Fried Green Tomatoes with Homemade Garlic-Basil Mayonnaise

I'm not usually one to watch the same movie over and over again, but the movie Fried Green Tomatoes is a special exception.  I admit to being somewhat of a feminist and I love the strength and confidence of the women in this movie.  Fried Green Tomatoes is a movie about friendship, both old and new, and the importance and influence a good friendship can have on our lives. 

 

"I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best Friends." - Ninny Threadgoode

One cannot watch the movie Fried Green Tomatoes without getting a craving for some.  With loads of green tomatoes in my garden, fried green tomatoes were an obvious choice.  When I went out to pick the tomatoes I noticed that my basil plant was growing out of control and needed a good trim.  After trimming the basil back I decided to make an Italian version of fried green tomatoes.  I added some chopped basil and Parmesan cheese to the panko mixture and then decided to make a homemade garlic-basil mayonnaise for dipping.  Every once in awhile I have a genius idea like that!

I fried ten thick slices of tomatoes until they were perfectly golden and placed them on a platter beside the homemade mayonnaise.  I nonchalantly picked one up, bit into it, and was completely amazed by how wonderful it was.  Perfectly crunchy, with loads of flavor from the basil and Parmesan, and also nice and meaty.  The thick slices of tomato really held up well to the frying.  These Italian-seasoned fried green tomatoes were perfect on their own, but were absolutely phenomenal once dipped in the homemade garlic-basil mayonnaise.  My Mom and I ate all ten slices with wild abandon.  After stuffing ourselves with fried green tomatoes we made a plan to stay out of the backyard.  It could be dangerous to the waistline.

"Oh, what I wouldn't give for a plate of fried green tomatoes like we used to have at the cafe. Ooh"- Ninny Threadgoode

  Fried Green Tomatoes

original recipe 

Serves 2-4, depending on appetite

2 medium-sized green tomatoes, cut thickly (about 5 slices per tomato)

About 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

About 2 cups panko

1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup chopped basil

salt and pepper to season

canola oil, for frying

cast iron skillet preferable

Place the flour, beaten egg, and panko in three separate trays for dipping/breading.  Heavily season the the flour, egg, and panko with salt and pepper.  Add the grated Parmesan cheese and the chopped basil to the panko and stir.  Dip each tomato slice into flour, then egg, then panko.  Place each coated slice on a baking tray and when each slice is breaded then place the entire baking tray in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.  (This is a tip I learned from Tyler Florence.  Anytime he adds a breading to something he allows it to "dry out" in the refrigerator.  This procedure helps the breading to adhere better once it hits the heat of the skillet. I use this tip all the time when breading.)  Fry up to 3 slices at a time on medium heat, remembering not to crowd the pan.  Each slice needs about 2-3 minutes per side.  Drained the fried green tomatoes on paper towels and allow to cool slightly before serving.  Sprinkle with additional basil and Parmesan prior to serving.

 Garlic-Basil Mayonnaise

Adapted from Farm to Fork by Emeril Lagasse

Makes 1-1/2 cups

1 large egg, at room temp

1 large egg yolk, at room temp

1-1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

1/4 teaspoon pepper or cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1 cup canola oil

1/4 olive oil

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Add the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend for 1 minute until smooth, light yellow, and froth, about 1 minute.  While the processor/blender is still running, combine the canola oil and olive oil in a measuring cup with a pour spout, and working very slowly, add the oil to the processor in a thin, steady stream, processing until the oil is completely incorporated and a thick emulsion is formed (It is very important that the oil is added slowly, especially at the beginning; otherwise the mayonnaise may break).

Transfer the mayo to a nonreactive bowl, stir in the chopped basil, add more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice to season.  Use immediately, or refrigerate in a nonreactive airtight container for up to a 1 day.

I am submitting this post to Food 'n Flix which is being hosted by Glennis at Can't Believe We Ate.

I am also submitting this to Michelle of Ms. enPlace for her Garden Variety Wednesday event.

