Shrimp and Citrus Celebrate Summer Together

Last week we were in New York. We lucked out, weather-wise. The week before had been stormy, with rain almost every day. When we were planning the trip, the forecast said it would continue raining the entire week. Long story short, it didn't rain.

A little bit of rain last Monday evening. Otherwise, the skies were blue most of the time and the temperatures during the day were in the high 50's and low 60s. Perfect New York-walking around weather. Now I hear cold and even snow has returned. Spring is always a moveable feast in New York.

So, I'm happy to be back home. I started a new video project, interviewing chefs whose recipes appear in the Beverly Hills Centennial Cookbook. Chef David Padilla who works at Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel demonstrated how to make a delicious sautéed shrimp dish.

He calls it Drunken Shrimp, which is a classic Chinese dish, but his is decidedly Latin in his use of citrus and chiles. I wrote the profile for Zester Daily. The full interview and video are there. Please take a look: Drunken Shrimp from Chef David Padilla of Luxe.

Savory Cheesecake

I have come to love making jam so that I can enjoy the summer bounty in the depths of winter.  They are easily turned into dessert (pop tarts anyone?), but can also make a perfect party appetizer on top of cheesecake.

While an herbed savory cheesecake was a perfect base to my tomato jam before, I wanted more of a blank canvas for a batch of strawberry rhubarb caramelized onion jam that I made this summer.  Pumpernickel pretzels and walnuts turned out to be a fabulous choice for this treat, and it's absolutely perfect for entertaining. 

Although, if you don't want to share, I won't tell ;)

Savory Goat Cheese Cheesecake
adapted from my PB Chocolate Cheesecake

You can make this in a regular 9 or 10" cheesecake pan for a party, or perhaps a few smaller 4" pans for a smaller gathering.  Prefer the individual size?  A mini cheesecake pan or a muffin tin work as well.

1c pumpernickel pretzel crumbs (could use any type of pretzel or cracker here)
1/2c chopped walnuts (or other nut/seed)
4T butter, melted
12oz cream cheese, RT
11oz goat cheese, RT
1/4t sea salt
freshly ground pepper
3 eggs, RT
strawberry rhubarb caramelized onion jam, peach jam with caramelized onions and basil, or tomato jam

Preheat the oven to 350deg.

To make pretzel crumbs, grind up pumpernickel pretzels in the small bowl of a food processor.  Measure out 1c of the crumbs and combine with walnuts (these could also be ground up/chopped in the food processor).  Add melted butter and stir until well combined.  Press into desired baking pans.  Bake 7-10min, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  Turn oven down to 250deg.

While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling.  Cream together cream cheese and goat cheese in a stand mixer.  Add salt and pepper and mix well.  Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each is well combined.  Pour into cooled crust, be sure not to fill more than 3/4 up the pan.  Tap cheesecake on the table to allow any air bubbles to come to the surface.

Bake (30min for minis, 45 for 4" and 1 1/2-2hours for a 9 or 10", the top will be set and no longer be jiggly). Remove and place on a wire rack.  Mine had cracks, but I didn't mind since I was covering it with jam. Once cooled, refrigerate until ~1hr before serving.  Top with the jam of your choice and serve!

I know we just passed the holiday season, what was your favorite party food?

Pickled Apples

This month the Creative Cooking Crew was creating...  pickles!

Embracing the cooler weather, I tried something a little different and tried pickling apples.  Since cheese goes as well with apples as peanut butter, I made some cheddar cheese crisps to act as a 'chip' for a salsa made from tangy pickled apples, crunchy walnuts, and fresh parsley.

Perfect for an upscale football snack or fun party appetizer :)

Cheddar Crisps with Pickled Apples

For the apples:
1/2c + 2T water
8T rice vinegar
3/4t kosher salt
1-2t local honey
2 sm-med apples
1t coriander seeds
1/4t black peppercorns

For the cheddar crisps:
cheddar cheese (I used an aged goat cheddar), finely grated
few stems of parsley, chopped
1-2T chopped walnuts

Heat water, vinegar, salt and honey in a small pot until honey dissolves.  Take off the heat, cover and let steep while you prepare the apples.

Julienne the apples and stuff into a jar (my apples may have been a bit large and filled a 16 and 8oz ball jar).  Add coriander and pepper to the jar, and then pour the brine over the apples.  Refrigerate at least 1 day before using.

Set aside some of the pickled apples to drain while you prepare the cheddar crisps.  Preheat the oven to 325deg and line a cookie sheet or baking stone with parchment paper.  Using ~2T of cheese, form circles on the parchment paper about 1" apart.  Bake for 10-12 min, until slightly browned.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

Once the cheese crisps are completely cool, transfer to a serving plate and top with the drained pickled apples and a bit of the chopped parsley and walnuts.

