Summer Weekends...Shrimp With An Avocado Mango Salsa

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This is one of the first recipes I ever published when I started this blog seven years ago.  It's still a family favorite and worth another look.  The perfect lunch or dinner for a hot summer weekend!

I have made some notes as to substitutions in case you cannot find mango.  You can also grill the shrimp!

I love Mexican food, particularly the combination of sweet and savory in mango and avocado salsa. I saw a  recipe recently that had both shrimp and scallops. My recipe just has shrimp but if you find fresh scallops at this time of the year for a reasonable price, go for it. This is great for a summer lunch by the pool or the beach, with plenty of Margaritas or cold Mexican beer.

The local Florida mangoes this year are out of this world. They are really lush and sweet. Of course there is nothing better than a fruit that has ripened in the tree. Somehow everyone in Miami seems to have a mango tree growing in their yard or have a relative or friend who has one. I have been making mango marmelade, chutney and you name it practically every day. Just swimming in them and they keep coming, so I keep digging up recipes.

As to avocados, this is not the season for Florida avocados , but the ones I have picked up at the market from California are great and in some places, on sale.

In this casual main course, the shrimp is paired with a vibrant sweet-savory salsa. Serve the shrimp and the salsa with warm corn or flour tortillas or, as an alternative, saffron rice.

6 servings

Ingredients

Salsa:

1 mango, peeled, pitted, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, diced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. chopped green jalapeno (or to taste)

Shrimp marinade for 2 lbs of shrimp or a combination of shrimp and scallops

1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup tequila
1-2 TBS chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup olive oil
2 pounds uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 cup chopped scallions
Lime slices

Preparation

Salsa

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Shrimp

Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil. Season marinade to taste with salt and pepper.

Place shrimp in large resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade into bag and seal. Turn to coat. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Drain shrimp, pat dry. Save 1/2 cup of marinade.

Add 3 tablespoons oil to skillet. Add shrimp and green onions; sauté until shrimp are browned on both sides, stirring often, about 3 minutes. If it needs more oil, add some. Add 1/4 cup of marinade and sautee another 1 minute on medium high. Add more marinade if necessary keeping in mind that it should be fairly absorbed by the time you remove the shrimp from the skillet. Simmer until shrimp is just opaque in center and mixture is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to large shallow bowl. Garnish with lime slices. Serve with salsa and tortillas.

Notes: you can also grill the shrimp and substitute pineapple for the mango.  If you do the latter, substitute cilantro for the mint.

WHAT TO DRINK
Mexican beer is a natural match for this menu. I like Presidente and Corona.



*I don' t like things too hot. 1/2 tsp. of chopped jalapeno is enough for me but you can add whatever amount you can live with.

Billi Bi...An Elegant French Soup

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This fast, easy, inexpensive mussel soup from France is—no joke—one of the world’s most luxurious dishes. Try Billi Bi when you feel deeply deserving of sparkling seafood in a creamy sauce.- Food And Wine

And that just about sums it up.

One of the advantages of having Madame Mere in house is getting to enjoy all those traditional French recipes my daughter deems as too fancy for her taste.  MM and I don't care, we are old school and the fancier the better.  Elegant doesn't necessarily have to be complicated or arduous...Caviar is elegant and all you have to do is open a tin.  The better the quality, the less you need to embellish it.

Last Friday I got Madame Mere motorized and we took on the new Costco in town.  It opened a couple of weeks ago, less than a mile from the house.   I am in heaven...it is the highlight of the year and that goes to show you how the last six month have been.

There are a couple of things that I have finally managed to get my mother to do and getting on a motorized shopping cart is one of them. The other one we are working on is the debit card. She hates it.  This is a lady who still keeps a register and writes checks to everyone, including the grocery store.  I can't get through to her that she can still enter the amounts on her debit card in her checkbook by keeping the receipts I methodically put in a small envelope.  But come time to "balance her checkbook" the receipts are nowhere to be found (she throws them away to spite me) and I get drilled on each item on her monthly statement that is not in her register.  So the debit card is still a work in progress and the winner of this battle is still to be determined, though I have a slight edge. 

The cart was easier, much to my surprise.  She took to it like a duck to water and, before I knew it, she was off to the races.  First stop...a hot dog for lunch.  The promise of food usually does the trick.

Two hours later and umpteen bags of cookies and bread we were both exhausted and in bed for the night.  It was an expensive outing, like taking a kid to a toy store for the first time and I felt I had just crossed the Rubicon..  One of the things I managed to pick up in the mayhem was a large bag of fresh mussels for $10  which  could not be passed  up.  My daughter is allergic and cannot bear to even smell them, so the bag was sneaked into the back of the refrigerator to be promptly eaten the next day when she was at work.

Moules Mariniere were served for lunch and the leftovers carefully packed for the next day, again out of sight.  I knew I wanted to make a soup, or use the mussels as part of a fish stew.  A mussel risotto was also under consideration but in the end, this old favorite won hands down for it was a cool day, the first of the Fall, and I did not want to fuss.

If you make the mussels, mariniere style one day, the leftovers can be used the next day for this fabulous soup.  It comes together in no time.   I will give you the quick version at the end of the recipe.

