The Lush Chef

With the long holiday weekend coming up, you'll inevitably be throwing a Memorial Day party or attending one, which means either way, you'll be contributing some booze.  Regardless of whether you're the host or a guest, you can amp up the weekend and impress your friends with a super simple punch. No one wants to be shaking or stirring up individual cocktails during a big party.  Well, maybe you do, but then everyone's waiting for a drink.  I also like to stir these punches up in those 2-quart beverage coolers and slyly cart them to the beach.  It's The Lush Chef way. The below are some of my favorite summer recipes.  Just be careful, because they go down easily...

Libations used: 1 cup white wine...
Libations left over: Pretty much the whole bottle, so serve with din-din...
I've been in a seafood mood as of late, and perhaps it's because LA was experiencing unseasonably hot temperatures for the past couple of weeks.  In other words, I wanted something light and fresh.  This "Saucy" Sautéed Shrimp with Lemon Quinoa from The Kitchn was just the thing I needed for a warm Sunday evening.  The white wine sauce is further enriched with shallots, garlic, red bell pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes. I used jarred, julienned sun-dried tomatoes to get a little more flavor from the oil.  Pick a bottle of nice, full-bodied white wine to cook with and that you'd also like to polish off with the meal.  I popped open Sanford's Chardonnay, which is crispy and light on the oak finish. It also happens to be a favorite of The Lush Chef's mama (sorry, you weren't with me to share, mom!).  Any size shrimp is actually fine, and I opted for a larger, pink variety. I plan on cooking the quinoa with wine and lemon again to use in salads, as a side dish, or the base for other recipes.  This meal also comes together quickly, so it's great for weeknights and lazy Sundays.

Saucy Sautéed Shrimp & Lemon Quinoa - serves 3-4
Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 cup white wine (I used Sanford's Chardonnay), divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley, divided
• 3 Tbs unsalted butter, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large shallots, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely sliced
• 1 lb fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined

- Rinse that quinoa well in a fine-meshed sieve under running water.
- In a medium sauce pot over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add the drained quinoa and lightly toast, stirring for about 1 minute.
- Add the salt, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the white wine, and 1 1/2 cups water.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer, letting the quinoa cook for about 15 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, place a large skillet over low heat and melt 1 Tbs of the butter.
- Add the garlic, shallots, red pepper, and tomatoes, stirring frequently until the garlic and tomatoes are softened and fragrant.
- Turn up the heat to medium and add the second Tbs of butter and the rest of the white wine.
- Whisk constantly, bringing the wine to a simmer, and cook until the mixture is slightly reduced and shiny.
- Turn down the heat to very low to keep the sauce warm.
- In a separate large sauce pan or skillet over high heat, heat the remaining Tbs of butter.
- Add the shrimp and sear them quickly until cooked (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add the shrimp into the pan of sauce and veggies and toss in half of the parsley.
- How's that quinoa doing? Turn off the heat, and let it stand covered for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa.
- Stir in the lemon zest and the remaining parsley.
- Divide quinoa evenly amongst plates and top with the shrimp and veggie sauce.  If you have any more lemon zest and parsley, then sprinkle some on top!

This past March, my friend and I did a little urban distillery tour through Portland.  You can actually get a Distillery Row Passport for $25 with a $5 coupon at the airport and most hotels, so it's a pretty sweet deal.  Grab a passport and a fixed gear bike, and you're set.  Anyway, my friend and I were absolutely smitten with the Ginger Liqueur at New Deal Distillery.  

Libations used: 1 cup white wine...
Libations left over: Pretty much the whole bottle, so serve with dinner...
I had bought a ton of fresh peas from the Farmers' Market last weekend without thinking about what I was actually going to make with them.  I used to hate peas as a child.  I mean, truly, truly despised them.  Perhaps it was because we only got the frozen kind, and they were thawed out in the microwave.  After buying them fresh, now I just love them.  I was having a few girl friends over for Sunday dinner, and I wanted something easy and light tasting.  Food & Wine had this beautiful recipe in their April issue for Salmon with Mashed Peas & Tarragon Butter from Viña Casa Marín, a Chilean Winery, that captured the beautiful colors of spring.

























I took a little trip to Santa Monica Seafood for some fresh salmon, and got a little sidetracked by the oyster bar.  There's nothing better than treating yourself to a few freshly shucked oysters on a Sunday afternoon.  For the wine, use a dry white such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc—something that pairs well with the fish.  If you don't have a grill pan to get those lovely grill marks, just use a regular sauté pan.  This recipe comes together quickly and I just absolutely loved the herbed butter sauce in it—it's divine drizzled over the salmon and peas.  At least you're getting your veggies, so all that butter offsets it, right?
Salmon with Mashed Peas & Tarragon Butter - serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh or frozen peas (about 3 cups)
• 7 Tbs cold, unsalted butter, 6 Tbs cubed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
• 2 tsps lemon juice
• 2 Tbs roughly chopped tarragon
• Four 6 oz salmon fillets, with skin on
• 2 Tbs olive oil

- In a large sauce pot of boiling water, cook the peas until tender, about 3-4 minutes, and drain.
- In the same pot, melt 1 Tbs of butter in the cream.
- Add the peas and mash with a potato masher until it's chunky (you don't want a smooth, perfect mash here).
- In a small saucepan, simmer the wine with the lemon juice over medium heat until reduced to about 1 Tbs (about 8-10 minutes).
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the remaining 6 Tbs of butter, one cube at a time, until the sauce is thickened.
- Whisk in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper, and turn the heat off.
- Heat a grill pan or sauté pan over medium heat.
- Rub the salmon fillets with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Grill the salmon, skin side down, turning just once, until just cooked through (about 10-12 minutes).
- Spoon the mashed peas onto the plate and top with the salmon, skin side up.
- Spoon the tarragon butter over the salmon and serve immediately.