Al Dente

Kathy Casey Dishes on Perfect Produce, Plus a Recipe for Greek Salad

Recently my executive chef Cameo and I headed to Anaheim for the International Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) annual summit.  As a celebrity chef for Mastronardi & Sunset Produce, I attend every year with them to dish up fabulous tastings for nearly 16,000 attendees. PMA Fresh Summit is the world’s largest gathering of produce packagers, retailers, and growers. And it is BIG-time! We were greeted at baggage claim in a bright green--and I mean Kermit-the-frog green--Hummer wrapped with Sunset Kids veggies photos! Pretty easy to spot on the airport drive! 

This year, we skewered a few zillion Champagne tomatoes (small, super sweet cherry tomatoes) for Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Drizzle. We diced up buckets of sweet peppers, luscious tomatoes, and crisp mini cucumbers for a fresh and fun Greek salad (recipe below). All along with coring out an unmentionable amount of mini cucumbers for Goat Cheese, Pistachio, Apricot Curry Stuffed Cuke Bites!

Throughout the year I develop recipes for Sunset that they post online, highlighting their unique and flavorful products. You’re probably familiar with Sunset-brand products from the grocery store; they grow gourmet, mini cucumbers and loads of varieties of tomatoes and peppers. A family-owned company whose vision is to provide unique varietals of vegetables in an environmentally responsible and innovative way--an idea we can all get behind.

This year they launched the Kumato tomato. It is deceivingly sweet with a golden-brown hue and has a “crisp exterior with a full-flavored tomato flavor and a flavor finish of apple”! I believe I may have said that 16,000 times!

The show is a big networking experience for more than 50 countries of importers, buyers, growers, packagers, and innovators in the field.  But not to worry, we didn't see any square watermelons and very little GMOs on the floor.  The focus for many of the big suppliers was “greener packaging” and energy conservation.  This is not your weekend farmers market but it is refreshing to see the "big boys" learning to play responsibly. 

Friends of ours from La Mar Cevicheria in San Francisco shook Pisco sours, and chicha morada, purple chicha made with purple corn for the Peruvian Agricultural Board.  The drink was an electric purple with a sweet, refreshing cinnamon and pineapple flavor.
 
This years conference boasted its largest attendance and by the end of day two we were all to ready to curl up in the hotel, finish off a couple glasses of wine and catch up of our favorite reality TV (yes, it’s one of my favorite ways to relax!). Unfortunately the hotel didn’t have Bravo, so we settled for My Monkey Baby and Hoarders. We’re back at the studio now looking for a place to keep a few monkeys and thinking it’s time to start organizing the closets… After we get the feeling back in our feet!

Kathy Casey Throws a Summer Tropical Dinner Party, Part 2

In yesterday's post about my recent luau-themed dinner party, I featured four tropical recipes: a luscious Lilikoi Rum Punch, Tropical Chile Lime Shrimp bursting with flavor, a succulent Pineapple Avocado Salsa, and finally, a Tender Lettuce and Watercress Salad with Toasted Macadamia Nuts, Papaya, and Lychee Vinaigrette. I know you're hungering for the rest of the menu! Today, we round out the tropical evening with Coconut Scallion Rice, Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Mango Ginger Glaze, and, of course dessert, a sumptuous grilled banana sundae. All these recipes give you the opportunity to prep in advance--so you'll be able to kick back with your Lilikoi Rum Punch and enjoy a little island time.

All recipes copyright ©2009 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Coconut Scallion Rice
Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained well
1 tablespoon oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 cups water
1 can (13 to 14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk*
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Small pinch cayenne pepper
Garnish: thinly sliced green onions

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put the very well-drained rice in a 2-quart baking dish, and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a nonstick or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the green onion lightly, about 1 minute. Add the water and coconut milk and bring to just barely a simmer; do not boil.

3. Stir the hot mixture into the rice; stir in the salt and cayenne. Seal tightly with foil and bake in preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven and fluff with a fork. Serve immediately or serve at room temperature.

4. If making the morning or day before serving, refrigerate and then reheat in a microwave in a microwavable bowl covered with plastic wrap.

5. Garnish with green onions.

* Available at Amazon.com and from well-stocked supermarkets and Asian grocers.