 The classic recipe for Billi Bi strains the broth to leave a smooth soup but nowadays the mussels are often left in as an added bonus. In both versions below they feature prominently in the soup. Should you have any leftovers of the broth, you can serve it in small demitasse cups or glasses and pass them around during cocktails. Now...how elegant is that! This soup may be served hot or at room temperature.  

If you like mussels, this is one of the best ways to enjoy them.  It makes for an elegant first course for  a dinner party or a main course for lunch with a fresh baguette.  There is no need for anything else, except for a good bottle of white wine, espresso and chocolates for dessert and a short siesta..  Don't overdo the siesta or you will be useless for the rest of the day.  Thirty minutes is more than enough!

   

As an afterthought, keep this in mind when you are entertaining guests for the weekend.  Mariniere Friday night with frites and Billi Bi for lunch the next day.
  
Billi Bi, French Mussel Soup  

Serves 4 to 6

1. Ingredients
2. 3 parsley sprigs
3. 2 thyme sprigs
4. 1 bay leaf
5. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
6. 5 shallots, finely chopped (1 cup)
7. 1 leek chopped (optional)
8. 1 celery rib, finely chopped
9. 1 carrot, finely chopped
10. 2 garlic cloves, minced
11. Salt (I feel the mussels have more than enough so would not add until the end, if at all)
12. Freshly ground pepper
13. Pinch of cayenne pepper
14. 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (I use 3/4 bottle of wine)
15. 3 pounds mussels (preferably Prince Edward Island or Penn Cove), scrubbed and debearded
16. 2 cups heavy cream
17. 2 large egg yolks
18. 2 tablespoons chopped chives
19. Crusty bread, for serving

Directions:

1. Using kitchen string, tie the parsley and thyme sprigs with the bay leaf to make a bouquet garni. Melt the butter in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the bouquet garni, shallots, leek, celery, carrot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and the cayenne. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the mussels, cover and cook, shaking the casserole occasionally, until the mussels are wide open, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels and vegetables to a large bowl; discard the bouquet garni. Remove the mussels from their shells and add them to the vegetables. Strain the mussel broth through several layers of cheesecloth. Rinse out the casserole.
3. Return the broth to the casserole. Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. In a medium bowl, gradually whisk 1/4 cup of the creamy broth into the egg yolks. Whisk the yolk mixture into the simmering soup and immediately remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the mussel and vegetable mixture and the chives and season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup with crusty bread.

MAKE AHEAD The soup can be refrigerated for 2 days; reheat gently.

*******

Quick Version
First day:
Enjoy a meal of  Moules Mariniere:

Finely chop 3 shallots, 5 garlic cloves and some parsley.  In a big pot melt 4 Tb butter and sautee the shallots and garlic until golden brown.  Add the parsley, bay leaf and some thyme.  Add the mussels together with 3/4 of a bottle of white wine. Bring to a boil, cover and steam the mussels until they open.  Remove some of the mussels so you can add 1 cup of heavy cream to the broth. Stir and warm but do not boil.  You can skip the cream here if you want but make sure you add this cup in #3 when making the soup.  Enjoy your Moules Mariniere!

Store the leftovers as follows:
Remove the mussels from the shells, saving some shells for decoration if you want.  Add the mussels to the leftover broth and store in an airtight container until the next day.

Second day:

Strain the mussel broth through several layers of cheesecloth or use a chinois.  Reserve the vegetables and mussels in a plate.

Grate 1 carrot and some celery. Add to the vegetables and mussels set aside...

Go to #3 of the recipe above and proceed from there using the two egg yolks.  If you have added the cream to the moules mariniere only add 1/4 cup here.  If not add 1 cup of heavy cream.  Remember these are the leftovers and you have already downed some of the broth in your first meal!

Stuffed Tomatoes With Arborio Rice And Shrimp

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 When it comes to one dish summer meals this tomato recipe takes the prize. It is good just out of the oven and delicious at room temperature. Wonderful as an appetizer or vegetable, this dish also looks great on the buffet table.  It is the perfect lunch to serve before an afternoon of Bridge and a favorite amongst the Ladies Who Lunch.

I have taken the original recipe and added shrimp and a couple of little goodies to make it a one dish lunch or dinner.  If you want to serve it on the side then just remove the shrimp.  It is quite filling, so if you serve it as a main course for lunch all you will need is some Italian breadsticks or a crusty bread to gather the juices.  A very versatile dish, indeed!


  For the recipe click below:

Eggs Flamenco!

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If you have noticed that I tend to publish a lot of recipes for eggs, there's a reason for it...I love them, for lunch.

In Europe, as well as most of Latin America, eggs are eaten mostly at lunch and not for breakfast as they do here in the United States.  Mexico and the U. K. are perhaps the only exception I can think of,  unless you are a farmer.  Breakfast is usually a light meal of juice, a small pastry and coffee, strong and lots of it.  Eggs, on the other hand, are served quite frequently for lunch and can be quite elaborate, hot or cold.

The Spaniards are quite good when it comes to making eggs (think Spanish Omelette) and can be counted on for a few variations of baked eggs.  Here is perhaps the most famous and my favorite, with or without the potatoes. For the recipe...

Chinese Chicken Salad With Crispy Wontons And Sesame Ginger Dressing

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This is a very easy salad if you plan ahead and buy some of the ingredients already made...like at Target.  I am lucky to have a Super Target where I live and have noticed how they are expanding their grocery side, particularly their premium food brand, Archer Farms.

