Spicy Watermelon Gezpacho

      Summertime . . . and the livin is easy.  I lie, it's not, it's tourist season here in Charleston, that means, busy, busy, busy for those of us in the hospitality industry.  It's ok though, because summer is full of many of my favorite foods.
There are of course peaches, strawberries, squash, lovely corn, sweet onions and a plethora of peppers.  Tomatoes are high on my list of the amazing things I love about summer.  In fact I made an awesome tomato pie last night.  (It's a food network recipe, so check out the link)  The thing that I truly can't resist about summer are the melons.  They are sweet and fragrant and oh so lovely.
      I have been getting in beautiful small sweet seedless watermelon from GrowFood Carolina  that have simply amazing flavor-- diced it up for a salad and took a piece to my General Manager to try.  Before eating it he asks what I did to it:  Did I pickle it? (yes pickled melon is awesome) or maybe I salted it, or tossed it in a light vinaigrette?  Nope-  I just diced it up and brought over a piece of heaven.  It's hard to improve upon, I dare say, but when you have simply had your fill this is a great little recipe to try.
      This gazpacho is fun because combines a lot of these wonderful flavors you get in the summer.  It takes the sweetness of the watermelon and puts it in contrast with the heat of a few nice jalapenos (maybe you've been growing these in your garden) and then for a little added surprise at the end I use Blenheim's, a local spicy ginger ale to add a little more kick and to give it a little sparkle on your tongue.  And because it is just packed with flavor I will usually just serve a small bit of it to wet the appetite, maybe even add some spiced rum to make it into a delicious summer shot for your garden party!
      The method on this is pretty simple, really it's all about picking the right ingredients- go to your local farmer's market and remember as far as flavor goes, bigger isn't always better, there is a lot more sweetness packed into those small melons than the big boys.  So basically you are going to combine everything and puree.  If you have an immersion blender those work great, and you can just do it all at once in a big bowl, otherwise you will have to do smaller batches in the blender then mix it all together at the end.
2 lbs watermelon-rind removed and roughly chopped (one small one should do the trick)
1 quart strawberries, stems removed
3 cucumbers-peeled and seeded
2  jalapenos (I usually remove the seeds from one and leave them in the other, gives the perfect amount of heat and flavor
1 small red onion, sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped mint
1 TBS honey
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1 TBS salt
1 tsp black pepper
      So puree it, chill it and serve it.  I like putting it into glasses and finishing the whole thing with a 2 to 1 ratio, two parts gezpacho and one part gingerale.   This, you guys, is going to blow your minds!

New Orleans

      I am currently on a vacation, which has afforded me the time to write again after a long absence, though hopefully I will be able to more frequently with my new schedule.  I am in New Orleans, staying in the French Quarter with my sister.  She is here for a business meeting, though which leaves me to my own devices most of the day.  So after sleeping in as long as I could I hit the streets for breakfast.  I did not google any restaurants, or use tripadvisor nor yelp or urbanspoon:  I simply walked.  I wandered for about an hour pressing my head to darkened windows of restaurants only open for dinner, reading menus, watching for the crowded dining rooms that indicates some good grub.  Sometimes as I walked I would spot someone with the right look: the shoes, the pants, the walk, you can always tell-- another cook.  These people I would see and would wonder if they spotted me too.  I don't have my clogs on, but my arms carry the battle scars of many hot saute pans or forgotten food in the oven.  I stop a few of them- because these guys are the ones who know where the real good food is. 
      One of these such gentleman points me to the IHOP, because I'm obviously a tourist, and wouldn't know real food if it hit me in the face, but when I ask for a local place he points me to The Ruby Slipper- a cafe with some nice home town charm.  I had a corned beef hash benedict over a biscuit instead of an english muffin.  (sorry I didn't get a picture, I was hungry!)
      Day two of my trip started out much the same, though in a different section of town.  Aimless wondering took me all over the financial district and I saw several great places for lunch, but nothing that really jumped out at me for breakfast.  After about an hour and a half, about to give up and just wait another 45 min until the lunch places opened up the rain started. 
I found myself in a little alley/hallway to get out of the rain when I realized that there was a restaurant back there through a screen door at the end of that hallway "The best kept secret in New Orleans"  Hobnobbers was the locals hole in the wall place I had been looking for.  After a warm greeting from an older gentleman I was pointed to a counter behind which two older ladies were taking orders and cooking up a fabulous breakfast.  I just wanted something simple- the hash brown plate would do. When it's ready it comes out on a paper plate with a beautiful golden brown biscuit, delicious potatoes and a perfectly over easy egg.  It was lovely: Sitting at my little corner table listening to the day's gossip and the happenings of a town that's not home with a plate of delicious food and my book, avoiding the rain. 

