Our version of a Shrimp Tarragon Po’ Boy

Don wanted to make a shrimp salad tonight for dinner but Kelly and I changed it to a Po’ Boy. It was soooo delicious. Try it and I know you will love it as well. Beats a heavy dinner and could also make a super lunch.

  • 2 lbs. peeled and deveined shrimp
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 cup finely diced celery
  • 2 thinly sliced scallions
  • 2 tbsp. freshly minced tarragon leaves
  • 2/3 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
  • 4-6 Brioche buns, warmed in the oven

In a large saucepan add 7 cups of water and turn the heat to medium. Cook the shrimp for about 8-9 minutes, stirring them gently occasionally until they turn pink and are firm to the touch. Drain off the water.

Cut the shrimp in half in the middle and place in a bowl to cool down. Tamp with a paper towel to remove any excess water.

When cool, add the lime juice, generous pinch of salt and half that of pepper. Add the celery, scallions, tarragon and mayonnaise mixing well to combine then place in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Place the brioche buns in the oven to get warm (not toasted), and butter each side. Fill each bun with as much shrimp as the bun could possibly hold. Cut the sandwich in half, set on a pretty plate add several napkins, a glass of wine and my, oh, my, you will think you hear angelic music.

These are so awesome.

Fantastic Spaghetti in Camembert

Not very often do I ever pull off a recipe to try BUT this one, on facebook recently, really caught my eye and taste buds. I should have been born Italian for my love of anything made with pasta and here we go.

When I forwarded this to Don with the words ‘yum. yum. yum’ he wanted to try it as well. Last night we did and here it is again. It is SO rich but Oh So awesome!

For two:

  • 2 wheels of Camembert cheese
  • white wine
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 4 slices of bacon
  • 1 tbsp. caramelized onion (for Don)
  • Spaghetti for two

We used two wheels as they were small and also that Don was putting the onion in his.

You cut a circle off the top of the cheese wheel, leaving a 1/4 inch edge. Dice the bacon and cook until really crisp and drain well.

Pour enough wine in to make it level (probably 2 tbsp.) Place 1 slice approximately of bacon lard ons on top of each wheel, reserving the balance. Cook off the grated garlic  and,  for Don, the onion as well.

Replace the top of the cheese wheel and place in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

While the cheese is in the oven, cook your spaghetti and drain well. Remove the cheese from the oven, and carefully peel back the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 slice of chopped crisp bacon on each wheel. Now, with tongs, pick a small amount of the spaghetti and gently roll in into the wheel, turning over and over to coat well. Place on a plate and continue this step until your plate is full (to what you would normally eat).

Pour a glass of the white wine (if  you wish) and you will drool, groan and almost lick your plate clean.

Fudge: Rocky Road White Chocolate With Lime

Almost everyone I know loves fudge and here is a newer version (perhaps) at least for me it is. It is going to take using a very good quality white chocolate to attain the best quality fudge.

 

  • 1 lb. white chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 1 can condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 cups pistachio nuts, toasted and chopped
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • 3/4  cup macadamia nuts, toasted, divided
  • 1 tbsp. finely grated lime zest

Oil a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and line with tightly fitted parchment paper, allowing it to overhang. Press paper into the corners to firmly seal the oil pan. Set aside.

Combine the chocolate and condensed milk in a heavy saucepan. Heat over low, stirring until the chocolate is almost all melted. Remove from the heat and continue stirring until all is melted and it is creamy.

Combine the toasted pistachios, cranberries and 1/2 cup of the toasted macadamia nuts and lime zest. Stir until well blended. Pour the chocolate over the nut mixture and fold together until thoroughly mixed.

Transfer to the prepared pan, spread the top with a off-set spatula. Sprinkle the remaining macadamia nuts over the top. Cover and refrigerate until set.

To serve: Cut with a sharp knife that has been sitting in very hot water. Dry the blade before cutting.

