Fig Glazed Turkey

Ingredients:
1 14-16 lb turkey
sea salt
coarsely ground pepper
4 dried figs
1 small onion, quartered
1 small bunch thyme

glaze:
1/4 cup fig jam
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon minced thyme
1 teaspoon grated ginger



Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Place the turkey on the rack and position in the roasting pan. Whisk together the glaze ingredients or pulse them in the blender. Brush over the bird. Sprinkle the turkey thoroughly with salt and pepper. Stick the figs, onion and sprig of thyme in the cavity of the turkey. Roast for about 3 hours or until the juices run clear and the leg is easily wiggled. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before carving.

My thoughts:

We had my brother and his girlfriend over for our annual Faux Thanksgiving so I could develop these recipes to share. I was a little nervous about my theme* this year, figs, because I've found they are not something people always enjoy or are familiar with outside of the Newton. I shouldn't have worried because they really liked it! The glaze helps sell in the juices of the turkey and eliminated the need for basting, which I appreciate. The skin was slightly sticky but not in a bad way. I'd rather have a glazed skin than a dried out bird! Stuffing the cavity with fruit and vegetables instead of stuffing makes for a moister turkey as well. There is still air circulation (yay for no food poisoning!) but it generates some steam that seems to help.

*I do a theme each year because 1. it is fun 2. it helps with planning/shopping when you can use the same ingredient in more than one dish. Look for another figgy recipe next week!

White Peach & Fresh Ginger Jam

Ingredients:
8 cups finely diced white peaches
6 cups sugar
1/4 cup bourbon (optional)
1/4 cup bottled lemon juice*
1 6 oz box liquid pectin (2 packets)
2 inch chunk ginger, peeled

Directions:
Add the sugar and peaches to a large pot. Prep jars/lids for canning. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stab the ginger a few times with the tip of a knife. Add the lemon juice, bourbon and ginger. Boil for 15 minutes or until thickened. Carefully mash, using a potato masher, any remaining large chunks. Add the pectin (both packets!). Continue cooking at a low (rolling) boil for 5 minutes. Remove the ginger. Fill the jars. Wipe off the lip and sea Process in the hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: about



Note: A great source for canning information is the Blue Book guide to preserving. I highly recommend it for learning how to can. Or check out this online guide.



*I used bottled lemon juice instead of fresh because peaches, especially white peaches, are a low acid fruit and not every lemon has the same acid level. It is important to add an acid to low acid fruits so it is safe to water can.

My thoughts:

What is better than a fresh, in season peach? We went to a pick your own place and while Matt did most of the picking (peach fuzz makes my skin itch) we ended up with more than enough peaches to eat out of hand and to make some jam. Peaches, especially white peaches, are a low pectin, low acid fruit so even with the added pectin it is a softer jam and you need to make sure to add acid (lemon juice) to make it safe for water canning. But neither takes away from the wonderful flavor of this jam. It is as close to biting into a peach as you can come without actually eating the peach. The ginger adds a background note of spice that really accentuates the peachiness. I can't wait to have it on toast, swirled into yogurt or baked into pastries.

Mango Ginger Lime Sorbet

Ingredients:
5 large very ripe mangos, cubed (I used Hayden)
zest and juice of 2 limes
1 inch knob ginger, sliced
1/2 to 1 cup water

Directions:
Add the mango, lime and ginger to a food processor or blender. I used my Vita-Mix. Add 1/2 cup water. Blend until very smooth. Add more water as needed to thin the mixture out. Pour into a ice cream maker and churn according to package instructions. Freeze in a freezer safe container until ready to serve.

My thoughts:

When the mangos on my counter got so ripe it smelled like I was living in a mango grove, I knew I had to do something with them. I had actually made a mango sorbet last week for my lunch (it was hot out!) but didn't pay attention to exactly what I did because I thought I had already posted a mango sorbet recipe. When I was going through and adding tags to recipes this weekend I realized I hadn't. I mentioned this to my husband and he insisted I make the sorbet again since the last time he didn't get to have any and I'd have something to post. Win-win. This isn't exactly how I made it last time but I think it might actually be better. Adding the ginger gave it a subtle spice that accented the mango flavor without overpowering it. Just take care that it gets really pulverized in the mixing process or you will end up with little bits suspended in the sorbet.

