Lemon Rosemary Shrimp Skewers

For several years now I have written food related articles with recipes for the Local Flavor section of "House and Home" magazine. Today's recipe is one that I originally ran in an issue focused on tailgate foods. Easy to set up ahead of time, and quick to grill, these delicious shrimp skewers are kicked in the pants with the strong flavor of rosemary and livened up with FRESH lemon. Hear me now and taste me later, fresh lemon is absolutely essential in all types of culinary pursuits. It will make all the difference and a bowl of fresh lemons is no harder to keep around than that darn plastic lemon thingy with what used to be real lemon juice, then it was abused and sold back to consumers as "real" lemon juice. What a travesty the those plastic fruits have committed in nullifying the palates of folks until they don't even know there is a difference!

OK, so let me get off that soap box and give out some credit. The photographer for the aforementioned magazine is Melissa Ovianki, and she is responsible for some of the food pics I have posted on the blog. We make a pretty good team I would say!

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:

4 12” bamboo or metal skewers
32 medium size shrimp (21-25 count)
¼ small white onion
4 large fresh basil leaves

2 small cloves fresh garlic
3" sprig of fresh rosemary, de-stemmed
½ cup olive oil (not necessary to be EVO)
1 tsp. green jalapeno pepper sauce
juice of 1 lemon
kosher salt & pepper to taste


TECHNIQUE:

Thread 8 shrimp onto each skewer in the same direction each time to promote even cooking. While keeping the shrimp chilled, make the marinade by combining all remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Coat the skewers with the marinade, and refrigerate up to 12 hours before grilling. Just before grilling, season with Kosher salt and black pepper. Spray or rub grill lightly with oil, then grill approx. 2 minutes on each side.


Chef Mikes Notes:

A.K.A. Skewers 101

Metal skewers offer several advantages such as heat retention, lack of splinters, and they are reusable. Bamboo skewers are inexpensive, disposable, and are easier to handle right off the grill but have a tendency to burn on the ends. Either way, the shrimp will be the star of the show. As far as soaking your wood skewers, it can't hurt. But in my experience it won't help all that much either. As far as those new fangled flavored skewers I have seen in stores lately, all I can think is... "really?!".

Sweet Potato Biscuits & Cane Syrup Basil Butter

What better way to start this weekend off than with a big country style breakfast. Breakfast for me is way more than a bowl of cereal on those occasions my entire family gets to eat as one, it is an occasion. Among the many choices of breakfast foods, there is one that goes with just about anything-the humble biscuit. Now of course if you know me, my biscuits are never humble! It is amazing the transformation a simple biscuit can go through to end up being sweet or savory, buttery or cheesy, herby or garlicy, or even a fully satisfying meal in themselves.

Today's recipe utilizes a true Southern staple, White Lily Self Rising Flour. It is so easy to use! The reason this flour is treasured for biscuit making is its low protein content. Less protein makes flour less dense and allows for a super light and fluffy biscuit. Don't fret though, if you don't have any of this Grande Dame of biscuit flours on hand as I have included an alternate recipe which will still yield delicious results.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups White Lily Self Rising flour

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 stick salted butter

1/2 cup diced fresh sweet potato

For Cane Syrup Basil Butter:

1/2 stick salted butter

2 fresh basil leaves (dry will not do for this recipe!)

1 tsp. Louisiana cane syrup (honey works well too)

TECHNIQUE

1. Simmer diced sweet potato in water until tender, but not mushy. Drain and cool.

2. Dice butter and place in freezer for several minutes-it has to be COLD. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or fork. Stop cutting when butter is the size of small peas, as this is what gives your biscuit flakiness. Genly stir in buttermilk, do not overmix. Now carefully stir in sweet potato, leaving chunky. Place entire dough onto a heavily floured surface and press out with floured hands until approximately 3/4" thick. Cut with biscuit cutter and place onto a floured baking pan. Brush tops of biscuits with 2 additional Tbl. of melted butter. Bake in a

pre-heated oven at 425 F for 10-12 minutes.

Note: Biscuits will rise better if they are placed close together.

