Ensalada de Jicama con Naranja y Sandia

One of the terrific things about working out of South Florida is the cultural influences from around the world; Paella from Spain, Cuban style Picadillo, Empanadas from Venezuela and the list goes on. This month, I offer a cool refreshing salad made from jicama (pronounced Hee-Kuh-Maw). Jicama grows throughout Latin America as well as having been introduced in Asia and is a member of the legume family. The vines, roots and bean pods are poisonous, but the tuber, the shape of a turnip with the color of a rutabaga, being edible. Often julienned and eaten raw with a squeeze of lime and a dusting of chili powder, jicama has been described as having a slight taste of green apple or pear.  Jicama can also be grated into a slaw. Jicama is loaded with Vitamin C and is a good source of dietary fiber.

Ingredients:
1 pound jicama
½ pound of watermelon sliced into ½ inch straws
1 medium lime
2 medium oranges
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium jalapeño, stemmed and finely chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Peel the jicama and cut into sticks about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch thick; place in a large bowl.
Finely grate the zest of the lime and add to the bowl of jicama. Cut the lime in half and squeeze one lime half over the jicama; set the second half aside. Finely zest one of the oranges (you should have about 1 tablespoon) and add to the bowl of jicama. Slice 1/4 inch off the top and bottom of the zested orange and set it flat on a cutting board.  Using a sharp paring knife, follow the curve of the orange and slice off any remaining peel and white pith.

Over the bowl of jicama, slice between the membranes to release the segments or what’s called supremes. Discard the membrane and peels. Repeat with segmenting the second orange (you do not need to zest this orange). Add the watermelon, bell pepper and cilantro and stir to combine. Important: Add the jalapeño to taste last and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and more lime juice as needed. Serve chilled with a cold cerveza. Enjoy, J.W

Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken with Black Bean and Corn Salad

The past three months found me as captain on a 98’ Destiny cruising for in the Bahamas. There are some terrific grocers in Nassau and Port Lucaya.  The third best place to provision is in Marsh Harbour. I was pleased to find a supermarket on par with anything stateside and relatively close to the marina we were moored at. However, for specialty dishes, it is wise to bring anything exotic like jicama and chipotle peppers. Point in fact; Cinco de Mayo was this month and I wanted to treat the owners and guests to a feast. With plenty of planning, I was able to pull off a meal so muy delicioso, that the owners and guests gave four thumbs up. Do not wait a year to prepare this meal.

 



 

Chicken Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. tequila
1 tbsp. lime zest, from
2 limes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¼ tsp. ancho chili powder
½ tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. dried oregano
1 ¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp. honey
1 lime, sliced into wedges

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except for chicken in a 1 gallon zip lock bag. Kneed the bag thoroughly to mix the ingredients. Pound the chicken breast until ½ inch thick. Add chicken to marinate bag and massage the meat until evenly coated. Refrigerate for 6 hours, or overnight.

On a BBQ grill set to high heat, wipe the grill with vegetable oil on a paper towel with tongs. Place chicken on the grill and baste with remaining marinate. Grill, covered, for 3 minutes a side, turning only once. Plate and serve with guacamole, margaritas and  lime wedges.

Black Bean and Corn with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients for Salad:

2 ears fresh corn
1 c. chopped red onion
1 (14 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. diced red bell pepper
½ c. loosely packed chopped cilantro
1 avocado

Ingredients for Dressing:

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. honey
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 large clove garlic coarsely chopped
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¾ tsp. cumin
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (peppers, not the whole can)

Preparation:

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add corn, cover and turn heat to low. Simmer corn for no more than 10 minutes. Remove from pot and let cool. In the meantime, place chopped onion in a bowl and cover with water for about 10 minutes, then drain is thru a sieve and set aside. Hold the corn upright in a large bowl and cut the kernels into strips. Add beans, red bell pepper, red onion and cilantro. In a blender, combine all of the dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour dressing on salad and toss well. Cover salad and refrigerate for at least an hour. Before serving, dice up an avocado and toss it in the salad. Serve with cilantro and lime garnish. Buen provecho, JW

Sugar Dipped Butter Cookies

I am sitting at Valentine’s Resort at Harbour Island, Bahamas with owner and guests aboard a 98 foot motor yacht, when the boss asks me to make something sweet. This sugar butter cookie recipe takes only about 20 minutes to prepare and makes for a nice bar snack. Simple yet satisfying spells success.

Ingredients: 

2 cups sugar

¾ cup unsalted butter

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ tsp. salt substitute

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 375°. Combine 1 cup sugar with ¾ cup butter (=1 ½ sticks) in large bowl. Beat at medium speed (I use a stand mixer), scraping bowl until creamy. Add egg; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to slow; add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until well mixed. Please remain cup of sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and dip the top of the balls in the sugar. Place sugar-dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until edges are lightly brown. Enjoy, JW

Rump Roast with Dark Rum Sauce

Back in my salad days of sailboats in the Caribbean, I did a stint at an all-inclusive resort on Martinique as a sailing instructor. Working in the French West Indies was a gas! The sailing was terrific. The island is steeped in history of colonial plantations, thick rainforests, quaint villages and pirate lore. And while the six month contract entailed 18 hour days (including putting on shows at night), the best reward was the French cuisine. Pain au chocolat, fresh tropical fruits and imported cheese was a typical breakfast. But when the sun went down, that’s what made my mouth water. This dish will make for a happy crew and is good enough for the owners.

