Curry Seafood Gumbo with Saffron Sake Rice
Serves 6
Saffron Rice
2 cups sake
4 cups water
1 stalk lemon grass
1 pinch saffron
3 cups white rice
Curry Seafood Gumbo
2 Tbs. garlic olive oil
1/2 cup minced shallots
10 minced garlic cloves
1 cup clam juice
4 cups sake
Zest of 1 lime
1 Tbs. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
10 mussels
10 clams
10 shrimp
10 jumbo scallops
2 lbs white fish such as tilapia cut into cubes
2 tsp. curry powder
2 Tbs. curry paste
2 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
To prepare the rice begin by peeling the outer dry layers of the lemon grass. Cut the remaining stalk into 1inch cubes. In a large stock pot add the water, rice, sake, lemon grass and a pinch of saffron. Bring this to a simmer and let stew for 30 minutes. Strain the water through a colander into a pot and add the rice. Bring the rice back to a simmer and cook until tender.
To prepare the gumbo begin by sautéing the scallops and shrimp in the garlic infused olive oil for about two minutes a side. Remove and place on some paper towels. Wipe out the skillet and add shallots, garlic, clam juice, sake, lime zest and ginger. Bring this to a simmer then add the mussels and the clams. Cook until the shells begin to open. Add the white pepper, coconut milk, curry powder and fish. Continue to simmer for another five minutes. For the last five minutes add the curry paste and return the scallops and shrimp to the gumbo. Serve the Curry Seafood Gumbo over the Saffron Sake Rice.
– James Gray, San Jose
Baked Chicken in Garlic, Pears and Champagne Sauce –Gilroy
Serves 6
Chicken
1 cup chopped
red onions
1 cup chopped
carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled and trimmed
1/2 cup Champagne or sparkling wine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
6 chicken breasts, boneless skinless or skin-on bone-in
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
6 pears (red pears if available)
Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Add the champagne or sparkling wine to the baking dish. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the salt, pepper, basil, tarragon and butter. Core the pears and cut in slices. Place the sliced pears around the chicken breasts. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until juices run clear and chicken is tender and the skin is crisp. Place the chicken breasts and sliced pears on an oven-safe serving platter and keep warm.
Sauce:
4 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 cups strained cooking liquid
4 Tbs. flour
1/2 cup cream
Salt
Pepper
Strain out the cooking liquid and measure 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid and set aside. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour to make a roux, whisking to prevent lumps from forming. Add the reserved cooking liquid and stirring constantly, heat through and allow to thicken. Add the cream, stirring to prevent curdling. Add a little more chicken broth or cooking liquid if there is not enough liquid or sauce is too thick. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken.
– Lesley Pew, Lynn, Mass.
Garlic Flan with Lime Grilled Shrimp on Wilted Arugula
Serves 6
6 cloves of garlic
2 Tbs.
butter
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
3 eggs
1 cup half & half
2 cups grated Fontina cheese
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
18 jumbo shrimp, peeled and cleaned
Juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. butter
1 large shallot, chopped
2 bunches arugula, washed
Mince 6 cloves of garlic. Melt the butter in a small sauté pan and cook the garlic over medium heat, stirring for 1 minute. Add the parsley and cook until the garlic is just getting a little color. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Whisk the eggs, half & half, salt and pepper until well blended. Add the Fontina and Parmesan cheeses, the cooked garlic and parsley and mix thoroughly. Spray 6 ramekins with non stick cooking spray and fill with flan mixture to 1/2 inch of the top. Bake in a water bath for 30 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
Heat grill pan to high. Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, 1 minced garlic and salt and pepper. Brush the shrimp with the lime dressing, sprinkle with chili powder and grill 2 to 3 minutes or until done. In a large sauté pan, over high heat, melt butter and cook the shallot for 1 minute, add the arugula and sauté until just wilted. Divide the cooked arugula in the middle of 6 plates, drizzle with the rest of the lime dressing. Invert the ramekins to release the flan and place on the arugula. Stand 3 grilled shrimp around the flan. Garnish the plate with chopped parsley.
– Marion Stevens, Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Cosmopolitan Garlic Seafood Pie
Serves 6
Ingredients Garlic Butter:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup minced garlic
Slowly heat butter in a small sauce pan until just melted. Add minced garlic and let steep for 30 minutes, heating gently occasionally to keep butter warm. Strain the garlic from the butter and reserve both.
Phyllo Pie Crust
16 sheets Phyllo pastry cut into fourths (cut once lengthwise and once crosswise (each stack will be approximately 4″ x 6″) stacked between 2 sheets of waxed paper and covered with a dampened kitchen towel.