A couple of days ago,  on my way down the canned goods aisle, my right eye spotted something my mind couldn't believe.  Ready made Wonton Strips for salads!

I have been wanting to make a Chinese chicken salad for ages, but frankly my dedication to food doesn't transcend to actually making my own wonton strips.  So problem solved.  Armed with two bags and a can of their mandarin oranges I came home to make my long awaited salad.  Luckily I had some leftover grilled chicken thighs from the night before so the planets were aligned for a positive outcome.  Next time, though,  I will plan ahead and grill chicken breasts for dinner and use the leftovers for the salad.

Should you be so inclined or not able to find a Target with ready made wonton strips, I am including a recipe.  They can be made the day before and kept in an air tight container, after they are completely cooled.

Now you all know Chinese don't  have salads, right? What makes this "Chinese" is the ingredients.  Just checking....

The mandarin oranges and cucumbers make for a refreshing salad and the perfect choice for a hot summer day.   That, and the fact that it doesn't have that many calories, makes it the perfect lunch for The Ladies Who Lunch!

Asparagus And Fontina Sformatto

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The word sformato comes from the Italian verb sformare, meaning “to unmold.” A sformato is a soft, usually savory, custard that is baked in a mold (or individual molds as here), turned out onto a serving plate and served warm. Besciamella (bechamel sauce) often serves as the base to which vegetables, meat or cheese are added. This cheese and asparagus version can serve as a side dish or the main dish of a luncheon. Buttering the ramekins and lining the bottom with parchment paper assures that the custards will unmold easily. 

Serves 6 

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter for ramekins, plus 2 Tbs.
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 bunch thick asparagus spears, about 1 lb. total, tough ends removed
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter six 3/4-cup ramekins and line the bottom of each with parchment paper cut to fit. Butter the paper. Line a shallow baking pan with a kitchen towel.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk just until small bubbles appear along the edges of the pan, then remove from the heat.

In another saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the 2 Tbs. butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the butter to make a roux. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, until it bubbles gently, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth. Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir constantly until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until it melts. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming and set aside to cool slightly.

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, bring about 2 inches of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, carefully transfer the asparagus to a large strainer. Run cold water over the stalks and drain. Lay the asparagus on a paper towel-lined plate. Cut off the bottom two-thirds of the stalks, leaving 3-inch-long tips. Set the tips aside. In a food processor, process the stalks until pureed.

Whisk the beaten eggs into the cheese sauce until blended, then whisk in the asparagus puree. Divide the custard among the prepared ramekins.

Place the ramekins in the towel-lined baking pan and pour hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custard is set, about 30 minutes. Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven and turn off the oven. Lift the ramekins out of the water, transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes.

Place the asparagus tips in a pie dish, drizzle with the melted butter and put them in the still-warm oven for about 5 minutes.

To unmold the custards, run a thin, sharp knife around the edge of the ramekins. Place a serving plate on top of each ramekin and invert together. Gently lift off the ramekin and peel off the parchment. Arrange some of the warm asparagus tips around each sformato and serve warm.


Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking, by Cathy Burgett, Elinor Klivans & Lou Seibert Pappas (Oxmoor House, 2008).

Sunday Brunch...Baked Eggs Florentine

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This is one of the easiest egg dishes to prepare and one of the most sublime.  Contrary to what you may be served these days, the traditional recipe for Eggs Florentine does not include English muffins or Hollandaise Sauce.  The classic Uova alla Fiorentina, a specialty of Florence, are lightly poached eggs served on a bed of spinach, which has been first boiled and sauteed in butter, and baked in a buttered dish. Mornay sauce is poured over it then it is sprinkled with grated cheese and bread crumbs and baked in the oven.

I was inspired to post this recipe while reading one of the best books ever written on Italian food, The Food of Italy by Waverly Root. Mr. Root, considered one of the major writers on cuisine in his time, passed away in 1982.  During his life he was a foreign correspondent in Europe for fifty years,  representing the Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Time and UPI.  He also contributed regularly to the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune and Gourmet Magazine. 

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in Italian cuisine and indispensable for those wishing to capture the subtleties of the Italian palate in his or her kitchen. You will also learn many interesting things such as...the origins of petit pois!  Referred to all over the word by their French name, these tiny tender peas, piselli novelli,  came to France from Genoa in 1660 as a present for Louis XIV.  They took the country by storm and the rest, as they say, is history.  I didn't know that, did you?

I haven't had real Eggs Florentine in a long time and reading about it brought memories of lunch at my grandmother's house in Havana in the fifties.  Her mother was French and she loved all things baked and gratinee in the oven.  One of these days I will post the carrot gratin served chez elle as I remember.

The only thing that you have to be careful in this recipe are the eggs.  Make sure you don't over cook them or you will end up with hard boiled eggs on top of spinach.  Lightly poach them in water with a drop of vinegar for no more than 4 minutes and set them aside to cool.  You want them runny and remember they will continue to cook later in the oven when you pour the warm sauce and broil them.

Now, this recipe serves two or four, depending how you want to serve them.  Instead of ramekins I use the baking dish on the photo and place two instead of one egg in each dish.  I feel it's the least one can eat if serving as a main dish for lunch or brunch.  The recipe is very adaptable though and you can increase the ingredients proportionately if you wish to serve more people. Buon appetito!

