Lemongrass-Ginger Tea: A Simple Saturday Sipper from Mark Bittman

This week's I Heart Cooking Clubs theme is "Can I Have a Sip?"--so all about beverages, so perfect for my regular Simple Saturday Sippers post. I was going to make one of Bittman's smoothies or a cocktail, but a tour through the fridge made me realize I had a lot of lemongrass and ginger to use, and I found this Lemongrass-Ginger Tea from Southeast Asia and from Bittman's "The Best Recipes in the World." I love the pairing of spicy ginger and clean, floral lemongrass and have used it before in drinks and herbal tisanes. In this recipe, it is added to black tea --although I used an oolong tea instead, as I thought the slightly lighter, sweeter, less oxidized tea would work well.

Bittman says, "Health claims aside, this is delicious, hot or iced, sweetened or not. You can make another interesting tea by omitting the lemongrass and serving the brew with ilk instead of lime juice."

Lemongrass-Ginger Tea

Adapted from: "The Best Recipes in the World"

(Makes 4 Servings)

1 Tbsp black tea, optional (I used an oolong tea and about 2 heaping Tbsp)

10 nickel-sized slices fresh ginger (don't bother to peel)

2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and roughly chopped

sugar to taste, optional (I used about 2 tsp local honey)

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, or to taste

In a small pot with a lid, combine 1 quart water with the tea if you're using it, the ginger, and the lemongrass. Turn the heat to medium and heat until steam rises from the surface. Turn off the heat and cover; steep for 5 minutes.

Strain, then return to the pan and reheat gently. Add sugar, then lime juice to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve cold.

Notes/Results: Good! A nice simple, refreshing and flavorful tea. The lemongrass, ginger and lime flavors come through nicely and the oolong tea I used had a light sweetness of its own that worked well. It actually didn't need much/any sweetener, but I added just a bit of local honey. It was good hot, but I prefer it iced (of course that could be the weather!). I would make this tea again and experiment with green tea or black tea in it too.


You can see what the other IHCC participants are sipping this week by going to the post (here) and following the links.

Happy Saturday!

Goji Berry Ice Pops and My "Captain Cooked" Giveaway Winner!

I must confess, I am in a bit of a cooking, blogging funk the past couple of weeks so please pardon my lack of frequent posting. I have been living on the leftovers of the few things I have cooked, and otherwise it has been a rotation of popcorn, green salads, watermelon, organic pluots from the co-op, and pieces of pan-toasted millet bread with yellow tomato slices and Hawaiian salt--easy and good but nothing too interesting to blog about! I think it's a combination of the humid weather, being busy with work and school and whatever little mood I have gotten myself into. I am sure I'll snap out of it soon. ;-)

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the ice pops. I have been eating lots of ice pops, mainly from my friends at OnoPops who keep making so many darn delicious, creative flavors of paletas with all local ingredients, that it is impossible for me to not stop by the booth and see what's new. This last weekend it was Watermelon-Hibiscus (I now know exactly what to do with all the dried hibiscus I still have in my pantry), Star Fruit-Lemon Grass, and Mountain Apple-Rose, plus I *needed* to throw in a Mexican Chocolate too. Yum! So probably the last thing I needed was more ice pops, but when I saw a recipe for Goji Berry Pops in a great little raw cookbook I bought, "Alive in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes" by Angela Elliot, I had to try them.

Considered to be one of the most nutritionally packed fruits, goji berries (also known as wolfberry), are chock full of amino acids (19), carotenoids, Vitamins C (more than oranges) B & E, and 21 different trace minerals. Traditionally they are considered to be a food that promotes longevity and strength and boosts the immune system function. They are fairly tart--kind of a cross between a cranberry and sour cherry and I happened to buy a big bag of them from Chinatown and was in need of using some of them up. For the ice pops, the goji berries are soaked overnight in filtered water then dumped in the blender with some fresh-squeezed orange juice (and in my case, a Tablespoon of local honey--what can I say--I like sweet-tart more than just tart.), and then they are frozen in popsicle molds.

Elliot says, "Goji berries are so nutritious, it's impossible to eat too many of them."

Goji Berry Ice Pops
From "Alive in 5"
(Makes 6 or more pops)

1 cup goji berries
2 cups filtered water
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Place the goji berries in a bowl, and cover them with the water. Let soak in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. Place the goji berries and their soak water in a blender. Add the orange juice, and process until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.

