Cool As a Cucumber - Minted Cucumber Soup

I really don't deal with heat all that well.  How I survived 13 years in San Diego and 2 years in Palm Springs, I will never know.  Though there were a couple times, in the Coachella Valley, when the temperature was above 115, that I seriously contemplated filling the bathtub with ice and taking a long soak. I think it stems from the heat exhaustion I experienced one summer while helping a family friend re-roof their house in the middle of August.  Looking back, I see that it probably wasn't the BEST time of year to take on a project like that, but what did I know, I was only 17. 

The point is, that I start becoming uncomfortably warm at 75 degrees.... by 80, I am pretty miserable.....  at 85 degrees Ugh!, at 90 degrees somebody just needs to shoot me now and put me out of my misery. 

Conversely, I run around in 45 degree weather wearing a T-shirt and no jacket.  So I guess my comfortable temperature zone has just shifted slightly to the lower registers.

Be that as it may, the temperature has been in the 80s for the last couple weeks, thus I have begun to crave foods that cool me down on the inside.  Salads are at the top of the list in weather like this however, I have found that I can only consume so much salad before it begins to shred the edges of my sanity.  Before the psychological damage is irreparable, I turn to things like Ceviche or Sushi (though sushi can be a little tricky at home).... Then there is the issue of JUST how much seafood one can stomach in a week.  That is when it's time for soup.  Yep, soup... 

I don't mean the hot, steamy, stick to your ribs kinds of soup that you consume during those cold months of the year.... I am talking about cold soups... Like Vichyssoise, Gazpacho and, of course, Minted Cucumber Soup. 

If you have followed this blog for any length of time, you will be fully aware of my love of Greek food...  In particular things like Sopa Avgo-Lemono (Egg-Lemon soup), which is also delicious when cold I might add, and that ever so evocative Tzatziki sauce that so lovingly adorns most Gyros.  Well, Minted Cucumber soup is really just a less viscous version of Tzatziki.  And that makes it Uber-Tasty.  Don't let the yogurt fool you, it sounds like it would be a heavy "Cream soup" texture, but it really isn't like that.  It's extremely light and refreshing.  The small amount of heavy cream sort of plays down the "lactic tang" of the yogurt, making a clear path for the clean brightness of the lemon juice and the cucumber. 

So the next time you need some cooling off, give this a try...  I am positive that you won't be disappointed.

Minted Cucumber Soup

24 oz Cucumbers
2 tsp fresh Dill, chopped
1 TB fresh Mint, chopped
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1/8 tsp White Pepper
1 TB Lemon Juice
1 TB Extra Virgin Olive oil
16 oz plain low fat Yogurt (preferably one without carageenan, locust bean gum, xanthan gum or pectin)
4 oz Heavy Cream

Peel the cucumbers and cut them into more managable chunks.

Slice each chunk in half lengthwise.

Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.

Deposit the seedless cucumber chunks into the bowl of your food processor or your blender.

Blitz the heck out of them until you have a nice watery puree, then move the puree to a serving bowl.

Finely chop the Dill and the Mint.

Add the chopped Herbs, Salt, White Pepper, Lemon juice and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Stir to combine.

Add the Yogurt and the Heavy Cream.

Whisk everything together well.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving.

Garnish if desired. (I like to save back a few slices of unpeeled cucumber and some mint tops to form a garnish)

Ahhhhhh....   The epitome of cool.

Mangia!!
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Crème de la Crème - Andes Crème de Menthe Cookies

I was thinking the other day that I really needed to work on another cookie post.  Cookies are not necessarily my forte, but Christmas is coming soon, which means cookie season is around the corner.  Yeppers, a big plate of miscellaneous cookies is an excellent thing to have lying around during the holiday season  (Chocolate truffles will be a later post)  and cookies always make great edible gifts as well.  I mean... WHO doesn't love cookies?

So this half-baked idea of writing another cookie post has been bouncing around in my head for about a week.  Fast forward to last night...   I was meandering through Safeway when spied the display for Andes mints.  They were on sale.  I use to love them when I was a kid, but not so much anymore.  However... Next to the display was one of those mail in rebate coupons stating "If you buy 2 you can mail in the receipt and the UPC labels and receive a coupon for a free box".  I thought that was pretty cool, and decided to grab a couple boxes, along with the coupon for the mail in offer.... I figured they would make great stocking stuffers for the kids.

Then Lo and Behold!! on the back of the mail in offer was a cookie recipe for Andes Surprise Pillow Cookies.   Hmmmmmmmmmmm  interesting... Even though cookies are not my strong suit, I adore any cookie that has something deliciously yummy inside... Like Sprytes Rolo Cookies or the Barry White Cookies that were a spin off of Spryte's Rolo Cookies... Then there were the Peanut Butter Cup Cookies... Oh yeah!   Good Stuff..

So I decided to give them a whacky whirl and see how they came out.  Won't lie to ya, after following their directions, I am already trying to figure out a better way to do it... Moving the second sheet of dough over the first (you will see what I am talking about) is a pain in the buttocks.  Other than that, the cookies were quite delicious.... even though I no longer care for those mints.

