Fun Recipes

Baja Crab Salad in a Tortilla Cornucopia

(Catersource Magazine Cover Photo Winner!)

Baja Crab Salad:

1 C  Cajun Mayonnaise (recipe to follow)

2 #  Lump Crab

¼ C  Cilantro, chopped

¼ C  Celery, minced

Zest of 1 lime

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Lightly Mix all ingredients together.

 

Cajun Mayonnaise:

3  Egg Yolks

3 C  Salad Oil

2 T  Chipotle Pepper Puree

3  Poblano Peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and pureed

¼ t  Cumin

¼ t  Coriander

Zest of Juice of 1 lime

Salt and Pepper to taste

Add lime zest and juice to the egg yolks; slowly add the oil while whisking. Use water to adjust the consistency (if necessary). Add the remaining ingredients and finish with salt and pepper.

 

Tortilla Cornucopia:

Cut cheddar jalapeno and spinach tortillas into triangles. Spray #6 plain tip metal piping tip with cooking spray. Wrap tortilla triangle around the tip, spray outside of tortilla with cooking spray, and then secure with another tip over the tortilla. Bake at 325 until crispy. 

Assemble the final product: Fill the tortilla cornucopias with crab salad. Garnish with chives or cilantro micro greens.

Sweet Potato & Zucchini Latkes With Cajun Shrimp Salad

Latkes:

1 Large Sweet Potato - peeled & grated
¾ C Grated Zucchini
½ Medium Size Onion
2 Eggs
1 ½ T Flour
½ t Baking Powder
2t Salt
½ t Pepper

In a blender add your eggs and blend while adding the onions and then the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth then pour into a bowl and stir in the grated zucchini. In a non-stick skillet with a little salad oil, fry one tablespoon of batter on medium heat for each lakte for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from heat and place latkes on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Top with cajun shrimp salad (recipe below) and Fresh Cilantro. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Cajun Shrimp Salad:

1 pound Cooked & Peeled Shrimp
1 minced Shallot
2T minced Celery
½ C Mayonnaise
½ Chipotle Pepper
2T chopped Fresh Cilantro
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all together and chill.

Strawberry Supreme

2 pints strawberries with stems removed and then cut into quarters
1 C Sour Cream
½ C Brown Sugar
2 T Amaretto Liqueur
Granola

Mix all ingredients except the granola together. Top mixture with Granola. Depending on your taste, you can add more Amaretto Liqueur

Mix all together and chill.

Caesar Salad Dressing

2 egg yolks
1-2 t Minced Garlic
5-7 anchovy filets
2 T Worcheshire Sauce
3 T Red Wine Vinegar
Juice of one lemon
1 T Dijon Mustard
1 t Black Pepper
2/3 C Parmesan Cheese
1 ½ C Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Place all ingredients in a blender except the oil and puree until smooth. While mixing, slowly add the oil through the top of blender opening. Season with to taste with salt and pepper. Make any adjustments to your own liking.

Corn and Crab Chowder

¼ lb. Bacon
1 Diced Red Pepper
½ Diced Onion
1 Diced Carrot
1 T Minced Garlic
2 Chopped Red Potatoes
6 Cups Fish Stock
1 ½ Cups Cream
1/4 lb. Fresh Crab Meat
1 ½ C Corn
3 Shakes of Red Pepper flakes
1 Bay Leaf
Skim milk
Cornstarch

Dice raw bacon and place in soup pot. Cook over mediuem heat until crisp. Add red pepper and onion and saute about 3 minutes. Add garlic and potatoes and Sauté for another 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over veggies. Stir and let cook for a few minutes. Add in fish stock and cream. Cook for a few minutes and then use a hand mixer to puree the soup just a little in order to thicken. Add crab and heat over medium for about 10 minutes. Add corn, red pepper flakes, and Bay leaf. Salt and pepper to taste. (If soup is too thick, you can thin it by adding a little skim milk. If soup is too thin, you can thicken it by adding a little bit of cornstarch mixed with water. Add only a little at a time and bring the soup back to a boil each time to see how far it is thickening.)

Italian Sausage and Cheese filled Mushrooms

As Seen in the Junior League of Omaha's
"Toast to Omaha Cookbook"
(Serves 10-12)

1 lb. Ground Italian Sausage, cooked, drained, & crumbled

1 lb. cream cheese, softened

2 T Garlic Powder

2 T Onion Powder

1 C Parmesan Cheese

1/2 C Breadcrumbs

2 T Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Salt and Pepper to Taste

20-30 Large Mushroom Caps  

In a medium bowl combine sausage, cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, parmesan, breadcrumbs, and basil. Taste mixture and season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pull the stems out of the mushrooms and fill the caps with 2-3 Tablespoons of the mixture. Place on a baking sheet (mixture side up) and bake for 20 minutes.  Serve Warm.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

¼ Cup oil

1 Tbl. minced garlic

2 chopped portobellos

3.2 oz. chopped shitakes

10 oz. chopped button mushrooms

1 lg. onion diced

2 pcs. celery diced

1 lg. carrot diced

½ Cup flour

1 teaspoon thyme (fresh preferred)

4 cups Chicken stock (3 ¾ Cups hot water with ¼ Cup chicken consommé)

1 Bay Leaf

2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Add oil and garlic to high heat in large soup pot.  Wait for smoke and then add all veggies and mushrooms.  Let reduce.  Sprinkle with flour.  Stir and heat a few minutes. Add thyme, Chicken stock and Bay leaf.  Add cream and bring to boil. Once soup comes to a boil, check the consistency.  You can only truly tell how thick it is after it has been brought to a boil.  If it needs to be thicker, add cornstarch/water mixture (more cornstarch than water).  Pour a little of the cornstarch mixture at a time and then let the soup boil again to check true thickness.  Add fresh cracked pepper. Remove bay leaf.  Add salt if needed (consommé will usually have enough salt so you should not have to add much salt).  Serve and Enjoy!