So we went to the Farmers Market on Saturday morning and picked up a big ol’ mess of Blueberries ( I always wanted to say that). My intention was to make a pie with them but my wife Ann also wanted a blackberry pie. We had already left the market at that point so when we went to the grocery store later that day I picked up a small package of fresh blackberries. There wasn’t enough to make a whole pie but I remember seeing a few people online using jelly jars to cook pies in. As my mother has been making her own jelly for as long as I can remember, we have quite a few empty jelly jars around the house. In this house jelly is like plastic cups, you don’t buy them in a store. We get jelly from my parent’s house and plastic cups from Mardi Gras parades.
These were really easy to make, I just kinda eye balled the measurements based on my recipe for Blueberry Pie. A little flour for thickening, sugar for sweetness, a little lemon zest for zing and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I also add just a touch of maldon sea salt to bring out the blackberry flavor. I lined 3 jars with pie dough and filled each with the blackberry mixture. I topped with just a dab of butter and a round of pie dough cut out with the jar lid. I cut a slit in the top for steam to escape and put them in the freezer till ready to bake. I baked one at 350 for about 40 minutes. Once cool I put it back in the fridge for later.
Ann ate this one last night while I was at the Wine Country Bistro / La Seafood benefit dinner. From what she says and seeing the empty jar on the counter it was a hit. At least I have two more in the freezer. 
Got my copy about two weeks a go at a local bookstore. This concept is interesting but I am still going through it. Looking forward to what the other issues cover as well as the soon to be released IPad app.
I made these this past weekend for a small get together we had with friends. This is probably the third time I have made this recipe and I think every time I put a different twist on it
The recipe is based on one I saw in Saveur magazine awhile back. I fried these just once at 350 for about 6-8 minutes. For the sauce I added equal parts chile paste and ketchup(Americanized this),omitted the sesame oil and added a little bit more rice wine vinegar. Since last Thursday I have been battling a summer cold and sinus headaches. After eating a plate full of these, standing outside in the Louisiana heat to fry them and drinking a cold beer or two (okay several) I pretty much cured myself
I have made this dish a couple of times recently and it really hits the spot for a weekday meal when you do not have a lot of time or want to eat something light. You can add or subtract any of of the veggies called for in this dish if you like. Some good additions would be tomatoes, thinly sliced fennel bulb, yellow squash,corn,roasted red peppers,etc……you get the picture.
All you need to to is boil a box of your favorite pasta, I prefer Fettuccine or Linguine. While pasta is cooking,thinly slice some red cabbage, zucchini and carrots. Place veggies in separate bowls and season with salt and pepper. Once pasta is done drain but set aside about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. In a large skillet bring the pasta water to a boil and add some chopped garlic, dried or fresh basil, dried or fresh thyme and a few red chile flakes. Add the pasta and the veggies and toss to combine and warm through. Taste for seasonings and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if desired. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and you are ready to eat.
You will notice there are no measurements (besides water) in this recipe. Everything is to your preference and individual taste. How easy is that.
Some tips though :
- For added flavor boil the pasta in a mixture of water and chicken or vegetable stock.
- Do not be tempted to steam the veggies especially the cabbage, it loses some of the crunch you want and intensifies the “cabbage smell”
- Place zucchini and yellow squash (if using) on paper towels after salting to absorb some of the moisture that will leak out.
For your Friday viewing pleasure. This is a recipe I created for the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board’s Seafood Fitness promotion. If you don’t want to do a wrap you could also make into a salad and use those pre-baked tortilla shells for taco salads.
Go here for the Recipe. Enjoy
These are grilled on one side then used to make a sandwich with mozzarella, basil mayo and Parmesan.
Here is my latest creation for the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board,its been awhile since the last one but there are lots more to come.
Head on over to their Facebook Page for the recipe or their main site.
Charred Corn – Piquillo Peppers – Pearl Couscous – Parsley – Garlic – Basil Mayo
About a month ago when I closed my coffee shop, I took some freshly ground espresso and added it to a mason jar filled with canola oil. I let this sit in my pantry, shaking it occasionally. Today I strained out the espresso grinds and marinated two Rib-eyes with the espresso oil, garlic and dried basil. I will marinate them for about 24 hours and then throw them on the grill. We’ll see how they turn out