I imagine the pickled apple/walnuts/parsley combo would also go well on top of some baked brie.  Or tuck some pickled apples into a grilled cheese with sharp cheddar and black forest ham!

Who else has ideas on how to use the rest of my pickled apples?

Check out Foodalogue next week for more inspiration to get your pickle on!

Tuna Tartar Swims into Summer at MoMA's The Modern in NYC

Earlier in the year I had a great meal. Change that. A really great meal. Working on an article for Bespoke Magazine about multi-course upscale dining, I interviewed Chef Gabriel Kreuther at MoMA's The Modern.

We talked on the phone for half an hour during which time he told me about his culinary background ("Alsatian"), his opinion about double-digit multi-course dining like Thomas Keller's 24 course-meals ("afterwards, aren't there maybe 2 or 3 dishes that were memorable? why not just have those next time.") and why he loved cooking in a museum ("the art inspires me in the kitchen").

At the end of the conversation he offered, "Next time you're in New York, I want you to come to the restaurant and taste my food." Happily I was flying into the city the next day so I could accept the invitation.

His multi-course meal took ten dishes, four deserts and 6 wine pairings before we folded up our napkins. I had a combination of dishes with meat, seafood and vegetables. My wife was served pescetarian dishes. All the dishes were beautifully plated. The flavors exquisitely structured. The wines, many from Alsace, were crisp, light and delicious.

Sitting at a table along the window, we had a good view of the sculpture garden where a cocktail party was in progress. Waiters passed around appetizers and wine. The sun set. The garden was reduced to shapes with over head lights picking out a detail here and there. Inside the feeling was muted elegance. A very different feeling from the large and boisterous Cafe on the other side of the thick paneled wall.

Chef Kreuther was kind enough to let me write about one of his recipes, One, which can be made in a home kitchen without the roomful of sous chefs who help him create the dishes for the restaurant. The tartar recipe is simple although it has half a dozen components, half of which go to creating the exquisite design on the plate.

For a dinner party or special occasion, a dish like the tartar is a lot of fun and it will be one of the dishes everyone remembers.

For Zester Daily: Next to MoMA's Sculpture Garden, Tuna Is A Work Of Art

Avocado Lime Soup

Happy National Running Day!  The weather made for a pretty awesome run home after work, I hope you got out to celebrate too :)

I thought I'd share a soup that was inspired by a dinner at The Elephant Walk a year ago (yes, it has been sitting in my drafts folder for that long).  As I am not a fan of gazpacho, this is exactly the kind of light and refreshing soup that I'll crave when the temperatures start to rise.

Avocado Lime Soup
Recipe by Shannon
Serves 2

1 1/2c veggie broth
1/2c water
1/4-1/2c lime juice
dash cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper
1T agave nectar
1 avocado, diced
1/2c grape tomatoes, halved
2T-1/4c chopped white onion
chopped parsley or cilantro, to garnish (optional)

In a large container or blender, add broth, water, 1/4c lime juice, cumin, agave nectar, a dash of salt and some freshly ground pepper.  Combine well, taste, and adjust seasonings--  based on your preferences, you might want up to 1/4c more lime juice, a little more agave, or perhaps some salt if your broth isn't very salty. Chill for a few hours.

Divide the avocado, tomatoes and onion into two bowls, then top with chilled broth. Garnish with herbs, if desired, and enjoy!



If you're reading this, I could use your help!  I'm riding in the Pan Mass Challenge this year for my mom and other family members and friends who have had cancer.  To help raise money for pediatric oncology research, I'm organizing a virtual bake sale June 10-12.  If you would like to donate a baked good, please check it out and spread the word- I won't be able to do it without you!!

I Left My Heart in Spain But Brought Home the Anchovies

Raise your hands. Who loves anchovies? If you do, you should definitely visit Spain. 

Taking a press tour across the top of Spain, visiting San Sebastian, Bilbao and Santiago de Compostella, anchovies were the culinary through line. I loved them on tapas. I loved them on pintxos (Basque open faced sandwiches). I brought jars of anchovies in the local supermarkets to bring home and when I got home, I enjoyed making versions of what I enjoyed in Spain. 

Anyone who raised their hand and loves salty anchovies, I posted a recipe for a yummy tapas on Zester Daily:http://tinyurl.com/pxxlp6j

Spicy Stout Mustard

Why didn't anyone tell me how easy it is to make mustard??  As my taste buds have grown up matured, mustard has become a favorite way to add a little flavor to sandwiches and dressings.  Easy enough to do after work, you simply combine all the ingredients in a jar and let it sit for a day, and then blend in your food processor!  You don't even need to can it, as it will last a good 6 months in the fridge.

