Coronado Concerts in the Park - The Pacific Northwest

It's been hard rounding up the group this summer for our culinary themed Concerts in the Park, with travel and kids' activities, but we were able to get it together this week for The Pacific Northwest.

I immediately thought of salmon, crab, oysters, trout, halibut, cherries, berries and Pinot Noir and have a couple of awesome cookbooks I go to first when I want something fabulous and unique. Cindy Pawleyn's Big Small Plates is one that never disappoints. It is packed full of small plates/appetizer recipes perfect for parties and grazing. "An enticing alternative to conventional main-course cooking, Big Small Plates delivers the inspiration and insight that make this new way of eating - and entertaining - practical at home."

When I turned the page and saw the photo of Salmon, Halibut and Scallop Ceviche, I knew I had a winner for this week's themed picnic. This ceviche's uniqueness comes from the combination of fish used, the addition of coconut milk, and its presentation  -- served in chunks of fresh coconut. The fish is marinated in lime juice for the first 2 hours. It is then drained, transferred to a clean bowl, and a small amount of lime juice and the coconut milk is added, along with the red onion, serrano chile, sea salt and freshly ground white pepper. This marinates for another hour, but not longer than 6 hours or the fish will become overdone and mushy. Using a slotted spoon to drain off some of the lime-coconut liquid, the ceviche is spooned onto coconut chunks and then garnished.  This was gone in a matter of minutes, with rave reviews.

Salmon, Halibut, and Scallop Ceviche with Coconut

You can find a printable, PDF of the recipe, here. Obviously, you want to use only fresh seafood. I adapted the recipe only slightly. I used a small red onion, an entire serrano chile (seeds removed), about 8 ounces of coconut milk, and parsley. The original recipe garnishes with fried plantains, but I went with fried won tons (John was frying won tons for his dish and offered to make some in different shapes for me). Tortilla chips would also work well. If coconut shells are too much trouble, serve the ceviche in small bowls or in sea scallop shells. 

Garnished with avocado slices, parsley or cilantro, a drizzle of olive oil and fried won tons

Men in hats - love it!

John was back at it with a Pacific Northwest version of deviled eggs -- a deconstructed smoked salmon deviled egg on a fried won ton.  The inspiration for these "eggs" came from a great party dish we've made several times -- Emeril Lagasse's savory Smoked Salmon Cheesecake. Emeril's original recipe can be found here. John halved the recipe, baked a smaller cheesecake, and used a small scoop of the baked cheesecake filling on each fried won ton. He sliced and fanned out the egg white and then garnished with crumbled egg yolk, micro basil, and drizzled on the Green Onion Coulis that accompanies the original recipe.

Deconstructed Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs with Green Onion Coulis, on Fried Won Tons

Kai prepared Mini Crab Cakes, and Hillari -- yes, Hillari, made a Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Ball rolled in pistachios.

Kai's Crab Cakes

Hillari's Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Ball

Carmen and John were in sync this week and we were able to enjoy Carmen's Smoked Salmon Cheesecake in its original glory. Carmen added a few more Pacific Northwest garnishes to her version - chopped cherries and sliced apples.

Carmen's Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

For dessert, the beautiful fresh blackberries and blueberries had been calling to me all week, so I decided to adapt Saveur's recipe for Huckleberry Crisps, double it, and make bunch of mini crisps topped with Grand Mariner whipped cream (recipe below).

Mary and Geoff surprised us, and added chocolate dipped strawberries and cookies to the dessert line up. Great to see you two a least a few times during the summer ;-)

Mary & Geoff

Mary's Chocolate Dipped Strawberries and Oatmeal, White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

Blackberry and blueberry filling for the crisps

Crumble topping

Blackberry-Blueberry Crisps
Adapted from Saveur's Huckleberry Crisps
Makes 4 servings

6 tablespoons plus 1⁄2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons flour
1⁄4 cup rolled oats
1⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
1⁄4 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice
3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
4 cups huckleberries or blueberries (I used 2 cups blackberries and 2 cups blueberries)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoon brandy (I used Grand Mariner)
Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, for serving (I used Grand Mariner-spiked whipped cream)

1. Heat oven to 350°. Place four 6-ounce fluted ceramic ramekins on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet.

