Welcome to Inspired Cooking with Laurie Lufkin. These are the recipes that go with this weeks episode shown on Cape Ann TV Tuesday at 8:30, Friday at 4:30 and Sunday morning at 11:30. Thanks for watching!
Enjoy these rich crackers with a glass of chilled crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
Peppered Parmesan Pecan Crackers
4 oz parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ cup butter, softened
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme (or other herb)
1 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped
In the food processor, combine cheeses, butter, flour, cornmeal, pepper and herbs. Pulse until dough forms a ball. Turn out onto floured surface and sprinkle with pecans and work in. Divide dough in half, roll into a 12” log and wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice dough into 1/8” rounds and reshape if necessary.
Bake for 10 minutes, turning sheets at 5 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Crackers keep well in an airtight container for up to a week
Enjoy!
Grilled Salmon Salad with Purple Pomegranate Vinaigrette
For the vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoons honey, to taste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup canola or light olive oil
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Whisk all together in large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve
For the Salad:
As you might have guessed, I used some of my favorite salad ingredients, grilled the salmon (which I seasoned simply with salt and pepper), tossed the salad ingredients with the vinaigrette, topped it with the salmon and called it an entree.
I used Romaine lettuce, radicchio, sliced grape tomatoes, goat cheese, fresh corn kernels (from leftover corn from dinner the night before) and chopped cooked bacon and English cucumbers that I sliced into sticks. Because the dressing is tangy and tart, I wanted some sweetness and creaminess in the body of the salad and the goat cheese, tomatoes and corn fit that bill. The bacon added a little smoky saltiness and the sliced cucumbers sticks added a fresh contrast in both taste and shape.
For your protein, you could grill chicken, pork tenderloin and slice it or pretty much anything you like. For a special indulgence, some grilled lobster tail or scallops would be amazing!
I hope you enjoy making up your own porch supper pairings.
For the dessert:
Orange Spiked Caramelized Banana Parfait
¼ cups salted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
4 cups bananas, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated ginger
5-6 slices pound cake
Vanilla ice cream
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt together butter and brown sugar. Stir until smooth and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add in bananas and toss to coat, stirring frequently. Lower heat and add vanilla extract and grated ginger. Cook until bananas are slightly translucent and beginning to brown, about 5 more minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
Cut pound cake into 1” slices and layer with bananas into serving dishes or glasses. Top with vanilla ice cream. Makes 4 servings but can easily be increased to serve more people. Enjoy!
Good Morning Gloucester 