Tapas party

The menu:

• Melon & prosciutto
• Tortilla Española
• Spanish-style tuna salad on flatbread
• Smoked salmon with cream cheese
• Goat cheese with paprika, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers
• Marinated olives
• Marinated manchego

The preceding menu (and following recipes) were just the right amount for a party of around 25 folks. We served Spanish white and rose wines and Granny’s peach gin freezes to drink. Two days before, we did most of the shopping. The day before, we made bread dough and prepared the marinated olives and cheese, tuna salad, and made the garlic-goat cheese mixture. The afternoon of the party, we made the Tortilla, baked the bread, and assembled the appetizers.

The recipes:

Melon and Prosciutto

• Honeydew or canteloupe
• 1/4 lb proscuitto, thinly sliced (use Serrano ham if it’s available)

Seed and peel the melon and cut onto bite size pieces. Wrap with a piece of ham and secure with a toothpick.

Tortilla Española

• 6 medium sized red potatoes
• 3 cloves garlic (or to taste)
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup freshly grated manchego cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Dice the potatoes, then heat oilover medium heat in a nonstick, heat resistant 10″ skillet. When oil is hot, add garlic and sautee briefly. Add potatoes and cook until browned. Meanwhile, beat eggs and add 3/4 cup of cheese and salt and pepper. When the potatoes are done, pour the egg-cheese mixture into the skillet. As the egg starts to set, use a rubber spatula to lift the edges and allow egg to run under the omelet. When the center starts to set, place pan under broiler and broil until the top is browned. Let cool and cut into bite sized pieces.

Spanish-style Tuna Salad

• 2 red bell peppers, peeled and diced
• 4 6-oz cans tuna in olive oil, drained
• 30 pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 4-5 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 TBS olive oil

Mix ingredients and serve on flatbread or sliced and toasted baguette. (Note: leftovers make a great sandwich on toasted whole wheat with goat cheese/garlic/paprika mix from goat cheese tapas and a slice of tomato.)

Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese

• 4 oz smoked salmon
• 8 oz cream cheese (or other soft cheese; next time I’ll use goat cheese)
• Toasted baguette slices or flatbread
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Assemble bread slices with a bit of cheese and an appropriately sized piece of smoked salmon. Garnish with thin slices of lemon.

Goat Cheese with Paprika, Garlic, Sun-Dried tomatoes, and Capers

• 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 TBS olive oil
• 8-10 oz goat cheese
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 2-3 TBS capers, drained
• Baguette slices

Heat oven to 350F. toss garlic with olive oil, and roast uncovered for 15 minutes or until soft. Let cool.

Add paprika to goat cheese and mix. Squeeze the garlic into the cheese and add olive oil. Mix thoroughly.

On each baguette slice, smear some cheese mixture and then add a piece of sun dried tomato and a couple of capers.

Marinated Olives

• 2 jars pitted Kalamata olives
• 4 green onions
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Sweet paprika
• 2 TBS sherry vinegar
• salt to taste
• Pinch of dried oregano
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Rinse olives in cold water, then combine in a bowl with remaining ingredients, stir well, and marinate at least one hour, preferable overnight.

Marinated Manchego

• 1 cup olive oil
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 4-inch sprigs rosemary
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 8 oz manchego, cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes

In a small saucepan, heat olive oil and thyme, rosemary, and red pepper until the oil is hot (about 160F). Set aside and cool to room temperature. Place manchego in a bowl, cover with the oil mixture and marinate at least 4 hours and preferable overnight.

Dough for flatbread and baguettes

• 4 cups bread flour
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp yeast

Mix water and yeast, then add flour and salt. Stir to mix, then refrigerate overnight. The next day, knead and divide in half. Roll out half to fit a 13 x 18 baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Divide the other half and form into two baguette loaves. Preheat oven to 550F (use a baking stone or tiles if you have them). Brush the flatbread with olive oil and bake until golden brown. Bake the baguettes until well-browned.

Rigatoni with tomatoes, basil & mozzarella

Rigatoni with tomatoes, basil & mozzarella

Originally uploaded by ted_major

1 lb rigatoni
4 or 5 ripe tomatoes
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 oz shredded fresh mozzarella
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
olive oil
salt, to taste

Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta.

While waiting for it to boil, coarsely chop the tomatoes. Put them in a mixing bowl with the garlic, salt to taste, drizzle with olive oil, and let stand while you prepare the other ingredients and cook the pasta.

Toast the pine nuts, chop the basil, grate the mozzarella, and cook the pasta.

When the pasta is almost done, drain and combine with tomatoes and other ingredients. Let ii sit for a few minutes to allow the pasta to absorb some of the tomato juice.

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Originally uploaded by ted_major

1/4 cup beer
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp curry powder (very mild flavor–use more or less to taste; I’ll use more next time)
3 egg whites, beaten until stiff but not dry
zucchini or squash blossoms, and/or baby squash/zucchini
oil for frying
salt to taste

whisk together liquids, flour, and curry powder; let rest for 20 minutes or so to allow flour to absorb liquids. Fold flour mix and egg whites together.

Dip blossoms and/or baby squash into batter and fry in small batches in 375F oil. Drain on paper towels and salt to taste while hot.

