APRIL FOOL

This is one of those Eastern Shore recipes that gets passed on from mother to daughter (or son) and is found in cookbooks like "What's Cooking in..."(you can fill in almost any Eastern Shore town). This is from the "What's Cooking in Hurlock, Maryland" cookbook, produced by the ladies of the Epworth Methodist Church. It's both colorful and yummy. I should have posted it in April!

APRIL FOOL

serves 6-8

10 ripe kiwi fruit

sugar to taste

1 10-oz package of frozen raspberries

1/2 pint whipping cream

1. Reserving one kiwi fruit for garnish, halve the rest, scoop out the pulp with a spoon and puree it in a blender or food processor. Be careful not to go too far; it shouldn't be like baby food. Sweeten to taste with sugar and chill, covered.

2. Defrost the raspberries according to package directions and drain of most of the syrup. Reserving a few whole berries for garnish, gently crush the remainder and chill, covered. (If you like, you can force the raspberries through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.)

3. Just before serving, whip the cream until light and fluffy. Layer kiwi puree, raspberries and whipped cream in a glass bowl (so it's pretty) or in individual serving bowls. (You could also use champagne or wine glasses.) Swirl once, gently, to color, and garnish with whole raspberries and slices of reserved kiwi fruit.

HARICOTS VERT (or STRING BEANS)

Green beans (we used to call them string beans for the string that runs down one side of the length) are easy to prepare and go with everything. If you can find the smaller, French ones - haricots vert - they are more tender, take less time to cook and are much more expensive. Do they taste better? Maybe. Are they worth the difference in price? Probably not, at least not for me. But if you want to have the authentic thing, by all means buy them. But either works in this recipe. Buy a small handful for each guest. (There will probably be some left over but you can heat them up for yourself the next day.)

If using haricots vert, you may want to leave their ends exposed. Those sharp little ends are lovely on the plate. But if you're using the ordinary green beans, snap (or cut) off the ends and, if you have the time, remove the strings. Some times I do, and some times I don't. My mother used to cut them into pieces but I prefer to leave the beans whole.

I usually parboil my beans and them shock them in a cold bath of ice water to stop the cooking and set the vibrant green color. To begin, use lots of salted water (like for pasta) and bring it to a rapid boil over high heat before you throw the beans into the pot. They only take a few minutes 5-7, depending on the thickness of the beans and how fresh they are. I test them by pulling one out of the water and tasting it. It should have lost its raw taste but still be crisp. Drain them well and shock them in the water bath until they're cold (only a minute or so). Drain them again and dry them thoroughly. I usually roll mine in several layers of paper towels. They can then be held in the refrigerator until just before serving. And you can prepare them ahead, even a day ahead, up to this point.

There are many ways to prepare them further and they go with many different other ingredients. Tailor these to the tastes and balance of the rest of your meal. Basically, you melt some butter (or use olive oil) in a skillet over moderate heat and saute whatever you're adding to the beans. Then add the beans and toss with some salt and pepper and the other ingredients, cooking just long enough to warm the beans. Don't overcook them or they'll be tough. It's best to do this just before serving. Beans cool quickly.

As for some other ingredient possibilities, try

1. a minced shallot, 2 t white wine and about 2 t Dijon mustard or,

2. minced garlic and crushed, toasted almonds or,

3. toasted pecans and blue cheese, crumbled on top, or

4. 1/2 t grated lemon zest, or

5. finely chopped red onion, or

6. use your imagination.

BAKED LIMA BEANS WITH PEARS

I used to make baked beans by starting with already cooked beans bought in jars - I can't remember the brand; something like A & J, or is that root beer? I would drain them lightly of the goo they were packed in and throw them in a pot with some finely chopped onion, some ketchup and lots of brown sugar. Then I'd cook them in a slow oven - about 300 degrees - for about an hour, until the ingredients all melded together but the beans remained whole.

Here's a more complicated but subtler variation on this theme, provided by Lee Bailey and cooked a long time in a very slow oven. After trying this, you'll never think about baked beans the old ketchup-y, brown sugary-y way again. Note that they're lima beans, not navy beans.

BAKED LIMA BEANS WITH PEARS

serves 6

3 10-oz packages frozen lima beans (about 6 C)

2 large ripe pears, cored, peeled and sliced crosswise

1 C chicken broth

1/4 C brown sugar

1/4 C chopped onion

1/4 C molasses

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

 1. Preheat oven to 200. In a heavy 2 quart casserole, combine ingredients. Bake, covered tightly, about 8 hours. Yes, honey: count them, 8 hours!

Note: I now make baked beans by using the canned ones from that family company where the dog is always trying to steal the recipe. I can't remember the name. I use about 3 cans for 6-8 people. I peel and core and slice a couple of pears into 1" cubes, toss them in, and let the whole thing cook in a 300 degree oven for about an hour. This can be held in a 250 degree oven almost indefinitely. It's not Lee Bailey, and it's not lima beans, but it's almost as good.

SHRIMP AND BROCCOLI

Here's one more light dinner for you. This recipe is for only one but could be multiplied for two or more. Be careful about the dressing you choose. This will give most of the flavor to the shrimp. I use Newman's Own LIte dressing.

