Puff Pastry Again

HOT, GOOEY, FLAKEY!

Store bought Puff Pastry sheets are great! Especially if, like me, you don’t have the skills and patience of a baker.


Ingredient Still Life.
Three cheeses; mascarpone, fresh mozzarella, and parmesan, plus heirloom tomatoes with gray salt, and basil.
The original inspiration for the ingredients in this turnover came from Lisa’s Tomato Tartlet at Champaign Taste.


Etymology of “gooey” – it may be a derivitive of the word burgoo; a thick stew made with meats and vegetables, usually cooked outdoors in huge kettles for many hours. Apparently, people bring what they have on hand to add to the stew. Have you ever tried burgoo?

Mmmm…Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup


You may remember my matzoh ball soup from last month? Well, I froze the rest of the soup for later. (Not the matzoh balls, however, those need to be made fresh). So, here is that soup again served with curly egg noodles this time, and carrots, celery, shallots and garlic sauteed in a little of the chicken fat.

The freshly sauteed vegetables, cooked to the point of caramelization, bring a new richness to the previously frozen soup.

Scallops, Cauliflower Cream, Balsamic Reduction


This is just one of the fabulous dishes we had at our dinner party. Caramelized scallops are served over a heavenly cauliflower puree with cream, finished with a swirl of balsamic reduction.


Pat’s inspiration for this dish came from Chef Reddington of Redd Restaurant, Napa Valley.


The cauliflower florettes are sauteed with capers, slivered almonds, and golden raisins. A delicious combination of flavors and textures.

She chose Treana 2005 Central Coast 50% Marsanne 50% Viognier from the Mer Soleil Vineyard to pair with this dish. Excellent!

Happy Birthday Pat!

More Cilantro Mint Vinaigrette

This vinaigrette is so fresh, bright and tasty, I’m glad I had some left over. It was perfect with my warm Bahía Magdalena scallops, and equally delicious with shrimp. The conundrum, how to serve it?

Shrimp Cocktail?


Simply tossed with chilled shrimp?

It makes a fabulous vinaigrette for salads:

As salad dressing for a spicy lettuce mix with roasted cashews?

As a light sauce for chopped red and green heirloom tomatoes with shaved Manchego cheese and gray salt?

Wolfgang Puck serves this vinaigrette with Grilled Lamb Chops.
I’ll have to try that, too!

Bahía Magdalena Scallops with Cilantro Mint Vinaigrette

These huge fresh beautiful scallops come from Baja California, Mexico. They are served over mixed lettuces tossed with Olea Farms lemon blush olive oil from Paso Robles, California and toasted pine nuts.

The scallops are dusted in flour, dipped in egg, then rolled in Panko breadcrumbs before frying in hot peanut oil until golden brown. Then seasoned with sea salt.

Ingredient Still Life.
Cilantro Mint Vinaigrette inspired by Wolfgang Puck.
Seasoned Rice Vinegar, Hot Chili Sesame Oil, Hawaiian Honey, fresh ginger, mint, parsley, and cilantro are pureed in a food processor then peanut oil is added slowly to make the vinaigrette.

Bahía Magdalena
A very beautiful coastline offers plenty of beaches, inlets, marshes and mangrove swamps that are the sanctuary of resident and migratory sea birds and its waters are rich in species for commercial and sports fishing. The great Bahía Magdalena is not only the gate entrance to the Pacific, it is a natural reserve of gray whales that arrive to its waters to fulfill their biological cycle during the months of January to March. From bajaquest.com


Buen Apetito!