Mango Ketchup

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic
1 shallot, chopped
1 inch knob ginger, chopped
1 scotch bonnet pepper, chopped
2 cups cubed mango (I used Alfonso mango)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon pepper sherry
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cloves


Directions:
Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until really, really smooth. Pour into a small sauce pan and cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes.

My thoughts:

As anyone who knows me (or is a long time reader) knows ketchup, traditional, tomato ketchup is one of three foods (along with pumpkin pie and cantaloupe) I absolutely will not eat. It is so cloying and sweet it hides that flavor of whatever you put it on. Not my style. I prefer sauces that accent flavor, not obscure it.

I dip my fries in frites sauce (homemade or the ones I brought back from Belgium) or spread my burgers with blue cheese dressing, a variety of mustard or mashed up avocados and my seafood with r�moulade, cocktail or tarter sauce. But no ketchup. Although ketchup is most commonly tomato, it doesn't have to be. When I was in Miami for the mango festival a few years ago I tried mango ketchup for the first time. Not too sweet and no tomatoes. This isn't an exact replica, I can't quite remember what was in it but I've had the kept the idea of making a mango ketchup of my own in the back of my mind every since. I finally had the opprotunity to do it and I am glad I did! My mango ketchup is spicy, gingery and full of bright mango flavor. Perfect for your tropical influenced sandwiches.

It was a Dark & Stormy Night Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark rum (Goslings)
2 egg whites
3 inch knob ginger, sliced
pinch salt


Directions:
In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, ginger slices and rum to a boil, stirring occasionally. Continue to boil until it reaches soft ball stage (when a drop of the syrup forms a soft ball when dropped in cool water) while continuing to stir occasionally. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites and salt to soft peaks. Keep the mixer running (for best results you need a stand mixer or a friend to complete this next step) while you strain a continuous stream of the molten syrup into the egg whites. Add the food dye. Beat for about 5 minutes or until the frosting is fluffy, glossy and cool. Frost cooled cake.

My thoughts:

Perfect frosting for dark & stormy cupcakes. Or chocolate, rum or vanilla cake. Or eat it from a spoon.

Pork Lo Mein

Ingredients:
1 lb char siu, cut into 1/4 inch thick, 2 inch long slices*
2 carrots, julienned
2 stalks celery greens included, diagonally sliced to 1/4 inch pieces
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
4 oz sliced bamboo shoots
10 (fresh) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 small shallot, sliced
1 bunch green onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch knob ginger, minced
2 tablespoons canola oil

for the omelet:
2 eggs
1 bunch green onion, sliced
drizzle sesame oil

for the sauce:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon shaoxing

to serve:
1 lb (fresh if possible) lo mein noodles
1 small bunch green onion, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions. In a small bowl, mix together all of the sauce ingredients, set aside. In another small bowl, mix together all of the omelet ingredients. Pour into a small hot nonstick skillet or crepe pan. Allow to cook through in a single layer to form a sort of egg pancake. Remove to a plate and slice. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the pork, ginger and garlic and stir-fry until the pork is just about heated through then push meat to the side and add all of the vegetables and the omelet. Stir-fry until the pork and vegetables are warmed through. Add the sauce and cook 1 minute. Toss with the noodles, garnish with green onion. Serve hot.

*We followed this recipe with the addition of a bit of red fermented bean curd mashed into the marinade. To make dinner a little quicker, we marinated the pork overnight on a Thursday, roasted it on Friday then refrigerated it overnight and used it to make lo mein on Saturday. This made the meal come together very quickly, there was no "downtime" on Saturday while the pork was roasting. The pork does not have to be hot when you add it to the wok.

My thoughts:

I don't think I have ever been in a American Chinese takeout joint where at least one customer wasn't eating or ordering lo mein. And why wouldn't they? You can't get more comforting or familiar than a heaping mound of noodles, vegetables and meat. Unfortunately, the lo mein found in most restaurants is a either a. very salty, b. very greasy, c. lacking many vegetables or d. all of the above. Luckily, lo mein is one of the easiest things to make at home. The most difficult thing to part is finding the fresh lo mein noodles but just about any Asian (we have the most luck at the Chinese and Korean stores) grocery or even a very well stocked "regular" supermarket will have them in the refrigerated section. Dried lo mein noodles are an acceptable substitution but the texture won't be quite the same and frankly, I don't find them any easier to find than the fresh variety. Anyway, making lo mein at home is a revelation if you've only had the takeout variety, it is fresh tasting and while the sauce tastes pretty much the same, it is grease-free.

