Moroccan Spiced Braised Chicken with Mission Figs

Moroccan Spiced Braised Chicken with Mission Figs

This one is worth trying just to enjoy the smell through the house as it's cooking.

Pictured on a bed of Israeli couscous.

1 whole chicken cut in pieces or 3 pounds chicken drumsticks and/or thighs
(dark meat does braise best) Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
In a large heavy bottomed skillet brown the chicken pieces well on all sides in 3 tbsp olive oil.

Transfer the browned pieces to a covered roasting pan.

In a large bowl add and combine well

1 ¼ cups chicken stock
1 ¼ cups apple juice
1 cup chopped mission figs (dates make a good substitution if you prefer)
¼ cup brown sugar
1 chopped onion
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander

Pour over the chicken pieces, cover and cook in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours. You can reduce the sauce to thicken by boiling it on the stovetop for a few minutes if desired. Shown served on a bed of Israeli couscous but can be served on rice as well.

Olivia's Killer Karamel Korn a.k.a. Easy Caramel Popcorn

Olivia's Killer Karamel Korn a.k.a. Easy Caramel Popcorn

My daughter Olivia found this recipe and we made a couple of tweaks to it. This is a great recipe to make with the kids on a snowy afternoon like yesterday when we whipped up this batch. I'm afraid the adults ate much more than the kids though. Absolutely addictive!

•  ½ cup popping corn
•  ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 tsp sea salt

Pop the corn in the oil and set aside in a very large bowl. You can use air popped corn if you like.

In medium saucepan combine:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup corn syrup

Bring to a boil and simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add:

• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking soda

Stir well and immediately pour over the popped corn. Toss together well to coat the popcorn on all sides.

Spread on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees F for one hour tossing the popcorn every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and spread in a single layer on parchment or waxed paper to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Bakeapple Peach and Ginger Chutney

Pictured on grilled chicken.

My take on a peach chutney with the addition of wild Newfoundland bakeapples (cloudberries). If you don't have access to bakeapples, it is still a good peach chutney, just double the dried peaches. Delicious on roasted or grilled chicken or pork or even with roasted vegetables.

Begin by sautéing together in a small pot for a few minutes until softened

1 small red onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
3 tbsp olive oil

Add
1 cup bakeapples (cloudberries)
6 large dried peach halves, chopped
2 small seedless oranges, supreme and chopped
2 tbsp fresh ginger root minced
1 ½ cups apple juice
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked pink peppercorns
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp 5 spice powder
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
½ tsp paprika

Simmer together gently for about a half hour to 45 minutes until the mixture thickens and resembles a thick chunky jam.

Italian Sausage Meatballs

I use these meatballs in a number of ways. I make small versions as hors d'oeuvres with marinara dipping sauce. They sometimes find their way into a meatball sub, most likely as leftovers. I use them in lasagna, on pizza and as shown here in good old Spaghetti and Meatballs. Many people say they are the best meatballs they've had.

Makes about 3 dozen meatballs or 6 dozen hors d’ouevre size meatballs.

1 pound Italian sausage removed from casings
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
2 ½ -3 cups coarse breadcrumbs
2/3 cup milk
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp ground thyme
2 tbsp dry oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp mustard powder
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional for those who don’t want the extra heat or adjust to taste)

Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for a minute before adding to a large bowl along with all of the remaining ingredients. Mix together until well combined.
Form into 1 ½ inch balls and fry in 3 tbsp olive oil. Slow simmer in your favourite tomato based sauce for excellent spaghetti and meatballs.

Plum Tart

Plum Tart

Simple is almost always best. This very simple dessert relies on the natural goodness of the uncomplicated ingredients. Fresh sweet plums with a brown sugar glaze on a butter and sour cream pastry, what could be better? The only way to improve on that is with a scoop of homemade vanilla gelato on the side.

Sour Cream Pastry

• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 cup butter cut in small pieces
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup cold water
• ½ tsp salt

Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible. Pour sour cream and cold water over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible. Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes. You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out. You will need only one of the pastry rounds for this recipe. The second can be easily frozen for another time.