Ingredients

•  4 tbsp butter 
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1½ cups whole milk
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 lb (450g) fresh spinach, well rinsed but not dried
• 4 hot poached eggs
• 1 TB breadcrumbs
• 4 slices buttered toast, to serve

Special Equipment:

• 4 flameproof serving dishes*

Directions

1. Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and let bubble for 1 minute. Gradually beat in the milk. Cook, whisking often, until boiling and thickened. Season with salt and pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Whisk egg yolks and cream together, then whisk into the sauce. Stir in ¾ cup of the Gruyére. Keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes, until softened. Add the rinsed spinach, cover, and cook about 5 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Drain well.

3. Position a broiler rack about 6 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Divide the spinach among four (or 2) flameproof ramekins. Using a slotted spoon, place a poached egg  (or 2) in each ramekin, then top with the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Gruyére. Broil until the cheese is melted and golden.  Alternatively, you can bake in a very hot oven, 450 degrees, for 2 to 4 minutes.  Serve right away*, with the toast. 

*don't let the finished dish sit or the eggs will continue to cook and you will end up with...you guessed it, hard boiled eggs!


Photo © 2008 Dorling Kindersley

Crab And Avocado Salad On Spring Greens

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The key to this scrumptious salad is to buy the best and freshest crabmeat money can buy.  I have mentioned before that Costco sells a 2lb can of Premium lump crabmeat from Five Star for around $12.  If you are cringing at the price, let me tell you this can serve two people for a Crabmeat Gratin one night and three for a crabmeat salad the next day. Do the numbers, not a bad price for two extraordinary meals.

When you have good ingredients, forget the fancy recipes.  Do as little as possible and enjoy the freshness and quality of the dish.  That is exactly what I did in this case.

Serves 2 to 3 people

Ingredients

1 lbs. best lump crab meat
1 TB. mayonnaise (Hellman's)
1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
a few drops Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp. dried tarragon (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste.

1 ripe avocado split in half
Olive Oil
Tarragon Vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Spring Mix

Mix all the ingredients above being careful not to break up the crab meat too much. Set aside.  Split the ripe avocado.  Set on a plate over some of the salad mix.   Drizzle with a little oil and vinegar.  Fill with the crameat salad.

Serve with Iced Tea!

Photos by Lindaraxa

 

Poached Salmon With Two Sauces And Fingerling Potatoes

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If you are wondering why so many salmon recipes are popping up all of a sudden, the reason is simple: Copper River salmon season is upon us.

This 300-mile-long Alaskan river, which empties into Prince William Sound, is famous for its summer runs of King, Sockeye and Coho salmon. Because of the length and nature of the run, these fish are high in unctuous, delicious, healthy omega-3 oils.

We’re right at the height of the Sockeye salmon season, and the smallish, deep red fillets are in area Whole Foods Markets and Costco, among other outlets. The markets should have plenty for the next two weeks and possibly the next month.  Don't miss this once a year treat and remind yourself that salmon is a seasonal treat.

To me a perfect companion to salmon, whether hot or cold, is fingerling potatoes.  At my friend Sandra Jonas' vegetable garden the crop is just coming in, together with luscious yellow squash and sweet onions. Sandra is the well known garden designer and owner of Recreating Eden Garden Designs.  Her noteworthy landscapes have appeared in  Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, and HGTV.  Stop by her blog and check out her beautiful garden and landscapes.    We are teaming up and linking to each other's blogs as the harvest comes in and I come up with recipes for all to enjoy.  In the next post I will be using some of her sweet onions and making a popular French recipe for an Italian friend.  How's that for networking?

The new crop of fingerling potatoes from Sandra's Garden

Chilled poached salmon with a refreshing horseradish sauce makes a lovely summer lunch dish. When I serve it as part of a buffet, though, I like to serve it with two very distinct sauces, one with heat the other with a little more depth to it.  Roast or steam the fingerling potatoes or prepare them as in the recipe below. They go well with either sauce.


Poached Salmon With Horseradish Sauce
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 (3-pound) skin-on salmon fillet
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup white wine
1 yellow onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1/4 cup chopped dill, plus 8 whole sprigs
1 TB prepared horseradish sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 cucumber, peeled (1/2 seeded and chopped, 1/2 sliced)

Directions

Season salmon with salt and pepper. Put 1 cup water, wine, onions, peppercorns and 4 sprigs of the dill into a roasting pan or fish poacher large enough to hold the fillet. Add the salmon. If not covered by liquid, add just enough water to barely cover the fillet, then gently bring it to a simmer. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes, until salmon is just opaque in the center. (Allow about 10 minutes of cooking time per inch thickness of fish.) Remove from heat and let salmon cool slightly in liquid. Transfer salmon to a large platter and set aside to cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Meanwhile, make the Horseradish Sauce.

In a bowl, stir in crème fraîche, horseradish, lemon juice, chopped cucumber and chopped dill. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Chill until ready to serve.

