Al Dente

Kathy Casey: Minty Mojitos Keep You Cool in the Summer!

Fresh mint--mmmmm--the fragrance is so uplifting. Over the years, we've loved it in all kinds of libations from Mint Juleps in frosted silver cups to the classic Mojito, currently enjoying a major resurgence. Nothing says refreshing like fresh mint--shaken, hand-pressed, or added in some way or another to a cocktail.

Mojitos are the classic cocktail originating from Cuba and it is now one of the most ordered cocktails from restaurant and bar menus. Shake up one of these refreshing drinks for your next get-together…it could be with fresh cherries, peaches, or juicy berries--get creative and bring out your inner bar-chef!

In my new book Sips & Apps, I feature a Blue Thai Mojito that has a syrup infused with coconut, red pepper flakes, mint, and cilantro to add an exotic kick to this tall rum classic.

I’ve included a few different recipes here for you--from a classic, to a quickie, to the inspired. Happy mixing!

Blue Thai Mojito
The infused syrup adds an exotic kick to this tall rum drink.

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
1/4 ounce blue Curaçao
1-1/2 ounces Bacardi Limon rum or silver rum
1-1/2 ounces Coco-Mint Syrup (recipe follows)
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces chilled soda water

For garnishing:
Fresh mint and/or cilantro sprigs
Shaved coconut (optional)

Directions:
1. Fill a tall glass with ice. Measure in the Curaçao, rum, syrup, lime juice, and soda water. Stir with a bar spoon.

2. Garnish with fresh mint and/or cilantro and a sprinkling of shaved coconut, if using.

Coco-Mint Syrup
Makes 3 cups, enough for about 16 drinks

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch fresh mint, torn
12 large sprigs fresh cilantro
2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Directions:
1. Combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 1 hour.

2. Strain, pressing out as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids.

3. Let cool to room temperature. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate, for up to 1 month, until needed. Remix before using.

© 2009 by Kathy Casey from Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books
Photo from Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books, Angie Norwood Browne Photography

My Cooking Repertoire: Donna Hay's Rosemary Lamb Shanks

If you had been invited to my house for dinner in the last few weeks, you would have been served slowly braised rosemary lamb shanks with creamy oven-baked polenta and crispy roasted asparagus. It's my standard springtime menu and a cornerstone of my cooking repertoire.

Amanda Hesser writes about the "cooking repertoire" in her book, Cooking for Mr. Latte: A Food Lover's Courtship with Recipes, and when I first read it, I was sure she was speaking to me:

A few months ago, when visiting Tad's parents, I noticed one of his mother's cookbooks lying on the kitchen counter. It was open to a recipe for slow-roasted turkey. The book was old, the pages a dull yellow. In the margins were notes, some in pencil, come in faded ink. Over the years, Elizabeth had kept a record of her efforts to refine the recipe: "1977," one note read, "12 lb. turkey took 4 hours including 1/2 hour browning." Another read, "Make a tent of foil over all." She had originally followed the recipe and spread shortening on the bird, then substituted margarine in the 1980s. Now she uses butter.

I mentioned this to Tad. "I hope someday I'll have recipes like that," I said. "You know, ones that I'll want to return to for years and years."

Tad nodded. "it's a good idea. You don't really seem to have a repertoire."

Ever since reading Hesser's book, some five years ago, I've been accumulating recipes for my own repertoire, making a note of seasonal dishes that are easy to make and fun to serve.

The lamb shank recipe I use, from Donna Hay's Modern Classics series, is just that. Not only does it require little active prep time, but if you make it a day in advance, it will taste even better. Plus, any leftovers freeze beautifully. And in a happy coincidence, both the polenta and the asparagus can be cooked in the oven at the same time.

The fact is, having a cooking repertoire makes it easier to entertain, and I'm all for that.

Play All Day Till Dinnertime and Still Eat Well with Spaghettini with Checca Sauce

Longer days and warm weather give me much more time to wear my sons out, so they're more likely to fall asleep in the vicinity of bedtime. That I love. But sometimes it feels unfair to have to either cut all our time outdoors short, or just cut my time with the gang short, so that I can go and get dinner started. I want to stay out till the last possible minute, too. But if I do that, then I'm so exhausted (an obvious byproduct of working exhaustively to exhaust little ones) that I can't bear to think of myself as responsible for everyone's dinner. The whining starts in my head. Why me? Why do I always have to cook for you people? Can't we just have cereal again? Etc. Well thank you, thank you, thank you to Giada De Laurentiis for "Spaghettini with Checca Sauce." This little recipe is so easy that we can all go out and stay as long as we want, and I'll have it ready before my whiny thoughts clog my brain. If you have other Summer recipes like this one with minimal prep time (this one is 8 minutes) I'd love to hear about them.

