Heat up the flames of passion with this wonderful Greek classic--saganaki. When saganaki is served in a Greek restaurant, often the waiter or chef brings the dish to the table and pours an ouzo-based sauce over the grilled cheese then ignites the dish for a dazzling effect. As you bask in the fiery glow, the waiter and patrons give a festive shout out --OPA, a Greek word used to express joy or approval. A real show stopper, this recipe is sure to win the heart of that special someone.

I fell in love with this dish while dining at Molyvos in NYC. I had to buy the cookbook to learn how to make this classic dish with a twist: the added seduction of a butter lemon sauce poured over the cheese doused in ouzo.

Saganaki can be served as an appetizer or as part of a mix of meze or tapas dishes. Or better yet, as a main dish for a sexy midnight snack for two. Now that will definitely set the tone of what's to follow.



Ingredients
Three 8-oz pieces of Haloumi Cheese
1 cup cornstarch
About 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
about 1/2 cup blended olive oil
6 Tbsp Ouzo

2 cups Chicken Stock
Juice of 2 lemons
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cooking the Cheese
Start by cutting each piece of cheese with a serrated knife in equal size slices (3 per serving). Place the cornstarch on a shallow dish. Lightly coat each piece of cheese on all sides. Set aside.

Place the oils to a depth of 1/4" in a large skillet and heat over very high heat until very hot but not smoking.

Add the coated cheese slices without crowding the skillet. You may have to do this in batches. Fry for about 2 minutes or until golden. Turn and fry the other side for another minute or two until golden brown.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cheese to a double layer of paper towels to drain. Prepare the lemon sauce.

Lemon Sauce - Makes about 2 cups
2 cups Chicken Stock
Juice of 2 lemons
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place the stock in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to boil, Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until reduced by half

Add lemon juice along with a pinch of salt. When hot, begin whisking in the butter a few pices at a time.

When the butter has been completely incorporated and the sauce is emulsified cover, reserve, and keep warm. When ready to serve, fold in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plating the Dish / Fire it Up!
Heat up the lemon sauce again to get it hot. Turn the flame off. Place 3 pieces of cheese in a HOT saganaki (or other heat proof) dish. Plate both dishes in this manner. The key to getting a good flame is that the dish is hot. Take the dishes to the table and spoon a tablespoon of ouzo over each one. Be sure there is nothing above or near the dish that will catch fire.  Using a fireplace match oro a long butane lighter, ignite the ouzo, allowing it to burn out.

Pour the hot lemon sauce over the top and enjoy the spectacle. Repeat with your second dish.  Pour yourself a really good bottle of Greek white wine, toast and give a good shout- OPA!

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When I want to make Crepes Suzette I turn to master chef Jacques Pepin. A real show-stopper, this delicious orange flavored sweet doused in Grand Marnier and Brandy makes a dramatic presentation when fired up. The crepes are ultra thin and cooked with orange butter--both so easy to make.


My favorite story behind the origin of crepes suzette is this version (from Wikipedia).

The dish was created out of a mistake made by a fourteen year-old assistant waiter Henri Charpentier in 1895 at the Maitre at Monte Carlo's Café de Paris. He was preparing a dessert for the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII of England, and his companion whose first name was Suzette.

This is told by Henri Charpentier himself in Life a la Henri, his autobiography.

 "It was quite by accident as I worked in front of a chafing dish that the cordials caught fire. I thought I was ruined. The Prince and his friends were waiting. How could I begin all over? I tasted it. It was, I thought, the most delicious melody of sweet flavors I had ever tasted. I still think so. That accident of the flame was precisely what was needed to bring all those various instruments into one harmony of taste . . . He ate the pancakes with a fork; but he used a spoon to capture the remaining syrup. He asked me the name of that which he had eaten with so much relish. I told him it was to be called Crepes Princesse. He recognized that the pancake controlled the gender and that this was a compliment designed for him; but he protested with mock ferocity that there was a lady present. She was alert and rose to her feet and holding her little shirt wide with her hands she made him a curtsey. 'Will you,' said His Majesty, 'change Crepes Princesse to Crepes Suzette?' Thus was born and baptized this confection, one taste of which, I really believe, would reform a cannibal into a civilized gentleman. The next day I received a present from the Prince, a jeweled ring, a panama hat and a cane."

