Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: 08/01/2024

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Baja Shrimp Tacos #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon

These tacos were a fun spin on the tacos we usually make. I made a few changes to accommodate what I had on hand. I didn't have any ancho chili powder so I used regular chili powder. I also didn't have almond flour so I omitted it. For the slaw, I used a bag of Cole slaw mix, which worked just fine. I used all the suggested toppings and added avocado since I had a ripe one on hand. I put all the "fixings" out on the table and let everyone help themselves to what they wanted. They were a big hit!

Shrimp:

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and cooked

½ tsp ancho chili powder

½ tsp pepper

1/3 cup almond flour

1 TBL cooking oil of choice

Either cook the shrimp or buy pre-cooked shrimp. If necessary, pat them dry

Mix the ancho chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and almond flour together

Add the shrimp and mix to coat

Heat oil in a skillet until shimmering. Add shrimp and cook until warm and coating is starting to turn golden.

Slaw:

1 cup shredded green cabbage

1/2 cup matchstick carrots

3/4 cup shredded red cabbage

Mix cabbage and carrots in a bowl. Add ¾ of the sauce

Sauce:

1/2 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

1 TBL apple cider vinegar

1/2 medium lime, juiced

1 TBL honey

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder)

Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients until well combined. Set aside.

Suggested Toppings

Reserved sauce

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup cotija cheese

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

Serve with flour tortillas or hard corn tortillas and toppings of your choice.

It's Here!

A Berry Suspicious Death is now out!

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

Weddings are murder in the new Cranberry Cove Mystery from USA Today bestselling author Peg Cochran!

The cranberry bogs at Sassamanash Farms have never looked more festive than when Monica’s half-brother celebrates his wedding there. It’s a genuinely joyous occasion, and even greeting a strange assortment of guests and witnessing a heated argument can’t spoil Monica’s mood. But that all changes when one of the guests is found murdered at the reception—and then one of Monica’s employees is accused of doing the deed to get his hands on the dead woman’s money.

It doesn’t take long for Monica to discover that the victim had amassed her fortune by marrying a very wealthy—and very ill—older man. What’s more, the old man’s daughters despised the scheming, gold-digging woman, and thought the inheritance money should have been theirs. That seems like motive enough for murder, but Monica suspects there’s more to this case than simple greed. With her employee in hot water and time running out, Monica will have to act fast to catch the killer, before a case that started with a family wedding ends with her own funeral . ..

Friday, August 30, 2024

Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella Tart #recipe from Molly MacRae

As promised, here’s the tart recipe that goes with the basil garlic crust recipe I posted last Saturday, 8/24/24. We dream of this tart all winter but make ourselves wait for summer-ripe tomatoes. They make all the difference. The tart is just as good cold as it is warm from the oven. If you want supper on the table fast, skip the basil garlic crust and use an ordinary store bought, ready-made crust. I’ve also made this with pepper Jack cheese in place of the mozzarella.

Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella Tart

(adapted from The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook by Jack Bishop)

Ingredients

1 recipe basil garlic tart dough (or a ready-made crust from the store)

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

2 large, ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored and thinly sliced crosswise

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Fit dough into a 10-inch tart pan. Line bottom of tart shell with the mozzarella slices. Arrange tomato slices over the cheese, slightly overlapping them, in a ring around the outer edge of the tart and a second ring in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil.

Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese has started to brown in spots – 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

The Boston Globe says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” She’s the author of the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. As Margaret Welch, she writes books for Annie’s Fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and she’s a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest and connect with her on Twitter or Instagram.

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Crustless Broccoli Quiche for a Book Launch @LucyBurdette @onceuponachef

LUCY BURDETTE: This has been a very very very busy month! It all started with the launch of A POISONOUS PALATE on August 8. It’s my tradition by now to celebrate with a book party at our local independent bookstore, RJ Julia in Madison CT. This year, I noticed that my friend Sarah Stewart Taylor also had a book coming out that same week, so I invited her to join me. Since the party started at 6:30, we would need to eat ahead of time—something delicious but not too demanding, that would feed the two of us plus my good friend Yvonne and hub John. I remembered trying a recipe for crustless broccoli quiche from one of my favorite chef/cookbook authors Once Upon a Chef. It was completely delicious as you will see in the last picture, and not too much trouble. I made a few tweaks based on my preferences and what I had on hand.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Half a cup chopped shallots, or red onion, or leeks, whatever you prefer

10 ounces broccoli florets

1/2 teaspoon salt (I always cut salt in half)

Six large eggs

2 cups heavy or whipping cream.

