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Coeur de la Créam

Valentines Day ‘Heart of Cream’ Coeur de la Crème

3 ounces good quality white chocolate, finely chopped or grated
8 ounces cream cheese (not low fat), room temperature
1 1/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
Puree 10 ounces frozen or fresh raspberries
Zest of one lime, saving a lime twist curl for the plating 
display
3 T. sugar

Cut two sheets of cheesecloth big enough to fully line your heart-shaped mold, plus a little overhang on all sides. Dampen the cheesecloth with water, wring it out, and put them together to make a double layer. Press it into the sides and bottom of the mold, leaving some hanging over the sides.

Microwave the white chocolate in a microwavable bowl in 15-second intervals on high. Stir between intervals, and heat only until smooth and just melted.

Mix the cream cheese, 1/4 c. cream, and the sugar in a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Then add the white chocolate and beat for 2 minutes, until very smooth.

In another bowl, beat the remaining 1 c. cream to stiff peaks and fold into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon into the heart-shaped mold, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, then fold the overhanging cheesecloth over it to cover the top. Place the mold unto a rimmed sheet pan or plate and chill for 4-6 hours

To make the puree, blend the thawed berries, their juice, the zest, and the sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth. Push the puree through a sieve to remove the seeds into a small bowl. Cover and chill for up to 4 hours.

Carefully peel the cheesecloth off the top of the coeur de la crème and invert it onto a plate. Peel off the rest of the cheesecloth. Smear a white dessert plate with the red raspberry sauce, place the coeur on top & add a little twist of lime for color.

enjoy!

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Smoked Turkey Club Sandwich

Bread of choice (I like sourdough or rye)
Safflower mayonnaise
Ojai Jalapeño Jelly
Smoked Turkey- sliced very thin
Apple-Smoked Bacon- crispy
Provolone Cheese
Avocado
salt & pepper to taste

Coat one side of the bread with safflower mayonnaise & the other with Ojai Jalapeño Jelly & build your sandwich.

enjoy!

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Bitter Poetry

I love Tonic Water & ‘Q Tonic’ is so delicious- I met Molly from Q Tonic @ The Fancy Food Show last month.

Pairing Quality ‘Q TONIC’ with your favorite Spirits to broaden the enjoyment of a cocktail (or mocktail), makes perfect sense to me-

I am blogging this recipe in honor of the First Annual Ojai Wordfest Gathering

March 19-27 Ojai, CA.

Cocktail developed for Q Tonic by mixologist Jerri Banks

Bitter Poetry

1.5 oz Junipero Gin
1 oz Fresh Orange juice
½ oz Acacia Honey
½ Teaspoon Freshly Grated Ginger
2 Dashes Fee Bros Orange Bitters
1 oz Q Tonic
1 orange twist
Glass: Cocktail/Martini

In cocktail shaker, add all ingredients except for tonic.

Add ice, shake well and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Top with Q Tonic.

Garnish with an orange twist.

enjoy!

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…in the heat of passion


This is my translation of the tantalizing cocktail at “Milk & Honey” in Santa Barbara, where I had my first Habanero-infused cocktail & got instantly hooked!

4 shots of Habanero-Infused “Sauza Plata” Tequila (or your favorite)
1/2 c. Fresh Passion Fruit Puree
4 Fresh Limes, juiced
I piece of thinly sliced fresh ginger
Agave nectar to taste
Ice

Run water over glasses, chill in freezer while you make the cocktail.
Place all ingredients except the garnishes in the cocktail shaker.
Shake about 10-12 times to dissolve  the agave nectar & bruise ginger.
Pour into chilled cocktail glassed, garnished with sugared rims & a twist of lime.
Serve up.

enjoy!

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Grandioso

‘GRAND CAFE‘

Last week I was in San Francisco for the Fancy Food Show & I had the pleasure of  an amazing evening & a lovely meal with friends at the infamous “Grand Cafe” on 501 Geary Street.

…if someone blindfolded you going in, once through the Grand Entry- you’d open your eyes & feel like you’d arrived in Paris- the sculptures, the cuisine, the ambiance…

My mouth waters just thinking of this tantalizing cocktail-

Grandioso

2 oz Reposado Tequila
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Squeeze Lemon Juice
.5 oz Agave Nectar
Muddled Basil- 3 leaves
Jalapeno- fresh 2 thin slices
Shaken till Bruised
Served on a stem

recipe compliments of
Gregory Nasser
Assistant General Manager
Grand Cafe – Hotel Monaco San Francisco
501 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

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Filthy Farmgirl Martini

This is for a very special friend of mine that could use a little TLC & a strong drink this week-

4 oz Gin
2 T. Dry Vermouth
5 T. Olive Juice

1 t. Ojai Jalapeño Jelly
5 Large Olives
Ice

Rinse two Cocktail Glasses with water and place in the freezer for a few minutes while you prepare the drink.

Fill your Martini Shaker with the above ingredients, including the olives.

Shake hard about 10 times, helping the Ojai Jalapeño Jelly dissolve.

Remove Cocktail Glasses from freezer and pour out any excess water.

Promptly fill the glasses with Cocktail & serve it up with a prepared appetizer & a wink~

enjoy!

