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Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home
Recipe Source:
Charlie Trotter
Cooks at Home
by Charlie Trotter, © 2000,
Ten Speed Press,
Berkeley
 
“This
is a wonderful spring or summer menu, light, and simple to
prepare.
It
is one of those meals that is great shared among friends.
The timing is
not
crucial, as much of the meal can be prepared in
advance, and
conversation
can rule the evening.”
Shrimp with Spicy
Fruit Salsa
serves 4
Salsa:
1/2 cup diced mango
1/2 cup diced papaya
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 Thai chile, seeded and minced
8
large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
To
prepare the Salsa: Combine
the mango, papaya, and pineapple in a medium bowl. Whisk together the
orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, olive
oil and Thai chile in a small
bowl and pour the mixture over the fruit.
Toss lightly to coat the
fruit.
To
prepare the shrimp: Season
the shrimp with salt and pepper and
cook
in a very hot sauté pan with
the canola oil for 1 to 2 minutes on
each side,
or until just cooked.
Spoon
some of the fruit salsa onto each plate and top with 2 shrimp.
Insights:
Thai chiles are small, dark green peppers with a lot of
heat.
They
are available in many grocery stores, but if they aren’t
available
in your area,
use jalapenos instead.
Wine
Suggestion: Spätlese
Riesling offers a sweetness to complement
the fruit and foil the spice.
Olive Oil-Poached Cod
with Roasted
Tomatoes
and Broccoli Rabe
serves 4
Tomatoes:
3 large tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar *
2 sprigs thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1
bunch broccoli rabe, cleaned and blanched
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2
cups extra virgin olive oil
Four 5-ounce cod fillets, skinned
*
Balsamic vinegars are aged for varying lengths of time, and their
virtues increase with age. Some balsamic vinegars are aged for as long
as 100 years. The longer
it is aged, the smoother and more syrupy the
vinegar will be. Most grocery stores carry 5- and 12-year-old balsamic
vinegars, with the older varieties usually sold
in gourmet food stores.
It is worth the money to buy, at minimum, the 12-year-old variety. It
will make an enormous difference in the final flavor of any dish.
To
prepare the tomatoes: Preheat
the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a
large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the
tomatoes in the boiling water for
30 seconds and then peel off the
skins. Cut each tomato into 8 wedges,
place in a small roasting pan and
toss lightly with the garlic cloves, olive
oil, balsamic vinegar, and
thyme. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft. Remove
the tomatoes from the pan, season to taste
with salt and pepper, and
keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid through a
fine-mesh sieve and
season to taste with salt and pepper.
Keep warm.
To
prepare the broccoli rabe: Cook
the broccoli rabe in the butter in a
small sauté pan over medium heat
for 5 minutes, or until warm. Season
to taste with salt and pepper.
To
prepare the cod: Warm
the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a
very low flame to 120 degrees F.
Season both sides of the fish with salt
and pepper and place in the warm
oil. The oil should cover the fish. Cook
for 9 minutes, turn the fish
over and cook for an additional 9 minutes, or
until just done.
Place
some of the roasted tomatoes in the center of each plate and top
with a
piece of fish. Arrange the broccoli rabe around the plate and
drizzle
the tomato cooking liquid over the fish and around the plate.
Insights:
Poaching in oil may sound like it would produce oil-soaked
fish,
but it actually seals in the juices and results in tender, moist
fillet. It is a
good cooking technique for firmer fish such as cod,
swordfish, or salmon.
The key is for the oil to be warm, but not hot.
Keep the thermometer in the
oil as the fish is cooking, and adjust the
heat to maintain a temperature of
110 to 115 degrees F.
Wine
Suggestion: White
Rhône, with its characteristic rich texture and
herbal flair, will
handle the earthy vegetables.
Warm Peach
Turnovers with
Almond Ice Cream
serves 6
Ice
Cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup ground almonds
4 egg yolks
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Crust:
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
4 ounces cold cream cheese
4 ounces flour (about 3/4 cup)
Filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 peaches, peeled and cut into 12 wedges each
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1
egg, lightly beaten
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
To
prepare the ice cream: Fill
a large bowl halfway with ice and cold
water. Combine the cream and
almonds in a medium saucepan, bring to
a
boil over high heat, and remove
from the heat. Whisk together the egg
yolks and sugar in a small bowl
and slowly whisk in some of the hot
cream mixture to temper the eggs.
Pour the egg mixture into the cream
and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3
minutes, or until the mixture coats
the back of a spoon and steam rises
from the surface. Strain into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve and cool
in the ice-water bath, stirring
occasionally, until chilled. Freeze in
an ice cream machine and keep
frozen until ready to use.
To
prepare the crust: Using
an electric mixer or by hand, combine the butter, cream cheese, and
flour in a large bowl until it just comes together
(it should have
visible streaks of cream cheese). Remove the dough from
the bowl, pat
into a disk, and cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at
least 1 hour.
On a
floured surface, roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 12
2 1/2-inch
squares, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
To
prepare the filling: Cook
the sugar and water in a medium sauté
pan for 10 minutes, or until
golden brown and caramelized. Do not stir
the sugar while it is over the
heat, or it may crystallize. If it is heating
unevenly, swirl the sugar
in the pan a couple of times to even it out,
but don’t stir until it
is off the heat. If it does crystallize, throw it away
and start over.
Add the lemon juice and crème fraîche and stir well.
Gently stir the
peaches into the sugar mixture, remove from the heat,
and cool in the pan. Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches from
the pan, reserving the sauce.
To
prepare the turnovers: Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees F. Place
2 peach slices on each dough square. Fold the
dough over the peaches
to
form a triangle. Brush the very tip of the
dough with the egg and
press
firmly to seal. Place the turnovers on a
baking sheet. Brush the
tops of
the turnovers with the egg and bake for
30 minutes, or until
golden
brown. Cool slightly and dust with
confectioner’s sugar.
Place 2
turnovers back-to-back on each plate and top with a small
scoop
of
almond ice cream. Drizzle the sauce over the turnovers and
around
the
plate.
Insights:
These turnovers are fantastic when served warm, but they could
be
made ahead and served at room temperature with warm sauce. Plums,
figs and
apples would also be delicious.
Wine
Suggestion: Sémillon-based
wine, particularly Sauternes, will
mirror the
fruit and nut flavors.
Chef Charlie Trotter
More from Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home
Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home - Menu 3
Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home - Menu 4
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