Announcing Food 'n Flix for July: Letters to Juliet (I'm hosting)

 What if you had a second chance to find true love?

Would you take it?

Sophie is an aspiring writer who goes on a pre-honeymoon trip to Verona, Italy with her chef fiance, Victor.  While strolling alone one day Sophie discovers a beautiful old courtyard full of heartbroken women who have written letters to Juliet.  By accident she uncovers a letter written 50 years prior and feels compelled to answer the letter.  Working with a group, known as the secretaries of Juliet, she pens a compelling letter to the author of the 50 year old letter.  Sophie's heartfelt letter works as a catalyst which leads her and the others on an epic journey full of hope, longing, disappointment, and fulfillment.

Filmed against the beautiful backdrop of Verona, Italy,  Letters To Juliet is a feel-good romantic comedy about love lost and love found.  A sweet movie that we can all relate to.

 

How to participate in Food 'n Flix:

1. Rent, buy, beg, borrow or steal July's film selection (Letters to Juliet) and watch it. Taking inspiration from the film, head into the kitchen and cook, bake or make something.

2. Post about it on your blog with a link back to THIS post and a link to Food 'n Flix. Use of the logo is optional.

3. Your post must be current (during month of film). And of course we don't mind if your post is linked to other events...the more the merrier.

4. Have fun with it!

 

5. Email me at tony.tracy@att.net by the deadline and include the following:

• Your name
• Your blog's name and URL
• The name of your dish and the permalink to the specific post you're submitting
• Attach a photo of your dish (or just give me permission to "pull" one from your post)
• Indicate "Food 'n Flix Submission" in the subject line

Deadline for submission is: July 31st

(Watch for the roundup to be posted here shortly after this deadline!)

 

Under The Tuscan Sun with Garlic and Greens Spaghetti

In my mind I've run away to Tuscany so many times that I've lost count.  I've taken leisurely rides through the gorgeous countryside, strolled through the Uffizi, got drunk on wine and limoncello, and ate everything that crossed my path.  I've made pasta from scratch in a gorgeous rustic kitchen and even picnicked with a strikingly handsome Italian man.  Naturally in these dreams I'm in my twenties, single, several pounds lighter and without children.  Sometimes one can only dream.

In reality I'm very far from Tuscany.  Here in rural Kentucky it is raining for about the 100th day in a row.  My 4 year old son is wearing cheese puffs all over his face like it's his job and my 10 year old daughter is nagging me that she's hungry even though she just ate.  I can't even remember the last time I had a good stiff drink, saw fine art, or went on a picnic, and my poor husband is working about ten hours a day.  What's more is that I'm no where near my twenties, in fact this year I'll be closer to 40 than 30.  Yikes, where does the time go?

So, the only consolation prize I could think of was to make a huge pot of spaghetti, with no less than 18 cloves of garlic, and watch Under The Tuscan Sun.  Because if you can't go to Italy in person, then you might as well go there in the movies. 

Garlic and Greens Spaghetti

Adapted from the new Food Network Great Easy Meals

Serves 4

18 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (about 2 heads)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, halved and sliced

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste

Kosher salt

12 cups torn winter greens, such as kale, chard, escarole or mustard greens (about 2-1/2lbs.)

12 ounces spaghetti

1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Meanwhile, cook the garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes.  (Be careful not to overbrown the garlic or it will taste bitter.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic chips to a paper-towel-lined-plate.  Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil into a small bowl to use as a dip for crusty bread, if desired.  Add the onions and red pepper flakes to the oil in the pan; cook, stirring, until the onions are light brown, about 10 minutes.  Season with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt.

When the onions are almost done, add the greens to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, until just tender, about 2 minutes.  Using tongs, remove the greens, shaking off the excess water; add them to the skillet with the onions (set the pot of water aside).  Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Return the cooking water to a boil.  Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes.  Remove and reserve about 1 cup cooking water; drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl.  Add the cheese and toss.  Add the greens and some of the reserved pasta water and toss, adding more water as necessary to keep the pasta from clumping.  Top with the garlic chips.

