Dinner at Tremont 647

My friend Jaime and I bought a fantastic deal on Gilt City!

$50 for two appetizer, 2 entrees and one dessert to share at Tremont 647 in Boston's South End.

I've been wanting to try Tremont 647 since my friends and I met Chef Andy Husbands at a concert at Fenway last summer. He won us right over with his pulled pork samples. SO GOOD.

Fenway Park Summer 2011

Let me tell you. This meal did not disappoint. Every single thing we ate was perfectly cooked and full of flavor - drinks included! 

Tremont 647 changes up their menu pretty frequently so I cannot wait to get back there and see what else they are cooking up.

 I wish more restaurants did deals like this because it is the perfect opportunity to get new customers to come in and try their food. As I said before, Tremont 647 was already on my list of restaurants to try but deals like this are great ways to discover new restaurants as well!

Here's some pictures of what we got...

First impression - Loved the menu!

For my drink I got the Raspberry Vodka Gimlet made with house infused raspberry vodka. I usually don't drink raspberry vodka after one too many cocktails made with raspberry smirinoff in college but I think I am in love with this drink. It tasted just like fresh raspberries!

Jaime got the Gypsy which is gin, St. Germain, Yellow Chartreuse, and lime. I had a taste and it was also delicious!

I love the open kitchen and Chef Andy Husbands was right in the middle of the action as well as serving meals and talking to customers. That right there makes me want to go back again!

I am not exactly sure what this spread was with the bread but I'm guessing a white bean puree with a tiny hint of curry in it.

Yum. Yum. YUM.

Jaime and I have very similar tastes so she is one of my favorite people to go out to dinner with. When we saw asparagus with a friend egg on top I don't even think there was a discussion. Fried egg on top of anything. Sold.

This appetizer was topped off with just enough parmesan cheese to not overpower any of the other ingredients.

Next up...BACON TOAST.

I could eat this every day for the rest of my life and be completely happy.

There was even some avocado hidden underneath all that bacon.

For my entree I had a pork chop over creamy polenta. It was so good but there is no way I could finish a pork chop of that size! They do not skimp on portions here!!

Jaime had a fish entree (I forget the name!) that was perfectly cooked and so yummy. We were too busy eating that I forgot to snap a picture.

When we saw stuffed tater tots under side dishes we knew we had to try at least one! They switch up the type of cheese they use to stuff these and this one had fontina in it. It's really cool because it looks like a giant tater tot but the inside it is more like a cheesy hash brown.

Go try one!

And last...dessert! By this point we were beyond full but who turns down banana cream pie with a side of chocolate bacon bark? That's right. No one.

The pie was light and had the perfect banana flavor. And the bacon bark...well it was exactly how you thought it would be. AMAZING. The bacon flavor was subtle and you could see the small pieces of bacon within the chocolate. There were some toasted nuts and caramel on top too. 

Perfect ending to a perfect meal :)

So now you must go to Tremont 647 and try it yourself! 

They offer 5 courses for $45 or 7 courses for $65 with optional wine parings if you would like to add that option as well. It's a great option to really get a taste of the menu!

If you want to take a little bit of Tremont 647 home with you check out Chef Andy Husbands and co-auther Chris Hart's book Wicked Good Barbecue: Fearless Recipes from Two Damn Yankees Who Have Won the Biggest, Baddest BBQ Competition in the World.

Here you can find different types of BBQ grills, rubs, cooking techniques and side dishes. You also get a sneak peek into the lives of these amazing chefs. These guys have won countles BBQ competitions including the coveted Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue!


I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of this before summer. Get the grills ready!

Couscous with Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

This recipe is so easy.

And can be changed up in so many different ways...Orzo with feta and tomatoes, ditalini with parmesan and roasted zucchini...you get the idea.

Another plus? It can be served hot or cold and is delicious either way!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1.5 cups of israeli couscous
• 1 and 3/4 cups of boiling water (or chicken/vegetable stock)
• 1 shallot minced
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup goat cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a dry pot toast the israeli couscous until it starts to brown.

Add the boiling water (or chicken/vegetable stock) to the toasted couscous. Turn the heat to low, cover and let simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

While the couscous is cooking mince the shallot and sauté in a few tablespoons of olive oil until translucent. Set aside.

When all of the liquid has absorbed into the couscous uncover and turn off the heat. Add the tomatoes, goat cheese, shallot and parsley. Season with salt and pepper if needed.


If the mixture seems a little dry add water or stock until it is the consistency you like.

That's it! So easy and you can add any ingredients that you like :)


What would your perfect combination be?

Herb Crusted Pork Chops

Well this has now been added to my list of all time favorite dinners.

You must try!!

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs -  Eat Yourself Skinny. Besides trying out this recipe you need to head over to Eat Yourself Skinny and take a look around. This blog belongs to Kelly from Virginia and I know you will be a fan right away just like I was :) Not only are her recipes delicious and healthy for you but her pictures rock too!! 

Let me know what you think and thanks to Kelly for such a great recipe!

Recipe adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny





WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Pre heat your oven to 450 F.