Fresh Blackberry-Ginger Yogurt Pops

Ingredients:
1 cup plain, low fat yogurt (regular or Greek)
1 cup blackberries
2 inch knob ginger, chopped
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar

Directions:
Place the ginger in a blender. Pulse until fairly smooth and liquidy. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth. Pour into ice pop molds, leaving a bit of headroom for expansion. Freeze until solid, about 6 hours or overnight.

Yield: about 6 ice pops, depending on the mold

Note: If you use a high powered blender, the blackberry seeds will be nearly nonexistant. If your blender isn't very powerful and you are seed adverse, press the berries through a sieve before adding them to the blender.

My thoughts:

The unofficial blackberry week continues! It has been a hot and steamy week here in Baltimore. Most days it has been at least 90 with anywhere from 80-98% humidity. Oy. My husband the ice pop fiend has eating at least 2 homemade Popsicles a day! I don't eat anywhere near that many but these pops are really good. They are a little more "adult" tasting than most ice pops. They are not too sweet but really fruity. The shot of spicy ginger adds some heat and the yogurt gives them tang. The perfect treat for a hot summer day.

Shrimp with Garlic Chives & Garlic Stems Tossed with Noodles

1 lb medium shrimp
1 bunch garlic chives, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 bunch garlic stem, cut into 2 inch long pieces
4 king oyster mushrooms, diced
3 green onions, green parts diced
1 tablespoon canola oil

sauce:
3/4 inch knob ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
1/4 cup shrimp stock
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

8 oz fresh egg handcut noodles, cooked

Directions:
Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large wok. Stir fry the mushrooms, garlic chives, garlic stems and green onions until the mushrooms are cooked throguh. Add the shrimp. Pour the sauce over and stir fry until the shrimp are fully cooked. If the sauce looks runny, add a slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water and stir. Toss with noodles.

My thoughts:

I was excited to see garlic stems at H Mart yesterday. The texture (crisp and solid) and shape is similar to green beans but they have a mild garlic flavor that is rather addictive. They are sold in bundles of stems that are about 1 foot in length and curly. Don't confuse them with the soft garlic scapes commonly found at the farmer's market which are more tender and green onion-like. Garlic stems are the thicker, crunchy parts.. H Mart also had my favorite garlic chives (you can always tell they are garlic chives by the flowers on the tip) and oyster mushrooms on sale. Who can resist. Combined with fresh shrimp for under $5lb, I knew what I had to make. This was great, the flavors of the shrimp shone and the mild garlic flavor complemented rather than overpowered. A new favorite.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked short grain rice (preferably day-old)
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
3/4 cup snow peas
5 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Thai bird chiles
2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong)
2 inch knob ginger, grated
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 egg

Directions:
Steam or boil the sausages until hot. Allow to cool slightly then slice into coins. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Saute the onions, garlic, chiles, sausage, mushrooms, ginger and the pineapple until fragrant and warmed through. Add the snow peas and cabbage. Stir fry until crisp-tender. Add the rice and saute until all clumps are gone. Create a well in the middle of the rice and break the egg into it, scramble it until cooked and stir it into the rice. Add the sauces. Toss until the sauces are evenly distributed. Serve immediately.


Serves 4-6

My thoughts:

Matt whipped this up for lunch the other day and it was so tasty, I had to share. The flavors are fresh and the whole dish is surprisingly not greasy or overly sweet. It hits that perfect note of sweet-salty-spicy that many dishes aim for but miss. It is also a great dish to use up any leftovers you might have, we used cabbage and snow peas because we had that on hand but broccoli or carrots or even bok choy would be quite tasty.

Savory Savoy-Shiitake Dumplings

Ingredients:

6 oz savoy cabbage, finely diced
1 oz bean thread noodles, soaked and cut into 1/2-inch strands
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
7 re-hydrated shiitake mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 bunch scallions, minced
1 inch knob ginger, grated

round dumpling wrappers

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. In a wok or skillet, quickly stirfry the filling until the cabbage is just softened. Allow to cool. Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper Fold the wrapper in half to form a half moon shape, pinching the wrapper tightly together. Make sure no filling is peaking out or they will break while cooking. Steam or boil the dumplings (I like steamed best). Serve hot. Leftovers can be refrigerated and re-steamed the next day if need be.