There won’t be any leftovers, I promise.

Yummy Risotto With Spring Asparagus and Mushrooms

Anyone who has followed this site will know that I LOVE risotto. I have several recipes on site and this is, yet,  another one.

 

  • 1/2 lb. mushroom mix (crimini, white button, shitake)
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • 3 tbsp. butter, divided
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup dry, white wine
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
  • 2 cups Arborio rice
  • 1/2 lb. thin stalk asparagus, trimmed and cut in I inch pieces. Blanch until tender
  • 1/2 cup Asiago cheese
  • 1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and remove the stems. Heat a fry pan on medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp. each of olive oil and butter. When hot, add the mushrooms and saute until soft. Set aside including with any liquid that has accumulated.

In a saucepan add stock and wine and heat to a simmer. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining olive oil and butter. Add the shallots, onion and red pepper and gently saute until the onion has become translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the rice and stir fry for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add enough hot stock to just cover the top of the rice. Stir constantly until the liquid is almost completely absorbed and add about 1/2 cup more liquid, again stirring constantly. Repeat these steps until all the liquid has been absorbed. This will take EXACTLY 22 minutes.

Add the asparagus and mushrooms including any of the juices.  and heat through. Remove from the heat and add the Asiago cheese. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately in warm serving dishes.

This pairs beautifully with either red or white wine. I guess it just depends on your taste or what you are serving with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vegetable Timbales

If you are making the lamb (from yesterday) or a baked ham, this would be a perfect addition. Really pretty to look at and so delicious to consume. What a winner!

 

  • 2 cups asparagus, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • 1  tbsp. shallot, diced
  • 3 large eggs, divided
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 6 tbsp. whipping cream, divided
  • 2 tbsp. freshly grated Asiago cheese
  • 2 tbsp. blood orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter six 1-cup ramekins and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the paper.

Steam each vegetable separately until just tender. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve several pieces of each of the steamed vegetables and set aside. Enough to garnish the 6 ramekins.

In a food processor or blender, puree the asparagus and shallot until smooth. If necessary, drain through a fine sieve to drain excess liquid.

In a medium sized bowl, mix 1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp. whipping cream and whisk until well combined. Add 1 cup of the asparagus puree and whisk until well combined. Set aside.

Puree the cauliflower until smooth. In a medium sized bowl, mix 1 whole egg,  2 tbsp. asiago cheese and 2 tbsp. whipping cream, whisking until well combined. Add 1 cup of the cauliflower puree and whisk until well combined.  Set aside.

Puree carrots until smooth. In a medium sized bowl, mix together 1 whole egg, 2 tbsp. orange juice and 2 tbsp. whipping cream, whisking until well combined. Add 1 cup carrot puree and whisk until well combined.

Now for the fun part:

Set the ramekins in a baking dish. Add enough water to come up halfway on the sides of the ramekins. In 2 of the ramekins, pour 1/2 cup of the asparagus puree in. In 2 other ramekins, pour 1/2 cup of the cauliflower puree and finish the last 2 ramekins with 1/2 cup each of the carrot puree. Bake about 25 minutes or until a knife in the middle comes out clean. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the ramekins and set on a rack to cool.

Run a knife around the edges of the ramekins and invert on a platter, making sure to remove the paper. Garnish each one by stacking on some of the reserved pieces, making sure to use all three on each ramekin.

 

Your guests will want to take pictures of these for sure. Damn, you did it again.

 

Maple Whiskey Glazed Ham

If  you are like us and have ham for Easter dinner, try this one! Simple, super tasty and easy to prepare. Voila! Another masterpiece in the kitchen by….oh yeah! you!

 

  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup whiskey*
  • 1 tbsp. dry mustard
  • 7-10 lb. ham with bone
  • 8 cloves, whole

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan on a medium heat, mix together the maple syrup, brown sugar, whiskey and mustard and cook until the sugar has dissolved to make a glaze. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Score the fat surface in a diamond pattern about 1/2 inch deep and set the cloves into corners of the diamond pattern. Brush with the glaze. Cook for 2 1/2 – 3 hours until meat thermometer reaches 145 degrees, making sure to baste regularly.

