This Old Chef

OK...  You'll need to bear with me.

I have written plays that have been performed from coast to coast.

I've written food articles for national publications (Everyday with Rachael Ray, Great American Home Cooking, etc.).

I've contributed content to some really fun sites online (Extra Crispy, @foodandwine digital, etc.).

I've acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

But today has me a little verklempt.  The September 2019 issue of Food & Wine magazine has landed.  And on Page 69…

TEMPURA LOBSTER TACOS with JERK SPICED SOUR CREAM

(Serves 6 - 1 taco per person)

Ingredients:

3, 5-6 oz. frozen lobster tails, defrosted, and carefully removed from shells

6 Large tortillas

Shredded cabbage or lettuce

½ C Sour cream

2 T Jerk sauce

3 Ripe Haas avocados

¾ C Chopped tomatoes

½ C Chopped scallions

6 Lime wedges plus juice of 1 lime

2 t Salt

1 C AP flour

2 t Baking powder

1- 1¼ C Cold seltzer

Oil for frying

1. To make the batter:  Combine flour, salt, baking powder, seltzer, and 2 t jerk sauce…

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

2 T oil

½ lb. Crawfish tails (defrosted if frozen)

8 T Unsalted butter

1 Medium shallot, chopped

½ t Tomato paste

2 T Cognac

1½ C Fish or shellfish stock

1 C Heavy cream

⅔ lb. Skinless Pike fillet, cut in 1 inch pieces

1 t Salt

1 Large egg white

⅛ t Pepper

4-6 Scrapes of nutmeg

1. To make the crawfish butter:  In 1 T oil, cook crawfish for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Melt the butter.  In a food processor, blend still warm crawfish with melted butter until as smooth as possible.  Set…

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients: 

1 lb. Crawfish (defrosted if frozen)

8 T Unsalted butter

8 T AP flour

1 C Onion, diced fine (1 small onion)

2 Ribs celery, diced fine

1 C green pepper, diced fine

4 T minced garlic

1 C Fish or shellfish stock

1 C water

¾  C chopped parsley

4 shots Tabasco, or more to taste

½  t cayenne

½  t black pepper

2 t salt

4 chopped scallions (white and light green) for garnish

Cooked rice

1. In a large saucepan, melt butter, add flour and cook, whisking, until the color of peanut butter…

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

6 Poblano peppers

½ lb. Crab meat

⅓ C each:  Finely minced shallot, celery, and bell pepper (red, yellow, orange)

5 T Unsalted butter

1 t Lemon zest

½ t Salt

½ t Paprika

⅛ t Black pepper

2 T Mayonnaise

1 t Old Bay Seasoning

1 C Panko bread crumbs

1. Over a gas flame, or under the broiler, roast Poblanos, turning frequently, until blackened and blistered all over. Place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap for ½ hour. Remove blackened skin. Carefully make a slit in the front of…

(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

2 T Jerk spice 

1 C Mayonnaise

½ C Dill, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

¼ t minced habañero or scotch bonnet pepper (or more if you dare!)

8 ½ pound pieces of catfish

Oil for frying

1 C AP flour

1 t Salt

1 t Baking powder

Paper-thin slices of jalapeño peppers

Beer

8 Good-quality hamburger buns

1. For the remoulade: combine mayonnaise, dill, lime juice and minced pepper. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. For the batter: combine flour, salt, baking powder. Add beer until mixture is like thick…

(Serves 6)

Prep time:  5 minutes

Cooking time:  20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Dozen hard-boiled eggs, peeled, split, yolks removed

⅓ C Low-fat yogurt, drained overnight

⅓ C Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

¼ tsp. salt           

1. In a bowl, mash the 12 yolks, and mix with remaining ingredients until as smooth as you like.

2. Neatly spoon mixture into the reserved 24 egg white halves.

Tip:  This is a great time to dig out that deviled egg platter you inherited from your…

(Makes 24 eggs)

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cooking time:  15 minutes

Ingredients:

12 hard cooked eggs, split, yolks removed

⅓ C Hummus

⅓ C Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. capers, drained, rinsed, and chopped

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 roasted red bell pepper      

1. In a bowl, mash yolks with a fork until smooth.  Add hummus, mayonnaise, lemon juice, capers, and salt and stir until smooth.

2. Pipe or spoon mixture into egg white halves. Top with a thin slice of red pepper.

Tip:  A foolproof way to boil…

(Serves 6)

Prep Time:  30 minutes

Ingredients:         

1 Large can (1 pound 13 ounces) chickpeas

1 Garlic clove, minced

½  C Tahini (well stirred)

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, along with 7 tablespoons of water, and process until smooth.  This makes 3 cups of hummus.  Serve plain, or top with chopped, toasted pistachios and a drizzle of EVOO.

Tip: This basic hummus recipe can easily be varied:

In one variation, add 1½ C of hummus to…

(Makes 4 Cups)

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cook time:  5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 29 oz. can red beans, drained and rinsed

½ C Sour Cream

2 Tbsp. garlic (approximately 4 cloves) chopped

2 Tbsp. EVOO

1 tsp. Tabasco, or more to taste

½ tsp. Kosher salt

1 C chopped Scallions (white, light green, and some dark green parts)

1 tsp. lime juice              

1. Heat EVOO in a small pan over med heat.  Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.  Do not brown the garlic.

2. In a food processor, process the beans.  Add the…