2. In a medium bowl, combine 6 tablespoons sugar, flour, oats, brown sugar, walnuts, lemon zest, 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla, 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and cinnamon. Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly; transfer topping to freezer to let chill for 30 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the remaining sugar and salt, lemon juice, and remaining vanilla, along with the berries, cornstarch, and brandy; divide berry mixture between the ramekins. Mound some of the topping over each ramekin. Bake until the berries are bubbly and the topping is browned, 35–40 minutes. Top each crisp with a dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Baked and ready to go to the park

So, that was our Pacific Northwest themed picnic in the park! We'll be traveling next week and will miss Rockola, one of the most popular concerts of the summer season. However, the rest of the group has threatened to take photos and hijack the blog with a guest post. It could be interesting...

Alec's Corvette

Don't forget the wine traveler!

French Fridays with Dorie: Quatre-Quarts

Please excuse my lack of motivation returning to my kitchen and cooking some blogworthy dishes to start off the New Year.  After the holiday season, and our fabulous week at The Home Ranch, where a team of talented chefs entertained our taste buds, I am finally coming down from my Relais & Chateaux high.

I am anxious to get back into the weekly French Fridays with Dorie groove, as the recipes are easily incorporated into our weekly routine. I missed Dorie's Bubble Top Brioche Rolls the first week in January, but was nibbling some amazing Yam Clover Rolls at the ranch that week. I did make Jacque's Armagnac Chicken for week two, but didn't have time to photograph and blog about it. Actually, I've made this chicken twice, and it's wonderful, especially with the addition of prunes.

I debated over this week's cake, because we still have leftover Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Pie from Dooley's 13th birthday celebration, but it was simple enough to prepare, and I could find some takers.

Quatre Quarts translates into four fourths, and is a traditional cake of the Brittany region in the north-west of France. As with the American pound cake, the quatre-quarts is made with equal measures of eggs, flour, sugar and butter. Dorie tweaks the classic version with vanilla extract, or an optional touch of dark rum or Cognac, a teaspoon of baking powder, and sprinkling of brown sugar over the top just before baking. She also separates and whips the egg whites, and uses a cake pan instead of a loaf pan. I substituted cake flour, and opted for a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and two teaspoons of Grand Marnier.

Like many French cakes, Dorie cautions this one may taste dry by our standards. Mine turned out very light and moist, and tastes lovely served as is. Some of the brown sugar melted into the cake during baking, which adds a nice sweetness. But, if you want to sweeten and dress it up a bit, Dorie suggests saucy sugared berries, jam, fruit coulis, whipped cream, creme fraiche, or ice cream and chocolate sauce.

I first tried a piece, as is, with my morning coffee and half a grapefruit (with brown sugar on top). It was wonderful.

Morning Quatre-Quarts

Then, as just a "taster" experiment, I cut a second piece with a small, round cutter, arranged pink grapefruit supremes on the top, sprinkled the grapefruit with brown sugar, and slid it under the broiler for a few minutes. Loved the complementary flavors of the pink grapefruit and brown sugar. I didn’t have time to mess around any longer, but my third version, would include a dollop of whipped cream flavored with a hint more Grand Marnier.

Quatre-Quarts with Pink Grapefruit Brulee

French Fridays with Dorie is an online cooking group, dedicated to Dorie Greenspan‘s newest book Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours. As members of the group, we have purchased the cookbook and cook along as much as we can. There is a new recipe each week, and we post about that recipe on Friday. We are asked to refrain from posting the actual recipes on our blog. The book is filled with stunning photography, and personal stories about each recipe, which makes it that much more intriguing. I highly recommend adding it to your cookbook collection if you haven't already!

French Fridays with Dorie - Tourteau de Chèvre

I'm a few days late on my French Friday with Dorie weekly recipe, but I saved this gorgeous Tourteau de Chèvre for Saturday, so I could bring it to Nina's birthday party.

