Tango Bistro

Alright, I have finally completed the entire Smuggler's restaurant complex (Smuggler's Inn, Open Sesame, Bolero).  Tango Bistro is a tapas style restaurant. The menu isn't extensive, and it also caters to the business lunch crowd.  I'm sure this menu changes often, as my fellow bloggers have posted very different dishes.  This place would be great to go with a larger group because of the Tapas style.

My friend and I decided on 4 dishes: A flatbread, poutine, scallops and calamari.

Capicolla & Pineapple flatbread.  This flatbread has a very smoky flavour to it.

Poutine: pulled-pork and yes cheese curds. 1 of the 2 favourites of the 4 dishes.

Seared scallops: Will definitely order this again, these were absolutely delicious in the parsnip nutmeg and mushroom sauce.

Calamari: Tastes like tempura batter and a little plain. It would be much better with some type of spicy sauce or even black pepper.  

Chocolate espresso sandwich cookies

Joy the baker's recipe

I used butterscotch chipits instead and Starbucks instant micro brew. 

For the Filling:

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

heaping 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder

For the Cookies:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder

15 Tablespoons (7 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, but into 3/4-inch cubes, at room temperature

For the Filling:

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate and espresso powder. Make sure all the chocolate is covered by the cream. Let stand for 1 minute, then whisk the white chocolate until completely melted.

Transfer the filling to a small bowl and let stand until room temperature. You’ll need the filling thicker to assemble the cookies, so cover the filling and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or an hour, until a thick consistency is reached. If the filling hardens too much, it can be rewarmed in the microwave for a few seconds.

For the Cookies:

Position the racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder and mix on low speed. With the mixer running, add the butter a few pieces at a time. The mixture will have a sandy texture at first and then will begin to form peddle-size pieces. As soon as the dough starts to come together, stop the mixer.

Form and roll the dough straight from the mixer. The dough becomes hard to work with if chilled.

Transfer the dough to a board and use the heel of your hand or a pastry scraper to shape the dough into a block about 5 by 7 inches. Cut the block into two pieces.

One at a time, roll each block of dough between two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper until about 1/8-inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut into 2 inch rounds. Place 1/2 to 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. You can form and roll the dough scraps once after the first roll.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through the baking. Remove from the oven and cool on the sheets for 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

To Assemble the Cookies:

Place half of the cookies upside down on a work surface. Whip the filling lightly with a whisk to loosen it. It will lighten in color and fluff up. Don’t overwhip or the filling may begin to separate.

Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. I just scooped my filling out by the scant teaspoonful. Pipe or dollop one teaspoon of filling in the center of each upside down cookie. Gently, using your fingers, press the cookies together until the filling comes just to the edges.

Milestone's on Stephen's Ave

Pretty decent lunch. Standard fare pub type food.  Great place to have a bite to eat before the CPO that isn't going to hurt your pocket book.*They didn't ask for my Scene card, but apparently you can collect Scene points here!

Chicken bites with some sweet chili sauce.

Prime rib beef dip. Slightly chewy but the ciabatta bread and dip was amazing. Yam fries were not great, another out of the frozen aisle.

Smoked turkey sandwich with avocado salsa and caesar salad.

Crème Brûlée (First attempt)

I used 2 large ramekins and 4 short ramekins.

I used 2 vanilla beans, though 1 should be enough.

2 Vanilla beans

2 cups heavy cream (Whipping cream also works)

1/3 cups white sugar

6 egg yolks

Preheat oven to 325F

1) Pour cream into a sauce pan.

2) Cut and scrape out 2 whole vanilla beans and whisk in with cream.

3) In a separate bowl whisk together egg yolks and sugar.

4) Scald the cream/vanilla mixture.

5) Temper the cream mixture using a ladle, into the egg mixture. Give it a quick whisk and then scoop out any air bubbles.

6) Place ramekins in a large pan. Pour mixture into ramekins.

7) Fill pan with water half way up the ramekins.

8) Bake for 35-40min. 

9) Let cool on cooling rack, cover and refrigerate overnight

10) Sprinkle with a spoonful of white granulated sugar, use a torch to melt the sugar. If you don't have a torch put under the broiler and watch until sugar melts. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving, or place in fridge for 5+min. 

Chocolate(caramel) Cheesecake (Smitten Kitchen recipe)

 Click here for the original recipe

I don't think this cake tastes much like caramel, but more chocolatey for sure. 

I used crushed Oreo's for the bottom crust in a springform cake pan. 

 At first I followed the 55min bake time, but it was quite watery, I added almost an additional hour. But then my cake cracked after the refrigeration process.  I suggest 1hr and 30min for proper bake time without cracking.  

Of course I love an individual slice with drizzling of agave nectar (amaretto)

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) fine oreo crumbs

5 tablespoons (2.5ounces) unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup whipping cream

8 oz chopped dark chocolate

1/2 cup sour cream

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook sugar in a dry heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork, until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel without stirring, swirling pan, until deep golden. Remove from heat and carefully add heavy cream (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until smooth. Stir in sour cream.

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy, then beat in chocolate mixture on low speed. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions.

Fill a roasting pan half way up the sides and place on lower rack of oven.  Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven for 1hr 20minutes, or until cake is set 3 inches from edge but center is still slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken.

Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in springform pan on a rack. (Cake will continue to set as it cools.) Chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.