CREPES SUZETTE
Orange Butter
The orange butter is excellent by itself spread on cake layers as an orange butter cream.

Suzette Butter
3/4 stick butter
1/4 cup sugar
Peel of 1 orange removed with a vegetable peeler
Juice of 1 orange (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons sugar

Place the butter, sugar, and orange peel in the bowl of a food processor and process until the orange peels are no longer visible and the whole mixture is a uniform orange color. Add the juice slowly with the machine on so that the butter absorbs it. Set aside.

Crepes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 stick butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup cold water
1 tablespoon oil

In a bowl combine the flour, eggs, 1/2 cup milk, melted butter, salt, and sugar. Mix well with a whisk. The batter should be very thick; it is easier to get rid of lumps in a thick batter than in a thin one. Work it until it is smooth, then add the other 1/2 cup of milk, the cold water, and the oil. Stir well.

Heat the skillet and butter it lightly for the first crepe (I melted some butter in a bowl and used a brush to lightly butter the skillet before cooking each crepe. Be sure to remove any bits with first to ensure a smooth crepe). Pour about 2-4 tablespoonfuls of batter on one side of the skillet. The amount will vary depending upon the size of your skillet. Immediately tip the skillet, shaking it at the same time to make the batter run all over the bottom. The speed at which the batter is spread determines the thickness of the crepe. If you do not move the skillet fast enough, the batter sets before it has a chance to spread and the crepe will be thick. Practice with the first two crepes you make.

Cook it on medium to high heat for about 30 seconds. (After the first few seconds when the batter settles, I start to shake the pan from time to time so the pancake does not stick to the skillet). To flip, bang the skillet on a pot holder on the corner of the stove to get the crepe loose, and flip it over. I found this is easiest to do if you tilt the skillet away from you, slide the pancake to the very end of the skillet and then flick the pan towards you. This too will take practice but you'll get the hang of it after your first or second crepe.

Preparing the Crepes Suzette
Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the orange butter on each crepe, and fold the crepes in fourths. Butter generously a large oven proof platter and sprinkle it with sugar. Arrange one dozen stuffed crepes on it, overlapping slightly, but leave a space at the end of the platter where the sauce can accumulate. Sprinkle the crepes with 2 tablespoons of sugar and place them under the broiler, approximately in the middle of the oven if your broiler is in the same unit, for about 2 to 3 minutes. The surface of the crepes will caramelize and the sauce will slightly bubble.

Fire it Up!
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
1/4 cup Grand Marnier or homemade orange liqueur


 
Pour 1/2 Cup of Cognac or brandy and 1/4 cup Grand Marnier on the very hot crepes and ignite.  Bring the platter to the table and incline it slightly so that the flaming juices gather in the space you left. Spoon up the liquid and pour it back, still flaming, onto the crepes. When the flame subsides, serve two crepes per person with some of the sauce.

Garnish with blood orange slices and if you like sprinkle confectioner's sugar across top. 

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I've always thought this was the perfect meal for two. It's fun, intimate, could be sexy, and anything fueled by fire is mesmerizing. When I read Melissa Clark's article in the New York Times, A Little Nostalgia and a Lot of Cheese, I was convinced it was time to start experimenting with fondues--the recipes and stories will follow.

In the meantime, I highly suggest Fondue as a perfect romantic meal for two. And Melissa's recipes are captivating: Sweet Gorgonzola Fondue, Queso Fundido, Red Wine Garlic Fondue, and Dark Beer and Caramelized Onion Fondue--yummy! I have shared three recipes below.

Grab your Seduction Meal partner and a good bottle of wine or beer, play some fiery hot tunes, and Fire it Up!