Claire also likes the blossoms stuffed with a ricotta/mozzarella/egg mix before frying

GranyPeach-Gin Freeze

Peach-Gin Freeze

I learned many things from my grandmother–how to make corn pones, gravy, and cornbread dressing. But this time of year, the one that comes to mind most often is Granny’s Peach-Gin Freeze. (It’s amazing what you can learn from your Baptist grand mother who lives in a dry county.)

In a blender, combine 2 large or 4 small peaches (pitted but not peeled), one 6-oz. can of frozen limeade, 6 oz. gin (measure with the limeade can), and ice to fill. Blend until smooth.

Originally uploaded by ted_major

French Fry Aftermath

French Fry Aftermath

Originally uploaded by ted_major

I’m in trouble–big trouble. I don’t usually make french fries because they’re a pain–cut & soak potatoes, fry at 325F, drain, turn up the heat, re-fry at 375F. Drain and salt.

All that has changed. Thanks to Cooks Illustrated, french fries are now ridiculously easy, and better than ever.

Take some Yukon gold or red potatoes (not starchy russets!) and slice into fries.

Toss them into the pot and cover with oil. Crank the heat up to high. Let them come to a boil and fry for another 10 minutes. Stir and scrape them off the bottom. Keep cooking on high and stir occasionally until they’re golden brown (about 25 mins. total), then remove with a slotted spoon and add salt. Best fries ever–crispy on the outside, creamy smooth on the inside, salty and hot.

You’ll notice that there aren’t any actual fries in the photo. That’s all that was left by the time we slowed down eating enough to go get the camera. Doomed, I’m doomed.

Summer Food

Summer Food

Originally uploaded by ted_major

Yum! Summer food is back. Cucumber, tomato, carrot and dill salad, all from Snow’s Bend Farm at the Homegrown Alabama farmer’s market in Tuscaloosa.

The Sandwich

There’s this Vietnamese restaurant in Birmingham called Pho Que Huong, and they make a grilled pork sandwich that’s phenomenal–grilled pork, cucumbers, cilantro, jalepenos, and mayo on French bread. Until today, I thought it was The Sandwich, but now I know better.

You see, today we stopped at Little Miami in Lake City, Fla., and had the Little Miama Steak Sandwich. It has grilled steak, grilled plantains, grilled onions, what may have been shoestring potatoes, and I’m not sure what else, all on Cuban bread, pressed and grilled. I’ve never tasted anything like it. If you’re ever near exit 427 on I-75 in Florida, it’s about a half mile west of the interstate–don’t miss it.

Bavarian Sausage Hot Pot

Bavarian Sausage Hot Pot

Originally uploaded by ted_major

Mmmm, I love sausage. Here’s a quick pot o’ food featuring sausage and some vegetables. Takes about 40 minutes, start to finish, and there’s plenty left for lunch tomorrow.

10 oz bag, shredded cabbage
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 lb green beans
1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 cups frozen tiny peas
3 cups beef stock
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp carraway seeds
1 lb kielbases, sliced
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Put broth, carrots potatoes, salt pepper, nutmeg and carraway in a large heavy kettle and bring to a boil Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 mins. Add sausage, peas, and green beans and simmer 10 more minutes. Stir in parsley and serve with fresh bread.

Spice-rubbed roast chicken

Spice-rubbed roast chicken

Originally uploaded by ted_major

This is really all about the spice rub, which my mom uses to barbeque pork, and which adapts well to nearly any grilled or roasted meat.

Spice rub:
Use equal parts salt, black pepper, and dried parsley (about 1TBS each) plus dashes of garlic powder and cayenne to taste. Add enough oil to make a paste and rub over butterflied chicken.*

Roast at 425F (convection if you have it) or grill over indirect heat for an hour to an hour and a half.

* To butterfly a chicken, cut out the spine with kitchen shears and smash flat to crack the breastbone. Tuck the wings behind the breast, and cut small slits to tuck and hold the legs flat.

Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake

Originally uploaded by ted_major

Say what you will, the Red Velvet Cake is the cake of all cakes: it’s chocolate, it’s red, it has white fluffy icing, and it even has it’s own urban legend. Before there was the Nieman Marcus Cookie, there was the Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake.  I have taken some liberty in substituting a boiled frosting for the original milk and flour-based frosting, but here is “the” Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake:

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbs. vinegar (mixed with)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 oz. (2 Tbs.) red food coloring
• 4 Tbs. cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 c. flour
• 1 c. buttermilk

Cream sugar and butter, then add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add food coloring and vanilla; beat well.

Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Add alternately with buttermilk and vinegar-soda mix. Always add some flour last.

Bake 30minutes at 350F in 2 8″ cake pans. Cool and split layers. Frost–I like boiled frosting, original frosting recipe follows.

Boiled Frosting:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tbs white corn syrup
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
• a few grains salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Boil together sugar, corn syrup, and water until it reaches 240F. Beat the egg whites with salt until stiff. Pour the hot syrup slowly over them beating constantly until all the syrup is used. Add vanilla and beat until mixed.

Waldorf-Astoria Frosting

• 1 c. milk
• 1/4 c. flour
• pinch salt
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1/s c. shortening
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Cook milk and flour together in a double boiler until thick. While hot, add pinch of salt. Set aside and cool.

In mixer, beat vanilla,sugar, butter, and shortening at high speed until fluffy. Add milk and flour mixture, beat until fluffy, and spread.