Per serving: calories 565; fat 16g (sat 4g); cholesterol 8 mg; sodium 940mg; carbs 28g; fiber 4g; protein 28g

Yummy slivers of fried garlic.....

Notes/Results:  Warning....I LOVE garlic, but this may very well be the most garlicky thing I've ever ate in my life.  I did love this meal, but I will warn you that if you chose to make this then you should be prepared to smell like garlic and taste like garlic for a good day or more.  That being said, this is a delicious meal, exactly right up my alley.  Eighteen cloves of garlic are sliced and toasted in olive oil until just golden brown.  Note:  Toasted garlic is not mellow like roasted garlic, it is quite potent still.  The pasta is tossed with sauteed onions, kale, a little bit of pasta water, pecorino, and then topped with the garlic chips.  An added bonus with this recipe is that the oil the garlic has been toasted in can be saved and used for dipping crusty bread into.  Garlicky pasta, garlicky oil for bread dipping, and a good movie..how can you beat that?  Now, if only I looked like Diane Lane....

 Head on over to Food 'n Flix to see what's playing!

Food 'n' Flix: Spicy-Sweet Pretzel Mix and Pomegranate Sodas

Over the winter months, my family and I have at least one movie night per weekend.  So far this year, it's been a winter full of old 80's movies (Goonies, Back to the Future, Karate Kid, Poltergeist, Spacecamp, you get the idea).  It's been a lot of fun watching the look on my daughter's face as she discovers how different things were back in the 80's.  A lot of things have been very shocking to her and we've had a lot of good laughs. My husband likes to joke that each old movie must be torture to her, but I can honestly say that she has loved each and every old movie we have chosen.  How could she not?  They're classics for a reason, right? 

On family movie night we always have popcorn.  Lots of popcorn.  I've tried to deviate from this, but it's just not pretty. Things just get ugly. So, during the week, when everyone is at work or school, I pick my very own movie and make my very own snack.  Most of the time this involves chocolate, but this time it was this Spicy-Sweet Pretzel Mix and a special drink just for me, a pretty pale pink Pomegranate Soda with a maraschino cherry floating on top.

 IT'S MOVIE TIME!

Once I have my snack, I pop in a movie of my very own choosing.  No cartoons, action flicks, or teeny bopper shows.  Only chick flicks.  It's time for girly, romantic, sappy, ridiculous, over-the-top, dramatic, passionate, and funny movies.  Even better if the movie involves cooking, like this month's Food 'n' Flix pick, Woman On Top. A very passionate love story about both love and cooking, it was the perfect choice for some down time. 

Spicy-Sweet Pretzel Mix

Adapted from Everyday Food September 2008 issue

Martha says this serves 8 (I say more like 2)

2 cups thin pretzel sticks

1 cup natural almonds

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, toss together pretzels and almonds.

In a small saucepan, bring butter, sugar, cayenne, and 1 tablespoon water to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Pour over pretzel mixture in bowl; gently toss to combine.

Spread pretzel mixture in a single layer on prepared sheet.  Bake until almonds are crisp, about 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.  Cool on sheet before serving (To store, keep at room temp, up to 5 days).

Pomegranate Sodas

Adapted from Everyday Food September 2008 

Serves 8

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

club soda, for serving

maraschino cherries (optional)

Ice

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and juice; bring to a boil over high, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Reduce to a simmer; cook, without stirring, until mixture is syrupy, about 2 minutes. (To store, refrigerate syrup up to 1 week; adjust consistency with water, if necessary.)

To serve: Fill 8 glasses with ice. Pour 2 tablespoons syrup in each glass, and top with club soda. Garnish with cherries, if desired.

