Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas with Mango Salsa

 

Quesadilla:

8 ea.                                                   9 inch Sun Dried Tomato Tortillas

12ea.                                                  Grilled Tiger Shrimp halved (peeled, deveined, and grilled)

4 oz.                                                   Red onion thin sliced

2 cups                                                Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese

To taste                                              Salt and pepper

As needed                                           Butter

Salsa:

1ea.                                                    Mango diced

1/3 cup                                               Red onion diced

1 ea.                                                   Serrano pepper minced

½ cup                                                 Cucumber diced

¼ cup                                                  Lime juice 

¼ cup                                                 Cilantro chopped

To taste                                               Sea salt

In a large mixing bowl combine the ingredients for the salsa. Mix well and set aside to allow the flavors to marry.

Place four of the tortillas on your cutting board. Add to each of the tortillas two oz. of the cheese. On top of the cheese place eight of the shrimp halves. Cover the shrimp with a little of the sliced onion and season to taste. Cover with the remaining cheese and cover with the remaining tortillas.  On a griddle set to 350, brown one side of the quesadilla in a little of the butter. Flip the quesadilla over and continue to cook until the cheese is well melted. Serve the quesadilla by cutting the quesadilla into 6^th and spooning about a ¼ cup of the salsa into the center of the plate. Garnish with a Tortilla chip and cilantro sprig.  

Mustard Sauce

    This is a pretty standard version of this sauce. It is basically a veloute sauce with a flavoring added, in this case mustard.  

2 Tbl.                                                                Whole Grain Mustard

1 cup                                                                 Water

2 oz.                                                                  Cider Vinegar

2 tsp                                                                  Sugar

1 Tbl.                                                                 Cornstarch

1 Tbl.                                                                 Butter

½ tsp.                                                                Salt     

1 tsp.                                                                  Grated Horseradish

2 ea.                                                                   Eggs beaten

In a medium saucepan combine the water, corn starch, sugar, and salt.  Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Stir in the vinegar, butter and horseradish. In a mixing bowl temper the eggs with a little of the mustard mixture.  Return the egg mixture to the saucepan and mix well. Do not boil or the sauce may break. Makes 1 ½ cups.  

Serve this sauce with corned beef or bangers along with braised cabbage and mashers. 

Happy St. Pat’s  

Braised Cabbage

1 Head                                                          Green Cabbage Shredded

1 ea.                                                              Onion sliced thin

1 ea.                                                              Apple grated        

1 cup                                                             Golden Raisins

½ cup                                                            Cider Vinegar

½ cup                                                            Apple Juice

2 oz.                                                              Sugar

4 Tbl.                                                             Butter 

1 Tbl.                                                             Caraway Seeds                    

To Taste                                                         Salt and Pepper

In a large skillet melt the butter and sauté the onions. When the onions are translucent add the cabbage and apple. Sprinkle with the sugar and cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently. Add the juice and vinegar and cook over medium heat until the cabbage has absorbed 2/3 of the liquid about 15 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and add the caraway seeds and the raisins.  Makes about 8 servings.

Potato Leek Soup

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

     One of the first soups that we learned in cooking school was a basic Potato Leek Soup. This is one of my favorites and is a great use for left over mashed potatoes. For this version I have added a Baked Potato garnish.

4 ea.                                                 Russet Potato (Or substitute 1 lb. Mashed Potatoes)

3 ea.                                                 Leeks sliced and washed white part only *

3 cups                                              Chicken Stock

1 cup                                                Heavy Cream     

2 Tbl.                                                Butter

As needed                                         Salt and Pepper 

Pinch                                                 Nutmeg **

Garnish:

8 Tbl.                                                Sour Cream

½ cup                                                Shredded Cheddar Cheese

4 ea.                                                  Bacon crumbled

½ cup                                                Fried Leek greens         

In a medium saucepan melt the butter, Sauté the leeks in the butter until translucent. Add the potatoes and stock and simmer for 45 minutes over medium heat. Turn off the heat and puree the mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and add the cream. Adjust the seasonings . Makes 8 Servings. Garnish with the sour cream, cheese, bacon and fried leeks.  

Notes:

*Leeks are notoriously dirty creatures. After they are sliced they have to be thoroughly cleaned or you will have dirt in your soup, not very tasty. Also make sure that the greens are dried before you fry them or you will have splatter. Fry in a little butter and drain on toweling.

**Cream loves nutmeg.

Bananas Fosters

 I thought that since tomorrow is Mardi Gras that I would do a classic from the Big Easy. This recipe was originated at Brennans Restaurant in the French Quarter.

Bananas sliced                                                          3 ea.
Brown sugar                                                             1/4 cup
Butter                                                                        8 oz.
Captain Morgan Rum                                              6 oz.
Banana Liquor                                                         2 oz.

In a skillet melt the butter. Desolve the sugar in the butter. add the liquor. Add the bananas and cook for two min. Remove the pan from the heat and add the rum and return to the heat and flambe*. Scoop vanilla ice cream into 8 small bowls. Cover with the banana mixture.  Makes four servings
* When you flame the rum be careful not to burn your self. If possible use a fireplace
match.