Kathy Casey Throws a Summer Tropical Dinner Party, Part 1

“Tropical” is such a fun theme for a summertime deck or patio party. Bright colors, flowers, tikis, lanterns, tall iced drinks are festive all on their own, but add a delicious warm-weather menu and you'll be hula-ing on the terrace in no time.

I called up our friends Joani and Pat, who enjoy cooking and eating but are not super gourmets, and then gave our neighbors Dave and Lynn a shout to come on over and be recipe testers and tasters. Dave is a super foodie and is always trying new recipes and having dinner parties. We had a great time sampling these dishes with such a perfect combination of folks for tasting and recipe reviewing.

As regular readers know, my whole entertaining philosophy is, “do as much as you can in advance,” and this is a wonderful example of a menu that lets you do just that. For libations, we started with a delightful drink, Lilikoi Rum Punch--a blend of passion fruit nectar, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice, and spiced rum served over ice. We stirred up a tasty non-alcoholic version as well, omitting the rum and mixing in a splash of soda water.

To nibble with our beverages, I made a tropical salsa bursting with color and flavor and served it with white corn tortilla chips for dipping. This salsa is sweet with a little spice but not as much as is in our other appetizer, Tropical Chile Lime Shrimp, where the chile stars. That one is served chilled and further “cooled” by a bit of fresh mint.

As we sipped and nibbled, I asked Dave to move to the grill to finish off the ribs, which I had marinated for a day, slow-roasted till tender, and then chilled. A glaze is made by reducing the flavorful mango marinade; then the precooked ribs are reheated on the grill while being basted with the glaze till golden and sticky!

We served the ribs up with Coconut Scallion Rice and a tender lettuce salad set off with toasted macadamia nuts, fresh papaya, and lychee vinaigrette. Yum!

Grilled Banana Sundaes are a super ending to the meal. With this dessert I’ve also got a solution to use up all those wooden chopsticks you have hanging around from to-go orders! Bananas are skewered, grilled and then served atop scoops of your favorite tropical-flavor ice creams. Guests can customize their sundaes with sauces, fruit, and garnishes. Who knew a simple grilled banana could be so scrumptious?!

After our feast was over, tasters and cooks were asked for comments and suggestions. All dishes passed the flavor-test with no revisions needed. Most commonly brought up in our discussion was how everything was prepped ahead of time and then just assembled. The cocktail was premixed; shrimp precooked; salsa ingredients premeasured, chopped and then mixed right before serving. Salad dressing and greens were prepared ahead and then just tossed to combine. Rice was made the day before and reheated; ribs just heated and glazed on the Q. Dessert couldn’t be easier or more delicious. Most elements were purchased, and grilled bananas made this course the pièce de résistance. All in all, everyone was excited to re-create the spread this summer at their houses. Thanks, taste-testers!

A phrase I learned on a tour bus in Hawaii when I was eight years old has stuck in my head: wiki wiki. It means quick quick. With all this meal readied in advance, that’s what it will be when you serve your guests. So put on your tackiest and brightest aloha-wear, grab some friends and neighbors, put on some Don Ho and have a party of your own this summer!

Today on Al Dente, you'll find the recipes for Lilikoi Rum Punch, Tropical Chile Lime Shrimp, Pineapple Avocado Salsa, and Tender Lettuce & Watercress Salad. Stop by tomorrow for the rest of this luau menu for eight people: Coconut Scallion Rice, Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Mango Ginger Glaze, Grilled Banana Sundaes. Mahalo!

Kathy Casey Dishes on the 2009 Great American Seafood Cook-Off

A couple days after getting home from a week in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail I turned right around and headed straight back to the Big Easy to judge the Great American Seafood Cook-Off! Another day of flying, running to my room at the Royal Sonesta (which by the way is a fantastic hotel located on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter--check out the concierge level for the ultimate royal treatment), then jumping in a cab to go dine some more! The dine-around that the Cook-Off organizers planned started with a parade (or “second line” as they call it in the Crescent City) down the street with a dancing chef on stilts, horns playing good old New Orleans jazz, and glittery gals dressed up in crawfish and crab suits.

