Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

It has been a quiet Winter in our Florida rental home. In the past we have enjoyed so many activities available in New Smyrna Beach. There are weekly weekend events along the main thoroughfares of Flagler Avenue and Canal Street. We have attended antique car shows, art exhibits, wine tastings and Fat Tuesday parades. But this year we have avoided the crowds. But, when Valentine’s Day came around, we traveled back to NC for our Grandson’s birthday and then stopped in Charleston on the way back to Florida. We had a glorious warm and sunny day to explore this quaint town. One of the perennial favorite restaurants is called 82 Queen. They are repudiated to have the best crab cakes in Charleston. We had lunch in the courtyard.

I ordered the appetizer of Crab Cake with Bacon Sautéed Corn and Red Pepper Aioli.

It was delicious and it was fun trying to duplicate this at home. I think I came up with a good recipe combination using recipes found on line and adapting them to our tastes. The below recipe makes a lot. For the two of us I cut it in less than half. It is easy to adjust it to your needs.

Crab Cakes with Bacon Sautéed Corn and Red Pepper Aioli

Crab Cakes:

2 pounds fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

1 1/2 cups panko

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped chives

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice and zest of 1 lemon, plus more lemon wedges for serving

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. For the crab cakes: Gently fold together the crabmeat, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, chives, Dijon mustard, seafood seasoning, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper and the juice and zest of one lemon in a large bowl. Refrigerate the crab mixture for 15 minutes to firm up; this allows the breadcrumbs to absorb some of the liquid, helping the crab cakes bind together.
3. Meanwhile, make the tartar sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, dill pickles, capers, chives, zest and juice of 1 lemon in a medium bowl and mix until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Scoop heaping half cups of the crab mixture and pat into 2 1/2-inch wide patties. Lightly press them together so they do not fall apart while cooking. You should have 8 patties.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crab cakes to the pan and cook until golden, about 2 minutes, then flip using a flat metal spatula. Continue to cook until lightly golden, about 1 1/2 minutes then transfer the pan to the oven. Cook until the crab cakes are completely heated through, about 10 minutes.

Bacon Sautéed Corn:

• 5 slices of bacon , diced
• 1 16 oz. bag of frozen white shoe peg corn, thawed

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Sauté corn in bacon dripping until soft, about 10 minutes.

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

• 2 whole roasted red peppers ( I used Jarred roasted red peppers)
• ⅔ cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved, or more to taste
• 1 ½ cups light mayonnaise (such as Hellmann’s® Light) 
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Place roasted red peppers and basil in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped and combined. Add lemon juice; pulse 3 times. Scatter garlic halves over mixture; pulse to chop, 4 to 5 times. Add mayonnaise and sugar; pulse until smooth, 5 to 7 times. Season with salt and pepper.

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Serendipity; the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. My husband loves to cook. He has lots of time on his hands since we are staying pretty close to home. He recently set aside a few hours to make caramelized onions. He used a recipe from Vivian Howard in her new cookbook, This Will Make it Taste Good. Caramelized onions take time because they need to cook low and slow. The original use was to top a steak. But there were so many of them that I ended up with a stash in the refrigerator.

Thanksgiving included pie making. I made several rounds of pastry and ended up with extra. A light bulb moment happened and I put the two leftover ingredients together with delicious results.

This caramelized onion galette would make a perfect appetizer for the holidays. I added some Gruyere cheese to the onion mixture and was pleased with the results. The taste is reminiscent of French onion soup. It would also be great as a light supper with a salad. Serendipitous indeed.