Roasted Corn and Jicima Salad

       Tired of the same old vegetables in your salads, and on your table? How about try something new! For those of you that have never had Jicima it is a root that is crunchy like an apple, but not sweet, it has a finish similar to a watercress that has just a little bit of bite. You can cook it, but I prefer to use it for crudite or in in a salad.  I love these type of salads this time of year because it just makes me feel like spring is in the air!  And what better way to celebrate spring, and this lovely vegetable than with the Latin American flavors that we find where this delicious root comes from.  Let's Begin with the dressing shall we?

Jalapeno Lime Viniagrette

1 Jalapeno- Roasted-  put in a pan under the broiler turning on a regular basis to char the outside.  Once it is charred put in a container covered to let it finish cooking itself while you are getting the other ingredients together.  Next you will need

Zest and Juice of 1 Lime

1 Tsp Shallot, minced

1 TBS rice wine vinegar

1 TBS honey

1/4 tsp ground cumin

pinch of salt and pepper

puree all of this (including the jalapeno, seed it if you don't want the heat) together then slowly  drizzle in

1 cup salad oil to make an emulsified dressing

For the salad itself you are going to need 

1 Jicima root- Peel it and then cut it into a fat matchstick shape about 1/4 inch square by 1 1/2 inches long

1 ear of corn,  roasted then the kernels removed- you can roast this similarly to the jalapeno, just rub it down with a little bit of oil salt and pepper then put it in the oven under the broiler, turn it as it begins to brown just a bit and then let it cool and cut the kernels off the cob. 

1/4 red onion, julienne

1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded and diced

1 TBS roughly chopped cilantro
Toss it in about half the dressing and then add a little bit until it has enough moisture.  I like to save the rest of the dressing to put on whatever greens I use to go under the salad.   Hope you enjoy this delicious, fresh way to ring in spring!

Curry Chicken Salad

      Chicken Salad is a simple enough treat and done right it is a low fat, high protein snack.  This one is a twist on a southern favorite, Curry Chicken Salad.  Many people make this salad with cream cheese and sour cream or mayonnaise, but for our purposes we will use the ever versatile greek yogurt.  Also, for another cheat I used canned chicken.  It saves time, shreds nicely and has a good texture without being dry.  Otherwise I really like using grilled chicken thigh meat.  It's juicy, though a little higher in fat.
      Before you start mixing everything together lightly toast
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Let them cool as you mix all the other ingredients:
1- 12 oz can cooked chicken breast, drained
2 TBS Preserves (I like using mango chutney, but as I didn't have any I used apricot preserves.  Orange Marmalade works really well too)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 tsp Sweet Curry Powder- Penzey's  is my favorite place to get spices, they are usually salt free and extremely flavorful.  If you like a little more heat to yours try out any of the hotter varieties
1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger OR 1/2 tsp ground ginger powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
2 TBS Mayonnaise   (I add the mayo for the mouth feel, but if you prefer just do 1/2 cup of greek yogurt)
and of course once your almonds are cooled add them in.  When you first mix it together it won't have much color, but as it sits it will get bright yellow from the tumeric in the curry powder. 
I like having it in lettuce wraps, or just scooped on crackers.  And it's really good with toasted coconut on top too. 

Krys- sorry this took so long to get up.  I've been working too much, as usual.  Love you!