Pinch ground nutmeg, if you choose

One quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste

One and a half cups shredded cheese (she recommends Gruyere, I had French Emmental, but I think cheddar would be fine as well)

Cut the broccoli into florets. Chop the onions. Grate the cheese.

Sauté the onions in melted butter, add the broccoli along with a sprinkle of salt and 1/ 3rd cup of water. Steam this all together until the broccoli is beginning to soften.

Whisk the eggs together with the whipped cream, nutmeg, half teaspoon salt, and quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper.

In a buttered pie pan, spread the broccoli shallot mixture over the bottom. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, and carefully pour the egg mixture on top of that.

Bake for about an hour at 325 until the quiche is set and the top is beginning to brown. Cool for 10 minutes and serve. I served with a nice salad, but forgot to take a photo.

The book party was a big success too! (Do you have your copy already?)

Lucy Burdette writes the USA Today Bestselling food critic mystery series! You can find them wherever books are sold...

(Oh no, I'm missing a couple!)

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Seared Scallops with Orange Sauce and Pasta #Recipe by @LeslieKarst

I absolutely adore scallops. (And yes, they're one of the dishes I cooked for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as described in my memoir Justice is Served: A Tale of SCALLOPS, the Law, and Cooking for RBG. 😀 )

Contrary to popular belief, scallops are one of the simplest foods to cook: You simply sear them quickly on each side and serve them with a pan sauce made with butter and the addition of whatever deglazing liquid strikes your fancy. This dish was inspired by the last of the season’s blood oranges on my tree, but would work just as well with regular oranges, or even grapefruit juice.

The trick is to not overcook the delectable scallops. Start with a very hot pan and fry them only long enough to brown, then flip and let them cook only another thirty seconds-to-a-minute. They should be warm throughout, but the center should be close to raw—otherwise they get tough. (If you use fresh rather than frozen scallops, simply add more of the pasta water at the end to make up for not having the juice from the thawed scallops.)

Seared Scallops with Orange Sauce and Pasta

(serves 2)

8 large scallops, frozen

salt, black pepper, and garlic powder

¼ pound dried fettuccine or other pasta (or more, if you’re big pasta eaters)

1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup orange juice

¼ cup scallop juice (reserved from thawed scallops)

parsley, for garnish

(The glass jar on the right is a citrus-flavored salt)

Directions

Thaw the scallops in a bowl, then pat dry, retaining the liquid (mine came out to about ¼ cup).

Get a large pot of salted (1T) water boiling. Add the pasta and cook till done, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking together.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the scallops and sauce: Sprinkle the scallops with salt, black pepper, and a little garlic powder on both sides.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and once very hot, add the oil.

As soon as the oil is shimmering, place the scallops in the pan and fry until a golden brown, then flip.

Cook scallops 30-60 seconds more, then remove from pan to a plate with a paper towel.

Lower the heat under the pan to medium and add the butter.

Next, add the scallop water and the orange juice, then stir, making sure you scrape the bottom to incorporate all those lovely bits of scallop stuck to the pan.

Drain the cooked pasta, retaining ½ cup of the pasta water. Pour the orange/butter sauce over the pasta and stir to mix. If the pasta seems too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water until it’s the right consistency.

Place a serving of pasta on each plate, then top with the scallops. Garnish with chopped parsley. (See photo at top.)

🌿 🍋 🌱

Now available!

MOLTEN DEATH

Orchid Isle Mystery, book 1

Buy link here

“Karst’s first Orchid Isle novel is part murder mystery, part vividly evocative, colorful sketch of Hawaii and its history, geography, tradition, culture, food, language, and people. Armchair travelers and mystery aficionados alike will find it entertaining.”

Booklist

This first book in my brand-new Orchid Isle mystery series features retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen who, on a trip to the Big Island of Hawai‘i, swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions when a hike to an active lava flow turns deadly.

Praise for MOLTEN DEATH:

“a compelling read that will enlighten, engage, and entertain, leaving readers longing for their next trip to the Orchid Isle.”

--New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay

“a terrific debut to a series that will go on my must read list!”

--USA Today bestselling author Deborah Crombie

A SENSE FOR MURDER

2024 Lefty Award Nominee

for Best Humorous Mystery!

This newest Sally Solari mystery

is available for purchase here !

Praise for A SENSE FOR MURDER:

“[Sally is] sassy, irresistible company... Culinary cozy fans will be in heaven.”

--Publishers Weekly

“An enjoyable read for mystery mavens and foodies alike.”

--Kirkus Reviews

Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops,

the Law, and Cooking for RBG

is the 2024 Silver Medal Winner for both the

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award

and the IPPY Award!

