7 Layer Bean Dip

Ingredients

2 cups of refried beans, either from one 15-ounce can or

homemade
1 teaspoon (or more) of bacon fat (or 1 strip of bacon,
cooked and minced) optional
1 teaspoon of chipotle powder, Tabasco chipotle sauce, or
adobo sauce, more to taste (or plain chili powder to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped green Anaheim chiles (canned) OR a Tbsp
of chopped pickled jalapenos (more to taste)
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 hot house tomato, cut in half horizontally, seeds and juice
gently squeezed out and discarded, chopped
1/3 cup of sour cream, or if you can get it Crema Mexicana
(Mexican sour cream)
1/2 small can of sliced ripe black olives

Method
1) Heat the refried beans in a medium saut pan or cast iron
skillet. Stir in enough water to get a creamy, easily dip-able
consistency, about 1/4 of a cup. The taste of refried beans
is greatly enhanced by bacon fat; we'll add a teaspoon to
canned beans or a tablespoon or more to taste if we are
making the beans from scratch. If you don't have bacon fat,
you can cook up a strip of bacon, chop it up fine and add
that to the beans. If you are trying to avoid pork, note that
most canned refried beans are made with added lard, so
check the ingredients. You can use olive oil instead, to help
the consistency of the beans.
Mix in the chipotle chili powder (or Tabasco, or adobo, or
regular chili powder) and cumin to taste. Note that the
avocados and the sour cream will cool down the spiciness
of the beans considerably, so you can afford to be a bit
more spicy than you might think. Stir in salt to taste,
depending on how salted your refried beans are to begin
with, and depending on how salty the tortilla chips are that
you are serving with the dip.
2) Once the beans are hot and bubbly, spread them over the
bottom of a warmed serving dish. Immediately add the
shredded cheese so that the heat from the beans helps
melt the cheese. (The cheese doesn't need to be
completely melted, but even if it is just a little, it will help
the dip stay on the chip.)
3) Layer on the chopped green chilies, chopped avocado,
chopped tomato. Spoon on the sour cream (or crema

Mexicana, crema fresca, or even cream fraiche). Top with

sliced green onions and olives.
4) Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Baked Stuffed Jalapeos

Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling Version

12 jalapeo peppers*
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup cream cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
2 ounces jack cheese, cut into 2 1/2-inch long batons
Bacon and Jack Cheese Filling Version
12 jalapeo peppers*
1/4 cup chopped cooked bacon
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup shredded jack cheese, plus another 2 ounces
of jack cheese cut into 2 1/2-inch long batons
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Method
1) Preheat the oven to 375.
2) You can either slice the jalapeos in half lengthwise or
you can slice off the top one-third (lengthwise) of each
jalapeo to make a boat shape out of each pepper. The
halved jalapeos will go further (twice as many stuffed
peppers), but you can put more filling into the boatshaped peppers. Your choice. If you choose to make
the boats, you can mince the tops and add them to the
filling if you want some extra heat, or save them for
another recipe. Scrape out all the seeds and ribs from
each jalapeo with a spoon (a grapefruit spoon works
great).
3) Mix together all the filling ingredients except the jack
cheese batons.
4) Pack the filling into the peppers and nestle a baton of
jack cheese onto the filling of each one. Arrange the
peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 2030 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly
browned, and the peppers are cooked.
5) Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken Liver Pt
Ingredients

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided

1/3 cup minced shallot
1 pound chicken livers
Salt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp capers
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup cream

Method
1) Trim any fat or connective tissue from the livers and
discard.
2) Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saut pan
on medium heat and let the butter brown, about 3-5
minutes. Do not let it burn.
3) Add the shallots and saut for 1 minute. Add the
livers. Be sure to space them well in the pan so they
can brown more easily. Sprinkle salt over the livers.
Flip the livers when one side browns, about 2
minutes. Once the livers have browned, add the
capers, thyme, garlic, and anchovy paste if using,
and saut another minute.
4) Take the pan off the heat and add the brandy. (Be
careful when you return it to the heat, as it could
flame up, especially if you are using a gas range. If it
does, cover the pan for a moment.) Turn the heat to
high and boil down the brandy to the consistency of
syrup, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the
mixture to cool.
5) Put the mixture into a food processor or blender and
pulse a few times to combine. Add the remaining
butter and the cream and pure. The mixture will
look a little loose, but it will firm up in the fridge.
Pack the pt into ramekins or a small bowl, cover
and refrigerate for at least an hour before using.
The pt will last a week or so in the fridge. If you
want to preserve it for up to a month, pour a little
melted lard or clarified putter on top to seal. Each
time you dip into the pt, you will need to reseal the
top to preserve it.
6) Serve spread on crackers or baguette slices.

Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

24 cremini mushroom caps, about 1 1/2 inches wide

(with stems about 3/4 pound total)
5 ounces Boursin garlic and herb cheese at room
temperature
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

Method
1) Brush any dirt off the mushrooms and remove the
stems.
Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms from Simply
RecipesBoursin Stuffed Mushrooms from Simply
Recipes
2) Use a spoon to stuff the mushrooms with the cheese
mixture, so that it mounds a little in the center.
Place the mushrooms on a rimmed baking pan (to
prevent the mushrooms from rolling off the pan).
Sprinkle the tops with a little smoked paprika.
3) Bake at 350F (175C) for 8 minutes, or until a pool
of water forms at the base of each mushroom as the
mushrooms sweat out their moisture. Remove and
cool a minute or two, then serve.

Cheddar Cheese Puffs

Ingredients

1 stick butter (8 Tbsp or 4 ounces)

1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup (4 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or rosemary)
Freshly ground pepper

Method
1) In a medium sized saucepan, add the water, butter,
and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2) Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour all at
once. Stir rapidly. The mixture will form a dough ball
that will pull away from the sides of the pan. It helps
to use a wooden spoon to stir as the dough will be
rather thick. Continue to cook for a couple minutes.
3) Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for a
couple of minutes. Stir so that the dough cools more
evenly. You want the dough to be warm, just not so
hot that when you start adding eggs they cook as
they hit the dough. Add the eggs one at a time,
stirring after each addition until the eggs are
incorporated into the dough. (Do this part in a mixer if
you want, or by hand with a wooden spoon.) The
dough should become rather creamy.
4) Stir in the grated cheese, thyme, and a few grinds of
pepper.
5) Preheat oven to 425F. Spoon out small balls (about a
heaping tablespoon) of the dough onto a Silpat or
parchment lined baking sheet, with at least an inch
separating the spoonfuls. Place in oven and cook for
10 minutes at 425F. Lower heat to 350F and cook
for another 15-20 minutes, until puffed up and lightly
golden.

Chipotle Lime Bacon-Wrapped

Shrimp
Ingredients

12 large, raw, peeled and deveined shrimp

2 Tbsp olive oil
Zest from 1 lime
Juice from one lime (about 2 Tbsp)
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (or more to taste)
6 strips thin bacon, cut in half (12 pieces)
Skewers (for grilling) or toothpicks (for oven)

Method
1) Mix together in a small bowl the lime zest, lime juice,
olive oil, and chipotle powder. Put the shrimp in the
lime chipotle mixture; make sure each piece is well
coated.
2) Spread the bacon pieces out over several layers of
paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with
another layer of paper towel. Microwave on high until
the bacon fat begins to melt but the bacon is still
pliable, about 1 1/2 minutes.
3) Prepare grill on high, direct heat (if grilling) or
preheat the oven to 450F.
4) Working one at a time, wrap a half piece of
microwaved bacon around each piece of shrimp. If
you are grilling, thread the shrimp onto long, flat
skewers (flat skewers make turning the shrimp on the
grill easier). If you don't have flat skewers, I've used
two thin bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 30
minutes beforehand) to the same effect. If you are
using the oven, secure each the bacon onto the
shrimp with toothpicks. Place the bacon-wrapped
shrimp on a slotted baking pan (lined with foil inside
for easy cleaning). Brush remaining lime chipotle
mixture on the outside of the bacon-wrapped shrimp.
5) Grill uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or
bake in the oven for 10-14 minutes, until shrimp is
pink and the bacon is crisp.

Classic Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

18-24 button or cremini mushrooms, scrubbed clean,

stems separated from the caps
1 Tbsp butter
2 small shallots, minced, about 2 Tbsp
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
Salt
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried thyme
2 Tbsp breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp sherry or chicken stock
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Method
1) 1 Preheat oven to 375F.
2) 2 Finely chop the mushroom stems. Heat 1
tablespoon butter in a small frying pan over mediumhigh heat. Saut the chopped mushroom stems and
the shallots for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the
garlic and walnuts and sprinkle with salt. Stir well
and saut 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add
the parsley, herbes de Provence and breadcrumbs.
Pour the sherry into a food processor, then the rest of
the stuffing. Pulse several times to get a fine mixture,
almost a paste.
3) 3 Toss the mushroom caps with olive oil. Fill each
mushroom with the stuffing. Sprinkle grated
parmesan cheese over each mushroom and bake for
20-25 minutes, or until the cheese browns a little.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so before serving.