Peel skin off salmon once cooled. Garnish platter with remaining 4 dill sprigs and cucumber slices. Serve with horseradish sauce on the side

Tarragon Sauce*

Ingredients
2 large bunches fresh tarragon (about 1 ounce total)
1 large bunch fresh chives (about 2/3 ounce)
1 large shallot
3/4 cup fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions
Pick enough tarragon leaves to measure 1/2 cup (do not pack). Chop enough chives to measure 1/3 cup. Coarsely chop shallot. In a food processor puree tarragon, chives, and shallot with remaining sauce ingredients until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring sauce to cool room temperature before serving.

*This sauce is also used in a poached salmon recipe from Epicurious served with the fingerling potato recipe below..

Fingerling Potatoes

Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. In a steamer set over boiling water steam potatoes until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Spoon sauce onto 6 plates and arrange some potatoes in a circle, overlapping slightly, on top of sauce . Season potatoes with salt and arrange salmon on top of potatoes. Garnish salmon with peas.

 Photos courtesy of Whole Foods and Sandra Jonas

Greek Drama...Moussaka A La Grecque

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This weekend all eyes will be on Greece.  Whether the government gets its act together and  pushes through the deep cuts needed to receive the next installment of international aid or not, there is no question that tough times lie ahead for the Greeks.  Oy vey, it seem like these days we get out of one crisis just to plunge into another...

While the markets were falling apart this week and I was trying not to notice by concentrating on the blog and polishing the silver, moussaka came to mind.  Well that and the fact that I have some beautiful eggplant, or as some of you like to call it, aubergines, sitting on my kitchen counter.  They were really destined for the grill, but I think that instead, I will use them to make this long forgotten recipe.

Contrary to what you may think, moussaka is not just for the winter.  Now is the perfect time of the year to make one while the gorgeous eggplants, or aubergines,  are at their prime.

I haven't made a moussaka in years. As a matter of fact, this is the only recipe I have and it is from a long time ago;  but when I looked for something  more au courant, nothing came even close. Sometimes old recipes are better than new ones and with Craig Claiborne,  you can never go wrong.

Don't be put out by the length of the recipe.  There are really only four simple steps:  First you brown the eggplant, then the meat onions etc, make a bechamel and assemble the whole dish.  Simple as that. So go for it and pray that everything (the moussaka and the drama) turns out alright.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 medium eggplants

8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 onions, chopped

2 pounds ground lamb

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Pinch cinnamon

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 quart whole milk, heated

4 large eggs, beaten

Pinch nutmeg

2 cups ricotta

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Peel the eggplant and slice it crosswise 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides of each slice lightly with salt, arrange in 1 layer on paper towels and let drain for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat; add as many slices as will fit in 1 layer and brown on both sides. Repeat the procedure with 4 tablespoons of the remaining oil and the remaining eggplant. Drain the eggplant as they are cooked on paper towels.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the onion to the skillet and cook until the onions are brown. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink. Combine the tomato paste with the wine, parsley, and cinnamon. Add this mixture to the skillet and simmer over low heat, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

In a sauce pan, over low heat, melt the butter, add the flour and whisk for 5 minutes. Turn up the heat to moderate and add the milk in a stream, whisking. Simmer for 5 minutes, add salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from the heat. Cool slightly and stir in the eggs, nutmeg, and ricotta.

Grease and 11 by 16-inch pan and sprinkle the bottom lightly with bread crumbs. Arrange alternating layers of eggplant and meat sauce in the pan, sprinkling each layer with Parmesan and bread crumbs. Pour the egg sauce over the top and bake one hour in a preheat 350 degree oven, or until top is golden. Let cool twenty minutes before slicing.


Recipe from Craig Claiborne
Photos: Getty

Slim's The Word!...Field Greens With Chicken, Goat Cheese, Apples and Cranberries

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The Ladies Who Lunch don't like to eat much in the Summer.  They like to show off their bodies in the latest summer fashions and the competition is stiff!  After all, some of them are not as young anymore....

and bathing suits are getting skimpier and skimpier, or so it seems to those of us of a certain age!

I noticed from my friend Slim Paley's latest post that lunches are getting skimpier too, albeit much prettier from the looks of this recent lunch she attended!  Well, such is the life of the Ladies Who Lunch and we at Lindaraxa can adapt to any circumstance.

This salad was an unexpected surprise from a Lindaraxa- in- waiting, my daughter Christina.  She is the queen of cookies and salads in the family,  a strange combination for someone who is constantly watching her figure. Sometimes she makes cookies that she doesn't even eat, I do.  She doesn't remember where she got the idea for this salad but I can honestly say, as a proud mother and cook, it was out of this world!

I don't know the exact measurements, but it doesn't really matter.  Just chop and add away and mix with a white balsamic vinaigrette.

Field Greens With Chicken, Goat Cheese, Apples and Cranberries

Ingredients

Field Greens
Roast chicken breasts cut in 1 inch pieces
Unpeeled apple slices (1 inch)
Goat cheese
Dried Cranberries
Cashews

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 part White Balsamic Vinegar
3 parts Olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
Salt and Pepper

I like to serve this salad on a plate, untossed,  arranging the field greens in the bottom and everything else on top.  Pass the vinaigrette and let everyone serve themselves.

It's strange how post ideas come along.  Half an hour ago I was looking for a recipe to post and here I am, a recipe from my daughter linked to Slim Paley's blog.  Who would have thought!

