What’s Cooking in SWFL
What’s cooking in SWFL
1 BABY LAMB CHOPS
Restaurant: 21 Spices
Serves 6 Baby lamb chops, cleaned and cut into individual bones. Marinate in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight in the following:
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard ¼ big bunch cilantro 2 teaspoons chopped ginger & garlic paste 2 lemons, juiced 5 tablespoons chopped mint 1 teaspoon garam masala Salt and pepper 3 teaspoons vegetable oil Spray the grill and make sure it’s 350 degrees F. Take chops out of marinade. Grill to required or preferred temperature. Serve with mint chutney (recipe below). If using sauté pan, use vegetable oil and make sure pan is hot (not smoking enough to sizzle) and sear both sides nice and brown. Finish in 300-degree oven for 10 minutes.
Mint Chutney
¼ pound fresh mint 1 small jar sweet mango chutney
Mix in food processor until smooth. Add optional spicy cayenne. Serve cold. 4270 Tamiami Trail E., Naples; 239-919-8830; 21spicesdining.com
2 SWEETENED GARLIC VINAIGRETTE
Restaurant: Bennett’s Fresh Roast 4 teaspoons garlic powder (not granulated) 6 teaspoons sugar or 6 packets Splenda ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 1½ cups vegetable oil Fresh ground pepper to taste Add dry ingredients to cruet, then add apple cider vinegar and shake. Add vegetable oil and shake to mix. Put your favorite salad ingredients in a bowl or on a plate. Shake dressing again before serving. (Bennett’s uses this dressing on its Annie Salad, which has romaine lettuce, oranges, applewood smoked bacon and feta cheese. It is also a perfect match for a Cobb salad.) 2011 Bayside Parkway, Fort Myers; 239-332-0077; bennettsfreshroast.com
3 KEYLIME BISTRO-STYLE BOUILLABAISSE
Restaurant: Keylime Bistro
Serves 8 Step 1 of soup:
¼ cup olive oil 1 onion, chopped 4 ribs celery, chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed ½ cup fresh basil, chopped 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 2 quarts water 1 cup white wine (optional) 1 pound tomatoes, chopped 1 piece orange peel, 2-3 inches (no pith) 6-8 sprigs parsley 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs or 1 teaspoon thyme, fresh or dry 1 fennel bulb, chopped (optional) or 1 teaspoon dried fennel seed (optional) Pinch of saffron (optional) 2 teaspoons salt 6-8 peppercorns 5 large carrots, chopped 1 pound each: salmon, tuna, grouper, cut into 1-inch squares
Step 2, for last 10 minutes of cooking:
15 shrimp 1 pound scallops 8 small lobster tails 24 mussels 24 clams Garlic butter 1 cup white wine 1 cup Key lime juice ⅓ cup chopped parsley ½ cup chopped garlic 3 ounces Worcestershire sauce 2 pounds creamy butter French bread, sliced and toasted, 4 pieces per person In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over a medium flame. Add all of the above listed soup ingredients except shrimp, scallops,
mussels and lobster. Sauté slowly until onions are wilted and translucent. Add shrimp, scallops, mussels and lobster and bring to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes. Place toasted bread in bottom of each individual’s bowl. Place a piece of each type of fish and seafood over bread. Spoon broth over all. 11509 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva Island; 239-395-4000; captivaislandinn.com
4 TIRAMISU
Restaurant: A Touch of Italy 10 egg yolks 10 ounces granulated sugar 3 ounces Marsala wine (sweet) 10 ounces heavy cream 8 ounces mascarpone cream 12 ounces espresso coffee, chilled 24 ladyfingers Cocoa powder to finish Mix egg yolks and sugar together with 1 ounce Marsala and heat in double boiler until tepid. Using a mixer, mix on high speed until doubled in volume. It will form a ribbon-like consistency. In separate bowl, mix heavy cream and mascarpone until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the 2 mixes together. Mix espresso and remaining Marsala in another bowl and fully dip ladyfingers into mixture. Lay them out flat in 9x13 pan. Top with custard mixture and sprinkle with cocoa powder. Alternately, use a smaller pan and layer ladyfingers and custard mix. Refrigerate for 4 hours before cutting and serving. 7890 Summerlin Lakes Drive, Fort Myers; 238-482-8727; italydeli.com
5 SWEET AND SMOKY BABY BACK RIBS
Restaurant: LongHorn Steakhouse
Serves 6 Ribs
6 full baby back rib racks. May cook ahead and reheat on grill. 1 cup rib rub (recipe below) 4 cups water Plastic wrap, as needed Aluminum foil, as needed
Sweet and Smoky Barbeque Sauce
48 ounces sweet barbeque sauce 2-3 ounces chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely minced
Smoky Rib Rub
1 tablespoon cumin 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon granulated garlic 1 tablespoon granulated onion 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon black pepper Combine rub ingredients in small bowl and mix well. Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees F. Tear off piece of plastic wrap twice the size of the rack. Place ribs on plastic and season with 1 tablespoon rub on each side of the ribs. Wrap ribs in the plastic. Tear off piece of aluminum foil big enough to wrap the rack of ribs in, to create two layers. Repeat these steps for each rack. Place wrapped rib racks in oven on sheet pan for 3-4 hours or until ribs reach internal temperature of 195 degrees F. Remove ribs from oven, open one end of the wrap to let steam escape and place in refrigerator to cool. Place barbecue sauce ingredients in medium bowl and mix well. Heat grill to 500-550 degrees F. Scrape grates with grill brush and then oil the grates. Brush meat side of ribs with sauce and place bone side down on grill. Heat to desired temperature. Add more sauce when served. 10030 University Plaza Drive, Fort Myers; 239-433-0286; longhornsteakhouse.com