Remove from the oven and tent with foil, allowing to rest for 15 minutes. Pour the pan juices into a degreasing cup or simply skim off the fat and discard. Transfer the juices to a saucepan and keep on low heat to keep warm. Remove the cloves (to avoid injury) and slice the ham.

Serve the ‘gravy’ in a bowl and set on the table. This teams so well with scalloped potatoes, vegetable of your choice and a chilled Riesling in your glass makes this a perfect meal. If having dessert – make it a light one.

 

*if you have maple whiskey, use it to enhance the maple flavour.

 

Rum And Eggnog Fudge

I made my list up today for my Christmas Tray Give-aways, and I thought you might like to add this one as well.

 

  • 1/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cups evaporated milk
  • pinch of salt
  • 7 oz. marshmallow creme
  • 12 oz. white chocolate discs (they are so much smoother)
  • 1 tbsp. rye whiskey
  • 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. rum (spiced is a good one here)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup toasted pistachios, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries
  • freshly grated nutmeg and ground cinnamon for garnish

 

Grease a 9 inch baking dish with butter and line with two criss-cross pieces of parchment paper, making sure you have at least a 2 inch overhang on all sides. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, evaported milk and salt over medium heat, stirring constantly until it reaches the boil. Attach a candy thermometer and cook until it reaches 236F or 113C.

Remove from heat and quickly add the marshmallow creme and white chocolate, stirring vigorously until well combined and melted. Add the rum, whiskey, vanilla, pistachios and cherries, stirring well.

Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with nutmeg and cinnamon before chilling, uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.

Cut in bite-size pieces and serve on your prettiest tray. These are really enjoyed with a VSOP Brandy or a nice glass of wine.

Easy Summer Tarts

With the warmer weather coming (in our case – HOT), I look for light and easy to prepare desserts. Okay….sometimes I do. This is too easy and your children could whip this one up.

 

  • 1 box of puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • Sanding sugar for sprinkling
  • 3 cups of fruit – here you can use a mixture OR use three different types so you can try one of each. i.e. raspberries, strawberries, mango, peaches etc. Cut berries in half and the stone fruits in thin slices.
  • 3 tbsp. honey
  • 3 tsp. fig balsamic vinegar
  • 3 cups whipped cream, sweetened

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Unfold puff pastry onto parchment lined baking sheets and cut each sheet into 4 squares. With a paring knife, CAREFULLY and lightly score a border 1/2 inch from edges.  Brush the border with the egg wash and sprinkle the sanding sugar on the edges. Freeze for 10 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes until puffed up and golden in colour.

Let these cool and gently push down the centers to flatten. Combine the fruits separately and add the sugar and vinegar, scant pinch of salt. Let stand for 15 minutes. Fill the centers of the pastry with the cream and then add the fruit on top. Beautiful to look at, wonderful to taste.

Oh yeah….take a bow.

 

Brown Butter Cookies

I am always trying new cookies to make and share at Christmas time…company coming over….hunger pangs….okay, so I like to make cookies. The flavour of brown butter is so “comforting”,   I think this will become another favourite.

  • 15 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut in pieces
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour, sifted
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • sanding sugar (any colour)

 

Melt the butter over a medium heat. Stir constantly until it becomes a deep golden brown. This should take about 10 minutes or so. Pour into a bowl to cool to room temperature,  then add the vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Gradulally stir into butter mixture. Form into a ball then roll into a 13-15 inch log. Should be about 1  1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice the dough into 1/4 inch rounds and set on parchment lined cookie sheets. Brush each one with egg white and sprinkle the sanding sugar on top.

Bake until light brown and firm (16-18 minutes). Transfer to racks to cool. Yummy.