Note: The trick to making these lovely pops quickly is to always have goji berries soaking in water in your refrigerator.

Notes/Results: Different but pretty good--they grow on you. My first bite I wasn't that thrilled about, but as I ate more, I liked them better and even found them kind of oddly addicting. They have sort of a tart-fruity-earthy taste to them, if that makes any sense. With all the vitamin C and other nutrients in them, they are a good-for-you snack and a good way to cool down on a humid day. I would make them again, but I might try mixing them with another dried, soaked fruit for a taste variation. Fun to try, but OnoPops can rest easy that they won't have any competition from me!

And now what you were probably really reading this blog for... The winners of my "Captain Cooked"--Hawaii-based foodie mystery giveaway. I got to choose two lucky winners who will each receive a copy of the book, signed by author S.P. Grogan, plus a few fun mystery ingredients to help them cook from it. (I like saying mystery ingredients, plus I still have to get them together but I'll let you know what goes in the packages.)

So I put in all the entries (up to 3 per person depending on how many entries they did) and shook them up in a little steamer basket and (drumroll please)....drew two little slips of paper out of the basket.

And the winner was...

girlichef and...girlichef! OK, I don't know what kind of weird voodoo, mojo, funky vibes that Heather was putting into the air for this drawing but I need me some of that because I drew her name TWICE! Too funny! I really did shake the basket with the lid on and everything!

Since Heather can only read one copy, I shook the basket again, reached in and this time drew...Kim from Liv Life!

So our two lucky winners are girlichef whose setting for her foodie mystery seems well-planned. She said, "Um, do you know that I toss the idea of where my culinary mystery would be located. Often. Since I do plan on writing one someday, I'd probably set it in Michigan... having grown up there and all, I know the "feeling". The people, the land, the secrets and mysteries, the nooks and crannies!!! Or else Nothern Indiana...perhaps it'd cross over since they're border states. OOOOOHHHH!! So excited ;)"

And Kim from Liv Life who said, "For my foodie mystery I'd love to be in the South Pacific with all the fresh fruits, fish and coconut... amongst the swaying palms of course...!"

Congratulations ladies! Please email me with your shipping addresses and I'll get your packages out to you ASAP. I expect to see some fun cooking going on after you read the book! ;-)

Thanks to everyone who entered--I really had fun reading all your comments about your foodie mystery settings! I promise to read all your books!

Aloha,

Lightning-Quick Fish Soup with Coconut Milk for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

It's been all about quick comfort food this week for me. Things that get on the table quickly, taste great and nourish the soul a little. Mark Bittman is the master of quick comfort food recipes, like this Lightning-Quick Fish Soup with Coconut Milk, adapted from one of his recipe variations in "How To Cook Everything."

I of course adapted heavily, adding more flavor, random bits of veggies in the fridge and some rice noodles for extra comfort. (My changes/additions are in red below.) I used local opah (moonfish), a lightly-flavored fish that I find holds up well in soups. The coconut milk and Thai flavors keep this dish feeling light, so good even in warmer weather.

Lightning-Quick Fish Soup with Coconut Milk

Adapted from "How to Cook Everything"

(Makes about 6 servings)

3 cups stock (fish, chicken or shrimp) (I used shrimp stock)

3 cups lite coconut milk

2 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger

2 Tbsp minced lemongrass

4-5 kaffir lime leaves, torn

1 Tbsp fish sauce

2 tsp chili paste (sambal oelek)

1 peeled, seeded, chopped tomato (canned is fine; include the juices)

1/2 yellow pepper, chopped

1 medium carrot, julienned

3/4 cup snow peas, chopped

3/4 cup oyster mushrooms, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

juice of 1 lime

1 1/2 lbs any white fish, cut into small chunks or fish mixed with shelled seafood

chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

1 package rice noodles (optional)

Cook the rice noodles according to package directions, rinse, drain and set aside

Put all the ingredients except for the fish, lime and cilantro in a large deep pot and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to a steady bubble and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the fish and cook, stirring until it cooks through, about 5 minutes. Add lime juice and taste for seasoning. Serve soup over the rice noodles and garnish with the cilantro.

