Crab Cakes

Hearts-of-Palm-Style Crab Cakes with Remoulade pg. 151

Crab Cakes

I am going to tell you a true story.  About 12 years ago my husband and I were out on a date. Wait it gets better.  We went out for the first time after my daughter was born.  I got all dolled up, and we had a babysitter.  It felt awesome to be away from the kids for a few hours.  We went to a sushi restaurant.  We ordered food and were enjoying our cocktails.  The night was memorable, but not for any of the reasons I have shared thus far.  You see when we ordered our food we made sure to tell the waiter, "Please make sure there is no shellfish in our food."  Yep, my husband is deathly allergic to it.  The waiter assured us all was cool.  We began to eat.  A few minutes later he came back to our table to say, "Is it OK that there is a little shrimp in your food?"  Panic shot across our faces.  The manager made a beeline to our table only to personally drive us to CVS for a large amount of Benedryl.  Needless to say our dinner ended abruptly, and my hubby got pretty sick and puffy.

So we never serve shellfish in our home.  I have never had my kids tested for the allergy.  The pediatrician told me that the test is only so reliable.  They really would just need to try it and see.  I am not about to have to pull out an Epipen on my watch.  So today was the first time my husband got to experience anything like a crab cake. 

These weren't too hard to make, so don't let the chefy "2" freak you out.  Here is what you need to make this recipe.

The recipe calls for you to toast the Nori Sheet, being careful not to burn it.

Then make tablespoon size balls that are formed into crab cakes.

I really liked the Remoulade.  It was very delicious.  The jury is still out on the hearts of palm.  I kind of wonder if you could use artichoke hearts for this one?  Hearts of palm was a new one for me, and I think it is an acquired taste.

I cheated the recipe with the times it said to chill the "crab mixture" or the "crab cakes." I found it didn't really need it.  I was running low on time when I was preparing dinner, so I opted for feeding the family vs chilling crab cakes.  Nothing fell apart, so no harm no foul as they say.  I have to admit my crab cakes weren't crispy enough.  It seems no matter how hot I get the oil I just haven't mastered the technique of frying.  My cakes were a little mushy.  I think it is either my pan sucks, or there is a trick that chefs aren't sharing with us regular housewife cooks.

The recipe makes 12 crab cakes.  Let me know what you think when you make them.

By the way, don't you think Beyonce rocked the half-time show?!  I loved all the girl power on stage.  Pretty awesome!  Oh, one last thing, the carrot cake I made Saturday went quickly so I made a second today.  The cake is that good.  Make it!

Walnut Falafel

Walnut Falafel pg. 153
Fresh Minted Tabouli pg. 207
Hummus pg. 243
Garlic Tahini Dressing pg. 227

I spent most of my life living in Glendale, California.  I only moved a couple of years ago.  My family lived in the same house my entire life.  My husband's family lived in Glendale as well.  We actually bought our first house right across the street from where my husband grew up. That was really cool because although his family had since moved from that house, many of the neighbors remembered him as a child. So that house really felt like home from the second we moved in. His mom and grandma still live in Glendale. Now you are probably wondering why the history on Glendale? Well, Glendale happens to have a really large Armenian demographic, and for that reason some of the most amazing Middle Eastern restaurants! 

All of the dishes I made from CSK today would be served in many restaurants throughout Glendale.  These dishes have become favorites for my family.  We don't live in Glendale anymore, and greatly miss all the delicious foods we became so spoiled with while there.  So it was very exciting to find out how easy these recipes were to prepare.  This was my favorite dish from Crazy Sexy Kitchen!   I have made a lot of recipes from CSK, so those words are a big deal!

Walnut Falafel

First up is a Walnut Falafel.  Traditionally falafel is a deep fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and or favabeans.   Chef Sarno's version is made with walnuts and almonds.  It was labeled a "2" insinuating it was chefy to make, but it really was quite simple.  So don't be scared off by the "2".  I dehydrated my falafel, but you can also bake them if you don't own a dehydrator.  These were just amazing.

 I made Fresh Minted Tabouli to go with the falafel.  It was a breeze to make, just chop and serve.

Fresh Minted Tabouli

The recipe suggested making the Garlic Tahini Dressing which I did to accompany the falafel.  Back in Glendale we did not ever get Tahini dressing with our Falafel, but I must say it was awesome.  When I did a little research on the orgin of falafel it said the dish is often served with a tahini dressing.  So maybe it isn't an Armenian custom?  It was yummy, so make it. Drizzling it on top of the falafel wrapped in a pita was heavenly. 

Garlic Tahini Dressing

Lastly, I made the second Hummus recipe in CSK.  I made the first months ago using cashews as the base. (Here is the link if you want to check it out:http://crazysexykitchenproject.blogspot.com/2012/11/hummus-hummus-pinwheels.html)  This hummus uses a white bean as the base.  It was so good, and easy to mix together.  I don't think you can ever go wrong with hummus.  Plus, homemade hummus is so much better than the store bought stuff.  My kids loved it, and I love when they devour something so healthy.