First, we marched to Cochon, where we snacked on boudin balls and fried oysters that were superb! Then we hopped a bus to our remaining destinations; chefs, judges, and sponsors were all aboard, including celebrity judge Sig Hansen from the Deadliest Catch. Our bus emcee was Ewell Smith, who entertained us and started the “state singing competition”--he challenged each participating state to sing, karaoke-style. Oddly enough there was no entrant from Washington State. California, Oregon and Alaska represented the west coast. (Kind of embarrassing that we had no Washington State chef in the competition!) And by the way, the entire dine-around trip was escorted by New Orleans’ finest police bike brigade! Hey, where else in America will the cops let you pose on their bikes with them? Then back on the bus, where I was bullied and peer-pressured to sing for Washington State. So out popped the song that longtime associate Ann Manly and I wrote years ago for an “oyster fashion show,” “In Your Oyster Bonnet”--it’s even been published! Okay, I sang on the microphone and, I am sure, made a total fool of myself--but it’s called the Big Easy, right?

The big Cook-Off finals were the next day, with glitterati judges such as chef Michel Richard and Chicago Tribune food editor Carol Haddix. Thirteen chefs from 13 different states were setting up; the tension was mounting as they competed for the bragging rights to be Great American Seafood Cook-Off winner. For the next few hours, we tasted and nibbled a new dish every 10 minutes!! I tried to just take tiny bites of each--but it was hard to do! New Orleans PBS was there filming our every move, bite and comment...so look for the special on your local PBS station over the next few months.

So, after hours of eating, the scores were tallied and the big moment had arrived! First place went to Louisiana--Tory McPhail from Commander’s Palace was crowned King of American Seafood. (He grew up in Washington State, so we have a little NW connection to the winner!) Second place went to New Jersey--Peter Fischbach, from New Jersey Institute of Technology; and third place to Alaska--Patrick Hoogerhyde from WildFin Seagrill. Congrats to all!

Here is the Tory’s winning recipe:

Kathy Casey Dishes on Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans

After spending a week in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail I can say I am satiated AND saturated...lots of great food and of course many great cocktails.

 ‘Tales’ home base is in the famous Hotel Monteleone, owned by the Monteleone family since 1886. Located in the French Quarter, the hotel is home to the Carousel Bar--which has a slowly rotating circular bar making one revolution every 15 minutes. Its history is littered with famous people and appearances in famous old movies. Very old school, and fun.

The Carousel bar’s signature cocktail is the Vieux Carré, meaning "old square," and the French Quarters nom de plume, invented at the Hotel Monteleone by a bartender named Walter Bergeron sometime in the 1930s. It has all the hallmarks of New Orleans character and style and definitely earned a place on my top-10 cocktail list.

The Vieux Carré Cocktail

3/4 ounce rye
3/4 ounce cognac
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
1/4 ounce Benedictine
Dash Angostura bitters
Dash Peychauds bitters

Stir in a mixing glass with ice, strain into your best old-fashioned glass with fresh ice, then zest and garnish with a lemon twist. And, finally, raise your glass in the direction of New Orleans. 

And the party continues…..

‘Tales’ kicked off its festivities with giant toast in the sponsored by Herbsaint, everyone gathered outside the streets as a local candy maker passed out absinthe truffles and featured mixologists from the show shook up cocktails made with Herbsaint's own blend.

Next  my party posse headed up the street to another French Quarter institution, Napoleon House, for a mufalatta and a Pimm’s Cup.

Then there was dinner…at my favorite restaurant, Cochon--be sure to try the Fried Rabbit Livers on Pepper Jelly toast, their signature Cochon Dish (aka; delicious pork, of course) and a side of grits!

As the week progressed the eating and drinking persevered. A special part of  Tales of the Cocktail are the Spirited Dinners, where mixologists and chefs pair cocktails with a multicourse dinner. My Chef and Associate Mixologist and I attended the GW Fins dinner featuring Bar chefs Marin Cate and Jeff Berry--also know as the “tiki gods” in the cocktail geek world. Five courses, each paired with an entrée-sized cocktail. Our last cocktail was served in a whole carved-out pineapple! We were getting full, and delightfully tipsy, responsibly of course!