Notes/Results: Very good! My soup ended up with lots of flavor from doubling the garlic, ginger and lemon grass, and adding the kaffir lime, fish sauce, sambal oelek, and lime juice. For the base I used some shrimp stock from the freezer (it's always good to save up your shrimp "peelings" in a Ziploc and when you get a good supply, toss them in a pot with some water and make shrimp stock), and light coconut milk. The recipe originally called for just tomatoes and onion but I think the addition of the carrot, mushrooms, yellow pepper and snow peas added color, texture and more nutrients. I liked the addition of the rice noodles, although some cooked jasmine rice would work equally well. On the table in about 20 minutes from prep to finish, I would make this again.

It looks like a good turnout in the Souper Sunday Kitchen this week--let's see who is here:

Tigerfish from Tezcape-An Escape to Food is here with a sunny Chinese Okra Egg-Drop Soup and says, "Of all the names I have used to introduce loofah/luffa - a type of melon/gourd, I did not mention anything about Chinese Okra. So, this name Chinese Okra is popularly used in the US - in some Bay Area's farmers' markets, local grocery store - Sprouts Farmers Market and even in the "Chopped" Series. Other than being similar shaped to the other okra we all know, the taste and texture are no where near. I like to use Chinese Okra in a simple stir-fry (with a mild simmer) most of the times; and in soups."

A big welcome to Anca from Bistro Gerad, new to Souper Sundays and to food blogging. Anca made a Thai-Style Red Fish Curry this week and says, "This is a mild, soupy curry, where the spices add different layers of flavour, beautifully accentuated by the lime juice. There’s just a mild hint of chilli here, but you could increase the quantity according to your own preference. We used reduced fat coconut milk and fish stock for thinner broth, however if you prefer a creamier consistency, you could use full fat coconut milk and no stock instead." Thanks for joining us Anca!

Another new face at Souper Sundays is Lynde from Vinegarlic, making her first appearance this week and with this satisfying Whole Red Lentil Soup. Lynde says, "Whole red lentils are red lentils whose shells have not been removed. The shells are green-brown in color. These lentils, also called crimson lentils, are available in Middle Eastern grocery stores. A soup similar to this one is common in Egypt; I added the celery and carrots to sneak a few veggies into the dish. In my house we like to eat this with whole wheat pita bread broken into pieces and dropped into the soup like crackers." Welcome Lynde!

Reeni from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice made this healthy, full of color Corn, Tomato and Zucchini Soup with Basil and says, "A light and healthy soup recipe brimming with all your favorite late summer vegetables. Soup during the summer can be a great thing! I'm a firm believer in eating soups all year around. Especially when the emphasis is on seasonal vegetables. It's a great way to take advantage of the abundance of zucchini and tomatoes overflowing your garden and flooding the markets. Besides, I don't know of any rule that says you must eat soup piping hot. Lukewarm is fine."

Spencer from Live2EatEat2Live tried his hand at this Whirled Peas Soup and says, "Sometimes I draw inspiration for a recipe from strange places (OK some of you already knew that). I saw a t-shirt printed with “imagine whirled peas” (say it aloud) the other day. I am familiar with split pea soup made with dried split peas. I wondered if pea soup could be made with fresh or frozen peas. A search of the internet revealed that a French soup called Potage Saint-Germain uses fresh peas. The name of the soup apparently comes from a suburb of France where peas used to be cultivated in market gardens."

Julie from A Little Bit of Everything is back this week with her No Cream Creamy Broccoli Soup and says, "Summertime isn't really soup time but I had some broccoli that needed to be used before it went bad. Cream based soups are the best but they're also not the best for you. How about a recipe for a creamy broccoli soup that doesn't use cream? This recipe is courtesy of our friends at Kraft. The only change I made to this recipe was to use brown rice instead of white. I loved this soup. It has a wonderful texture just like a cream based soup. The flavors are delicious and would make a great base for other soups."

Zibi from Fresh Slowcooking is here with a beautiful Slow Cooker Minestrone and says, "Fresh carrots, tomatoes and zucchinis combined with beans, rosemary, basil and parmesan create a hearty soup full of rich flavours. To make my minestrone more satisfying, I added white navy beans but otherwise my slow cooker minestrone tastes just like the kind my mom used to make. All I was missing were the pretty, orange zucchini blossoms that she often stirred into the soup for that extra special touch."

