the spirit of spring…

SPICY SHRIMP & GRITS WITH WHITE CHEDDAR AND HAM

Pure Joy Catering, Executive Chef, Lynette La Mere

Here’s a great keeper, fast, easy & delicious. Make your shrimp first, then the grits. Serves 4

1 lb. shrimp (raw) 21-25 ct. peeled & deveined tails off

2 tsp. smoked paprika

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. sea salt

.75 tsp. chipotle chili powder

4 tbl. Butter

1 lemon, juiced

Toss the shrimp to coat in a bowl with the paprika, garlic, salt & chili powder, Heat a skillet to medium high heat. Add butter to the skillet, once melted add seasoned shrimp. Make sure the shrimp is in a single layer in the skillet. Sauté shrimp on one side for 2 minutes, flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Add lemon juice, remove from heat, cover & set aside and make your grits.

For the Grits;

Makes about 5 cups grits.

10 oz. ham

1 ear corn, cut off the cob

3 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup instant grits

4 oz. sharp white cheddar, shredded

1.5 tbl. Butter

Fresh ground pepper

Dice the ham very fine and sauté, when nearly done toss in the corn kernels for just a few minutes then set aside.

Scald the milk with the salt in a saucepan over medium heat until little bubbles appear around the outside. Slowly whisk in the grits and continue whisking until the mixture barely simmers. Cook, whisking often, until very thick, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, ham and corn until melted and smooth.

To serve, place about a teaspoon of butter on the bottom of warm bowls & top with hot grits, the shrimp & a good grind of fresh pepper, boom.

Recipe by Pure Joy Catering, Executive Chef, Lynette La Mere. (805) 963-5766. www.purejoycatering.com

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Cauliflower Potato Pancakes

From the kitchens of Pure Joy Catering Executive Chef, Lynette La Mere

Quick, easy and glorious Latkes, veggie pancakes, whatever you call them, I promise you’ll be getting calls for more of them! I have a darling gang of now grown, beautiful, Jewish children who have showered me with compliments over the years on “the best Latkes they’ve ever had!” Which is flattering and comical, because I was raised by a catholic French chef, my grandfather, who served these often. In an effort to cut carbs - for some reason I don’t get away with them as well as he did – I’ve worked in cauliflower, which cuts the carb count substantially, leaving you feeling lighter, and you won’t miss the additional potatoes at all. Makes 15

1 lb. Cauliflower florets

1-½ lb. russet potatoes

1 ½ tsp. salt

2 eggs

¼ cup flour, or matzo flour

¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Olive oil to pan fry

Pulse process the cauliflower into small pea size. Dump it in a bowl, cover & microwave 3 minutes. Let that cool a bit while you grate the potatoes. Using a clean dishtowel, squeeze out all the fluid you can from the cauliflower & the potatoes in batches. This is the step that will make or break it, so really give it a good squeezing.

Toss all the ingredients together & mix well. Heat a sauté pan or two to medium high, spray or pour olive oil in and sauté in 1/3 cup portions.

These are amazing with sour cream, chives and applesauce…oh yea!

Baked Fish Tacos Drizzled In Creamy Southwest Dipping Sauce

There is nothing quite like a savory feast to bring people together like these delicious fish tacos! A Dry Orange Muscat or Viognier pairs well with this flavorful dish.

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes

| Cook Time: 9 minutes

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds fresh Cod

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 limes

¼ cup cilantro leaves, freshly chopped

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup shredded green cabbage

1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper (for garnish)

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

6-8 small tortillas

Southwest Dipping Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon of lime juice

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon white vinegar

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

¼ teaspoon dry oregano

Directions:

For the fish: In an 8 x 8 inch baking pan add 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil to the bottom. Spread fish on top and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and a dash of black pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Sear the fish for 15 seconds on one side, turning once and repeating 15 seconds on the other side. Remove from heat and place back in baking dish. Meanwhile while fish sets for a minute, turn the burner to medium low and add to your heated skillet; juice of 1 lime, red onion slices, 1 teaspoon of salt, a dash of black pepper and a handful of freshly chopped cilantro leaves (about ¼ cup). Sautee about 1 minute until onion becomes slightly translucent. Drizzle the onion mixture over the fish. Cover and bake for 7 minutes. Remove and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use, for up to 8 hours.

For the Southwest Dipping Sauce: Combine in a small bowl ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of lime juice, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon garlic salt, ¼ teaspoon dry oregano. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for up to an hour before serving.

Serve: Layer each slightly heated tortilla with cabbage followed by fish. Drizzle with Southwest sauce and garnish with diced red peppers, cilantro and a lime wedge! Enjoy!

Recipe by Danielle Fahrenkrug (Delightful Mom Food) www. delightfulmomfood.com

Paleo Pie Crust With Fresh Berries

A light and refreshing grain-free and gluten-free paleo summer dessert. Made from cashews and dates with a sweet side of coconut oil to give this crust a “buttery” taste without the butter! Serve with your favorite summertime Rose wine.

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

CRUST:

1 ½ cups Almond Meal

1 ½ cups chopped cashew nuts

1 egg

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted

3 pitted dates

FILLING:

2 cups of fresh blueberries

2 cups of fresh strawberries quartered

Mint leaves (optional)

Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

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1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all the crust ingredients in a food processor and blend for about 30 seconds until it is combined and smooth.

2 Transfer to a pie dish. With hands, press down on the dough and spread around the base evenly and up the sides. With a fork, poke the bottom of the pie about three times in a circular motion to create holes at the bottom.

