Good Morning.
The first day of spring arrived yesterday with an inch of snow overnight, the kind you could hear as the cars went down the street. Winter has become a noisy neighbor who keeps dropping by, sometimes unannounced, and it's very rude. I have already made a shopping list for the pots on my patio in defiance of this foolishness and I shall also present a menu to offset it.
We begin with a cocktail I would not serve the stodgier relatives who preceded me on this earth, but I did have a rather colorful great-aunt who would probably enjoy it. She was an Army nurse who took care of General John "Blackjack" Pershing when he needed medical attention during World War I, and after she retired from the service, she continued her career at a private hospital, wore big feathered hats, listened to the opera, and kept a supply of English toffee in her closet. She had a wicked sense of humor and would have been highly amused at the name of the following beverage:
Sex on the Beach
1 1/2 oz peach schnapps
1 1/2 oz. vodka
2 oz. cranberry juice
2 oz. orange juice
2 oz. pineapple juice
Lime
Combine the above ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Dip the rim of a stemmed glass in the granulated sugar you
spread out on a plate, pour in the lovely beverage, dress with a squeeze of lime, and garnish with an umbrella so you don't get sunburned. I would serve this with a plate of fresh strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar, and please don't e-mail about the couple making waves, see above. The alternates are these people who have a little brandy at bedtime and only
when they have colds.
Moving right along, we have Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple-Apricot Salsa. It's the specialty of my daughter-in-law who has many signature dishes.
24 uncooked jumbo shrimp, about 1 1/2 pounds - peeled, deveined, tails left intact
1/3 cup cornstarch
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
3 large egg whites
Vegetable oil for frying
Using a small sharp knife and starting at the top of the inward curve just below the tail, butterfly the shrimp, cutting each more than halfway through toward the outward curve. Do not cut the shrimp in two. Open each one like a book and press slightly to flatten. Mix the cornstarch, salt, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. Place the coconut in a pie plate. Beat the egg whites in another bowl until frothy. Dredge the shrimp in the cornstarch mixture and shake off the excess. Dip the shrimp into the egg whites, then press them into the coconut. Turn the shrimp over and press into the coconut again to coat both sides. Pour enough oil in a large heavy pot to reach a depth of two inches. Heat to 350 degrees. Working in batches, add the shrimp to the oil and deep-fry until cooked through, about a minute. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve with the following salsa:
1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup apricot-pineapple preserves
1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp. minced, seeded jalapeno pepper
Salt and pepper
Toss all the ingredients in a small bowl to blend. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Make it a day ahead, cover, and chill
in the fridge. Canned, crushed pineapple, drained, can also be used.
This is fabulous shrimp guaranteed to cheer you up. Serve with a crunchy Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad.
1 big clump of broccoli, cut into florets
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 pound bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1 small jar of mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Parmesan
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Salt to taste
Toss the broccoli, cauliflower, and bacon in a salad bowl. Mix the mayo, sugar, Parmesan, vinegar, and a bit of salt and add
to the vegetables, tossing carefully. Let the salad sit for a couple of hours in the fridge before serving.
Shrimp is never served with potatoes for some reason. It's like wearing a tropical shirt and shorts underneath a flannel
bathrobe. It just doesn't make sense. We suggest Mississippi River Rice, and it's actually quite healthy.
3/4 cup long grain brown rice
3/4 cup wild rice
1 level tablespoon of beef bouillon granules
Dash of freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. onion powder
3 cups water
Place the rice in a large sauce pan. Add the water and other ingredients. Stir to mix. Bring just to the boil, stir, cover, and simmer on very low heat for 45 minutes. Check for moisture after this time and add another bit of water if needed. In this case, cover the pot again and cook for another 15 minutes. Taste for doneness. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. This dish does not need butter and I seldom make that statement.
And for dessert, Baked Arizona.
6 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar
Dash of salt
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1 pint softened vanilla ice cream
1 9 inch baked pie shell
2 egg whites
Dash of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
In a saucepan, combine butter, lemon juice, 1 cup sugar, and a dash of salt. Beat the eggs and egg yolks slightly in a bowl and stir into the lemon mixture. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture is boiling. Place in the fridge and chill well. Make or purchase a pie shell, bake, and cool. Spread the softened ice cream into it, top with lemon mixture and put in the freezer. Beat the egg whites with a bit of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 1/4 cup of sugar and beat until the peaks are stiff. Fold in the grated lemon rind. Spread over the frozen pie. Bake in a 500 degree oven for about 3 minutes, maybe a titch less, until the meringue is golden. Cut and serve immediately.
They grow tons of lemons in Arizona and this delight is the desert counterpart to Baked Alaska. Anything to do with Alaska can wait for August when we're sweltering away and thinking about fall.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
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