Posts tagged dessert
Our Memorial Day Menu

I am fascinated by rituals and celebrations. As simple as lighting a candle and as elaborate as a wedding ceremony - they color and texturalize our life experiences. In our home, we individually commemorate our mornings with rituals to positively start the days and together celebrate dinners to mark the end of them. Taco Tuesdays are a “thing” as are Sunday Suppers and our evening family walks.

We need this more than ever right now.

Memorial Day weekend will not be an exception. Blow-up pool, an elaborate menu and a fun summer music playlist are in the works.

Here is what is on our menu. Recipes included!

GRILLED SEAFOOD PAELLA

Serves 8

(adapted from Cook Beautiful)

  • 1 ½ pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed and cleaned

  • 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded

  • 1 pound head-on jumbo shrimp

  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided

  • 6 cups chicken bone broth, ½ cup more if needed

  • ½ teaspoon saffron threads

  • 10 ounces chorizo, chopped

  • 2 leeks, white and green parts, thinly sliced

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped

  • 1 Fresno chili, seeded and minced

  • ½ red pepper, finely chopped

  • 1 cup your choice of mixed vegetables (examples: summer squash cubed, mushrooms, peas, green olives)

  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme

  • ¾ cup dry white wine

  • 4 plum tomatoes, grated

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 3 cups short grain rice (such as Bomba or Arborio)

  • 2 lemons, 1 cut into wedges, 1 halved

  • Handful of parsley, chopped for serving

Place the shrimp in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of paprika.  Place in the refrigerator.

Warm your stock and saffron in a small saucepan.

Preheat the grill to 400F. 

Heat olive oil in a large paella pan (or large, deep cast iron skillet).  Add chorizo and cook until browned and most of the fat has rendered.

Add the leeks and onions and sauté until translucent.  

Add garlic, chili, vegetables, thyme, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of paprika.

Cook until the vegetables have softened.  

Pour in the wine and cook until mostly evaporated, scraping up the bits stuck at the bottom of the pan.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the rice to the pan and toast for 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour in the stock with saffron and stir to combine.  Close the grill and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.

Bury the clams and mussels in the rice and layer the shrimp on top.  Add another ½ cup of bone broth if the rice seems too dry.

Loosely tent the pan with foil, close the grill and cook for 12-15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the grill, discard unopened shell fish, recover tightly with foil and let sit for 10 minutes.

When ready to serve, squeeze juice of 1 lemon over the paella and garnish with parsley.

Serve with sliced lemon on the side.

GEM LETTUCE SALAD WITH LIME-HONEY VINAIGRETTE AND CILANTRO CREMA

  • 6 heads little gem lettuce

  • pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

    Lime-Honey Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I love all of the oils from Nuvo. Use Code FCook15 for a 15% discount).

  • 2 tablespoons raw honey

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Shake all ingredients in a mason jar or other glass jar with a lid until emulsified.

Cilantro Crema

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1/4 cup garlic-fused extra virgin olive oil (You can substitute an unflavored high-quality olive oil here)

  • 3 roasted garlic cloves (Leave these out if you are using the garlic-fused oil)

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup of cilantro leave sand tender stems

Put all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste.

To assemble the salad, spread a dollop of cilantro crema on the bottom of your serving plate. Arrange the lettuce over the top and drizzle with lime-honey vinaigrette. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds.

 

FRESH RICOTTA WITH BLUEBERRIES, LEMON ZEST, RAW HONEY AND OLIVE OIL

  • Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

  • 1 cup fresh ricotta (homemade or store bought)

  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

  • 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed

  • Raw honey for drizzling

  • 1 lemon, zest and juice

  • flaky sea salt

In individual ramekins or cups, place a dollop or two of ricotta. Top with berries, thyme leaves and lemon zest. Drizzle raw honey and olive oil overtop. Give each cup a generous squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

Fatima Cookpaella, seafood, celebration, ritual, salad, dessert, crema Comments