Gourmet Club: February 2011—Amber and Elizabeth

Amber & Elizabeth

Limeade

Smokey Black Bean Dip

Edamame Dip

Leek Soup

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Sauce

Pasta Salad

Spicy Honey Chicken

Liege Waffles with Coconut Crumble and Chocolate Sauce

Limeade

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cup (freshly squeezed) lime juice

1 quart seltzer water

Directions:

Combine water and sugar in saucepan, stirring shortly until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

Transfer to pitcher to cool. Pour lime juice and seltzer water over sugar water. Serve with ice and fresh lime slices.

Enjoy!

Smoky Black Bean Dip

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp canola oil

1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained, rinsed

1/4 cup lime juice (2 limes)

2 tsp canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup low-fat sour cream

1 jalapeno chili, seeds and ribs removed, minced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish

Directions:

In medium sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, coriander and cumin; cook for 2 minutes. Add drained beans and 1/3 cup water. Simmer 5-6 minutes until water evaporates. Let cool slightly.

In food processor, pulse bean mixture until coarsely mashed. Add lime juice, chipotle .chilies and salt. Puree until smooth.

Add sour cream, jalapeno and cilantro. Taste for seasoning and transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Serves: Makes about 2-1/2 cups

Edamame Dip

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp garlic, chopped

2 cups frozen, shelled edamame

1/2 cup silken tofu

1/4 cup reduced sodium organic chicken broth

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp black sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

In blender or food processor, add garlic, edamame, tofu, broth, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Serve as an appetizer with raw vegetables or pita wedges. Sprinkle with black
sesame seeds to garnish.

Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Creamy Leek Soup

Gourmet, May 2007

Makes 6 (first course) servings with leftovers

Ingredients:

8 medium leeks (3 lb), trimmed, leaving white and pale green parts only, and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 small boiling potato (6 oz)

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth (24 fluid ounces)

3 cups water

1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California

1-1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chilled heavy cream

Preparation:

Wash sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out and drain well in a colander. Cook leeks, onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper in 4 tablespoons butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, then add to onion mixture along with wine, stock, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in parsley and simmer soup, uncovered, 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf and keep soup at a bare simmer.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour and cook roux, whisking, until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 cups simmering stock (from soup), whisking vigorously (mixture will be thick), then whisk mixture into remaining soup and return to a simmer, whisking.

Blend soup in 4 batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), about 1 minute per batch, transferring to a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Reheat if necessary, then season with salt and pepper.

Beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until it almost forms soft peaks. Serve soup topped with cream.

Cook’s note: Soup is best when made 1 to 3 days ahead (to allow flavors to develop); do not whip cream ahead. Chill soup, uncovered, until completely cooled, then cover. Reheat, thinning with water if necessary.

Corn on the Cob and Sauce

Recipe credit goes completely to the culinary geniuses at Pizzeria 712

6 ears of corn, shucked

1 cup mayonnaise (I recommend veganaise or olive oil mayo)

2 heaping Tbsp of good paprika

Juice of 2 limes

1/4-1/2 cup Grana Padano cheese (you can use Parmegiano Reggiano just make sure it's the good stuff)

Fire up your grill, if it is a coal grill (I only use coals and no lighter fluid) make sure to leave enough time to have the grill piping hot.

In a pasta pot or steamer pot bring about a cup of water to boil to steam the corn.

While you wait for the water to come to a boil, in a bowl mix together mayo, lime juice and paprika. Once combined add cheese and set aside.

Add corn to boiling pot to steam. Steam for 4 min and remove. Brush on Lime Mayo mixture, evenly until coated. Place corn down on grill in the hottest part of your grill. Leave on the grill about 5-7 min, you need to watch it and be turning it this whole time. Add more Lime Mayo mixture to your liking, remove from grill and serve immediately.

Pasta Salad with Zucchini and Mushrooms

Doodie Kennedy

1 box (4 cups) rotelle pasta

2-1/3 cup olive oil

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 cloves minced garlic

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp sugar

1-1/2 cup small zuccini, sliced

1-1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped parsley, fresh

1/2 cup chopped green onions

4 oz sliced & drained olives

Cook pasta & drain

Combine oil, vinegar, lemon, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, & sugar. Add warm pasta and stir to coat. Stir in vegetables. Seal container. Refrigerate overnight. Stir well to serve.

Spicy Honey Chicken

Our Best Bites (www.ourbestbites.com)

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2 lbs (you could use breasts as well)

4 tsp olive oil

Rub:

4 tsp granulated garlic

4 tsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp coriander

2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chipotle chili powder (it's there in the spice aisle ... you just have to look hard)

Glaze:

1 cup honey

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it's not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 tablespoons honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I'm gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It's sugar, and it's gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It's totally worth it once you taste this stuff.

If you don't have a BBQ, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

Liege Waffles (Belgian Pearl Sugar Waffles)

Ingredients:

1 (1/4 ounce) package yeast

1/3 cup lukewarm water

1-1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/8 tsp salt

2 cups flour

3 eggs

1 cup softened butter

1 cup pearl sugar

Directions:

Mix yeast, water, sugar and salt, and let develop for 15 minutes. Place flour into a large bowl. Make a well, pour in yeast mixture, and begin to knead. Continue to knead, add eggs, one at a time, and add soft butter, 2 tablespoons each addition, mixing well. Let dough rest in bowl until doubled. Gently mix in pearl sugar. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Heat waffle iron.

When hot, butter waffle iron, pour in 3 tablespoons dough per waffle. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until waffles lightly brown on top.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Enjoy!

Coconut Crunch Topping

Elizabeth Kennedy

This can be used as an ice cream, pancake, waffle, or hot breakfast cereal topping.

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar

1/4 stick of salted butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt butter. Stir all ingredients together well. Place in lipped cookie sheet or broiling pan. Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes on low rack in oven. Stir every 5 minutes—making sure it’s not getting too brown.

Turn on broiler to high and place baking sheet on middle rack. Watch closely through window as the coconut can brown between 30-60 seconds. As soon as you see the butter bubbling on the coconut and the coconut turning brown, take cookie sheet out and stir with spatula. Cook again for 30-60 seconds or so again until you see browning. When it looks like most of the coconut has had a chance to brown stop process and cool on a large piece of foil on counter top.

Save in fridge.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Gourmet, February 2004

Makes about 2 cups

This thick, glossy sauce makes chocolate syrup taste ho-hum. It’s wonderful on the Frozen Chocolate Caramel Parfaits or poured over any flavor of ice cream.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla

Preparation:

Bring cream, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa, salt, and half of chocolate to a boil in a 1 to 1-1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted. Reduce heat and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla, and remaining chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool sauce to warm before serving.