January 2011—Caryn & Stephanie

Gourmet Club
January 27, 2011
Stephanie and Caryn

Coconut-Pineapple Batida

Summer Peach White Balsamic & Tarragon-Infused Olive Oil
Black Currant Balsamic & Porcini Mushroom-Infused Olive Oil
Tangerine Balsamic & Blood Orange-Infused Olive Oil
Coconut Balsamic & Organic Butter-Olive Oil

Calabaza, Corn and Coconut Soup

Grilled Lime Curry Rubbed Hanger Steak with Fresh Melon Cucumber Chutney

Empanada de Queso with Chimichurri Sauce
Mexican Rice

Key Lime Cheesecake

Mango Strawberry Granita


Coconut-Pineapple Batida
Total Time 15 Min
4 Servings

Add 1 cup of white rum to this rich and tangy Latin shake for an equally refreshing cocktail.

1/2 fresh pineapple-peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk, stirred
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups crushed ice

In a blender, combine the pineapple chuncks with the coconut milk, lime juice and sugar and puree until smooth. Add the crushed ice and blend until frosty. Serve at once.


Calabaza, Corn, and Coconut Soup
Gourmet, February 2005

Calabazas are commonly found at Latino markets already cut into large wedges; kabochas are generally sold at natural foods stores.

Yield: Makes 8 first-course servings
Active Time: 40 min
Total Time: 40 min

Ingredients:

For soup:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 (2 1/4-pound) piece calabaza squash or 1 (2 1/2-pound) whole kabocha squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (6 cups)
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk (12 ounces)
3 ears of corn (fresh or thawed frozen), kernels cut off and reserved for relish (below) and cobs halved crosswise
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne

For corn relish:

4 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups corn kernels (see above)
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp finely chopped shallot

For soup:

Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften and edges are browned, about 4 minutes. Add cilantro stems and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add squash pieces and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Stir in water, coconut milk, corn cobs, salt, and cayenne and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until squash is very tender, about 15 minutes.

Prepare corn relish while soup simmers:

Whisk together lime juice, salt, and sugar in a bowl. then add oil and whisk until combined.

Cook corn kernels in a saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in sieve, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well, then transfer to dressing along with cilantro and shallot and toss well to coat.

Finish soup:

Discard corn cobs, then purée soup in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) until smooth, transferring to a 2-quart measure.

Divide soup among bowls and gently stir 1/4 cup corn relish into each.

Cooks' notes:

Soup (without corn relish) can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat before serving. Corn relish can be made 1 hour ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.


Mexican Rice
Bon Appétit, August 2004

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp minced seeded serrano chiles
2 cups long-grain white rice
3 1/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
3/4 tsp salt

Cilantro Dressing

Rice:

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and serrano; sauté until onion is translucent, about 9 minutes. Mix in rice; stir 2 minutes. Mix in broth and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is just tender and broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

Transfer rice to bowl; cool to barely lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Add 1/2 cup Cilantro Dressing to rice; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Cilantro Dressing:

1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup olive oil
5 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced seeded serrano chile

Combine all ingredients in processor. Blend until almost smooth. Season dressing with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature; rewhisk before using.)


Chimichurri Sauce

1 large garlic clove
1 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt

With motor running, add garlic to a food processor and finely chop. Add cilantro, parsley, vinegar, oil, cayenne, and salt then pulse until finely chopped.


Grilled Lime-Curry-Rubbed Hanger Steak with Fresh Melon-Cucumber Chutney
Gourmet, June 2009

Melons and cucumbers have a real affinity-they're related, after all. Here, they come together in a cool, uncooked chutney, which cuts the robust richness of thinly sliced hanger steak.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 serving
Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 35 min

Ingredients

For chutney:

2 cups chopped firm-ripe honeydew melon (10 ounces)
1/3 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 to 2 tsp minced fresh jalapeno including seeds
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin

For steak:

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp curry powder
2 pounds (l-inch-thick) hanger steak or chuck blade steaks

Make chutney:

Stir together honeydew, cucumber, onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with spices and let chutney stand while grilling steak.

Grill steak:

Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat.

Stir together lime juice, oil, curry powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Coat steak with curry mixture.

Oil grill rack, then grill steak, covered, turning once, 9 minutes total for medium-rare. Let rest on a cutting board 5 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain. Serve steak with chutney.

Serve with basmati or jasmine rice


Empanadas de Queso

1 1/4 cups of flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp of salted butter
1 whole egg
1/4 cup of cold water
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
3 scallion stems

Mix 1 cup of flour, add the sugar and salt (you should adapt these to your taste). Add the butter; mix well. Next add the egg. Now add the water little by little. Add this point use the rest of the flour until the dough has a springy, slight wet texture. Cover with a wet napkin or paper towel and let it rest in the refrigerator.

Chop the cheese and the scallion very small.

After the dough has rested in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour divide the dough in about 9 balls. Use a rolling pin to extend each dough ball into a 5-inch diameter circle. Put 2 or 3 teaspoons of filling in the middle. Fold in half, making sure you don't leave any air pockets around filling. Press ends together. You can do a traditional curly edge or use a fork to press the ends together.

Serve warm!

**I used shredded, bagged mozzarella.


Key Lime Cheesecake
Bon Appétit, October 2006

Reminiscent of Sara Lee's 1950s-era graham-cracker and sour-cream cheesecake, this version features a thick layer of delicious sour cream atop the creamy filling and tart Key lime custard.

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

Lime custard:

6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
6 Tbspfresh Key lime juice or regular lime juice
1 tspgrated Key lime peel or regular lime peel

Crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 whole graham crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3 Tbsp fresh Key lime juice or regular lime juice
1 Tbsp grated Key lime peel or regular lime peel

1 16-ounce container sour cream

Thin lime slices

For lime custard:

Whisk all ingredients in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until custard thickens and boils for 30 seconds, about 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (mixture will thicken).

For crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap 3 layers of foil around outside of 8- to 8 1/2-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Butter pan. Stir first 3 ingredients to blend in medium bowl. Mix in butter until moistened. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of prepared pan. Bake just until set, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:

Place cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, eggs, lime juice, and lime peel in processor; blend well.

Spoon custard into crust; smooth top. Carefully spoon filling over. Set cheesecake in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to come 1 inch up sides of cheesecake pan. Bake until almost set but not puffed and center moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir sour cream and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to blend.

Carefully spoon sour cream mixture over hot cheesecake; smooth top. Bake until topping sets, about 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen. Cool cheesecake completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Do ahead: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Release pan sides from cheesecake; transfer to platter. Garnish with lime slices and serve.


Mango-Strawberry Agave Granita

2 1/2 cup mango
3/4 cup strawberries
3/4 cup agave
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Mix all in blender. Pour in 9 x 13 pan. Freeze for one hour. Take out and rake with fork. Repeat process until all is frozeny granulated goodness. Garnish with fresh mint.

** This is an extremely flexible recipe, good with lots of different fruits. Be creative and have fun with it!