3. Meanwhile, soften 1/2 stick butter on counter. Whip with cane syrup and diced basil.

4. Invite me over for breakfast!

P.S. As I promised, here is an alternate version:

Substitute self-rising flour with 1 cup all purpose flour & 1 cup cake flour

Add 2 tsp. baking powder (check date for freshness if you want your biscuits to rise!)

continue with recipe....

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Grilling season does not have to be limited to basting every conceivable type of meat known to man with barbeque sauce. For something a bit different, try todays recipe for Jamaican style Jerk chicken. Yes there are a lot of ingredients, and yes there is some prep to be done in advance. But trust me when I tell you the end result is more than worth the small effort. This dish is typically served with rice and beans and a green salad. Here is a brief history on the Jerk:

(No, not Steve Martin! .... The new phonebooks are here, I'm somebody!!)

Sorry, I digress. But if you know what I am talking about, then have a laugh with me!

"Jerk Chicken is believed to have been conceived when the Maroons introduced African meat cooking techniques to Jamaica which were combined with native Jamaican ingredients and seasonings used by the Arawak. The method of smoking meat for a long period of time served two practical purposes, keeping insects away from the raw meat and preserving it for longer once it has been cooked. This process also introduces a strong smoky flavour to the meat. There are two commonly held theories regarding how the name "Jerk" came to be used. One is that it originates from the Spanish word "Charqui", used to describe dried meat. Over time this term evolved from "Charqui" to "Jerky" to "Jerk". Another theory is that the name derives from the practice of jerking (poking) holes in the meat to fill with spices prior to cooking. Nowadays, the word "Jerk" is used as a noun to describe the seasoning applied to jerked food and as a verb to describe the process of cooking used. " © 2006 Jamaica Travel and Culture .com

JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN

Yield : 4 SERVINGS


INGREDIENTS:

4 bone-in chicken quarters
juice of one fresh lime
¼ cup orange juice
½ cup cider or cane vinegar
¼ cup Pickapeppa sauce *
¼ cup light olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 green onion, finely chopped
1 t Ground allspice
1 tbl. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsps. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground sage
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbl. fresh minced garlic
1 tbl. light brown sugar
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded & minced **


TECHNIQUE:

Combine all ingredients, starting with liquids first, and whisk together. Pour over chicken quarters and marinate overnight, or at least 4 hours. Just before grilling, sprinkle with kosher salt to taste. Grill for 45 minutes or until internal temp. reaches minimum 165 degrees. An alternate cooking method would be to sear the chicken in a cast iron skillet to get a nice dark crust, and then finish cooking in the oven at 325 degrees.

NOTES:

*Pickapeppa, or “Jamaican Ketchup” is a blend of tomatoes, onions, sugar, cane vinegar, mangos, raisins, tamarind, peppers, and spices. I LOVE this stuff.

**Scotch bonnet peppers are traditional, but VERY spicy. Substitute jalapenos if desired.

Watermelon By-Products

After enjoying our latest fresh from the farm Louisiana watermelon, I was left with a big hunk of rind filled with seeds and juice. Now I am sure a lot of you out there, especially those of you of the Southern variety, are familiar with pickled watermelon rind which is often served with grilled and roasted meats such as ribs, pork roast, and BBQ chicken.

Today though I give you two very simple and different ideas to utilize those pesky seeds and that sweet red elixer, the juice. Toasted watermelon seeds are popular in Middle Eastern cuisine as a snack and salad topping.

As for the juice, simply strain out the seeds and freeze the juice in ice cube trays. Pop these cubes into sparkling water, orange juice mixed with sprite, or some freshly brewed mint iced tea for a flavorful new version of the ice cube.

Toasted Watermelon Seeds

(This method also works well with pumpkin & butternut squash seeds)

Ingredients
1 cup raw watermelon seeds
4 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 Tbl. light olive oil

Directions

Gather seeds from watermelon, making sure to use only the black seeds. Bring water and salt to a boil. Add seeds and cook 10 minutes. Drain in colander and dry on paper towels. Toss seeds with olive oil and season to taste with a bit more salt if desired. Spread seasoned seeds in an even layer on a cookie sheet. Bake in pre-heated oven at 375 F for approximately 20 minutes. Check a couple times during cooking process, and you may need to stir them and rotate the pan for best results.

Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch

Pomegranate Iced Tea Punch

The summer heat is bearing down on us and there is nothing quite like an ice cold and refreshing beverage to help see us through. This punch is not only absolutely delicious, but healthy as well.

Pomegranate and citrus are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Many health claims are made for pomegranates from controlling good and bad cholesterols, reducing heart disease, preventing certain cancers, assisting in brain function, even anti-aging. Most of these claims are a bit hyped up in my opinion. Regardless, this recipe is not only useful for entertaining, but a great everyday family beverage as well with benefits way beyond soda.

INGREDIENTS:

3 QUARTS WATER
12 LUZIANNE TEA BAGS (or 3 family size bags)
½ CUP SUGAR
1 CONTAINER FROZEN LEMONADE CONCENTRATE
1 LITER GINGER ALE, CHILLED
1 CUP POMEGRANATE JUICE
FRESH ORANGE, LEMON, & LIME SLICES



TECHNIQUE:

BRING 1 ½ QUARTS WATER TO A BOIL, STEEP TEA BAGS FOR 5 MINUTES. REMOVE BAGS, COMBINE WITH LEMONADE CONCENTRATE , REMAINING 1 ½ QUARTS COLD WATER, AND JUICE. CHILL COMPLETELY. ADD FRESH LEMON AND ORANGE SLICES AN HOUR IN ADVANCE. JUST BEFORE SERVING, ADD CHILLED GINGER ALE.

Cinnamon Sugar Crisps

CINNAMON SUGAR
TORTILLA CRISPS

Serving these with vanilla bean ice cream makes a great finale to any Mexican or Spanish inspired meal. They will also serve you well by themselves as a snack to fill that sweet tooth craving and get rid of those leftover tortillas you know are still lurking in the fridge.

Ingredients:

6 ea. Flour Tortillas (6 inch leave whole, or cut larger tortilla into wedges)

4 Tbl. Butter (unsalted preferably)

3 Tbl. Cinnamon Sugar

Technique:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Warm a sheet pan in the oven, then melt butter onto pan. Layer tortillas on sheet pan, then flip so both sides are coated. Remove buttered tortillas to a second pan or plate (you will see why in a moment). Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar liberally onto the tortillas. Now layer back onto the original pan with the butter. If tortillas slightly overlap in baking pan, don't stress.

As to why the transfer, it is to keep excess sugar from spilling all over your pan and help

prevent the sugar from burning in that hot oven causing you to soak and scrub your pan

full of carbonized sugar.

Bake tortillas until crispy and slightly puffed,

5-6 minutes depending on your oven.

 

Louisiana Creole Tomato Salad

GREETINGS FOODIES,

This is the first blog post for Dardenne Brothers Fine Foods. We will be posting recipes, cooking tips, and general culinary information for your consumption. We have also just launched our brand new Ebay store where you will soon be able to find all of our fantastic gourmet seasoning blends, chile peppers, and super fresh spices from around the globe.

Creole tomatoes are in peak season here in Louisiana, so our first recipe is for a delicious Creole Tomato Salad created from tomatoes from the Baton Rouge Red Stick Farmers Market. Enjoy!

Today's Recipe:

CREOLE TOMATO SALAD

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

3 Ripe Creole Tomatoes

1 Small Red Onion

6 oz. Havarti, Farmers, or Feta Cheese

2 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbl. Cider Vinegar (or Cane Syrup Vinegar- awesome stuff!)

Pinch of Sugar

1 Tbl. Minced Italian Parsley

2 tsp. Thinly Sliced Green Onions

Sea Salt (or Kosher Salt)

Black Pepper

Cut red onions into thin julienne. Combine with oil, vinegar, sugar, and parsley. Refrigerate this mixture for one hour. Pour this marinade over the sliced tomatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with crumbled cheese and green onions.