Crab-Stuffed Shrimp with Bucatini Alfredo

My favorite pasta was just plain spaghetti - that is until I was introduced to bucatini.  Like spaghetti, only with a hole running through the center of it.  A spaghetti straw, it doesn't get any better than this! Unable to find it in my neck of the woods, my husband and I drove all the way to Baltimore, only to find it at Three Brothers Italian Market near my in-laws. With the car loaded up with bags of bucatini, along with panettone, amaretti cookies, biscotti and ladyfingers, I did not complain about the ten and a half hour drive...both ways!

Crab-Stuffed Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients:
1 pound jumbo or colossol shrimp
1 teaspoon grains of paradise
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, optional
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs *
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
1-1/2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
lemon juice
1 pound Bucatini, or pasta of choice, cooked
Alfredo Sauce (see below)


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tail intact. To butterfly them, make a slit along the back side, taking care not to slice all the way through the body. Sprinkle shrimp with the grains of paradise. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with nonstick spray and arrange the shrimp in a single layer.
Melt the butter over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, soft and just beginning to turn golden - do not brown. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper. Mix well.   If adding crabmeat, allow sauteed vegetables to cool before adding to the crabmeat.

Spoon even portions of the breadcrumb mixture over each of the butterflied shrimp. Using your fingers, gently mold each portion of stuffing around the shrimp. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with lemon juice and serve immediately with the pasta.

* If using dry, processed breadcrumbs, you will need to increase the amount of butter and wine


Alfredo Sauce Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
white pepper
kosher salt
parsley or basil, chopped


Preparation:
Heat cream over medium-low heat in a heavy saucepan.
Add butter and whisk to melt. Add cheese and stir. Cook approximately five minutes until slightly thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.
Add pasta and toss to coat the noodles in the Alfredo sauce.  Transfer to a warm serving bowl and top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley.  Serve immediately with the stuffed shrimp.

The (not so) Secret Life of Bees....and Honey-Molasses Bread

When I recently discovered that one of my neighbors is a beekeeper, my first reaction was to run get the EpiPen.  But Laura Linn, owner of Star Bee Honey, was only too happy to give me a quick insight into the art of beekeeping.  What started out as a hobby has turned into a business, with Laura nurturing tens of thousands of bees in six hives. While totally fascinating - and let's not overlook the bravery involved - being the foodie that I am, I was more interested in the final results of her labor. The honey!!
With my complimentary jar, I made red chile honey, using cayenne peppers from my vegetable garden. Laura shares her bread machine recipe for honey-molasses bread.  (You bread-baking aficionados will know how to convert this for oven-baking.) And, when she is not busy as a bee, she finds time to enjoy the honey in yogurt as a veggie dip, or mixed with peanut butter for dipping pretzels and also making honey butter. Thanks Laura!

Honey-Molasses Bread Recipe (one loaf):
1 cup water
5 tablespoons molasses
2-2/3 tablespoons honey
1-1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/3 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oats
3-1/3 cup bread flour
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast


Contact Laura at: Star Bee Honey, 803.663.1052

A queen bee with her drones

One of the six hives

Bees, bees and mo' bees....at work!

My red chile honey

Potato Samosas

Samosas are small fried turnovers, made with a savory dough and filled with spicy vegetables.  A popular snack in India, they are also enjoyed throughout Asia, the Mediterranean and North and South Africa.  
Last weekend I had the opportunity to prepare this appetizer for my gourmet dinner club.  Though not difficult to make, for a first-timer they were time-consuming.  At least, for me!  But I can tell you it was well worth the effort.  Served with yogurt and assorted chutneys, I could have made a meal out of these alone.  Avoid the temptation to purchase ready-made dough - this dough is actually the easiest part of the recipe.  A great vegetarian alternative.


Potato Samosas Recipe 
Ingredients
Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Filling:
• 2 pounds potatoes,  peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 bunch green onions (white and green parts), chopped
• 2 fresh green chiles, such as jalapeños, seeded and minced 
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 - 4 cups canola oil
• plain yogurt
• chutney

Preparation

In medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add 2 tablespoons oil and, using fingertips, blend until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add 3/4 cup warm water and mix with fork until dough just comes together. Transfer to lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil medium bowl, form dough into ball, and place in bowl. Cover with towel and set aside to rest for 30 to 40 minutes.

In large pot with a steamer basket, steam potatoes about 20 minutes until done but not mushy.  Let cool.

In a large skillet heat oil and saute green onions, chiles until transparent.  Add cilantro, ground cumin, garam masala, cardamom, salt and potatoes.  Cook an additional 2-3 minutes and set aside.

Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Roll portions into balls. On floured surface using floured rolling pin, roll out 1 ball into 6-inch circle. Cut circle in half. Fold 1 corner of semicircle up and over middle. Fold second corner over to make triangle, and pinch corners of triangle to seal (leave rounded side open). Hold triangle in your hand with open rounded side facing up and let dough fall open to make cone. Fill cone with approximately 2 tablespoons potato mixture, then pinch along rounded side to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

In heavy, deep skillet over moderate heat, heat 2 inches oil until thermometer registers 360°F. Working in batches (return oil to 360°F between batches), fry samosas until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with yogurt and chutneys.  Can also be served room temperature.