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black paper

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

3 pound rump roast, trimmed

2 tablespoons EVOO

1 cup dark rum, divided

½ cup beef broth

2 cloves garlic crushed and minced

2 whole bay leaves

½ cup brown sugar, packed

¼ cup lime juice

PREPARATION:

Combine allspice, salt, pepper and cloves and rub spices into the roast. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet to medium heat and brown all sides of the roast. Transfer roast to a 6 quart slow cooker and add ½ of the rum, broth, garlic and bay leaves. Cook covered on low for 1 hour.

Combine the remaining rum, brown sugar and lime juice and whisk until blended. Pour over roast and continue cooking on low for 5-6 hours.

Remove roast to cutting board and cover with tin foil. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Pass remaining liquid thru a sieve to remove bay leaves and garlic. Over medium heat, reduce for 10-15 minutes. Once it has thicken, spoon sauce over meat. Serve with Old Bay red roasted potatoes and roasted asparagus.  Enjoy JW

HAM HOCKS and BEANS

During the past holidays we served up a couple of glazed and smoked hams. After carving the ham, I wrap up the ham hocks and put them in the freezer. When I have saved four hocks, it’s time to make a favorite mid-western dish, Ham Hocks and Beans. This hearty meal, served with honey corn bread, it just the thing on a cold winter’s day. A little labor intensive, but well worth the effort.

INGREDIENTS:
4 ham hocks
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small minced sweet onion
¼ cup chopped bell pepper
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup dried thyme
3 bay leaves
5 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 pound Great Northern beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
8 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup chopped green onions

PREPARATION:

In a large cast iron stockpot, bring olive oil up to a medium-high heat. Score the ham hocks and sauté them along with onion, celery, bell pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme and bay leaves for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté one minute more. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 ½ hours stirring every 20 minutes. Carefully stir in the pre-soaked beans so as to not break the skin and simmer for another hour, until the ham hocks are tender and beans are cooked. Add salt and simmer another 30 minutes or until the meat on the ham hocks falls apart. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and green onion and corn bread. Enjoy, JW

KISS ME I’M IRISH CHOCOLATE-MINT PIE

 St Patrick's Day, while not a legal holiday in the United States, is nonetheless widely recognized and observed throughout the country as a celebration of Irish and Irish American culture. Celebrations include prominent displays of the color green, eating and drinking, religious observances, and parades. The holiday has been celebrated on the North American continent since the late eighteenth century. The largest celebration in the United States is of course in New York City, but what is little known is that the second largest celebration is in Savannah, Georgia.  Observed on March 17^th, it commemorates the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the celebrated patron saint of Ireland. Enjoy this holiday inspired dessert after your Saint Patty’s dinner.

 

INGREDIENTS:

9” pie crust from the frozen food section of your grocer

¼ pound butter (1 stick)
1 cup powdered sugar
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

TOPPING:

¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

PIE FILLING PREPARATION:
In a 400 over, bake the pie crust 10-12 minutes or until it just begins to brown. While crust is cooling, cream butter and sugar until well mixed. Add chocolate, eggs, mint extract and beat until smooth. Fill pie shell with filling and refrigerate overnight.

TOPPING PREPARATION:

Beat heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and mint extract until stiff peaks form. With a pastry bag, pipe whipped cream around the edge of pie and center of pie. Garnish with your choice of crushed walnuts or mint sprig.  Enjoy, JW

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies & Maple Cinnamon Glaze

Provisioning for a recent trip out of Camden Maine, the local market was selling bacon brownies in the bakery. At a county fair, I found a vendor selling bacon strips dipped in melted chocolate. If this surprises you, then you’re out of the chocolate loop. The bacon-chocolate craze has been taking off like a banshee. The combination of crisp salty-smoky bacon and the subtle-sweet smoothness of chocolate is an incredible contrast in tastes.  This recipe is one of my all-time favorites and it will be yours too.

Yield 60 cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon hazelnut extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 cups bacon bits

An important note:  Be sure to use real bacon bits, not imitation bacon bits.

Also, you can make your own bacon bits in a food processor; make sure you pat down the bacon with paper towels to remove as much bacon grease as possible. 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beat together the butter, sugars, flavorings and eggs until creamy.

In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well.

Add in chocolate chips and bacon bits. Stir until well integrated.

Wrap dough on a sheet of waxed paper and refrigerate at least an hour.

Remove dough from fridge, pinch off 1½ inch pieces of dough and roll into balls.

Set dough balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten dough balls slightly with your fingers in the center. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes or until the dough starts to turn golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on a cooling rack while you make the glaze.

Maple Cinnamon Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon maple extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Enough water to make a thick glaze.

Mix all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. If lumpy, use a whisk.

Spread a small amount of the glaze on the top of each cookie and top with leftover bacon bits.

Enjoy, JW