Hazelnut Dacquoise

This dessert stands out as my most favorite anywhere. I never knew what it was at the time, but when I worked in Atlanta, the pastry chef there had a signature dessert of sorts that was sold in the restaurant I managed.  He called it Chocolate Hazelnut Torte.  I would've found out exactly what it was 28 years ago since most chef's I worked around helped me with the gist of how things were made and I gained lots of knowledge in that way...but this Prima Dona pastry chef, no way.  He never smiled and he rarely said a word to me.  He was American, too, which baffled me because most Prima Dona pastry chef's come from Europe.  This guy was trained at the CIA and he was talented.  In the restaurant, the servers brought around a dessert cart to the diners and everyday there was a piece of this dessert left, I ate it.  That was back when I could do that and though those days are long gone, it was fun while they lasted.  This wasn't exactly what he made, I'll have to work on it, but I discovered, his was a dacquoise not a torte.
So this discovery came about when my son checked out a dessert cook book from his school library.  As I looked through it, I was drawn to a picture that sort of reminded me of the layers of that dessert from Atlanta.  I decided to give it a try for Christmas dessert.  I loosely followed several recipes to invent this particular recipe, though a jumping off point, it was very good.  Here's what I did.
Toast 2 Cups Shelled Hazelnuts for 7-8 minutes in a 350 degree preheated oven.  Give the pan a shake while they are toasting.  Once they are fragrant and golden remove them from the oven.  Once they are cool, place them in a dish towel and rub them against themselves to remove the skins.  Reserve 12 nuts for garnish when serving.  Reserve 1/2 Cup for ganache.  Place 1 1/4 Cup Hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse with 2 Tbl Sugar until finely ground.  Add 1 Tbl Corn Starch and pulse until combined.
Cut (2) pieces of Parchment Paper large enough to cover a sheet pan.  Using a pencil and a ruler, draw (2) 8 1/2" circles on each of them.  Place the paper on (2) sheet pans pencil side down.  Place oven racks on upper 1/3 and lower 1/3 of the oven.  Preheat to 250.
Separate 6 Eggs placing the 6 whites in a mixing bowl.  Save the yolks for another use.  Allow the whites to warm to room temperature.  Beat at medium high until frothy.  Add 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar and 1/4 tsp Salt and beat until soft peaks.  Add 3/4 Cups Sugar, 1 Tbl at a time and beat until stiff and glossy.  Gently fold in Hazelnut Mixture adding small amounts at a time.  Spread 1/4 of the mixture on each of the 4 circles and flatten with an off set spatula.  Do not allow the circles to touch.  Place in the oven and bake for a total of 1 1/2 hours.  Switch positions after 45 minutes.  Turn off oven and allow the oven to cool.  Remove from oven and let cool and additional hour.  Gently remove the circles from the parchment.  Be certain layers are cool.   Place in a 1 gallon storage bag with paper towels in between the layers.  NOTE: I encourage you to get to this point 1 day ahead.
For ganache garnish.  Pulse 1/2 Cup of reserved toasted Hazelnuts in food processor until fine.  Warm 1 Cup Heavy Cream over medium heat until about to bubble around the edges.  Turn off burner and add 6 oz Ghirardelli or Lindt Chocolate Bars and 2 Tbl Frangelico.  As it cools, add ground hazelnuts.   Stir to combine and refrigerate.
For the filling, melt 6 oz of Ghirardelli or Lindt chocolate over low heat.  As soon as it melts, remove from heat.  While it is melting, beat 3 Cups Heavy Cream.  Add 2 Tbl Confectioners Sugar and 1/2 tsp Vanilla and beat until soft peaks form.  Beat another 30-45 seconds or so.  Add melted chocolate and stir to combine.

To assemble, using a large flat bottomed platter, place a small dollop of cream in the center to keep the bottom layer from moving.  Place first layer on the dollop and push down with the layer to spread and position the layer.  Spread evenly, 1/3 of the cream and press on the 2nd layer.  Add 1/2 of the remaining cream and press on the 3rd layer.  Add remaining cream and press on the 4th layer.  Refrigerate for several hours before serving.
When dining, remove ganache from the refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature.  Using a hand mixer, beat on high so it becomes airier and softer.  Place in a pastry bag with a fluted tip.  (I didn't have the right kind of tip for this so I added a small spoonful of ganache.)  Garnish the outer edge of dacquoise with 10-12 swirly dollops of ganache and topped with a toasted hazelnut.  Serve with a light red wine, sparkling wine or hazlenut coffee.  Enjoy this special Parisian treat!!

Medallions of Eggplant Topped w/Hand Picked Crabs in Lemon Butter Sauce

I apologize I don't have a photo for this finished dish.  My tennis team does a Christmas luncheon each year and we all bring a tasty treat.  I basically made this at home, transported it and finished it at R's house.  We ate this as an appetizer while socializing in her gorgeous kitchen.  The room fell silent, need I say more?
First, the crab.  My husband picked a Dozen Crabs ($20) for me the day before.  If you don't have access, you'll need 1 lb Crabmeat and make sure the meat you buy is lump and that it's fresh.  If the crabs are cooked in a seasoned boil, I think the dish will turn out better. Cover the crabmeat and store in the refrigerator for no more than 1 day.
This recipe provides for 12 Appetizer Portions of 2 medallions of eggplant and a 1/4 Cup of Lemon Butter Sauce with a generous amount of Crab.  For the Eggplant.  Buy 2 Medium Eggplants.  Peel and using a serrated knife, slice into 1/2" slices.  Preheat a griddle to 375.  To a flat bottomed bowl, beat 3 Eggs and 1/2 tsp Salt with a few splashes of water.  To a 2nd flat bottomed bowl, add 2 Cups of Bread Crumbs.  Coat the griddle with vegetable oil and cook the eggplant, turning once, until golden.  You'll work in batches, so re-oil the griddle as needed. It won't be quite done since it's going in the oven.  Shingle the eggplant on a cooling rack set on a sheet pan.
For the Lemon Butter Sauce do all the prep first.  Mince 1 Large Shallot.  Zest, then Juice 5 Lemons.  Measure out 1/4 Cup Dry Vermouth.  Add 2 Tbl Corn Starch to 1 Cup Chicken Broth.  Open 1 Sick Butter.  If you are eating this at home, remove the crab from the refrigerator.
Heat a 12" skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 tsp Canola Oil and 1 tsp Butter.  Add Shallots, a good pinch of salt, and saute for 1 minute.  Add Lemon Zest and saute for 30-45 seconds.  Add Dry Vermouth and swirl for 1 minute.  Add Lemon Juice and swirl, cooking until the mixture begins to get thicker.  Add Broth and once it simmers, cook for 2-3 minutes until it gets thicker still.  Turn off heat and add the butter.  Swirl once the butter melts and pour into a thick bottomed pot.
Up until now, everything can be made ahead.  I transported the crab in a cover container, the sauce in a pot ready for the stove, and the eggplant on the covered sheet pan.
Whether at home or traveling, here's how to finish the dish. Preheat oven to 325.  Add Eggplant and bake uncovered for 18- 20 minutes until sizzling.  Heat the Butter Sauce WITHOUT THE CRAB over low or medium low heat until very warm without boiling.  Stir with a wire whip for 15-20 seconds so it is smooth.  Turn off heat and add Crabmeat.  Plate up 2 medallions of eggplant and using a 1/4 cup ladle, add the sauce.  Serve at once!!