Buy link here

Praise for Justice is Served:

"a suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the Supreme Court."

-Foreword Reviews (starred review)

"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."

-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine-

All of the Sally Solari Mysteries (as well as my other books) are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

POTS OF FRENCH CHOCOLATE BLISS from @CleoCoyle for #NationalPotsDeCremeDay #chocolate

From Cleo Coyle: This delightful French dessert dates back to the 17th Century, but I didn't discover it until adulthood. When I did, the clouds parted. I’d found pudding nirvana! This is not your average chocolate custard. It’s a rich, smooth, intensely satisfying chocolate experience. Best of all, it’s easy to make. This is one French dessert recipe where no special culinary skills are needed. If you can follow directions, you can make pots de crème.

By the way, although the translation from the French is "pots of cream," I always think of it as pots of chocolate, mainly because it's the only flavor I make. :) That said, I give a few fun "variations" on the theme at the end of the recipe.

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery

series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

So, Happy National Pots de Crème Day, everyone. May you eat, drink, and read with joy!

A Culinary Mystery Note...

This dessert, along with the modern gourmet philosophy of palate fatigue, played a role in the 6th entry of our long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series. To learn more, click here: French Pressed.

French Pressed by Cleo Coyle

Click to learn more.

To download a free PDF
version of this recipe that you can
print, save or share, click here.

Click here for the free Recipe PDF.

☕ Chocolate Pots de Crème
by Cleo Coyle

Servings: This recipe will produce 4 cups of liquid to divide among your ramekins, custard cups, or ovenproof coffee cups. Consequently, depending on the size of your containers, this recipe will give you 6 to 8 servings.

Authentic French pots de crème cups tend to be about 4 oz. in capacity and include tiny lids for each individual cup. This is a very rich dessert, and a small serving will satisfy most people. If you use 4-oz. cups or ramekins, then you can divide the mixture into 8 servings. Using espresso cups to serve is another fun idea. Place the cups on their saucers with a bit of whipped cream on top. For larger servings (that is, if your cups or ramekins are 7-8 oz.), I would advise dividing the liquid custard mixture into 6 servings (rather than 4), leaving room at the top for a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients:

12 ounces of good quality semisweet chocolate chopped (or chips)
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
6 egg yolks (extra large or jumbo size)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

whipped cream (as topping, optional)

Step 1: Melt the chocolate - Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put your chopped chocolate (or chips) in a metal or glass bowl. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and milk until they're just about to boil, but not yet boiling. Pour this hot liquid over your chocolate and let it sit for about a minute until the chocolate is softened. Then stir until smooth. The stirring will take one to two minutes.

Step 2: Beat the eggs - Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks well, for about 1 minute. Gradually mix in the sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and the salt. Now gradually beat in the chocolate ganache that you made in Step 1.

Step 3: Strain and pour into containers - Strain this custard through a fine-meshed sieve (I use a small metal colander). Pour the strained liquid into a container with a spout. This will make it easier to evenly divide the mixture among containers (See my photos for reference.)

Step 4: Prepare for Baking - Place the cups in a shallow baking pan. Carefully fill the pan with boiling water until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the custard cups (or ramekins or ovenproof coffee cups).

Step 5: Cover and Bake - Cover the pan with foil, seal ends, and pierce in several places so that steam can escape. Bake for about 25 to 35 minutes in the center of your 300 degree F. oven until the tops of the pots de crème look solid, but the custard still jiggles slightly when you shake it. Do not over cook. The custard will firm up as it cools.

Note on Cooking Time: The smaller your cups, the quicker your custard will set. The deeper your cups, however, the longer your custard will take to set. If your custard still has a liquid top after 35 minutes, then turn up the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. and bake another 10 minutes. Also note: If you use cool or room temperature water, rather than boiling water for the water bath, the cooking process may take longer, as well.

Step 6: Chill, baby! - Now carefully remove the hot pan from the oven and the hot cups of chocolate from the pan. Let the chocolate cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge. After the chocolate cups come to room temperature, be sure to cover their tops with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. The custards should be chilled at least 3 hours before serving. Top with a dollop of whipped cream (optional, of course, but delicious)!

☕ Variations? Oui!

Because this is a classic French dessert, many versions exist in cookbooks and on the internet. For variations on this basic recipe, reduce the vanilla to 2 teaspoons and add 2 tablespoons Kahlúa (or try dark rum, Grand Marnier, or coffee syrup).

Coffee syrup can be bought pre-made. Click here to see or buy a famous brand. Coffee syrup can also be made from scratch. Our recipe can be found by turning to the back of our 5th Coffeehouse Mystery Decaffeinated Corpse.

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