You'll need:
1 sugar cube, or about 1 tsp sugar
Juice of 1/4 lemon, plus one wedge for garnish
1 1/2 oz light rum
Layer ingredients in a mug or other heat-proof glass. Top with hot water, stir to mix. Enjoy!
The Carnivorous Herbivore |
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A few factors went into my choosing this cocktail for today's post. First of all, Monday (September 19) was International Talk Like a Pirate Day, which I love for many hilarious reasons. Also, "grog" always makes me think of pirates, and while perusing my Mr. Boston Bartenders' Guide, I had to try it. Lastly, it's been so dank and rainy for the rest of this week, I couldn't help but make a hot cocktail. I have had whiskey hot toddies before (I will post one soon!), and I love them. This hot grog also has refreshing lemon, but the sugar and rum lend a wonderful sweetness to the finish, perfect for a pirate's drink! You'll need: 1 sugar cube, or about 1 tsp sugar Juice of 1/4 lemon, plus one wedge for garnish 1 1/2 oz light rum Layer ingredients in a mug or other heat-proof glass. Top with hot water, stir to mix. Enjoy!
4 Comments
I was never a succotash person. First of all, I think lima beans are flavorless and dry. Not something I would make without a hefty bribe. But I love corn, tomatoes and zucchini, so I wracked my brain to find a suitable substitute for limas. I looked in the frozen food section of the store, and my easy answer was edamame--whole soy beans! They're good for you, high in protein, and a fabulous addition to this dish. Originally, Ellie Krieger made this dish with scallops, but they are also on my no-thank-you list. Feel free to saute a few and use those instead of the salmon. The parsley sauce just freshens up the dish and makes sure that you'll miss the summer that is quickly fading into crisp leaves and apple pies... You'll need: 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 ears corn, kernels removed 1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen edamame beans, thawed 1/2 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved Good squeeze of fresh lemon juice 3/4 lb Salmon fillet Salt and pepper 1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaved parsley 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons water, if needed to thin the sauce Set a pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the onion, stirring. Let cook for a minute, then add the garlic, corn kernels, thawed edamame, zucchini and grape tomatoes. Lower the heat slightly and let cook on a back burner while you make the salmon. Heat a grill pan over high heat, season the top of the fillet, and spray the pan with cooking spray. Lay the fillet, skin side down into the grill pan and cook for two minutes. Flip the salmon and cook for two minutes more. Now flip again, turning the salmon to make x-shaped grill marks. Cook for one minute on each side and set the salmon aside to rest (note: if your fillet is thicker, you might want to give it an additional minute or two of cooking). Finish the succotash with a squeeze of lemon juice and turn off the heat. Now make the parsley sauce by adding the parsley, olive oil and lemon juice to a blender. Blend to puree. If needed, add some water to thin the sauce. Serve the succotash with the salmon on top and some of the parsley sauce drizzled over all. Enjoy! My friend Danny and I have been using a fabulous cookbook lately: The Dean and DeLuca Cookbook. We have only made a few recipes from this book, but we are always wowed by the results as well as the wonderful flavor combinations. What drew us in to make this recipe was the fennel, the olives, and the surprising addition of orange zest. We also loved that in a sea of predictable tomato sauces loaded with cheese, this recipe has minimal tomatoes and no cheese whatsoever! This is a perfect late-summer dinner to try with friends, complete with a crisp sauvignon blanc! You'll need: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound fennel bulb, cut into thin julienne strips 2 small red onions, peeled and sliced into thin rings 4 garlic cloves, slivered 1 1/4 teaspoons Herbs de Provence 10 plum tomatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled, seeded and chopped--we used canned Two 3-inch strips orange zest removed with a vegetable peeler plus 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest Salt and pepper to taste 3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves 3/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves 18 picholine olives (or other green olives), pitted and chopped 18 niçoise olives (or other black olives), pitted and chopped 2 tablespoons drained capers, packed in vinegar and brine 1 lb spaghetti (recommended. We used ziti) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Stir in the fennel, red onions, garlic, and Herbs de Provence, and cook, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft and golden brown. Stir in the tomatoes and strips of orange zest, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until tomatoes have formed a sauce. Discard the orange zest strips. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mince together the basil, parsley, olives, and capers. Toss hot pasta with the 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest, then with the fennel sauce, then with the basil olive mixture. Serve immediately and enjoy! In honor of National Bourbon Month I was scrambling to find a cocktail that would truly show bourbon the way it was meant to be... I was at a loss. I love bourbon on the rocks, so if you have the chance, do try it. In the meantime, here's a poem to keep you occupied (found in my work's Mr. Boston Bar Guide from 1994):
Some like wines--both white and red And some like brews from grain.., Some like Scotch and Irish And plenty choose champagne. Rum by many is preferred And brandy makes its boast. The Dutch and English like their gin And ale goes well with roast. Requests for rye in Eastern states Quite frequently are heard; And the hillfolk of the southlands Make corn a favored word. But to folks throughout the nation-- Both rural folks and urban, The king of distillations Is the whisky known as Bourbon. ~Anonymous Last Friday's Not Easy Being Green cocktail was inspired by the perfect way the peas and mint meld in this simple dish! This is a great meal for leftovers and for a weeknight, as it is simple to make; and it's a definite crowd-pleaser. Jamie Oliver came up with this recipe, and he says he makes it for his kids a lot. I used an American adaptation from the New York Times (it was just easier to measure this way). I love this recipe with a small side salad and an oaky chardonnay. Perfect to eat with friends and family, but also fancy enough for a date night in. Next time I plan to try it with pancetta and real crème fraîche. You'll need: Salt and pepper 10 slices smoked bacon or pancetta 1 pound dried mini-shell or other small pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups frozen peas 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves Juice of 1 lemon 6 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese Set a large pot of lightly salted water to boil on a back burner. Meanwhile, cut sliced bacon crosswise into thin slivers. Add pasta to boiling water and cook to taste. While pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter. Add bacon or pancetta and a sprinkling of pepper, and fry until golden and crisp. Note: there was a lot of oil in the pan, so I drained some. I don't think it changed the recipe too much. Immediately add frozen peas and stir for a minute or two. Add crème fraîche or heavy cream and chopped mint. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, and drain the pasta. Add pasta to the skillet and stir. Add lemon juice, and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. The mixture should be thick; if desired, a splash of the pasta water may be added to the sauce to thin it slightly. Add Parmesan and stir to mix. Serve immediately with extra cheese on top. Enjoy! Even though it's National Bourbon Month, I had to share this martini. I love the mix of fresh peas and mint, so I thought I'd try it in a martini! I used the mint in a simple syrup as it made the flavors come together in a lighter way than when I tried muddling the mint with the peas. The pea flavor just comes off as fresh and earthy, and the mint adds to the freshness. Do try this one--I'm really proud of it! You'll need: 1/8 cup fresh or frozen peas (defrosted) Pinch sugar 3/4 oz mint simple syrup (see below) 3 oz vodka 1/2 oz dry vermouth Muddle the peas with the sugar in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add ice and the rest of the ingredients; shake to combine. Serve up in a chilled cocktail glass. Enjoy! For the mint simple syrup: Mix equal parts hot (not boiling) water and sugar in a bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar, and add a handful of mint. Let steep for a few minutes, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The inspiration for this dish was, yet again, Smitten Kitchen, but I had to change some things: I swapped the mozzarella cheese for pepper jack, and omitted the chives, adding fresh tomatoes and basil instead. What a win! A pizza with bacon is always welcome, and the pepper jack cheese added just the kick I was looking for. I think the basil wasn't necessary, as the flavor didn't come through as I wanted, but feel free to add it if you want. What a great brunch dish or weeknight meal! After I had cooked the bacon and discarded the fat, I realized I could have used some cooled bacon fat instead of olive oil in the pizza dough! If