Mango Salsa Salad with Citrus Shrimp

This past Friday, Mr. S and I went adventuring. Three hours down into the central valley. It was awesome!

We stayed in Paso Robles, and enjoyed the quaint little downtown. There was even a band playing in the gazebo! 

The next day we eschewed the over 300 vineyards in the area and headed to Pasolivo, an olive farm and press. We tasted, sampled, and tasted. It was wonderful. And we walked away with this:

They use the oils from the rinds of tangerines, lemons, and limes and combine them with the olive oil. No infusing - so the shelf life of the oil is just as long as it regularly would be. 

And it tastes delicious!!

When we got home Saturday night, we went immediately to the grocery store and got ourselves the ingredients for this salad. Mmmmmm. Totally worth the 6 hour there-and-back drive.  

Make your mango salsa first. Mango, pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro - into a bowl. Let it rest while you do everything else. 

Let the shrimp sit in the oil for awhile.

Then cook 'em till they're pink.

Salad greens, tomatoes, and avocado onto the plate.

Top with shrimp, mango salsa, and queso fresco. 

Beautiful!

Mango Salsa Salad with Citrus Shrimp

Serves 2

8-10 raw shrimp

2 tbsp citrus olive oil

1 mango, cubed

2 tbsp diced red onion

1 clove garlic, diced

1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, diced

1 tbsp cilantro, diced

avocado

salad greens

tomatoes

queso fresco

Combine the mango, onion, garlic, pepper, and cilantro in a bowl. If you do this an hour or two ahead and let it sit in the fridge, all the better.

Let the shrimp marinade in the citrus oil for 5 minutes or so. Dump it all into a screaming hot pan, and cook till pink. 

Toss salad mix, tomatoes, and avocado onto a plate. Add shrimp, mango salsa, and queso fresco. 

Enjoy!

Baklava

Have you ever stuck to your keyboard? or your table? or nearly everything else you put your fingers on?

Yup.

Totally rhetorical question.

I've not had any experiences like that. Ever. *snicker*

Pass me another piece of baklava. 

There is one flavor profile that you find in baklava that I've never been fond of: Flowers. Traditionally, baklava is spritzed with rosewater during the piling of layers. I don't care for rosewater, so I left it out. If you like it, use it. If you can't find it in the store / would rather smell flowers than eat them, leave it out.

Start of with nuts. Lots of nuts. 18 oz of various nuts. I chose pistachios (9 oz), hazelnuts (6 oz), and almonds (3 oz). If you want walnuts instead of hazelnuts, sub away. If you want more almonds, sub away.

 

Mix the chopped nuts with sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. 

Melt your butter. If you've got clarified butter laying around, great. Use that. If you don't, just use regular, unsalted butter. 

Brush a rimmed 9x13 sheet pan with butter. 

Now, follow my easy pictoral instructions:

After the 6 sheets, add another 1/3 of the nut mixture. Layer & butter 6 more sheets. Add the last 1/3. Layer & butter the rest of the filo sheets you've got. 

Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and cut into squares. Or triangles. Whatever shape you want. Bake for another 40 minutes. 

Pull out your pan and allow to rest for 2 hours. In the last 30 minutes of the 2 hours, start the syrup.Sugar, water, honey, cinnamon stick, and orange peel. 

Boil for 10 minutes, till thick. Pour over baklava. 

Let the baklava sit overnight. If you can make it that long!

Baklava

Makes 1 sheet pan full
Slightly adapted from Alton Brown

For baklava:

1 box filo dough

18 oz nuts (combination of pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds)

2/3 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp allspice

3 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

For syrup:

1 1/4 c. water

1 1/4 c. sugar

1 1/4 c. honey

1 cinnamon stick

1 large chunk of orange peel, pith scraped off

Coarsely chop the nuts. Combine nuts with sugar and spices in a large bowl. 

Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a 9x13 sheet pan with melted butter. Lay one sheet of filo down. Butter the top of the filo. Add another layer. Butter. Repeat until you have 8 layers. 

Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture on the buttered filo. Spritz with water. Top with a layer of filo, butter, and filo, and butter, repeat until you have 6 layers. Top with another 1/3 of the nuts, 6 more layers of filo and butter, and another 1/3 of the nuts. Build the butter and filo layers until you run out. 

Put in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, take it out and cut it, then bake for another 40.

Allow to cool for 2 hours. In the last 30 minutes, start the syrup.

In a medium saucepan, combine all the syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil and let boil for 10 minutes. 

