KBKabaret

Dressing Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 1/4 watermelon
• Juice of one ripe orange
• Cup of coconut water

Press liquefy on the blender

Salad Ingredients

• 1 small papaya
• 1 large head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 3/4 cup of cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup roasted pepitas (put raw pepitas at low under the broiler until they start to pop, about 2 minutes. sprinkle sea salt over them.)

Directions

1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a food processor. season to taste with salt.

2. Peel the papaya, scoop out the seeds, and chop into half inch squares.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all salad ingredients. toss with half the dressing, add dressing to individual bowls if needed

Dressing Ingredients

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1-tablespoon cider vinegar
•  1-teaspoon honey
• 3 tablespoons non-fat greek yogurt
•  1 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder – this tastes like a mixture of cayenne, chili powder, and sugar (just in case you don’t have this. i didn’t.)
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
•  handful fresh cilantro
•  3 tablespoons olive oil
•  sea salt

Salad Ingredients

• ½ cup bulgur wheat
• 1 cup water
• Saffron
• Cumin
• Powdered ginger
• Dry basil leaves
• 7 leaves Green leafy vegetable
• 1 stalk celery
• 15 grape tomatoes or 1-2 large Tomato
• 1 large Cucumber
• ½ Lemon/lime
• 1 leaf Chive
• 5 pieces of fresh Rosemary leaves
• Onion optional

Directions

1. Heat the cup of water to boiling, add in 4 dashes of each of the cumin, saffron, basil and ginger.

2. Take off heat and add the bulgur wheat. Cover and let sit for 30 mins. Drain off excess water. Let it cool before mixing with salad.

3. Chop green leaves, celery, chives, rosemary, half a lime in blender. mine gave a little trouble to get all chopped but it worked out okay.

4. Dice tomato and cucumber into small pieces.

5. Mix all together with bulgur wheat and  Mexican dressing and voila!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of finely chopped walnuts or dried fruit if you have them
• 2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 very large bananas
• 1 peeled, cored, and cut apple
• 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract (See Beulah’s recipe for Vanilla Extract)
• 1 tsp arrowroot powder
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1 tbs water

Directions

Preheat oven to 370 degrees Fahrenheit

1.  Put the bananas and apples in the blender with the oil and essence, with 1 tbs water to help get it going. Whip it altogether until nice and smooth like batter.

2. Sift the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Then combined the wet and dry ingredients in that large bowl.
Should be a sticky mixture but not too wet.

4. Grease the bread pan and spread the mixture in it with the spoon.

5.  Bake for 35 minutes.

6.  Insert sharp thin knife into the center.  If comes out clean the bread is done.  Should be nice and brown.  Be careful not to over bake.

This is a delicious and easy to make tapas and a perfect pairing for Sweet Port Wine.

To save time, you can buy puff pastry sheets and cut each sheet into 4-inch squares.

Ingredients:

• 2 puff pastry sheets
• 1 pound Stilton Cheese
• 2 egg whites
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 pound chopped hazelnuts…
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Serving: About 1 1/2 to 2 dozen.

Preheat oven to 375o
Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper

Mix chopped hazelnuts with olive oil, salt, and roast until light brown.  (Should be done under 10 minutes but check frequently.) Set aside

Follow directions on premade puff pastry dough
Cut pastry into 4-inch squares,  brush egg whites on square’s edges
Spoon on a healthy tablespoon Stilton Cheese
Fold the square in a triangle, from one corner tip to the tip across.
Pinch down with fingers.  Use a fork and press down for a tighter seal.
Continue until all pastry is full.
Place on baking sheet and brush with egg yolk and water mixture
Bake until golden brown.

Put hazelnut on top of each and enjoy with a lovely Rich deep Port  like Carlos Magalhaes Vintage Porto 2000 or
A.A. Ferreira Duque De Bragança Porto De 20 Anos  both under $60

Beulah in Lisbon Recipe:  Arroz de Pato

Serving Size: 8 servings

Ingredients for:

Rice

• 8 ounces rice, standard medium rice
• 2 ounces Goya Sofrito, (Short grain) recipe below
• 2 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
• salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
• olive oil, as needed

Sofrito

• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Duck confit (duck cooked or preserved in its own fat)

• 2 duck, legs
• 1/2 onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 cups duck fat
• 1 tablespoon white peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 2 pieces star anise
• 1/4 bunch thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig rosemary

Duck breast

• 2 duck breast skinless
• 1 tablespoon duck fat
• 1/4 cup chorizo, sliced
• 2 tablespoons black olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/2 cup apricots, dried
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon sherry
• 2 duck skin, crisped in oven, from the breast

Directions

1.    Make the duck confit:
2.    Set oven to 300 degrees F. Season the duck legs with salt and pepper on both sides and then sear in a tablespoon of duck fat until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
3.    Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook until tender.
4.    Next add the the coriander, white peppercorn, star anise, and herbs (all tied in cheesecloth—sachet).
5.    Continue cooking for additional 5 minutes. Add the duck fat, melt, and then transfer all to oven-proof casserole. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for 6-8 hours, until duck meat falls off the bone.
6.    When cool enough to handle, pull the duck meat off the bone, discard the bones and be careful of loose cartilage.