Breakfast Parfait With Homemade Granola

A friend of ours makes her own granola by the bucketful each week and with that in mind, here is my version of granola and then using it in a parfait for breakfast…either for you and yours or visiting company. You have to be careful though, if you make these meals too tasty, they may never leave.

 

  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup pecans, chopped coarsely
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (no outer shell)
  • 1/4 cup salted cashews
  • 1/4 cup pistachios
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup dried blueberries
  • 1/4 cup dried mango or papaya
  • 1 container either vanilla yogurt or flavour of your choice
  • A few fresh berries for garnish

Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Combine all the ingredients up to the dried fruit and mix well. Spread out on a large parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake 25 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes to ensure even browning and crunchiness. Remove from the oven and add the dried fruit. Cool to room temperature and store in airtight container.

Now for the fun…in decorative glasses (wine glasses are great), add a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt and a layer of granola, then repeat layers three or four times, finishing with yogurt. Top with a fanned strawberry or a couple of blackberries.

Wow….easy, healthy and super tasty. All that is needed now is a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Our parfaits were a favourite when we had our Bed and Breakfst.

Another Breakfast Quiche

It is simple and we used it in our Bed and Breakfast occasionally. Bring it up with different flavours with anything you like to have. This is a favourite of ours.9 inch pie crust (homemade or frozen)

  • 12 bacon slices (I like the maple bacon)
  •  4 large eggs, beaten
  •  1 1/2 cups half and half cream
  •  1/2 cup whipping cream
  •  1 1/2 cups grated Havarti cheese
  •  1 tsp. onion salt
  •  1/2 cup chopped asparagus in 1 inch pieces (woody ends cut off)

Blind bake the pie crust, making sure to dock the bottom with a fork.
Fry the bacon crisp and cut in bite size pieces.

Whisk the eggs and cream together. Line the pie crust with the cheese, then add the bacon and asparagus and finally the egg mixture poured over all. Sprinkle with a bit more cheese and bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven to 300 and bake a further 30 minutes.

Test the center with a knife. Let stand for 10 minutes then serve with a nice green salad and warm roll and butter.

This is a lovely breakfast or perfect light lunch.

Plum Tart With Port In Rustic Phyllo Crust

Another yummy dessert to make and serve to family and friends, no matter the occasion. (who needs an occasion to enjoy this?) You can change the fruit to Peaches and Amaretto, or whatever your favourite fruit is. Just match the liqueur and fruit together and you have a win-win dish.

  • 2 cups nice tawny coloured Port
  •  1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
  •  1/4 tsp. allspice
  •  6-8 plums, halved, pitted and cut each half in quarters
  •  1 tbsp. flour
  •  10 sheets Phyllo pastry sheets
  •  1/4 cup melted butter
  •  sugar to coat

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil the Port, 1/2 cup brown sugar and allspice in a large skillet until reduced to about 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes).

Place the plums in a large bowl, sprinkle the flour over and toss to coat. Drizzle 1/3 cup of the sauce over the plums and toss to coat. Reserve the remaining sauce.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay the sheets of phyllo on the work surface, covering with plastic and topping with a damp towel. This way they won’t dry out while working. Take the first sheet of pastry and lay on the parchment paper, brush with melted butter and lightly sprinkle with sugar. Repeat for all the layers.

Spoon the plums onto the phyllo, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of pastry all around the edges. Fold the edges of the phyllo up over the plums. Drizzle the remaining syrup from the bowl over the plums. Carefully brush some melted butter over the edges of the pastry and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar.

Bake the tart until crust is golden (do not burn) and the plum syrup is bubbling. (35-45 minutes). If the pastry edges are getting too brown, cover with foil.

Cut while warm in wedges and serve with, can you guess?…..sweetened whipped cream and drizzle the reserved sauce over.

OMG! This is good….better than good…..gotta go and buy me some plums…..ooooohhhhh!