Rounding out our soup submissions and making her first appearance at Souper Sundays is Serena from Seriously Soupy. (With that blog name how has she not been here before!?) ;-) Serena made her version of Gazpacho this week and says, "This tomato-based soup is a great compliment to any meal or it can be the perfect light snack. Again (as with most chilled soups), this one requires no cooking and is really easy to make. The majority of the work involves chopping of the cherry tomatoes, red peppers and cucumbers, but once that step is over the soup is practically done. Enjoy!" Welcome Serena--my fellow soup lover!

Here with a colorful Turkish Bulgur, Pomegranate and Almond Salad is Janet from The Taste Space. Janet says, "This is definitely one superb salad. Absolutely delicious! Dare I suggest the best salad ever? Oh yes! This is a Turkish recipe, based on kisir, a bulgur salad with tomato. The creamy bulgur is mixed with soft charred cherry tomatoes, crunchy toasted almonds and nutty, creamy chickpeas. Pomegranate seeds add flavour and pop. The dressing wraps everything together – sweet and tart from the pomegranate molasses, tart from the lemon juice and a bit of a kick from the Aleppo chili flakes. I loved it!"

Resourceful Pam from Sidewalk Shoes takes leftovers to new heights and says, "I don’t know about you, but I almost never finish my entire meal in a restaurant. So, I am always bringing home bits of this and that, half orders of pasta, whatever. Well, when I was cleaning out my freezer, I found half a steak. What to do with half a steak??? I love salads with leftover sliced beef and one of my very favorites is Beef Salad with Mint from How to Cook Everything, Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Foodfrom Mark Bittman. It’s the perfect way to stretch a little bit of meat."

It's nice to have Libby from The Allergic Kid back this week and with this healthy Asparagus and Radish Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing. She says, "This spring my mom told me about an asparagus and radish salad that she'd eaten at a friend's house. Her description of it has been haunting me, and I finally broke down and bought some late season asparagus when I was looking for a veg to go with tonight's dinner. The dressing I made is very sweet, since I was trying to tickle The Kid's taste buds as well as my own, and it ended up working extremely well with the peppery radish."

For her salad, Kim from Stirring the Pot tried Michael Symon's Zucchini Crudo and says, "The zucchini crudo was a combination of zucchini and yellow squash sliced very thinly and combined with garlic, shallot, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, dill and sliced almonds. The texture of the almonds was wonderful against the thinly sliced squash and the dill brought the whole salad together giving it that incredible fresh flavor that only dill can deliver."

Here's a gorgeous Feta-Stuffed, Fig-Glazed Grilled Lamb Burger with Red Onion Jam from Debby at A Feast for the Eyes. She says, "This week, I was smitten with a recipe for Fig Glazed Burgers with Red Onion Jam that was posted on "The Bitten Word". The recipe originally comes from Southern Living Recipes, and uses ground beef and Muenster Cheese. When I think of fig jam, I tend to think of pork... or even lamb. So, I started thinking of Greek inspired ingredients, and an idea was born. Whatever you do, don't leave out the fig jam. That's the cherry on the sundae. Or, in this case, it's the star of this burger."

girlichef has a delectable Sweet Heat Pork Sammich to share this week and says, "This pork is sooooooo tender. Fork tender. Pull tender. And it has this awesome "sweet heat"! A mellow, creeping heat that never quite assaults you, like you expect it might...because it's tempered by the coolness of the applesauce and the rich brown sugar! I just liked standing over the pot and picking with my fingers...toying with burning them in the process because it was way too hot to handle yet. After piling it on the roll I topped it with avocado & pickled banana peppers...I mean, pickled banana peppers are good on anything!"

Such a great group of recipes this week! Thanks to everyone who joined in, and of course a big welcome to all of our new Souper Sunday bloggers. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, click on the Souper Sunday logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Reminder: Just one more day to enter my giveaway. I am giving away 2 autographed copies of the fun Hawaii foodie mystery: "Captain Cooked"--along with a few local ingredients to help you cook some of the fabulous recipes in the book. Get the details on how to enter here.

Have a wonderful week!

Watermelon Slushies: A Frozen Cocktail & Simple Saturday Sipper for Adults

Trying to use up extra watermelon? Try freezing it and using the frozen chunks in these pretty in pink Watermelon Slushies from the Vegetarian Times: Farmers' Market Cookbook magazine edition. They are made with vodka, so they are a Simple Saturday Sipper for adults only, and are refreshing on a warm, humid afternoon or evening. It's also nice to have a cocktail that gets you a couple of servings of fruit in a glass. ;-) Plus watermelon is full of vitamins A & C, and antioxidants like lycopene which is thought to prevent inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. So drink up! (Responsibly of course!)