Make sofrito:

1.    Over medium-low heat, sweat onion and garlic in the olive oil until just slightly golden brown.
2.    Add the saffron threads and cook 2 minutes more. Then, add the diced tomato and cook over medium heat unitl all moisture is gone.
3.    Add the paprika. Set aside.

Make the apricot puree:

1.    In medium saucepan, combine the apricots with the white wine and cook over medium-high heat until wine is reduced by half.
2.    Add the sherry, then puree in vita-prep (or blender) at high speed until smooth.

Pre-cook rice:

1.    Place the 1.5 ounces of sofrito in heavy-bottomed rondeau. Add additional 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Place over medium-low heat.
2.    Add the rice and toast, constantly stirring with rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
3.    Add 12 ounces of the stock and mix well. Let cook stirring to avoid sticking for about 8-10 minutes.
4.    Remove rice from pan and spread onto parchment paper-lined sheet pan. (Pre-cooking the rice is a step we take at Aldea to expedite the service, but rice can also be finished at this point.) Add the additional stock as well as garnishes.
Cook duck breasts:
Season duck breasts with salt and pepper. Vacuum pack with the duck fat and cook in water bath at 150 degrees for 20 minutes.

To finish:

1.    Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2.    In large paella pan, Spread rice along the bottom in even layer.
3.    Add the duck confit, chorizo, olives, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and flatten out again. Add the additional 6 ounces of stock and place in oven.
4.    Cook for 7 minutes until rice is crisped around the edges and a “soccarat”  (caramelized layer of crunchy rice) has formed on the bottom of pan.
5.    Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes covered with aluminum foil.
To serve: Dish out onto plates and garnish with the sliced duck breast, crisped up skin, and the apricot puree.

Bomba de Patatas  (Garlic potatoes Bombs with Sherry pork sausage)

Bas Tapa:  Pintxos   
These are small portions (what we would call Tapas) served in the Basque area of Spain.  Toothpicks are important so you can count how many were eaten.Makes 15 tapa

Ingredients:

•  2¼ lb potatoes, peeled and cut up
• 2 clove of garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
•  9oz minced pork Sausage
•  2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 small green pepper, chopped
•  1 clove garlic, chopped
• 5 oz chopped fresh tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon hot paprika or pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 ½ oz fine dry breadcrumbs
• Olive oil for frying
• Toothpicks

Directions:

1.    Mince 2 cloves of garlic and sauté in 1tablespoon olive oil until translucent (take off heat)
2.    Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain and mash, adding sautéed garlic and      salt
3.    In a frying pan, heat the oil and brown the minced meat, 5 minutes. Add the onion, pepper, garlic and continue frying. Add the tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Season with salt, cumin, oregano and pimentón. Cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced, about 15 minutes.
4.    Using 2 spoons, shape potatoes into egg-sized balls – 2in- (each about 50g). Cut each potato ball in hall, make an indentation and fill with a spoonful of the meat filling. Press the halves together and pinch the edges together to seal in the filling.
5.    Dip the potato balls in beaten egg, then roll them in breadcrumbs. Heat oil to a depth of 1 inch until hot, but not smoking, and fry the balls, turning until golden, 4 to 5 minutes.
6.    Drain on absorbent towels and serve hot or room temperature.
7.    Put a toothpick in each for easy serving.

8.    Do ahead: Shape the potato balls, dip them in egg and breadcrumbs. Place them in a single layer on a tin and freeze. When the balls are frozen, pack them into plastic bags or freezer containers. Completely thaw the potato balls before frying them.

Vermouth Pairing:  Carmelitas Vermuteria

Smoked Salmon and Fruit Pintxos

Bas Tapa:  Pintxos 
These are small portions (what we would call Tapas) served in the Basque area of Spain.

Ingredients:

• 21 oz smoked salmon
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 12 mixed green and red grapes, halved and deseeded
•  2 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 9 oz assorted berries (strawberries, raspberries, etc)
• 6 green olives, pitted and halved
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 12 skewers

Directions:

Cut the fish into 1-inch pieces.  Layer as a Shih Kabob with the cherry tomatoes, fruit and olives. Season lightly with pepper and squeeze over the juice from the lemon wedges.

Vermouth Pairing:  Gran Bodega Saltó

Pintxos Tempura Chicken

Bas Tapa:  Pintxos
These are small portions (what we would call Tapas) served in the Basque area of Spain.  Toothpicks are important so you can count how many were eaten.