We did feel sorry for the guy who had to core out all those pineapples.

Here, for your pleasure, was the menu for the night:

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

A Sip & App Duo: Summer Sage Margaritas and Chipotle Deviled Eggs

Everyone loves a great margarita--it’s been popular in the U.S. since the early 1950s, and there are loads of opinions on what makes a great margarita! With tequila as its base, this refreshing libation has many variations. Here are some of the key factors to making an impressive margarita:

A basic margarita is typically made with the following components: tequila, lime, simple syrup or sweetener, triple sec or orange liqueur. Let’s review some key factors:

Tequila:
Made from the fermented and distilled sap of the of the agave plant, it has a couple different categories:

• Silver or Blanco--unaged and ideal for a fresh lime margarita or margaritas made with fresh fruits.
• Reposado--aged 2 to 11 months in oak or wooden casks; smoother than silver or blanco tequilas. 
• Añejo--aged more than 1 year; wonderfully smooth--best for sippin’ on their own to appreciate the flavor and craftsmanship--but use it in a margarita if you like, or do a float over a simple margarita to add some elegance.

Margarita musts:

• Use good tequila.
• Use fresh lime juice.
• Cointreau is my favorite orange liquor to use in a margarita--but Triple Sec is handy if you’re on a budget.
• You can make your own simple syrup (see recipe and method below) or agave nectar is a tasty alternative.

Serving preferences:

• Margaritas can be shaken with ice and served up, on the rocks, or blended. For summer refreshment I personally like them tall and on the rocks.
• Some like salt, some do not. I like a half rim of salt--my preference being kosher salt.
• And of course, there are the “add ins”--a splash of fresh OJ, a touch of cranberry juice, pomegranate, fresh berries…the possibilities are endless. I like a spring of fresh sage shaken in my ‘ritas for a savory note!

Of course with every great drink you need a few tasty accompanying apps! And who doesn’t love a great deviled egg? This retro party nibble favorite gets a spicy makeover in my recipe for Chipotle Deviled Eggs from my new book Sips & Apps. Spiked with smoky chipotle chili and garnished with a fresh tomato, onion, and cilantro topper--this version will have any deviled egg lover cha-cha-ing!

Summer Sage Margarita
Boasting a savory and dry fragrance and flavor, sage especially complements tequila. 

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
1 fresh sage leaf
2 ounces 1800 silver tequila
1/2 ounce Cointreau
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup (purchased or homemade, recipe follows)
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
Fresh sage leaf for garnishing

Directions:
Crush the sage leaf and drop into a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, then measure in the remaining liquid ingredients. Cap and shake vigorously until very cold.  Serve over ice in a large tall glass. Garnish with a fresh sage leaf.

Simple Syrup
Easy to make this bar staple will keep refrigerated for up to 1 month. 

Makes 6 cups

4 cups sugar
4 cups water

Combine the ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Bottle and store at refrigerated until needed.

Chef’s Note: Simple syrup is also available at bar supply stores.

Recipe © 2009 Kathy Casey Food Studios. www.kathycasey.com.

Kathy Casey: Fresh, Juicy Strawberries: From Cocktails to Salads--It’s a Sure Sign of Summer!

With summer just a few sunny days away, it’s time to start incorporating summer fruits and the bounty of the farmers markets into our seasonal menus and cocktails.

One of the first signs of summer is sweet, juicy strawberries appearing at the market! We love them piled high on shortcake, in salads, eaten from hand, or dipped in chocolate…and also in cooling libations!

I have included two of my favorite recipes. First up is the Strawberry Shag Cocktail from my new book Sips & Apps (that features over 100 recipes--69 cocktail and 35 appetizer--an array of variations, sours, and purées, as well as more than 60 color photographs to guide and inspire!). The Strawberry Shag teams lightly-sugared fresh strawberries with a tasty partner--fresh basil! Shaken with vodka and fresh lemon juice this refreshing cooler is perfect to start any patio party!

Next up is Strawberry and Spinach Salad with Sweet Onions and Poppy Seed-Ginger Vinaigrette, which is one of my favorite salad recipes from my book Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table. If you are tight on time you can make the dressing up to one week in advance! Serve this d’lish salad as a starter or top it with sliced grilled chicken breast, paired with some hearty, rustic bread for a main meal.