I don't know which, if any, of Giada's cookbooks has this recipe. I got this recipe on the Food Network site, and they have little "tagged" words that, when moused over, give you the option to print coupons for certain grocery items. Sweet! But the cookbook pictured above has some pretty awesome recipes in it, too. Click it. Read the customer reviews.

--Sweet B

Spaghettini with Checca Sauce

Ingredients:
8 ounces spaghettini or angel hair pasta
4 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
12-ounce container cherry tomatoes, halved
1-ounce piece Parmesan, coarsely chopped
8 to 10 fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta in a large ot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine the next 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not puree).

3. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the tomato mixture and fresh mozzarella in a large bowl. Add some of the reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup) if the sauce looks dry. Serve immediately.

Easy One-Pot Meals, Part II

If you're enjoying a nice Memorial Day at home, here's another easy one-pot meal to help you spend more time playing and less time cooking.

This is my favorite vegetable soup that seems simple, but has a very complex flavor. A hint of citrus tones down the richness of the beef broth for an almost light, but incredibly flavorful soup. The recipe comes from my mother's neighbor, a grand dame named Murial Sommers who has several great gastronomic tricks up her sleeve.

When I make this with my 6-year-old, he's in charge of opening cans and keeping track of the timer. When the timer dings he's excited to put the next batch of ingredients into the pot.

The soup starts with one large beef bone. You can usually get one inexpensively at your local grocery store. Just ask the butcher in the meat department. Make sure to request one that will fit in your big pot!

Ingredients:
1 large beef bone
1 pound stew beef
3 quarts water
2 large cans of tomatoes
2 large onions, chopped
3 tablespoons salt
2 thin lemon slices
1/2 red pepper pod
1/2 cup barley
1 cup diced turnips
2 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped parsley
1 can butter beans
1 can corn

Place the beef bone, stew beef, and water in your large pot and simmer for two hours, then skim off the frothy fat. Add tomatoes, onions, salt, lemon slices, red pepper, and barley and cook for one more hour. Next add turnips, carrots, celery, and parsley and cook for an additional hour. Finally, add butter beans and corn and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove bones and lemon slices. Serve in large bowls accompanied by fresh baguette or crispy French rolls. Yields enough to feed a hungry group of five adults plus some leftovers.

With this recipe, I hope you're able to spend more time playing this Memorial Day.

--Martha Snodgrass

Friday Afternoon Internet Happy Hour: Foodie Links Worth a Click--Memorial Day Edition!

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week, in anticipation of the long, hot, Memorial Day weekend:

• Refreshing ice cream sandwiches (banana!) are a snap when made with...tortillas! 
• For your weekend picnic: PCC's Creamy Roasted New Potato Salad with Green Beans, Walnuts, and Smoked Salmon.
• Honey Baked Ham Cupcakes. (I'm not going to say any more.)
• How to make a portable picnic in a briefcase.
• Ice cream man show up late? No matter, make your own Choco Tacos.
• Sounds easy enough: YumSugar's Grilled Glazed Steak and Asparagus.
• Dive right in--Strawberry Margarita Pie:

Photo courtesy of Annie's Eats.

While you're out and about, reading up on food news, don't miss these recipes, perfect for Memorial Day picnics and barbecues:

• Katie Lee Joel's Memorial Day Burgers and Boubon Slush
• Kathy Casey's Summer Sage Margaritas
• The Panther's Paw Cocktail
• Hoisin Scallion BBQ Chicken
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Happy Memorial Day! Enjoy the long weekend!

--KitchenMaus

Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics--A Home Run for the Homesick!

It's funny how you can sometimes buy a cookbook and then get very very homesick. This is exactly what happened to me earlier this week when I bought a copy of Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2008).

When I was young, my parents owned a home on Main Street in West Hampton Beach. Ina's shop, Barefoot Contessa, was right down the block. I spent many days cruising the shop and studying her gorgeous displays. When I was in college, I landed a summer job at Barefoot Contessa. I started shortly after Memorial Day, and Ina became one of my first and favorite culinary mentors.

With her telltale exuberant personality and infectious enthusiasm for food, Ina taught her crew the ins and outs of food service, preparation, simple presentation and customer service relations. Working at Barefoot was a great experience and to this day I reach for Ina's cookbooks when I want to be home in the Hamptons yet again.  Ina has sold her shops, and my dad has since sold our little house.