Gruyere Potatoes

NOTE:  If you have made these, I have changed of the potato variety.  I made these with Yellow Gold (or Yukon Gold) and they don't turn gray during prep and they hold their shape after they've been cooked.  The Russets were too mushy, so reprint this recipe.  Thanks - my blog is a work in progress...
I came across this recipe years ago and loved it when I read it.  It accompanies any beef, ham, barbeque, crown roast of pork or thick chops, etc.  The only change I have made was that I add a little more gruyere than originally called for, but other than that, don't try to change it.  For example, don't add extra potato because you have just one more and don't open 3 (14 1/2  oz) cans of broth then use it all because you don't want to throw any out.  And if you realize after it is assembled that you forgot the butter, it will work but it won't taste as good, trust me, I have done all of these things over the past 15 years.  Oh, and don't make this the night before and refrigerate it without cooking, the potatoes will turn gray and won't turn back, I know, my friend K did this...for a family holiday dinner.  Lastly, allow for these to rest for 20-30 minutes on top of the 90 minute cooking time before trying to serve them, so plan ahead.  You can cook this at home and transport.  Make sure the dish sits on a baking sheet because it's soupy.  You can also cook the day before entirely.  Let it cool before refrigerating.  The next day, cut into squares and reheat on a baking sheet at 350 for about 15-20 minutes.  Or reheat your leftovers in the same manner.
If you have a mandolin or a V-slicer, pull it out, and if not, I hope you have excellent knife skills.  A V-slicer is a $30 version of a Mandolin and can be found at Bed, Bath, Beyond.  You still have time, get it on your Christmas list!  I use mine a lot so it is an excellent investment.  Since I posted, I wore out my V-Slicer and bought a Mandolin.
Here's the recipe:
Butter well a lasagna sized casserole dish of sorts.  I have several dishes that work well, but in general, 9"x13" and I would not go bigger than this, so measure your dish.  Next, grate .25 lbs (1/4 lb) Gruyere Cheese, feel free to go with a little more.  If you want a less expensive choice, substitute Emmentaler.  Cube 2 Tbl UnSalted Butter into 1/4" cubes.  Peel 3 lbs. of Yellow Gold or Yukon Gold.  Try to get the weight fairly close.  If you buy a 5lb bag, count them all and use 3/5 of the total.  The last time I made these there were 15 so I used 9.  Easy enough!  Continuing on, slice the potatoes on the Mandolin at 1/16" slices.  Place in a bowl and gently toss the potatoes with 3 Tbl Flour.
Preheat oven to 375.  Layer 1/3 of the potatoes into the buttered casserole dish.  Top with 1/3 of the Gruyere, dot with 1/3 of the butter cubes and add S&P to taste.  Repeat 2 times.  Add 4 Cups of good quality Chicken Broth.  If you want to add any flavoring, White Pepper and Nutmeg are good choices.  For reduced salt, additional salt isn't necessary because the broth and cheese are both salty.  Place in center of oven and bake UNCOVERED for 1 hour 30 minutes.  Make sure to let it rest for 20-30 minutes before trying to serve, otherwise it will be soupy.  If you need to transport this, bake for the first 1 hour 10 minutes.  Finish at location in a 350 oven for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.  Enjoy one of my favorite versatile side dishes.

Peanut Brittle

Everywhere I have gone lately, I've seen wonderful Peanut Brittle.  It got me thinking that when I was young I made candy at Christmas time.  I learned to make Peanut Brittle in grade school.  Back in those days I had to shell the peanuts, an activity I did while watching tv.  Now that unsalted peanuts are available in a jar, it reduces the time quite a bit.  A few days ago I picked up a jar and made Peanut Brittle this afternoon using my old McCall's Cook Book recipe.  If you don't have a candy thermometer, you need to get one before tackling candy making.

In a non-reactive (All-Clad works well) pot, add 2 Cups Sugar, 1/2 Cup Corn Syrup and 1 Cup Water and heat over medium heat.  Stir until the sugar melts and the mixture becomes clear.  Continue cooking without stirring until the candy thermometer reads 238 degrees. The mixture should be bubbling gently.  Add 2 Cups of Shelled Unsalted Peanuts. Cook while stirring until the nuts become golden (this will take at least 20 minutes).  You can test the doneness after 15 minutes by drizzling the candy in a glass of ice water.  The candy should be hard and brittle and when you chew it, it should be tender without sticking to your teeth.  Once it comes to that point, remove from the heat and add 1 tsp Butter and 1/4 tsp Baking Soda.  Stir until combined and pour onto a buttered sheet pan.  Swirl the pan to get the brittle to spread out giving you the thickness you are aiming for.  Let cool completely before breaking into pieces.  If you are giving it as gifts, be mindful of peanut allergies.

What happens when young meets up with mature in the kitchen...

