Summer Ultimatum

[alexander]

So I like random recipes that are delicious and while perhaps not quite being unique, are not like something i've had yet.

 

So this one is what happens when i'm tired of a summer that is just not being good to us... either cold and rainy, or hot and humid, man this summer sucked... so i made an ultimatum

 

so there are 3 parts to this, the cake, which is baked in a shallow pan like a mini shortcake pan or something. The filling, and then the mouse.

 

hmm, start with the mini cakes, they take the longest:

 

2 cups of sugar

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1 cup milk

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp of vanilla

about 2-3 cups of fresh blueberries (washed)

 

preheat oven to 350F

 

put sugar and eggs in a bowl and mix it together till the mixture thickens a little, maybe a minute to a minute and a half, add the rest of the ingredients, and beat until everything is smooth and creamy (dont over do this)

 

add the blueberries, mix with the spoon in a folding fashion, until they are evenly mixed into the batter

 

grease the pan, spoon the batter into each shortcake whole, till it covers the bottom, remember these will rise in the oven

 

when these are done, take them out, let cool for about 10 minutes then take them out of the shapes and using a knife or a thread, cut these in 1/2 long ways, so that you can put 1/2 into a glass (or whatever you choose to serve this), then put the filling on top and cover it with the second half (more on presentation later)

 

filling:

 

about 2 cups of peeled, and cut into slices (around 1/4 inch thick) peaches (preferably fresh from the farm)

about a 5 tbsp of regular sugar

about 2 tsp of demerara sugar

1 pod of green cordamom

1 inch piece of vanilla bean

 

first take the pod of cordamom and break it apart, to get these little black seeds out

take 2 tbsp of sugar and put into a grinder, then add the little black seeds to the sugar, and grind all that to a fine powder (which will smell amazing)

 

into a deeper frying pan, over medium to medium-low heat, put down peaches and the rest of the sugar

 

slice the vanilla bean down the middle witha a pearing knife, but dont cut it fully, just so you can open it up. Open the bean up and with a knife, go down and scrub once the inside part of the bean with a little pressure, to get the seeds and stuff to remain on the knife, add the seeds and the bean to the pan, if you feel like giving it a little more creaminess, add a little buter too

 

in about 3 minutes, add the cordamom sugar, dont forget to mix this. best results are at around 10-15 minutes, when the peaches still havent lost color and not completely their texture, but they are very nice and soft (take out the vanilla bean)

 

If your cakes are done, you can do the following, but the bottom part of the cake first, then put a layer of peaches in, do this for the rest, try not to put a lot of the "juice" with it. Once you are done, add a teaspoon of rum to the juice, add a couple of table spoons of water, and then drizzle this mixture over the cake buns (evenly) to make them not be as dry later

 

lastly you can cover the peaches with the second half of the bun

 

The topping:

2 cups of half and half

2 tbsp of corn starch

4 tbsp of sugar

pinch of salt

1 tsp of vanilla

 

mix the half and half and corn starch in a pan, over medium to medium-low heat, mix well, continue mixing it often until the mixture goes to the consistency such that it covers the back of the spoon

 

let that cool down for a little bit

 

take fresh raspberries and sprinkle them generously over the top of the cake, then when the topping cools down a bit, spoon it over the raspberries.

 

Throw in the fridge for a few hours to chill... and enjoy

 

I tend to serve this in a wine glass :evil:

 

its pretty lite, pretty lite in flavor as well, it makes it summerish, and also allows you to taste the fruit... its pretty delicious when done right :evil:

 

 

So what are your summer ultimatums?

[pamela]

So what are your summer ultimatums?

to head to your house, i am starving.And what about that beer? is it ready yet? i am kinda thirsty too:D

[alexander]

i have some barley wine that's sure to keep you here for a while... also, i always have beer for you

[pamela]

beer, wine, and sweet temptations-you really know a way to a woman's heart-i am so there-start pouring!!!

[alexander]

I have wine for you too, picked up this chilean mix, heavy on Malbec, its a tangy smooth wine that drinks like a nice $40 bottle, it's a little young, but mmm-mmm so tasty :)

 

And that barley wine, needs another 8-9 months to age, but its so incredibly full and complex, so much flavor, so unexpectedly at that high level of alcohol, such a highly hopped beer with so many off-tones that make it that extra special :) , mmmmmm delish :) just that its carbonating slowly, its a draw-back right now, its very litely carbonated, for being bottled for 2 and a half months already :(

[pamela]

just that its carbonating slowly, its a draw-back right now, its very litely carbonated, for being bottled for 2 and a half months already

oh no problem i can wait 'cause once i arrive for dinner, i am not likely to leave;)

[Moontanman]

Hmmm, ultimate summer recipes? I have one for you.....

 

 

First you camp out on the beach and after a warm summer night of onshore breezes, a blazing camp fire, and much beer you get up early in the morning to catch sunrise and low tide.

 

You crawl out into the shallow water and feel through the sand with your fingers to find thin shelled mussels, four dozen or so should do, a dozen cockles, and a large horse conch. Take your seine and catch about 4 pounds of large shrimp. This should take you most of the morning and before the tide comes in and strands you again you load up the seafood in your 4X4 and make it home with your booty. If you can get em scallops are a good thing to add as well....

 

You clean the meat out of the shells and **** it up into fine strips, peal the shrimp and dice them up and put it all aside in the frig. (save the clam and cockle juices)

 

Take one 5 gallon pot, put a 1/4 inch of olive oil and a stick of butter in the pot and cut up 6 big red onions, a pound of green onions, 2 whole bulbs of garlic, 6 red, green and yellow bell peppers and 2 pounds of shitake mushrooms and a pound of bacon.

 

Fry the bacon crisp in a separate pan and crumble the crisp bacon into the Olive oil. Clear out the veggies in the oil, use red pepper flakes, salt, and to taste.

 

Brown the seafood with the veggies, add the clam juice, a stick of butter, a quart of half and half, milk, 2 pounds of potatoes 1/2 pound of cut up carrots.

 

Allow this mixture to simmer for a couple hours or until you can't stand the people standing around drooling any more and dole it out into bowls..

 

Oh yeah, Guinness for every one.....

[alexander]

i dont like overcooked seafood, but it does sound pretty good, like cajun crawfish :hihi:

[Moontanman]

Over cooked? It's chowder! It's not boiled shrimp or conch salad! How could it be over cooked? Is shrimp gumbo over cooked! The longer it simmers the better it gets! Sheesh!

[alexander]

hey cajun crawfish is great too, and its overcooked most of the time too... but yeah, no it sounds good :) good summer eatin' and drinkin'