So, Ina's collection is often a powerful and comforting antidote to my blues. Many of the recipes featured in her first book, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,  are the ones I made or served at Barefoot more than 20 years ago. My favorites recipes include Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame and the Outrageous Brownies.

Back to Basics is pure Ina.  I can hear Ina's voice on every page! In the introduction, there's a subsection called "In Search of Flavor" where Ina discusses the importance of tasting while you cook and offers suggestions for  unlocking the flavors. Indeed, that was one of my first culinary lessons learned at Barefoot.  I vividly remember Ina tasting and tweaking in the kitchen.

She's a master at it, and her customers always trusted her to get it right.  On Saturday mornings her urban-weary customers lined up early and eagerly waited in line for scones, muffins, rugelach, cookies and pound cakes. The delicious smell of cinnamon, raisins and walnuts wafting from the kitchen ultimately became what I think was Barefoot's signature aroma.

When I read the introduction to Ina's recipe for Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies, I had to clear the counters and get to work. Ina explains that she considers herself an oatmeal cookie aficionado and had been searching for decades for the perfect recipes. She declares that this is finally the one. Who can resist an endorsement like that?

While the cookies were baking in my oven, that telltale Barefoot aroma of cinnamon, raisins, and nuts permeated the house. Even before I took my first bite, I knew the Barefoot Contessa had hit a home run yet again.  Indeed, they are wonderfully, deliciously Ina!

So, Happy Memorial Day and thanks for the taste of home, Ina! I feel better already.

NOTE: Ina also offers these cookies in a mix, made by Stonewall Kitchen.

--Melissa A. Trainer

Grilled Portobello Mushroom

Let's be honest here: Memorial Day marks the official start of Outdoor Grill Season. For vegetarians and vegans alike there are a great many options available for your summer long enjoyment. The patty options run from the frozen variety like Boca Burgers and Gardenburger to the mix variety such as Fantastic Foods' Nature's Burger. While the 'hot dog' variety run the gambit—many of which have the same taste and texture as the real thing. I'm not going to lie, I've been known to eat a faux dog when the craving hits.

For me, however, being a Vegan isn't all about faking meat—it's about enjoying the myriad of other options that Mama Nature has provided us.

Right. That's all well and good, and your friends probably love your cous cous salad, but sometimes a girl just wants her some finger food. You know, the kind of food that comes with condiments like tomatoes, pickles, sliced onion, and mustard.

For that I turn to my home-grown Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich. Don't worry that this recipe is not exact, you know how many pickles you like on your burger, I can't dictate that for you. Though, if I may be so bold, we all know the answer is 6, and they must be dill.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom

Supplies:
A working grill
Turning apparatus
The spice mix below
Family and friends to share in the festivities
Preferably good weather

Spice Mix
Ingredients:
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
1. Combine all spices well, and store in an air-tight container.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom

Ingredients:
1 Hamburger Bun per person
Spice Mix (directions above)
Olive Oil
Portobello mushrooms—bigger than the size of your bun as it will cook down
Desired condiments

Directions:
1. Wash mushroom caps well.

2. Slice off bottom of stem so that the mushroom lays flat.

3. Brush or rub olive oil over the mushroom, coating both sides.

4. Rub in (or sprinkle) spice on both sides to taste.

5. Grill over a medium heat turning occasionally until the mushroom is tender throughout.

6. Remove from grill and serve with exactly six dill pickle slices and other condiments as desired.

Serves: 1 person per mushroom.

Cooking tip:
When sharing the grill with meat, I put down a layer of tinfoil that I then cook on top of. You don't get the same smokey flavor, but it's better than getting the meaty flavor. Optionally, you can just hit the grill first, so there are no meat remnants left over from the hamburger right before your mushroom.

Enjoy the juices as the run down your chin, and the shocked! reaction of all of your meat-atarian friends as they wrap their minds around the fact that you're eating something on a hamburger bun that isn't a hamburger.

Happy Grill Season, attack it with passion and vegan-ism!

--Amanda Luthy

Broadstone’s Backyard BBQ--Fire It Up

Memorial Day signals the start of summer in many areas of the country, but for me it’s the start of barbecue season--time to fire up the grill, circle the lawn chairs, and invite my buddies over. To kick off the season, I’ve asked some of the best in barbecue, from Steven Raichlen to Elizabeth Karmel, for a few of their recipes and will spend the next couple of weeks trying them out. First up is a sweet Asian barbecue marinade from our friends at Eastman Outdoors. A few notes: I opted to use fryer breasts rather than trying to split a chicken and tried a new way of marinating--the Reveo MariVac Food Tumbler. It uses vacuum pressure and tumbling action to marinate meat in only 20 minutes. I’ve tried several kinds of marinating devices, from Tupperware containers to re-sealable bags, and this is my new favorite tool for the job. The chicken came out of the Reveo well marinated and ready to grill. So let’s get to it.