I watch Food Network off and on, most often when it's cold.  Last week I came across and episode of Giada and her Aunt Raffy duking it out in the kitchen.  Competing forces of young vs. mature, formal schooling vs. family cooking methods handed down for generations, modern twists vs. never touched family recipes, it was very entertaining.  It begins with a glass of wine, of which neither lady denied.
I would do anything to cook with my mother again.  I was often in the kitchen with her preparing meals for the 9 of us when I lived at home.  As I moved about the country, when we were lucky enough to visit one another, we each took time to make something new or something the other had not had before.  Our visits were always something special in the kitchen.  When my mother and I talked on the phone our conversations virtually always turned to food and neither grew tired of it.  I rarely messed with old time favorites but if and when I did, my father always accused (accuses) me of messing them up.  Naturally after 6 years of food classes from 6-12 grade, a 4 year degree in Food Service and 15 years of food and beverage related hotel work at no less than 50 hours a week and often 60-70 hours, I feel a bit qualified to do so.  I suppose our station in life rarely changes among our family members no matter how accomplished.  I am not sure why that is, but it is.
That identical dynamic is at work when it comes to the kitchen and you can see it unfold on tv before your very eyes when Giada and Aunt Raffy are toiling away.  Together, they made a Rollatini that looked wonderful so I made it the other night.  After reading some of the comments on the recipe, most of which called for more flavor in the way of garlic, I re-read the recipe.  I surmised that it was not garlic they longed for, as there is clearly a reason the Italians didn't put it in there, but perhaps something more subtle and along the line of sauteed minced shallots.   I added that flavor instead and the result was delicious.  I will certainly make this many times in the future.  If you know how to make your own pasta, then this recipe is for you!
From start to finish this took about an hour.  First make your favorite fresh pasta.  I made my using flour, semolina flour and wheat flour.  You need enough to roll out a 12" circle 1/8" thick.  If you have too much pasta, cut it in half and make 2 rollatinis.  While the pasta is resting under a damp cloth, heat water in something big enough to add the rollatini without bending it.

For the filling, heat a small skillet over medium heat and cook 1 Large Minced Shallot in 1 Tbl Butter.  To a bowl, add 4 oz  Ricotta Cheese, 1 Egg Yolk, 2 Tbl Olive Oil, 1 Tbl Softened Butter, 1/3 Cup Parmesan, 1/2 Cup Chiffonade Fresh Spinach, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and the shallots.  Roll out pasta to as thin as possible, 1/8".  Brush the outer 1/2" edge with an Egg Wash.  Spoon filling on pasta and spread evenly with an offset spatula without going all the way to the edge.
Roll tightly and then roll the rollatini in a clean kitchen towel.  Tie the ends with string.  Add Rollatini to the simmering water and cook for 20 minutes, turning it over half way through the cooking process.  Remove with tongs.  Let rest for 5 minutes, then remove the towel to further cool for another 5 minutes.  It should be cool enough to handle.  Preheat Broiler.
Generously butter a sheet pan.  Using a serrated knife such as a bread knife and without too much pressure, cut 1/2" slices and shingle them in 3 rows.  Brush with 2 Tbl Melted Butter and top with Parmesan Cheese.  Broil for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.  Serve with your favorite Marinara Sauce.  Raise your glass to toast the Giada's and Aunt Raffy's of the world!

Roasting Turkey 911

Did you ever take for granted your elder's ability to roast a turkey that is always perfect?  Then, the rude awakening, you find yourself on your own for the first time and realize you have no clue how to do it?

Get a good sturdy roasting pan.  Mine has a rack and it reduces the cooking time because it allows heat to move around the bird.  Decide if you are going to stuff it or not and if so, what will you stuff it with.
Make sure you buy either a fresh bird (it's never been frozen) or allow for ample thawing time.  These things are frozen solid and require 3 days in a refrigerator to thaw.  If you try to cook a frozen turkey I can guarantee it will be raw in the middle and the parts that are cooked will be dry.  Remember when you remove the packaging to rinse the turkey inside and out and to remove all the things inside.  There is normally a neck stuffed in the main cavity and there is a cavity in between the wings and it contains the plastic bag with the giblets.
Determine, who is going to carve it, on what and with what, make certain the knife is sharp.
Work out a time table.  First, determine what time you want to eat.  Back out 20-30 minutes for carving and another 30 minutes allowing for the bird to rest.  In essence, it needs to come out about 50 minutes - 1 hour before you want to eat.
Stuffed and roasted on a rack, a turkey cooks for 18 minutes a pound.  Stuffed without a rack, 20 minutes a pound.  I tend to round down the pounds before calculating because over cooked turkey is dry and as a leftover it's not that great.  A perfectly cooked turkey on the other hand is delicious during the feast and for all the leftovers.

Once you are ready to cook the bird, Preheat oven to 325.  While the oven is heating, butter the outside of the bird without double dipping anything that touches the bird to retouch the butter.  Don't be too particular about spreading the butter, in the end it melts and it's used for basting.  Salt and Pepper the outside on of the bird.  I found Dried Sage this year and sprinkled a light amount on the outside.

With 2 hours left to cook, add 2 Medium Onions cut into Quarters to the roasting pan.  You can separate each quarter into 2 pieces, but don't separate all the layers or they will burn.  With 30 minutes to go Add the Giblets to the roasting pan for the giblet lovers.  Giblets don't agree with me, so I remove them from the pan before making gravy.

Pictured 1 1/2 hours into it.  Baste every 45 minutes or so.  As the skin darkens, loosely tent a piece of foil covering the skin to prevent further browning.  This may have to be done after about 1 1/2 - 2 hours of roasting.

I will continue to add notes on cooking times.  It is very important to record what you did and how it turned out so adjustments can be made for next time.

For today my plan is to roast a 14.85 pound turkey, stuffed and on a rack for 4 hour, 12 minutes.  Perfecto!!  That cooking time was just perfect.  17 pound turkey, stuffed and roasted on rack,  roasted for 4 hrs 45 min, rested for 40 minutes, perfect!
Serve with all of your family favorites!

