3 July 2019 Purple Rain Cocktail

Purple Rain Cocktail

July 3, 2019 By

This cocktail, created by Beverage Consultant/Mixologist extraordinaire, Rachael Robbins (check her out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chickologist.

Purple Rain. Photo by Rachael Robbins

The ingredients look incredible and I loved butterfly pea flower tea from my recent trip to Thailand, but come on, just the look of this drink makes me want to yell “come to mama”!

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces silver tequila 
  • 1 ounce lavender simple syrup (see instructions below)
  • 1 ounce lime juice 
  • 2 ounces lychee juice (Rachael recommends Calpico, available online and at Asian grocery stores)
  • 1 ounce butterfly pea flower tea (see instructions below – flowers available online and at specialty markets)
  • Garnish with fresh lavender, optional 

Lavender Simple Syrup: 
Bring 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water & 1/4 cup dried lavender to a rolling boil and remove from heat. Let cool overnight and strain. Keep refrigerated. 

Butterfly Pea Flower Tea: 
Bring 1 cup water and 12 dried flower buds to a boil until the color is gone from the flower. Let cool and strain. 

Directions:

In a shaker, combine the tequila, simple syrup, lime juice and lychee juice. Pour over ice and top with the butterfly pea flower tea and lavender garnish (if using).

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29 June 2019 The Shannon Rose’s Guinness BBQ Pulled Pork

The Shannon Rose’s Guinness BBQ Pulled Pork

June 29, 2019 By

Don’t have a smoker but love BBQ pulled pork? The Shannon Rose Irish Pub (http://theshannonrose.com) has a very tasty alternative that requires just an oven and some rich Guinness stout.

The Shannon Rose’s Guinness BBQ Pulled Pork, with slow-roasted pork simmered in Guinness BBQ sauce and topped with pepper jack cheese on a toasted brioche roll, is a customer favorite. Adding Guinness to the barbecue sauce creates a sweet and sharp balance, using the stout’s smoothness to keep it from being overpowering.

The Shannon Rose’s Guinness BBQ Pulled Pork

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1 oz shallots
  • 1 cup Guinness
  • 1 qt BBQ sauce
  • ½ cup honey

Dry Rub Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp paprika
  • 3 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp white pepper
  • 2 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp coriander
  • 1 tbsp Cajun spice

Other Ingredients:

  • 8lb Pork Butt
  • 1.5-gal water
  • ¼ cup liquid smoke
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

BBQ Sauce Directions:

  1. Mince shallots and sauté over medium heat in vegetable oil until softened, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add Guinness and allow to reduce.
  3. Whisk in BBQ sauce and honey. Set aside.

Dry Rub Directions:

  1. Combine all the dry rub ingredients together.

Pulled Pork Directions:

  • Rub the pork butts with 1 cup of the dry rub, making sure all surfaces are covered.
  • In a deep pan, combine water, liquid smoke & vinegar and place in pork butts.
  • Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 300 degrees for 6 hours. Finished pork should be dark brown and pull apart with ease.
  • Remove from the liquid and let cool.
  • Once cooled, pull pork into bite-sized pieces.
  • Heat and mix the pulled pork with the Guinness BBQ sauce.
  • Assemble your sandwich by placing Pepper Jack cheese on the bun with a heaping scoop of pulled pork. Top with frizzled onions, coleslaw or your favorite condiment.

About The Shannon Rose

The Shannon Rose Irish Pub provides a chef-driven menu using fresh, high-quality ingredients, blending Irish pub classics and new tavern favorites. For its thirsty guests, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub features more than 30 beers on tap – including Guinness, Harp and Smithwick’s – and a wide selection of premium scotch malts and Irish whiskeys.

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Pork, Sandwiches Tagged With: , ,
6 June 2019 House Party Punch

House Party Punch

June 6, 2019 By

With so many summer parties happening in the next couple of months, fun cocktail ideas are always welcomed. For those of you, like me, who don’t want to be making individual cocktails for your guests all night, punch bowls and large format drinks are the way to go! Let your guests self-serve and you can enjoy your gathering.