Roll the pastry out into a 9 inch circle and place in an 8-9 inch fluted edge tart pan.
You will need to blind bake this bottom crust before adding the fruit. Blind baking is essential so that the bottom crust will not get soggy.

To blind bake a crust, simply place a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil over the dough and cover the bottom of the pie plate with baking weights. (Marbles, dry beans, peas, rice or barley work just as well as anything else.) Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 -15 minutes. Remove baking weights and parchment (or foil). Bake for an additional 5 -10 minutes until the bottom is a light golden brown. Remove from oven.

In a small pot melt

• 2 tbsp butter

Add:

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg

Cook together over medium heat for a couple of minutes to slightly caramelize; just until the brown sugar is no longer grainy.

Cut 3-4 large plums into thin wedges and arrange them over the blind baked pastry. Brush the glaze all over the arranged plums. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes. Let the tart rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and serving. Delicious with Vanilla Gelato.

Vanilla Gelato

2 cups whole milk

¾ cup whipping cream
4 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Scald the milk and cream in a glass bowl in the microwave for about 4-5 minutes on high power. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile whisk together the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until the mixture is thickened and is a light lemon color. Slowly pour in the scalded milk mixture stirring constantly. Cook until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon, meaning that you can draw your finger across the spoon and see a definite path that your finger has left in the custard. Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract. Chill completely in the refrigerator or in an ice bath.
Process the custard for about 25-30 minutes in an ice cream maker. Chill in the freeer for a couple of hours or more before serving.

The Best Apple Crisp

Regular readers of this blog may have surmised at this point that I do love apple desserts and this one is among a select few at the very top of my list. You just can't beat a classic.

Combine and spread evenly in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish:

6 large apples cut in chunks or wedges
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
¼ cup melted butter

Crumble:
In a large bowl toss together:
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups rolled oats (large)
1 cup unsweetened coconut
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar

Using your hands rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:

1 ½ cups butter, cut in small cubes.

Sprinkle the crumble over the apples and press down slightly. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30-35 minutes or until top is evenly golden brown. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Tempura Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Pineapple Ginger Sauce

You can, of course use canned pineapple and pineapple juice in this recipe but it is soooooo much better if you use fresh. Golden pineapples are particularly delicious in this recipe.

Pictured with tempura butternut squash slices and brown rice.
Tempura Batter2 eggs
2 cups ice water
¼ tsp baking soda
1 ½ cups flour

Beat all together lightly with a fork leaving lumps in the batter. Batter should be quite thin. Let rest in the fridge for 10 minutes before using.

2 lbs pork tenderloin cut in medallion slices abut ¼ inch thick
Salt and pepper to season

Heat 1 inch of canola oil in a large frying pan to 325 degrees F or use an electric deep fryer. Season the pork medallions with salt and pepper, dip into the tempura batter and drop into the hot oil, turning once if necessary until evenly light golden brown. These will only take a few minutes in the fryer. Hold the cooked pieces on a wire rack in a 200 degree F oven while frying the remainder of the pork medallions. Serve with Pineapple Ginger Sauce.

Pineapple Ginger Sauce
1 ½ cups fresh pineapple
1 ½ cups pineapple juice
1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar (adjust according to taste and the ripeness of the pineapple)
½ tsp cracked black pepper
½ tsp salt
¼ cup finely chopped red pepper
2 tsp corn starch
¼ cup cold water

In a medium saucepan boil together the pineapple, pineapple juice, vinegar, ginger, sugar, pepper and salt for 10 minutes. Dissolve corn starch in the water and slowly add to the sauce, stirring constantly. Add only enough of the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat and stir in the red peppers.

Blueberry Plum Chutney on Pan Seared Pork Chops

Shown with pan seared pork loin chops and cinnamon baked sweet potatoes and apples.

In a medium sized pot sauté

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1 medium sized red onion chopped

Add

1 large apple, peeled, cored and cut in chunks

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup brown sugar

¾ cup chopped dried plums

¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 ½ tsp fresh grated ginger root

1 ½ cups apple juice

1 ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

½ tsp salt

½ tsp crushed or ground fennel seed

Simmer over low heat for about 30-45 minutes until almost all of the liquid has been boiled off and the mixture begins to resemble a thick jam. Great served with grilled meats.