Caramelized Onions

• 4–5 large or 6–8 medium yellow or white onions
• 1 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt

1. Peel your onions and cut them in half through their stem ends—longways, if you will. Slice them thinly with the grain, following the line from root to stem rather than cutting the onion across its belly. This is actually important because slicing it the other way makes the path to silky onions a longer one.
2. Once your onions are sliced, heat your skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil, then the onions and the salt. Let the onions sizzle for a couple minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula and watch as they wilt for about 3 more minutes. At this point, reduce the heat to medium low. Put a lid on and step away for a few minutes. Give the onions a stir every now and then. You don’t have to stand over it like risotto, but don’t go for a walk around the block either. Caramelized bits will accumulate at the bottom and sides of the pan, and that’s good. Just scrape them up and stir them in. A little color building as you go is okay, but don’t rush to brown them. The point is to cook the onions gently, coaxing them through stages of raw, wilted, sweaty, soft, light brown, and finally deeply caramelized
3. About 45 minutes in, remove the lid for the last time. They should be a light caramel color. Now, with the lid off, you will need to watch more closely and stir more frequently. At some point you may find that despite your best efforts some of the caramelized bits, verging on burnt, cling to the pan and threaten over all onion ruin. Do not fret! Just add a ½ cup or so of water and use its energy to help scrape up the stubborn but tasty film. Let the water cook out of course. When you’re smiling over a soft, creamy, fragrant pile of mahogany onions, you’re done. Makes 2 cups.
4. Note:  Onions will keep in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for 3 months.

Assemble Galette

Mix 1 to 1 1/2 cups cooled onions with 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll pastry dough of your choice (Could use a store-bought pastry round) into a 10-inch circle on a sheet of parchment. Spread the cooled caramelized onions on the dough, leaving a 1- to 2-inch border. Fold the edges in, over the onions, transfer to a baking sheet and bake until the dough is golden brown and some of the onions have browned on the edges, 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the galette halfway into the baking process.

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This is another one of my favorite posts from the past.  It was first posted in 2013.  To be quite honest with you, I had forgotten all about this wonderful shrimp dish with a cornmeal savarin.  I really need to make it again for an appetizer or luncheon dish.

Thumbing through some old Gourmet magazines the other day, I found this recipe for shrimp savarins.  I love molds of all kinds and descriptions, but savarin molds were new to me.

Savarins are ring shaped sponge cakes often soaked in rum syrup and filled with fresh fruit.  They are named for Jean Brillat-Savarin, a famous French politician and gastronome.  They can be one single large ring or smaller individual rings.  You can buy savarin molds at several sources such as this.

I was excited to try this savory version of savarins.  I love how the shrimp fit nicely around the cornmeal rings.

I decided that this recipe was perfect for a first course at a dinner party or a holiday meal.  I was even able to make the dish in stages.  The cornmeal savarins were made early in the day.  The shrimp was also easy to do ahead of time.  All I did near serving time was to arrange the shrimp around the cornmeal rings that I had arranged on a baking sheet and placed them in the oven to rewarm.  While they were warming I made the orange butter sauce.

This was a delicious combination.  The orange butter beurre blanc played well off of the light cornmeal rings and the shrimp cooked in vermouth and tequila was a perfect foil.  The presentation was amazing and unexpected in my humble opinion.  This dish is a keeper.

SHRIMP WITH ORANGE BUTTER SAUCE AND CORNMEAL SAVARINS (Adapted from Gourmet)

36 large shrimp, shelled and deveined, reserving 6 shells
2 cups dry vermouth
1/4 cup tequila
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Sauce:
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons dry white wine
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
the zest from 1 orange
2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

6 cornmeal savarins (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon minced scallion top for garnish

In a large skillet combine the shrimp, the vermouth, the tequila, and the butter.  Bring the liquid to a boil, stirring, and simmer the shrimp for 1 minute and 30 seconds, or until they are just firm.  Transfer the shrimp to a plate with a slotted spoon and keep them warm.

Make the sauce:  Reduce the shrimp cooking liquid with the reserved shells over moderately high heat to about 3 tablespoons, discard the shells, and in a saucepan combine the reduced liquid with the shallot, the vinegar, the wine, the orange juice, and the orange zest.  Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer it for 5 minutes, or until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time, lifting the pan from the heat occasionally to cool the mixture and adding each new piece of butter before the previous one has melted completely.  (The sauce should should not get hot enough to liquefy.  It should be the consistency of then hollandaise.)  Keep the sauce warm over hot water.

Arrange the savarins on heated plates or shallow bowls and top each savarin with some of the shrimp.  My shrimp were small so I used 5 per savarin.  The original recipe used 3 per savarin.  Spoon some of the sauce onto the plates or bowls.  Garnish each serving with the scallion tops.  Serves 6.