Vegetarian Times says, "The next time you buy a big watermelon. cut half into chunks and freeze so you can whip up these cocktails on demand."

Watermelon Slushies

Vegetarian Times

(Serves 4)

1 small seedless watermelon, cubed (4 cups)

1/2 cup vodka

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Place watermelon cubes in a shallow baking dish. Freeze 4 hours, or until solid. Transfer frozen cubes to a resealable plastic bag if making ahead.

Blend frozen watermelon cubes, vodka, lime juice, and sugar in blender until smooth. Pour into 4 glasses, and serve immediately.

Per 1/2-cup serving: 143 calories, 1g protein, -1g total fat, (0g sat. fat), 20g carb, 0mg chol, 2mg sod, 1g fiber, 17g sugars.

Notes/Results: Refreshing, lightly sweet, a little tangy and pretty darn delicious. The watermelon and lime are a nice combination, and freezing the watermelon makes this "adult" slushy very thick while keeping the flavor. Since my watermelon was pretty sweet, and I am trying to limit my processed sugar, I used about 2 Tbsp of honey in place of the powdered sugar called for in the recipe. The key to using honey or agave in an iced drink like this is to blend it up along with the lime juice and vodka in the blender before adding the frozen watermelon chunks so it doesn't clump up. Works just fine, but of course the powdered sugar or a simple syrup would work well too.

With local watermelon, limes and honey, I thought it would be fun to try Island 808 Vodka, which is distilled from pineapple. Although it comes in different flavors like Mango, Lychee, Coconut, Pineapple and POG (passion-orange-guava), I bought the unflavored Pure Vodka which is triple distilled, and tastes crisp and smooth. I think it is actually bottled in California rather than Hawaii even though it says "Hawaii Product" on the label, but it was fun to try regardless. The garnish is a bit of chocolate mint from my container herb garden--so all-in-all, a pretty local drink and one I will make again.

Just a few more days to enter my giveaway. I am giving away 2 autographed copies of the fun Hawaii foodie mystery: "Captain Cooked"--along with a few local ingredients to help you cook some of the fabulous recipes in the book. Get the details on how to enter here.

Happy Saturday!

Mark Bittman's Thirty-Minute Ragù: Simple & Delicious Comfort Food!

Mark Bittman's Thirty-Minute Ragù make not seem like the the most summer-like dish for humid August, but it's Potluck week at I Heart Cooking Clubs, our time to make any Bittman dish we like and this week, I am liking comfort food. I had a pound of ground beef from Maui, no desire to go to the store and a big craving for a bowl of pasta, so I consulted the "How to Cook Everything" iPhone application and found I had everything I needed to make this recipe. I am sure it is in the HTCE book too--I'm just way too lazy to drag it out and look up the page number. ;-)

This sauce comes together quickly and has great flavor--especially if you add some extra ingredients as I did, in red below. I have a hard time not adding extras to my pasta sauces, and garlic and anchovy paste always add a greater depth of flavor that I like. Served on some fresh tagliatelle I had on hand in the fridge, with some fluffy grated pecorino-Romano cheese and a little fresh basil from the container garden, it was a perfect dinner to curl up in front of the fan (it's a bit humid this week!) and eat while watching a little Top Chef.

Thirty-Minute Ragù

adapted from "How to Cook Everything"

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

8-12 oz ground meat (I used Maui ground beef)

1 can (28 ounce) whole plum tomatoes, with the juice

2 tsp anchovy paste

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp red chili pepper flakes

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup cream

1 lb pasta of choice

freshly grated pecorino-Romano cheese to garnish

fresh basil to garnish

Put the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender about 5 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until all traces of red are gone, about 5 minutes.

Crush the tomatoes with a fork or your hands and add them to the pot. Add the anchovy paste, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low and stirring occasionally, cook the tomatoes until they just start to break down, about 15 minutes. Add the cream and cook for another 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Meanwhile cook pasta, drain and toss with the ragu. Garnish with freshly grated pecorino Romano, chopped fresh basil and serve.