Miniature Apple Purses

So simple! So delicious!  I love these because they are small, 4 bites.  When served with an assortment of miniature desserts, your guests can try a variety!
I made up this recipe just this afternoon.  I used 2 apples and 1 sheet of puff pastry and made 16 mini purses.    I have a bit of the filling left over and will use it to top pancakes tomorrow or the next day.
Here is my Apple Purse Recipe.
Make sure the puff pastry sheets are thawed.  I used 1 Sheet of Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry Sheets which come 2 to a box.  They are found in the freezer section.  Preheat oven to 400.  Peel, section, and dice 2 Golden Delicious Apples into tiny cubes about 1/4" x 1/4".  In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbl UnSalted Butter and add 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar.  Once bubbly, add 1/4 tsp Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Vanilla, 2 Pinches of Salt and 10 grinds of Fresh Nutmeg.  Add Diced Apples.  Cook until they appear to be getting soft but hold their shape, about 3-4 minutes.  The mixture should be just about to bubble without boiling.  Add 1 Tbl Flour and cook for 1 more minute.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Roll out Pastry keeping its' square shape.  Cut into quarters.  Working with 1 quarter at a time, cut into quarters again.  Roll each quarter so you have a piece about 3" square.  Place about 1 Tbl of apple filling in the center of each piece of pastry.  Wet the edges with Heavy Cream.  This will act as glue. Bring up the corners and sort of pinch the entire thing closed.  Gently tie with string.  Place purses on a light colored sheet pan allowing 3" of space between them.  Brush the outside with Heavy Cream.  Dust with Sanding Sugar.
Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Pictured they are baking.  Let cool for 10 minutes before trying to remove them from the sheet pan.  They should lift easily.  Can be made in advance and reheated for 7 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Place on a warm platter to serve.

Russian Blini

My son did a heritage project at school.  He was born in Russia and the research proved to be very educational.   Today was the feast where the students brought food from the country they reported on.  I have been wanting to make blini pancakes for some time now and decided to make them for this event.  (At the same time I made the blini pancakes, I taught my friend C how to make scones.  Her son reported on England.)
This a neat yeast batter that is made in steps over a period of hours, though time consuming, the finished result is delicious!

Instead of traditional sour cream and caviar, I chose to serve them with strawberries and whipped cream.
I have been to Russia 4 times and have had blinis on every trip.  On the last trip I began to really wonder how they were made because they have tiny air pockets and are not a "quick batter" which is leavened by adding baking soda, baking powder or air.  They were pliable like a crepe but just to be sure it wasn't the same thing, twice at dinner, I ordered crepes for dessert and I was served crepes, not blini.  I believe Gourmet's recipe is as close as you may get and it is indeed made with yeast.  If you make other thinned out batters then you are actually making crepes and if they look like the pancakes you get in the US and the batter is made the same way, you are simply making  the pancakes you are familiar with.  Here is the blini recipe straight from The Gourmet Cookbook.
In a large bowl, stir together 1 package of Dry Active Yeast (2 1/2 tsp), 1/4 Cup Warm Water (105-115 degrees) and 1 tsp Sugar.  Let it become bubbly for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a pot, warm 1/2 Cup Milk and 1 Tbl UnSalted Butter until warm (105-115 degrees).  Add 1/2 Cup Buckwheat Flour, 1 Tbl Sugar and warmed milk to the yeast mixture and combine vigorously with a wooden spoon.
Cover with plastic wrap and either let rise in a warm place for 2 hours or for a more pungent blini, let rise overnight in the refrigerator.
Again, warm 1/2 Cup Milk to 105-115 degrees.   Separate an egg reserving the white in a bowl.  This will be beaten later.  Add to the batter the Milk, 1/2 Cup regular Flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 Egg Yolk.  Using a wire whip, combine for 1 minute.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.  With 10 minutes to go, using a hand mixer, beat 6 Tbl Heavy Cream until soft peaks.  Completely wash the beaters.  Beat the Egg White until stiff peaks begin to hold.  Fold the beaten cream into the batter.  Fold the white into the batter.  Heat a griddle and using butter cook 3" blini pancakes.  You can keep these warm on a platter until ready to serve.  Serve with caviar, sour cream, smoked salmon or just simply with berries and sour cream or whipped cream.
pree-YAHT-nah-vah ah-pee-TEE-ta!! (bon appetit)

Potatoes 3 Ways

The kids will be out of school soon and company will visit in the coming holidays.  I decided to try something I haven't done before.  Recently,we have bought baked potato salad at some of the local grocery stores and it's good but the potatoes have a texture as if they were either under baked or cooked in a way other than baking.  I decided to buy a $3  5lb Bag of Russet Potatoes and bake the entire bag.  There were 11 potatoes in the bag and they were fairly consistent in size.
On the first night, we had Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream and Grated Cheese.  I am going to make Home Fries with the 2 largest potatoes.  With the remaining 6, I will make a Loaded Baked Potato Salad of my own.  I plan to add Sour Cream, Grated Cheese, Crumbled Bacon and Scallions to the potato salad.  They were all very good and think of the price.  I bought 8oz Grated Cheese, 16 oz Sour Cream, 1 lb Bacon (of which I used 1/2), 1 bunch of Scallions (you can use Chives), and Canola Oil for the Home Fries.  What a deal!

Super Simple Mozzarella and Tomato Hors D'oeuvre

I bought what was called "Mozzarella Pearls".  I added them to a flat platter.  Using 1 Pint Grape Tomatoes, either keep them whole or cut them in half.  Add 1/4 Cup Good Quality Olive Oil.  Add a Few Grinds of Pepper and a few Pinches of Kosher Salt.  Top with Chiffonade cut Basil just before serving.  Serve at room temperature with frilled tooth picks.

Zucchini Craisin Muffins Recipe

I made up this batter recipe for Zucchini Bread.  I adapted that recipe for muffins.
Preheat oven to 375.  Grease 2 muffin pans or use muffin liners.  In a bowl, mix together 3 Cups Flour, 2/3 Cups Packed Brown Sugar, 1/3 Cup Sugar, 12oz Craisins, 2 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Baking Soda, 1 tsp Kosher Salt, a touch of Cardamom, and a few grinds of fresh Nutmeg.  Hand mix with a wire whip to combine ingredients.  Grate 2 Medium sized Zucchini either on a grater box or with a mandolin.  Add to bowl.  Set aside.  In a 2 cup measuring cup begin stacking these ingredients, it'll save on the cleanup!  1/2 Cup Canola Oil, 1/4 Cup Milk, 1/4 Cup Sour Cream (add sour cream to the cup until line comes to 1 Cup), and 2 Eggs.  Mix with a fork until the egg is broken up and the sour cream is distributed.  Add the wet ingredients to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined.  The batter will seem a bit sticky and possibly slightly dry but not to worry, zucchini is a watery vegetable and will make it all good in the end!