Spicy Fried Green Tomato Bites

Time to get rid of those mundane cheese trays and soggy chips and dips.  There’s a new appetizer in town this summer!  Right about now, your tomato plants are falling over with green tomatoes.  If you are like most of us, you’ve planted more tomatoes than you will be able to consume.  Don’t wait for your Roma’s to turn red and fall off the bush.  Think outside the salad....and the marinara sauce.     Soaked in buttermilk and chiles; fried and sprinkled with parmesan cheese; and served with herb mustard.  Mmmm.  A light-hearted appetizer, these bite-sized fried tomatoes are great paired with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris.

Spicy Fried Roma Tomato Bites Recipe
Ingredients:

10 large green Roma tomatoes, 1/2-inch slices

1 large jalapeno or other chile pepper, sliced

1-1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup bread crumbs

salt 

cayenne pepper (for additional heat, if desired)

canola oil

parmesan cheese, grated
herb mustard

jalapeno pepper, sliced diagonally for garnish

Preparation:

Slice tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices and jalapenos into 1/4-inch slices.  Put into a medium-sized flat bowl.  Add buttermilk, and refrigerate overnight.

In another bowl, mix bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Heat canola oil in a medium skillet.  Drain tomatoes and toss in bread crumb mixture.  Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.  Drain on a paper towel.  Arrange on a serving dish and dust with grated parmesan cheese and herb mustard.  Garnish with sliced jalapenos.

Salade Niçoise - The Rite of Summer

No matter how much I “love” to cook, some days it is just too hot to turn on the oven.  With 98 degree days a regular occurrence, especially in the late afternoon, the last thing I want to do is sweat for my supper!  So when the weather turns hot, I turn to salads.  One of my two favorite summer salads is Niçoise.

Salade Niçoise - tomatoes, potatoes, onions, green beans, tuna and olives arranged  on a bed of lettuce -  originated in Nice, France on the Cote d’Azur of southern France.  Like most dishes it has evolved over the years.  In the area of Nice, the vegetables in this salad are never cooked. The potatoes are substituted with artichoke hearts, and red peppers and shallots are used.  Even the use of lettuce, or not, varies according to region.  Any way you make it, this salad is filling but not heavy!  The option of adding anchovies and capers only enhances the flavor.  The perfect choice on a hot day.

I am proud to say that most of the ingredients for my salad - potatoes, tomatoes, red onions, green beans and bibb lettuce - came from my vegetable garden.  By the way, in case you were wondering, my other favorite summer salad is the Cobb Salad - but that’s another post....

Salade Niçoise Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

bibb lettuce

1/2 pound new potatoes, boiled and quartered

1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and blanched

1/2 red onions, thinly sliced

1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup niçoise olives, pitted

2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

1 (6-ounce) can tuna

3 anchovy fillets, optional

1 tablespoon capers, optional

1/2 cup vinaigrette

Preparation:

Arrange lettuce on a large platter or shallow bowl.  Mound remaining ingredients on lettuce and finish with vinaigrette.  Garnish with capers and anchovies, if desired.

Mint Pistachio Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

If you have an herb garden and you grow mint, then you understand my dilemma!  Mint can quickly take over a garden.  So that is why I found myself pruning and about to throw away a basketful; when it occurred to me that there just might be another purpose for this fragrant weed, other than adding flavor to my decaffeinated unsweetened iced tea.  With summer (too) rapidly approaching, ice cream seemed like the obvious choice.  And since it didn’t seem right to let the mint alone steal the show, the pistachios and chocolate chips added the perfect balance. This is guaranteed to help keep you cool this summer!

Mint Pistachio Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe

Makes 1-1/2 quart

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup mint leaves, packed*

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla, optional

pinch, salt

1/2 cup chocolate morsels (mini chocolate chips)

1/2 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

Preparation:

Put milk, 1-1/2 cups cream and mint leaves in a medium saucepan; and heat over medium heat until slightly bubbling, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes.  

Combine egg yolks, sugar, remaining cream and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until smooth.  Gradually whisk into to mint-flavored mixture and return to saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 4-6 minutes.  Do not let boil.  Strain through a sieve, into a bowl, pressing on the mint with the back of the spoon.  Place the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and water.  Stir occasionally to cool.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skim from forming.  Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturers instructions.  Add chocolate and nuts after the custard is nearly frozen - about five minutes before removing from the machine.  Transfer to a freezer-safe container, cover and freeze until firm.

*(For a less powerful minty flavor, use half the amount of mint leaves.) 

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

This is the time of year I really miss my hometown - Chicago.  I don’t know of any other city that celebrates St. Patrick’s Day the way Chicago does.  Heck, we even dye the Chicago River green to celebrate the occasion.   And if that isn’t cool enough, all of the local draft beer is served green on that day.  What a town!  Although I am seldom there anymore to join in the festivities,  every year I try to create a little bit of the ‘spirit’ for myself and nearby family and friends.  So what does chocolate have to do with St. Patrick’s Day, you ask?  Well, according to the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, Ireland has the third largest consumption rate of chocolate in the world.  Works for me.  So, to help set the mood this year I decided to make these Double Chocolate cupcakes.  

Happy St. Pat’s Day!


Double Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients:
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract


Chocolate Frosting:
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or if piping, use a large Wilton 1M open star tip to make lovely swirls. These cupcakes are best the day they are made, but can be covered and stored for a few days.

Chocolate Frosting: 
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes).
Makes 24 cupcakes.