Easy Chocolate Pudding Cake

Today's recipe comes courtesy of Spouse who has been making this recipe for many years. A very simple recipe in which the pudding forms on the bottom of the same pan as the cake bakes. It's a big favorite with the kids and another one of those dessert recipes that you can make when there is practically nothing in the cupboard.


1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup milk
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla

Sift together the dry ingredients. Add the milk vanilla and oil and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Pour into an ungreased 8x8 square baking dish.

Mix together

¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
¼ tsp salt

Slowly stir in

1 2/3 cups boiling water

Pour this chocolate mixture slowly and evenly over the surface of the batter in the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serves 8-9.

Turkey Cranberry and Spinach Wellington

Turkey Cranberry and Spinach Wellington

Turkey Cranberry and Spinach Wellington

A holiday Turkey alternative, especially for just a few people or an easy but impressive dish to prepare in advance for a dinner party.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40-50 minutes
Total time: about 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• 1 sheet, (12 x 12 inches) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds uncooked turkey breast
• 4 cups spinach
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tbsp dry summer savoury (or 1 tbsp dry sage)
• salt and pepper to season
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 egg + 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp water (beaten together for an egg wash)

Cooking Directions

1. Begin by sautéing the garlic in the olive oil and butter for a minute or two. Add the spinach and stir fry just until the spinach is completely wilted. This will only take a minute or two.
2. Press the excess water from the spinach by pressing it in a sieve or some cheesecloth.
3. Place this pastry sheet on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place the cranberries along the center line of the pastry sheet. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash. Place the turkey on top of the cranberries and the spinach over the turkey. Sprinkle the spinach with the dry savoury.
4. Bring the edges of the dough together and pinch to seal. Do the same for the ends of the dough to seal as well. Roll the entire thing over so that the seam is on the bottom.
5. Brush the egg wash over the entire surface of the pastry. Cut 3 to 4 one inch slots in the top of the pastry to let steam escape.
6. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 40-50 minutes until the pastry is evenly golden brown all over. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the center has reached at least 170 degrees F to be sure the turkey is completely cooked. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into individual servings.

Manhattan Style Roasted Vegetable Chorizo & Seafood Chowder

Manhattan Style Roasted Vegetable Chorizo & Seafood  Chowder

This outstanding seafood chowder is a real indulgent, celebration meal. I like to serve it with some freshly baked Cheese and Herb Scones.

Serves 6 -8

Start by roasting the vegetables.

Chop into bite sized pieces:

½ fennel bulb
1 medium red onion
2 carrots
2 parsnips
1 red pepper
2 stalks celery

Toss the vegetables in 3 tbsp olive oil, season in salt and pepper and bake in a single layer on a cookie sheet for 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees F or until the vegetables are slightly browned and fork tender. Turn the vegetables once during cooking.

In a sauté pan, cook to crisp

6 slices of bacon chopped in small pieces

In the last few minutes of rendering the bacon, add

3 ounces of chopped chorizo sausage

Drain off the fat and deglaze the pan with some of the soup stock and add to the soup pot when adding the bacon and sausage.

In a large pot sauté

3 cloves minced garlic
1 large shallot finely chopped
in
2 tbsp olive oil
Add ¾ cup white wine
Boil gently until reduce to about half the volume.

Add the roasted vegetables along with

Previously cooked bacon and sausage
3 cups tomato juice
3 cups fish stock (or chicken stock if you prefer)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp marjoram
Salt and pepper to season

Simmer very gently for 20-30 minutes before adding:

1 ½ to 2 pounds of seafood of your choice, cut into bite sized pieces
3 chopped Roma tomatoes

Simmer very gently for another 5 to 10 minutes until the fish is cooked. Any combination of shrimp, salmon, halibut, cod, mussels, clams etc all work well. Remove bay leaf. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh chopped Italian parsley or dill. Personally, if I am adding shrimp and scallops, I prefer to pan sear these separately and add them to the chowder bowls when serving.

Bakeapple Amaretto White Chocolate Mousse Cake

 Begin by making a Golden Vanilla Cake

Cream well:

¾ cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract

Add, one at a time

3 eggs

Beat well after each addition.

