Updated: 10/1/04; 5:30:31 PM.
There's a Chef in My Kitchen
Culinary musings of a passionate gourmand, chef and social sommelier.
        

Sunday, September 19, 2004

Is My Blog Burning? Eighth Edition – Lift Your Spirits High!

Pink Grapefruit Sorbet with Vermouth, from Donna in Harrisburg – There's a Chef in My Kitchen

and introducing first time – nonblogger participants, Bunny and Lou with Amaretto Shrimp

In addition, we welcome Cécile from Paris.  Another first time, non-blogger participant who contributes:  WHITE LILLET POACHED WHITE PEACHES (Pêches blanches au Lillet blanc).


Pink Grapefruit Sorbet with Vermouth
I’m a sucker for kitchen equipment, and anytime I can use a multitude of them I get a warm fuzzy feeling inside… or is it the alcohol?!? Welcome to IMBB#8 -- Lift your Spirits High!. Today the world is a little bit fired up – Blog Burning-wise, that is. Cooking with Wine and Spirits. What could be more fun?

With the remnants of Ivan having just passed through, we are being treated to some gloriously cool breezes, and intense sunshine from crystal clear blue skies. This put me in the mood to cook – and I wanted something fresh and enlivening, a bit heady and transporting. Not to mention I had a new juicer I was dying to use. When I spied this recipe, I just knew I had to make it – the perfect, adult version of a childhood favorite: Pink Grapefruit Sorbet with Vermouth. The beautiful thing about this recipe, though, is that the vermouth is actually a garnish! None of its "spirit"ual properties are cooked off by heat. And, transporting? In one bite you get tart, then sweet, and then the heady aromatics of spice. The vermouth… well, let’s just say it adds that little something that makes this little treat all grown up!

Pink Grapefruit Sorbet with Vermouth
adapted from The Ultimate Mixer Cookbook by Rosemary Moon and Katie Bishop; Copyright © 2002 Quintet Publishing Limited

Sorbet is really refreshing at the end of a meal, and this is one of the best recipes that we have come across (Donna’s Note: Actually, the recipe is almost identical to the recipe in the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Instruction Booklet!). Creamy White in color (Donna’s Note: but here I used Pink Grapefruits, so it’s a lovely shade of creamy pale pink!), it needs just a generous splash of vermouth poured over it before serving.

Donna’s Note: Actually I’d recommend this as a palate cleanser mid-meal. The splash of vermouth will certainly prepare your guests for the next course – of food and wine.

Serves 4 to 6 as dessert
Serves 8 to 10 as a mid-meal palate cleanser
Ingredients:
4 pink grapefruits – you will need the grated zest of 3, and the juice of all 4.
2 cinnamon sticks, broke in half
1 cup superfine sugar
2 egg whites
Extra Dry Vermouth, as a garnish
Lemon or lime zest, for garnish
Mint, for garnish

Method:
Measure the grapefruit juice and bring it up to 3 cups with as much filtered water as is necessary. Place in a nonreactive pan with the grated zest and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and lets stand for five minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks. Stir in the sugar to dissolve, then strain the mixture into a bowl. Allow to cool, then chill for one hour.

Whisk the egg whites in the mixer bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk until white and fluffy, but not stiff. Pour in the chilled grapefruit mixture and continue whisking until well combined. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze-churn until ready to serve. Or, when finished freezing, store in an airtight container in the freezer. Allow to soften 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator before serving (just enough time to prepare your garnish and service).

Alternatively – if you do not have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a suitable plastic container and freeze for three to four hours, stirring vigorously at least twice.

Serve in scoops with a good splash of dry Vermouth, and garnish with zest and mint.

Cook’s Tip: If the sorbet is softening unevenly, pour into the mixer bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix to make it smooth. Serve immediately, or freeze again until scoopable.

Amaretto Shrimp
Original Recipe from Lou Zotter, Warrington Pennsylvania; Text from Bunny Zotter.

Our dinner last night was delicious. Lou’s Amaretto Shrimp was excellent. And our neighbors gladly agreed to take photos in exchange for a meal.

Thanks for inviting us to join in on this. Lou was like a little chef wanna be. And, he delighted in fixing the table for the photo. I had forgotten how delicious this dish is.

Amaretto Shrimp
Serves 4
1/2 of a large Red Pepper, diced
1/2 of a large Green Pepper, diced
2 Bunches of Scallions sliced, white and light green parts only
1 cup (4 oz.) of mushrooms sliced
1 pound of Jumbo Shrimp (24 pieces)
1 cup Amaretto
4 tablespoons Butter
4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In 2 tablespoons of Butter and 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, sauté the peppers and scallions until tender, but not browned. Add the mushrooms and sauté one minute longer. Place on warm dish and cover to keep warm.

In 2 tablespoons Butter and 2 tablespoons Olive Oil sauté the shrimp just to pale color, not quite done. Add the mixture of peppers, scallions and mushrooms to the shrimp. Toss to combine. Add the Amaretto. Stir to combine, cover and simmer on low for 3 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer on low for 2 more minutes.

Serve over egg noodles, linguine or rice.

WHITE LILLET POACHED WHITE PEACHES (Pêches blanches au Lillet blanc)
Contributed by Cécile from Paris.

This is my first contribution to the blog event “Is my blog burning”. I first wanted to prepare a Champagne Risotto as Champagne is one of my favourite wines but I finally changed my mind as I wanted to use season products (I will keep the Champagne Risotto recipe for Christmas time).  I looked for a season recipe in my cookbooks and in the files where I
clipped-out recipes from various magazines and those “White Lillet poached white peaches” sounded perfect (in fact this is the mix of 3 different recipes).

I bought white peaches from the Bastille market and white Lillet (a French “aperitif” produced near Bordeaux) from the Nicolas store close to where I live.  The taste of peaches with white Lillet, vervain, peppercorns and honey is
delicate and it is the perfect conclusion for a summer (or early fall) diner.

Serves 4.
-    4 white peaches
-    50 cl of white Lillet
-    8 leaves of vervain (fresh or dry)
-    8 green peppercorns
-    2 tablespoons of honey

Place the peaches in a saucepan with the Lillet, honey, vervain and peppercorns. Cook for 20 minutes (turning once) over medium-low heat.  Cool, keep the Lillet Broth with vervain leaves and pepper and remove the skin of the peaches.

To serve, place peaches in bowls and serve cool with the Lillet broth.  Decorate with vervain leaves and peppercorns.


1:20:17 PM    comment []

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