Photos: Top Lindaraxa #2 and #3 via Slim Paley

            

A Simple Menu For Mother's Day... Tropical Fruit, Shrimp And Avocado Salad

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If you are a mother, a grandmother and a daughter...guess what? You still have to entertain up!  Sorry girls, you all know this is true.  No matter what, if you have a mother, you still have to entertain her.  So what I do is simple.  Choose a menu where I can make most things the day before; have everyone up for brunch, feed them, and take off the rest of the day.  That way I don't feel too cheated out of a free ride.  

With my mother, I don't even have to ask.  For her it's always shrimp; so when I saw this salad,  that was it.  This and quiche, something new she has been asking for recently,  is a simple menu and can be prepared ahead.  A no fuss dessert and I'm off the hook!

Florida mangoes are not out yet but the Dominican Republic ones that are coming in are quite good, if you buy them at a good store.  Pineapple and papaya can be bought already cut up in the supermarket.  If you make the salad ahead, don't add the avocados until right before you serve it.  Shrimp can be grilled the night before and saved in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before you add to the rest of the salad.

I have played around quite a bit with this recipe, reducing some amounts but leaving all the ingredients.  In this case, I want more shrimp and less fruit, but you can adapt the range to your liking.

The quiche can be made the day before and the Affogato, well, that just takes a minute to prepare. 

Mother's Day Menu

Bloody Mary's

Julia's Quiche Lorraine

Tropical Fruit, Shrimp and Avocado Salad (Follows)

Chocolate Gelato Affogato

Tropical Fruit,  Shrimp and Avocado Salad

 YIELD: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 pineapple, diced

1 large ripe papaya, diced

1 ripe mango, diced

1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 roasted yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

1 -2 poblano chiles, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 -2 jalapeño peppers, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup sherry wine vinegar

30 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 ripe avocados, cut into wedges

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Combine onions, pineapple, and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine olive oil and vinegar; toss with fruit mixture.  (Adapt fruit mix, peppers and dressing to your liking)

Grill shrimp 3 minutes on each side or until opaque, and immediately toss into the salad. Gently stir in avocado. Season to taste with black pepper.

Adapted from Coastal Living
Photo Karri Hosborg 

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Curried Chicken Salad

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Although this recipe is from Ina Garten, it is one we used to enjoy in the 80's and one I have been looking for since forever!  I don't know if it is exactly the same, but I remember the original had chutney as an ingredient as well as raisins.  A definite favorite of the Ladies Who Lunch!

I adore curry in chicken salad and everything else but unfortunately my daughter doesn't, so I have to be careful to serve it when she is away.  The problem started at the office, an Internet advertising group, where the back office is made up mostly of Indian techies who heat up their lunch in the same microwave as everyone else.  Thus, macaroni and cheese, pizzas and anything else that is heated have a strong flavor of curry, cumin and the like.  I've told them to get another microwave but to no avail.  Thus, curry and Indian food have been banned from this house, at least until she gets another job or they get another group of techies, both highly unlikely.

If I have chicken salad planned for a lunch, what I usually do is make a big roasted chicken the night before.  Anything to cut back on extra work and a great use of leftovers.

Yield:  6 servings

Ingredients

•3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

•Olive oil

•Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

•1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise (recommended: Hellman's)

•1/3 cup dry white wine

•1/4 cup chutney (recommended: Major Grey's)

•3 tablespoons curry powder

•1 cup medium-diced celery (2 large stalks)

•1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)

•1/4 cup raisins

•1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews*

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and dice the chicken into large bite-size pieces.

For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth. ( I don't use a food processor, but mix by hand)

Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions, and raisins, and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Add the cashews and serve at room temperature.

*I think the original recipe had slivered almonds, a good substitution.


Photo: Food Newtwork





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Risotto Frittata With Butternut Squash And Gorgonzola

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A great way to serve risotto at a lunch or brunch party. With this recipe you won't need to be in the kitchen stirring the pot when your guests arrive. The tender rice, cooked with butternut squash, gives the usually smooth egg filling some welcome texture. The blue cheese, however, is what makes this truly addictive; it pairs perfectly with the sweet squash.

All you need to accompany is a fresh green lettuce and radicchio salad and some Italian breadsticks.


6 Servings

Ingredients


Unsalted butter for greasing pan

3 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

3 cups 1/4-inch cubes butternut squash (from a 1 1/4-pound squash)

1 cup Arborio rice

Freshly ground black pepper

3 1/2 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

6 large eggs

Fine sea salt

an 8- to 9-inch springform pan

Instructions

Heat oven to 350º with rack in middle. Grease an 8- to 9-inch springform pan with butter and coat bottom and sides with breadcrumbs, tapping out excess; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine broth and water; bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add onion, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, 15 to 17 minutes.

Add rice to saucepan; increase heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, until rice is lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add generous pinch pepper, then add 1 1/2 cups broth mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until broth is mostly absorbed, then add ½ cup more broth and cook, stirring, until mostly absorbed. Repeat, adding liquid in 1/2 cupfuls, until rice is tender yet still slightly firm to the bite. Stir in half of the cheese. Transfer risotto to a baking sheet; spread out and let stand until cool, about 15 minutes.

Transfer cooled risotto to a large bowl. Add eggs and 1/4 teaspoon salt; whisk to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Bake until frittata is set, about 1 hour.