The traditional Tourteau Fromagé is a specialty cheesecake of Poitou Charentes, a tranquil and largely unspoilt region halfway down the western coast of France. The cheesecake is unique, in appearance and taste. It has a charcoal-black crust on top, which is achieved by baking it at a very high temperature at first, before lowering the temperature for the rest of the baking time. Unlike just about everything in the American cheesecake family, the torteau is not soft, creamy, moist, or even rich. Instead, it's a fairly dry cake, similar to a sponge cake, that you can cut into wedges and eat out of hand.

Photo:  Wikipedia

Although I've never experienced the traditional version, I'm glad Dorie's emerges from the oven quite different, and beautifully puffed and golden brown, like a soufflé. It also deflates rapidly once out of the oven.

The recipe provides the option of using a savory or sweet tart dough, depending on whether you plan to serve it with white wine as an apertif, as a dessert with a drizzle of honey and fresh fruit, in the afternoon with tea, or in the morning with coffee.

The filling is made with a soft goat cheese, egg yolks, sugar, pinch of salt, cornstarch, a touch of Cognac, and whipped egg whites gently folded in. It's best to use an 8-inch springform pan, but I made do with a pie dish.  I had a little piece at the party, and loved the soft and light texture.  It had a nice flavor, and excellent just on its own, but I think some fresh strawberries and a drizzle of syrupy balsamic vinegar would be the perfect pairing. 

French Fridays with Dorie is an online cooking group, that just hit 2,000 members, dedicated to Dorie Greenspan‘s newest book, Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours.   As members of the group, we have purchased the cookbook and cook along as much as we can. There is a new recipe each week, and we post about that recipe on Friday. We are asked to refrain from posting the actual recipes on our blog. The book is filled with stunning photography, and personal stories about each recipe, which makes it that much more intriguing. I highly recommend adding it to your cookbook collection if you haven't already!

Smoked Salmon Savory Cheesecake - The Ultimate Crowd-Pleasing Appetizer...

I've lost track of how many times I've made Emeril's Savory Appetizer Cheesecakes - either the Crab & Wild Mushroom, Smoked Salmon featured below, or my own variation.  If there are any savvy investors out there who want to invest in a new career for me, I think Coronado would love having Newf in My Soup Savory SeaCakes in town.  I envision so many wonderful seafood combinations!

Yes, using a pound of quality seafood, smoked Gouda, cream cheese, and fresh vegetables is a bit costly, but you can make a smaller version if you aren't feeding a large crowd. Emeril garnishes his original version with caviar, but capers are perfectly fine with me.

Try one out for your next party or Concert in the Park picnic.  It truly makes a stunning presentation and your guests will be raving after every bite.

Smoked Salmon Cheesecake
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Smoked Salmon Cheesecake
Emeril's New New Orleans
Serves a large crowd (20-25) as an appetizer

Ingredients:
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup fine dried bread crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
Emeril's Original Bam! Essence Seasoning! 3 oz Jar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
3/4 cup red bell peppers
3/4 cup yellow bell peppers
3 teaspoons minced garlic
2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
4 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese
1 pound smoked salmon
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1/2 cup red onion
1/4 cup capers
2 hard boiled eggs, whites and yolks finely chopped
Lemon slices, for garnish
Whole chives and/or parsley sprigs, for garnish
Crackers or baguettes to serve on the side

A few of the fresh ingredients...

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and melted butter together. Blend thoroughly and season the mixture with Essence.

Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan and set aside.

In a saute pan, over medium heat, heat the olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, add the onions and peppers. Season the mixture with Essence and saute the vegetables for 2 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, saute for 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat.  Set aside and let cool completely.

Using a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, add the cream cheese. Process the cheese until smooth.

With the machine running, add the eggs, one at a time. Add the cream, salt and black pepper. Process the mixture until smooth.  Scrape the sides to make sure all the lumps have been incorporated. Remove the mixture from the machine and turn into a mixing bowl. Fold in the vegetable mixture, Gouda cheese, smoked salmon and parsley.  Pour the cheese mixture into the prepared springform pan.