Excellent with my favorite dipping sauce.

Makes 35-45 dumplings.

My thoughts:

These are some tasty dumplings. The ginger, garlic and green onion add a lot of flavor that is nicely absorbed by the shiitake mushrooms. These are vegetarian (vegan, actually) dumplings but between the noodles, cabbages and the mushrooms they are pretty hardy and can almost sub as a meal.

The half moon shape is the easiest dumpling shape to master but it is still quite attractive. You can get fanicier with the crimpling but when steamed, these dumplings are stars even simply prepared. Half moon or crescent shaped dumplings are traditonal fare at Chinese New Year celebrations. While this filling isn't stictly traditional, it makes a good addition to the New Year's table.

Other recipes suitable for Chinese New Year that have been featured on Coconut & Lime include Lion's Head, Longevity Noodles and garlic chive dumplings.

Ginger Lime Spiked Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 inch knob ginger, grated
zest of 1 lime

Directions:
Place the cranberries, water, juice, sugar, ginger and zest in a medium saucepan and, stirring occasionally, cook for 20 minutes over medium high heat to reduce and thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the rum. Serve hot or cold.

My thoughts:

Who says cranberry sauce has to be boring? This sauce boasts zippy ginger and tangy lime, both of which add a lot of flavor without overpowering the cranberry or wandering too far afield from traditional sauces.

Calypso Pulled Pork

Ingredients:
3 lb boneless pork shoulder roast (trim off excess fat)
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons spiced ginger preserves*
2 teaspoons smokehouse black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons mesquite liquid smoke
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeds removed
juice and zest of one lime
juice and zest of 1/2 orange
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil


for the spice rub:

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:
Mix the spice rub ingredients together. Rub them on the pork. In a large skillet heat the oil and then brown the roast well on all sides. Place roast in slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients to slow cooker. Cook on high in the slow cooker 6 hours**. When done, meat should shred easily with a fork. Remove roast from slow cooker. Shred with a fork (or use your fingers) and set aside. Mash any solid bits of the sauce with a potato masher. Return the pork to slow cooker, and toss to evenly coat with sauce. Serve on rolls.

*I used Mackay's, it is found in the jam and jelly aisle or with international foods.

My thoughts:

Is there such a thing as too many pulled pork recipes? I really hope not because I have posted a lot of them over the years. To date we have your basic pulled pork which was the first time I had ever made it then I branched out to East Meets Southeast Barbecue Pulled Pork which inspired me to create my absolute favorite pulled pork (and one of my favorite recipes ever) Smoky Mango Pulled Pork which lead to the fruity Blackberry Chipotle Pulled Pork then the Island Pineapple Pulled Pork and now this Caribbean inspired Calypso Pulled Pork. That's a lot of pork. Beside my love of pork, one of the reasons I made so much pulled pork (although now that I think of it, five or six recipes spread out over 4 1/2 years out of about 800 recipes isn't too much) is that it is one of the best things you can make in the slow cooker. Despite the slightly uninspiring picture here, it is effortless to make juicy, tender flavorful fall apart pork in the slow cooker. There is no need to add anything extra during the cooking time, it makes its own sauce and the pork can cook for hours only growing more tender. I actually like to use the slow cooker more during the hot steamy Summers Baltimore is famous for but it is great on a crisp fall day. Just plop everything in the pot, turn the knob and head out for day knowing you will be rewarded with succulent pork for dinner.

Seafood Udon Soup

Ingredients:
6 dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated in 1 cup hot broth (reserve the broth)
4 cups shrimp broth
1 1/2 cups raw frozen or fresh mixed seafood
1/3 cup dried wakame (cut up)
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 inch knob ginger, grated
2 tablespoons akamiso miso paste
10 oz udon noodles
1 carrot, sliced into strips



Directions:
Bring the broth, ginger and garlic to a boil. Add the noodles and carrot and continue to boil until the noodles almost soft. Add the wakame, mushrooms, mushroom broth, seafood and miso paste. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the seafood is cooked thoroughly and the noodles are soft. Serve hot.

My thoughts:

I actually made this for lunch the other day and it was so tasty, I felt like I had to share. What I love is that it doesn't take much longer to make than heating up a can of soup but it is 100x better. It is also a perfect quick dinner for those days when just transitioning into cooler weather; it is warm and comforting but not heavy.



