Our recipe category for next month: “Make the Most of Summer Fruit.” Please email your main dish, grilled, side, salad, dessert and beverage recipes which include your favorite summer fruits to home@acorn-online.com. Please include exact measurements and instructions, and a photo of your creation, if you have one.
Mini Chicken & Chorizo Quesadillas
MINI CHICKEN & CHORIZO QUESADILLAS
(Serves 6)
Chef Michael William Batt, co-owner of Greenwich, Conn.-based Food Design Catering (www.fooddesigncatering.com), 28 Old Field Point Rd., Greenwich, 203-622-0725
Ingredients:
8 oz. Chorizo sausage (small dice)
3 T. vegetable oil, divided
8 oz. chicken breast
1 pkg. Sazon Goya con cilantro
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 (12-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat 1 T. vegetable oil in a medium sized sauté pan until almost smoking and add the chorizo. Sauté until the chorizo is golden brown and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the grease. Reserve for later use.
Marinate the chicken breast with the Sazon Goya and olive oil for 15 minutes. Again, heat 1 T. vegetable oil in sauté pan until almost smoking and add the chicken. Sauté until both sides of chicken are lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a sheet tray lined with foil and bake in oven for approximately 15 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into small dice (same as chorizo).
Place 1 tortilla on work table and evenly spread both cheeses over the surface. Repeat with the chorizo, chicken and jalapeno pepper. Place the other tortilla directly on top and carefully press down. Heat a large non stick sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 T. vegetable oil. Heat until oil is hot but not smoking and carefully add the tortilla. Press down with a spatula so the tortilla browns evenly. Turn the quesadilla over and brown the other side.
Remove the quesadilla and allow to cool slightly. Using a small ring cutter; cut the quesadilla into half dollar size rounds. Transfer the mini quesadillas to a sheet tray and heat through. Serve immediately with sour cream and guacamole.
Sangria Swirled Frozen Margaritas – Christina Lane photo
SANGRIA SWIRLED FROZEN MARGARITAS
(Serves 2)
www.DessertForTwo.com, www.dessertfortwo.com/2014/05/sangria-swirled-frozen-margaritas/
Ingredients:
For the sangria swirl:
1 c. red wine, frozen in ice cube tray
2 T. triple sec (orange liquor)
1 T. fresh lime juice
Juice of half an orange
For the regular frozen margarita:
6 oz. frozen limeade concentrate
2 shots tequila
1 shot triple sec
1 c. ice
Directions:
First, dip two margarita glasses in water or lime juice, and rim the edges with salt or sugar (your choice).
Next, puree the frozen red wine cubes with the triple sec, lime juice, and orange juice. Pour into a small glass and have ready on the side.
Add the limeade concentrate (not defrosted), tequila, triple sec and ice to a blender. Puree until slushy.
Divide the margarita mixture between two glasses, and swirl in the sangria mixture.
Notes:
*It would be super easy to double this recipe and use a whole can of frozen limeade concentrate and make 4 drinks. Party!
CHURROS CON CHOCOLATE
(Makes one plateful)
A.C., Norwalk, Conn., adapted from Dean Derhak, www.xmission.com
Ingredients:
Vegetable or olive oil for frying
1 c. water
½ c. butter
¼ t. salt
1 c. all-purpose flour
3 eggs
¼ c. sugar
¼ t. ground cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
Prepare to fry the churros by heating oil in a pan (1 to 1 ½ inches) to 360 degrees F.
To make the churro dough, heat water, butter and salt to a rolling boil in a 3-qt. saucepan; stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute; remove from heat. In a separate bowl, beat eggs all at once; continue beating until smooth and then add to saucepan while stirring mixture.
Spoon mixture into cake decorator’s tube fitted with large star tip (like the use you would use to decorate cakes). Squeeze 4-inch strips of dough into hot oil. Fry 3 or 4 strips at a time until golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.
Mix sugar and the optional cinnamon; roll churros in sugar or dump sugar on the pile of churros.
Chocolate for Churros:
Ingredients:
4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
2 c. milk
1 T. cornstarch
4 T. sugar
Directions:
Place the chocolate and half the milk in a pan and heat, stirring, until the chocolate has melted. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk and whisk into the chocolate with the sugar. Cook on low heat, whisking constantly, until the chocolate is thickened, about five minutes.
Add extra cornstarch if it doesn’t start to thicken after five minutes. Remove and whisk smooth. Pour and serve in cups or bowls for dunking churros. Do not pour over the churros. Serve warm.
MANGO LICUADO
(Serves 2)
T.M., Norwalk, Conn.
Licaudo is like a smoothie but is made with a milk base instead of juice and yogurt.
Ingredients:
2 mangos (peeled, seeded and diced)
3 cups milk
2 cups of ice cubes
3 to 4 tablespoons sugar, honey or condensed milk, to taste (condensed milk is my favorite in this recipe)
Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, and enjoy!
Pistachio and Jalapeno Guacamole
PISTACHIO AND JALAPENO GUACAMOLE
(Serves 4 – 6)
Janine Vairo, PartyStyle Box, Stylishly themed parties for children,
partystylebox@gmail.com, www.partystylebox.com, 203-273-3134
Pistachios add a striking crunch to this addictive Mexican Fiesta themed guacamole. If you are looking to spice up your guacamole…here is the easy recipe I created.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup hulled pistachios, roughly chopped
Kosher salt as needed
1/4 cup minced white onions
3 ripe Hass avocados
2 jalapenos, stems, seeds, and inner ribs removed, and minced
Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 1 large lemon
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan or skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pistachios and lightly toast for 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pistachios from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Season with salt and set aside.
Place the minced onions in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water for several minutes. Set aside.
