Great Green Gobs of Guacamole - Avocado Soup with Shrimp

Have you ever had left over guacamole?  OK, I don't ever have any left over either.  But for the sake of argument, let's just say, hypothetically, that you did.  Wanna know something delicious you can make with left over guac?

A delectable cold Avocado soup which is even better when swirled with Creme Fraiche, dotted with Shrimp and sprinkled with Chives.  Sounds pretty good doesn't it?  Yeah, I thought so too, so I actually had to make a 2nd a batch of Guacamole just so I could make this quick and simple soup.  (Cause the other full batch didn't survive)  Honestly, it worked out better, since I dropped the Tabasco and Cumin from this second batch. 

Chilled Avocado Soup

1 cup Guacamole (about 1/2 batch, minus the Cumin and Tabasco)
1 1/4 cup Buttermilk
4 oz Ice Water
8 oz Clam Juice
1 TB Lime Juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
Creme Fraiche
Sauteed Shrimp
Chives

Simply place the Guacamole, Buttermilk, Ice Water, Clam Juice and Lime Juice in the blender.

Puree until smooth.

Pour into bowls and swirl with Creme Fraiche, then place sauteed Shrimp on top.

Sprinkle with Chives if desired.

Mangia!!
~~

Beat the Heat With Buckwheat - Soba Dressed in Ginger & Lime

It's hot!  I don't like hot. Hot makes me sweat, which makes me uncomfortable.  Hot makes it harder to breath, which makes me uncomfortable.  Hot gives me a sunburn, which makes me really uncomfortable.  Hot makes me grumpy, which makes others uncomfortable.  Hot suppresses my appetite, which makes me more grumpy, cause I don't like being suppressed, and neither does my appetite.   But, I have found a solution to all this uncomfortable suppression, with a nice cold pasta dish.

This is not your conventional "pasta" salad.  Nope.  Believe it or not, I find most "Pasta Salads" to be over laden with "stuff" and that makes them too heavy to eat when it's hot.  Ironic, no?  But Japanese pasta/noodles are a little different.  They are much more delicate in texture, so they do not respond well to heavy mayonnaise or sour cream based dressings.  They also don't react well to the overabundance of adjuncts with which their Italian brethren are often assailed.  One must treat them with a lighter touch, thus making the "salad", if you want to call it that, much more light and refreshing.

I have recently stocked my cupboards with a variety of noodles from the familiar Thai Rice Sticks (Mai Fun) to Japanese Soba (Buckwheat) and Somen to Chinese Mein and Fun See (Mung Bean).  All of which are destined for cold noodle applications in an effort to "beat the heat".

This brings up an interesting point.  When Pasta (being Italian Semolina Noodles) is served cold, it's usually considered a "pasta salad".  So if you serve Asian noodles cold, is that considered a salad as well...?  a noodle salad?  or is it just "cold noodles"?  Inquiring minds want to know.

Today, I chose to keep it simple with a Ginger-Lime dressing over Japanese Soba (Buckwheat noodles) with a few Green Onions thrown in for some crunch.  I love just about anything made with buckwheat; like Galette à l'Oeuf or Crepes Flambé with Maple; but I especially love buckwheat noodles, like Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinesi.  However, there is NO way I am gonna try to make THAT in this heat... That is definitely a winter-time dish.  Now, with Soba on the menu, I can enjoy the unparalleled deliciousness of buckwheat even in the heat of summer

Soba in Ginger-Lime Dressing

3 TB Lime Juice
2 TB finely grated Ginger
2 TB Peanut or Light Olive Oil
1 1/2 TB Tamari
1 TB Sesame Oil
2 tsp Honey
3-4 drops Hot Chili Oil
4-6 Green Onions, sliced on the bias
6 oz Soba (Japanese Buckwheat Noodles) which was 2 bundles out of a package

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot set over high heat. (do not Salt the water)

Combine Lime Juice, Ginger, Peanut Oil, Tamari, Sesame Oil, Honey and Chili Oil in a small bowl.

Whisk until homogeneous and set aside.

Slice the Green Onions on the bias into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces, set aside.

When water boils, drop the Soba into the water.

Cook for 3 minutes (I know the package says 4, but 3 minutes is plenty) then drain and spray with cold water to stop the cooking and cool them off;  allow the water to drain completely.