Notes/Results:  A very satisfying snack and drink combination that really caters to those sweet and salty cravings.  The sweet and spicy pretzel mix is delicious, a little more sweet than spicy, but it does have a gentle heat to it.  If you enjoy your food a little more spicy, go ahead and add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in place of the 1/8 teaspoon. The crunchy pretzel mix pairs perfectly with the sweet pomegranate soda, a fun and delicious match.  I really enjoyed the pretzel mix, but I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the pomegranate soda.  The soda is just plain fantastic! Not only is it a gorgeous pale pink color, but it is also sweet, bubbly, refreshing and just plain fun to drink.  Decorated with some maraschino cherries, this would be fun for a family, your next party, a group of girls (any age), or even just on a day when you're on your own and need a fun treat.  

Now Watching Woman On Top

Michael Symon's Italian Braised Beef with Root Vegetables for Food 'n Flix

This recipe is a huge labor of love. However, fifteen hours later you will have the most deliciously tender, succulent, melt-in-your mouth beef roast with a complex and flavorful sauce served over rigatoni. It will make your family swoon. It will make you want to kiss Michael Symon (assuming you never thought of kissing him before).

When my family sees Symon's cookbook laying on the kitchen counter they know they're in for something good. They also know when they see his book it means that I'll be in the kitchen for awhile and his Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce is no exception. Yia Yia was Symon's maternal grandmother and this is her sauce. A rich homemade tomato sauce that simmers for 8 hours, Symon uses this sauce as a base in many recipes throughout his book, including his Italian Braised Beef with Root Vegetables.
Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce
Adapted from Michael Symon's Live To Cook
Makes 2 quarts, freezes well
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or more to taste
2 28-ounce cans San Marzano tomatoes, with their juice
1 cup dry white wine
2 pounds meaty beef bones (or 2 cups beef broth)
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until transparent, 2 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and cook until everything is soft but not browned, about 3 minutes.

Squeeze the tomatoes one by one into the pan, pulverizing them by hand, and pour in their juice, too. Add the wine, beef bones (or broth), bay leaf, oregano, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to its lowest possible setting, and continue to cook for 8 hours. The sauce should reduce by about one third.

Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Remove the bones (if using) and bay leaf. If not using right away, let the sauce cool, then cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.


Let's talk about a couple key points in making a roast. The first, and most important step, is picking a great roast. If you don't buy a great roast then it won't matter how long you cook it or what you do with it. Symon says to use a rump roast, but after years of experimenting I like to use a shoulder roast, preferably black angus. The shoulder cut is a flat cut, which fits well into most pans or slow cookers, and has good marbling throughout. Marbling is very important! I always check to make sure the roast is fresh, meaning that the roast itself is bright red and the marbling is very white.

The second step in a great pot roast is to SEAR the roast, on all sides. Searing is one of the keys to great flavor.

Another great tip that I learned from Symon is to make sure that when braising, a third of the meat is above the liquid. The meat should not be submerged, so pot size is important. I found that a 9 x 13 dish was the perfect size for this roast.

In the movie The Ramen Girl, the broth for the ramen noodle soup was the heart of the recipe. In Symon's Italian Braised Beef, the sauce is the heart of the recipe. Full of complex and robust flavors, which have cooked and simmered for hours upon hours, it is what makes this recipe so good.

Italian Braised Beef with Root Vegetables
Adapted from Michael Symon's Live To Cook
Serves 6
3 pounds rump roast (NOTE: I used a 4.5lb shoulder roast)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine
2 cups Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce*make day before
2 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Season the meat liberally with salt and pepper, as much as a day in advance. (Cover and refrigerate it if doing so and take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.) Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil is on the verge of smoking, sear the meat, about 2 minutes on each side. Move the meat to the side (or remove it from the pot altogether if necessary), and add the carrot, onion, and celery root. Brown the vegetables, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a minute or two longer.

Add the wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Add the tomato sauce, 1 cup water, and the bay leaves (and the pot roast if you removed it). Bring the liquid to a simmer and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for 3 hours, basting the meat occasionally during this time.