Scoop batter using a 1/4 Cup Scoop into the muffin pan.  Makes 22 muffins.  I always leave a corner open on each pan in order to handle the pan without destroying a muffin.  Place in oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.  You can serve this with Orange Flavored Cream Cheese by combining the Zest of 1 Orange into 8 oz softened Cream Cheese.  Serve muffins warm.

Tilapia Topped with Hand Picked Crabs and Lemon Butter Sauce

This was so delicious topped with local hand picked crabs.  The crabs were cooked perfectly with the right amount of seasoning.  The Talapia was cooked perfectly with the right amount of lemon and butter in the sauce.
Heres what I did.
Buy 6 Crabs.  These came from Mandeville Seafood Market and were $20 a dozen, not bad.  Hand pick crabs.  If you don't know how to do this, buy local crabmeat already picked (and hopefully seasoned.)
First, some prep.  Heat water for pasta.  Rinse and pat dry 1 Tilapia Fillets per person.  Zest and juice 1 Lemon.  Mix 2 tsp Corn Starch with 2 tsp Chicken Broth and set aside.  Cut 1/2 Stick UnSalted Butter into 4 pieces.
Heat empty skillet over medium heat until thoroughly heated.  Add salt and pasta to water.  Add 1 Tbl Oilve Oil and 1 Tbl UnSalted Butter to skillet.  Add fish fillets to skillet and cook until just done turning only once.  The second side will take slightly less time than the first.  Remove the fish from the pan, place on a plate, and cover loosely with foil.
Make Sauce.  Add Lemon Zest and cook for 10 seconds.  Add 2 Tbl Dry Vermouth and cook for 30 seconds.  Add Lemon Juice and cook for 30 seconds until it appears thick.  Add Corn Starch Mixture and 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth. Cook for another minute or 2 allowing it to bubble gently.  Turn off heat and add butter.  Swirl gently.  Add Crab Meat.  Plate up pasta and fish and top with the crabmeat sauce.  Serve with a salad, a buttery white wine, and crusty bread.

Mini Wonton Wrapper Quiche Recipe

These are just perfect as an appetizer, snack, or buffet breakfast / brunch.  My tennis team acknowledged Breast Cancer Awareness last week and this was one of the things we ate.  I baked them in the morning and brought them warm, still in the pan.





Here's what I did.  NOTE: This recipe makes 24 quiches. There are 48 Wontons Wrappers in a package so this can be doubled to make 48 quiches.  

To get a jump on it, the night before, cook 6 slices Thick Slab Smoked Bacon until crisp and grate 1 Cup Emmentaler Cheese.


The following morning, first take the wontons out of the refrigerator so they warm up and become pliable, otherwise they will crack.  Preheat oven to 350.  While oven is warming, do some prep.  Melt 1/2 Stick Butter.  Crumple the bacon.  Cut 12 Grape Tomatoes in half the long way.    Brush all the cups of a mini-muffin pan with the melted butter.  To a bowl, (I used a batter bowl for easy and quick pouring) add 5 Eggs, 1/2 Cup 1/2 & 1/2, 1 Tbl Flour, S&P to taste.

Keep the wontons in a stack and cut all 4 corners off.  Working 1 at a time, brush each wonton with butter and arrange it in each of the cups, butter side down. Fill each cup with Egg Mixture.  Add 1 tsp of Grated Cheese, crumpled Bacon (you have enough for 1 slice per 4 cups) and top with a Grape Tomato, cut side up.  Place in hot oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.  Serve at once straight out of the pan!

Frozen Chocolate Mousse with a Chocolate Cookie Crust

If you want to impress your friends, make this dessert.  It's a bit time consuming but it's all cleaned up by the time you entertain.  My inspiration came from a spring-form pan I found that is 3" tall and 6 1/2" in diameter.  I basically made my chocolate mousse recipe, with a few changes, and froze it.
For the Cookie Crust, in a food processor, add 12 Nabisco Chocolate Wafer Cookies.  Add 1 Tbl Sugar and 1 Tbl melted UnSalted Butter.  Grind until you have find crumbs.  Lay a piece of plastic wrap in the pan to ensure your mousse won't stick.  It should hang over the sides.  Add a generous layer of crumbs in the bottom of a spring-form pan and gently tap using a flat bottomed glass or a round meat tenderizer.  Place in freezer.
The mousse recipe is made in 3 basic steps.  Organize how you will use 2 pots and 3 bowls, as you need 2 double boilers.

To a bowl that will fit into a pot to create a double boiler, add 6 oz Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Chocolate, 6 oz UnSalted Butter and 1/4 Cup Water.  Fill pot with 2" water and heat over medium heat.  Place the bowl in the pot.   Melt the mixture while stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and allow to return to room temperature.

Separate 4 Large Eggs, the whites into a mixing bowl and the yolks into a bowl that will fit over a pot of water.  In the second bowl, over 2 " simmering water, use a hand mixer to beat 4 Egg Yolks with 1/3 Cup + 2 Tbl Sugar and 4 Tbl Frangelico.  This will take about 15 minutes.  It should be fairly thick, almost like runny mayonnaise.  Remove from the heat and place the yolk mixture bowl in an ice bath in order to cool the bowl and therefore yolk mixture.  Continue beating the mixture until is is cool to the touch.  This may take about 15 minutes.

Fold the Chocolate Mixture into the Yolk Mixture.

Beat Egg Whites until frothy.  Continue beating until they begin to hold their shape. Add 1 Tbl Sugar and beat until shiny and add 1 tsp Vanilla.

Fold 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate mixture.  Do this 2 more times.  Add this on top of the cookie crust.  It should fill the pan to the top.  Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.  To serve, whip 1 Cup Heavy Cream with 1 Tbl Sugar until the peaks hold.
Remove the ring from the frozen dessert and discard the plastic wrap.  Cut the frozen dessert with a sharp knife and place on a plate.  Add a dollop of whipped cream.  Either sprinkle with leftover cookie crumbs or chocolate shavings and serve at once.

