Conch Salad

This is a great island staple that you can make from home. It’s perfect for a light lunch or appetizer. Make it ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge









1 can of conch, called Scungilli (found in specialty Italian and seafood stores)
1 small white onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
6 limes, juiced
hot sauce
sea salt

1. Rinse conch and clean conch, throwing out any discolored or tough pieces
2. Chop conch into small pieces and mix all ingredients together in the lime juice

Summer Pasta

This recipe has no proportions- I make it differently every time as I received it by word of mouth nearly 10 years ago. It’s incredibly simple, made from the best summer ingredients and the perfect light pasta for warm summer nights. You can make it cheaply, or you can make it well. I promise that one bite will make you forget that extra $10 you spent on quality products.




-Fresh or organic wheat pasta- I prefer bowtie or tortiglioni, anything medium sized
-Organic or local tomatoes- I prefer medium and cut into fourths
-fresh basil
-fresh mozzarella (if it comes shredded and in a bag, you’re not worthy of this recipe)
-organic EVOO
-sea salt and black pepper, maybe some crushed red pepper

1. Cook the pasta al dente
2. In the meantime, cut the tomatoes and season with s&p, cut mozzarella into small squares, and wash and cut basil into small pieces
3. Drain and dry pasta and pour into serving bowl. Immediately mix mozzarella into the hot pasta and stir. The goal is for the cheese to melt and coat the pasta.
4. Add basil, tomatoes, sea salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and olive oil. Stir.
5. Cover the bowl and place in the sunlight, preferably outside. You want all the ingredients to gel together in the warmth. This is a great dish to make in the afternoon and leave out for a few hours.
6. Serve at room temperature.

A Luxurious and Deeply Aromatic Noodle Dish--I didn't come up with the name

Took this from 101 Cookbooks....I added shrimp and sliced mushrooms to give it more substance. So good!

For the spice paste:
Chilies - 4 or 5 small, hot red ones
Garlic - 2 or 3 small cloves
Ginger - a small lump, about the size of a walnut in its shell
Lemon grass - 2 or 3 plump stalks
Coriander seeds - a few
Coriander leaves - a few (hs note: cilantro for all you non-brits)
Ground tumeric - a teaspoon
vegetable oil - a little

For the soup:
Stock - vegetable, 500 ml
Coconut milk - 400ml (lite is ok)
A lime - just the juice
Soy sauce
Mint - a small handful of leaves

To finish:
Noodles - I think I used about 1 lb....big, chubby, fresh asian egg ones.

Halve and seed the chilies. Peel the garlic. Peel and shred the ginger. Finely slice the tender, innermost leaves of the lemon grass. Grind the coriander seeds or crush them in a mortar. Blitz it all to a thick paste in a food processor with the coriander leaves and any well scrubbed roots, plus the tumeric. You may need a few tablespoons of vegetable oil to help it go round but add as little as you can.

Place a fairly deep pan over moderate heat, add half the spice paste (keep the other half in the fridge for tomorrow) and fry it, movingit round the pan, for a minute or so, then pour in the stock, coconut milk, and a splash of soy sauce -- let it come to the boil. Turn the heat down and let the soup simer for ten minutes. Meanwhile cook the noodles briefly in boiling water and drain them.

Divide the noodles between four large, deep bowls and ladle over hot soup. Sprinkle with mint leaves.

Serves about 4.

Whipped Cauliflower

This is a light and healthy alternative to mashed potatoes. It's super easy to make and absolutely delicious- carnivorous husband-approved!

1 head of cauliflower
1-2 tablespoons butter or alternative (Earth Balance works well)
1/3 cup of milk (or soy milk)
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Steam the cauliflower for 20 minutes or until completely tender
2. Blend steamed cauliflower, milk, butter and S&P in a bowl with a hand blender until somewhat smooth

*I like to serve with a poached egg hidden in the middle to add some protein. Pop the egg and mix it up!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

After having a similar dish at Alta in Manhattan, I combed the internet for a similar recipe. Here is my take on what I found. This dish has bumped BS up to my favorite veg of all time, it's that good!






10 oz Brussels sprouts, stem removed and halved (keep all the external leaves as well- they are best part!)
EVOO
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons pistachios, toasted and chopped
*1/2 Apple, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
Salt & Pepper to taste

*I prefer raisins to apple slices for a sweeter taste

Serves 4
1. Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Coat brussels sprouts in EVOO, salt and pepper and roast for 15-20 minutes until slightly charred
2. Simmer balsamic vinegar and honey in a small pan until reduced- 3-5 minutes.
3. Mix pistachios and apple slices with brussels sprouts, pour balsamic/honey reduction over and top with a dallop of crème fraîche

Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie

4 eggs, beaten
6 T. butter, melted
1 c light corn syrup
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
3 T bourbon
1 T. flour
1 T vanilla
1 c semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 c pecans, coarsely chopped
1 unbaked deep dish pie shell or 2 unbaked 8" pie shells

Combine all ingredients except nuts and chocolate in large mixing bowl and beat well. Stir in nuts + chocolate. Pour into pie shell(s) and bake at 350 until set, 35-40 min. Serves 12 to 16.

Great w/ whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Debbie Cunningham/Alice Goodwin. The Stuffed Cougar.

Ham Delights

Blend:
2 sticks of butter
3 tbsp poppy seed
1 med onion, chopped fine
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp prepared mustard

Split Pepperidge Farm party rolls, spread top and bottom w/ above mixture. Place on rolls:

1 lb boiled ham, shredded
1/2 lb Swiss Cheese, cut into sm. squares

Wrap tightly in foil. Heat in foil 10 min @ 400 degrees.