Notes/Results: Creamy, meaty, and full of rich tomato flavor, this is a delicious comfort food dish. I think adding the additional ingredients really added to overall flavor and made it perfect for me. The local ground beef was fresh, juicy and flavorful and the crushed red pepper flakes gave it a happy little kick. Beings that it is a fairly quick dish that is low-effort and soothing to make, it made me a happy camper after a busy day. I will definitely make this again.

In addition to Potluck at IHCC, I'm sending this ragù to this week's Presto Pasta Nights, being hosted by Siri from Siri's Corner. She will be rounding up a bunch of delicious pasta creations at her blog on Friday and of course you can check out the fabulous potluck creations at IHCC by going to the site (here) and following the links.

BTW--Don't forget I am giving away 2 autographed copies of the fun Hawaii foodie mystery: "Captain Cooked"--along with a few local ingredients to help you cook some of the fabulous recipes in the book. Get the details on how to enter here.


Aloha!

Mango Jubbilee: Another Delicious Recipe from "Captain Cooked" + a Giveaway of TWO Autographed Copies of This Fun Foodie Mystery!

This Mango Jubbilee deserves a much better photo because it is REALLY good. Actually I mean REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, good. (That's four all-caps REALLYs in there by the way) In fact it was so good that I didn't couldn't wait to let the mango cool, which would have made for a much prettier photo, but would not have been quite as decadent or indulgent as quickly plating it, snapping a few quick pics as the cold ice cream began melting into the hot, sweet mango sauce and then shoveling it in my mouth was. My definition of heaven just might now be fresh mango, brown sugar and butter with a little Kahlua and cream mixed in, served with homemade coconut milk ice cream and garnished with some toasted coconut.


I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing "Captain Cooked: Hawaiian Mystery of Romance, Revenge... and Recipes!" by S.P. Grogan. You can read my review here. In the book Videographer Madison Merlot Dayne and her father, television food star Jeffrey Dayne, in Hawaii to film scenes for Jeffrey's show, eat their way around the Big Island of Hawaii, trying to discover who might have poisoned a popular local singing star among the other troubles and mysteries they find themselves inadvertently caught up in. (You can read more about the book on the Captain Cooked website here.

With so many delicious recipes (25!) in this fun foodie mystery,I knew I would have to cook more of them. Alan Wong's Whole Tomato & Japanese Cucumber Salad with Li Hing Mui Vinaigrette was delicious and being that it was a fairly healthy salad, I thought I should try a decadent dessert for balance. I had a few fresh, local mangoes in the house, so I picked the simple Mango Jubilee recipe from Big Island Chef Daniel Thiebaut. The chef suggests serving it topped with coconut ice cream so I whipped up a quick batch with a little rum "kick" and toasted some coconut pieces for a little crunchy texture.

Mango Jubbilee

Recipe from Daniel Thiebaut and his restaurant in Kamuela

(Serves 2)

1 mango, diced

2 oz brown sugar

2 oz butter

1 oz Kahlua Liquor

1 oz cream

Melt butter in a saute pan. Add brown sugar and mix well. Add diced mango and saute for 2 minutes, flambe with Kahlua Liquor and add cream. Place in soup plate with coconut ice cream on top.

Coconut Milk Ice Cream

by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

2 cans coconut milk (I usually use light)

1/3 cup agave syrup

1 tsp coconut extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup rum (I used coconut rum), optional

Mix all ingredients together and freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. Place in a container in the freezer to firm up for an hour or two and serve. The rum is optional but adds nice flavor and makes the ice cream a bit more "scoopable"--always a bonus.

Notes/Results: I said it all above--REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, good! This is a quick and easy desert that you can throw together in a few minutes but would impress your dinner guests, if you choose to share it that is. Just don't set yourself (or anyone else) on fire when you flambe please. ;-) I will make this again, probably more than my hips will allow.

After reading my post reviewing the book, the author, S.P. Grogan generously offered to send a couple of autographed copies of "Captain Cooked" so that I could give them away to a couple of lucky readers. So if it is the mystery, the romance, the setting of Hawaii, or maybe the many recipes like Crystallized Ginger Chicken, Kona Coffee Rubbed Steaks with Marsala Wine BBQ Sauce, Seared Big-Eye Ahi with Artichoke-Caper Polenta, Pineapple Bomber Cocktail, or Banana Papaya Sauce that make your mouth water, you will want to enter to win your own autographed copy!

*****"Captain Cooked" GIVEAWAY******

Two lucky people will win their own autographed copy of the book, plus I will be throwing a couple of little "surprise" local ingredients into the package to make cooking from it even more fun!