Butternut Squash Risotto

This is a wonderful autumn dish that can go with any number of meats (ham, pork, lamb, beef or poultry) or can be eaten as the entree.  This dish takes time to cook so you shouldn't plan on walking away while it is cooking as it needs periodic attention.
First, skin a Small Butternut Squash.  If you haven't worked with one, the neck is solid meal and the bulb is where the cavity.  Cut the squash in half where the two sections meet.  Place the cut side on a board and using a sharp knife, remove the skin using a top to bottom motion, turning as you go until all that is remaining is the meat.  For the neck, cut long slices about 1/4" thick.  Cut the slices into 1/4" strips and dice into 1/4' cubes.  For the bulb, cut in half and remove the seeds.  Place squash on a board so it represents a dome.  Cut 1/4" slices, cut the slices into 1/4" strips and the strips into 1/4" cubes.  Some of these pieces will be misshapen because of the curves but try to keep the general dice uniform so it cooks for the same length of time.  Dice a Small Vidalia Onion into 1/4" cubes.  Heat an empty sauce pan over medium heat.  Add 2 Tbl Olive Oil.  Once the oil is hot, add the vegetables and cook stirring often for about 6-8 minutes until the onion has sweated and the squash begins to become soft.  Do not brown the onion.  Add 1 Cup Arborio Rice.  Stir for about 1 minute.  Begin adding 32 oz of good quality Chicken Broth, 1/4 cup at a time.  (NOTE: If you are serving this to a vegetarian, use vegetable broth.)  Stir during and after each addition.  As the rice absorbs the broth, it's time to add more.  Continue adding broth until the rice is cooked but not mushy.  You may or may not use all of the broth.  Add Kosher Salt and White Pepper to taste.  Serve with Grated Parmesan Cheese.  Though I didn't add any herbs, after eating this I concluded that I would add finely minced Rosemary or Thyme.

Pumpkin Gruyere Souffle

I have adapted this recipe from a recipe in The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook.  I bought this book about 15 years ago for side dish ideas.  This recipe is originally made by cooking Golden Nugget Squash, removing the meat and re-stuffing the squash to bake it.   It is very tasty and I will make it that way when the squash is available.  For now though, I found pie pumpkins are arriving in the produce section, so I used one.  I apologize the souffle fell before I photographed it (it rose to just above the rim of the souffle dish) but I an assure you this is a very tasty recipe.  Here is my adaptation.
Cut 1 Pie Pumpkin in half and and place it in a very large pot, fitted with a steamer basket and about 2" of water.  Cook over simmering water for about 20-25 minutes or until meat is tender.
While the pumpkin is cooking do a little prep.  Butter (all the way to the top) and sugar 8 individual souffle dishes.  Place them on a sheet pan.  Separate 3 Eggs, the whites into a bowl ready to beat and the yolks into a small dish for adding to the butter/flour mixture. Using a grater box, grate 1/2 Cup Gruyere Cheese.  Preheat oven to 415F.  To a medium bowl, scrape and mash the pumpkin, discard the skin.
Melt 4 Tbl of Butter over medium heat.  Add 3 Tbl Flour and stir for about 1 minute.  Gradually add 2/3 Cup of Milk, stirring to keep the mixture smooth.  Cook for another minute until the mixture is thick.  Remove from the heat.  Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add grated gruyere and stir until it is smooth.  Add about 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Nutmeg.  Add this to the pumpkin and stir until blended.  Using a hand mixer, beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold into the pumpkin mixture.  Add mixture to the souffle dishes and bake for 20-25 minutes or until puffed up and set.
Use a strong spatula to transfer each souffle dish to a dinner plate.  Warn your diners that the souffle and the dish are quite hot.  Delicious served with your fall favorites!

Fruit Smoothies

We make smoothies a lot, all year long.  I make them many different ways but here is the recipe for the smoothie shown.  Mango's are very inexpensive (around $1).  I love them in a smoothie.  This recipe makes two smoothies, one for me and one for my son.  To a blender, add 1 banana, 1 Mango, 5 Strawberries, 2 rings Fresh Pineapple, 1/2 Cup Milk, 1 Scoop Raspberry Sherbert, 15 Ice Cubes.  Blend until smooth and pour into glasses.

For non-dairy, use juice or a milk substitute.

Cutting a Mango

Mangos are tricky to cut.  Without this gadget, there is more waste than is necessary.  The pit is an odd shape and you have to know how it lays inside the fruit to know how to cut the fruit.  Using this handy gadget eliminates the mystery.




Set the Mango on one of the its ends.  Push down.  You will be left with 2 halves and what appears to be solid fruit but is actually the pit.  Discard the pit.




Using a sharp knife, score each half, making cuts spaced 1/2" apart, first in the lengthwise direction, then perpendicular to those cuts.  The skin has a concave shape.  Place your fingers on the outside of the skin and push upward to make a convex shape.  Run the knife along the inside of the skin releasing the cubes of fruit. Hopefully these pictures will help you.

Changed My Label System

You will notice a new look to the side bar labels.  My labels began to have too many cross references.  The labels are supposed to resemble an index in a cook book, however, there isn't a way to break down the labels to subsets.  For example, in a cook book you see 'Meat' broken down further into sub groups, for instance Chicken, Beef, Pork, Lamb, etc.  I like that system and am searching for a way to list my recipes in that fashion.  If it can't be done on this blog, I may move my blog to a location where that is an option.  Any feedback is welcomed!!  The comments section is open to all.

Bread Stuffing For Roast Cornish Game Hens

I am so ready for autumn.  Labor Day weekend marks the change from summer to autumn for most of the country... though not for SE Louisiana.  Being a New Yorker I still struggle with the extra month of summer.  Whenever we get a cloudy day during this time of year, I can't resist roasting something in the oven.   We have a tropical storm dropping rain on us so I decided to make a bread stuffing and roast Cornish Game Hens.

Here it is, Oct 2012, I noticed this post getting a considerable amount of hits in the past month or so.  I decided to re-read the recipe for exactness and found I never posted one!  I am sorry.  I know I have a few missing recipes, but I didn't know this was one of them.

As I mentioned, I am a Yankee, and if I am going to stuff a bird, these are the flavors I am craving.  Oh and we call it dressing, not stuffing.  Here in the south, you may be more apt to see a cornbread stuffing or even a rice of some sort served on the side that may have pulverized chicken and oysters or giblets.  I'll just leave it at that.  But if you come to my Thanksgiving table, you will see this.

My father is in charge of making the dressing at family gatherings.  He is an engineer and he has crafted multiples of the very old recipe (some 60+ years) to precise weighs and measurements.  I would be remiss if I didn't share that the recipe begins with the pouring of your favorite libation.  This task always begins following dinner on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Thursday.  I am a bit loser in my style except for the libations part. That is a strict ingredient. 

