Serenity Cafe Demo

Serenity Café Cooking Demo

            Just recently, I was able to help out my former community, my mother and myself all in one night. Not bad, right?!?  That night was at The Serenity Cafe in Toms River where Chef/Owner Gregory Manning held a cooking demonstration class that was to raise money for his daughter whom is part of the Step of Faith Ministry, Inc. They will soon be traveling to Haiti to help out those who are misfortunate. The $48 ticket was quite a steal to watch the Cooking Light 2012 “Trailblazer Chef of the Year” work his magic while helping out those in the neighborhood spread their charity.

            As for my mother, well she originally bought the tickets for her and my father. As his schedule gets filled up like the Nile, she needed a partner to take his spot. Now honestly, I think I should have been her date in the first place but I’ll spare you my whining. Needless to say, the minute she asked me to go with her, I said I was there, no problem.

            And as for helping myself out, haha, I’m just a hungry gal who loves to eat delicious things, learn about delicious things and clearly share delicious things. Here’s what transpired that night….

 

            First course: Creamy Balsamic Shrimp & Parmesan Soufflé. Plump and slightly fried shrimp scattered around a spongy Parmesan-laded cake topped with a balsamic glaze that had us all sopping up every last drizzle. Chef Greg explained how even though this dish looks challenging, it really isn’t since the soufflés can be poured into the ramekins the night before. Awesome! The day of cooking, just add the hot water for the bath and bake- viola! I took a lot of notes for the balsamic sauce as this is something I have yet to master. He did it so easily and I learned a key tip: adding a slurry of cornstarch and broth makes sauces “tighter” aka creamier.

 

            Second Course: Apricot & Cranberry Stuffed Pork Loin with Blackberry Sauce and Bacon Smashed Potatoes. Can you place Thanksgiving on a plate? After eating this dish, apparently so. This was a super cool dish to watch getting prepared. For one, the butter- flying  of the pork was one of those things that only watching could teach.  I wish I had a rewind on that one actually! Also, the blackberry sauce that went from a simple caramel to a boil of berries to then a glaze with strained fruit, brandy and rosemary was like watching something from Kitchen Stadium. Once the pork was all stuffed, wrapped and roasted, Chef Greg quickly mashed the potatoes with what he called an, “awesome baked potato.” Translation: mashed potatoes with cream, bacon, sour cream and butter.  Plating everything  in one serving was just beautiful. The colors popped while the aroma of bacon, pork and berries had all of us salivating for our taste!

            Third Course: S’mores Cheesecake. This was, by far, the best dessert I’ve eaten since 2010! I must say though, the moment I saw Chef Greg coating the crust with chocolate, I knew this was going to be a winner. I loved how he added mini marshmallows and chopped chocolate to the batter so that the entire cake embodied the S’mores theme. The top was flambéed with more marshmallows that I think would be fine if done by a broiler. Once it was delivered before us, the result was one that is universally recognized: silence. Yes, it was that good.

 

            Coffee was continually poured for all of us in attendance while we shared notes, discussed our opinions and questioned the Chef. The night finished with both my mother and I carrying out leftovers for our husbands who gladly got the remnants of a fundraising feast. Enjoy….

 

Creamy Balsamic Shrimp & Parmesan Souffle

Source: Gregory Manning, Serenity Cafe

Serves 8

Ingredients :

24 large peeled and deveined shrimp

Constarch

1 C peeled garlic

½ C oil

½ C good quality balsamic vinegar

½ C chicken stock

1 C heavy cream

1 C milk

2 TSP flour

2 TSP butter

1 C Parmesan Cheese

5 eggs, separated

8 Ramekins

Directions:

Balsamic Sauce:

1. In a sauce pot, heat oil and garlic together and cook until golden brown, taking care not to burn

2. Drain off oil and reserve, add balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil, reduce by a third

3. Add stock and cream and bring back to boil. Reduce by 1/3 again, remove from heat and puree with stick blender

4. Return to heat and thicken with cornstarch slurry (a little cornstarch and water mixed). Reserve sauce

Soufflés:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Bring milk and flour to a boil and be sure to whisk to prevent scorching