Here’s a delicious punch recipe idea made using watermelon juice that’s going to be a favorite at your next party.

Recipe and photo courtesy of award-winning mixologist Christopher James of Felina (http://felinarestaurant.com) in Ridgewood, NJ.

Follow Chris on Instagram at @kingjamescocktails

Christopher James

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 parts tequila blanco, Chris recommends Tequila Espolon Blanco
  • 1.0 part watermelon juice
  • 0.5 part tangerine juice
  • 0.5 part lime juice
  • 0.5 part simple syrup (here’s a link to my easy recipe. Chris recommends doubling the sugar for a thicker simple syrup, known in the biz as 2:1)
  • 1.0 part chilled spring water
  • 1 bottle of Champagne, Chris recommends Perrier Jouet brut

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients (except Champagne) in a non-reactive container and briefly stir to integrate.
  2. Pour the cocktail mixture over a large hunk of clear ice in a punch bowl.
  3. Add ¼ of the bottle of Champagne to the mixture in the punch bowl, leaving the rest of the bubbly for guests to add to their cocktail to give it additional fizz.
  4. Garnish the punch with mint sprigs and citrus thyme flowers.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: , , , ,
23 May 2019 Cocktails and Mocktails to Sip this Memorial Weekend

Cocktails and Mocktails to Sip this Memorial Weekend

May 23, 2019 By

Looking to mix it up (see what I did there?) cocktail-wise for your Memorial Day weekend parties? Here are some fresh recipe ideas from some of New Jersey’s best bars and kitchens.

Mother Dearest by Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ

Lemonade for adults!

  • 2 oz Meyer lemon infused vodka
  • 3/4 oz Thyme simple syrup
  • 1 oz Meyer lemon Juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into glass. Garnish with thyme sprig.

Mother Dearest

The Spring Spritz by Jockey Hollow Bar + Kitchen, Morristown, NJ

Sip on this while sitting on the porch swing

  • 1 oz Tito’s vodka
  • 1 oz St. Germain (elderflower liqueur)
  • 1/4 oz Benedictine (spiced herbal liqueur)
  • 1/2 oz Fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 oz Prosecco

Shake all ingredients, excluding Prosecco.

Then add Prosecco to the shaker. Strain into a wine glass filled with ice. Add a splash of Prosecco to re-carbonate the cocktail. Garnish with mint sprig.

The Spring Spritz

A Thousand Miles Away by Mandara Ristorante + Pizzeria, West Caldwell, NJ

Close your eyes … ahh … paradise

  • 2 oz Uruapan Rum
  • 3/4 oz banana
  • 3/4 oz lime
  • 1/2 oz orgeat
  • 1/4 oz Fernet Menta

Add all ingredients except Fernet Menta into a mixing glass or tin then fill with ice and shake vigorously until tin is cold. Fill high-ball glass or Collins glass with fresh ice and double strain. Float Fernet Menta on top and garnish with mint sprig.

A Thousand Miles Away

East Coast Negroni by Pharmacie Bar + Kitchen, Montclair, NJ

Yes, Mezcal Gin is a thing and you need to try it!

  • 1 1/2 oz Gracias a Dios Mezcal Gin
  • .75 oz Lime juice                                           
  • .5 oz Aperol                                       
  • .5 oz Campari                                    
  • .5 oz Agave syrup                                        

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into coupe. Garnish with lime.

East Coast Negroni

Suco de Abacaxi com Hortelã by Samba Montclair, Montclair, NJ

A pineapple and mint smoothie featured in the Samba Montclair cookbook

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup diced pineapple
  • 10 mint leaves, or more to taste
  • 4-6 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. If your pineapple isn’t sweet enough, you can add a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup to taste.


Suco de Abacaxi com Hortelã

Ginger Lee by Zeugma Mediterranean Grill, Montclair, NJ

You might want to spike this at home

  • 8 oz fresh lemonade of your choice
  • Splash of honey water (50/50 honey dissolved in water)
  • Tsp fresh ginger, shaved
  • Cayenne pepper, pinch
  • Club soda

Fill glass with ice and fresh lemonade. Add honey water, cayenne pepper and ginger, then shake. Top with a splash of club soda and garnish with lemon peel.

