This is a wonderful, light meal for these sweltering dog days of summer … healthy and simple

Chilled, Curried Summer Squash Soup
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons curry powder (I used hot, madras curry powder from an Indian market, but it’s great either way)
1/2 teaspoon salt (unless you used salted butter, then guesstimate. You can adjust the seasoning later.)
1/4 teaspoon (heaping) ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon (heaping) ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
2 pounds summer squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream (half & half will work, you choose how rich you’d like it)
1/4 cup finely chopped, seeded cucumbers
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions
In a large, heavy pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, salt, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 45 seconds. Add the squash and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
With a hand-held immersion blender, puree on high speed. Add the cream, stir, and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Cool to room temp, then refrigerate until well chilled.
Garnish with the chopped cucumber and cilantro. I served the soup with pappadams (crisp, thin, lentil wafers, available at most supermarkets in the international section. Prepare as the package directs) and summer cocktails.

Cheers!
Suzi

Happy New Year, friends! I know I haven’t posted a recipe in awhile but this particular mutation of crab and salmon cakes was such a hit at my New Year’s Open House, I had to share! If you try it, let me know what you think or if you have any questions.

All the best for 2012!
Suzi

BAKED ASIAN FISH CAKES with WASABI CREAM

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup yellow onions, small dice
1/3 cup celery, small dice
1/4 cup red bell peppers, small dice
1/4 cup yellow bell peppers, small dice
1/8 cup seeded, diced jalapeno
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
½ pound lump crab meat, cleaned and picked for cartilage
10 oz. good quality, canned salmon, well-drained
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
1/3 cup finely diced water chestnuts (well chilled)
1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
3 tablespoons hot mustard
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (juice of 2 lemons)
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Tamari sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
¾ cup fine bread crumbs
¾ cup fine cornbread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Store bought wasabi cream sauce

In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to saute for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crab meat, salmon, green onions, ginger, water chesnuts, grated cheese, cilantro, mustard, and juice of one lemon together. Mix to incorporate. Set the mixture aside.

In a medium bowl, briskly whisk together one egg and remainder of lemon juice for 1 minute. Slowly add 1/2 cup vegetable oil. The mixture will be thick after all the oil is incorporated. Add the Tamari, rice vinegar and hot sauce. Fold the sauteed vegetables into the crab mixture. Fold in the sauce mixture, second egg, bread & cornbread crumbs. Mix well, adding more bread crumbs if too moist to form cakes. Portion the filling into patties, about 2 inches in diameter and ¾ inch thick. Arrange cakes on a non-stick baking sheet and bake at 400º for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve warm with wasabi cream sauce (found in the international section of most supermarkets).

Last month I was asked to give a cooking demonstration at a wonderful facility in Orange Beach, Alabama, Beach C.I.T.E. Studios. It stands for Community Interactive Teaching Experiences and you can visit them at www.beachcitestudios.org/

It was the week of St. Patrick’s Day so I chose a traditional Irish dish to prepare, but true to form, I had to give it an untraditional twist. I took the potatoes out of the stew and made what’s called Boxty in Ireland – potato pancakes. Then I made the stew without the potatoes, strained the solids and made a Guinness reduction of the liquid…spooned the stew mixture over each pancake and drizzled with the reduction. It was a big hit!

I made it in two formats, as a main course with two 3 inch pancakes per plate and as an appetizer, cutting 1 inch cakes from a large pancake with a cookie cutter and topping each. I’d thought the tapas sized ones would be finger food but we needed forks still…

Here are the recipes. If you try them, let me know what your results were or any variations you’d like to share! Get the stew going first:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
salt & coarse ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes (for a more traditional Irish stew, substitute lamb)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 cups thickly sliced carrots
jalapeno
2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups dark beer (I used Guinness Stout)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper (black and cayenne) to taste

In plastic storage bag combine flour, desired salt and pepper. Add stew meat. Shake to coat meat with flour.
Heat oil in 4 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add stew meat, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned. Drain grease.
Add all remaining ingredients except parsley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until meat and vegetables are tender (1 to 1 ¼ hours). Stir in parsley before serving.

Next, make the Boxty. I’ve added rosemary to the traditional recipe because I think it rocks with potatoes and beef.

