The Fourth of July dazzled. We barbequed, the pool came to us in the heat (30 minute thundershower, thank heavens for pop up tents), and the chickens entertained a gaggle of toddlers. Everyone, chickens included, were well-fed.
Lobster Cakes with Chipotle Lime Remoulade
Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 cups (1/4- to 1/2-inch-diced) yellow onion
1 cup (1/4- to 1/2-inch-diced) leek
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless cod fillets, cut into 3-4 pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups Pereg fine panko (Japanese bread flakes)
2 cups Pereg coarse panko flakes
3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
2 tablespoons Better Body Foods Chipotle Lime mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound cooked lobster meat, 1/2-inch-diced
Good grape seed oil
Thanks to Pereg and Better Body Foods for providing the panko and mayo for this recipe!
Chipotle Lime Remoulade
1 1/2 cups chipotle lime mayonnaise
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, leek and bell pepper and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Place the fish on top of the vegetables and add the cream, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 12 minutes (depending on the thickness of the cod), until the fish is just cooked. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes, then flake the fish into large pieces with a fork.
Put 2 cups of the fine panko in a large bowl. Add the cod mixture, including the cooking liquid, the dill, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest, eggs, lobster, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper and mix gently.
Using a 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop as a measure, shape the mixture into 3-inch fish cakes. You will have at least 14. Place the remaining 2 cups of coarse panko on a plate and coat the cakes all over, patting the coating to adhere. Wipe the saute pan clean with a paper towel and heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil in the pan over medium heat. Place 5 cakes in the pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side, until nicely browned on both sides. Transfer the cakes to a sheet pan and keep them warm in the oven for up to 15 minutes. Repeat, adding more butter and oil, until the entire mixture is cooked. Serve hot with the remoulade sauce.
Remoulade Sauce: Place the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in the bowl and blend until smooth.
This was just so delicious. Shucking the lobster was tricky, but the buttery flavor of that meat, so worth it. Then, there was this cake, baked in a skillet upside-down. Some people thought I had put rum in the cake. Nope, just very very tangy and moist.
Blueberry Upside Down Cake
Adapted from Food and Wine
3/4 cup unsalted butter (6 ounces), cubed, at room temperature, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 cups blueberries
4 teaspoons lemon zest, divided
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 3/4 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium. Stir in lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until mixture is bubbly and sugar is mostly dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
Toss berries and 2 teaspoons lemon zest with another splash of fresh lemon juice in a medium bowl until combined. Arrange berries evenly over sugar mixture in skillet. (If using halved large blackberries, place cut sides up.) Set aside.
Place remaining 1/2 cup butter and remaining 1 cup sugar in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract and remaining 2 teaspoons lemon zest.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture one-third at a time to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating on low speed until just combined after each addition. Spoon batter over berry mixture in skillet, and spread gently over berries.
Place skillet on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until cake is lightly browned and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool 30 minutes.
Run a butter knife around edge of cake; place skillet over low to just warm bottom, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; carefully invert cake onto a large plate. Serve cake lightly dusted with powdered sugar and, if desired, with whipped cream on the side.
Last, but not least, the most delicious corn I’ve ever made, paired with steak and chimichurri. Just scrumptious.
Corn Chaat with Tomato Tamarind Chutney
Adapted from Food and Wine
CHUTNEY
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 dried red chiles (such as chiles de árbol)
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked
2 whole clove
6 plum tomatoes (1 1/4 pounds), cored and chopped
1/2 cup packed jaggery or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
CORN CHAAT:
1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons plus
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon), divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
6 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked (or 4 cups thawed frozen corn kernels)
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 tablespoon finely chopped serrano chile (from 1/2 [1-ounce] chile)
3/4 cup finely chopped Corn Nuts, divided
1/2 teaspoon Madras curry powder
Make the chutney: Heat grapeseed oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add ginger, chiles, peppercorns, and cloves; cook, stirring often, until ginger is soft and spices are toasted, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, sugar, tamarind paste, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring and breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have broken down and sauce is thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Let mixture cool slightly, and transfer to a blender. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl; cover and refrigerate until cold.
Make the corn chaat: Preheat a grill to high (450°F to 550°F). Whisk together yogurt, cumin, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until smooth.
Brush corn with grapeseed oil. Place corn on grates, and grill, uncovered, turning often, until kernels are charred, 10 to 12 minutes. When corn is cool enough to handle, cut kernels from corn into a large bowl; discard cobs. (If using thawed frozen corn, heat a cast-iron skillet over high until smoking. Add corn in an even layer, and cook, without moving, until kernels are charred and begin to release from skillet, about 4 minutes.) Add coconut oil, remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to bowl; stir to combine. Add cilantro, mint, scallions, serrano chile, and 1/2 cup Corn nuts; toss to combine.
Divide corn mixture evenly among 4 serving bowls; top with chutney and yogurt mixture. Stir together curry powder and remaining 1/4 cup toasted corn snacks, and sprinkle over corn mixture
We also grilled ribs. Nothing fancy here but a lovely Caribbean Rub from Pod and Bean.
Tri-tip Steak with Chimichurri
Adapted from Food and Wine
4 cups packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup loosely packed fresh marjoram or oregano leaves, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 large garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon colatura (Italian fish sauce) or Asian fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 (4-pound) tri-tip steak
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Stir together parsley, marjoram, oil, vinegar, garlic, red pepper, colatura, hot paprika, sweet paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt until combined. Set chimichurri aside. (Chimichurri may be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
Open bottom and top vents of a charcoal grill completely. Light 2 charcoal chimney starters filled with briquettes (about 8 1/2 cups of briquettes per chimney). When briquettes are covered with gray ash, pour in an even layer on bottom grate of grill. (Internal temperature should be about 375°F to 400°F.)
Place steak on a rimmed baking sheet, and season with black pepper and remaining 4 teaspoons salt. Place steak on oiled grate, fatty side down, and grill, uncovered, until charred and browned, about 15 minutes. Flip and grill, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of steak registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 13 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from grill, and transfer to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
While steak rests, cook onions. Carefully remove cooking grate from grill and set aside. Push coals to one side of grill, and arrange onions in a single layer in cleared space; scatter coals over onions. Cook until onions are charred and insides are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer onions to a metal baking dish, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Brush away ashes with a paper towel.
I’m so grateful to have an extended family here in New Orleans who enjoys meal after meal with us, the best taste testers and the best of friends. Love to Midcity Dinner Club!