Ginger Lee

(Pro tip: when making fresh lemonade, zest the lemons and let them soak in lemonade overnight to give it that bright yellow color.)

Happy Memorial Day!

Veronique

Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: , ,
30 March 2019 Peanut Butter and Potato Treats (Bonbons Aux Patates)

Peanut Butter and Potato Treats (Bonbons Aux Patates)

March 30, 2019 By

Yes, I agree that dessert treats made using mashed potatoes are a bit weird, but it’s an old fashion recipe from Quebec where I grew up that’s really popular, especially around the holidays.

It’s a great way to use those leftover mashed potatoes too…as long as they weren’t made using pepper!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds plus 3 Tbsp. confectionary sugar
  • ½ cup leftover mashed potatoes (not made using pepper)
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. softened butter
  • 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 16-ounce jar of creamy peanut butter, warmed in the microwave for about 15 seconds

Directions:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the 2 pounds of confectionary sugar, the potatoes, the butter and the vanilla. Mix until the mixture forms a ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
  2. Place a large piece of wax paper on a work surface. Sprinkle the additional confectionary sugar over the paper. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Spread the warmed peanut butter over the dough and roll up jelly roll-style into a tight log, peanut butter in and dough out. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours. Remove the plastic wrap and cut into ½ inch thick slices.

Makes 24 treats.

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts Tagged With: , , ,
26 March 2019 Quick Orecchiette in Tomato Sauce with Sausage

Quick Orecchiette in Tomato Sauce with Sausage

March 26, 2019 By

In my expanding list of “there’s nothing to eat in this house’ recipes, this one is a winner. This is a one pot wonder where I cooked the sausage with the pasta to save time and it worked great.

Don’t have Orecchiette on hand? Don’t fret – use any dry pasta you have in your pantry.

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound dry Orecchiette pasta
  • 1 Tbsp. salt (for pasta water)
  • 2 links hot Italian sausage (could use mild if you don’t like hot)
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp. each salt and black pepper
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, pureed in food processor (some small chunks are perfect)
  • 10 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup cubed, fresh Mozzarella
  • ¼ cup freshly-grated or shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan over high heat, bring water to a boil. Add the Orecchiette and the sausage links to the water and cook one minute less than recommended on the pasta packaging. Drain the water and roughly chop the sausages in bite-size pieces.
  2. In the same pot, warm the oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the salt and pepper and cook for 15 seconds. Add the cooked sausage and the pureed tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the cooked pasta and the basil to the sauce and gently stir to coat. Continue cooking for one minute.
  4. Add the Mozzarella to the pasta and stir to combine.  Cook an additional minute.
  5. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the pasta.

Makes 2 servings.

Filed Under: Cheese, Entrees, Italian, Pasta, Pork Tagged With: , ,
1 March 2019 Hearty Turkey Barley Soup

Hearty Turkey Barley Soup

March 1, 2019 By

This a rustic meal-in-a-bowl and perfect on a chilly winter day. It’s an easy way to use up turkey leftovers also.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ½ medium turnip, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 6 cups turkey stock, homemade ideally
  • 2 cups cooked turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 ¼ cups barley, rinsed and cooked to package directions
  • ½ tsp. each salt, pepper and dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves

Directions:

  1. To a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the turnip, carrot and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.
  2. While the vegetables cook, bring the stock to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, the cooked vegetables, the barley, the salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves. Simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and serve.

Yields 6-8 servings.

Filed Under: American, Chicken, Soups Tagged With: , ,

Warm Crab and Artichoke Dip

February 8, 2019 By

During the holidays, my mom hosted us and served a delicious hot crab and artichoke dip that was gooey, cheesy and indulgent. I’ve recreated the dip and served it during the Big Game last weekend and it was a hit!

This recipe is a breeze to prepare, basically in one bowl, and can sit in the fridge covered for a day until ready to bake (if refrigerating, take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking).  