A couple of tips: Whenever I make something with shrimp I save the shells (and heads) and make a quick broth with water, the shells, carrots, garlic, celery, onions etc and then freeze it for a future use. You can defrost it in minutes by heating it (frozen) in a shallow pan over low heat.

If you are using frozen mixed seafood (I get a great mix of squid, scallops, mussels, shrimp and a few other treats at my local Asian grocery) toss it in the soup still frozen. Aways use seafood that was frozen raw for best flavor. Frozen cooked seafood can get rubbery when recooked.

Some udon noodles have very specific cooking directions. If the directions are very different than simply boiling them as my recipe calls for, you might want to prepare the noodles according to the package instructions then add them when you add the seafood.


I don't like a very brothy udon soup so if you would prefer a more liquid soup or if an inordinately large amount of the broth evaporated during the cooking time, add a cup of hot broth or water to the soup before serving.

Gingered Tropical Fruit Kabobs

Ingredients:
2-3 mangos, cubed
6-8 kiwi, peeled and halved
1 pineapple, cubed
8-16 fresh lychee


syrup:
1 inch knob peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
juice of 1 lime

8 bamboo skewers (soak in water for 15 minutes prior to use)

Directions:
Bring the syrup ingredients together to a boil. Allow to boil for a few minutes until it reduces. Strain into a bowl. Discard the ginger. Allow to cool. Thread the fruit on the skewers and brush with syrup.



Place on the grill and allow to cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until the fruit has softened and is caramelized. Serve immediately.

My thoughts:

Making these kabobs (or kebobs) made my hands very, very sticky but it was worth it. Fruit, especially fruits with a high sugar content, really do well on the grill. The sugars caramelize and the fruit takes on a velvety texture. I brushed on the ginger syrup to help insure caramelization and to add a bit of ginger flavor to the kabobs. There is something a little decadent about eating fruit fresh from the grill despite it being a very healthy choice for dessert.


Quick tips:
Only fairly firm kiwifruit will stay on the skewer. Look for kiwis that are just barely ripe. The lychee worked well, but I found it was best to leave the large pit inside and thread the skewer next to pit and then advising people of the pit's presence when it came time to eat. The hole left by the removal of the pit was much wider than that of a standard skewer.

Hawaiian Style Pork Burgers

Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork
4 tablespoons panko
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, grated
1inch knob fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon pineapple juice
white pepper
salt


to serve:
4 pineapple slices*
Hawaiian rolls

Directions:
With a gentle hand, mix together all of the burger ingredients. Form into 4 patties. Grill over medium heat about 3-5 minutes on each side. Make sure the burger is cooked all the way through. Raw or "rare" pork is not your friend. In the last minute of cooking, grill the pineapple slices. Serve on Hawaiian rolls.





*You can use fresh, but I ended up using canned pineapple slices (in juice) because I couldn't find a ripe pineapple at the store. They are just as tasty grilled as fresh and are about half the price. Not to mention they are already sliced in the perfect thickness for sandwiches.

Yield: 4 burgers

No grill? Cook in a skillet or broiler.

My thoughts:

Okay, I've never been to Hawaii, so I am not sure if these are the most authentic burgers in the world, but when I think Hawaiian food I think pork, Spam, pineapple and Asian-influenced. Spam burgers seemed a bit out of the question but pork I could do. I love pork and burgers made from ground pork are exceptionally juicy despite having to be thoroughly cooked. The ginger, garlic, soy sauce and tiny splash of pineapple juice accentuates the pork's natural sweetness while the panko gives them a light quality and keeps them from falling apart on the grill.

Tropical Fusion Baked Beans

Ingredients:
16 oz dried navy beans
1 large onion, sliced
1 mango, cubed
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup chile sauce (like Heinz)
1/2 cup water
2 inch knob of fresh ginger, sliced
4 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon pineapple juice
1 tablespoon grainy mustard*
2 teaspons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground chipotle
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Directions:
The day before you want to serve: Place the beans in a pot and fill until the beans are under about 4 inches of water.

The next day: drain the beans and pour them into the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook on low 8-10 hours or until the beans are soft**. I'd check in on it around the 7 to 8 hour mark if possible. If the beans are looking a little dry and are not quite done, add a little water.


*I used the Original Mister Mustard Hot but any grainy, deli-style mustard would work.