 

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Cranberry Sauce with a Zing

1 bag fresh Organic Cranberries, washed & drained
Fresh Organic Orange Juice or Ojai Pixie Tangerine Juice- enough to cover the cranberries in a pot
1 c. Sugar
1 Cinnamon Stick
4 whole cloves
Ojai Jalapeño Jelly

Put the cranberries in the pot, cover with juice, add sugar, cloves & cinnamon stick. Over medium heat, bring to a slow boil- listen for the cranberries to ‘pop’- lower the heat a little, then once you’ve heard lots of cranberries ‘pop’, remove from heat, let cool. Set aside the cooked cloves.

You can add a few tablespoons of Ojai Jalapeño Jelly for some zing~ it tastes wonderful as a garnish with Roasted Turkey.

This cranberry sauce is festive served in a small, hollowed-out pumpkin & garnished with the cinnamon stick.

DON’T forget to save the ‘left over’ liquid for future holiday martinis- it has such a great flavor! I toss the leftover cloves in the mix for added flavor.

enjoy!

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Party like Murphy… Martini

Habantini

Simple version;

2 T. Ojai Habanero Jelly
2 shots Kettle One Vodka
Ice
Garnish with a Bleu Cheese stuffed olive, a cocktail onion or a lemon zest curl~

In your Martini Shaker, shake the Ojai Habanero Jelly with the vodka & ice until the Jelly has dissolved completely.  Then strain off any Pepper bits with a tea strainer.  Garnish.

notes; this recipe can be toned down with a very light, sweet juice, or make it ‘dirty’ by using the juice from the olive jar-

The recipe I prefer involves making fresh cranberry sauce & saving the left over liquid for future martinis.

enjoy!

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Suze’s Camping Meyer Lemon Drop Martini

I went camping in the Santa Ynez Valley with my brother & the Santa Barbara Trail Riders-
On that outing I had my first lemon drop made in a pickle jar, & what a tasty cocktail it was!

You’ll need;
a large jar with a lid- like a pickle jar that cannot smell of pickles!

  • Juice of 12 lemons-(my favorites are Meyers)
  • 2/3 c. sugar
  • 12 fresh mint leaves, washed (you can use fresh basil, or lavender instead)
  • 10 shots vodka-
  • Ice cubes
  • Sugar-rimmed martini glasses

Wash the lemons, then roll them a few times on a cutting board or counter top, to activate the oils in the skin- Squeeze the lemon juice into the large jar & then toss in the remains of the lemon, skin & all.
Add sugar, mint, vodka, and lots of ice and shake it until you see the sugar has dissolved.
Be sure to test the cocktail to adjust the ingredients to your liking-
Pour into sugar-rimmed martini glasses, sugar rimmed blue-enamel camping mugs, or whatever you have available–
Garnish each with a fresh sprig of mint-

It’s hard to keep enough made- It’s refreshing like lemonade, but WAY more fun to start the
evening with…

enjoy!

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Goodbye to 2010…

My great friend and neighbor had a small dinner party this evening-
I took my baked brie but excluded the onions & sage.  I used sage butter
& garlic.  I cut Indian naan up in strips and served it lightly toasted- on a platter with a small dish of Habanero Jelly.
It was delicious.

Goodbye 2010-

I wish all of you the best of health & happiness in the new year- Happy 2011!

Suze

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Savory Egg Salad Sandwich

Savory Egg Salad Sandwich

Do this first step ahead of time:

12 hard boiled eggs –
We get our eggs fresh from the chicken coop, wash them, set in cool water then boil them, shell them, then soak them in dill pickle juice for about one week or more in the refrigerator-

For the sandwich we use 10 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
1/2 c. safflower mayonnaise (or your favorite)
1/4 c. dill pickles, minced
1/4 c. purple onion, minced
1/4 c. celery, minced
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. mustard (Dijon or American)
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of paprika (I occasionally use curry or cumin)
lettuce
tomato
avocado
Ojai Jalapeño Jelly
12 slices of sourdough or rye bread, lightly toasted (helps keep sandwich from falling apart)

In a large bowl mash the eggs with a fork or a pasty blender.  Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and spices.

Lay out 6 slices of toasted bread.  Slather with Ojai Jalapeño Jelly. Divide the egg salad evenly between the slices.  Add a lettuce leaf, tomato slice &/or avocado if desired.

Eat open-faced or coat other slice of bread with Ojai Jalapeño Jelly and top the sandwich.

I put a decorative toothpick in each half to help hold it together, slice diagonally and eat~

I garnish the plate with a dill pickle and a pepporchini

enjoy!

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Kick Ass Tuna Sandwich

Kick Ass Tuna Sandwich

12 ounce jar of Chucks fresh canned tuna, drained

1/3 c. dill pickles, minced
1/3 c. purple onion, minced
1/2 c. celery, minced
1/2 c. safflower mayonnaise (or your favorite)
Ojai Jalapeño Jelly- enough to coat the bread
salt & pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together

Lightly toast the Sourdough or Rye bread

Slather the bread with Ojai Jalapeño Jelly.
Add a crisp lettuce leaf, thinly sliced tomatoes and/or avocado.

Serve with a Beer Bloody Mary- be sure to have long-stemmed celery to stir~

enjoy!

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Habanero Jelly

Habanero Jelly

I’ve been doing some experiments making Habanero Pepper Jelly-
My first samples were pretty intense…
just ask my friends!

The Habanero Pepper is much hotter than the Jalapeño Pepper- see my page ‘about the heat’.
I’ve found the important balance of sweet, hot & savory to establish a flavorful Habanero Jelly-
The way I’ve made it, it’s no hotter than the Jalapeño Jelly, just a different delicious flavor~

coming soon!