Cowboy Steaks

      There are times in life when you just need a big hunk of meat.  For me it's not often, but when I want a steak I don't want a dinky little filet, fat is what makes steaks taste good and filets just don't have enough.  I do like my flank steak, but usually I prefer flank in something like tacos, and flat irons are popular, but they are so hard to judge the temperature. Porterhouse steaks are nice, but you are paying for bone just as much as for the meat, and you might as well just buy a strip.  For me, though, there are really only two kinds of steak I really love.  Both are PERFECT for this recipe.  I love Ribeyes, and actually I love sirloin.  Ribeyes to me are the perfect
 combination of meat marbled with delicious fat that makes for juicy flavorful awesomeness.  The sirloin is very flavorful (and a little more lean, if that is what you are looking for)  but for me it is more about the emotion it evokes than anything else.  When we were young my dad would bring a big slab of sirloin home, about 3lbs an inch and a half to two inches thick.  We would grill it up whole to a beautiful perfect medium rare then slice it for us all to share.  I really do feel that often the memory that food evokes does more for the meal than the flavors (remember Ego from Ratatoullie and how the perfect meal reminded him of mom?)
      So the message here is pick your favorite steak.  You want something big (because evidently all cowboys are from Texas and everyone knows that everything is bigger in Texas).  Usually I go with 16 oz or bigger.  First you are going to marinade it for at least 4 hours, and as long as overnight.  I put my marinades in a bag so that I can squeeze all the air out and have less liquid covering the meat.  Mix together
1/2 cup whiskey
1/2 cup salad oil
4 sprigs thyme
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
1 TBS Salt
1 TBS cracked black pepper
put everything in a ziplock bag along with the steaks.  squish everything around so that the steaks are completely coated. After it has hung out for a bit and becomes super awesome you will need to start up your grill and make your rub.  The rub is a little bit of fun and inspired by ingredients that a cowboy might carry with them on the trail.  Spices like chili powder combined with herbs and coffee grinds- The coffee is important here, it really helps with the flavor.  I use my mortar and pestal and grind together
2 Tbs Coffee beans or grinds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1 tsp dry thyme
 if you don't have a mortal and pestal a coffee grinder works great.  Once everything is finely ground add
2 Tbs kosher salt (or if you have it sea salt)
1 Tbs chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbs  brown sugar

Remove the steaks from the marinade and rub them down with a good amount of your spices.  Next onto the grill!  Use something that will get a bit of smoke on the steaks.  If you have a charcoal grill they have all sorts of wood flavored charcoal.  If you are working with a gas grill get some wood chips (follow the directions on the bag) and make a smoke pouch to get that extra flavor.  I always prefer my steaks medium rare, but obviously cook it how you like.  Don't forget to let it rest before you cut into it so that you don't loose all the juices.  In the end you will have an extra delicious, extra awesome steak. 

Strawberry Champagne Salad

      Another recipe for Valentines. And another recipe borrowed from   my honey.  Traditional foods for the 14th always seem to be strawberries and champagne.  This recipe is fun because he uses actual champagne and not just champagne vinegar.  The Champagne adds just a little bit of effervescence to the dressing. Simple, light and refreshing, it's sure to please!
      Start by getting your ingredients together in a bowl to toss.
Arugula - a couple of handfuls (remember it's just for two) the arugula is spicy and isn't overly crunchy-  Because what we really want to hear at the dinner table for a romantic meal is the crunching of lettuce.  right?
Strawberries- I like a lot, about 1 cup of sliced strawberries.  Keep a few out on the side to top the salad with
Crumbled Gorgonzola - the distinct flavors in the blue cheese pair well with the strawberries and champagne and contrasts nicely with the spicy arugula.
Finally make the dressing- you will want to do this at the last minute so that you don't loose the bubbles, plus you might as well just put the bottle on the table.  In a small bowl whisk together
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
2 TBS honey
1/4 tsp pink peppercorns, ground
pinch salt
then slowly whisk in
1/2 cup salad oil and finish with
a splash champagne
drizzle a small amount into the salad and toss until well coated, adding more if you need it.  Build your salads up on plates so that they are nice and tall then top with a few more pieces of strawberry.  A great way to start a special meal, or any meal for that matter!

Coleman Public House

Ahi Tuna Salad

      Got an evening off work, and to be honest I really didn't feel like cooking anything today.  I've just been far too tired.  Instead I went and saw Les Mis with my mother today and then we went out for "lunch" around 3 this afternoon.  We went to one of our haunts and as always had a lovely meal and a great time. 
      While I call it one of our "haunts" Coleman Public House isn't a place we go once a week, or even a month (although we would like to) we are usually just to busy to go out very often, but if you happen to be in Mount Pleasant and are looking for a laid back meal of absolutely delicious food it's a great place to check out.  According to my husband they have a great beer selection of local and international beers-- get a flight a great way to try some new beers.  Not to mention the bar is roomy for a nice gathering with friends. 

      The food, though, is what keeps bringing me back.   They have burgers and pizzas as well as some southern specialties.  But there is also a bit of Asian fusion on the menu.  The Asian Glazed Rib appetizer is always fabulous, and honestly I have yet to have anything there I didn't like.  Still I have my favorite.  The Fungi Burger.  I have a slight addiction to mushrooms and when you add truffle oil, caramelized onions and a beautiful medium rare burger, not to mention those garlic fries. . . well it's a little addictive. 
      So check it out.  Have some fun and eat some yummy food.