2 slices uncooked bacon, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup medium shredded potatoes (it’s perfectly fine to take the shortcut of using frozen,
commercial hashbrowns)
1 cup mashed potatoes (again, it’s fine to use commercial mashed potatoes or leftovers … just don’t use powdered or evaporated mashed potatoes!)
1 cup all-purpose baking mix (this is like Bisquick – if you don’t have it on hand, make your own – recipe follows)
1/2 cup shredded cheese, Cheddar, Jack or Provolone, or a blend
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
chopped fresh rosemary to taste

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet cook bacon and onions until browned. Remove from skillet. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon grease. Set aside bacon and onions.

Meanwhile, in large bowl stir together all potatoes, baking mix, cheese, cooked bacon and onions. Stir in milk, egg and rosemary just until moistened.

Heat bacon grease in skillet over medium heat. Spoon four generous ¼ cups of potato mixture into skillet at a time (or a couple of larger cakes for the cookie cutter, depending on the size you’d like to serve. Just be sure they aren’t too large to be easily flipped.) Flatten slightly into pancakes. Cook each pancake about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Use additional vegetable oil in skillet if needed.

When the stew is ready, use a large, slotted spoon to remove the solids to a bowl. Add a half bottle of Guinness to the liquid in the pot and bring to a boil. (Drink the other half bottle, of course. ☺) Reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally until it’s thick enough to coat a spoon.

Assemble on the plate, a drizzle of Guinness reduction topped by the boxty cakes, then beef stew mixture and finally, another drizzle of reduction. Fresh Italian parsley makes a nice green garnish, though I hesitate to awaken the rivalry … let’s just call it flat parsley!

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening

Sift the dry ingredients together. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, or mix everything together in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
You can store the mixture at room temperature for about six weeks… or cut the recipe in half.

Sláinte!

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening

Sift the dry ingredients together. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, or mix everything together in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
You can store the mixture at room temperature for about six weeks… or cut the recipe in half.

Very quick and easy, especially if you have a food processor, this flavorful slaw pairs well with grilled or roasted meats, such as my previous pork tenderloin post.

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups thin sliced savoy cabbage

1 cup coarsely grated carrots

1 cup coarsely grated radish (daikon, if available)

2 cups red bell pepper, cut into strips

½ cup each fresh mint and cilantro

4 or 5 green onions, sliced

½ cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 TBSP each sesame and vegetable oils

2 or 3 serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped

Combine cabbage through green onions in a large bowl.  Whisk the oils together with the chiles and season to taste with salt & pepper.  When ready to serve, toss dressing with the slaw and season with salt & pepper to taste.

3 cloves garlic, pressed

2 TBSP each:  lime juice, olive oil, thyme leaves, minced shallot and minced ginger

1/2 tsp each:  ground cinnamon & allspice, freshly grated nutmeg, coriander, salt & pepper

2 – 1 lb. pork tenderloins, silver skin removed and butterflied (cut lengthwise to unfold about 3/4 inch thick), which cuts down the cooking time and gives the spice rub more area to penetrate.

Whisk together all ingredients except pork, then pour over butterflied tenderloins, turning to coat.  Cover and refrigerate while marinating, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the oven “grill” and cast iron skillet or grill pan.  Lightly oil the pan and place on the top rack of your oven to preheat.  Set the temp as high as it’ll go, either 500º or 550º.  When it reaches that temp, switch the setting to broil, then carefully remove the pan and put the marinated pork in.  The cooking time will vary from kitchen to kitchen but for this well done’s probably close to 10 minutes.  Flip the meat halfway through cooking time to sear in the juices on both sides.  You’ll want an instant read meat thermometer (most grocery stores carry them) and when it’s inserted into the thickest  part of the meat it should peak at 160º for medium, 170º for well done.

Remove the meat from the pan and let it rest on a platter, tented with aluminum foil before slicing thin, on a diagonal, against the grain.  This is delicious with fresh apple sauce or just a sliced fruit like a plum, nectarine, mango or peach.  Also great with Savoy Slaw with Mint & Cilantro … recipe comin’ right up!

CMT

MusicFog

Washington Post

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