Flourless Chocolate Cake

Last night I had a dinner party, and I suck as a blogger because I took no pictures!  I made scallops and risotto again, but the risotto had three kinds of peppers.  I feel like it's a nice warm wintery meal, with the creaminess of the risotto, and the lightness of the scallops.  Of course there will be salad, and to top off the meal - a flourless chocolate cake with homemade whipped cream, and a warm raspberry sauce.

Flourless Chocolate Cake 
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter
6 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 and butter and flour a 9x2 pan.

Put the chocolate, butter, and salt into a microwave safe bowl.  Melt for 2 minutes, and stir until the chocolate is smooth and creamy.  Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar until light and thickened - about 8 minutes.  Fold the egg mixture slowly into the chocolate until fully mixed.  Pour into the pan.

Bake at 325 for 1 hr 25 minutes.  Cool on a rack.

Serve with whipped cream and fruit!

I also made a warm raspberry sauce - yum.

Raspberry Sauce 
In a sauce pan mix the following ingredients
10 oz frozen raspberries
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp raspberry preserves

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring till thick.  Serve over chocolate cake or ice cream.

Sometimes a Storm Makes Date Night Even Better...

Last night Gimpy came over for date night just as a storm was rolling in.  The sky got dark, the wind picked up, and a big storm rolled in.  I was busy at the stove making risotto, which is what I'm giving you a recipe for tonight!  In spirit of the cutest boy ever, that probably no one will ever appreciate as much as I do, Gimpy was standing by the sliding glass doors to the patio and turned to me.

"Do you know what I love?" He said.  "What's that?" I replied.  "That when you cook, you stand on your tip toes as you move around the stove."  Cue me melting deep inside... I really love that boy.

Truffle Risotto
1/2 a sweet onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp truffle oil
1/2 cup wine
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup asiago cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oils together and add the onion.  Cook 8 minutes until translucent.  Add rice until just a tiny white spot appears in the center.  Add the wine - use whatever you are drinking with dinner to really enhance the flavor of your meal.  Cook until absorbed.

Add 3/4 cup of the chicken stock, and cook until absorbed.  Continue adding the stock 1/2 a cup at a time (I use a ladle and keep adding scoops) until all of the liquid is absorbed and the risotto is creamy.  Add the cheese and stir till well mixed.  I also added a cup or so of cooked peas as well!

To add to our dinner, I bought 8 huge diver scallops.  In a frying pan, I put 1 Tbsp olive oil and another 1 Tbsp of truffle oil and heated thoroughly.  When the oil was hot, I added the 8 scallops.  Cook until the bottom of the scallops are a nice golden brown, and the scallops appear milky instead of translucent.  Flip, and then cook until the other side is golden!

Place 4 scallops on top of a heap of risotto, and serve.  Drizzle with a little additional truffle oil.  Yum!