Ingredients

• 2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup very cold water
• 1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
• Peanut oil, for fryingBaguette warmed and sliced
  Toothpicks

Directions

Lightly coat the chicken strips in the cornstarch, shaking to remove any excess. Set aside. In a large pot or wok, preheat the oil to 360 degrees F.
In a bowl, beat the egg with the cold water. Add the flour and Essence and mix lightly and quickly just until smooth. Dip the chicken into the batter, shaking to remove any excess. In batches add to the hot oil and fry, turning, until golden brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Serve the chicken with Saffron Mayonnaise on top of Sliced warmed Baguette, Mango and pear sauce for dipping

Saffron Mayonnaise

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Preparation

1.    Bring water and saffron just to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir, then let steep, uncovered, 10 minutes, to release saffron color and flavor.

2.    Whisk together mayonnaise, sherry vinegar, and garlic in a bowl. Gradually whisk in saffron water.

Cooks’ note:
•Mayonnaise can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Mango and Pear Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Chopped Mango
• 1/2 cup Chopped Pears
• 4 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Pinch 5-spice powder

Preparation

In a saucepan, combine chopped mango, pear, vinegar, shallots, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and 5-spice powder, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Stir, reduce the heat and simmer until thickened and the flavors are married, 4 to 5 minutes. (The sauce does not have to be smooth, fruit chucks can remain.) Remove the plum sauce from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Let cool to room temperature.

Vermouth Pairing:  Bormuth

Ham and Machengo Empanadas With Creamy Sherry Dijon Dipping Sauce

Serves: about 15 empanadas

Bas Tapa:  Pintxos 
These are small portions (what we would call Tapas) served in the Basque area of Spain.

Ingredients

For Ham and Machengo Empanadas:

• 1 cup well chopped or diced baked ham (deli ham can be substituted)
• 1 cup well chopped roast turkey (deli turkey can be substituted)
• ¾ cup shredded Machengo cheese
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 15-20 frozen empanada wrappers, thawed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 inches of peanut, canola, olive, or vegetable oil in a high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet (*See Notes for baking instructions.)

For the Creamy Sherry Dijon Dipping Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Sherry
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

INSTRUCTIONS

To Make the Empanadas:

1.    In a mixing bowl, stir together the ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard, and mayonnaise until everything is evenly combined. (The filling can be made several hours ahead of assembly and cooking time if desired.
2.    Place the skillet containing the oil over medium high heat.
3.    Scoop about 1 tablespoon into the center of an empanada wrapper and pull the sides up together around the filling, crimping the edges to seal. If desired, you can fold them decoratively. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
4.    Brush both sides of the empanadas with the beaten egg. When the oil bubbles vigorously around an empanada when it is lowered carefully into the oil, it is ready. Fry only as many as you can easily fit in the oil still leaving them room to move around. After they have cooked for 2 minutes, flip the empanadas over and cook the second side for 2 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Fry the remaining empanadas as directed.

To Make the Creamy Dijon Dipping Sauce:
1.    Stir together the mayonnaise Sherry,  and Dijon mustard until even in color. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours.

To Serve:
1.    Lightly dust the warm Monte Cristo Empanadas with confectioner’s sugar and serve with the Creamy Dijon Dipping Sauce.

NOTES
*You can ABSOLUTELY bake these empanadas if preferred over frying. Simply preheat the oven to 375°F and place the empanadas that have been brushed with egg on both sides on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 24-28 minutes, or until the empanadas have become puffy and golden brown.   Still serve with the Creamy Dijon Dipping Sauce.

Vermouth Pairing:  Priorat Natur Vermut

Manchengo Stuffed Rum Soaked Olives In Crust

Ingredients for four people

• 16 stuffed olives, self-prepared (see above) or ready bought
•  1 1/2 lbs. of cheese (Manchego cheese)
• 3 lbs. flour (more or less)
•  1 egg
• 1 1/2 lbs. butter
• Salt, cayenne pepper

Preparation

Soak olives in Rum for 12 hours in refrigerator.  When ready to use pat dry.
Dough: Sprinkle the flour on a work surface, grate the cheese with it or make crumbs. Mix the whole mixture together and shape a small hole into it. Into this hole add the egg, a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper. Cut the butter into small pieces and also add it to the mixture.
Then knead the ingredients into a smooth dough. Form a dough ball, wrap in foil and leave in the fridge for an hour.
Preheat oven to 175°.
Meanwhile, roll out the dough, cut out some 4×4 inch pieces to wrap the olives in.

Tip and variations
If you don’t have a rolling pin to roll out the dough, you can shape the dough into a roll and then cut it into thin slices, then wrap the olives in each slice.
Put the olives in the oven until the crust is golden brown (about 10-15 minutes).
Serve the olives in crust on a plate and garnish each with a toothpick.
The olives in crust can be served cold or warm.

Preparation time: 45 minutes. Leave to rest for 1 hour.

Beer matches: Weissbier, Belgian Pale Ale, SpiceHerb/Vegetable Beer