Gotcha! There is another way to eat this delicacy. Try it and see if you agree.
- 4 cups fish stock
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 4 oz. smoked bacon, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 35 shucked oysters, reserving liquour
- 2 cups spinach leaves, stemmed and washed, dried and chiffonade style
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (again, 36% if you can buy it)
- 2 egg yolks
- pinch of tabasco sauce, fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. Pernod liqueur
In a large saucepan,, combine the stock and broth bringing to a boil. Reduce temerature and keep hot.
In a soup pot, sweat the shallots in the butter and bacon for 6-7 minutes without browning. Add the flour, and with a wooden spoon, stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, add the hot stock/broth whisking together gently to combine. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 15-18 minutes, stirring often.
Remove from the stove, add the spinach, oyster liquour and season to taste. Reheat the soup 15 minutes before serving.
Warm the soup bowls and then combine the cream and yolks. Temper the mixture with a large ladle of hot soup and whisk well to avoid curdling. Add the egg mixtue to the pot and heat until almost boiling. This must be constantly stirred. Add the oysters and cook only for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and add the tabasco, lemon juice and Pernod.
Trout With Curry And Dried Plums
You know you can change the trout to salmon, if that is what you like best. I prefer the subtle flavour of the trout. Hence, I use trout.
I love the summer season because we can be outside, on our deck, dining and visiting. Of course, the barbecue doing it’s best to show off Don’s talents. How lucky can we be? This could be put into the barbecue as well. Just adjust to how you want to make it.
- 1 1/2 lb. trout fillets, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
- 2/3 cup Orzo pasta
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup small red onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, ribs peeled
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 x 14 1/2 oz. cans of diced tomatoes, keeping juice
- 1/2 cup dried plums, coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp. curry powder
Rinse the fish and pat dry. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large oven-proof pan cook and stir together the pepper, onion, celery and garlic for 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and juice, dried plums and curry and cook a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Add the trout and now place in the oven to bake for 8-10 minutes, until the fish just begins to flake. While this is happening put 1 1/2 cups water and when boiling, add the orzo. Boil for 12-13 minutes and cover to let stand for 3 minutes. Drain and now place equal amounts into 4 large bowls.
Spoon the fish mixture over the orzo and enjoy!. Of course a glass of bubbly would be wonderful pairing.
Yummy!
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.
Watermelon Mojitos
The one constant about summer has to be the wonderful, juicy taste and texture of ice cold ripe watermelon. Here is another way to get that summer “comfort” food….okay, cocktail…whatever!
- 9 oz. tequila
- 3 tbsp. agave syrup (natural sweetner)
- 36 mint leaves
- 6 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 cups cubed and seedless watermelon
- crushed ice and club soda
- thin watermelon wedges for garnish
- 6 x 12 oz. glasses
To each glass add 1 1/2 oz. tequila, 2 tsp. agave syrup and 6 mint leaves. Using the handle of a wooden spoon muddle the mixture for 20 seconds. Add 1 tbsp lime juice to each glass.
In a blender, puree the watermelon until smooth. Divide equally among the glasses. Top with ice and soda water and gently stir. Add a thin wedge of watermelon on edge of the glass and serve.
Ahhhh yes…watermelon. Yummy.
Summer Bombe
On a hot summer day, this is the treat of all treats. Make it ahead and keep in the freezer.
Mango Sorbet
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 large mangoes, peeled and seeded
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- pinch of kosher salt
Place the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and cook until the sugar has dissolved and set aside.
Place the mangoes in a food processor and puree. You should have about 5 cups of fruit. If you want a real smooth sorbet, put through a food mill fitted with a medium blade.
Combine the mango, sugar, juice and salt and place in the refrigerator to get cold then freeze in an ice cream machine. The sorbet will be soft.
Freeze an 8 inch bowl. When really cold, place the sorbet in the bowl and press against the sides and bottom. Now if you have a 6 1/2 inch bowl (nesting bowls perhaps?) cover the base and sides with plastic wrap and press into the sorbet to make it even. Freeze for about 30 minutes and then remove the smaller bowl.
1 1/2 pints of a really good raspeberry sorbet that is slightly softened. Spread an even layer of the sorbet on top of the mango mixture and using a 4 1/2 inch bowl (same shape) and press to make all sides smooth. Wrap with smaller bowl with plastic wrap and place inside the bowl. Freeze now until hard.
Now you need 1 pint of really good pistachio ice cream, softened. Remove the bowls from the freezer, taking out the 4 1/2 inch bowl and fill the cavity with the pistachio ice cream. Level the top and cover with saran. Place in the freezer overnight.
To serve, dip the bowl in warm water up to the rim. Run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen and unmold upside down on a cold plate. Cut into wedges and serve.
Fun, tasty and so cool……really!