**Or up to 12 hours, they just get softer and more intensely flavored the longer they cook.

My thoughts:

I had never made baked beans before but I had heard that using the slow cooker was the way to go. I have to agree. The prep was extremely easy and by dinner time they were done. Added bonus: I didn't have to heat up the house making a side dish on a steamy Summer day. They were also very forgiving, they ended up cooking for almost 12 hours and were still the perfect texture and flavor, which would make them perfect for cook outs or parties-you make them early in the day and then they are ready whenever you are.

I didn't want to make the typical Boston or New England style baked beans so I went for a more Caribbean/tropical influenced version that went well with the rest of the meal. I ended up with beans that still had the texture and look of traditional baked beans but with a spicy, fruity edge. Having never made baked beans before, I was a little nervous but they turned out really well. I sort of approached them like I would pulled pork- lots of spices (but in small amounts because I knew the long cooking time would intensify the flavors) and just enough liquid to keep it from drying out. I don't like super sweet baked beans so I used just a bit of molasses and came up with the idea of using a mango for some natural sweetness. The mango ended up being the perfect addition, it totally "melted" into the beans and added a slightly sweet, almost citrusy flavor that was hard to put your finger on. No one guessed the "secret ingredient" was mango! Despite my deep and abiding love for pork products, I relied on spices and fruit for flavor, not meat, so these beans are a perfect example of an "accidentally" vegan side dish. Even people who didn't normally like baked beans liked these.

Lemongrass-Ginger Granita

Ingredients:
4 cups water
6 stalks lemongrass, chopped
2 inch knob ginger, sliced
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemongrass cello*

Directions:
In a small pot, bring together the lemongrass, ginger, sugar and water to a boil. Continue to boil until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is very fragrant. Strain into a large measuring cup. It should measure about 2 1/2 cups. Stir in the Lemongrass cello. Pour into a metal 9x13 pan, cover and freeze until almost solid, about 1-2 hours. "Rake" with a fork to form crystals and serve.

*Loft makes a great version that is not too sweet and very lemongrass-y. You could also make your own or leave it out.

Note: You can make the liquid several days in advance and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to freeze it, a few hours before serving.

My thoughts:

When you look at granita, especially in a nearly clear granita like this one, it is hard to imagine how flavorful they can be. This granita in particular is unexpectedly full of flavor. The lemongrass flavor is very strong and the ginger adds a slight spicy note.

Thai Tofu on Lemongrass Skewers

Ingredients:
marinade:
1/2 cup roughly chopped Thai basil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into bits
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 inch knob ginger, grated
1 inch knob galanga, grated
1 Thai chile pepper, minced
1 teaspoon palm sugar
pepper
salt


to serve:
2 zucchini, sliced horizontally in 1 inch chunks
8 lemongrass stalks
shiitake or crimini mushrooms
2 lb extra firm tofu, cut horizontally into 1 1/2 inch slabs
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
olive oil

Directions:
Line a cutting board with a paper towel. Place the tofu slabs on the paper towel. Top with a second paper towel and cutting board. Place something heavy (like canned goods or a pot, I used our molcajete) on top of the second cutting board. Allow to press for 15 minutes, then cut each slab into 3 equal cubes. Pressing the tofu, while it seems sort of unnecessary, helps compact the tofu so it doesn't fall apart on the skewer and allows more of the marinade to penetrate.



Place cubes in a resealable bag along with the marinade ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but up to 8.

Meanwhile, remove the outer leaves of the lemongrass to reach the harder "core" and if whole, chop off the top and the bottom 4 inches or so. Cut one end into a point. Thread the tofu and the vegetables on the lemongrass. Brush with olive oil.



Place on the hottest part of the grill and cook until warmed through, making sure each side cooks evenly.


The tofu and vegetables should caramelize. Serve hot.

My thoughts:

Making lemongrass skewers was a time consuming operation, I have to admit. But! It was a worthy use of my time. They made excellent skewers which infused the tofu and vegetables with a wonderful flavor, completely destroying the myth that tofu is bland. You could make them on bambook skewers but you'd really be missing out. The lemongrass skewers really took the dish to a new level.

When you make this, take care that you place cubes of tofu and pieces of zucchini of roughly the same size together so they will cook evenly. If you are having troubles cooking the zucchini thoroughly, cover the grill for a minute or two, it is difficult to overcook the tofu.