Discard the bay leaves before serving. The meat can be removed to a cutting board and sliced if you're serving individual plates, or the meat can be pulled apart with a couple of forks right in the pot at the table and served with plenty of the sauce and vegetables.

*Michael's family served their roast over rigatoni, so I did the same.

Notes/Results: A fabulous and soul-satisfying dish, one to be proud of for sure. The sauce on this pot roast is so sensational, a winning component of the recipe. This roast would be great served on it's own, with polenta, or with mashed potatoes. I served this 4 pound roast over a pound of rigatoni and it was gone in record time. Many hands fought over the leftovers the next day. This recipe will be made again in the coming months.

This recipe is being submitted to Ashlee over at Veggie By Season for the bi-monthly Symon Sundays event.

It is also being submitted to Food 'n Flix, where this month's movie is The Ramen Girl.


And also to the Hearth 'n Soul Blog hop, co-hosted by my friend Heather of girlichef.

Slut's Spaghetti

This morning Nigella Lawson opened up her cooking show, Nigella Kitchen, by making a recipe called Slut's Spaghetti. Nigella's Slut's Spaghetti is her take on an Italian classic, Pasta Puttanesca, which Nigella mentions is translated in English as "pasta cooked in a whorish fashion." Nigella explained the reasons behind the name of the dish and went on to say that she preferred to call her version simply "Slut's Spaghetti. When Nigella finished making the spaghetti, she plated it, and took the entire dish to bed with her. I love that woman!

I already had a recipe in mind for this month's Food 'n Flix movie, Mystic Pizza. While watching Nigella I had a change of heart. I stopped writing the post and got up to make Nigella's Slut's Spaghetti. What better reason to make Slut's Spaghetti than for the girls of Mystic Pizza? After all, the movie is all about three young-spirited girls who definitely are crazy about men! A classic 80's movie all about coming of age, learning about yourself, life, and naturally, lots of heartbreak. Typical young girls who I'm sure would love this pasta just about as much as they loved their men.

Nigella Lawson's Slut's Spaghetti - recipe adapted from Food Network
Nigella says:
Well, how could I resist this translation of pasta alla puttanesca, whore's pasta as it usually is described in English? The general consensus seems to be that this is the sort of dish cooked by slatterns who don't go to market to get their ingredients fresh, but are happy to use stuff out of jars and cans. I hold my hands up to that. Or maybe one should just attribute the name gamely to the fiery tang and robust saltiness of the dish? But, anyhow, what better recipe to start off this section devoted to the fruits of the larder.

Please fire up the sauce if you want, but do know that even though the first mouthful might seem not quite hot enough, the heat builds as you eat. I sometimes go a little cross-cultural in my chili-case and use hot pickled jalapenos from a jar found on the Tex-Mex shelves of the supermarket. And while you're there, do look out for the tiny French nonpareil (or nonpareilles) capers: they may be smaller, but they pack more of a pungent punch than the larger capers.
Ingredients
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 8 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced, crushed or grated
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or 1 to 2 tablespoons jarred or canned jalapeno peppers (preferably red), drained, sliced, and diced, or to taste
* Salt
* 1 pound spaghetti
* 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 1/4 cups chopped drained pitted black olives
* 2 tablespoons small capers, well rinsed and drained
* 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish, optional
* Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water, for the pasta, to a boil over medium heat, though you don't need to get started on the sauce until the water is pretty well boiling.

Pour the oil into a wide, shallowish frying pan, Dutch oven, or wok, and put it over medium heat.

Add the anchovies and cook for about 3 minutes, pressing and pushing with a wooden spoon, until the anchovies have almost "melted". Add the garlic and red pepper flakes or jalapenos and cook, stirring, for another minute.

This is probably the stage at which you will want to salt the boiling water and adding the spaghetti to cook, following the package instructions.

Going back to the sauce, add the tomatoes, olives, and capers to the pot with the anchovies and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and again, by which time it will have thickened slightly. Taste for seasoning.

