Cookin' with Carol recipes on NBC5 - May 2008
Ambrosia
Shortcake
Serves 4
Celebrate
spring with this dessert ambrosia fruit salad with a shortcake spin.
2 tablespoons
honey
1 teaspoon lime
zest
1 tablespoon
lime juice
1 tablespoon
cream sherry (optional)
1/4 teaspoon
mace
1 mango, peeled,
seed removed, and diced
1 orange, peeled
and sliced
1 banana, peeled
and sliced
1 plum, pitted
and sliced
1/2 cup
pineapple chunks
1/4 cup shredded
coconut
4 shortcakes
(sponge cake dessert cups)
2 tablespoons
sliced almonds, toasted
In
a small bowl, whisk together honey, lime zest, lime juice, cream sherry, and
mace; reserve. In a large bowl, toss together mango, orange, banana, plum,
pineapple, and coconut, until fruit is evenly distributed. To serve, evenly
spoon fruit mixture over each shortcake, drizzle reserved honey-lime dressing
over each, and garnish with sliced almonds (and fresh mint, if desired).
Notes:
Mace
is the outer covering of the nutmeg seed. It is ground like nutmeg to season
savory or sweet dishes. It has a yellow-red color and its flavor is like nutmeg,
but slightly stronger. You can substitute nutmeg for mace in this recipe.
Pre-packaged shortcakes (sponge cake dessert cups) are usually easy to find in the produce section of the grocery (usually near the strawberries). Slices of angel food cake, pound cake, or homemade shortcake can substitute, if desired.
(Air Date: May 3, 2008)
Grilled Flat-Iron
Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Serves 4
This
surprisingly tender cut of steak from beef shoulder is teamed with a popular
sauce from Argentina. Get your grill on!
1 tablespoon
coriander seeds
Salt and pepper to
taste
1 pound beef flat
iron steak
1 cup fresh parsley
3 tablespoons olive
oil
2 tablespoons red
wine vinegar
1 green onion, cut
into pieces
1 clove garlic,
peeled
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
pepper
In
a mortar and pestle, crush the coriander seeds with salt and pepper to taste
(1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper recommended). Sprinkle mixture over
both sides of steak. Cut steak into 4 serving pieces. Grill steak over
medium-high heat for 4 to 8 minutes per side, or until desired doneness. In a
food processor or blender, process the remaining ingredients until parsley is
finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve sauce
over steak (about 2 tablespoon chimichurri sauce per steak).
(Air Date: May 10, 2008)
Grilled Herbed
Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs with Couscous
Serves 4
3 tablespoons
olive oil
2 tablespoons
white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons
Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons
fresh snipped parsley
1 tablespoon
fresh snipped dill (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 cloves garlic,
minced
Salt and pepper
to taste
1 pound
boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bell pepper,
cut into 1-inch pieces
1 yellow squash,
cut into 1/2–inch slices
1 zucchini
squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 ounces whole
mushrooms (button or cremini)
1 (7.6-ounce)
box quick-cooking couscous
1/2 cup cherry
tomatoes (whole or halved)
In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, parsley, dill, garlic, and salt and pepper. Place chicken cubes in a shallow bowl. Place bell pepper, yellow squash, zucchini squash, and mushrooms in a separate shallow bowl. Pour half of the olive oil/vinegar/mustard mixture over the chicken, and the remaining half over the vegetables. Stir to coat chicken and vegetables with the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. Alternately thread the chicken and vegetables on skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes before using). Grill kebabs over medium-high heat for 8 minutes (2 minutes per side), or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions. Fluff cooked couscous with a fork and stir in cherry tomatoes. To serve, mound couscous in the middle of a dinner plate and top with kebabs.
(Air Date: May 17, 2008)
Yogurt Potato
Salad
Serves 4
A
twist on the traditional potato salad that’s perfect for a picnic.