Remove pan from oven, then heat broiler. Place pan under broiler until top of frittata is golden, about 3 minutes. Dollop remaining cheese on top of frittata, then cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge to loosen frittata, then remove side of pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.


From Fine Cooking

Croquettes de Crevettes...Shrimp Croquettes

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Next to chicken and serrano ham croquettes these are my favorite, particularly as a leftover alternative for shrimp.  You can roll them small for cocktails, serve them as part of a tapas buffet, or serve them for lunch with a Newburg Sauce.  Definitely a favorite of the Ladies Who Lunch, particularly if they are of a certain age.  All you need is a green salad and if you want to get really retro, add a Tomato Aspic.

Don't let croquettes intimidate you.  They are really easy to make, just a bit labor intensive.   Once you get the hang of it, you will make them with your eyes closed.  To me the worse part is rolling and breading them but once you start, you might as well make the sacrifice and double the recipe so you can freeze for another meal.  Those are the ones you really appreciate...

To get them really crunchy, make sure the oil is hot enough before you slide them in the pan.  Let them cook until brown on one side without moving them before you cook the other side. I also cook them a bit on the sides so they are completely brown.

You can serve these without the sauce but with some lemon slices on the side to squeeze on top.  In that case, a tomato aspic is really a must!

Depending on what else is on the menu, this recipe will serve 4-6 as a main course. 

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp cooked in the shell (see recipe)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup milk
1/2 cup liquid in which shrimp were cooked
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 cups fine, fresh bread crumbs
Salt, if desired
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
Oil for deep frying
Newburg sauce (see recipe), optional

Preparation

1. Peel and devein the shrimp. Chop them finely. There should be about two cups. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook until wilted, stirring with a wire whisk. Add three tablespoons of the flour and the paprika, stirring. Add the milk and shrimp liquid, stirring rapidly with the whisk.
3. When thickened and smooth, continue cooking about two minutes. Add the chopped shrimp, egg yolks and sherry. Cook briefly about 30 seconds, stirring.
4. Add half of the bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste and the cayenne. Blend well. Let stand until thoroughly cooled.
5. Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Roll the balls in the remaining one-quarter cup of flour. Mold them into the desired form: spheres, cylinders, pyramids or flat cakes.
6. Beat the egg with the water. Roll the croquettes in the egg mixture and then in the remaining bread crumbs. Press to help crumbs adhere. Shake off excess.
7. Heat the oil for deep frying. Add the croquettes a few at a time and cook about four minutes or until golden brown. Serve, if desired, with Newburg sauce.

YIELD 16 croquettes .


Sauce Newburg


Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt, if desired

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Preparation

1.Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the shallots and paprika. Cook, stirring, until shallots are wilted. Sprinkle the mixture with flour and stir with a wire whisk.

2.Add the milk, stirring vigorously with the whisk. Add the cream, salt and pepper to taste. Strain the sauce through a sieve, preferably of the sort known in French kitchens as a chinois. Press with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible from the shallots. Reheat and add the sherry.

YIELD  About one and one-half cups .


Adapted from the New York Times

Cassoulet With Sausage, Lamb and Duck Confit

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“CASSOULET…that sumptuous amalgamation of haricot beans, sausage, pork, mutton and preserved goose, aromatically spiced with garlic and herbs, is cooked at great length in an earthenware pot, emerging with a golden crust which conceals an interior of gently bubbling, creamy beans and uniquely savory meats.” Elizabeth David – French Provincial Cooking 1960


If there was ever a time for a cassoulet, this has to be it!  A huge snowstorm is sweeping across the nation, everyone is riveted by the news from Egypt and I have leftover duck and roast pork in the freezer from the holidays.  If you are thinking what I'm thinking you are absolutely correct....it's time for a cassoulet!

Part of the problem of making an authentic cassoulet is having the time to sit around and watch the pot so you can add stuff and stir the beans.  The other is all the components that have to be cooked and added.  That is when planning ahead comes in. 

Cassoulet is  a country dish that takes advantage of leftovers, remember that.  You will never have a great cassoulet at a fancy restaurant;  but you will have an unforgettable one at a French country house. If you go out and buy all the ingredients to make one,  it can be an expensive proposition.  I have been planning and freezing for over a month and now I have everything I need already cooked and ready to go in the pot.  That will save me half the time it would take if I had started from scratch.

Over the holidays we had roast duck and the broth and leftover legs were frozen.  Same with the leftover roast pork we had for New Year's Day. This past weekend, I cooked a small leg of lamb which ,though unnecessary at this point, will make for a nice addition. All I will need now is to soak the beans overnight and make the cassoulet on a day, like today, when it's too cold or snowy to go outside.  If you get a good news day like today, consider it a bonus.

I use the frozen duck broth to cook the beans in and after defrosting the cooked duck legs, pork and lamb, add them to the casserole.  It saves quite a lot of time and minimizes the mess in the kitchen, That, to me, is quite an accomplishment!

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 1/2  lb dried white beans (preferably Great Northern)
1/2 lbs bacon
1/2 lbs. fresh pork rind
2 carrots, peeled and sliced lengthwise
4 onions, 1 stuck with  2 cloves and 3 onions chopped
5 garlic cloves crushed
1 bouquet garni, parsley, thyme and bay leaf
3Tb butter
Salt and pepper
1 lb lamb shoulder
1/4 lbs. pork loin or shoulder
1 lbs French garlic sausage or kielbasa
2 shallots, chopped
2 - 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 TB tomato paste
3 pieces duck confit (or duck legs)
Fresh bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Soak and cook beans:

Cover beans with cold water by 2 inches in a large bowl and soak 8 to 12 hours. Drain in a colander.

