What was I thinking?!

You know that moment, right after you've said "yes" to a giant project that you had no intention of agreeing to do?  That moment when you are just beginning to realize the enormity of the task and the full weight of its daunting responsibility?  Uh-huh, that's the moment.

Yup, I had that moment.  It was right after I said "Sure, I'd be happy to!"  It was then that I realized my compulsion to make people happy was a stupid character flaw.

My husband and his best buddy have been friends since well before I ever met him.  They've been through it - thick and thin.  They leaned on each other through failed marriages, career derailments, and a host of other things.  Each has been the other's confidante and supporter.

So, when the best buddy and his gal asked me to cater their wedding, at first I was thrilled that they liked my cooking well enough to ask me.  Next, I was flattered that they thought I could do this.  The voice of reason was banging around in my head trying to get control of the situation and I was sure that when I opened my mouth the words "Thanking you for asking me, but I couldn't possibly do it" would come out.  Instead, I heard myself say, "Oh!  I'd be so happy to - anything you want!"

What was I thinking?

When I had recovered, I quickly went to one of my favorite recipe resources - America's Test Kitchen.  I've watched most episodes of their show on PBS and have tried many of the their recipes.  Knowing that they test and taste until a recipe is perfect, I knew I would find just what I needed to pull this off.

I already had a couple of things in mind, like my Rice-Artichoke Salad and my Chinese Chicken Salad.  But I needed something extra that would round out the menu.  As I expected, they had exactly what I needed.


They had an episode where they used a gastrique* to dress the freshest of summer fruits, which creates complex layers of flavor along with dazzling color and sheen.

I've added the recipes for two of them - the two I used. However, there are four recipes altogether. (The other two recipes are:  Strawberries & Grapes with Balsamic & Red Wine Reduction and Red Plums & Figs with Brandy-Cardamom Reduction.)

When I made these two, I used just Honeydew & Blueberries (there weren't any great mangoes available at the time) and just Nectarines & Raspberries (I didn't think we needed to repeat the blueberries in a second fruit salad).

*A sauce made of a quick acid-sugar reduction.

 

HONEYDEW, MANGO, AND BLUEBERRIES WITH LIME-GINGER REDUCTION

INGREDIENTS

1	T grated lime zest from 4 limes (zest limes before juicing)
1	cup lime juice (from grated limes and additional 3-4 limes as needed)
¼	cup granulated sugar
	pinch salt
1	inch piece fresh ginger , peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1	T lemon juice
½	small honeydew melon , seeds and rinds removed, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1	mango (about 10 ounces), peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
1	pint fresh blueberries

Directions

1. Simmer lime juice, sugar, and salt in small, heavy-bottomed nonreactive saucepan over high heat until syrupy, honey-colored, and reduced to 1/4 cup, about 15 minutes.

2. Off heat, add lime zest, ginger, and lemon juice; steep 1 minute, and strain.

3. Combine fruit in medium bowl; pour warm dressing over and toss.

4. Serve immediately at room temperature or cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate up to 4 hours, and serve chilled.

 

 

NECTARINES, BLUEBERRIES, AND RASPBERRIES WITH CHAMPAGNE-CARDAMOM REDUCTION

INGREDIENTS

1	cup Champagne (or dry white wine)
¼	cup granulated sugar
	pinch salt
1	T grated lemon zest
1	T lemon juice
5	cardamom pods, crushed
3	medium nectarines (about 18 ounces), pitted and cut in 1/2-inch wedges (about 3 cups)
1	pint fresh blueberries
1	pint fresh raspberries

Directions

1. Simmer champagne, sugar, and salt in small, heavy-bottomed nonreactive saucepan over high heat until syrupy, honey-colored, and reduced to 1/4 cup, about 15 minutes.

2. Off heat, add lemon zest and juice and cardamom; steep 1 minute to blend flavors, and strain.

3. Combine nectarines, blueberries, and raspberries; pour warm dressing over fruit and toss to combine.

4. Serve immediately at room temperature or cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate up to 4 hours, and serve chilled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Champagne anyone? (not that kind)

Paul's gift of a few 'champagne' mangoes has inspired a salad that I plan to take along for a picnic tomorrow at my family reunion.  More about that in a moment.  But first, a mango refresher course...

Ataulfo mangoes (aka 'champagne' or 'Philippine' mangoes) are very different from their fat cousins the Haden mangoes.  A 'Champagne' mango (on the left in the photo below) is superior is so many ways!  Besides being slimmer, having a thinner smaller pit, and being 'hairless', they just taste better.

Because I grew up in The Philippines, I've always favored the 'champagne' style mangoes.  During my teen years, when we lived in Singapore, we could get both types of mangoes.  We called the fat ones 'Indian' mangoes and the slimmer golden ones 'Philippine' mangoes.  In truth, the 'Philippine' ones we bought in the Singapore market were from Thailand.  But, the names kind of stuck.  And, I've always thought the 'Indian' variety tasted a bit like kerosene compared to a 'real' mango.

Now back to the family reunion.  My family isn't very fancy.  We don't have elaborate family reunions with identical T-Shirts and resort living for two weeks.  We just gather together somewhere in the middle of where we all live and group camp (or for the slightly more afluent or physically challenged among us, motel room it) at an inexpensive centrally located state park for a weekend in July.  In fact, we've been going to the same two or three spots for many years.

On Saturday, at noon, we have a family picnic.  It's usually hot and cloudless. There aren't many trees which turns the shady spots into prime real estate.  My aunts gather everyone's picnic tables together under the shadiest group of trees and bring out the well used (loved) tableclothes or repurposed sheets to create an extended table that they promptly overload with food.  It's not fancy fare.  Just plain 'ole home cookin'.  The rest of us add to the food madness with whatever we have.

My contribution this year is going to be a fruit salad.  Usually, I bring an entree or some kind of a one-dish wonder.  But, this year I decided to take it easy and bring my two favorites together in a cool fruit salad.  Simply raspberries and mangoes.  My secret twist is going to be the dressing.  I've tried several honey dressings before and know the taste I'm after.  I just need to find that one recipe that's right.

My search so far has gotten me about 12 dozen recipes that are basically the same.  And a couple three others that look interesting.  Tonight's project is to make the four recipes I've chosen and have my husband taste test with some of the fruit.  I may choose to take along more than one...you know...just in case I change my mind at the last minute.  I'll update this post after the reunion to let you know which one I took and what reaction it got.

The first dressing is made with equal parts water and honey, some lemon juice, cinnamon, & ginger.  You bring the water almost to a boil, add the honey and let it become syrupy.  Then add the lemon juice and spices.  The great taste tester liked it a lot.  I thought it tasted like mulled cider - not what I was after.

The second one is called Honey Orange Sauce.  It sounded interesting but turned out awful!  Orange juice, lemon juice, honey, ginger, & nutmeg.  It was bitter.  A complete waste of honey.

We didn't get to try the third one.  I may give it a go another time.  I think it would be good.  The reason we didn't try it was that my local market didn't have mint today.  Can you believe it?  Of all things to be out of when I'm experimenting!  It called for honey, lime juice, brown sugar, & mint.  Sigh.  Another time.

Here's the winner.  Got many compliments and lots of questions about it!

Honey Dressing

INGREDIENTS

⅔	cup sugar
1	t dry mustard
1	t paprika
¼	t salt
1	t celery seed
⅓	cup honey
5	T white vinegar
1	T lemon juice
1	cup vegetable oil

Directions

Blend all ingredients in blender, adding oil in a thin steady stream - whirling continually.