1 pound red
potatoes, thinly sliced
8 ounces plain
yogurt
2 teaspoons
snipped fresh dill
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon
salt
1/4 teaspoon
pepper
2 hard-cooked
eggs, chopped
2 green onions,
sliced
Boil
potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and cool.
In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, dill, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add
potatoes, cooked eggs, and green onions, and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate
for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
Notes:
If desired, cut the cooked egg in half and remove one or both of the yolks and then chop the egg whites. This helps to trim the fat and dietary cholesterol.
Purple Picnic
Punch
Makes 2 quarts;
about 8 servings (8 ounces each)
2 cups purple
grape juice
2 cups
unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup
strong-brewed herbal tea, chilled
3 cups ginger
ale, chilled
In
a large pitcher, stir together grape juice, pineapple juice, and herbal tea.
Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Pour mixture into a thermal container with
a spigot. Just before serving, add the chilled ginger ale. If desired, serve
punch over slices of orange, lemon, and lime.
Notes:
Rather
than serving over ice (and watering down the punch), you can freeze extra grape
juice in ice cube trays to add to the glasses before serving.
(Air Date: May 24, 2008)
Chocolate Angel
Food Cupcakes
Test
your culinary skills and delight your taste buds with these light and airy
cupcakes.
5 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon
salt
1/2 teaspoon
cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon
lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon
vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup
unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon
baking powder
1/4 cup
chocolate syrup
1 cup sliced
strawberries
1/4 cup toffee
bits
In
a large bowl, using an electric mixer (or a copper bowl with a whisk), beat egg
whites and salt for 30 seconds, or until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat
until egg whites form stiff peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold in sugar, lemon
juice, and vanilla. In a separate small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder,
and baking powder. Fold flour mixture into egg white mixture to combine. Pour
into muffin tins that have been lined with paper baking cups. Bake at 325°F for
20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Drizzle chocolate syrup on dessert plates. Place cupcakes over syrup on plates
and garnish with strawberries and toffee bits.
Notes:
Event:
Les Dames d'Escoffier Dallas
We are currently planning "Let Them Eat Cake!" a Cakewalk and Tablescape Competition to be held in the Center Park section of North Park Mall June 6, 7 and 8, 2008.
Local Pastry chefs from venues such as The Ritz Carlton, Rosewood's Mansion on Turtle Creek and Hotel Crescent Court, TART Bakery, Northwood Country Club and The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Dallas will spend all day Friday, June 6th, creating beautiful wedding cakes which will then be displayed on beautiful tablescapes created by North Park Retailers. The cake competition will be judged by chocolatier and cookbook author Alice Medrich, wedding event specialist and TV talent W. Donnie Brown, and Frosted Arts Executive Pastry Chef Bronwen Webber.
A popular vote by the public will continue throughout the weekend and be announced at 3:00PM on Sunday, June 8th. Spectators may cast their votes via $5.00 raffle tickets dropped in a box on their selected table. Additionally,the tickets from all votes cast will be entered into a drawing for an assortment of prizes. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Les Dames d'Escoffier Family Gateway Culinary Education Program, benefiting homeless individuals. With the purchase of 5 raffle tickets ($20.00), spectators are invited to enter the Cake Cafe and enjoy Cavellini Coffee and a selection of cake.
Friday
evening from 6-9 PM there will be "The Cake Mixer" a wine and hors
d'oeuvre event hosted by Les Dames d'Escoffier members to preview the finished
cakes and tablescapes and cast your early votes for the popular-vote winning
cake. Tickets are available from Les Dames members only. For more information on
how to purchase tickets for “The Cake Mixer”, write or call: NorthParkBridal@buzzellco.com
or (214)219-9191 ext. 2
The
cakes will be on display through Sunday and a table will be available for raffle
ticket purchase throughout the event.
Les
Dames d'Escoffier – Dallas
Proceeds
benefit Les Dames d’Escoffier Scholarship Endowments
(Air Date: May 31, 2008)