Crab Cakes with Ginger and

Lime
Ingredients

8 ounces fresh lump crab meat, well picked through to

remove any bits of shell
3 scallions, including green parts, finely chopped
(about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice, plus a little more for sprinkling
on at service
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce, depending on how
spicy you would like the crab cakes to be
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp of panko bread crumbs for crab mixture plus
3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs for breading
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 egg, beaten

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter
Lime slices for garnish

Method
1) In a medium bowl, combine the scallions, cilantro,
ginger, lime zest, lime juice, and mayonnaise. Stir in
the lump crab meat and the panko to combine. Cover
with plastic wrap and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
2) Using your clean hands, form the crab mixture into 1inch diameter round balls.
3) Set out 3 bowls, one for flour, one for the beaten egg,
and one for panko bread crumbs. Roll each crab ball in
first the flour, then the beaten egg, and finally the
panko. Set aside on a plate.
4) Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saut pan on
medium high heat. Swirl in the butter. After the butter
has foamed up and melted, place the panko coated
crab balls into the pan and press down gently with a
metal spatula. Do not crowd the pan, you may need to
work in batches. Cook a minute or two, until golden
brown on one side, then gently turn the crab cakes
over and cook until golden brown on the other side.
5) Remove to a paper towel lined plate or to a sheet pan
in a low oven to keep warm. Sprinkle with lime juice to
serve, and serve with a slice of lime.

Colcannon Cakes
Ingredients
Colcannon:

2 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and cut into

large chunks
Salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 lightly packed cups of chopped chard, kale, spinach,
or cabbage
1/2 cup of green onion greens, chopped
o cup milk or cream
Colcannon cakes:

About 3 cups of colcannon

cup flour
1 egg
2-3 teaspoons salt
4 Tbsp butter or vegetable oil
Lemon for garnish

Method
1) Make the colcannon first (see our colcannon recipe.)
Put potatoes in a pot, cover with cold, well salted
water by an inch, bring to a boil, and cook until fork
tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes
and remove them from the pot. Melt the butter in the
still warm pot, add the chopped greens, cook for 3-4
minutes until wilted, then add the green onions and
cook for another minute. Add the potatoes, milk or
cream to the pot, mash until everything is well
mixed.
2) Mix the egg, flour and salt in with the colcannon. You
may want to chill the mixture for 15 minutes or
longer to make it easier to shape the patties. Form
into little cakes of whatever size you want, but make
them flat so they will cook through without burning. If
the mixture is too wet, add more flour until the
mixture is easy to shape.
3) Heat the butter or vegetable oil in a large pan over
medium-high heat. Working in batches, place the
formed patties in the pan so they are not touching.
Lower the heat to medium and gently fry until
golden, abou 3-4 minutes. Turn and cook the other
side. Let the cakes rest on a paper towel while you
cook the others. Serve with slices of lemon.

Curried Chicken Salad with

Endive
Ingredients
Dressing:

2 Tbsp plain yogurt

1/3 cup mayonnaise
teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
Pinch paprika

o teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup crushed, well-drained pineapple

Salad:
o 1 /3 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts OR 3
cups diced, cooked chicken
1 apple, peeled, cored, diced
1/2 cup minced green onion
6 heads of California or Belgian endive
1/4 cup chopped toasted slivered almonds

Method
1) If you are starting with raw chicken, the first thing you
are going to do is to cook the chicken (if starting with
cooked chicken skip to the next step). Place the raw
chicken breasts in a 2 or 3 quart saucepan and cover
with cold water by at least an inch or two. Add 2
teaspoons salt to the water. Put the pot on medium
high heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for two
minutes, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let
the chicken sit in the hot water for 15 minutes. (This
should be enough to cook the chicken all the way
through, unless you are starting with very cold
chicken. If after 15 minutes you cut through one of
the breasts and it still isn't done, return the pot to a
very low simmer for 5 more minutes, or as long as it
takes to cook it all the way through.) Drain, chill, and
cut chicken breasts into small cubes. You should have
about 3 cups of cooked, diced chicken.
2) Place the yogurt, mayonnaise, soy sauce, honey,
curry powder, paprika, lemon juice, and salt in a
medium bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Add
drained pineapple and stir to combine. You should
have a little less than one cup of dressing.
3) Place diced chicken, diced apple, and minced green
onion into a medium bowl. Stir in the dressing.
4) Separate leaves from the heads of the endive and
place on a serving platter. Spoon chicken salad into
endive "boats". Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

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