you try it, let me know how it comes out! For the dough, you'll need: 1 1/2 cups flour (I used 3/4 cup whole wheat) 1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp active dry yeast 1/2 cup warm water 1 tbs olive oil or bacon fat The toppings: 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese About 5 grape tomatoes, quartered 4 eggs Salt and pepper 4 strips of bacon, cooked (but a bit underdone) 2 scallions, white and light green parts separated into two piles Few leaves fresh basil, thinly sliced Corn meal, for the baking sheet First make your dough: mix the dry ingredients thoroughly, and mix the warm water and oil in a separate bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients, slowly add the water to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Knead the dough for 15 minutes in a standing mixer, or as long as you like with your hands. Roll the dough into a ball, and lightly coat the dough and bowl with oil. Cover it with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place. Let rise for an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down, and re-form it into a ball. Cover, and let rise an additional 20 minutes. Toss a handful of corn meal on to a baking pan, and preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Roll or stretch the dough into a pizza shape. Place the pizza over the corn meal, and top with both cheeses and the quartered grape tomatoes. Carefully crack the eggs, one into each corner of the dough. Season the top of the eggs, and place the pizza into the oven. Bake for five minutes. Chop or crumble your bacon. Remove the pizza from the oven and turn it around. Now add the bacon and the white parts from the scallions. Return the pizza to the oven for an additional five minutes. Let the pizza rest on the stovetop for a minute or two while you add the light green parts of the scallions and the basil leaves. Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy! The Cosmo has a place in my heart, because it was a weeknight special at my first bartending job. I tweaked and tasted and ended up with a recipe that all the regulars were always asking for. I had a secret ingredient that added a bit of freshness and gave this cocktail a little something special. Here, I used some extra fresh lime juice, but if you're in the bar, ask for a splash of sour mix! You'll need: 3 oz vodka or citrus flavored vodka 1 1/2 oz triple sec or orange liqueur 1/2 oz sweetened lime juice Juice of 1/2 fresh lime 1 1/2 oz cranberry juice Layer the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to combine and serve straight up in a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a slice of lime. Enjoy! I saw this recipe on an episode of Laura Calder's French Food at Home, and I knew I had to try it. I wanted a fancy appetizer to begin a fancy meal, and this turned out awesome! I usually get shrimp that has been previously frozen, and I never love the results. There's always something less-than-fresh about the dish. This time Agata & Valentina came to the rescue: some gorgeous large shrimp were on sale, and they were so fresh that when I opened the container, they smelled only of the sea! To round out the skewers, I added a small salad with avocado, corn, and extra zucchini I didn't use to skewer. It was a perfect start to my fancy dinner. For two, you'll need: 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and tailed (8-9) Thin zucchini ribbons (you'll need one medium zucchini for both parts of the dish) 2 tbs olive oil 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh mint or basil Salt For the salad: 1/2 ripe avocado Kernels from 1 ear cooked corn 1/3 cup chopped zucchini Lemon juice Olive oil Salt and pepper First, rinse, shell, and de-vein the shrimp, removing even the tails. Then lightly toss with the olive oil, red pepper, chopped mint or basil (I used basil), and a bit of salt. Let marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or two. Meanwhile, if using bamboo skewers, let them soak in water for at least an hour. Right before you want to cook, chop your avocado and mix with the corn and some of the zucchini (I made my ribbons first with a vegetable peeler, then added some of the leftover zucchini to the salad). Lightly dress with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Season to taste and set aside. Preheat your grill pan to high heat. Carefully skewer the zucchini ribbons around the shrimp (use 2-3 shrimp per skewer). Pour the extra marinade over your finished skewers, and spray your grill with cooking spray. Carefully lay your skewers on the grill and grill the shrimp for 3-5 minutes per side, or until they are perfectly pink and slightly charred. Serve with the salad on the side and some fresh lemon wedges. Enjoy! |
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