You know that Christmas carol “Joy to the world?” That’s what I started humming when I spotted these strawberries at a local market today. I bought a lot of them. The ones in the bowl are my portion! They are so perfect they don’t need anything. No sugar or sauce or whipped cream or anything. But if you insist, here’s a lovely dip for strawberries: MASCARPONE DIP
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese (or use cream cheese at room temperature)
2 tablespoons dark rum, orange flavored brandy or orange juice
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Beat the ingredients together until well blended
A Sauce for the Season
On Monday (May 27), we Americans will be celebrating Memorial Day, a federal holiday to honor those who died in military service of the country.
Memorial Day weekend is also the traditional time that ushers in “barbecue season.”
I mean, some of us barbecue all year but many of us (me!) don’t because it’s too cold before the end of May to venture outside to cook.
And so, to begin the season, I offer a recipe for Pebre Sauce. In case you haven’t heard of it, Pebre is similar to Chimichurri. It’s originally from Chile, but well known throughout South America. I included this recipe in my first kosher cookbook, Hip Kosher, and I’ve made this sauce every summer since that book was published in 2008.
Why?
Mostly because it’s so tasty. But also: you can use it for all sorts of grilled meat, poultry or chicken (in Hip Kosher I paired it with beef kebabs) and even for vegetables, grilled or otherwise. Or use it as a marinade. And you can mix in some mayonnaise or olive oil and vinegar to use as a salad dressing (particularly delicious for potato salad).
PEBRE SAUCE
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 large garlic cloves, quartered
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small habanero or serrano pepper, deseeded and chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
Process the parsley, cilantro, garlic, oregano, lemon juice and pepper in a food processor until they are finely chopped. With the machine still on, gradually pour in the olive oil.
Makes about 1/2 cup
Lox and Cream Cheese Dip/Spread
It’s almost new year’s weekend, so I’ve been cooking for our annual New Year’s Eve hors d’oeuvres fest (storing a lot of stuff in the freezer).
These are some of the items I’ll serve at various times during the day: Marinated Mushrooms (a cinch to make); Potato-Carrot Latkes; Romanian Cheese turnovers; Scallion Cakes; Almond Chicken Nuggets; Hot Dog en Croute, and some others, plus a couple of dips, like hummus.
This Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese dip is a definite for our smoked fish hour. It’s amazingly easy to put together, so if you need something last minute, this is for you.
Lox and Cream Cheese Dip/SPREAD
4 ounces smoked salmon
1 cup cream cheese (8 ounces)
1/3 cup dairy sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 chopped scallions
Chop the smoked salmon into small pieces and set aside. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in a food processor. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill and scallions. Process on pulse until the ingredients are relatively smooth and well blended. Add the smoked salmon, pulse a few more times to distribute the pieces evenly.
Makes 1-1/2 cups
Tzatziki
In my last post I mentioned that my New Year’s get-together is an all-day, all-hors d’oeuvre event. A dairy fest and, several hours later, a meat-fest followed, several hours later by dessert.
Some of the tidbits I serve are homemade, some not, some fancy, others plain, some elaborate, some easy.
This one is amazingly easy and you can to make it ahead, in fact, you have to make it ahead. It’s refreshing, looks pretty and fits in perfectly with some of the other stuff I’m thinking of serving: Herbed Feta Cheese with Sundried Tomatoes and Olives, Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Rollups, Herb and Cheese Gougeres (Choux Puffs), Fresh Tomato Puff Pastry Pizzas.
Happy New Year everyone.
Tzatziki (Cacik)
3 cups thick, Greek style non-fat yogurt
3 medium cucumbers
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoons olive oil
Place a double layer of cheesecloth in a strainer. Spoon the yogurt into the lined strainer and set it over a bowl. Let rest in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Place the yogurt in a bowl (discard the liquid that has accumulated in the bowl). Peel the cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop and discard the seeds. Grate the cucumber in a food processor or by hand. Strain the cucumber through a sieve, pressing down to extract as much liquid as possible. When the yogurt is ready, stir in the cucumbers, garlic, mint, dill, salt, lemon juice and olive oil. Stir to blend all the ingredients thoroughly.
Makes about 4 cups, serving 10-12 people.
Tropical Salsa
In our family, Mother's Day involves a cookoff. Everyone participates in some way. We pick a theme, some people cook, some set the table, some help clean up and so on. Then we all eat what we have cooked and everyone wins a prize for something, like: best looking; most delicious; most unusual.....
It's been so much fun over the years and we all believe it beats going to a restaurant which, because it's a holiday, is usually crowded and noisy and the service awful.
This year's theme was "dips."
My son-in-law and one of the grandkids made a hot French Onion Dip; one daughter and granddaughter made a spicy Red Pepper Dip; another daughter and child made a chocolate dip for dessert.
It was all awesome.
This was my entry, which got the award for "most refreshing" and "most attractive" as well as "most perfect for summer" awards.
It's so easy to make too.
Also, it really is perfect for summer.
And it is actually refreshing and attractive.
So -- for summer company or just for yourself, try my award-winning Tropical Salsa. Serve it on Father's Day. Or July 4th!
By the way, this is also a good side dish with grilled meat, poultry or fish and can be used to top a hamburger.
Tropical Salsa
- 2 cups diced fresh papaya
- 2 large mangoes, peeled and diced
- 1 large avocado, peeled and diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh lime peel
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- salt
- corn chips or other favorite chips
Place the papaya, mango and avocado dice in a bowl. Add the jalapeno pepper, lime peel, lime juice and cilantro and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Taste and add salt as needed. Serve with chips.
Makes about 3 cups
Easy Guacamole
Recently I posted a recipe for an Avocado, Egg and Tomato Sandwich with Pesto Mayonnaise, in which I mentioned that I eat a lot of avocados. In fact there are always 4-5 avocados in my house, some in the crisper bin of the fridge, others ripening on the counter top.
Besides eating avocados as a snack, I find that when I am at a loss for a vegetable side dish or when I am rushed, stressed or busy, an avocado comes in really handy (not to mention delicious and also healthy). Just peel and cut it up and serve with anything: chicken, beef, eggs, whatever. Maybe sprinkle a little lime juice on top.
But of course, as I mentioned in that previous post, there's always Guacamole! One of the tastiest, easiest, well-loved dips there ever was.
Here are some ideas for guacamole in addition to serving it with chips:
1. spread on top of toast for a sandwich (by itself or with tomato slices, chicken or turkey)
2. use instead of ketchup for burgers
3. use to replace the butter on a baked potato
4. tuck inside eggs within an omelet
5. stuff inside hollowed tomatoes
Here's my easy recipe for guacamole. It will take you far.
Guacamole
- 2 medium avocados
- 1 large tomato
- 1 small serrano chili pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- 3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
- salt to taste
- chips
Peel the avocado and scoop the flesh into a food processor (or bowl or molcajete). Chop the tomato and add the tomato pieces, chili pepper, garlic, cilantro, if used, juice and salt to taste to the food processor. Process to desired texture using pulse feature (or mash with a fork or tejolete).
Serve with corn chips.
Makes about 2 cups