Place the pan, on a baking sheet, on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cheesecake is set in the center. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool completely.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the creme fraiche and lemon juice together. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Fold in the chives.  Transfer to a serving bowl.

Gently release the springform pan and slide the cheesecake onto a serving platter.  Garish with the red onions, capers, egg whites, egg yolks, lemon slices, and additional chopped chives.

If you want to plate individual servings, place a small pool of the creme fraiche and lemon-chive sauce in the center of each plate.  Place a slice of cheesecake in the center of the sauce and add the garnish.

The cheesecake is very rich.  Serve a small slice and accompany with crackers or toasted baguette slices. You can also present the whole cheesecake on a platter, with a basket of bread and/or crackers, and a small serving terrine for the sauce.

Again, investors are free to contact me directly...Coronado SeaCakes...

Emeril?

***

Coronado Concerts in the Park: Challenge "Spanish Tapas"

Concert in the Park, Challenge Spanish Tapas, lured in a lively and festive group of friends. The drifting aromas of Spanish-inspired dishes even attracted a not-so-shy man with a wad of bills, inquiring if he could purchase some of my Chorizo, Sun-dried Tomato and Pistachio Bread!

I found the recipe on David Lebovitz' wonderful blog, here, and he adapted it from Chocolate & Zucchini by Clotilde Dusoulier.

John tested out the Albondigas de cerdo con calamar, Pork Meatballs with Squid, from one of our new cookbooks, Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen, by Jose Andres. The dish showcases pork meatballs, squid, and potatoes in a flavorful Catalan tomato and onion sauce called Sofrito.

Mom donned her chef's apron and whipped up Champiñones al ajillo tapas, mushrooms dripping with olive oil, garlic and dry Spanish sherry, and served with crusty bread for soaking up the delicious juices. Kai voted these "most authentic."

Pammy's colorful salad, enhanced with white asparagus and artichoke hearts, was fantastic, as always.

Kai served Shrimp Croquettes with homemade Aioli

Alec & Nina made this gorgeous tray of Asparagus wrapped in Jamón serrano, a dry-cured Spanish ham. Beautiful, and a perfect tapa.

Jack and Sandra soaked in the warm, setting sun while enjoying their tapas and Sangria.

For dessert, I shared my Chocolate Caramel Tartlets. Although I don't consider myself much of a baker, more than a few of us died and went to heaven after one of these. Here's the recipe.

Of course, in keeping with the theme, I used Caro Dark Chocolate from Spain and a sprinkling of Cyprus Mediterranean Sea Salt Flakes.

Check out some additional inspiring tapas, after June 30, at Spitton Extra, who is hosting the June Waiter There's Something in My...Tapas event.

Sparks' kitchen remained dark on Sunday, as it does most other days, but that girl knows how to make a birthday special with a cake from Tartine.

Thank you to everyone for Day 3 of my Four-Day Birthday Weekend.

Now, what happens when you suggest to John and Kai, who have consumed a few too many sangrias, to come up with our culinary challenge for next week? NUTS & BALLS...that's what happens! All creations must include nuts and/or be shaped like balls.

This will be interesting. Cheers!

Emeril's Crab & Wild Mushroom Cheesecake

This was my Savory Entry for the Recipezaar/Honda CR-V Contest...

Like the sleek Honda CR-V, this elegant hors d’oeuvre takes desire to a whole new level with head turning styling and sophistication. Premium options include succulent crab meat, silky cream cheese, sautéed aromatics, and smoky Gouda, all draped in an edible seascape. Serve with toasted baguettes and bubbly champagne...Go on, indulge!

Emeril's Crab and Wild Mushroom Cheesecake

Emeril's recipe also includes a recipe for a green onion coulis to serve with the cheesecake. However, we chose to garnish ours with chopped red onion, capers, lemon slices and green onions. Our seascape photo was printed onto edible frosting paper with edible ink.