SHRIMP AND BROCCOLI

serves 1

7-oz fully cooked frozen shrimp (available at Costco, if not at your grocery store)

1 C raw broccoli, chopped

1/2 C (4 medium) cherry tomatoes, chopped

2 T bottled Lite Northern Italian with Basil and Romano dressing, or similar

1 T parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

1 t olive oil

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

1. Thaw shrimp following directions on the package (about 5-7 minutes). In a skillet, heat olive oil and add broccoli and chopped cherry tomatoes; saute 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are al dente (tender crisp). Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

2. Spoon dressing into another skillet; add shrimp and black pepper. Saute until shrimp is heated through (or opaque in color). 

3. Combine shrimp and vegetables into one skillet; cook an additional 2-3 minutes to reheat vegetables, if necessary. Place shrimp and vegetables on plate, add parmesan cheese, and stir.

TROPICAL CHICKEN MEDLEY

Here's another light but (I hope) tasty meal. Again, I haven't tried this but it sounds good and is low in carbs and calories, and high in protein. For all you fans of light fare, try it and then please tell me how you like it.

TROPICAL CHICKEN MEDLEY

serves 1

9-oz boneless, skinless chicken strips

1/2 C raw broccoli, chopped

1/2 C (1 small) red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 C (1 small) yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 T Newman's Own lite lime vinaigrette (or similar)

1/2 t onion powder

1/4 t Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning Blend

5 sprays non-stick cooking spray

40 pine nuts (optional)

1. Coat chicken strips with vinaigrette. Sprinkle Mrs. Dash's seasoning and onion powder on chicken strips. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes (better for 1-2 hours).

2. Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray for 5-10 seconds. Saute peppers and broccoli until al dente. While cooking peppers, frequently add a little water so they don't burn. Set sauteed peppers and broccoli aside. Add chicken to pan and cook until no longer pink. In the meantime, place pine nuts (if using) on a tray in toaster oven and toast until brown. (Watch, because they can easily burn.)

3. When chicken is done, combine with peppers and broccoli; add pine nuts and mix well.

ZESTY PORK STIR FRY

Some of my readers have asked me for food that is more healthy and not from the school of Ina Gargen or Paula Deen. So for the next few days, I'll be posting recipes for food that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Today's recipe is for

ZESTY PORK STIR-FRY

for 2

 12 oz pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat 

4 C bok choy, (1 medium head), leaves removed, chopped

1 C (9 medium) mushrooms, sliced

2 t fresh ginger root, grated

2 t olive oil

10 sprays non-stick cooking spray.

1. Chop bok choy and slice mushrooms; set aside. Trim fat off tenderloin if necessary. Slice tenderloin into 1/2 " thick pieces. Grate ginger root. 

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray for 5-10 seconds. Add ginger to skillet and saute 1-2 minutes. Add bok choy and mushrooms to skillet. Add additional nonstick cooking spray (about 5 seconds) if needed.

3. Saute mixture 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are al dente (tender crisp). Remove vegetables from skillet and place in bowl; cover with plate to keep warm.

4. Add olive oil to skillet, then add pork slices. Stir-fry slices 3-4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Serve pork slices on top of vegetables. 

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

One of my readers has asked me to post a recipe for Parisian Macarons, usually filled with chocolate but which can contain other fillings. While I've never made these myself, they sound really good and not too difficult to make. Try them, if you like, and let me know your results. The request comes from Ken and the recipe from Martha Stewart.

CHOCOLATE MACARONS

makes about 16

1 1/4 C plus 1 t confectioners' sugar

1 C finely ground sliced, blanched almonds

6 T fresh egg whites (from about 3 extra large eggs), at room temperature

pinch of salt

1/4 C granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. In a medium bowl. whisk together the confectioners' sugar and ground almonds.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites with salt on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to high and gradually add granulated sugar. Continue to whip until stiff glossy peaks form.

4. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the confectioner's sugar mixture until completely incorporated.

5. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

6. Fill a pastry bag with a 3/8 inch #4 round tip and fill the bag with the batter. Pipe 1-inch disks onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. The batter will spread a little. Let stand at room temperature until dry, and soft skin forms on the tops of the macarons, and the shiny surface turns dull, about 15 minutes.

7. Bake with the door of the oven slightly ajar, until the surface of the macarons is completely dry, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet to a wire rack and let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet. Gently peel off the parchment. Their tops are easily crushed, so take care when removing the macarons from the parchment. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.

8. To fill the macarons, fill a pastry bag with the filling. Turn macarons onto their flat side, facing up. On half of them, pipe about 1 teaspoon filling. Sandwich these with the remaining macarons, flat side down, pressing slightly to spread the filling to the edges, Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

For the filling, you can use Nutella Hazelnut Spread or a chocolate ganach; the recipe for this follows;

CHOCOLATE GANACH

2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

1 C heavy cream

2 T butter

2 T corn syrup or honey

1. Place the chocolate chips in a bowl and set aside.

2. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream, butter and corn syrup until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips. Stir constantly until smooth.

3. Allow to cool completely before using.