Bear Cuisine

A Summer Supper

I find entertaining in the summer more difficult than any other season. The intense heat doesn't help, but even more daunting for me is coming up with a menu that's cool. Finding something that people will want to eat in this season  isn't that easy. Some friends rely almost exclusively on the grill, but I find that I tire of the usual grilling fare and  cooking in the sun isn't my idea of a good time. Still, we like to see our friends and break bread with them.

I came up with this menu last week and everyone seemed to enjoy it--a lot. It started out with Shrimp Salad over avocados as the main dish and then I remembered a great sounding recipe for a Cold-Avocado and Cucumber Soup in the most recent issue of Canal House Cooking. That left dessert. What else but Avocado Ice Cream. A symphony of beautiful greens and harmonious tastes. An avocado theme dinner.What a concept!
COLD AVOCADO AND CUCUMBER SOUP

• 3 ripe, unblemished, pitted and peeled Hass avocados
• 1 cut-up unpeeled cucumber
• 2 cloves garlic ( one would have been sufficient)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 cups chicken stock

Put everything into a blender and puree until smooth. (You may need to work in batches). Season with salt. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a dash of hot sauce. Make this the same day you plan to serve it so that it keeps its pale green color.

SHRIMP SALAD OVER AVOCADO

Shrimp Salad

(serves 6 to 8)

1. 2 pounds cooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail off
2. 1/2 cup mayonnaise
3. 1/2 cup sour cream
4. 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
5. 2 tablespoons capers, with a bit of the juice
6. 1/2 small red onion, minced
7. 3 stalks celery with leaves, diced small
8. 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
9. Juice and zest of 2 lemons
10. Salt and cayenne, to taste 

Chop shrimp into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl with remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning.( I use Old Bay to season the salad instead of cayenne.)

(adapted from Martha Phelps Stamps' Martha's At the Plantation. Seasonal Recipes from Belle Meade)

AVOCADO ICE CREAM

(makes 1 quart)

1. 3 medium-sized, ripe Hass avocados (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2. 3/4 cup sugar
3. 1 cup sour cream
4. 1/2 cup heavy cream
5. 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
6. Big pinch of salt

Slice the avocados in half and take out the pits. Scoop out the flesh and cut it into little pieces.

Puree the avocado pieces in a blender with the sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, lime juice and salt until smooth and the sugar is dissolved

Freeze immediately in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

(from David Lebovitz' The Perfect Scoop.)

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

We were invited out to dinner yesterday and asked to bring dessert. Since our oven is on the fritz, baking wasn't an option. So, I decided on ice cream. This recipe from David Lebovitz's Perfect Scoop was a huge hit and it couldn't be easier to make.

PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM

(makes about 1 quart)

• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
  
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  
• 2 2/3 cup half-and-half
  
• Pinch of salt
  
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Puree the peanut butter, sugar, half-and-half, salt and vanilla in a blender.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator; then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Ginger Ice Cream

We served Indian food for dinner the other day and I wanted dessert. Much as I love Indian cooking, I've never been too wild about Indian sweets. What to make? I settled on this ice cream because it would use the same spice as the main course in a different way. The ginger flavor is definite, but not overwhelming. Spicy without an edge. 

GINGER ICE CREAM

• 3 ounces unpeeled fresh ginger
  
• 1 cup whole milk
  
• 2 cups heavy cream
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• Pinch of salt
  
• 5 large egg yolks
  

Cut the ginger in half lengthwise and then cut it into thin slices. Place the ginger in a medium, nonreactive saucepan. Add enough water to cover the ginger by about 1/2 inch and bring to a boil Boil for 2 minutes, then drain, discarding the liquid.*

Return the blanched ginger slices to the saucepan, then add the milk, 1 cup of the cream, sugar and salt. Warm the mixture, cover, and remove from the heat. Let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Re-warm the mixture. Remove the ginger slices with a slotted spoon and discard. Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

David Lebovitz. The Perfect Scoop. (Berkeley: The 10 Speed Press, 2007.)

1.2.3 Dessert

Usually, Kay makes the desserts for the family and company. But this week I got a bee in my bonnet about cooking everything for our dinner guests on Saturday. I combined Lemon Yogurt cake with Vanilla Ice Cream topped with just made Cherry Preserves. The ingredients combined perfectly and every bite was a delight.

Lemon Yogurt Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream and Cherry Preserves

Lemon Yogurt Cake

(makes 1 loaf)

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt kosher salt
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 12 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. our the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/23 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully lace on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.)

(from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home.)

Vanilla Ice Cream

(makes about one quart)

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• Pinch of salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and add the bean as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. our the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Put the vanilla bean into the custard, add the vanilla extract, and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving for another use, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according the manufacturer's instructions.

(from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop)

This is absolutely the creamiest, smoothest vanilla ice cream ever. 

For a recipe for the Cherry Preserves see post "Canning Season Begins Again.)

Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day

Even though I can be sorely tempted by Ben and Jerry's Heath Bar Crunch, I rarely stray from an excellent vanilla or chocolate ice cream. However, my dessert and ice cream mentor David Lebovitz has several creative flavors that intrigue me. One of these is Black Pepper Ice Cream.  

BLACK PEPPER ICE CREAM

(makes about 2 cups)

• 1/2 cup whole milk  
• 1/3 cup sugar  
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks

Warm the milk, sugar, peppercorns, salt and 1/2 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Covr, remove from the heat and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Rewarm the peppercorn-infused mixture. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer, pressing the peppercorns gently to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the peppercorns and stir the custard into the cream. Stir until smooth over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according the manufacturer's instructions.

Perfect Pairing: Icy-cold Melon in Lime Syrup is the perfect accompaniment to Black Pepper Ice Cream. Zest 2 limes into a small saucepan. Add 1 cup water and 3/4 cup sugar, bring the mixture to boil, and cook until the syrup is reduced to 3/4 cup. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and chill thoroughly.

Peel, seed and cut a cantaloupe or honeydew melon into 1-inch chunks and add them to the syrup. Chill for at least 1 hour, then serve the melon pieces with some of the syrup, alongside the Black Pepper Ice Cream. Garnish with a few grains of cracked pink peppercorns.

(recipe and pairing from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop)

I have never met David, but I feel as if I know him. His cookbooks are so personal and every recipe I have ever tried from them has been foolproof. I commend The Perfect Scoop, Ripe for Dessert and Room for Dessert. Worthy additions to your cookbook collection.