Robin's Crawfish Cakes make for an excellent summer meal

We all have made crab cakes or shrimp cakes but I put together a recipe for Crawfish Cakes that will become one of your favorites.  Served with a shiracha  mayo sauce, it makes for a great lunch or dinner.

I have found the crawfish in the freezer at Whole Foods is really good!  

ROBIN'S CRAWFISH CAKES

 5 tablespoon butter

1 cup onion, chopped

3/4 cup red pepper, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet.  Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes.  Add the red pepper and cook until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Remove from the heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter.

In a bowl, gently mix the below:

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoon parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon mayonaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

1 teaspoon salt (I prefer Maldon)

dash of cayenne

2 large eggs

1 lb. crawfish tails, rinsed, and chopped (squeeze the water out of it)

1 - 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

 Olive Oil

Add the mixture from the skillet to the bowl.  Fill a 1/3 measuring cup with the mixture and put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  (I tap the back side of the measuring cup to release the crawfish mixture).  Press down with the palm of your hand to flatten them just a tad.

Over medium heat, saute the cakes in olive oil until golden brown on each side.

Drain on paper towels before plating.

Makes 11 cakes.

Serve with a sauce made of mayonaise,  lemon jusice, cayenne and shiracha.

Two are usually adequate per person.  I have had the leftover cakes straight from the fridge for lunch the next day that were quite good.

And without saying, a chilled Cava is the perfect accompaniment with this meal.
 

Buen Provesho!

 

Cemitas, Puebla City tortas

Soon I will be meeting my group in Puebla, Mexico for my "Travel the ages... From the colonial town of Puebla to the lavish culture of Mexico City" tour.   It will be an exciting nine days.

In Puebla, we will have a tour of one of the oldest markets in town, the Cinco de Mayo, right in the historic center of town.  One day we will have comida (lunch) here and enjoy some of the local cuisine specialties.  

One of the specialties is the Cemita.   The Cemita is Puebla's local take on the typical Mexican sandwich, the torta.   It refers to the torta as well as the bread roll that is covered in sesame seeds and made without any eggs.  

This tremendous colossal torta is usually filled with sliced avocados, onions, meat (beef, pork or chicken), cheese (Oaxacan or queso fresco), chipoltes and papalo.  

Papalo is a pungent herb with a distinct flavor.  The taste is often likened to the spiciness of nasturtiums, the bitterness of arugula, and the zesty, green flavor of cilantro mixed with citrus, mint, and cucumber.  If making a Cemita at home and you can not find Papalo, a combination of cilantro and watercress drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of lime will do.

The name Papalo was derived from the Nahuatl (language of the Aztecs) word for butterfly. Experts believe the plant was given this name in honor of the way the leaves flutter in the wind and its ability to attract  pollinators, including butterflies, when flowering. 

More photos and another post to follow after my trip on the markets in Puebla!

 

Molten Chocolate Souffles with Coffee Ice Cream

As I promised, I am posting a recipe on one of my favorite desserts to make when entertaining, Molten Chocolate Souffles served with a dollop of coffee ice cream.  It is always a huge hit! 

The beauty of this recipe, you can prep the souffles a day in advance.  Cover and store in the fridge.  Uncover and let come to room temperature before baking.

 MOLTEN CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES

6 servings 

 

5      tablespoons of sugar 

        plus about 5 tablespoons to dust the inside of the ramekins

8     ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

3/4 cup (1  1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 

        plus extra butter to grease the inside of the ramekins

3      large eggs

3      large egg yolks

1      tablespoon flour

 

1    quart coffee ice cream

Generously grease six 1-cup (3 1/2" x 2 1/8") ramekins with butter.  Starting with one ramekin, add some sugar to the ramekin, rotating to coat the bottom and sides.   Pour into the next ramekin and repeat.  Add more sugar as needed.

 

Add the chocolate and butter (cut into pieces) into a microwave proof dish and melt in the microwave.  Remove and stir to blend.

With your mixer, beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until thick and a pale yellow.  Fold in half of the chocolate/butter mixture, then the remaining.  Then fold in the flour.

 

Divide the batter among the ramekins. 

 

Put the ramekins on a baking sheet.  In a 425 oven, bake for about 14 minutes or until edges are slightly puffed and the center has a slight crack.  

Top with a generous sliver of coffee ice cream and serve immediately.

* In the winter, I put a bit of butter into the ramekins and 

   set them under my heating lamp above my stove.  It melts 

   the butter and makes it easier to grease.

**  To get 8 servings, use eight 3/4-cup ramekins.

Bon Appetit!