Cucumber Salad with Pineapple and Jalapeño

Bon Appétit
June 1999
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires addtional sitting time.

3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup 1/3-inch pieces peeled cored fresh pineapple
1 English hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño chili
1 head green leaf lettuce, leaves separated
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

 

Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 4 minutes. Transfer syrup to large bowl and refrigerate until cold.

Add pineapple to syrup. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Add cucumber and next 3 ingredients to pineapple mixture; stir to coat. Line plates with lettuce leaves. Spoon salad atop lettuce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

 

Serves 6 to 8.

Grandma Sue's Potato Salad

          5 pounds     Potatoes, scrubbed

                       1     Red Onion, diced

                      2     Hardboiled Eggs, diced

                  6-8     Sweet Pickles, diced

              1+ cup     Mayonnaisse or Salad Dressing

              1+ cup     Mustard

                             Salt & Pepper to taste

                             Paprika to garnish

 

Boil potatoes in water with salt.  When cooked through, drain and cool.  Cut potatoes into bite size pieces.  Add remaining ingredients, and toss.  Taste to check seasoning.  Cover and chill in refrigerator.  Garnish with paprika before serving

Chilled Zucchini-Mint Soup

Chef Jim Strausbaugh

Trilogy Restaurant

 

Ingredients:

        4 lbs   zucchini, trimmed and sliced into 1” pieces

            ½   large brown Spanish onion, coarsely chopped

              1   large Idaho russet potato, peeled & coarsely chopped

        8 oz   spinach, cleaned and stemmed

              1   large clove garlic, peeled and chopped

             2   fresh jalapenos, seeded, deveined and chopped

              1   bunch fresh mint, cleaned and stemmed

       3 oz.   unsalted butter (3/4 of  on stick)

       1 cup   Chardonnay

     32 oz.   chicken stock (fresh or low sodium)

                  salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

 

Garnish:

     ½ cup   crème fraîche

    1/3 cup   mint julienne

       6 oz.   poached rock shrimp, crawfish tails, or bay scallop 

 

 

v  In a large pot melt butter on low heat; do not let butter brown.  Add chopped onions and sauté until tender.  Add garlic and jalapeno, cook for I minute.  Add potato and zucchini, sauté for 3 minutes, then deglaze with Chardonnay.

 

v  Cook on medium heat, uncovered, until mixture is reduced by half, stirring frequently.  Add the chicken stock and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.  Add spinach and mint, cook for 1 minute.

 

v  Let cool slightly then puree batches in blender.  Pass through a large China cap or large mesh strainer.  Chill on ice in refrigerator for approximately 2 hours prior to serving.  Season to taste.

 

v  Serve chilled with a dollop of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of julienne mint.  A garnish of poached rock shrimp, crawfish tail or bay scallops may enhance this memorable opener for a special summer luncheon or dinner.

 

Yield: 10 servings

Chicken Pozole

ingredients:

I           whole chicken  (or any variation thereof)

1/2       onion

6-7       dried chilies (Anaheim or New Mexican)

                        dried or fresh oregano

                        dried or fresh cilantro

1           clove garlic

2Tb      lemon pepper

                        salt to taste

3          cans of hominy

 

garnish:           

            chopped cilantro

            chopped onions

            chopped oregano

            shredded red cabbage

            lime wedges

 

 

cover chicken, onions, chilies, oregano, cilantro and garlic with water.

bring to simmer boil, then reduce heat and simmer.

when chicken is cooked through, remove it from stock, and set aside to cool.

after stock has cooled, place all remaining ingredients and stock in blender and puree.

then using a wood spoon push puree through a metal mesh back into the stock pot

discard what cannot be pushed through the mesh.

return stock to heat, add water if needed.

remove the meat from the chicken bones, and add it to the stock.  discard bones and skin.

add lemon pepper and salt.

add hominy.

simmer

serve and garnish.

White Bean Soup with Spanish Chorizo & Sage-Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Chef Jonathan Pflueger- Vertical Wine Bar-Restaurant

For Soup
 

3 lbs cannellini white beans, cooked

¼ cup each fine diced:

            fennel

            red onion

            carrot

            celery

1/8 cup chopped garlic

1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves

1 teaspoon chopped lemon zest

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

¼ cup parmesan cheese

¼ cup mascarpone or cream cheese

butter to sauté

salt and pepper to taste

§  Sauté vegetables, garlic, thyme and lemon zest, until just soft

§  Add beans and stock.  Bring to boil.  Simmer 10 minutes

§  Purée half the soup, adding cheeses.  Add to the remaining beans.  Season to taste

 

3 lbs Spanish Chorizo

2 cups white wine or Spanish sherry

§  Sauté sausages until you have color on all sides

§  Add wine to pan and cook until chorizo is cooked through.

 

For Pesto

2 cups sage leaves

1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Juice of 3 lemons

1 cup grated parmesan

2 cups olive oil

§  Purée ingredients.

§  Season to taste.

 

To Serve and Garnish

½ cup pumpkin seeds

½ cup grated parmesan

cracked black pepper

§  Ladle soup in bowl.

§  Slice chorizo and fan in center of bowl

§  Drizzle pesto on top of soup.

Finish with remaining garnishes

Cook Family Sangria

               3 cups     Spanish Red Wine

              ¼ cup     Sugar
              ¼ cup     Cointreau
              ¼ cup     Brandy
2 bottles (6oz)     Club Soda, Chilled
                            Sliced fruit:  lemon, lime, apple, pear, berries…
                             Cinnamon Stick (optional)
 

Mix all ingredients, including fruit into a large jug.  Let sit overnight for best flavor

Hot Buttered Rum

                1 cup     Butter, softened
                1 cup     Packed Brown Sugar
              ½ cup     Sifted Powdered Sugar         
                 1 tsp     Nutmeg
                 1 tsp     Ground Cinnamon
              2 cups     Vanilla Ice Cream, softened
                             Rum
                             Boiling Water
                        

In a mixing bowl beat together softened butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon till well combined.  Beat in the softened ice cream.  Turn mixture into a 4-cup container.  Seal and freeze.  (Mixture will not freeze solid.)

To serve, spoon about 1/3 cup of the mix into a mug, add 1 oz. of rum, and ½ cup of boiling water.  Stir well.