Cooking without borders!

M

ay is for Mom. Cook Mom her favorites on Mother’s Day but kick it up a notch!  See recipes below for 

that added kick.

Upcoming events:  May 26, 2011 2nd annual #Chardonnay Day we will be featuring several wonderful chardonnays that day for all to enjoy, $6.00 per glass.  Come and ”post” your pics and rate the wines to reach across the world!  May 27 we will be closing at 5 pm.  May 27-29, 2011 Brentwood PAL presents "Blues, Brews & BBQ's" at THE STREETS of Brentwood Kansas City Barbeque Society is sanctioning this great event.  Check out the event site for more details www.palbbq.net  (there will also be non-professional categories for our favorite BBQ friends).  Categories include Chili, Salsa, Desserts, and more, so pull out the stops and join the fun!  Any of you that enter the event qualify for a discount on items purchased at BSO² for that contest.  Please contact me for more information and check to see, we might be your competition too!  Also check out our blog at www.spiceandoils.blogspot.com.  June 12, we will be roasting  hosting the Contra Costa Winegrowers Association (CCWA) Summer Celebration at the shop.  Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, available on line at www.eventbrite.com  and at Winegrower tasting rooms.  Food (we will be roasting a pig) and wine, talk to the wine makers and have a great time.  Join us and add to the fun.  We will be having a contest, bring your Mexican or Latin, side dish, appetizer or salsa.  Call for details, top prize in each category.  Entry into the event for participants will be free.  We are hoping for 200 attendees for this event so please plan to share your dishes.  September 24, 2nd Annual Vintage Faire at BSO²; October 23 Co Co Wine Company will be hosting the CCWA Fall Celebration, keep your eye open for more info.  Keep an eye on our blog at www.spiceandoils.blogspot.com for tips and fun and news!  We will also start an events mailing to separate the events at least for the summer due to the number of things going on.

This Month’s Tip  Low fat cooking?  Use non-stick cookware and measure the amount of oil you use instead of just pouring, every little bit helps.

DID YOU KNOW…Turmeric is helpful with indigestion, circulation, diabetes, arthritis, and all immune system.

About our clients:  Usually I feature a client that stands out among the many we encounter.  This month I’m going to fill you in about me.  I get lots of questions about how and when did I get interested in cooking so here’s my story (and I am sticking to it).  I have been cooking since grade school from my memory.  I cannot tell you exactly when I started cooking but I have always loved it and have challenged myself in my cooking.  I know I have been a half way decent cook since at least high school.  Shortly after my younger brother graduated, he came home, woke me up and asked me to teach him how to make spaghetti and meatballs, we both to this day share that story with many of our friends.  I met David because the olive oil was a natural addition to my cooking, after we started dating in ’08, he had to figure out why I kept ordering my spices.  After a few meals and a short conversation we decided to add the spice department to our little oil and wine shop.  We are now 2 times the size we were in our old location and although we have no more space physically, we are still growing. 

Monthly Recipe(s)

If any of you have seen our Facebook Page you know that we have an abundance of swiss chard.  We are always looking for new ways to cook from our vegetables, this is one we found and love.

Cream Neon Lights

1 good handful of Neon Lights Swiss chard, sliced and cut into bit sizes

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons Basil Olive Oil

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon Marsala

½ cup + 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Royal pepper mix to taste

Pinch of nutmeg

In a large pot with a strainer, bring 2 quart of water to boil.  Add the chopped swiss chard and blanch for 2 minutes.  Pull out strainer and put immediately into a container of ice cold water.  Once cold, spin or pat dry.  In a heavy sauce pan, over medium heat, sauté the garlic in 2 tablespoons of basil olive oil, add the cream, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves, taste and add royal pepper.  Cook over medium low heat and reduce by half.  Add the 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and swiss chard and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to warm up.  Add the remaining cheese and serve.  Serves 4

Kick it up for Mom;  Green Eggs and Ham Frittata

1 ripe avocado diced

6 eggs

¼ cup half and half or (1/8 cup milk 1/8 cup heavy cream)

2 tablespoons butter separated

2 tablespoons basil olive oil separated

¼ cup diced onions

¼ cup Canadian bacon

¼ cup colored bell peppers (I used mini peppers here)

½ cup Swiss or emmental cheese grated

Sundried tomatoes for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375⁰ F.  Sauté the onions, ham, and peppers in butter and oil over medium heat until tender. Crake eggs in medium bowl add avocado and cream and blend well.  Add mix to pan and allow to cook 7 to 8 minutes.  Check sides for doneness around edges.   Place the pan in the oven for 7 to 15 minutes until golden brown on top.  OR if you have 2 pans the same size you may continue as follows:

 In a second pan over medium heat add the remaining oil and butter.  Coat the pan when hot and pour the mix over the egg mix evenly.  Place the second pan over the egg pan and carefully flip.  Allow to cook for 5 minutes more and slide onto plate, garnish, and serve.  Serves 6 - 8

Mimosas

Change it up by using ruby red grapefruit or blood orange juice and a better sparkling wine, such as Gocci de Luna or Vivid Bliss (both are available in our wine section)

Shrimp Diablo

8-10 large shrimp deveined tail on

½ cup red onion diced

½ cup yellow onion

1 clove garlic

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 jalapeno seeded and diced

2 roma tomatoes seeded and diced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup white wine (sauvignon blanc preferred)

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon Hometown Spice

¼ pound linguini

Parmesan cheese

In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Sauté onions and jalapeño, until tender and the onions are translucent.  Add garlic, crushed red pepper, and shrimp, cook until shrimp are opaque, about 2 minutes per side.  Add tomatoes, lemon juice, and white wine, reduce until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.  Divide cooked linguine into two bowls and spoon sauce over.  Grate cheese over dish.  Serve immediately.

Spice of the Month – Vadouvan:

Spice up your macaroni and cheese with 2 or 3 tablespoons of Vadouvan and sprinkle the top with Panko bread crumbs with a quick visit under the broiler to toast them up, serve warm J