3 Bake for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool.

4 Add chopped fruit. Garnish with mint leaves and your favorite whipped topping. Serve and enjoy!

RHUBARB HAND PIES

Makes 4 hand pies

Pie dough ingredients:

1 1/4 cups unbleached allpurpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons (packed) brown sugar

1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

1/2 cup cold water

1/8 cup champagne vinegar

1/2 cup ice

Procedure:

1. In a food processor, add flour, salt and brown sugar, pulse until ingredients are combined, or about 10 seconds. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the butter is coated with the flour mixture and the largest pieces of butter are about the size of peas or about 15 seconds.

2. Combine the water, ice and champagne vinegar in a large measuring. Turn on the food processor and slowly drizzle about 1/3 cup of the ice water mixture (no ice cubes) into the food processor, the dough will begin to come together. Continue processing until dough forms into a ball. If dough does not form a ball, continue processing and adding 1 tablespoon of ice water mixture until ball is formed.

3. Prepare a medium Tupperware by adding 2 tsp flour, put the lid on and shake until flour has coated the inside. Next, cut a large sheet of parchment paper, roughly 13 x 17in, lay on a counter and flour the parchment paper.

4. Empty the dough mixture from the food processor on to the floured parchment paper. If dough is too wet, lightly roll it in the flour on the parchment paper. Then, with floured hands shape dough into a flat disc, drop into Tupperware and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight, giving the dough time to rest.

5. Remove the dough from the fridge 5 minutes before you begin to roll the dough. Dough that is too cold will develop cracks when rolled. Lightly flour your work surface, hands and rolling pin (I like to work on parchment paper versus directly on my stone counters.) With your hands, roughly shape the dough into a square/ rectangle then begin rolling the dough out with a rolling pin until dough is about an 1/8 inch in thickness.

6. Using a ruler and paring knife, cut the dough rectangle in half lengthwise – you now have two rectangles. Divide those rectangles in half lengthwise again, then in half again width-wise. You should have 8 rectangles roughly the same size.

7. Transfer pastry rectangles to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in freezer for 10 minutes.

Hand pie filling ingredients:

1 lb. fresh rhubarb stalks, cleaned and cut into ½ inch slices

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus a tad more for dusting

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 egg, beaten and split into two containers, reserve one portion for egg washing

Dash rhubarb bitters

Procedure:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the rhubarb, brown and granulated sugars, allspice, cardamom, fresh grated ginger, salt, and arrowroot and mix thoroughly. Stir in the lemon juice, (one portion) egg and bitters.

2. Remove pastry rectangles from freezer. Using a pasty brush, brush half the rectangles with the beaten egg mixture, making sure to brush all the way to the edges.

3. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of rhubarb mixture into the center of each egg brushed rectangle. Top each filled rectangle with a remaining rectangle, then using the tines of a fork, press and seal each hand pie. Dip the fork in a bit of flour if it sticks. Use a knife to cut a vent in the middle of each hand pie to release steam. Place the hand pies back on the parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 10 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove hand pies from freezer and brush the top of each pie with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place pies back on parchment lined cookie sheet and into the oven. Bake the pies for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and juices are bubbling. Remove them from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

The hand pies will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days or at room temperature for 2 days.

Recipe by Chef Avery

CARDAMOM-PISTACHIO COOKIES

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

2 eggs

2 Tbs milk

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

4 cups whole grain oats

1 cup pistachios, unsalted

1.5 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom

Glaze:

1.5 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/4 cup milk

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, blend shortening with sugars, adding sugar gradually. Add eggs, milk and vanilla, beat well. Add flour, salt and baking soda, beat well. Stir in oats and pistachios. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Place cookies in a wire rack to finish cooling. Mix together glaze ingredients until smooth. Once cookies are cooled use rubber spatula and spread glaze over cookies.

—Recipe and photo by James Stefiuk

Fairview Gardens Heirloom Pumpkin Gnocchi With Roasted Mushrooms

Recipe by Abel Basch

Pasta Ingredients:

4 cups roasted heirloom pumpkins

4 cups flour

1 egg

1 dollop of ricotta cheese (optional)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Pesto Ingredients:

1 cup arugula

1 cup cilantro

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup pine nuts (toasted, or 1/2 cup of any nut on hand)

Juice from 1 lemon

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Optional mushrooms:

1/2 lb. seasonal mushrooms

Chanterelles in fall/winter, Morels in spring, Cremini year round

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Thyme

Roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

1. Cut heirloom pumpkin into eighths, remove seeds and pulp. Store seeds for later.

2. Toss pumpkin with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast pumpkin in oven for 40 min at 425. Let cool. Remove skin.

3. Measure 4 cups of roasted skinned pumpkin, 4 cups flour, 1 raw egg, optional dollop of ricotta cheese, and combine in bowl. Fold together gently but thoroughly. Shape gnocchi by rolling into small lengths of dough. Cut 1 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in pieces.

4. Prep pesto by combining all ingredients into food processor and blending to desired consistency.

5. Toss mushrooms with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Roast in oven for 20 min at 400*.

6. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop gnocchi into boiling water in small batches until pasta begins to float (2-3 min). Remove from water, place into bowl.

7. Spoon pesto over gnocchi and toss with roasted mushrooms.

8. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds and Parmesan cheese.

You can find heirloom pumpkins, arugula, cilantro, and organic extra virgin olive oil locally in the Fairview Gardens Farm stand.