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup mayonnaise (we used low fat)
  • ½ cup sour cream (we used low fat)
  • 2 Tbsp. green onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce, we use Cholula
  • ¾ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, to go into the dip
  • ½ tsp. each salt and freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 8 ½-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained well
  • 6 ounces crab meat (ideally lump), picked over to ensure no shells are present
  • ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, to top the dip

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat in cooking spray or butter an oven-proof baking dish (I used a 9” pie plate).
  2. Add all the ingredients, stopping at the artichokes, to a medium bowl and stir to combine well. Add the artichokes and the crab and mix gently.
  3. Add the dip mixture to the baking dish and top with the ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.
  4. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread or scoop-type tortilla chips.

Serves 8.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Cheese, Seafood, Snacks, Starters Tagged With: , , , ,

Copycat Hooters Chicken Wings

February 6, 2019 By

My guy and I like Buffalo chicken wings and his favorites are the ones from Hooters (it’s about the wings, really lol). I’ve perfected their buffalo shrimp recipe (you must try them) and I think we now have a pretty great handle on their chicken wings.

This recipe is for medium spicy Buffalo chicken wings but just decrease the hot sauce if you prefer mild wings.

Buffalo Sauce Ingredients:

  • ¼ pound butter (1 stick)
  • 1 cup hot sauce (I use Frank’s)
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
Wings Coating

Wings Coating Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 12 chicken wings (we use flats and drummettes)
  • Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
  • Blue cheese dressing, carrot and celery sticks, optional

Buffalo Sauce Directions:

  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the hot sauce, garlic powder and lemon juice – whisk to combine. Set aside on low heat until ready to use.
Tossing Wings in Sauce

Wings Directions:

  • In a shallow dish (I use a pie plate), combine the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika and garlic powder. Coat the wings in the flour mixture, place the wings on a platter and refrigerate for one hour. Coat wings again with the flour mixture (may have leftover flour mixture).
  • Add oil to a deep fryer and bring temperature to 375 degrees (could use a deep saucepan also). Add 6 wings and fry for 13 minutes for medium-sized wings or 15 minutes for extra-large ones. Place cooked wings on a wire rack for a minute to drain excess oil.
  • Pour the hot buffalo sauce in a large heat-proof bowl and toss the wings in the sauce.
  • Repeat frying, draining and tossing in the sauce the remaining 6 wings.
  • Serve with blue cheese dressing, carrot and celery sticks if using.

Makes a dozen wings.

Let me know what you think once you try these!

Enjoy,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Chicken, Entrees, Snacks, Starters Tagged With: , , ,

Easy Grilled Lobster Tails

January 5, 2019 By

I grew up 20 miles from Maine in Quebec so lobster is something we ate a lot of when I was growing up. While I think a lobster boil is hard to beat, I sometime like grilled lobster tails to pair with a steak. Who doesn’t like a great surf and turf?

This recipe is a breeze and so fun do to for an outdoor party. Once you have the Lobster Butterfly Technique down, everything else comes together in minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 8-ounce lobster tails
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • Big pinch of salt and pepper
  • Grated zest of ½ lemon (I use a microplane for this)
Lemon Butter

Directions:

  1. Coat a few layers of paper towels with a neutral oil like vegetable or Canola. Grease the grates of a grill. Preheat the grill on medium-high for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Using the Lobster Butterfly Technique shown in the linked video, use kitchen shears to cut down the shell of the lobster tail from fleshy end to right before what I call the tail ‘feathers’. Gently pull the meat out of the shell leaving the meat attached to the tail feathers intact. Lay the meat over the shell.
  3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, place the butter, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Cook stirring occasionally until the butter starts to brown slightly, about 4 minutes. Take off the heat.
  4. Spoon half the butter mixture over the lobster meat. Carefully place the lobster tails on the grill, meat side up, cover and cook for 12 minutes, basting once during the cooking process.
  5. Rewarm the remaining butter and serve with the lobster tails for dipping.

Serves two.

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Seafood Tagged With: , ,
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