Place noodles in a bowl.

Drizzle with the dressing.... (re-whisk the dressing if necessary)

Toss to coat well.

Add the Green Onions.....

Toss again...

Serve.

Great tasting and good for you... Buckwheat contains a full set of biologically available essential amino acids, which puts it on par with Soy.  Unlike Soy however, Buckwheat doesn't require over-processing (Tofu) or fermentation (Tempeh & Miso, mmmmmm Miso) to convert it into a beneficial food.  Buckwheat is also rich in Iron, Zinc and Selenium as well as the antioxidant Rutin.  Most importantly, at least in this case, it's cold.

The really think the world needs more Buckwheat... I'm just sayin'

Mangia!!
~~

Hot Soup, Literally - Tom Kha Het

It has been a surprisingly wet and cold summer so far.  Oh, there have been a few hot days here and there, in particular around the 4th of July.  But for the most part, it has been chilly and wet.  To me, cool and damp means soup time.

Soup has the extraordinary ability to warm the cockles of your heart.  This particular soup, however, has the power to warm you from head to toes with it's chili laced goodness.  I speak of the luxurious Tom Kha, basically Coconut Galangal Soup.  Granted you can make it with Chicken (Tom Kha Kai) or Seafood (Tom Kha Thale) and even Amy's Organics makes a vegetable version (Tom Kha Phak), but I prefer the much more subtle flavor of mushrooms, thus this is Tom Kha Het.

It's truly a delightful soup.  Creamy, gingery deliciousness permeated with the tang of lime and lemon grass and laced with the fruity heat of Thai Chilies.  OK, now I am hungry again... so I am gonna sneak another bowl.  Be right back.

Tom Kha Het

(Coconut Galangal Mushroom soup)

2 cups Chicken Stock (or Vegetable)
2 cans Coconut Milk, divided
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 oz Lemongrass, sliced thinly
2 Kaffir Lime Leaves, sliced thinly and divided
4 dried Thai Chilies, seeds removed and thinly sliced
1 inch Galangal, sliced, or rather chipped
2 oz White Onion, diced
4 oz Carrot, cut on the bias
6 oz Napa Cabbage, shredded
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced (if using straw mushrooms, don't slice them)
1 can of Baby Corns, cut into thirds
Juice of 2 Limes
2 TB Nam Pla (Fish Sauce)
1/2 oz Cilantro Leaves

First you need to chop and slice everything up, cause this is a quick soup.

Combine Garlic, Lemongrass, 1/2 of the shredded Lime leaves, Thai Chilies and Galangal in a medium saucepan.

Add Chicken Stock and 1 can of the Coconut Milk.

Place over medium flame and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Strain the "broth" into a larger pot to remove the woody Lemon grass and Galangal.

Add the remaining can of Coconut Milk and bring back to a simmer again.

Once the broth is simmering, add the Onion, Carrot, Napa Cabbage, remaining Kaffir Lime leaves and Mushrooms.

Cover and simmer for an additional 15 minutes to cook the vegetables.

Add Baby Corns and simmer 2 minutes longer to warm them through.

Finish off with Lime Juice

and Nam Pla.

Spoon into a bowl and serve with a sprinkling of Cilantro leaves.

Mangia!!
~~

Blimey! It's Limey - Key Lime Gelato

Well, it has happened.  Puppy is now 12 weeks old, or about 3 months. I was reading the "New" aging article.  You know how they use to say that every year your dog aged it was the equivalent of 7 human years.  Well they have decided that those ratios are incorrect.  The new figures state that when I brought him home at 2 months, he was about 14 months old in human years.  By the time he is 6 months old he will be the equivalent of a 5 year old.  Thus I have computed that since he is 3 months old he is somewhere around the terrible 2's.  Oye. 

Needless to say I have even less time in the kitchen.  Oh, he is very good and sits by the back door, for about 5 minutes.  Once he becomes bored with that he wants to go "outside" every 5 minutes or starts tormenting the cats. (Don't get me started on the "barking" as soon as I get on the phone.)  LOL

So when I was in the mood for ice cream, I had to think fast.  I had seen a quick ice cream on TV, but I could not remember who actually did it.  All I could remember was that their was about 1/2 cup of juice, 1 cup of Confecctioners' Sugar and 2 cups of heavy whipping cream.  That was good enough for me.

