Les Feuilletons de Boeuf en Croute­
(Beef tenderloins in pastry)

Tomates a la Provencale
(Tomatoes stuffed with bread crumbs, herbs and cheese)

Mousseline au Chocolat
(Chocolate Mousse)

SYDNE GEORGE PHOTO
The French chef calls this Les Feuilletons de Boeuf en Croute. To the American cook it’s beef tenderloin in puff pastry.

BEEF TENDERLOIN STEAKS IN PASTRY

 1 17.3-ounce package puff pas­try, thawed

 ½ cup butter, divided

 8 ounces white mushrooms, finely chopped

 2 tbsp. shallots, finely minced

 2 tsp. dried thyme

 6 6-ounce beef tenderloin steaks

 1 egg, beaten

Melt ¼ cup butter in a medium saute pan over medium high heat and saute mushrooms and shal­lots until softened. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Wipe out pan. Heat remaining ¼ cup butter over medium high heat and sear steaks, browning both sides of each steak.

Place steaks on baking sheet, leaving ample room in between. Top each steak with 1-2 table­spoons mushrooms, covering the top of each steak.

Cut thawed puff pastry sheets to make covers for the steaks and drape over steaks.

Tuck edges of pastry around each steak, pressing to seal.

Use additional pastry to cut out decorations for the tops.

Brush pastry with beaten egg.

Bake at 425° for 18 minutes for rare, 22 minutes for medium and 26 minutes for well done.

Serves six.

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH BREAD CRUMBS, HERBS AND CHEESE

 6 medium tomatoes with stems intact

 ½ cup olive oil, divided

 2 cups fresh white bread crumbs

 ¼ cup freshly snipped basil, thyme and parsley

 ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

 ½ tsp. sea salt

 1 clove garlic, minced

 ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Using a serrated knife, cut around the tops of the tomatoes, leaving the stem intact and removing the lids.

Scoop out insides of tomatoes with melon baller or spoon. Dis­card seeds and cores.

Wipe insides of tomatoes dry with paper towels.

Brush insides of tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Combine remaining ingredi­ents in medium bowl and stir until mixed together.

Stuff tomatoes with bread mix­ture and replace tomato lids.

Place stuffed tomatoes in oiled baking dish, in a single layer, not touching.

Bake in 425° oven with beef tenderloins for last 10-15 minutes of baking, being careful not to overbrown tomatoes.

Serves six.


SYDNE GEORGE PHOTO

Chocolate Mousse

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

 1 pint heavy whipping cream

 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

 2 tsp. almond extract

 1 6-ounce bittersweet chocolate bar, for chocolate curls

Begin the day before you plan to serve the mousse.

In a medium heavy saucepan, heat cream over medium high heat until simmering.

Add chocolate chips and whisk with wire whisk until completely smooth.

Add almond and whisk to com­bine.

Transfer to a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, pour mousse mixture into a chilled mixing bowl and beat with chilled beat­ers until stiff peaks form.

Spoon or pipe into individual serving bowls.

Using vegetable peeler, make chocolate curls with bittersweet chocolate bar.

Garnish chocolate mousse with chocolate curls.

Enjoy!

Guest writer

— Sydne George

Get creative when you have an overabun­dance of mint. Think mint syrup for iced tea, mint pesto, mint frozen in ice cubes or fla­voring mojitos. Or, as shown, use mint with a variety of fresh summer melons for a quick and deli­cious dessert.

PHOTO COURTESY SYDNE GEORGE

If ever there was a time when I should have listened to my mom, this was it.

“It will spread, you know,” she said, handing me the mud­splashed bucket with the lanky root-laden cuttings. “Keep it con­tained.”

I should have listened.

After all, she had grown prolif­ic peppermint for years in the family farm garden which pro­duced everything from raspber­ries and squash to beets and peapods. Even though I heard her sage words of advice, I threw caution to the wind. I planted the few straggly cuttings of pepper­mint she’d given me, unre­strained and free to roam, in my tiny newborn garden plot, hardly believing those gangly bits would survive.

Surveying the empty space remaining, my two young daugh­ters lovingly placed three painted plaster gift dwarfs in the ample unused earth, digging their feet into the freshly-tilled dirt.

Then, dragging their popsicle sticks through the soil, they drew grooves, scattering the self­selected sunflower, carrot, zin­nia, pea and bachelor button seeds that would become our first attempt at a garden.

Jump ahead a few years.

If you tried to sneak a peek at the dwarfs today you’d be out of luck. A garden patch no more, the mint has strangled out every vestige of vegetable or flower that dared to spread its roots in our petite plot. As for the dwarfs, they are nowhere to be found,

lost amongst the foliage that is now the peppermint forest.

So here I am faced with an overabundance of mint. Things could be worse, I know. When life gives you mint … make mojitos, I say.

Invest in a muddle (a stick used to mash beverage ingredi­ents in a glass) and crush away.

For four mojitos, using a muddle, crush three mint leaves and 1 teaspoon sugar in the bottom of each beverage glass. Add 1 table­spoon freshly squeezed lime juice and 1 ounce of rum. Fill each glass with crushed ice and pour club soda to fill. Stir to com­bine. Serve with a fresh mint sprig.

Make sugared mint leaves.

Paint washed and dried mint leaves with beaten egg white and shake in a bag filled with superfine sugar. Use the leaves to decorate cakes and desserts.

How about some minted ice cubes? Boil 2 cups water first to achieve clear cubes. Let cool to room temperature. Place one mint leaf in the bottom of each ice cube compartment. Pour pre­pared water over them. Freeze until solid. They’ll jazz up your summer beverages in a jiffy.

Mint syrup for iced tea, any­one? Bring 2 cups of water to a boil over medium heat, add ½ cup sugar and a cup of washed mint leaves. Let boil until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let sit until cooled to room temperature. Discard mint leaves. Store covered in the refrigerator. Use to sweeten iced tea.

In need of some foliage in your summer flower arrangements?

You’re in luck. Tucking sprigs of fresh mint into fresh flower bou­quets not only brightens the arrangement with color but adds an inviting aroma, as well.

Mix up some mint pesto. In a blender or food processor, com­bine ½ cup olive oil, ½ cup of fresh basil, ¼ cup mint leaves, 2 cloves garlic, ½ cup of pine nuts, ¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Blend thoroughly. Use as an accompaniment to grilled lamb, chicken or pasta.

A minted melon salad is a quick and easy summer crowd pleaser. Using a melon baller, make melon balls from half of a small watermelon, half a can­taloupe and half a honey dew melon.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil over medium heat, add ½ cup of sugar and a cup of washed mint leaves. Let boil until sugar is dis­solved. Remove from heat and let sit until cooled to room tempera­ture. Discard mint leaves. Place melon balls in a glass container and pour syrup over the fruit.

Cover and chill. Serve in stemmed glass dessert dishes with fresh mint leaves.

If you still have mint (and I admittedly do), I apologize.

Here’s my advice to you. If someone gives you mint to plant, corral it in a container. Partition it in a pot. Commit to keeping it contained, if you can. My mom was right. It will spread.