Hummus (with white beans)

Even my pup wanted in on this!

I must warn you that major garlic breath will come from this meal.

So have some parsley or mint handy to chew on.  (Breath mints too!)  The truth is you won't even care about all that because you will be so happily full!

Sushi Rolls with Sesame Root Rice

Sesame Root Rice pg. 145
Vegetable Sushi Maki Rolls pg. 143

Vegetable Sushi Maki Roll

First off let me just give a standing ovation to all sushi chefs out there!  You leave me in ahhh of your skill and talent.  I will never ever take for granted how amazing you are ever again.  I will in fact  really appreciate the beauty of my next restaurant sushi experience.  I will sit front and center at the bar, so I can really watch as you prepare my rolls.  They are a work of art, an art form I have not mastered!

I have never made sushi rolls before.  Actually, I had never even bought nori sheets (seaweed).  So be kind to me and try not to laugh as I describe my experience.  This recipe was labeled a "1" in Crazy Sexy Kitchen.  Recipes labeled "1" are supposed to be easy to make.  A "1" maybe if you have made sushi before!

The recipe started out simple enough.  I made Sesame Root Rice.  It is actually not rice at all but instead parsnips, pine nuts and a few other things.

No cooking was involved in the Root Rice making so this came together pretty fast.  It was good too.

Sesame Root Rice

So this would be the rice filler in my Vegetable Sushi Maki Rolls.  This is a peak at the other veggies I used.

The bell pepper looks like it is smiling!

My amazing husband was right along side me as we chopped up everything for our rolls.  All was going according to plan.  Not so bad, so we thought.  We may have been a little over confident. My older son watched us with a skeptical eye.  We acted like we knew what we were doing.  My husband encouraged me, and I him.  It was actually quite a team builder after our difficult previous couple of days.  It was like we were completing some sort of Amazing Race challenge.   We started to assemble our rolls with visions of restaurant quality beauty. 

I tried to capture it all for you, but let me just apologize because the lighting sucks!  I take most of my pictures outside because I am strictly armature in the photography department.  Taking good pictures at night is really difficult.  They get very yellow.  So no need to talk behind my back and say my pictures kind of suck today.  I will say it for you! They suck!

Here is where things started to get a little sketchy.  We have laid out our roll (It was a thing of beauty. Ya right!).  The moment of truth,  bringing the sushi roll home by rolling it up.  This is much harder than it looks.  Before you ask, yes we had a bamboo sushi roll kit.  I bought it for 3.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond!  Our first roll looked small and sad.

Not to mention how the heck do you cut the roll without smashing everything?  We tried knife after knife.  We sharpened them as well. My son was saying, "Just chop it really hard, total samurai style." I was desperate so I tried it! Hiiii Ya!  Nothing worked.  We finally used a bread knife which actually worked pretty good. 

Too Small!

The next set we thought to add some rice to the outside of the roll.  Maybe that will make it look better. These were too big!  It was like the Goldie Locks and the 3 Frickin sushi rolls.

Too Big!

So yes you get the picture, the next rolls were just right, or maybe just as right as they were gonna be.  At this point we brought out the alcohol, and started making cocktails!

The rolls ended up tasting way better than I thought they would.  We ate them all small, big and just right.  My husband made us Burning Mandarins just like we would get at Katsuya.  (Katsuya is a ultra trendy sushi bar where you might get a star sighting if you live in LA.  Lots of paparazzi hang outside trying to get the money shot.  Although the original Katsuya in Studio City, CA is by far better!)

Victory was ours!  Although, I think I will leave sushi making to the professionals.  Lastly, I will give you a sneak peak at the obstacles I faced trying to get a good photo.  My husband was holding the sushi over the sink as I stood on a chair hoping for some brightness!

Yep, I need to invest in some lighting!

Truffled Edamame Dumplings

Truffled Edamame Dumplings with Shallot Broth pg. 147
Basic Asian Marinade pg. 226

Truffled Edamame Dumplings

It is the last day of 2012!  Have you made any resolutions?  Me, I always try to make a few.  Not that I always keep them. I vowed to do yoga everyday last year.  Promising myself to become limber enough to touch my toes, but I traded yoga in for running.  I decided a firm butt was more important!  Here are my 2013 resolutions:
Run 5 miles without walking.  I can do it, right!  I am only at 3 miles...
Travel some place new with my hubby. Hmmm, I can't wait to see where it will be...
Laugh until I cry. (Without being tickled!)
Take my kids on an adventure. (or 2 or 3)
Finish cooking my way through Crazy Sexy Kitchen!