Hoisin Scallion BBQ Chicken

Ingredients for marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup scallions, whites, chopped
4 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 tablespoon salt

1 split chicken, split in half, backbone removed

Ingredients for barbecue sauce:
1/2 cup Chinese duck sauce
1/4 cup Hoisin BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons scallions, greens, finely chopped

Directions:
1. Place all ingredients for marinade in blender, puree until smooth.
2. Place chicken in Reveo barrel with 1 cup marinade and tumble for 20 minutes.
3. Remove chicken from barrel and discard marinade.
4. Preheat grill to 400-degrees.
5. Place chicken breast on grill skin side down, sear outside and cook for 5-8 minutes; flip and repeat, brushing cooked side with sauce.
6. Turn grill down to medium-low (about 300-degrees), brush chicken with BBQ sauce, place in aluminum foil and seal tightly.
7. Cook for 20 minutes, chicken is done when an internal temperature of 165-degrees is reached.
8. Optional: for crispy skin, remove chicken from foil and place back on grill, skin side down, for 5-8 minutes.
9. Remove from grill, brush with additional BBQ sauce and top with scallions.

Serves 6-8 people.

Next up: Double Citrus Vodka Infusion--because barbecue makes people thirsty.

--Broadstone

The Panther’s Paw Cocktail: Mysterious (But Good for Holiday Picnics)

Sometimes, just having a beer over the weekend is enough (even for a holiday weekend). But other times, you want to serve something a little more out-of-the-ordinary to celebrate, or because your holiday party is an evening affair, or because you want to up the party ante, or because you’re the kind that likes adventure. For those times, and for this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, let me introduce you to the Panther’s Paw. It’s a lovely mix of gin (I suggest, and used when creating it, Aviation gin, which is my favorite gin of the moment, thanks to its alluring balance of juniper and other earthy and ethereal flavors), and thankfully available again absinthe (I used Lucid absinthe, which was the first genuine absinthe made with real Grande Wormwood to be legally sold in the United States in over 95 years, and which has a persuasive anise, fennel, and springtime-in-the-forest taste), pineapple juice, and a touch of simple syrup, accented by a lemon twist (if you’d like--I like). The end result is a drink that has a bit of mystery, like a panther, and a bit of a kick, like a panther’s paw might deliver, but also a drink that’s surprisingly refreshing (here’s where it fits into the weekend) and really stands out from a crowd (which is what you want your party to do, too, right?). So, start shaking, and unleash the Panther’s Paw (and when serving be sure to say, “I’m unleashing the Panther’s Paw,” because it’s awfully fun).

The Panther’s Paw

Ingredients:
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounce Aviation gin
1 ounce Lucid absinthe
3/4 ounce pineapple juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup
Lemon slice, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the gin, absinthe, pineapple juice, and simple syrup. Shake well.

2. Strain the mix into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon slice if that’s what makes your panther purr.

--A.J. Rathbun

Rock and Roll with the Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker

Are you having a Memorial Day barbecue or potluck and want to feature a fun hands on dessert for the kids? If so, then buy a Play and Freeze Ice Cream maker and tell the kids to have a ball.

This ingenuous gadget, made by Industrial Revolution in Redmond, Washington, makes it possible to crank out all natural homemade ice cream at home, at the park, or while camping. The ice cream maker doesn't require any electricity or refrigeration, so it's convenient to use in a wide variety of locations. The ball consists of two sections, a metal inner chamber that holds the ice cream ingredients and an outer chamber that holds the ice and the rock salt necessary for freezing the ingredients. 

The truly magical ingredient in the process, however, is human-driven energy! By rolling, shaking, and passing the ball back and forth, the cream is chilled and eventually converted to luscious soft serve ice cream.

I recently purchased The Mega Ball, which makes one quart of ice cream. I filled it with the ice, rock salt and vanilla ice cream ingredients and put the kids to work. After about half an hour, we indeed had some gorgeous all natural ice cream.

The kids' arms were sore, so this culinary project is best when you have LOTS of energetic curious kids around. And, be sure to tell the kids that this isn't a soccer ball. It can't be bounced, kicked, or tossed. 

--Melissa A. Trainer