Avocado Fish Nachos

           Crab and avocado have been a pair for sometime now, and are a popular combo  in the world of food.   So, some years ago we created these nachos for
entertaining to contrast the wonderful crunch of corn tortilla with the subtle, silky flavors of avocado and crab.  The jack cheese and mayo we added served to meld the filling together and the addition of the lime and green onion act like confetti to lend a sparkle of brighter flavors to the bite.  Now it is fish tacos here and fish tacos there, so we were creating these a bit ahead of our time.  Super easy appetizer for a party or snack.  Nothing crabby about them!

Avocado & Fish Nachos:

1 package tortilla chips (cups or flat chip

6 ounce package imitation crab (pollock)

3 green onions chopped, white and tops

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced

1 cup shredded Montery or Colby Jack chees

1/3 cup mayonnaise

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lay 24 whole tortilla chips on a baking sheet.

-Combine other ingredients in a medium bowl.  Place a spoonful of fish mixture in the center of each chip.  Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**You can use crab lump meat instead of the imitation crab but they look nicer with the orange of the imitation crab.

**A few black sliced olives can be added if desired for another contrast of colors but too many added to the filling, mask the subtle flavors of the fish and avocado.

Shrimp Remoulade Filled Avocado

SHRIMP  REMOULADE  FILLED AVOCADO

4 ripe Haas avocados

1/2 pound large raw shrimp, shelled & deveined

      (fresh or frozen)

2 limes

1 1/4 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup mustard (Creole mustard if available)

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons horse radish (optional)

1 teaspoon pickle juice

1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot sauce (depending on taste)

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

     -Mix the following ingredients together to create

       the remoulade.  (Can be made ahead and left

       for flavors to meld for 30 minutes to several 

       hours in refrigerator.)  Combine: mayonnaise,

       mustard, paprikas, pickle juice, hot sauce, onion

       powder, garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, salt and 

       pepper, horseradish.  Let sit at least 30 minutes.

     -Rinse shrimp (if frozen, rinse in cold water until

       thawed).  Marinate shrimp in mixture of juice of

       1/2 lime, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 clove garlic - 

       finely minced, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon 

       lemon pepper for 30 minutes.

      -Thread shrimp on to bamboo skewers and cook

        over grill or under broiler about 2 minutes on

        each side, just until they turn opaque.  Set 

        aside.

      -Split avocados in half lengthwise, twist in half 

         & remove seed.  Do not remove the skin. Score 

         avocado flesh gently, 4 times lengthwise and 4

         times across.  Squeeze lime juice lightly over 

         the flesh and sprinkle with salt.

      -Cut a small flat piece of avocado skin from the

        bottom of each half so that they will not roll 

        when placed on the baking sheet.  Line a large

        baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick 

        vegetable spray.  Place the 8 avocado halves on

        the sheet, spaced evenly apart.  Fill the cavity

        of each avocado half with 1 large spoonful of

        remoulade sauce, covering the flat cut surfaces

        as well.  Place 3 - 4 grilled shrimp on top of 

        each and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

       -Place tray in oven preheated to 375 degrees and

         cook for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and

         sauce is warmed through.  Serve warm.

Halve avocados, score the flesh, sprinkle 

with lime juice & salt.

Cut off small piece from bottom so it won't roll.

Place a spoonful of remoulade sauce

in cavity and on flat surfaces.

Place grilled shrimp on top and

sprinkle on paprika and cheese.

PERSNICKETY  NOTES:

**Be sure avocados are just ripe enough to cut but not too soft.

**You can use medium sized shrimp as well - just put twice as many of

    them on top of each avocado.

         

     

French Zucchini Salad

             
                           Something different to do with the ridiculously abundant
                     harvest of zucchini from your vegetable garden!  We don't
                     usually think of using zucchini raw but for years it has made
                     an appearance on platters of vegetable crudites with dip, so why
                     not a salad? 
                             I was first exposed to it in this format at the same cooking
                     class I made reference to in my previous post.  This is Marte's
                     recipe, the delightful French woman that hosted us in her 
                     home for a cooking experience! 
                          My daughters loved the recipe and found it light and
                     refreshing..and those colors, so vibrant and lush!  Go for 
                     smaller zucchinis - they are generally more tasty and tender 
                     than the ones that are as big as your baby.  Save those for 
                     zucchini bread! 


                     FRENCH  ZUCCHINI  SALAD
               3 -4 small zucchini
               15 cherry tomatoes
               1/2 red onion, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
               1/2 large red pepper, cut into thin matchsticks
               1/2 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
               1/4 cup olive oil
               1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
               1 clove garlic, finely minced
               salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
               12 - 15 black Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
               1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

                    -Wash, cut of ends and peel zucchini in stripes.
               Slice into very thin rounds - if you have a mandoline
               use that or the slicing blade on a food processor.
               The rounds won't be as precise with a food 
               processor but it will be fine.  You may also slice them
               by hand with a sharp paring knife.
    
                    -In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive 
               oil, salt, pepper, garlic and sliced onion.  Let sit on 
               counter at least 15 minutes.  Add the zucchini, red
               pepper, tomatoes, olives and mix.  Let rest 30 
               minutes at room temperature.  The lemon juice will 
               soften the zucchini as it sits.  Chill in fridge until
               ready to serve.