CORNMEAL SAVARINS

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour
1 large egg yolk, beaten lightly
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg white at room temperature
1/4 cup corn kernels, thawed if frozen
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper or minced pimiento
2 tablespoons minced Anaheim chili pepper

Into a bowl sift together the cornmeal, the baking powder, the sugar, the salt, and the flour.  In another bowl combine the egg yolk, the butter, the cream the buttermilk, and the baking soda and stir the mixture into the cornmeal mixture.  In a small bowl beat the egg white until it holds stiff peaks and fold it into the cornmeal mixture with the corn kernels, the red bell pepper and the chili pepper.

Spray 8 metal savarin molds, each 3 1/4 inches in diameter, well with non-stick vegetable coating and fill them with scant 1/3-cup measures of the batter. Bake the molds on a jelly-roll pan in the lower third of a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until a wooden pick comes out clean.  Loosen the edges of the cornbread with a small knife and turn them out onto a rack.  The cornbread savarins may be made ahead and kept chilled or frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap.  Makes 8 individual cornbreads.

Printable Recipe

This is an adaptation of a recipe from The Pioneer Woman that I saw on The Food Network the other day.  I am planning an hors d’oeuvres get together for some time in early summer and thought these bite size pizzas would be a good addition.  Ree’s recipe is made with puff pastry.  I had a round of my favorite pizza dough in the freezer and decided to use that instead.

It was quite easy to roll out the pizza dough, cut it into small circles and top it with basil pesto, Roma tomato rounds, and Parmesan cheese.  I baked the rounds on a pizza stone in a hot (400 – 450 degree) oven for about 20 minutes.  Or you can follow The Pioneer Woman’s Recipe using puff pastry.

We are excited about an upcoming trip to Paris in the Fall.  I have found this charming apartment in The Latin Quarter to rent for a week.  Will let you know more as plans come together.  If anyone has recommendations for restaurants in the 5th Arrondissement I would appreciate it.

 

This will be a very quick post, but an important one.  Because we loved these Crostini Appetizers that our DIL made for Christmas, I had to share them with you.  Either one of them would be perfect for your New Year’s Eve celebration.  I plan on making the roasted beet, dill and boursin crostini for our contribution to the appetizer table when our friends’ get together this year.

We celebrate with the same group of long time friends each year. This year we will be in Hilton Head SC. We spend three days together eating, laughing, playing cards, shopping, golfing for the guys, and movie going for the gals. For the guys who want to play at the comfort of one’s home, they can resort to innovations such as a garage golf solution. The menus vary little from the traditions that we have established. New Years Eve includes numerous appetizers, filet of beef, potato casserole and a gorgeous salad.  New Year’s Day is slow roasted pork, black-eyed peas, rice, collard greens and corn bread.

Either one of these appetizers would be a colorful addition to your appetizer tray.  The radish and butter crostini is very simple and elegant.  The beet and dill appetizer is colorful and delicious.  Happy New Year to all of you.  I look forward to starting 2016 here with all of my blogging friends.

OPEN-FACE RADISH AND BUTTER SANDWICHES

A mandoline or V-slicer makes quick work of slicing the radishes.

2 1/2 bunches radishes, trimmed

Unsalted butter, room temperature

20 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices baguette, lightly toasted

Maldon sea salt or coarse kosher salt

Place radishes in medium bowl of ice water and chill at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Drain radishes and slice thinly.

Spread butter generously over baguette slices and sprinkle lightly with sea salt or coarse kosher salt. Arrange radish slices atop buttered baguette slices and serve.

ROASTED BEET, DILL AND BOURSIN CROSTINI

3 to 5 beets peeled and cut into small dice

Olive oil and garlic powder

Sourdough baguette slices, lightly toasted

Fresh dill fronds

1 50z, package Garlic and Fine Herbs Boursin Cheese Spread

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place diced beets on small roasting pan.  Coat with olive oil and a little garlic powder.  Roast until cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Cool.

Lightly toast baguette slices.

Assemble crostini;  Spread with cheese, top with dill and sprinkle with cooled diced beets