The interesting part of this method is that you whip the whole thing together, to incorporate air, then toss it in the freezer.  The idea is the same as making traditional ice cream with a dasher, which incorporates the air, and ice, just a little less hands on.  Perfect when you are in a hurry.

So, if you are ready to embark upon a no fuss no muss path to Iced "whipped" Cream deliciousness, this one is a winner.  Granted, the texture is a little more like an Ice Milk, but I like a slightly "icy" texture to my ice cream.   I find it more refreshing., especially since I am making Key Lime.  YUM. 

My only regret is that I did not save out a slice of lime for a garnish... oops.  It simply takes too many key limes to get 1/2 cup of juice.  Alas, there were none left.

Key Lime Iced Whipped Cream

1/2 cup (4 oz) Key Lime Juice (about 12 limes)
Zest of 3 Key Limes
1 cup Confectioners' Sugar
2 cups Heavy Cream

Simply combine the Key Lime juice and zest in a bowl.

Add Confectioners' Sugar....

Whisk until the Sugar dissolves completely.

Add the Heavy Cream.

Begin whisking until the Heavy Cream becomes sort of thick and flowing, not completely stiff.  I like to call it "Zshuzshy", though I have no idea how to spell that.  ;)

Pour into a container, cover and freeze for at least 8 hours.

Place a few ginger snaps in a zip lock bag and get all medieval on them with a rolling pin. (turn them into powder)

Place the resulting pulverized cookie powder in a shallow dish and grab a champagne coup.

Rub the rim of the coup with some lime or lemon juice and dip it into the cookie dust.

Scoop some of the delicious iced Whipped Cream into the glass, and sprinkle with the ginger snap powder.  Delish!

Mangia!!
~~

Studio 54 Resurrected - Midori Sour

Its 1978. Bell bottom jeans were still in, though they would soon be replaced by peg leg jeans by Jordache and Lawman. Grease was "The Word", but Jaws 2 and Piranha were scaring people out of the water again.

Jimmy Carter signed 2 bills. One authorizing the minting of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar, and the other legalizing Home-Brewing of Beer. (Thank God)

Sadly, Harvy Milk is assassinated in San Francisco, but the general population is also breathing a sigh of relief as the Son of Sam is convicted.

Me? I was 9 years old, wearing bell-bottom jeans and being introduced to a dairy goat for the first time (we moved to the farm in late September of '77) My Summer days were drifting away, though I was a little too young for "those Summer Nights". I would be busy catching polliwogs or creating a bow out of string and a vine maple stick.

New York, however, Studio 54 was throwing a launch party for an unnaturally green, somewhat overly sweet, muskmelon liqueur from Japan. Suntory's Midori.

I have mentioned my increasing disappointment, in previous cocktail posts, regarding the lack of skill required to be a bartender now days. The exorbitant prices charged for 2 squirts from a gun containing as many as 8 different high fructose corn syrup laden products. So in the spirit (Ha ha) of saving you from that nasty bottled sweet and sour mix, here is the original recipe for a Midori Sour, using real Lemon, Lime and Soda water. As it originally was made before laziness and profit-philia set in to the local bar scene.

I will admit, this is going to be more sour than what is usually offered at your local "watering hole"; but this can be tempered by the addition of a sugared rim, just like on an Amaretto Sour. This leaves the sugar consumption up to the drinker's discretion. A good practice, but I was making this for a confirmed sour puss ---- Me. So I left it off. :)

Midori Sour

Sugared Rim, if desired.
2 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1 Jigger (1 1/2 oz) Midori
5 oz Club Soda or Seltzer

Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and rim the glass if you like.

Juice the lemon and strain 2 oz into a measuring cup (I know, I should be using 2 ponies, but I was only making one drink and doing it on the fly)

Juice the lime and add 1 oz to the measuring cup. (I removed the zest to save for a Mother's Day project)

Add a jigger of Midori (1.5 oz) to the measuring cup.

Pour over the ice in the shaker, cover and shake until well chilled.

Strain into the cocktail glass.

Pour seltzer up to the rim (about 5 oz), then stir gently with a spoon.

Garnish with a Lemon Slice and a Cherry (which I didn't have)

Deliciously tart, sure to quench your thirst on the hottest summer day!

Cin Cin!!
~~