Blue Corn Crusted Shrimp
12 large shrimp,
cleaned and butterflyed
1 quart canola
oil, for frying
1 cup blue
cornmeal
1/2 cup yellow
corn meal
2 large eggs,
beaten
2 Tablespoons pasilla
chile powder
salt
and pepper to taste
Heat oil to 340°
F. Mix blue and yellow cornmeal together. If you can't find blue cornmeal, you can
pulverize blue corn chips in a blender. Add chile powder, salt and pepper to the
cornmeal.
Dip shrimp in beaten egg and coat with the cornmeal mixture. Place shrimp carefully in hot oil and fry for
approximately 3 to 4 minutes or until firm to the touch. Reserve on paper towels until all shrimp are
fried.
Source: Chef Rick Sederholt
Caldillo (tomato sauce)
2 Tablespoons oil
1 small onion,
sliced
3 cloves garlic,
minced
1 or 2 serrano chile peppers, diced
1/4 teaspoon ground
allspice
3 large tomatoes,
chopped
1/2 cup water
3 stems epazote
salt
Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Add the onion, garlic, and chiles and sauté
over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and transfer to a
blender. Add about 1/2 cup of water, the
allspice, and chopped tomatoes. Purée until smooth.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat.
Pour in the tomato sauce. Add the epazote and season with salt. Cook until sauce has thickened — about 10
minutes.
Source: Mexican traditional
Beet
Cream Soup
(crema de remolacha)
A rich
and unusual first course; can be served hot or cold to 4 people; very Spanish.
4 Tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped fine
1 leek, chopped fine with all white and
some green part
1 teaspoon garlic,
minced
2 pounds red
beets, peeled and finely chopped
1 Tablespoon sherry wine
vinegar
1 cup dry
sherry
4 cups vegetable
or chicken stock
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup whipping
cream
salt and white pepper
cream and parsley for garnish
In a Dutch oven, sauté the
onion, leeks, and garlic in the butter over a low heat, until they are very
soft and golden — as much as 25 minutes. Stir in the chopped beets and sauté for about
5 minutes. Add the vinegar, stock, and
sugar.
Bring to a boil, then reduce
heat, partially cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 20 minutes, until
the beets are very tender.
Puree the mixture in a blender —
solids first, then liquid. Return the
soup to the Dutch oven. Add sherry,
cream, salt, and pepper.
When you're ready to serve it
hot, reheat and ladle into bowls, then drip in some cream into each portion and
swirl gently with a knife for a dramatic effect. Top each with a tiny parsley sprig.
With a bit a of kick from the sherry, this soup can be
served cold to great acclaim — but remember to season more highly with salt if
you serve it cold.
Source: An Exaltation of Soups by Patricia Solley
http://www.soupsong.com/rbeet1.html
Braised Chicken Agrodolce
with Dried Plums
Dried plums, cinnamon and red pepper give this
braised chicken dish a Moroccan flavor.
Serve with rice pilaf or couscous, and a crisp green salad.
1/4 cup all-purpose
flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 whole chicken, cut-up (2 1/2 to
3-pound)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion,
sliced
1 cup chopped
celery
2 cloves garlic,
finely chopped
1 can reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 1/2 ounces)
1 cup dried
plums, halved and pitted (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup balsamic
vinegar
3 Tablespoons granulated
sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed
red pepper
1 cinnamon stick
or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme
leaves
or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Combine flour, salt and
pepper. Lightly coat chicken with flour
mixture.
In large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high
heat. Brown chicken on all sides, about
10 minutes. Remove chicken.
Add onion. Cook and
stir 3 to 4 minutes or until soft but not browned.
Add celery and garlic.
Cook and stir 1 minute.
Add broth, dried plums, vinegar, sugar, red pepper, cinnamon
and thyme. Bring to a boil.
Return chicken to pan; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer about 1 hour or until chicken is
tender. Skim off fat, if necessary;
remove and discard cinnamon stick.
Remove chicken.
Increase heat to medium-high; cook remaining sauce,
uncovered, 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Serve with chicken.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Source: recipe created by Todd
English
for the
Avocado Cheesecake
2 cups graham
cracker crumbs
1
1/3 cups pinion nuts (pine nuts), ground
½ cup butter,
melted
4
16 ounces cream
cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
1 Tablespoons lime
zest
¼ cup lime
juice, freshly squeezed
2 teaspoons vanilla
extract
1/3 cup heavy
cream, whipped to soft peaks
3 cups sour
cream
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
½ cup pinion
nuts
Preheat the oven to 350.
In a medium bowl, place the graham
cracker crumbs, the 1 1/3 cups of ground pinion nuts, and the melted butter. Mix the ingredients together well.
On the bottom and sides of a
9" spring-form pan, place the graham cracker mixture and press it down
firmly to make a crust.
In a large mixing bowl, place the
While mixing constantly, add the
eggs one at a time.
Add the lime zest, lime juice, and
the 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Mix
the ingredients together.
Add the whipped cream and fold it
in.
Pour the batter into the pan.
Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes.
Remove it from the oven (leave the oven
on) and let it sit for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, place the sour
cream, the 2 Tablespoons of sugar, and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients together.
Spread the sour cream mixture on
top of the cheesecake.
Sprinkle on the 1/2 cup of pinion
nuts.
Return the cheesecake to the oven
and bake it for 5 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven
and let it cool for 6-8 hours, or until it is firm.
Source:
http://www.avocado.org/recipes/view.php/Avocado/Cheesecake?recipe_id=547