Melissa Clark's Recipe: Sweet Gorgonzola Fondue Adapted from Artisanal

Time: 15 minutes

1 garlic clove, halved

1 cup sweet wine, such as Passito di Pantelleria or Sauternes

3/4 pound Gorgonzola dolce or other blue cheese, such as Stilton, crumbled

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon cream cheese

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Crusty bread, apple cubes or grapes, for serving.

1. Rub cut side of garlic on inside of a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed saucepan, rubbing the bottom and half way up the sides. Add wine and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss Gorgonzola with cornstarch. Add a quarter of the cheese into simmering wine; reduce heat to medium, and whisk constantly until cheese is completely melted. Repeat until all cheese has been added. Whisk in cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread, apple cubes and grapes.

Yield: 6 main course servings or 10 appetizer servings.

Melissa Clark Recipe: Queso Fundido

Time: 15 minutes

3 ounces chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 to 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, if desired, and finely chopped

1/2 pound Oaxacan cheese, mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese, diced small

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Corn or flour tortillas, for serving.

1. In a medium skillet or a flame-proof gratin dish over moderate-high heat, cook chorizo until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving any rendered fat in pan.

2. Stir in olive oil and jalapeño. Cook for 1 minute. Add cheese, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is fully melted, about 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and chorizo and serve hot from pan with tortillas for scooping up mixture.

Yield: 4 servings.

Melissa Clark Recipe for Classic Fondue

Time: 15 minutes

1 small garlic clove, halved

1 cup dry white wine

3/4 pound Gruyère cheese, grated

3/4 pound Emmenthaler, raclette or Appenzeller cheese, grated

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 to 2 tablespoons kirsch (optional)

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (optional)

Crusty bread cubes; steamed broccoli or cauliflower; carrot, celery or fennel sticks; cubed apple; seedless grapes; clementine sections; cubed salami, soppressata or kielbasa; roasted chestnuts and/or dried apricots, for serving.

1. Rub cut side of garlic on inside of large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan, preferably cast iron, rubbing the bottom and halfway up the sides. Add wine and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss cheeses with cornstarch. Add a handful at a time to simmering wine, stirring until first handful melts before adding next. Reduce heat to medium and stir constantly until cheese is completely melted. Add kirsch, if using, and heat until bubbling, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, if desired. Serve with crusty bread and other accompaniments.

Yield: 6 main course servings or 10 appetizer servings.

Go to The New York Times to read Melissa's full article and review the other fondue recipes--trust me there are many amazing variations--you'll want to try them all!

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A fiery sweet Seduction Meal that is sure to fan the flames of desire in you both. A delicious New Orleans standard --Bananas Foster. The dish was created by Paul Blangé at Brennan's Restaurant; it was named for Richard Foster, a friend of Owen Brennan's and New Orleans Crime Commission chairman. This dish is a true show stopper and fun to make together--you'll definitely impress when flaming up the skillet!


Bananas Foster
1/4 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
4 firm bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Makes 4 servings.

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.

Light it up!
When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. If you have an electric stove, add a match to the skillet, however, you might want to remove the skillet first, to an open area so the flames do not shoot up and hit something. (Keep a large metal lid on hand to cover the dish in case your flambe gets out of hand). When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately; the warm sauce will quickly melt the ice cream. I had a hard time photographing this because the ice-cream melted so quickly.

On a last note:, when dealing with fire, I highly suggest practicing before serving to master the art of working with fire.

Bananas Flambe
Another easy dessert that you can Fire Up for your Sweet Seduction

1 large firm banana
5 tspn honey
5 tspn of chopped walnuts and pecans
4 tspn brandy

Cut banana in half, place in a small flameproof dish. Drizzle cut surface of each half with 2 teaspoons of honey and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Broil the bananas about 4-5 minutes until heated--do not burn. Remove from broiler and carefully pour brandy over bananas and Fire it Up! Serve Immediately

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