Pour the hot syrup over the baklava and let sit, uncovered, for 8 hours, or overnight. 

All-American BLTs

Happy 4th of July!

Oooops. My Americana is showing again.

I've had the privilege to be out of the country on the 4th a few times. And let me tell you, the whole world thinks you're nuts if you are. These kind people in whatever country you're in wish you a happy 4th, and proceed to try to celebrate with you. They look at you like a 3-headed alien, as if wanting to say: "You fool!! How can you miss your country's birthday?? You must have been tricked. No one in their right mind would miss such an important event."

And thus, I typically eat something super-American no matter where I'm at. Like a BLT. 

Pick some fresh bread up from the local baker. This is a sweet boule from the Acme Bakery stand at the Sunnyvale farmer's market. They have the most delicious bread.

Gently slather on some fresh herb butter. (Go pick whatever is out in your herb garden. Mix with soft butter.)

Toast it up nicely. 

Pick the best heirloom tomatoes you can find. 

Enjoy the beauty of the cross-section!

Fry or bake up some bacon (be sure to make extra for sneaky fingers). 

And assemble!

Toast, a small smear of mayo, lettuce, bacon, tomato. 

So simple, yet so good. 

I love this holiday.

And I love this country!

Espresso Bacon Banana Bread

 

Breakfast breads are the best way to slide back into a work week. Even one that's shorter by a day. 

And ripe bananas can only be kept in one's freezer so long, until they become toe-seeking missiles. 

No one likes banana-stubbed toes. No matter what day of the week it is.

Better get to bread-making. 

Start with the bacon. Put brown sugar and some espresso powder on it. Bake it. Chop it up.

Then cream the butter and sugar. 

Beat in 2 eggs. 

Toss in the defrosted banana moosh. 

Dissolve the rest of the espresso powder in a bit of water and toss it in. 

Sift together the dries.

Right into the bowl.

Bacon bits are delicious. Toss half in the batter and sprinkle half on top. 

Be sure to let it sit for 20 minutes. Delayed gratification is ok. Promise. 

Bake for 60 minutes or so, until the toothpick comes out clean!

 

Delish!

Espresso Bacon Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Adapted from my Momma's recipe

6 strips of bacon

3 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp espresso powder - separated

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 mooshy ripe bananas

2 c. flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place strips of bacon on a cooling rack over a rimmed, foil-lined sheet pan. Mix the brown sugar with 1/2 tsp of espresso powder. Sprinkle over the bacon. Bake until crispy (25-30 mins). Once cooled, chop into smallish bits. 

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, and beat again. Moosh and scrape the 3 ripe bananas into the bowl. Take the 1 1/2 tsp of espresso powder and dissolve in a tablespoon of water. Add to the bowl. Blitz till all mixed.

Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into the bowl. Blitz again. 

Fold in 1/2 your bacon chunks. Pour the batter into a well-greased loaf pan. Sprinkle the rest of the bacon on top. Let sit 20 minutes. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 60+ minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Nosh!

Chocolate & Raspberry Crepes

So, savory crepes exist. And I totally posted them first.

I even included veggies in my recipe. 

That's right. Green stuff.

But today is Friday. And do you know what that means???

Chocolate!!!!

And raspberries!!!!

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

And since you've got a bunch of pre-made un-filled crepes on a plate in your fridge, we might as well use them up. 

Start with the crepe. If you need the batter recipe, get it here. 

To re-heat them, lay each one individually in a hot skillet for a few seconds.

Next, smoosh up some raspberries. 

Take a handful of chocolate chips and nuke them in the microwave until melty. Add a few tablespoons of half & half to create a chocolate sauce.

Very scientific, I know. 

Load up your crepe.  Chocolate, raspberries (smooshed and whole), crushed hazelnuts. 

 Roll 'er up!

Now schmear some chocolate on your plate. 

It helps keep the crepe on the plate. And it's an excuse to eat more chocolate...

Grab your butterscotch sauce. 

Move the crepe to the plate. Drizzle with more chocolate, then some butterscotch. Garnish with raspberries and a hazelnut or two.

Chocolate & Raspberry Crepes

Serves 2-3

5-6 Leftover crepe shells

1 clamshell of raspberries

1 handful of dark chocolate chips

Several tbsp half & half

Crushed hazelnuts or other nut

Butterscotch sauce

Put half the raspberries in a bowl and gently smoosh them with the back of a spoon. 