The two winners will be selected by random drawing--so enter away. There are up to three different ways to enter, so if you really want the book and the "surprises"--you have up to three chances to win.

How to Enter:
(You can enter up to three times but you MUST leave a separate comment for each entry so I can tally them without taxing my brain too much!)

Entry #1: "Captain Cooked" is set on the Big Island of Hawaii, so for one entry, leave a comment on this post telling me that if you were the star of your own foodie mystery, where in the world you would want your personal foodie mystery to be set?

Entry #2: For a second entry, mention Kahakai Kitchen and this giveaway and link back to this post on your blog, or your Facebook page or if you are on Twitter, tweet about it. Then leave a second comment on this post letting me know that you linked, Facebooked or tweeted about it.

Entry #3: For a third entry, become a follower of Kahakai Kitchen by clicking on the "Followers" box on the side bar of my blog and leave me yet another comment letting me know that you are now following me. Of course if you are already one of my loyal and beloved followers, just leave a comment letting me know that you are following for your additional entry.

All entry comments must be in by midnight, (HST) Monday, August 16th. The two winners will be selected in a random drawing from of all of the entry comments received, and will be announced on Wednesday August 18th. (so make sure I have a way to contact you if you win!) Good luck!

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing such a fun prize!

Have a great week!

Avocado Chipotle Bisque: A Unique and Easy Raw Soup for Summer and Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

You might look at this Avocado Chipotle Bisque and think, "Deb, did you make soup or guacamole?" And truth be told this cold, raw soup does have a few similarities to the classic chip dip, but it works really well as a soup for a hot summer's day or evening. It comes from Vegetarian Times magazine, one of my favorite sources for recipes, and goes together in a snap. The ingredients make for a colorful, flavorful and quite unique soup.

This recipe was first published in the July 2009 magazine and also appears in the Vegetarian Times Presents: Farmers' Market Cookbook issue and can be found online here.

Vegetarian Times says, "The key to this recipe is using the ripest, creamiest Hass avocados you can find. Avocados are high in vitamins C and E and monounsaturated fats that have been shown to help lower cholesterol. To reduce the sodium content, omit the miso paste and simply season the soup with just a hint of sea salt. The bisque will keep for one day in the fridge."


Avocado Chipotle Bisque

Vegetarian Times, July 2009
(Serves 4)

30 minutes or less

2 medium avocados, diced (2 cups)
1 Tbs olive oil, hemp oil, or avocado oil
1/4 cup lime juice
2 Tbs. white miso paste
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary or
2/3 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder

Topping:
1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper

Place all ingredients and 3 & 1/2 cups water in blender or food processor, and purée until smooth.

Divide Bisque among 4 bowls, and top each serving with 2 Tbs. diced tomatoes and 2 Tbs. diced bell pepper.

Nutritional Information: Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 180, Protein: 3g, Total fat: 15g, Saturated fat: 2g, Carbs: 13g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 245mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 4g

Notes/Results: Really tasty, thick and creamy. This is one of those soups that I thought looking at the unusual combination of ingredients, (avocado, miso paste, chipotle powder and rosemary), would either be really good or really not. Luckily it all actually works together. You taste the avocado and the kick of the chipotle--I added a bit extra but the miso and rosemary just add an interesting depth of flavor rather than tasting them specifically in the soup. The one thing I had to change was adding more liquid to process it and make it more soup-like than guacamole-ish--I used a combination of extra lime juice, a bit more olive oil and water until I had it the consistency I wanted, still thick but more "spoonable." I also chilled it covered for an hour or two in the fridge--I need my cold soups cold. I did end up using the Haas avocados because the local avocados here are just not quite creamy enough, but the lime juice, bell pepper, and tomatoes are all local, as is the rosemary, picked from my lanai herb garden.

This soup is very rich and satisfying so serve it in smaller amounts. It would be a good starter for a summer meal or paired with a crunchy salad. I also recommend serving it with corn chips for the crunchy texture. I just made a quick batch using some white corn tortillas, a bit of olive oil sprayed on and a mixture of cumin, chipotle powder and a little sea salt spread on top and baked about 10 minutes in a 350 F. oven until crisp. An unusual soup, quick and easy that I would make again.