Sift together
1 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup + 1 tbsp cake flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder

Fold the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, alternately with

¾ cup whole milk

Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Pour batter into two 9 inch cake pans that have been greased and floured and the bottoms lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

White Chocolate Mousse
1 ¼ cups white chocolate chips
1 oz water
2 tablespoons butter (no subs)
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup whipping cream

Whip your cream to soft peaks and chill in refrigerator.

Melt chocolate with butter on low heat, stirring until smooth.
Cool for 15 minutes.

In double boiler, whisk yolks, sugar and water.
Cook and stir over boiling water until mixture reaches 170 degrees F.
Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate mixture. Place saucepan in a bowl of ice water and stir constantly until chocolate cools to about room temperature.
Gently fold in whipped cream.

Bakeapple Compote
3 cups fresh or frozen bakeapples
2/3 cup sugar

Boil together for about 20 minutes.

Vanilla Whipped Cream
3 cups whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup sugar

Whip together to firm peaks.

To assemble the cake, split the cake layers in half making 4 layers in total. Place the bottom layers in two 9 inch springform pans. Sprinkle each of the 4 layers of cake with

1 oz Amaretto Liqueur (optional)

Divide the mousse into 2 portions and spread evenly over the bottom cake layers. Top with the remaining 2 cake layers, cover the springform pans with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and chill for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.

When chilled, remove the cakes from the springform pans and place one on a serving plate. Using a piping bag or a large Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off, pipe a border of whipped cream around the top perimeter of the cake. Spread ½ of the bakeapple compote inside the whipped cream perimeter. Add the second chilled cake on top. Frost the sides of the cake with vanilla whipped cream. Pipe a border on top of the cake and fill inside the border with the remaining bakeapple compote. Garnish with some melted white chocolate of desired.

Easy Blueberry Apple Strudel

This is a great simple recipe that will come in handy when you need a quick dessert.


Serves 4 to 6

1 sheet frozen puff pastry
½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2-3 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
2 tbsp melted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg + 2 tbsp water (beaten together to make an egg wash)
¼ cup turbinado sugar

Lay the puff pastry sheet flat on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the blueberries about 4 inches wide, down the center line of the pastry.
Mix together apples, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Spread evenly in a line in the middle of the puff pastry on top of the blueberries. Brush the egg wash along the edges of the dough. Bring the two opposite edges of the dough together, pinching the dough together to seal. Pinch the end edges of the dough together to seal as well. Gently roll the whole strudel over ensuring that the seam is on the bottom. Brush the entire strudel with egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar all over the surface. Cut 3-4 small slits in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Cool in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before baking.

Note: Puff pastry warms up quickly once out of the fridge. If at any point the dough becomes too soft to handle easily, place the whole thing in the fridge for 10 minutes or so to cool.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until evenly golden brown all over. Let rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream or gelato.

Sweet Potato Spice Muffins

We had some baked sweet potatoes last night for dinner and the leftovers got incorporated into these very easy to prepare, moist and tender spiced muffins. Not a bad addition to any Sunday brunch.

In a large bowl, mix together:

¾ cups sugar
2 eggs
½ cup cooking oil
1 cup sweet potato (mashed or pureed)

Sift together and fold into sweet potato mixture:

1 ½ cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
¼ tsp cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Fold in

1 cup golden raisins (optional)

Spoon batter into 12 greased or paper lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Turkey, Bacon and Tomato Soup

Turkey, Bacon and Tomato Soup

Shown served with Parmesan Herb Crackers. Find that recipe by clicking here. Some light and flaky Buttermilk biscuits would be great to serve with this soup too.

Today marks a milestone for Rock Recipes blog. Today we went over the 200 mark for posts since last September when the blog started. I'm surprising even myself at this point. For someone who never actually wrote down any of the recipes that I have used for years, having completed over 200 recipes at this point is an accomplishment to say the least.

Thanks so much to all the regular readers of the blog who keep returning. We have regular readers, many of whom are transplanted Newfoundlanders, all over the world. I have heard from many of them in places I would never expect to find people interested in recipe ideas from the cold North Atlantic. We have had readers from 96 different countries visit the site. I'd like to encourage as many readers as possible to leave a comment on our guestbook and tell us from where you are reading the blog.