To some degree I tend to wing the ratios depending on what I am stuffing but in general I use the exact seasonings, just not in the exact quantities.   I save the heals of bread for either my own bread crumbs or for dressing.  Pull all of those bags out of the freezer.  Cube 12 Cups worth of Bread Cubes and place them flat on a sheet pan.  If more is needed, use fresh bread.  If this is done early in the day, they will get dry which is what you want.  Otherwise, this is done at night and allowed to dry out over night.

Clean, peel, and dice 2 Stalks of Celery.  Dice 1 Large Onion.  Melt 1 Stick of Butter over medium in a skillet.  Add vegetables and cook stirring often for about 10 minutes.  While they are cooking, measure out, 2 tsp Poultry Seasoning, 1/2 tsp Sage, 1 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp White Pepper, 1/4 tsp Paprika, 1/4 Cup Freshly Chopped Parsley and add to the bread cubes.  In a small bowl, lightly beat 1 Egg.  Stir in 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth.  Add the cooked vegetables to the bread cubes and stir til combined.  Add the egg and broth and continue to stir.

Preheat oven to 350.  Fill the bird(s) with the dressing without packing it too tightly.  Coat the outside of the hens with 1 Tbl of Butter Each.  Salt and Pepper the outside.  As the butter melts, you will use this for basting.  If you plan to make gravy, Quarter a Small Onion and peel apart some of the layers and add to the roasting pan.  Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes basting every 15-20 minutes.

Let rest for 20 minutes before either carving or simply split down the middle in 2.  If there is any leftover dressing, foil line an oven safe dish and place the rest in there, then cover it by overlapping the foil.   This will bake for about 40 minutes in a 350 oven. 

So there you have it, pretty simple and a tradition that I plan to carry on. 
 

Wonderful Sabayon Recipe

I am not sure where this recipe came from but it is in my kitchen book and I have made it a half a dozen times over the years.  It traditionally uses Champagne but my sparking beverage hails from California so I'm going to call it Sabayon rather than Champagne Sabayon.  It is rich and filled with all of the worst things for you, however, it is incredibly delicious.  When serving, use the Sabayon sparingly and balance it with fresh fruit.  Here is the Sabayon recipe.
Create a double boiler fitting a thick bottomed pot and a bowl that when placed in the pot, doesn't allow for the steam to escape.  Remove bowl and heat the pot with 2" of water over medium heat.  To the bowl, add 1/3 Cup Sugar and 4 Egg Yolks.  Beat with a hand mixer until the mixture is thick, pale, and ribbons.  Place the bowl in the pot with the hot water and add to the mixture 1 1/2 Tbl Kirsch, 3 Tbl Sparkling Wine, 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice, 1 tsp Grated Lemon Zest.  (If you don't have Kirsch add 4 1/2 Tbl Sparkling Wine.)  Beat on high until the mixture is thick and fluffy.  Add the bowl to an even larger bowl filled with ice water.  Continue beating until the mixture is cool.  Transfer to a clean bowl.  This can be made in the morning and refrigerated until dessert time.  Cover with plastic wrap making sure the wrap actually touches the sabayon so a skin doesn't form.
When ready to serve, in a separate bowl, beat 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream until soft peaks and fold into the egg mixture.  Layer the Sabayon and Fresh Berries in a tall fluted glass.  Serve with the open bottle of Sparkling Wine!  Serves 6.

French Onion Soup

 From this.  Buy 6 Large Fresh Onions.






To this.  Slice thinly.  Preheat pot over medium heat and add 4 Tbl UnSalted Butter.  Add sliced onions increase to medium high and cook uncovered, stirring frequently.




To this.  After 10 minutes they begin to lose moisture and will reduce in volume.






To this.  Continue cooking and stirring often for an additional 50-60 minutes until onions begin to turn golden brown.  Reduce heat slightly to avoid burning if needed.

To this.  Measure 3/4 Cup Madeira and add it 2 Tbls at a time.  Continue to cook and stir until deep brown.  Start to finish, the onions cooked for 1 hour 10 minutes.  Add 2 Cups Chicken Broth and 3 Cups Beef Broth.




To this.  Ladle into bowls, top with Sliced French Bread (for gluten free use gluten free bread) and top with Grated Gruyere Cheese.






To this.  Broil until the cheese melts and is golden brown.  Serve at once.

Tarte Tatin

I love the foods of autumn!  Yesterday I noticed the light of the sun has changed providing longer afternoon shadows.  Maybe it's that school is back in session in the deep south or maybe I am ready for some football, or both.  None the less, I woke this morning craving this dessert and am going to make it later.
I see I have a fan from Ithaca and if you are in college and have access to an oven and a heavy oven proof skillet, you can make this!  In the next month or so, apples will be in full season so you should give this a try.  A bonus would be if you find an orchard where you can pick your own!  This goes fast, so you have to have your prep done first and your oven should be hot.
Defrost Puff Pastry.  (Puff Pastry can be found at most groceries in the frozen section.)  Preheat oven to 400 F.  Peel and core 2 Golden Delicious Apples. Cut each apple into 12 wedges.  I like to use the gadget that cores and sections the apples.  Roll thawed pastry til just big enough to fit in the pan keeping it as thick as possible. Using a knife, cut off the pointed corners of the pastry.

In a 10" oven proof skillet over moderate heat, melt 2 Tbl UnSalted Butter and add 6 Tbl Sugar. The old time iron skillets work well for this though I used my brand new Calphalon Unison 10" skillet.   Using a wire whip, stir continuously until the mixture looks like the color of toffee. If you are using a nonstick pan, use a coated whip so you don't scratch the surface.  This should take about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add apples, curved side down or in a shingled arrangement. Drape with the pastry, tucking in the sides and lightly tucking the pastry around the apples and place the pan in the oven. 
Bake for about 20-25 minutes until pastry has risen and is golden brown. Remove from oven.
Immediately, place a plate upside down on top of the pan.  Carefully flip the pan over so the apples are now on top of the pastry.  Cut into 6 (or fewer) wedges and serve immediately.  Add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or freshly ground nutmeg.  This does not store well in humid climates.  Plan on eating it all right away and rest assured, that isn't hard to do!