Return the beans to pot and add bacon, bacon rind, carrot, onion stuck with clovers, 1 garlic clove, bouquet garni, and water (or duck stock) and cover by two inches. Cover, bring to a boil and reduce to low, cooking 1/2 to 2 hour until done and seasoning with salt and pepper.

In a casserole, or casole, melt 2 TB butter, add lamb, pork and duck.  Stir sausages, chopped onions, shallots and remaining 2 garlic cloves. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, season with salt and pepper. Add enough bean broth to cover,  bring to boil, reduce heat and cook  for 1 hour. If the pork and lamb have been previously cooked, only do so for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Drain beans reserving broth.  Remove carrots, bouquet garni, onion with cloves and discard.  In a large gratin dish, spread half pork rind,.  Layer half the beans, half the meats and confit or duck.  Repeat the layers , finishing with bacon, pork rind and sausages.  Moisten with some of the reserved bean broth, sprinkle with fresh bread crumbs and remaining 2 TB butter.  Bake in the oven for 1 hour.

I would serve this for lunch accompanied by a salad and a bagette.  A red French wine from Languedoc would go well with this recipe.


Recipe adapted from Francoise Bernard
Photo David Leibowits

Andre Soltner's Alsatian Pizza

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If I can make pizza, you definitely can make pizza.  Of course, I don't make the dough, I buy it.  Then I simply let it stand for 30 minutes until it rises, pound it as hard as if it were a letter from the IRS and roll it as thin as I can.  That is the hardest part, for pizza dough is a tough cookie to deal with.

I recently bought myself the Emile Henri Pizza Stone which I featured in my Christmas gifts post

and I have been making pizzas left and right.  This, aside from the Margherita, is by far my most favorite pizza. 

If you happen to have a Publix where you live, their pizza dough .which is sold in the bakery, is pretty good.

For those of you not familiar with Andre Soltner, he was the legendary chef/owner of Lutece, once considered the best restaurant in New York and where I was lucky to have many a memorable meal in the 80's.  It is long gone but his recipes and his reputation will live fovever.  Andre Soltner was born in Alsace, need I say more?

 

 Makes 4 Servings


Ingredients

1/2 pound frozen pizza or bread dough, thawed

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fromage blanc or fresh ricotta

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 pound thickly sliced smoky bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1.Divide the dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece to a 4-inch round; let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round out to an 8-inch round 1/8 inch thick.

2.Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Transfer 2 dough rounds to each baking sheet. Fold each edge over onto itself to form a thin lip. Refrigerate the dough rounds until chilled, about 1/2 hour.

3.In a food processor, pulse the fromage blanc until smooth. Add the flour, crème fraîche and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and process until smooth.

4.In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat is rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.

5.Preheat the oven to 425°. Spread the fromage blanc mixture over the rounds to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle with the bacon and onion. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve.

Notes

Cutting bacon is easiest when the slices are chilled and stacked. Make sure to use a very sharp knife or kitchen shears to keep the slices neat. Note: This recipe yields four servings as main course, but as an appetizer in this menu, it makes plenty for eight.

The stone should be warmed in the oven at 425 for at least 30 minutes.  I sprinkle coarse corn meal on the stone before I lay down the pizza.

Butter Bean Soup With Duck And Chorizo...Fabada Con Pato Y Chorizo

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Butter beans, or lima beans are the main ingredient of a very popular Spanish dish called Fabada Asturiana.  The Spanish name is fabas and you can get them either dried or canned.  In this recipe, they are combined with leftover duck confit and chorizo for my take on a hearty winter soup.  You can substitute a ham bone or pork for the duck.

Plan to make the roasted duck legs on Saturday night so you can enjoy this hearty soup for lunch the next day!


6 meal size servings:

Directions

 1 pound dried lima beans, soaked over night

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 onions, finely chopped

1/2 large green pepper

3 mashed garlic cloves

2 roasted duck thighs shredded

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 TB tomato paste

1 bay leaf

2 small chorizos sliced in 1/4 inch rounds

1 tsp Pimenton de la Vera

2 cups chicken stock, plus 1 qt water (or use all water)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 Cup Sherry

½ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)


Directions


Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté garlic, green pepper, onions and carrots until softened. Add bay leaf.

Add chorizo and cook to brown, about 3 minutes.  Add the pimenton, mixing thoroughly and the tomato paste.  (you might need to add a little water to mix paste with rest of ingredients.

Add shredded duck only to heat through, about another minute or two.  Remove from heat.

Drain and rinse beans and add enough chicken stock to cover plus and inch.  Stir

Add the duck and rest of ingredients from the skillet to the beans and mix.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and cook on medium for about 45 minutes.  The first 30 minutes I cooked uncovered to concentrate the liquid, the last 15 covered.   Add the sherry and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and let rest at least an hour.  Warm before serving and sprinkle chopped parsley on top before serving.

Serve with crusty bread and a Spanish Rioja o Ribera del Duero.