2. Add butter and Parmesan, remove from heat and let cool slightly

3. Add egg yolks and season with salt and pepper

4. In a separate bowl, beat whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into yolk mixture

5. Spray ramekins with food spray and divide filling between them. Bake soufflés in a water bath for 12-15 minutes. Remove and cool slightly

Shrimp:

1. Using reserved garlic oil, in a sauté pan heat oil and dust shrimp with cornstarch. Sauté shrimp in batches until all shrimp are cooked

Assembly:

1. Invert soufflé on a plate, place three shrimp around and drizzle with sauce and extra Parmesan Cheese.  

Apricot and Cranberry Stuffed Pork Loin with Blackberry Sauce & Bacon Smashed Potatoes

Source: Chef Gregory Manning, Serenity Café

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 lb. red bliss potatoes

6 pieces cooked bacon, chopped

1 C sour cream

1 bunch scallions, chopped

2 TSP butter

S & P: salt and pepper

1, 4-5 lb piece pork loin

1 C dried apricots

½ C dried cranberries

2 sprigs rosemary

S & P: salt and pepper

Olive oil and foil

½ C sugar

¼ C water

12 oz. fresh blackberries

1 C white wine

½ C blackberry brandy

1 sprig rosemary

4 TSP butter

2 C chicken stock

Cornstarch slurry

Directions:

Potatoes:

1. Place potatoes in a pot and bring to a boil until tender

2. Drain and smash with tongs or fork. Add bacon, sour cream, scallions, butter, and S & P to taste

3. Keep in a warm place

Pork:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Place the pork on a cutting board and clean off any excess fat. Butterfly the pork-  watch thisor Starting at the long end a little bit from bottom, cut it partially 1/3 way thru, flatten it out like a butterfly, then cut the next thicker piece partially 1/3 way thru, flatten it out and then cut the remaining thick part partially 1/3 way thru. You should be left with a long thin piece of pork! w

2. Place apricots and rosemary in food processor and pulse until chopped

3. Season pork with S & P and then spread on apricot and cranberries

4. Roll the pork up lengthwise

5. Cut a large piece of foil, place the stuffed pork in the middle. Rub loin with olive oil and more S & P. Close the foil up and seal

6. Roast for 40-45 minutes or until internal temperature is 140 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest, vent foil

Sauce:

1. In a sauce pot, bring sugar and water to a boil, cook until caramel in color

2. Add blackberries, rosemary, wine and brandy. Reduce by half and add stock, bring to boil and let simmer for 10 minutes

3. Strain to remove seeds and rosemary, bring back to boil, add butter, let simmer and thicken with cornstarch slurry (a little cornstarch and water mixed)

4. Season with S & P

Assembly:

1. Place pork loin on a clean cutting board. Place a scoop of potatoes on a plate, slice pork and place on top and follow with sauce. Garnish with rosemary, serve at once

S’mores Cheesecake

Source: Chef Gregory Manning, Serenity Café

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 prepared large graham cracker crust

½ C warmed hot fudge ice cream topping

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 C miniature chocolate chips

1 C miniature marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

1. Place shell on a half sheet pan

2. Coat bottom of crust with warmed hot fudge

3. Combine cream cheese and condensed milk in a mixer on low speed until smooth

4. Add vanilla

5. Add eggs, one at a time, until blended but not over mixed

6. Stir in chocolate chips and ½ C of marshmallows

7. Pour over crust and bake for 45 minutes or until set

8. Sprinkle with the additional ½ cup of mini marshmallows and return to oven for about 5 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown and puffed

9. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen

10. Chill overnight, then remove the sides of pan

11. Just before serving, drizzle with more warmed fudge topping

 

 

 

Serenity Cafe

Serenity Café

                I recently went to dinner with my parents in my hometown of Toms River. As a destination that has some great eateries, it, unfortunately, truly lacks an innovative, take risk, let’s surprise diners kind of place. Enter, Serenity Café, a small, nestled in a strip mall, BYO restaurant that will please your beyond bored palate.

                Chef Manning, who use to own Downtown on Irons in Toms River and the Olde Corner Deli in Island Heights, has done it yet again- create an inviting and unique atmosphere that highlights fresh ingredients with his vast culinary skills. Menus change once every 3 weeks or so and reservations are a must on the weekends at his newest endeavor.