Double Ginger Carrot Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 inch knob ginger, grated
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 egg, at room temperature



cinnamon cream cheese frosting



Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease and flour 6 wells in a cupcake pan. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until a relatively smooth batter forms. Fill each well 2/3 of the way full. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with just one or two dry crumbs. Cool briefly in the pan, then remove cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely before icing with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

My thoughts:

Until I made these, I am not entirely sure I had ever had more than a bite or two of carrot cake before, much less made it. It really wasn't something that appealed to me until I was reading a now forgotten novel in which the character ate carrot-ginger cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese icing. There wasn't a recipe but the cupcakes sounded like a perfect idea to me, I have made carrot ginger cornmeal muffins before and a carrot ginger bread was one of the very first recipes I posted here back in 2004, but never a full-on carrot cake.

Carrot cakes are frequently made with oil instead of butter. I think it is because carrot cake was so popular in the US during the '70s when oil-based cakes were still very popular due a relatively new technique* and a renewed interest in "health food" left people feeling virtuous when eating carrot cake (no butter! lots of carrots!) although it is generally not any healthier than any other cake, especially when iced with its classic accompaniment, cream cheese frosting. Oil cakes are also quite easy to put together and there was a surge of "quick and easy" cookbooks at that time. Since this isn't a classic chiffon cake, all of the ingredients can be mixed together at once to great result and you don't have to wait until the butter softens. Older recipes (and frequently in British recipes, where carrot cakes were popular during the war due to rationing) often call for butter. For this recipe I decided to go the swinging '70s American route if for no other reason than the weather is very, very hot and my butter has been going from hard as a rock to completely melted in very little time.


I used canola oil because it a healthier choice than the more traditional vegetable oil and I think it is more neutral tasting. Using fresh and powdered ginger made the cupcakes spicy but not overpoweringly so. Unlike some carrot cakes, these cupcakes have a fine crumb and a very light and fluffy texture.




*The aptly named Harry Baker, creator of the prototypical oil-based cake he called chiffon cake, came up this technique back in the 1920s. However, wasn't until the late '40s and he revealed his secret ingredient (and sold the idea) to Betty Crocker that people began making cakes using oil instead of butter in any great numbers in the United States. Oil, even when used outside of the traditional chiffon cake which is made with lots of egg whites, gives cakes a fluffy texture. People who prefer cake mix cakes, which have a light, even texture and are frequently made with oil, often find oil based homemade cakes preferable to traditional creamed butter cakes because the texture is closer to that of a mix.

Shrimp & Scallop Noodle Bowl

Ingredients:
for the sauce:
1 1/4 cup shrimp stock
2 inch knob ginger, sliced
2 inch knob galangal, sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, sliced
1 teaspoon palm sugar dissolved in 1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

for the stir fry:
3/4 lb shrimp
3/4 lb scallop
6 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 carrots, in matchsticks
2 head Shanghai cabbage, sliced in 1/4 inch wide pieces horizontally
1b fresh egg noodles, boiled 1 minute then drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons canola oil



Directions:
Bring the shrimp stock, ginger, galangal, and lemongrass to a boil. Boil until it is reduced to 1 cup. Strain out the solids. Stir in soy sauce and palm sugar then whisk in the cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok. Quickly stir fry the garlic then add the carrot, mushrooms and cabbage. Stir fry until the cabbage is just starting to wilt. Push the vegetables to one side of the wok, then add the seafood into the empty space. Stir fry until the shrimp and scallops are almost completely cooked through. Add the noodles and sauce. Stir fry until the noodles are soft and the sauce is mostly absorbed. Serve hot.

Yield: 2-4 servings.

My thoughts:

This was one of the tastiest noodle dishes I've made in a while. The noodles absorb all of the delicious broth and accent rather than obscure the natural brininess of the shrimp and scallops. It is also an exceptionally quick yet impressive looking dish to make, especially if you have a basic shrimp stock* on hand. I like to make stock whenever we have shrimp and then freeze it. You don't even have to defrost it ahead of time, it defrosts very quickly over medium heat in a saucepan. I then flavor it to accent the rest of the ingredients of whatever I am making. In this case, I was using Asian ingredients so I used Thai-influenced add-ins. It really elevates the dish into something special.


*Basically just water, raw shrimp shells, shrimp heads if possible, lemon peel, onions, parsley etc boiled until it reduces and then skimmed of solids.