I hope you enjoy my “first of summer” strawberry recipes and be sure to always remember to “Cook up Some Fun®” in the kitchen!

Strawberry Shag
Fresh basil lends a fun flavor note to the classic combination of strawberries and lemonade. Soda water introduces a lively sparkle.

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
1 to 2 large sprigs fresh basil
1/4 cup Sugared Strawberries with juice (recipe follows)
1-1/2 ounces vodka
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 ounces chilled soda water

For garnishing: fresh strawberry, small basil leaf

Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, press the basil and strawberries together with a muddler to release the basil’s flavor. Fill the shaker with ice. Measure in the vodka and lemon juice. Cap and shake vigorously. Pour into a large glass, top with soda water, and stir. Garnish with a strawberry and basil leaf.

Sugared Strawberries
Makes enough for about 6 drinks

1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and thinly sliced
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Mix the ingredients and let sit for 15 minutes before using.

Recipe from Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books, San Francisco. Copyright © 2009 by Kathy Casey
Photo from Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books, Angie Norwood Browne Photography

Kathy Casey: A Spring Herbalicious Cocktail--Just What the Season Calls For

Spring is upon us and I am so excited about my new book Sips & Apps that is just out this month! I hope it will become your go-to handbook for creative cocktails, inspired classics, and timeless appetizers.  It features more than 100 recipes--69 cocktails and 35 appetizers, along with more than 60 beautiful photos by the talented Angie Norwood Browne.

Over the years, I have incorporated much of the kitchen into my creative potions. Everything from vodka infused with honeycomb (garnishing the drink with bee pollen) or beets (serving the martini with a caviar-topped blini on the side), to muddled cucumbers, to tropical fruit (in abundance), to my favorite ingredient category: herbs, which have finally moved into a multitude of upscale bars. It was so fun to finally put all my favorite cocktail recipes into a book, with a tasty selection of apps to accompany them, of course--for every sip needs an app!

One of my favorite drinks in the book incorporates one of my favorite herbs. Today’s cocktail stars rosemary “shaken in” a Tuscan Rosemary Lemon Drop and it is also infused into the sugar used to rim the cocktail glass.

I created this cocktail for my dear friends Michelle and Don’s wedding reception in Tuscany. To this day, I can picture everyone standing on the villa lawn enjoying their drinks--heels kicked off, ties loosened, and laughter fading into the Tuscan sunset.

I hope you enjoy this cocktail from Sips & Apps.

Tuscan Rosemary Lemon Drop
Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
Rosemary Sugar (recipe follows)
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1-1/2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce limoncello
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup (recipe follows)

For garnishing:
Fresh rosemary sprig

Directions:
To make a deep sugar rim: Set out a wide bowl filled with rosemary sugar. Holding a martini glass by the stem, press a lemon wedge against the top 1 to 1-1/2 inches of the outside rim of the glass and rotate the glass to coat the rim lightly with juice. Then push the rim into the bowl of sugar at a 45-degree angle. Spin the glass until the outside moistened area is completely and evenly coated with sugar. Holding the glass upside down, tap lightly to remove excess sugar. Do not get sugar inside the glass. Glasses can be pre-sugared in advance.

Bend 1 rosemary sprig and drop into a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice. Measure in the vodka, limoncello, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Cap and shake vigorously. Strain into the sugar-rimmed glass. Float a rosemary sprig in the drink for garnish.

Tip: If you don’t have limoncello, then increase the lemon juice and simple syrup to 3/4 ounce each.

Rosemary Sugar
Makes 1 cup

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup superfine or baker’s sugar

Mix the rosemary and sugar together, and spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet. Set in a warm dry place for about 4 days, until the rosemary is completely dried. Process in a food processor or spice grinder until finely ground. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to one month at room temperature.

Simple Syrup
Makes 3 cups

2 cups water
2 cups sugar

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small sauce pan, then immediately remove from the heat. Let cool to room temperature. Store refrigerated.

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

For more Dishing with Kathy Casey and recipes visit www.kathycasey.com/blog