                We started our feast with two appetizers. The Shrimp Crustini ($9) and the Salad Special ($6). The shrimp starter, although small, met my expectations. High expectations, that is. The shrimp were incredibly smoky and had the char marks to prove it. Soft chunks of tomatoes contrasted the crispy toast very nicely, while the balsamic glaze added just a touch of spunk to awaken our taste buds. The tails on the shrimp looked beautiful on the plate, however made for some rearranging when eating. The salad, as the shrimp dish did, pleased all. Sautéed apples were a new and welcomed addition to this perfectly dressed mound of mixed greens. The walnuts, advertised as caramelized, were abundant and added a lovely crunch when forked with the soft lettuce and fruit. Not sure where the caramelization went, but this appetizer was larger in size and fed 3 very well. Fresh ground pepper was offered by wait staff but luckily this dish was seasoned before arrival.

                Dinner came as did the warmed bread with an olive oil dipping bowl. The timing of this was off; the bread would have accompanied the shrimp and salad dishes much better than the entrees to come. Nevertheless though, I can’t say too many bad things about crusty, hot bread and olive oil. As for the dinner, we settled on getting the Pork Osso Bucco ($17), Pork Tenderloin ($16), and the Lobster & Shrimp Pot Pie ($24). The Osso Bucco was greatly executed. The pork, as it should, completely fell off the bone upon touching the fork. The cranberry reduction added a new and light dimension of flavor to this hearty and deep-flavored dish. Sweet potato fries and grilled zucchini made their way onto the plate, however their quality went semi-unnoticed amidst the succulent meat. The pork tenderloin was a hit as well. Pink in the center and covered in a sweet bourbon glaze made for one happy family. Not only was the meat something to admire but the sweet potato au gratin hidden beneath was an amazing side. The pork tenderloin, a leaner cut of meat, contrasted just about perfectly with the decadent and rich square of  gratin. A sauté of spinach rounded out the dish, while adding nice color appeal it didn’t elevate. The lobster and shrimp pot pie was immediately wowed at. It seriously looked as if it was an apple pie ready to slice up with some ice cream.  Thankfully, it continued to wow us as we dug in, and in, and in….. The flaky crust was quite noteworthy but what stood out here was the seafood. It tasted like the sea. Large lobster chunks and shrimp pieces were generously scattered about. The creaminess of the lobster sauce allowed each bite to be slowly savored. Although we didn’t expect to be finishing this massive pie, it quickly disappeared between us.

                Our dinner was quite enjoyable due to exceptional food and company. The atmosphere was just right for a casual dinner that wowed us from start to finish. The wait staff was pleasant and, when called upon, helped with all inquiries. Desserts were not ordered but upon leaving, we eyed some sweet creations that made us rethink eating the entire pot pie. Well, what can be said? One pie, in any form, is always better than no pie. Serenity Café can be found at 2008 Route 37 East, Toms River, NJ 08753.  

Total score 22/25

Final Grade: A

A: 21-25    B: 16-20    C: 11-15   D: 6-10    F: 0-5

Restaurant Rubric

	1	2	3	4	5
Food Taste	Bland, boring, overcooked, underdone	Very little flavor, not much aroma	Flavors apparent, basic ability to please palates	Flavor worth discussing, chef’s use of ingredients impressive	Great flavor, taste lingers and leaves diner wanting more
Restaurant service	disrespectful	Inattentive staff, no regard for wait time	Staff average in helpfulness, timing alright, either more/less needed	Staff knowledgeable and attentive to needs without asking, timing very well executed	Remarkable and noteworthy, service so good you forget it is ever an issue elsewhere
Food Presentation	Cover it up please	Sloppy and the eater can tell little thought went into it	Descent presentation: looks alright, not worth a picture but enough to make you hungry	Admirable, it is apparent the chef plated with a consideration for presentation	Presentational talents are here. Looks beautiful and too good to dig in
Prices match quality	Prices are too high for quality	Prices are still too high but not outrageously	Some items are priced accordingly but not all	Most items are priced accordingly	All items are matched accordingly
Would I go back?	Not a chance ever	Nope	Maybe	Looking forward to it	What time should I arrive?!?