                   -In a small saute pan without oil, heat the pine
              nuts over medium heat until golden, stirring or
              shaking the pan frequently.  Watch carefully as pine 
              nuts can burn quickly. Let cool to room temperature.

                  -Remove salad from fridge and sprinkle pine nuts 
               and Parmesan cheese as well as a bit more freshly
               ground pepper on top.    Serves 8 - 10                

           Slice stripe-peeled zucchini into thin rounds.

Pour dressing over all ingredients except pine nuts

and cheese. Let sit 30 minutes, then chill.

PERSNICKETY  NOTES:

**Marinating the onions in the lemon juice helps to soften them and makes them taste

   sweeter.

**If you are not a fan of strong olives, like Kalamata, American canned olives are fine

   to use but won't give the salad the briny punch that the others do.

**If liquid accumulates in the bottom of the salad bowl after letting it sit, you can drain

   that off if desired.

**This salad looks nice just served in a salad bowl as the colors are so bright and robust

   but another option would be to serve it on a bed of greens on a platter.  If you choose

   the platter option, you will want to drain the accumulated liquid for sure.

    

Chicken with 2 Vinegars

         It was was an incredible birthday surprise that led me to this recipe.  A landmark birthday celebration, spent with my entire family in the Alsace region of France was everything I could wish for - a fascinating new region of France to explore with all my favorite people and especially new foods to be discovered!  Among the dishes indigenous to the Strasbourg area are tarte flambe  (a white pizza type dish with bacon and cream), bretzels (large soft pretzels with munster cheese and bacon on top), and spaetzle (German Schwabian noodles) served with everything (due to this area's centuries old proximity to Germany - sometimes being part of Germany, sometimes being pulled back over to France - it's current position!)
        The final three days of our trip were spent in Paris which some of our group had never experienced.  All the regulars were included in our visit, during the busiest season of the year, the break between Christmas and New Years, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, sandwiched in between the hordes of tourists, waving at Mona Lisa from a distance and Notre Dame in it's former glory, before the fire).  But the piece de resistance was a cooking
class for me and my daughters arranged by my clever husband.  
        We found our way to the Montparnasse neighborhood and a small apartment where we were greeted by Marthe.  She whisked us away to the local outdoor market where we purchased the supplies for the meal we would be cooking as we were absorbed in searching out those things peculiar to the market, including a pair of herb scissors with 4 blades on each side (which I love and you can find on Amazon   (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=herb+scissors&ref=nb_sb_noss_1 ).  Then back to her tiny apartment, feeling very French wearing the scarves we had also found at the market, where we chopped and sauteed and actually sang together to create Chicken with two Vinegars, Zucchini Salad and a French apple Cake - yes, I will share these recipes another time.
         This featured chicken dish is easy and quick to prepare and the pick-me-up provided by the sharp vinegars and brine of the olives is tempered by the delicate shallot and rosemary. It is a lovely main dish for family or friends and can transport you away with it's very French seasonings to Paris, without the crowds!
   

CHICKEN  WITH  TWO  VINEGARS
     (Poulet aux deux vinaigres)

1 chicken 3 - 4 pounds, cut into 8 serving pieces,
      or chicken tenders, or combo of boneless breasts
      and thighs to equal 2 pounds.
8 slices bacon, cut into small pieces and fried until
      crisp
1 shallot, peeled and finely sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into large dice
12 - 14 pitted kalamata or black olives, cut in half
8 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
3 sprigs of fresh Rosemary, removed from stem
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried Herbs de Provence
1 1/2 cups water

     -In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp.  Add
      the shallot and red pepper to the bacon for the
      last few minutes to soften them.  Remove bacon,
      shallot and pepper from the skillet.

     -Heat the oil with the butter in the same skillet
      until butter is melted. Add the chicken, 
      seasoning with salt and pepper.  Cook over 
      medium high heat, turning once, until the
      chicken is golden brown on both sides. Remove 
      chicken from the skillet.  Turn the heat down to 
      medium.

     -Add honey to the hot skillet and stir about two 
      minutes until the honey is bubbly but not 
      burned.  Add garlic and herbs de provence 
      during the last 30 seconds as honey is
      bubbling. Add the wine and stir to deglaze the 
      mixture from the bottom of the skillet.  Add the 
      red wine vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes 
      stirring frequently then add the balsamic
      vinegar and water.

    -Return the chicken and bacon mixture to the
     skillet along with the olives and cook, uncovered
     for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

   -Serve accompanied with rice or potatoes and
     garnished with sprigs of rosemary and extra 
     olives, if desired.

Fry chicken pieces until golden on each side.

Simmer chicken w/ other ingredients

 uncovered for 30 minutes.

                                                                   Serve chicken garnished with rosemary and

                                                                                     accompanied with rice.

PERSNICKETY  NOTES:

**Herbs de Provence is a mixture of herbs from the southern region of France by the same name.  If you want to make your own you can find the recipe by searching on line for "Herbs de Provence recipe". It isn't necessary to have this ingredient for the recipe to be delicious but if you have dried tarragon, thyme, basil, oregano - you can add just a pinch of these to the recipe instead.

**Kalamata olives or Nice Olives are saltier and have a stronger briny flavor than the typical American olive.  If you prefer the subtler taste of American olives, you can use those - the large pitted variety.