But I know a certain niece that will be EXTREMELY happy when I take her some tomorrow.  She adores Crème de Menthe Pie, so I am positive that she will love these cookies.  So while she is happily chomping down on little pillows of deliciousness, I will be bottling my first serious attempt at making Beer (and yes, that post is forthcoming. I still have 127 photos to finish editing... whew!)   LOL

Andes Crème de Menthe Cookies

(Andes Surprise Pillow Cookies)

1 cup (8 oz) (227 g) Unsalted Butter
1 cup (7 oz) (197 g) Granulated Sugar
3 cups (15 oz) (425 g) AP Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
49 Andes Mints (2 boxes)

Before you begin, it's a good idea to prep the mints... This means a lot of tedious unwrapping.  I suppose you could use them as is, but I don't think the wrapper would be particularly tasty.
So unwrap 49 of the mints.

This will leave you with 7 for your own consumption (one of the benefits of being the chef) 

OK, now that the mints are taken care of, let's make some cookies; Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and, like most cookie recipes, you need to start by creaming the Butter and Sugar until light and fluffy.

While the butter and sugar are creaming, whisk the Flour, Baking Powder and Salt together in a small bowl and set aside.

Add the Egg to the Butter/Sugar mixture and beat again, until fully emulsified.

Add Vanilla and mix again.

Now begin adding the Flour mixture to the Butter/Sugar/Eggs and mix until a soft dough is formed.

I found that the dough was climbing the beaters, so I went ahead and mixed the flour in by hand with a spatula.

It worked just fine, but it takes a little more elbow grease than the mixer does.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces (about 445g each)

Roll out the first piece of dough on a well floured surface into a 14 x 9 rectangle.

Begin laying out the mints in 7 rows of 7.

Making sure they are as evenly spaced as possible.

Then roll out the remaining half of the dough, using a piece of parchment so you can move it later, into a 14 x 9 rectangle.

Very carefully, move the resulting sheet over to the minted sheet and lay it down over the top. (this was the hard part I was talking about, cause the dough breaks REALLY easy)

Peel back the parchment and begin lightly pressing the dough together.

Cut with a pastry wheel, pizza cutter or a really sharp knife.

Move the cookies to a baking sheet with 2 inches between each cookie.

They said bake for 7-10 minutes (I needed the full 10 minutes) or until the cookies are lightly browned on the edges.

Move cookies to a rack and allow to cool. (the chocolate inside is REALLY hot, so don't get overzealous and burn the roof of your mouth like I did)

Once cooled they are safe to eat and enjoy!!!

Mangia!!
~~

Mixin' Mojito Mojo - Cuban Mojito

I think I missed my calling in life. I should have been a bartender in the early 1920's. There are just so many wonderful concoctions from that time. A time when cocktailing was a little more glitzy, more of an art form and bartenders didn't use glorified squirt guns to mix the drinks.

For there is truly no greater pleasure in the world than a well made cocktail. A plethora of sensory input to be thoroughly enjoyed by the eyes, the nose as well as the palate, unless you are trying to drink yourself "senseless" which seems to be the prevailing attitude in most bars now days... Enter the squirt gun.

Let's return to a more artistic time. After all, if one is going to consume "crazy water", then one should do it with style.

I would like to focus on that harbinger of summer, the Mojito. Hemmingway's favorite cooler in the Cuban heat. Granted, it's hard to get real Cuban rum here in the US, what with embargo and all, but there is one particular brand that is made in the same style. Ron Matusalem.

I forgo the more trendy Bacardi, Mount Gay, Captain Morgan and even my beloved Meyers for these are all made in the Jamaican or Barbados style. Yeah, it's a little obsessive, but for anyone who knows me, it's just par for the course.

The drink originated in Cuba and just as most regional foods across Europe pair well with regional wines, so too does this style of Rum better fit the cocktails origin. Enough of my OCD.

A well made mojito, with ANY white rum for that matter, is a joy to consume on a hot day. Lively and thirst-quenching with limey goodness, laced with a delicate sweetness all rounded off with that refreshing hint of cooling mint. And to top it all off, it's bubbly too. What more could one ask for when the mercury tops 100?

Mojito

There are 2 schools of thought when it comes to limes. On the one hand, you have the plain old Persian lime, the most prevalent in America. Which is fine, and what I will be using in this post since I don't have any Ron Matusalem rum either and have decided on Orinoco in the Brazilian Style.

But from what I have read, Key limes are indigenous to Cuba, which is my personal favorite, but due to the lack of Persian lime bitterness, one should add a shot of Angostura to the mix.


2 quarter wedges Persian Lime (or 2 Key Limes - Halved)
5-6 Fresh Mint Leaves
1 1/4 tsp Granulated Sugar
2 oz White Rum
Ice (preferably crushed)
Optional - Splash of Angostura bitters (only if using Key limes)
4 -5 oz Club Soda

Place the Sugar in the glass of your cocktail shaker.

Add mint leaves.

Use a muddler to lightly bruise the leaves and infuse the sugar with minty goodness. (Don't do that silly Bacardi commercial twisty thing with the muddler, cause you will shred the leaves and the drinker may choke, you can dance if you want to though) LOL

Add the 2 lime wedges

Squash them liberally with the muddler to release the juice and oils from the skin. (this dissolves the sugar as well)

Add 2 ponies (2 oz) of White Rum. (this is also where you would add the dash of bitters if using Key Limes)

Then give it a quick stir with the muddler.

Then pour into a 10 oz Highball glass.

Fill the glass to the top with ice.

Top with Club Soda (not Seltzer or Tonic Water).

And there you have it, a delicious Mojito.

Oh, wait.... Add a "kicky" little straw and a spring of mint. ;)

Now sit back and take a big whiff... mmmmmmmm... Yep, summertime refreshment is here.

Cin Cin!!
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