Due to the high proportion of brown mustard seeds, this version has a kick- feel free to use more yellow mustard seeds if you'd like to mellow it.  So far I've tried it on sandwiches and homemade soft pretzels, but I can imagine it to be a fantastic addition to a grilled cheese with apples, ham and gruyere/cheddar!

Spicy Stout Mustard
slightly adapted from The Taste of Oregon
yield:  ~3 1/2c

12oz Pretty Things Babayaga (a winter ale whose malt gets smoked on rosemary)
1 1/4c brown mustard seeds
1/4c yellow mustard seeds
1c red wine vinegar
1T kosher salt
1t freshly ground black pepper
1/4t ground cinnamon
1/4t ground cloves
1/4t freshly ground nutmeg
1/4t ground allspice

Combine all ingredients in a large glass container and cover with plastic wrap.  Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 1-2 days to allow the mustard seeds to soften and flavors to meld.

Add mixture to a food processor and blend until seeds are coarsely ground and mixture begins to thicken, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Transfer to clean jars with lids.  Refrigerate for up to 6 months.

*I attempted to can the mustard using these instructions and upon doing so wound up with a mustard-y water bath and jars of dried out mustard.  Thus, I wouldn't recommend it.  If you want to try to seal canning jars, I'd suggest 1/2" headspace and processing just a few minutes...  but I'm not an expert!


Have you ever made your own mustard?  If so, do you have a favorite recipe?

Best of 2012

As we enter the second week of 2013, I wanted to recap some of the highlights from my kitchen last year.  It's always fun to browse through old posts and remember how many tasty things you've eaten :)

1.  The most viewed post here on Tri to Cook published in 2012 was my Kale Basil Pesto.  As kale has taken the place of spinach as my favorite green, it finds itself into many dishes here!  I enjoyed it on pasta as well as pizza, and know that it'll be made as soon as I have another prosperous basil plant!

2.  I finally crossed one item off my kitchen bucket list when I made macarons for a friend's baby shower.  These Red Velvet Macarons were filled with an amazing cinnamon cream cheese buttercream that was the perfect accompaniment to the cocoa-kissed shells.

3.  In the battle of the baby macarons, I have to say that the Lavender Macarons with Honey-Vanilla Mascarpone were my personal favorite, with a combination of flavors that are in perfect harmony.  There's not much else I can say about these, except that you should make them!!

4.  I combined a few more of my favorite things when making this Egg Roulade-  goat cheese, sweet potatoes, avocado and black beans make their way into an egg wrapper for one of my favorite brunch dishes this past year.  Easier than it looks, this makes an impressive dish to serve to guests!

5.  My Butternut Apple Bruschetta truly celebrates the cooler seasons and absolutely deserves to be on a Best-Of list.  Fabulous for parties, especially since the toppings can be prepared ahead of time!

Photo credit to Cara!

7.  Perhaps 2012 should be renamed the year of enchiladas, as these Butternut Black Bean Enchiladas were only one of the several varieties I made!  Stuffed with a mixture of black beans and kale, then smothered with a butternut squash-based sauce, these are definitely a way to ring in the new year. 

6.  When I dreamed up my Apple BBQ Sauce, I didn't imagine it to be as successful as it was, but it was good enough that I made another batch or two before tomato season ended!  This year I'll have to make a large batch and store some in the freezer so I can use it all year long.  I used it as a sauce for herbed turkey meatballs, pizza and even a few batches of enchiladas!

8.  Something happened this year that I never really dreamed as possible (at least not while I was in the 30-34 age group).  On a chilly morning at a sprint triathlon not too far away I finished first in my AG, qualifying me for nationals this year.  I knew my performance was solid during the race, but had no idea what was in store!

9.  This popular post could have had two titles- 'Ideas for your Superbowl Party' or 'How to Cater a Party for 40'.  Last holiday season I convinced my parents to let me cater the party they had for friends and my dads' colleagues.  I had fun planning and executing with the help of my family!

10.  Since I love all things almond, and go through cinnamon like there's no tomorrow, I couldn't wait to play with the concept of a horchata.  These Horchata Cupcakes, filled with dulce de leche were a delicious end to a dinner date with good friends.

11.  You guys love dishes that can do double-duty as much as I do!  I combined sweet potatoes and red lentils to create a party appetizer over the weekend and then morphed it into a soup for lunches during the week.

12.  I'm a huge fan of cocktails that work well both virgin and alcoholic, especially when it seems like everyone I know is pregnant these days ;)  This Pomegranate Vanilla Punch was absolutely delicious, no matter whether you added some bubbly or not!

I have no idea what 2013 has in store, but I know it'll be quite the ride!!