Lemon Pavlova, is a light sweet meringue dessert
and I chose to fill mine with lemon curd and fresh blackberries. Unlike most
merinque with the addition of cornstarch, the pavlova is crispy on the outside
with a soft inside almost like marshmallows, it melts in your mouth. A perfect
combination to start this Spring season. These are easy to make and can be
served with whip cream and strawberries or any fresh berries or soft fruit.
Lemon Pavlova
6 egg whites ( about 6 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
juice of 1/2 a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
lemon curd
blackberries
Whisk in a mixer egg whites and cream of
tartar on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add in sugar and cornstarch slowly and whisk for an additional 2 minutes. Add vanilla and lemon juice whisk on high
speed till stiff peaks appear. Preheat oven to 250 degrees, use a baking sheet
lined with parchment paper and with a pastry bag, I piped out a round form 3
inches by 3 inches. You can make any size and can also use a tablespoon to form
shapes. I used the back of a spoon to make a small well so later I could fill
it. Bake for 30 minutes turn baking sheet and cook another 30 minutes. Turn
oven off and leave pavlova in oven for 1 hour. Remove and carefully place on a
wire rack, they are fragile. These can be filled with lemon curd or whip cream
and any berries will work. Under search on my blog you can find my lemon curd
recipe.
A grilled shrimp sandwich so light and fresh, is a great way to start this Spring season. I combined the shrimp with ripe avocado, grilled onions and a dressing made with mayo, lemon, dill and garlic powder. The optimum component of this creation is the ciabatta roll, bread is so important to construct the perfect sandwich.
Chef Chuck's Grilled Shrimp Sandwich
1 pound medium shrimp
olive oil
salt and pepper
onion, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
2 tablespoons mayo
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dry dill
3 ciabatta rolls
Peel shrimp and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat grill and first grill onion slices then grill shrimp for 2 minutes on each side. Mix mayo, lemon juice, garlic powder, dill, salt and pepper to make dressing. Coat both sides of bread with mayo dressing add shrimp, avocado slices and onion slices.
This stuffed pasta recipe, made with rigatoni would be a delicious appetizer or a main meal. I stuffed these with a mixture of hot Italian sausage, garden fresh zucchini, onions, garlic and parmigiano cheese. You could make these ahead of time and then bake when company arrives.
Stuffed Pasta
1/2 pound rigatoni
2 hot Italian sausages
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 zucchini, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
tomato sauce
parmigiano cheese
Heat olive oil and saute zucchini and onions with salt and pepper a few minutes. Add crumbled sausage cook for a minute or two then add garlic and parsley. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to make stuffing. Boil in salted water, rigatoni or similar pasta till al dente. Rinse so you can handle them and stuff using a tiny spoon. Place sauce in bottom of baking pan lay in stuffed rigatoni top with sauce and grated cheese, cover and bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
A unique pasta recipe for broccoli lovers everywhere! I cooked broccoli and garlic in olive oil and chicken broth then blended it to make a wonderful green sauce. This pasta called caserecce, meaning homemade, was tossed in with sauteed cubed pancetta and lots of grana padano cheese, a real comforting dish.
Pasta with Broccoli Sauce
1/2 pound pasta, cooked al dente
3 cups broccoli florets
1 slice pancetta, cubed
about 1/4" thick
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup grana padano cheese, grated
salt and pepper
In a large pan heat olive oil and cook pancetta till crispy, remove from pan, set aside. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds add in broccoli, broth, salt and pepper. Cook with a lid on till broccoli is fork tender, add cheese and blend to a creamy consistency. Add cooked pasta and pancetta, drizzle olive oil over finished pasta dish and serve. Serves 2