Truffled Edamame Dumplings with Shallot Broth are the last in a trio of delicious appetizers to serve at your party tonight.  This one will take a bit of planning to make.  You have to soak some cashews in preparation.  Not to mention finding vegan potsticker shells proved to be a bit of a challenge.  Whole Foods didn't have them, but a local Asian supermarket did.  The broth can be made first and set aside.  It doesn't take too long to make.  Here is what you will need for the broth.

Shallot Broth Ingredients

After you make the filling you will need to set up a work station to fill the dumplings.  I found I had a tendency to overfill the dumplings at first, but once I got the hang of it they came together.  Here is what you will need for the filling, and a peak at the work station I created.

Dumpling Ingredients

Once the dumplings are browned you are to steam them.  Make sure you brown them enough, otherwise I think the dumplings taste doughy.  When Steaming the dumplings Chef Sarno suggests putting some sort of leafy vegetable down in the steamer to prevent them from sticking to the pan. I used romaine.

I also made an Asian Marinade to dip the dumplings in as well as the Shallot Broth.  This marinade is delicious. ( Not that the Shallot one isn't.)  The Asian one is spicy and really addicting.  When I make this recipe again I will probably skip the Shallot Broth and just make the Asian Marinade. The spice was just so good!  Although, my kids liked the Shallot Broth, so I guess I am stuck making both. Here is what you will need to add a little kick to your dumplings.

Asian Marinade Ingredient

This recipe was a success with the family.  I would totally recommend getting your family or friends to help you make them. Someone to stuff the dumplings, another to fry, while another is in charge of steaming.  Lastly, everyone eat them!  They are awesome!

Now tell me one of your New Year's resolutions.  Leave me a comment and tell me what you plan to on doing in 2013.  I would love to hear it!  Have a safe and Happy New Year! 

One last thing, Chef Sarno tweeted me that this was his favorite recipe in Crazy Sexy Kitchen!  So listen to the man, make these Dumplings and start 2013 with a bang.  You will love it too!


  

Crostini with Artichoke Puree, Garlicky Mushrooms, & Horseradish

Crostini with Artichoke Puree, Garlicky Mushrooms, and Horseradish pg. 144

Crostini with Artichoke Puree, Garlicky Mushrooms, & Horseradish

Here is another amazing appetizer to serve at your New Year's Eve bash.  Chef Sarno said in Crazy Sexy Kitchen that he has been making this dish on New Year's Eve for over a decade! Once you taste these Costini's you will totally get why he has made it his tradition.  I couldn't stop eating them as I was shooting the pictures for the blog.  I would consider doubling up on the recipe because 12 Crostini's won't be enough.  Go buy these ingredients because your guests will love you for it.

I had never purchased horseradish root before.  Yet again I had to ask my peeps at Whole Foods to help me out.  (It is the huge thing in the ingredient picture above.) To prepare it you just peel away the skin of the root like you would with ginger and grate away.  It wasn't spicy like the horseradish sauce you get in a jar, but it gave you a hint of that flavor.  My kids loved these Crostini's.  I would suggest making the Artichoke Puree earlier in the day to save a step when your guests arrive.  The mushrooms take only minutes to prepare.  That way you will spend less time in the kitchen and more time celebrating the New Year!

The Garlicky Mushrooms were a dish I had made before, and was excited to make again because they are yummy.  Here is a link for the ingredients. 
http://crazysexykitchenproject.blogspot.com/2012/12/polenta-marinara-mushrooms.html

So did you think of a signature cocktail to go with all your tasty appetizers for New Year's?  Maybe you need more inspiration?  Here is another one of my favorites.
It was created by Rick Bayless from the Frontera Grill in Chicago.

Summer Margarita
1/2 of an 8-ounce (6-inch-long) cucumber peeled and juiced
3/4 cup good-quality blanco tequila (They use Milagro blanco for this margarita at the restaurant. We  use Patron.)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup simple syrup
Cucumber slices for garnish
*Serve in a martini glass with sugar and dried cilantro on rim
It is refreshingly dangerous!  You can't have just one.  

Cucumber Cups

Cucumber Cups with Olive Tapenade pg. 141

Cucumber Cups with Olive Tapenade

Over the next few days I am going to make several awesome appetizers that you can serve at your New Year's Eve party.  Today we will start with the Cucumber Cups with Olive Tapenade.  Here is what you will need to get the party started as "Pink" would say. (Love her!)

My new zester courtesy of my BFF!!

These were a piece of cake to make.  You can prepare the Tapenade Cups ahead of time and pull them out of the refrigerator when your guests arrive.

Now you just need to invent your signature New Year's Eve cocktail...

Here is one of my favorites: The Burning Mandarin
one part cranberry
one part OJ
one part fresh lemon juice
simple syrup
shot of Absolute Mandarin
muddle a couple slices of a green serrano chile
shake it all up with some ice and pour (straining out the ice)
garnish with a sugar rimmed martini glass and a slice of serrano
*chill martini glass in freezer for added wow!
It is zesty!