Dump the chocolate chips into a microwave-save bowl. Zap them for 30 second increments, stirring after each, until melty. Add the half & half, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches a consistency that's good for drizzling. 

You can re-warm the crepes in a hot skillet. I don't suggest microwaving them. They get soggy. 

Compose your dessert: 

Start with the warm crepe. Add a healthy schmear of chocolate sauce. Spoon on some of the smooshed raspberries and some of the whole berries. Sprinkle on the crushed nuts. Roll up. 

Spread a swoosh of chocolate sauce on your serving plate. Place the crepe on the chocolate (it holds it to the plate - and gives you more chocolate). Drizzle the crepe with chocolate sauce and butterscotch sauce. Garnish with berries and nuts. 

Enjoy!

Moroccan Crepes

I love French things. Brie, berets, macarons, red patent ballet flats....

I also love Moroccan things. Lamps, rugs, spices, couscous....

And these countries - they're nearish each other. Quick geography lesson: They both touch the little same body of water. The Med!

Wait - and they both also touch the Atlantic. Hmmm. Perhaps they are more similar than I thought. And I need to spend more time with my globe.

So, let's put two of their most iconic foods together! Crepes and Merguez sausage.

Start with making the crepes.If you're looking to feed an army, check out this recipe.

If you just want to feed your family, and have some left over for dessert, use my measurements.

Milk, eggs, and salt go into the bowl.

Blitz for 10 seconds. Add flour.

Blitz for 10 seconds. Add melted butter and blitz for another 10 seconds.

Let the batter sit for at least 5 minutes. It should be as thick as heavy cream. If it looks more like pancake batter, add more milk.

Since you're waiting on the batter, start on the filling. Onions, garlic, smoked paprika, and chickpeas go into the pan.

Add merguez sausage. Mmmmm.

Chop up the fresh stuff, herbs (whatever you've got around - I used basil, thyme, and rosemary), tomatoes, and feta.

Now you have to actually make a crepe. I couldn't do it and photograph it at the same time, so here's the skinny: Get pan hot. Add a bit of butter to coat bottom. Pick up from heat. Pour a scant 1/4 c. of batter around the pan and tilt/swirl so that the batter covers the bottom of the whole pan. Wait 30 seconds or so. Flip. 

The batter should be in one thin layer, with no heavy spots. If there's too much batter in the pan, pour the excess back into the bowl. You can trim the "tail" off later.

It will take you some time to get this right. But having to eat a mistake or two isn't a bad thing.

Assembly time!!

Crepe - filling - tomatoes - herbs - cheese. Roll and you're done!

Change it up a little. Same chickpea filling, but add a fried egg, arugula, and lemon juice. 

 

You can either eat these on a plate with a knife and fork, or pick them up like a burrito.

I'm not judging.

Moroccan Crepes

Serves 2

Crepe batter (makes 10-12 crepes) - adapted from Martha Holmberg

scant 1 c. whole milk

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. flour

3 tbsp butter, melted

In a medium bowl (or blender), combine milk, eggs, and salt. Blitz with a stick blender (or blender) until smooth - about 10 seconds. Add flour and blitz again - for about 10 seconds. Add melted butter and blitz again - for about 10 seconds.

Let the mix sit for 5-10 minutes. The consistency should be like heavy cream. If it's like pancake batter, add a bit more milk.

Get your 10" skillet nice and hot over medium-high heat. Use a bit of butter to create a layer on the top of the skillet. Pick the pan up from the heat. Pour a scant 1/4 c. of batter in the pan and swirl it so that it covers the entire bottom of the pan (move quickly!!). If you have too much batter, pour it back in the bowl. You can get rid of the tail with a knife later.

Wait about 30 seconds, until the edges are golden and slightly curled up. Flip the crepe. Wait another 20 seconds and slide it out of the pan. Make the next one.

Moroccan Filling

1 can garbanzo beans

1/2 small onion

1 clove garlic

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

2 lamb merguez sausages, cooked and sliced into bite size pieces

2 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped

grape tomatoes, halved

feta

arugula

fried eggs

lemon juice

In a skillet, combine the onion, garlic, and garbanzos with a dash of olive oil. Add sausages and paprika.

Assemble the crepes -

Take one crepe and lay it out flat. In the center, pour a few spoonfuls of the garbanzo bean mix, add some fresh herbs, a few tomato halves, and a healthy amount of feta. Or add in some arugula, a fried egg, and some lemon juice too. Delicious.