Halve the avocados and remove their pits. Scoop out the flesh and place in a large mixing bowl. Mash the avocados with a small potato masher, whisk, or large fork, being sure that the flesh retains some of its texture.
Pour the lime and lemon juice over the mashed avocados. Add the chopped jalapenos, onions, and three quarters of the pistachios to the bowl. Season with salt and gently fold the mixture together.
Transfer the guacamole to a serving bowl and garnish with the whole remaining pistachios and add quinoa and black bean tortilla chips (Trader Joe’s featured). Drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil.
MELON SANGRIA
(Serves 6 – 9)
M. L., Norwalk, Conn., adapted from www.laylita.com
Ingredients:
3 cups of mixed melon balls (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew)
2-4 tablespoons of honey, adjust to taste
1 lime, juiced
¼ cup to ½ cup of grappa, adjust to taste – can also use pisco or a clear grape brandy
1 bottle of moscato wine, chilled
1 ½ cups of sparkling water, chilled
To serve and garnish:
Mint leaves
Lime slices
Ice cubes or frozen melon ball ice cubes (see recipe below)
Directions:
Place the melon balls in a large pitcher, add the honey (2 tablespoons to start), lime juice, and ¼ cup of grappa. Mix gently and let rest in fridge for 1-2 hours or until 1 hour before serving.
Add the moscato wine, mix gently, taste and add more honey or grappa if desired. Keep in mind that you will top it off with sparkling water right before serving, so it’s okay if it’s on the sweeter/stronger side. Refrigerate for another hour.
Right before serving, add ice (or frozen melon balls as ice cubes), lime slices and mint leaves to garnish, and top off with sparkling water. You can prepare the final mix in the pitcher or serve it directly into glasses with melon ice cubes and top off each glass with the sparkling water.
Notes: For a mocktail sangria variation, omit the moscato wine and the grappa, and replace with a sparkling white grape juice and sparkling lemonade.
MELON BALL ICE CUBES
www.laylita.com
Ingredients:
Your choice of melon(s):
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Honeydew melon
White honeydew melon
Directions::
Rinse the melons, cut them in half and remove the seeds. Use a melon baller to scoop out the melon balls from the fruit. Don’t worry if they’re not all perfectly round – they will flatten slightly when you freeze them.
Use a baking sheet or flat platter that can fit in your freezer. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
Arrange the melon balls on the baking sheet. Make sure that the melon balls are not touching (or they will freeze together).
Freeze the melon balls for a few hours or until completely frozen. Remove them from the freezer and transfer them to a freezer bag. Place the bag in the freezer until ready to use.
Notes:
Use the leftover parts of the melon (what’s left after scooping out the melon balls) to make a smoothie, cocktails, or a cold melon soup.
CHICKEN SOPA
Chef Michael William Batt, co-owner of Greenwich, Conn.-based Food Design Catering (www.fooddesigncatering.com), 28 Old Field Point Rd., Greenwich, 203-622-0725
Ingredients:
16 corn tortillas
1 (3 to 4) lb. baked chicken (stuffed with 1 quartered yellow onion & 5 whole garlic cloves) covered in garlic salt, shredded chicken meat only
1 ½ large can diced (not crushed) tomatoes
8 roasted & peeled green chilis
1 container sour cream
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. garlic salt
10 oz. Monterey jack cheese
10 oz. cheddar cheese (medium to sharp)
9 x 13 glass baking dish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make your chili sauce, sauté onions & garlic in olive oil for about 2 to 3 minutes, then add tomato and simmer for 10 minutes. Add about 2 teaspoons of garlic salt. Turn off heat and add chilis. Stir, taste and leave for later.
Place tortillas in bottom of glass pan covering all of the baking dish (about 8) just uncooked corn tortillas. Shred chicken meat and place in one layer about ¼ to ½” thick all over tortillas. Don’t leave any blank tortillas!
Smooth entire container of sour cream over chicken. Pour half of the chili over the sour cream. Cover chili with 1/2 of the cheese. Add your next layer of tortillas. Add another layer of chicken, then another layer of chili sauce. Cover all in cheese.
Cover pan with aluminum foil sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook at 350 degrees for one hour and then turn temperature down to 250 degrees and heat an additional 20 minutes.
Serve with thinly sliced avocado and a side salad or just by itself. Reheats in the microwave perfectly!
WHITE SANGRIA
(Makes 22 cups)
A.C., Norwalk, Conn.
Ingredients:
3 bottles (750 ml each) dry white wine (see note)
½ c. Triple sec, or other orange liqueur
1 ½ c. no-pulp orange juice
¼ c. fresh lemon juice
6 T. sugar, or to taste
4 ripe peaches, cut into thin wedges
2 pints (12 oz. each) strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 each lemon, lime and orange, cut into thin half-slices
1 Golden Delicious apple, cut into thin wedges
2 trays ice cubes
Directions:
Stir first five ingredients in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate to chill.
One hour before serving: Pour mixture into pitcher(s); add fruit. Refrigerate.
To serve: Add ice to pitchers.
Note: For a non-alcoholic version, use 9 cups of 100% white grape juice in place of wine; omit Triple Sec and sugar and increase orange juice to 2 cups.
GUACAMOLE
(Serves 6)
Chef Michael William Batt, co-owner of Greenwich, Conn.-based Food Design Catering (www.fooddesigncatering.com), 28 Old Field Point Rd., Greenwich, 203-622-0725
Ingredients:
3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 to 2 limes, juiced (reserve 1 T. of lime juice)
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 T. chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
Directions:
In a large bowl place the scooped avocado and lime juice; toss to coat, and drain, reserving the drained lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher, add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.