Stay tuned, I still have too much time on my hands and I'm not done yet.

Today's recipe is for one of my favorite soups, often made a day or two after a roast turkey dinner. The Parmesan Herb Crackers are a very tasty addition to this meal.

Turkey, Bacon and Tomato Soup
Serves 8

2 lbs cooked cubed turkey
8 slices thick cut smoked bacon
5 cups turkey stock
5 cups tomato juice
3 large carrots sliced
2 large parsnip sliced
4 stalks celery chopped
1 cup chopped fennel bulb
3 cloves minced garlic
1 large red or white onion chopped
2 large tomatoes chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp dried savoury
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp marjoram
Salt and pepper to season
½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
½ cup lentils

To make the turkey stock for this soup I use the bones of a cooked 10 lb turkey. Break the carcass apart and cover them with water in a large pot. Boil for about an hour and remove all the bones from the pot. Skim off excess fat from the surface. For this recipe I like to reduce the stock to about 5 cups to concentrate the flavour so return the pot to the stove and continue to boil to reduce the amount of stock if necessary.

Cut the bacon in small pieces and cook slowly to crisp over medium low flame, rendering out as much of the fat as possible. Drain off all the fat and deglaze the pan with a little turkey stock and add to the soup pot.

Sauté all the vegetables and garlic, except the tomatoes, in the olive oil for about 5 minutes over medium high heat. Deglaze the pan with a little turkey stock and add to the soup pot along with the sautéed vegetables.

Add all other ingredients except the tomatoes and cooked turkey to the soup pot and simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Add the turkey and tomatoes and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.

Parmesan Herb Crackers

¾ cup flour
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
¼ cup very cold butter cut in small pieces
2 tbsp chopped herbs (Savoury and oregano are great)
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2-4 tbsp ice cold water

Pulse all ingredients together in a food processor until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add only enough water to bring the dough together, pulsing the processor every time additional water is added. Form dough into a roll about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for a hour or so or overnight.

Cut crackers from the roll with a sharp knife about ¼ inch thick and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes, flip the crackers over and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until golden brown.

Tip: Make a double batch and keep the plastic wrapped dough in the freezer for next time.
Fantastic with soups.

Coconut Shrimp With Orange Ginger Dijon Dipping Sauce or Lemon Pepper Mayonnaise

Coconut Shrimp With Orange Ginger Dijon Dipping Sauce or Lemon Pepper Mayonnaise

Coconut Shrimp is one of my favorites. I have a bunch of dipping sauces that I use for them including the two recipes provided. I serve them as a meal with salad or fries, as an appetizer/ hors d'ouevres with dipping sauce or even as a sandwich with sliced tomatoes, baby spinach and Lemon Pepper Mayo on the excellent Belgian bread from Georgestown Bakery around the corner.

• 2 lbs uncooked shrimp
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups cold soda water or beer
• 2-3 cups medium or large cut unsweetened coconut

Combine dry ingredients except coconut. Add the egg and soda water and whisk together just until the liquid is incorporated. Lumps in the batter are not a problem.
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the shrimp in plain flour to help the batter stick. Dip the shrimp into the batter and then into the coconut, toss to coat completely. Carefully drop them into canola oil filled deep fryer that has been preheated to 325 degrees F. Fry for a few minutes, just until golden brown on both sides. Drain on a wire rack placed over a cookie sheet. Serve immediately.

If you have to fry the shrimp in more than one batch at a time, hold them in a 200 degree F oven on the draining rack to provide air circulation all the way around the fried pieces to prevent the shrimp from getting soggy.

Orange Ginger Dijon Dipping Sauce

• ½ cup orange marmalade
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Bring all ingredients to a gentle boil for only a minute or two until well combined. Puree until smooth.

Lemon Pepper Mayonnaise

Makes about 2 cups

In a blender or food processor combine until thick and pale in color

• 2 large or extra large egg yolks
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

Add oil alternately with lemon juice in three parts, adding the oil very slowly in a thin stream.

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup sunflower oil
• Juice of one lemon