Trim the fat from the pork chops and brush them with the dijon mustard. As you can see I was a little messy here :)

In a shallow bowl combine the panko, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper.

Coat the pork chops in the panko mixture.

Heat an oven proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Let the pork chops saute for 2 to 3 minutes until they are golden brown. Turn the pork chops over and place the skillet in the oven for another 8 minutes, or until the pork is cooked all the way through.

I served mine along with couscous with tomatoes and goat cheese and caramelized lemon brussel sprouts.

Thanks again to Kelly for this great recipe! I hope you all enjoy it :)

Nutella Croissants

If you love Nutella beware!! 

These are way too easy and way too delicious.

It was very difficult not to eat every single one of these after they came out of the oven. 

For anyone that has not tried Nutella it is a chocolate hazelnut spread that is very, very addicting. I had mostly had it on toast or crackers but on a trip with my family in Paris a few years ago I tried it in a croissant. Croissants are great on their own so adding Nutella was just a bonus!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 package of crescent rolls
• 8 tablespoons of nutella
• 2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 1 egg beat with a fork

Pre-heat your oven to 375 F.

Open the crescents and separate them into their pre-cut triangles. Brush each triangle with melted butter.

Place 1 tablespoon of nutella at the larger end of the unrolled crescents.

Roll up the crescents starting with the larger end. Lightly pinch around the edges to seal.

Brush the crescents with the beaten egg.

Bake at 375 F for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Let's take a closer look!

Oh yummmmmmmmm :)

Shrimp with Sriracha Sauce

I have been wanting to make Jenn from Peas and Crayons Sriracha deglazing sauce for some time now and I finally got around to it!

If you haven't checked out Jenn's blog yet you definitely should! She has wonderful and healthy recipes and she was my inspiration to try quinoa for the first time - which I did in this dish! It was garlic flavored and I found it in the rice aisle of my grocery store. 1 1/2 cups of water, add the quinoa mix, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. Loved it :)

So here is my take Jenn's dish...Enjoy!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Olive oil
• White wine
• Sriracha sauce
• Dried parsley
• Salt and pepper

Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

In a stainless steel skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shrimp cooking 2 minutes on each side or until the shrimp are pink throughout.

Remove the shrimp from the skillet and add another tablespoon of oil. 

Add a splash of white wine to the pan along with a 1/2 tablespoon of sriracha sauce. Whisk until all the small bits on the bottom of the pan have come up and you have a bubbling orange color sauce.

Pour the sauce over the shrimp and sprinkle with dried parsley.

I served mine over garlic flavored quinoa and some frozen broccoli I had in my freezer that I steamed. Not as good as fresh but in a pinch it did the trick. I would have loved to have this with asparagus as well!


Thanks for the great recipe Jenn!

Arugula Pesto with Walnuts and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I've been on a pesto kick lately (you wouldn't know this because I have been slacking at cooking and posting but I swear it's true!).

I just finished up some Linabella's Traditional Pesto Sauce I had at home with another meal so I was ready to make some of my own pesto. 


**If you do want to use pre-made pesto it is worth checking out Linabella's. They grow their own garlic and basil and use it to create traditional "Pesto alla Genovese" (the true green pesto). They freeze the pesto right after making it and will ship with 2nd day delivery. When you want to use it just let it sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes until you can scoop some out. Put the rest back in the freezer. I have tried the Traditional and Garlic Lovers - the Traditional has a strong garlic flavor so I felt the Garlic Lovers was a little too much for me.


I found them this past fall set up with a stand in the small farmers market right outside of South Station.**

I pretty much made up this recipe on my own and I'm happy to say it came out really good! I used arugula which is a more peppery green so if you don't like that you can always use basil, cilantro or spinach. The recipe is also quite garlicky so feel free to cut down the garlic cloves as well.

This time I made just enough for this recipe but I bought a huge bag of arugula and walnuts so I plan on making more and keeping it in the freezer. It is great to throw into dips, use on panini's, or add it to marinades.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 

• 1 box whole wheat pasta  (I used farfalle)
• 4 cups of arugula
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup walnuts  (you could toast your walnuts before, I did not)
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt and add the whole wheat pasta. Cook until al dente then drain reserving a few ladles of the pasta cooking water aside.

While the pasta is cooking put the arugula, parmesan cheese, walnuts and garlic cloves in a food processor.

Pulse until everything is chopped into little bits.

Slowly stream in olive oil until you get the consistency you like. Add the lemon juice and pulse for a few more seconds.


 Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Set aside.

After draining the pasta add the sun dried tomatoes to the pot over medium heat and saute for about a minute just to heat them. 

Add back in the cooked pasta. Top with the pesto and mix. Add a little of the pasta cooking water if you want to thin out the sauce a little. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with a little more parmesan cheese! 

So easy!!

Guest Blog Post: Roasted Cauliflower & Aged White Cheddar Soup

Jaime, one of my very best friends, asked me to guest post on her blog La vie...J'aime today and I was super excited to cook something delicious up!

Jaime and I had just purchased these Cuisinart hand blenders so I knew I was going to make a soup.

So head over to Jaime's blog and check out my recipe :)