked and Finely Chopped
- 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Chile Flakes
- Salt and Pepper, To Taste
The Entree: Mustard and Herb Meatballs with Balsamic Glaze and Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Whole Milk
- 2 Rosemary Sprigs, Leaves Picked and Finely Chopped
- 5 Thyme Sprigs, Leaves Picked
- 4 Slices Fresh White Bread , Crusts Removed and Quartered
- 1 Pound Ground Beef
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- Olive Oil, For Frying
- 1/2 Cup Aged Balsamic Vinegar
- 3 1/2 Ounces Arugula
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Lemon, Juice
- 3/4 Ounce Parmesan Cheese
- Salt and Pepper, To Taste
The Dessert: Caramel Crème Brûlée
- 1 Ounce Water
- 16 Ounces Heavy Cream
- 6 Ounces Egg Yolks
- 4 Ounces Sugar
- 1/2 Vanilla Bean
The Bread: Cottage Cheese Dill Bread
This cottage cheese dill bread is a dough known as a straight dough which means that to make the dough you add all of the ingredients into a stand mixer at one time and set it to mix for eight minutes on a low speed. Once the time is up, shape the dough into whatever your desired result is. For me, I chose to make rolls this time but you can do whatever floats your boat. Next, proof the dough until it has doubled in size and looks light and fluffy. Then, brush egg wash (2 parts whole egg, 1 part egg yolk) across the top of your bread, top it with flaky sea salt, and bake at 350 degrees on a parchment-lined sheet pan until golden brown and delicious.
The Appetizer: Warm Eggplant, Tomato, and Burrata
The appetizer is probably the simplest of the dishes in this meal. To start you are going to want to heat a grill pan. Then, brush each eggplant slice with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay a few slices, oil side down, on the grill pan and add oil and salt to the top of each slice. Cook them for 2-3 minutes on each side and repeat with the remaining slices. For the dressing, pour a 1/4 cup of oil into a small saucepan and place over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the shallots, garlic, and rosemary, mix well. Let that sit for 2-3 minutes and add the vinegar, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Once your eggplant is cooked and your dressing is made, it is time to plate your dish. I chose to line the eggplant and tomatoes, alternating between them, and then topping it with the burrata, arugula, and dressing but it is completely up to you.
The Entree: Mustard and Herb Meatballs with Balsamic Glaze and Parmesan Cheese
For the entree, you should start by making the binder for your meatballs. To do this, pour the milk into a shallow bowl and stir in the rosemary and thyme, then, add the quartered bread and allow to soak. Next, add the beef, egg, and mustard into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Once it has been soaking for a while, rub the bread into a smooth paste and add it to the beef. Then, mix everything until combined and divide the mixture into evenly sized meatballs. To cook your meatballs, place a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat and add a little oil once it’s hot. Cook the meatballs in batches for about 4-5 minutes depending on the size, turning occasionally. Once cooked, add the meatballs to a platter, pour the oil from the pan over them, and deglaze with the balsamic vinegar. For your little side salad, combine the arugula, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl. Finally, drizzle the balsamic glaze over the meatballs, top with cheese, and plate your delicious meal.
The Dessert: Caramel Crème Brûlée
Making Crème Brûlée is pretty easy if you know what you’re doing, and once I am done here you will! To start you are going to add the water and sugar into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. While that is heating up, soak the vanilla bean in the cream. Allow the sugar to caramelize, DO NOT STIR IT. Once the mixture reaches a nice caramel color, add the cream and stir until combined. Then, temper the eggs by adding a small amount of the hot cream into the eggs and mixing until well combined. Then add the eggs back into the remaining cream and stir. Strain the mixture and pour into ramekins. Use a torch to pop the bubbles on top. Bake in a water bath at 300 degrees until it wiggles like a custard and not like a liquid anymore. Once it is cooked refrigerate until it is a nice cold temperature throughout. Finally, top it with sugar and torch the top until caramelized. If you’re anything like me, you don’t have a torch at home so this part may be difficult. I ended up using one of my dad’s torch cigar lighters that you can buy at most stores and while it took a long time, it eventually worked. If you are planning on making a lot of these I highly recommend an actual torch for baking which can be found on Amazon or in some stores.
I love creating menus rather than just meals for my family dinners, as it allows me to try to tie every aspect of the dishes to one another in a fun way. I hope that the menus that I create and the recipes that I provide inspire you to become the cook I know you are or at the very least that it makes you happy and hungry. As always, thank you for stopping by!
Until next time,
Hailey