CAPO (Carrot Almond Poppyseed Orange) Waffles

Serves 4

¼ cup coconut flour

2 oranges, peeled

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 carrots, ends trimmed

pinch sea salt

1 teaspoon poppyseeds

1 cup almond or coconut milk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons coconut oil

½ cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

2 bananas, peeled

Pinch maple syrup

1 cup seasonal fruit

1. Heat a waffle maker. You can also make pancakes out of the batter instead if you do not have a waffle maker
2. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor except seasonal fruit and pulse until well combined. Pour roughly ½ cup of the batter into the center of the waffle maker, adding more if needed. Cook until golden brown.
3. To serve, place one waffle on your plate and top with ½ cup of fresh fruit.

Fried Crab-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Makes about 16

½ pound fresh crabmeat, picked over

1 cup crushed Ritz crackers, divided

3 tablespoons (⅜ stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons canned evaporated milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

about 2 dozen zucchini blossoms (stamens removed)

10 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ cup whole milk

1 medium egg

6 ounces chilled Pilsner, lager-style beer, or club soda

Vegetable oil (for frying)

Sea salt

1. Mix crabmeat and ½ cup cracker crumbs in a large bowl.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add green pepper and onion; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add to bowl with crab mixture.  Stir in evaporated milk, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper.  Cover; chill for 1-6 hours.
2. Fill each blossom with scant 2 tablespoons crab mixture.  Combine flour, whole milk, remaining salt, and egg in a medium bowl, then whisk in beer until almost smooth (some small lumps are welcome -- don’t overwhisk or you’ll deflate the batter).  Place remaining cracker crumbs in another bowl.  One by one, dredge the filled blossoms in batter, shaking off excess, then coat well with crumbs.
3. In a large pot, heat about 2 inches oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°.  Gently lay blossoms in the oil, without crowding the pan.  Cook, flipping once with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, 3-4½ minutes total.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Sprinkle with sea salt and devour while hot.

Alcoholic Herb and Pink Lemonade Jellybutter

⅓ cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

⅓ cup water

½ tablespoon each minced fresh parsley, thyme, and rosemary

⅛ teaspoon salt

¼ pound softened unsalted butter

1 envelope (¼ ounce) gelatin

⅓ cup vodka

Lemon zest, for garnish

1. In a large measuring cup, combine the lemonade concentrate with water; strain into a medium saucepan.  Mix herbs, salt, and butter into lemonade mixture.  Sprinkle gelatin over the mixture and let soften for 2 minutes.  Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes; stir in the vodka.
2. Pour mixture into a 4-by-8-inch loaf pan and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.  Serve as a loaf; garnish with lemon zest.

Cucumber-Apricot-Yogurt Preserves

½ english cucumber, peeled and seeded

½ cup yogurt

½ tablespoon chopped dill

½ tablespoon chopped mint

¾ pound fresh apricots, chopped

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon lime juice

salt and pepper

¾ cup sugar

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. In blender, puree cucumber with yogurt, herbs, apricot, garlic, and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
2. In medium saucepan, bring puree mixture and all remaining ingredients to boil, lower heat, and simmer until very thick, about 25 minutes.  Let cool, transfer to airtight container and refrigerate.

Sweet Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Halo-Halo Sauce

2 tablespoons small pearl tapioca

½ quart boiling water

½ pound ground chicken

¼ cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

½ cup berries

2 tablespoons grated onion

2 cloves garlic, grated

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons condensed milk

1½ tablespoons sugar

1½ tablespoons sesame oil

¼ cup coconut milk

1. Simmer tapioca in water until almost translucent, 10 minutes.  Let stand off heat 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse.
2. Mix chicken, cilantro, breadcrumbs, berries, onion, garlic, tapioca, salt, and pepper; roll into 1-tablespoon balls.  In medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add meatballs and cook through, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients (except peanuts) and warm in microwave.  Toss meatballs with half of sauce and sprinkle with peanuts.  Add generous amount of crushed ice to remaining sauce; serve meatballs on toothpicks with remaining sauce for dipping.

Pasta Rhubarboise

    12 ounces spaghetti

    ½ cup coarsely chopped rhubarb

    1 can (5 ounces) oil-packed tuna, drained (reserve 1 tablespoon oil)

    ¾ cup maple syrup

    2 minced cloves garlic

    ⅜ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

    8 teaspoons chopped green olives

    pinch salt

1 teaspoon herbes de provence or ½ tablespoon thyme
1 cup water

lemon wedges

1. Cook pasta; save ½ cup cooking water.
2. In small saucepan, combine rhubarb, tuna (with oil), syrup, garlic, ginger, olives, salt, herbs, and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until fruit breaks down and syrup thickens, about 30 minutes.  Toss with pasta and reserved cooking water; serve with lemon wedges.

May menu

Course #6:

1. Pasta Rhubarboise

Course #7.5:

1. Sumerian Ricotta-Ice Cream Toasts with Asparagus and Poached Eggs