Let's visit the Souper Sunday kitchen and see who is here this week:

I love that Reeni at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice and I were on the same page last weekend with cold fruit dessert soups containing cantaloupe. Her version is this gorgeous Cantaloupe and Coconut Milk Dessert Soup. Reeni says, "A mildly sweet and refreshing recipe for cold Cantaloupe and Coconut Milk Soup. It's sweetened with honey and warmly spiced with cinnamon, ginger and basil. It can be eaten as an appetizer or for dessert. And there are so many elegant, pretty ways you can serve it: in a bowl, a shot glass, as a shooter or in a parfait or wine/martini glass. If you had told me a few years ago that I'd not only be eating but loving fruit soup I would of vehemently denied it. Fruit soup sounds wrong. I never understood it's appeal. Until now. I'm a convert. I adore it!"

Tigerfish from Tezcape-An Escape to Food is here with a simple, balanced Coconut Chicken Soup and says,"The Chinese believe that in a coconut - the coconut water is "cooling" (yin) while the coconut flesh is "heaty" (yang). Coconut water is a good natural electrolyte to replenish lost moisture and minerals. A simple coconut chicken soup can be so easy with just coconut and chicken as the ingredients. And the outcome can be surprisingly tasty. The refreshing coconut water is subtly sweet and the chicken balances it up with savory deliciousness."

A big Souper Sunday welcome to Fajeeda from Faji's Hot Pot, joining us for the first time all the way from the United Arab Emirates. Fajeeda has a healthy Vegetable Soup to share and she says, "Soups are something I make for dinner on a lazy day……….but in winters soups will be there most of the days for dinner…………its so good to have a hot soup in winters........... so lets have a soup for today………" Nice to have you with us this week Fajeeda!

The lovely Janet from Taste Space is back this week with a colorful Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad with Lemon Basil Almond Pesto. Janet says, "So now that I made pesto, I had to figure out what to do with it. Pesto works well with a pasta salad, so I made a tasty pasta salad that used the summer’s bounty of vegetables. The unifying taste comes from the pesto and since I used a nice, light lemony pesto, with a red of red wine vinegar, it was a lovely summer salad indeed. My dad commented that he wished it had more pasta, compared to vegetables, so proceed with a ratio you prefer."

Reshmi from A Feast to the Eyes and Stomach made an exotic salad from Turkey this week and says, "Kisir is a traditional Turkish Salad/Starter/Snack made from bulgur, parsley and tomato paste. For kisir, a finely grounded bulgur is used, unlike the coarse bulgur used for Bulgur pilav, couscous is sometimes used instead. This could also be used as a filling for Burger sandwiches. Cut open a bread, stuff the filling, add sliced onions, tomatoes, cucumber and ketchup /mayonnaise. An ideal Snack for picnics!"

Another new face to welcome is Swathi from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who made a Potato Salad and Sun Dried Tomato. Swathi says, "I decided to make potato salad with feta cheese, sun dried tomato, dill, Parsley with a Greek twist in their look and taste. I don’t want to use mayonnaise in the salad; I know they make salad rich and creamy. I wanted a healthier version. I made a marinade with lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, and garlic and crushed red chilies. They taste great on first day. Next day they taste even better. It is simple recipe easy to put it. My hubby has given the verdict that it is great." Welcome Swathi!

Burger-loving Kim from Stirring the Pot tried Bobby Flay's Crunchburger this week and says, "The Crunchburger is Bobby's signature burger. I can see why. The burger is topped with a potato chips and a horseradish mustard mayo (Bobby must know I love mustard)! Making the Crunchburger is as simple as whipping up a quick mustard sauce and frying up some burgers. I really loved the addition of the crunchy chips topping the burger and I especially loved the zippy tang of the Horseradish Mustard Mayo." (Read Kim's cute Bobby Flay story at her blog!)

Joanne from Eats Well With Others also tried one of Bobby's burgers, his Turkey Burgers Filled with Brie and Granny Smith Apples. She also served them homemade pretzel rolls and says about said rolls, "I have placed them on a pedestal. Built a shrine. It's right next to the shrine I built for brie-stuffed turkey burgers. Which have also managed to blow my mind this week. Burger Rating: 4/4 stars. Although I would say this burger is kind of cheating the system. It is stuffed with brie. Did I mention that? Enough said." OK-Yum!

A great group of dishes this week! Thanks to all who joined in and welcome to our new faces. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays link on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a wonderful week!