july – key lime mousse with chocolate mint
leaves and blackberries
march 2004 - shrimp and sweet potato cakes
with vietnameses nuoc cham
24 raw medium shrimp, about 1 ½ -2 pounds
1 T. fish sauce
2 large garlic cloves, smashed, salted and minced
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups flour
2 T. sugar
1 T. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 T. curry powder
1 ½ cup cold water, more if needed
1 large sweet potato shredded
2 scallions finely sliced
peanut oil for frying
fish sauce:
1 tsp. garlic chili paste
¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons nuoc mam (vietnamese fish sauce)
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 T. fresh lime or lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
3 large garlic cloves, minced
garnishes:
a pretty variety of leaf lettuce and fresh mint, basil and cilantro
for the fish sauce: in a medium bowl, combine the chile, sugar,
vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice and garlic. stir to blend. Set
the sauce aside. for the garnishes: wash the lettuce and leave
the herbs whole, placing on the same platter as the lettuces.
refrigerate till ready to eat.
for the cakes: in a large mixing bowl sift the flour, sugar,
salt, baking powder, curry and black pepper together. make a well
in the center and pour in the water. whisk until smooth. the batter
should have the consistency of thick cream. peel the sweet potato
and shred. add the shredded potato, scallions and the chopped
shrimp to the batter.
heat a large heavy skillet with 1 inch of peanut oil. heat until
very hot but not smoking.
using a large spoon, place spoonfuls of the shrimp batter in
the hot oil. do not crowd the cakes; fry only three to four at
a time in a 12 inch skillet. carefully turn the cakes, and cook
evenly without burning, cooking on each side about 2 minutes.
serve with the garnishes, wrapping a piece of cake inside
the lettuce leaf with some of each of the fresh herbs. dip in
the fish sauce. enjoy.
april 2004 - aioli
aïoli is a delicious provençal garlic mayonnaise. the name aïoli
is provençal. use it like any mayonnaise, on a variety of dishes,
including boiled potatoes, seasonal vegetables, fish, and cold
beef or lamb, and as a balm for your spirit.
makes 6 servings
10 cloves, garlic
½ liter olive oil
4 raw egg yolk, pasteurized
few threads of saffron
salt to taste
using a cutting board smash the garlic, salt it and mince it
very fine. place it in a large bowl and add the egg yolks. add
the saffron threads to dissolve them slightly. whisk in the olive
oil very slowly until you obtain a smooth mayonnaise consistency.
serve with boiled potatoes, seasonal vegetables, fish, and
cold roasted beef or lamb.
may 2004 - almond and rose dessert frittata
with orange
a lovely time for roses and this unusual dessert fitttata! oh
but it is so good. nevermind that it was a dish made for harlots
in the time of the renasissance.
i love to serve this dessert after a dinner of roast chicken,
answering the question of which came first, the chicken or the
egg?
the use of sweet and savory flavors combined is a trademark of
the renaissance and earlier periods but which still works today.
i love the salty parmesan with the sweet and bitter marmalade
but if you’d like to try it with a smear of plain fresh goat cheese,
that would be less assertive. personally, i am sick and tired
of tiramisu, so try this after your next italian dinner adieu.
roses have long been associated with romance, what better way
to your lover’s heart than through a dessert you consume together?
for two:
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 teaspoon sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon cinnamon, sprinkle of
ground cardamom and ¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon half and half
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese or plain goat cheese
garnish:
squeeze of fresh orange juice
a handful of fresh peach-colored rose petals *
*please be beyond sure that your roses are pesticide free!!
in a small bowl mix the cinnamon, cardamom, sugar and salt. set
aside.
in a small nonstick skillet heat the butter over medium heat.
when melted, add the almonds. watch carefully, saute until light
brown, 1-2 minutes. remove from heat and add to the bowl with
the cinnamon sugar, mix well.
return the skillet to medium high heat and when hot add the beaten
eggs with the half and half. i like to use a fork to push the
cooked eggs to the center while the uncooked egg runs to the outside.
this achieves a "rumpled carpet" appearance. when light brown
on one side, flip the frittata or turn with a spatula and lightly
cook the other side. spread the orange marmalade over the top
surface and sprinkle on the parmesan or spread on the goat cheese.
slide onto a pretty serving plate, and sprinkle with the cinnamon
almonds, squeeze on the orange juice and release the petals from
the roses over the frittata. serve with two forks. enjoy.
june 2004 - fattoush: toasted bread salad
serves 6
for the salad:
1 round pita bread, torn into bite size pieces
olive oil
1 head romaine lettuce, washed and shredded
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
2 medium tomatoes diced or a big handful of mixed cherry tomatoes,
cut in half
2 spring onions, sliced thin
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 cup chopped sweet red or green pepper
for the dressing:
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. salt
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
tear pita bread into bite-size pieces, place on a baking sheet.
drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and bake in a 350 degree
oven for 5-7 minutes or until light brown and crunchy.
prepare all salad ingredients, place in a large bowl.
make the dressing and pour over salad just before serving. add
pita croutons and toss well.
july 2004 - key lime mousse with chocolate
mint leaves and blackberries
this dessert layers many of my favorite summer essences. the
play of chocolate, the crisp phyllo crust, the smooth tart mousse,
the mint and the blackberries seem to pull the whole dessert together.
the mousse method requires the use of a double boiler. there
are no shortcuts; the texture of the mousse demands the custard
be made in this classic method. but once you master that, any
mousse can be yours!
for the phyllo crust:
6 sheets phyllo dough, thawed overnight in refrigerator
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup chopped pistachios
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar
brush each layer with butter and sprinkle with the pistachios
and cinnamon sugar.
place in a 9 or 10 inch pie dish lined. roll the edges to make
a round crust. brush with butter. place in preheated 350 degree
oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. cool
on a rack.
for coating the crust bottom:
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
place the white chocolate and semisweet chocolate in different
microwave-able bowls. place in microwave, one bowl at a time for
1 minute on high, stirring at the halfway point. remove from microwave
and let rest one minute to account for carryover heat. add increments
of 10 seconds if additional time is needed. watch carefully so
as not to overcook and burn. spread these melted chocolates on
the bottom of the baked crust.
for the mousse:
½ cup unsalted butter
5 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup key lime juice
grated zest of 1 orange
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
place the butter in the top part of a double boiler set over
simmering water and melt. using a hand-held whisk, beat the eggs
and sugar in a medium bowl until light and foamy. add the mixture
to the melted butter and cook in the top part of the double boiler
over simmering water until the custard is formed. you’ll know
it's done when the mixture thickens to the point where it coats
the back of a wooden spoon. this takes about 8 minutes. at this
point, remove the custard from the heat and stir in the lime juice
and orange zest. cool to room temperature. using an electric hand-held
mixer or kitchen aid type mixer, whip the chilled cream until
very stiff. stir the lime custard into the whipped cream until
just incorporated. pour into the cooled and chocolated phyllo
crust. chill for at least 4 hours before serving, then decorate
with blackberries placed on the mousse next to the rolled edge
of the crust. garnish with the chocolate mint leaves just before
serving.