Just before the pasta is ready, remove and reserve about an espresso cupful of cooking water.

When the pasta is cooked as desired, drain and add the spaghetti to the tomato sauce, adding a little reserved pasta water, if needed, to help amalgamate the sauce. Scatter with chopped parsley, if there's some to hand, and serve in slatternly style, preferably with an unfiltered cigarette clamped between crimson-painted lips.

Make Ahead Note:

The sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Transfer the sauce to a nonmetallic bowl to cool, then cover and refrigerate as soon as possible. Reheat gently in large saucepan, frying pan, or wok, stirring occasionally, until piping hot.

Freeze Note:

The cooled sauce can be frozen in a resealable container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above.

Notes/Results: Big love to Nigella Lawson and the girls of Mystic Pizza for making me laugh and smile. I enjoyed watching Mystic Pizza back in the day, just as much as I enjoy watching it now. It will always be one of those classic 80's movies. It seemed fitting to combine Nigella with the girls of Mystic Pizza since all of these ladies are good at saying exactly what's on their mind. I did make one change to the recipe, based only on the fact that I was also feeding a male slut. I added one pound of ground beef. Otherwise I kept the recipe the same. It was perfectly vulgar with flavor and a very satisfying dish. A gutsy pasta recipe that best represents both Nigella and the girls of Mystic Falls.

Head on over to Food 'n Flix, a monthly celebration of movies and food. Next month's movie is going to be The Ramen Girl!

Food 'n Flix: Mexican Chocolate Meringue Truffles

In a small and tranquil town nestled in the French countryside, Vianne stirs a pot of melting chocolate. Calmly and peacefully, she contemplates the smooth brown liquid. As she takes in the magical scent, she dreams that her chocolates will awaken the hopes, dreams and desires of all who taste it. Behind her back, the townspeople whisper. They've never met anyone so mysterious and bold. They question her morality, her character, and her motives. They try their best to dissuade her. Will they win?

In my loud and chaotic kitchen I'm whipping egg whites for spicy chocolate meringues. The noise of the mixer isn't loud enough to drown out the sound of the children bickering back and forth. I do my best to tune out the noise, watching as the egg whites go from frothy to cloud-like. With reluctance I look to the children and notice that the bickering has not stopped. I scold them nicely and continue on. As I wish for a calm and peaceful kitchen, the back door slams. It shatters against the kitchen counter, bits and pieces of broken glass raining down all over the kitchen. In shock and disbelief I stand with my fists clenched as I turn red in the face. I'm too angry to speak. The children know what they've done. They cry in unison and run to their rooms. Behind my back, they whisper. They wonder how they will be punished. They wonder if they can dissuade me, but you and I both know that they didn't win.

I should have known right then and there that my Mexican Chocolate Meringues weren't meant to be. For some reason I felt compelled to make them. I attempted them two more times and each time the meringues fell flat and stuck to the parchment. At the peak of anger and frustration, I scraped them off the sheet pan and watched them crumble to pieces. Hastily, I grabbed a chunk from the sheet tray and shoved it in my mouth. It was magical! Rich from the chocolate, warm from the cinnamon, and fragrant with the smell of almonds. I stood there eating the crumbs from the tray. The spicy chocolate eased my deflated ego. They were addictive. I had to save them somehow.

I formed the crumbles into little balls and dipped them in melted chocolate. Once the chocolate set I sprinkled them with chile powder. That's how Mexican Chocolate Meringue Truffles were born. Sometimes our failures can be our biggest rewards.

If you would like to attempt the Mexican Chocolate Meringues, the recipe can be found here on the Food Network. I'm sure that someone with more baking experience than myself would produce beautiful chocolate meringues. They are quite warm and spicy, seductive and magical, just like Vianne in Chocolat!

This is my submission for the fun new foodie event Food 'n Flix. Head on over to check out next month's chosen flick!