June 2006 San Diego Cook-in

Terry and Bill

Terry

The cook-in has been underway for 3 hours with no signs of winding down. In fact, all the food hasn't made it to the table. I have a fairly large dining room table that is just too small. Christine Dabney upended a supermarket and brought it, for instance. The Bartos are in the kitchen making a pasta dish that is a two-person. In fact Jason Tinling has retired his chicken - decided not to grill it, as there's just so much *food*!!! And Boli sent a Smithfield ham, even though he could not attend, that was *swarmed* by one and all. Many thanks to Boli!! We'll be divving that up unless I can think of a way to hide it.

Mimi Hiller was mean to us all by proxy, as she told Christine Dabney... (letting Christine take over) "Tell them I am not there because I don't want to be seen with those people". Christine: And no I didn't bring the supermarket.

Berry Rum Punch

Recipe by: Bon Apétit

2/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
3 cups fresh raspberries, divided
2 cups fresh orange juice
2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup dark rum
1 cup light rum
1 orange, peeled, diced
1 cup diced peeled fresh pineapple
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
ice cubes

Bring 2/3 cup water and sugar to boil in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool syrup completely. Puree 2 cups raspberries in processor. Pour puree through fine strainer set over saucepan with syrup. Press on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. (This works more easily if you use a pestle.)

Mix orange juice, next 6 ingredients, 1 cup berries, and raspberry syrup in glass bowl. Cover; chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day. Strain into pitcher. Serve punch over ice.

Yield: 8 servings.

For the following mousse, I doubled the recipe and put it into a large-ish bowl, which works better with the grab-and-graze style that defines cook-ins.

Irish Coffee Caramel Mousse

Recipe by: Bon Appetit

3/4 cup + 2 T. sugar
1/4 cup + 2 T. water
2 cups whipping cream; chilled
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Irish whiskey
1 tablespoon instant coffee
1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup urns deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped into water and swirling pan occasionally. Add 1/2 cup cream and 2 tablespoons butter (mixture will bubble vigorously) and stir until caramel melts. Continue boiling 2 minutes. Spoon 2 tablespoons caramel into small saucepan and set aside at room temperature. Stir whiskey into remaining caramel in saucepan. Pour into bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons water and instant coffee in another small saucepan until coffee dissolves. Sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand 120 minutes to soften. Stir gelatin mixture over low heat until melted. Stir gelatin mixture into caramel in bowl. Place bowl over large bowl filled with ice and water. Let stand until caramel mixture is cool, but not set, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 cups cream in medium bowl to soft peaks. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into caramel mixture in bowl. Divide caramel mousse among 6 balloon-shaped wineglasses. Add Bailey's to remaining whipped cream and continue beating until stiff. Spoon mixture into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe atop mousse. Cover and chill until mousse sets, about 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled.)

Rewarm reserved 2 tablespoons caramel in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Drizzle over desserts.

Yield: 6 servings

(passing the keyboard to Jason)

Whoof. The lovely, lingering taste of Bailey's infused whipped cream from Terry's coffe mousse still slightly more than a memory on the roof of my mouth. Food. Food galore (and glorious). Good folks and good conversation. Still a little concerned that Terry's table may cave under the weight of foodstuffs before the evening arrives

Terry's Cheese Enchiladas:

I use Joel.Ehrlich's enchilada sauce recipe (below). I purchase corn tortillas (although this time I used flour), the floppy kind in the plastic sack, not the canned stuff, lots and lots of Kojack cheese, and lots of chopped onion. I dip a tortilla into hot enchilada sauce to soften it, lay it out flat and sprinkle cheese and onion (this time I used a "smear" of canned refried beans, too), and quickly rolled it up. Top everything with more cheese and onion, pour enchilada sauce over all. Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes or until bubbling.

Enchilada Sauce

Recipe by: RFC - Joel.Ehrlich@salata.com

2 cloves garlic; peeled
1 ounce butter
6 tablespoons chili powder
14 ounces Italian plum tomatoes; canned
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup cilantro; fresh

Use the metal blade of the food processor. With the motor running, drop the garlic through the feed tube to mince. Saute the garlic in the butter over medium heat in a medium (2 quart) saucepan for 1 - 2 mins. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the chile powder. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 - 3 mins. to remove the raw taste - don't let it burn. Set aside off the heat. Mash the tomatoes with a fork. Stir the tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, water, salt and pepper together. Add to the chile powder in the saucepan. Set over medium heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 mins. Adjust seasonings. Use the metal blade of the food processor to mince cilantro. Stir into the sauce after the sauce has finished cooking. Store refrigerated.

Makes about 4 cups.

Seafood Empanaditas

appetizers, mexican

2 puff pastry sheets; thawed

Seafood Filling:

2 4 1/2 oz. shrimp; OR 1 7 1/2 oz. crabmeat 2 eggs, hard-boiled; chopped 1/4 cup green onion; sliced 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Mix together seafood fillling. Let rest.

Roll out 1 pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13 inch square. Cut out 30 rounds. Place about 1 tablespoon filling on each. Moisten edges with water; fold in half, pressing edges with fork to seal. Transfer empanadita to an ungreased large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile,make more empanaditas with remaining pastry sheet and filling. Bake in same manner. Serve warm.

Filling:

Drain the shrimp or crab, flaking the crabmeat. Combine with eggs, green onion, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season to taste with cayenne and salt. Makes 130 2" empanaditas

Empanaditas can be formed (but not baked) 1 week ahead. Freeze in 1 layer in shallow baking pan, then transfer to sealed plastic bags and keep frozen. Bake frozen empanaditas 30 mins.

Yield: 60 servings