Aug 15 2007
Delicacy Deluge
Now what?
For some reason, I’ve been cooking up a storm lately. I know they say “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”, and I can’t stand the heat, but I can’t seem to stay out of the kitchen, either. Maybe it’s because I’ve had writer’s block lately – my creativity, such as it is, must be seeking another outlet.
Yesterday’s menu of delicacies was prawn & artichoke salad, followed by crab cakes with cilantro-lime aioli. I made peach cobbler for dessert. I’m out of control!
You can find the crab cake recipe here, and the aioli here, but the salad is one of my Dad’s recipes. As he notes in it, “The recipe is one that Margaret [his wife] thought superb, even by my high standards.” Immodest, but true. Check it out:
Prawn & Artichoke Salad
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I used the seedy type)
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (I used a little less)
12 oz. peeled, cooked prawns (I used salad shrimp)
14 oz can of artichoke hearts (packed in water is best)
Iceberg lettuce
Chop the garlic and crush it to a pulp, mix the garlic and mustard together to form a paste, then beat in the vinegar and finally the oilve oil. Season with freshly ground pepper. Stir in the basil and onion. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then stir in the prawns and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more. Drain the artichoke hearts and halve each one. Make a bed of lettuce, spread the artichoke hearts over it, then spoon the prawn mixture over the top.
Dad food is the best food.
Things are a little more traditional tonight (sage roasted turkey breast, garlic mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli), but tomorrow’s menu is more exotic: chicken satay with peanut sauce, coconut ginger rice, cucumber salad. A friend brought me a giant bouquet of basil, so I think there’s some pesto in my future.
Come on over – I’ve got leftovers!
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