Sharping Your Knives

One of the most dangerous things in the kitchen besides broken or damaged tools are unsharpened knives.  As long as I don't fly to vacation, I always pack my own knives.  I traditionally bring a paring knife, a serrated tomato knife, and a 5" Santoku although in the past I used to bring my 6" Chef's knife.  I have mentioned this in previous posts but am reminded again, as I am on vacation, and once again I would have been subject to the wooden block with all of the cheap knives.  I drove here so I don't have to use these knives, but they are horrible.

When a knife is dull, instead of cutting through the food, the blade actually moves or rolls the food and causes your fingers to be under the blade.  A finger cut doesn't stop bleeding very quickly.  Keep your knives sharp by learning to use a steel.  Run the blade over it a dozen times or so before each use.  It takes a little extra time but it is worth it.  I finally bought a knife sharpener and use it every few months to get a good blade on all of my knives.  It cost about $80.  It has 3 wheels in different grades, course to fine, which spin.  There magnets set at a 45 degree angle to the wheel.  You pull the knives past the spinning wheel to sharpen both sides of the blade.  The sharp blade holds for a good month depending on how much use it gets.  Pull out your steels today and to remove the burrs and nicks and I guarantee you will feel the difference.

Goodchardonnay

Though my Blog title makes you think I am exclusively a wine blog, it's primarily food with some wine thrown in, here and there.  My husband stumbled upon Vine Talk on PBS.  It's hosted by Stanley Tucci, who is a delightful host.  The show moves along quickly enough to gain some knowledge and informative enough to whet your interest in a new wine.  With that I am back on a mission to discover new wines.  I have attended many pairing classes and I want to get better at it so that is another angle I am working on.  Things like, why this sparkling wine tastes so good with this sabayon.  Or why this Fume goes perfectly with this risotto.

We serve nice wines when we entertain and it's amazing how enjoyable it is when no one leaves the table and we just hang out and drink yummy wines.  My fondest memories are on a cold Christmas night, with our dining room fireplace lit, hanging around the table enjoying a red or sparkling wine with a leisurely dessert.  Ok, back to reality, it's 100 degrees and humid out there but you get the picture.

I am a wine lover and have had many opportunities to try more wines than the average bear.  My fist experience was when I was in my early 20's.  I was an assistant manager at a fine dining restaurant at the Tarrytown Hilton.  One of the assistant managers, Steve Lofredo, formerly the owner of Zoe in Soho, was attending the CIA.  I had recently graduated from IUP in Food Service Management and was hungry for information about food and wine and he provided it.  Our wine list contained over 150 selections.  On Friday and Saturday nights, we opened a white and red wine and sold the wines by the glass.  This allowed diners to each have the wine they liked with their meal or to taste a glass before purchasing a full bottle.  That was a rather new idea and it went over well.  The best part was at the end of the evening, the managers divided the open wines into glasses, if only a half of a sip, and we tasted everything we sold that night.  We began working through our wine list and I believe by the time I left there a year later, I tasted about 70 wines.

From there I moved to Atlanta where I continued drinking and recording my feelings on wine.  I ran a high volume breakfast and lunch restaurant in the Atlanta Hilton so wine was not featured and my budget was thin.  Needless to say, the wines I bought fell on the less expensive side of good.

Not to fear though, from there, I moved to SF and began making trips to Napa and Sonoma for tastings especially with out of town guests.  My perfect day began with a tour of a winery, lunch outside on the picnic tables at V. Sattui.  Then a random stop somewhere along the way to finishing up with an outdoor table at Domaine Chandon for some sparking wine.  Back then it was easy enough to learn what conditions produced good wines just by looking out your window.   When a year was good the locals knew it just as too much rain sometimes gave the pickers 24 hours to get the grapes off the vine.  These are the finer details you don't think of when you don't live there.

In recent years I haven't kept good records of what I like.  With the applications for phones available now, I am in the process of recording Vineyards, years, and prices, plus my rating of the wine and what i served it with. This brings me back to the reason I began this post.  The episode of Vine Talk I watched was on Chardonnay's.  My husbands birthday is today so I bought the wine the celebrities thought was the best of the 6 they tasted. Flowers priced at $34.99 at Acquistapace's, which by the way is the best place on the northshore to buy wines, followed by Rouse's down by the lake.  I'll let you know what we think!!!

Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura

Last night we had Shrimp Tempura.  For those on a budget, it's a cost effective meal.  I prepped 1 Small Red Onion by cutting 1/2" slices.  I like to buy individual Broccoli caps rather than the bunch held by a rubber band, so I bought 1 Broccoli Cap and cut it into "1-2 bite" sized pieces.  1 Small Sweet Potato cut into 1/3" slices.  1 Green Pepper cut into 1/2" strips. A Handful of Green Beans with the ends cut off.  I used 1 Pound Large Shrimp (16-20) with the Heads Removed.  I had to peel and devein the shrimp and I kept them separate from the prepped vegetables.
This batter recipe comes from a Yan Can Cook book that I have.  The trick to good tempura is that the ingredients are very cold.  Freeze the bowl you plan to use and refrigerate or freeze the cornstarch.  First, heat the empty wok over medium heat while you make the batter.  When wok is hot, fill 1/2 way to the top with Canola Oil.  To the cold bowl, add 2 Cups flour, 1/2 Cup Corn Starch, 1/4 tsp Baking Soda.  To 2 1/4 Cups of Cold Water, add ice cubes until the level reaches 2 2/3 Cups.  Stir and let the ice melt.  Add 2 Egg Yolks and stir.  Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir quickly without over stirring.  The batter should be lumpy. To a flat bottomed bowl, add 1/2 Cup Corn Starch for dredging.
I have learned to cook all of the vegetables first, then cook the shrimp.  Dredge the vegetables in corn starch and then quickly dip in batter and quickly place into the hot oil.  Each batch will cook for around 2-3 minutes.  The smaller sized vegetables will cook more quickly than the larger ones.  Once the vegetables float they are done.  Serve with simple Soy Sauce flavored with Red Pepper Flakes, Minced Garlic and Thinly Sliced Scallions.  This is a great meal for hanging around in the kitchen with friends.  On a few occasions with a big crowd, I have also made pot stickers, lettuce wraps and my husband has rolled sushi.  Goes very well with Sapporo Beer.  NOTE:  For reheating, preheat oven to 325.  Place a cooling rack inside of a sheet pan.  Place the vegetables and shrimp on the cooling rack in a single layer.  Place in oven for 15-20 minutes.