Recipes: Avocado with Marcona Almonds, Castillo de Canena EVOO and Smoked Salt - TFM Rotisserie Chicken with Aji Amarillo Sauce - Roasted Red Pepper Tapa - Calabrian Style Shrimp Scampi - Roasted Tomato Grilled Cheese - Italian Caprese Platter

I have to begin with THANK YOU!  I don't know who sent a compliment about me via TFM's website, but not only was it greatly appreciated, but made my day!  (Also, you're obviously not the people I'm referencing at the end of this post.  When Rodney told me he received an email about me ... I cringed.)

It was a wonderful weekend sampling.  Again, Saturday FLEW by, especially when I had the fun and love of my regular customers ...

All the samples were a HUGE hit and I was told numerous times, this assortment was the best yet. EVERYTHING was a FAVORITE! Now all I think about is, "how can I top this?"  

I was soooooo busy cooking grilled cheese and shrimp, trying furiously to keep samples on the table, plus chit-chat with all my customers.  Wondering if I bit off more than I could chew ... 

So many new and delicious products in the store!  I get carried away and can't edit myself.  All I want to do is SHARE ... it all ... at once.

With all that preamble ... here are the recipes.  Customers enjoyed them all with many "delicious" comments.  Every sample was, "this is my favorite".  Customers even told customers, "you have to try that, it's so good."  All music to my ears.  Also handed out more recipes than ever.

The sampled brands were Culinary Collective (Castillo de Canena EVOO, Zocalo Aji Amarillo Paste, Aneto Fish Broth) and Food Match (Divina).  I'm glad they supported me with this sampling.  Stonewall Kitchen as well ... always there when I need them.

Avocado Halves with Marcona Almonds, Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Spices

2 small or medium avocados

¼ c. Marcona Almonds coarsely chopped

4 pinches Faulk Salt Smoked salt flakes or Sea Salt Flor de Sal

4 pinches TFM Spanish Chorizo seasoning/spice*

3-4 Tbl.  Castillo de Canena Picual EVOO

Slice each avocado in half and remove seeds and arrange on serving plate. Sprinkle chopped Marcona almonds on all four halves, then sprinkle with salt, and smoked salt flakes*. Drizzle olive oil on each one. Serve with crusty bread or with just a spoon!

* You can use Piment d'Espelette, unsmoked hot paprika, ground cayenne or Aleppo pepper.  

This recipe was a "who knew?!" Such a deliciously easy way to eat an avocado.  Creamy.  Crunchy.  Hint of spicy. Nice hint of smoke.  I could sit and snack on this all day long.

I use smoked salt flakes as a finishing salt.  LOVE it on my steak when it comes off the grill.  One of my customers said they would use it on pork chops and salmon.  Another thought it would be great for sprinkling on cupcakes after you frost them.

*****

Aji Amarillo Sauce

¼ c. Zocalo Aji Amarillo paste

2 Tbl. ketchup

¼ c. sour cream

¼ c. Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Aioli

2 limes juiced

2 green onions chopped

1 Tbl. cumin

Kosher Salt, to taste 

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, or bowl, blending until thoroughly incorporated. You can vary the level of spice or salt as you like.

Originally I was going to sample this with TFM's rotisserie chicken, but Gene got to the chicken before I did and he chopped it up for chicken salad.  Shrimp was Plan B and that was PERFECT.

My favorite words ... SOLD OUT ... of Zocalo Aji Amarillo paste.

*****

Roasted Red Pepper Tapa

5 pieces Divina Roasted Red Peppers   

4 oz. Dry Spanish chorizo

4 oz. Manchego cheese

1 Tbl. chopped fresh parsley

Castillo de Canena Picual EVOO

Drain peppers of the brine they were packed in and pat dry.

Cut each pepper crosswise into ½-inch slices and arrange on platter.

Thinly slice the chorizo and cheese. Arrange with the peppers.

Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle parsley over the entire surface.

Note: Can season with salt and/or splash of sherry vinegar.

*****

Calabrian-Style Shrimp Scampi

(adapted from Rachel Ray)

3 Tbl. olive oil

1 lb. raw shrimp, deveined and tails on

Salt and pepper

1 rib of celery, finely chopped

1 large shallot, finely chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped or grated

2 to 3 Tbl. Divina Chopped Calabrian Chilies

½ c. dry vermouth or white wine

½ c. Aneto Fish Broth

3 Tbl. butter

A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large pan over medium-high to high heat, add shrimp and sear 2 minutes, then turn, season with salt and pepper, cook a minute more, and remove from pan.

Add remaining olive oil, celery, shallots and garlic, Stir a minute or 2, then add Calabrian Chilies and stir.

Add vermouth, or wine.  Simmer until it is absorbed.  Add Fish Broth and let it bubble and reduce a minute.  Add butter and parsley.  Swirl.  Add shrimp back to pan and turn to coat.  Cook shrimp through (approx. 2 minutes more).  Douse with lemon juice.  Serve.

I used Mystified Chardonnay, since that was the wine I was pouring.  It was also a nice pairing. 

Serve this over rice for a delicious meal.

*****

Roasted Tomato Grilled Cheese

3 - 4 DIVINA Roasted Red Tomatoes, drained

2 - 4 slices American cheddar, or other melting cheese

2 slices bread – Brioche, white,  whole grain

2 Tbl. Butter

Sandwich tomatoes (or peppers) and cheese between bread while heating 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.

Press sandwich slightly and add to pan.

Cook, flipping once and adding additional butter if needed, until toasted and cheese is melted, about 3-5 minutes per side.

Brioche bread and a combination of American yellow cheese and Muenster cheese.  Combined with Divina Roasted Red Tomatoes.  Yum!  Also, instead of butter, I spread mayonnaise on the outside of the bread and cooked.

*****

Lastly, this weekend I had no filter.  I snapped a couple times.  To the customers sampling at the time, I apologize for my weak moment. Keep in mind, the following is MY opinion and NOT that of TFM ...


For the woman who felt the need to grope around the chopped macadamia nuts, and the gentleman who felt the need to take a fork and dive into the food ... this was food I had prepped for sampling.  WHY do you think you can do this!?  The Health Dept. frowns upon this. I more than frown upon this. This was product I prepped for assembling and sampling.  That's why it was BEHIND the product for sale; furthest away from you. I couldn't use the macadamia nuts and had to throw them out.  As for the gentleman ... I stopped him before his fork hit his target.

In the words of my customer Jim, "don't make the Wine Lady mad."

P.S. I will also ask one question ... why do some customers think the hand basket, with a clip board and sleeve of cups, on the OPPOSITE side of the table from you, is trash?  Why are you compelled to toss your trash in it like you're shooting a basketball?  WHY would I have a trash bin far away from you, lower than the table, for you to use?!

Obviously not my weekend for smiling all day long and biting my tongue.  Done venting.