Garlic butter
Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly brush two cookie sheets with garlic butter. Place one of the Phyllo squares in the corner of one of the pans. Brush with garlic butter. Add seven more layers of Phyllo dough, lightly brushing each with garlic butter. Fold over 1/2 inch twice on all four edges to form a rim cutting off any excess dough at the corners. Make five more crusts, three to a cookie sheet. Prick the bottoms several times with a sharp knife.
Bake until lightly golden, 8 1/2 10 minutes, switching the positions of the two cookie sheets halfway through the baking time and pressing the centers down gently if necessary. Cool, cover loosely and leave on cookie sheets.
Cheese Filling
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup crema fresca casera (table cream)
2 Tbs. reserved garlic
2 Tbs. fresh oregano, minced or 1 Tbs. dried
In a food processor blend the goat cheese, cream cheese, table crema and garlic until smooth. Add the oregano and pulse once or twice to mix.
Seafood Mix
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbs. garlic, minced
1/4 cup lemon grass, minced
1 Tbs. sugar
3/4 lb. shrimp, well drained
3/4 lb. scallops, well drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until very hot and shimmering but not smoking. Add the garlic, lemon grass and sugar and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute (sugar should caramelize slightly). Add the shellfish and sauté, stirring for three minutes. Add the wine and cook on medium high until reduced by half. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
Roasted Garlic Sauce
4 heads garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup crema fresca casera (table cream)
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tbs. fresh thyme, chopped fine
Cut the top off each garlic head, exposing the cloves. Place on cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and white pepper. Bake in 400°F oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until garlic is cooked and soft. Cool. Squeeze out cooked garlic from each clove into a mortar and pestle and grind into a fine paste (can be done in batches). Place the garlic paste in a medium sauce pan and whisk in the table cream. Add the milk and chicken stock, mix well. Heat the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in thyme.
Assembly
Chives, whole and minced, for garnish Remainder of reserved garlic butter
Gently spread a 1/4 inch layer of cheese filling evenly over the bottom of each Phyllo crust. Top with 1/6 the seafood mix. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon reserved garlic butter.
Bake 400° F for 10 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then transfer each pie to a plate with a spatula. Drizzle each pie with 1/4 cup roasted garlic sauce. Sprinkle with chopped chives and garnish with whole chives.
– Boni K. Passmore, Antelope, Calif.
“Gnock Out” Garlic Gnocchi
Serves 6
Ingredients:
27 cloves garlic, peeled
2 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
5 shitake mushroom caps, cleaned and sliced
1 small jar (8 oz) roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 – 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Bartlett pear, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pint heavy cream
5 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup arugula, roughly chopped
Place potatoes in medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook just until tender, about 15 – 20 minutes. Drain and return to warm saucepan. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Puree through a food mill or potato ricer directly into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the potatoes and set aside.
While potatoes are cooking, heat one tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add whole garlic cloves and cook until golden brown. Remove from the pan and pat dry on paper towels and place in food processor. Leave oil in pan. Heat pan over medium high heat.
Add sliced shitake mushrooms and cook until well browned. Remove from pan and pat dry on paper towels. Add to food processor. Add the following to the mixture in the food processor: 1/2 cup roasted red pepper, leaves from 4 springs of thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. Fold mixture into potatoes.
Add egg yolk and one cup of flour. Mix together with your hands until dough begins to stick together. Transfer mixture to floured surface and knead lightly. Gradually add remaining flour if dough sticks heavily to the board and your hands.
The dough is ready when it is soft, pliable and just a bit sticky. This should take no more than 4 – 5 minutes. Cover with a dishtowel and set aside to rest.
Melt 3 Tbs. butter in skillet over low heat. Add pear slices and two sprigs of thyme, leaves only, and cook until caramelized. Add 2 Tbs. butter, one pint of cream, two cloves finely chopped garlic, 1/4 cup finely chopped roasted red pepper, two sprigs of thyme, leaves only and a 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until lightly reduced.
While sauce is reducing finish the gnocchi. Cut the dough into pieces the size of an orange. Lightly flour your hands. Using both your hands, roll out each piece of dough with a light back and forth motion into a roll about the thickness of your thumb. Cut each roll into one-inch pieces. Set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to large skillet. Place over medium heat. When oil is hot add 15 to 20 gnocchi. Do not over crowd. Cook turning occasionally until well browned on both sides; approximately 6 – 8 minutes; remove to serving platter, keep warm and repeat until all gnocchi are cooked.
Meanwhile add 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese to sauce. Stir until melted and keep warm over very low heat.
Pour sauce over cooked gnocchi, generously garnish with chopped arugula and enjoy immediately.
– Adam Sanchez, Gilroy
