Around the table with a new cookbook...

CLOSED ON TUESDAYS

Do you ever enjoy something really delicious while dining at a restaurant, and wish you could recreate it at home? Now you can! Closed on Tuesdays, written by Chef Charles Park, gives easy to follow instructions for many of the famous dishes from his two restaurants, Beaufort Grocery Company in Beaufort NC, and Shepard's Point in Morehead City, NC.

A few weeks ago, Chef Park and I met for a cooking lesson—I'm trying to learn all I can about preparing his special dishes. We met at Shephard's Point, in Morehead City. And we met EARLY—at 8:00 AM, because that was the only free time he had. Hence, dinner for breakfast—local grouper and clams—two of my favorites. I'm being spoiled.

First things first, fresh herbs from the raised bed herb garden just behind the restaurant. He placed the clams in fresh water just for a few minutes to allow them the opportunity to spit out a little sand. White wine, shallots, sliced garlic, cold butter, fresh basil, pepper and toasted baguette slices completed the ingredient list.

We shared a Mess o'Clams as soon as they were plated. It took just about the same amount of time to make the dish as it did to toast the bread. Chef Park showed me how he really likes to eat clams, piling some of the shallot and basil on the clam, filling the shell with wine broth, and then slurping it down, biting the clam loose with his teeth. He assured me that it was perfectly acceptable to eat oysters, clams, and mussels using fingers and slurping. Then he demonstrated soption, an original family word emerging from the verb 'to sop', which is also acceptable as well as necessary when eating anything with such a delicious broth. We vigorously participated in both soption and slurping.

Mess o' Clams

Serves 4

48 fresh clams

One-half cup white wine

2 large shallots, chopped

2 T chopped garlic (Chef Park actually thinly sliced the garlic, so it could be avoided, to taste)

2 T cold butter, sliced

1 sprig fresh basil, chopped

pinch of pepper

1 loaf French bread, sliced and toasted

Wash the clams and place in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the wine, shallots and garlic. Cook, covered, over high heat just until the clams open; do not overcook. Discard any clams that do not open.

Spoon the clams to a serving dish with a slotted spoon, taking care not to stir up the cooking liquid. Drain the liquid into a smaller saucepan, leaving any sand in the larger saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir in the butter gradually. Add the basil and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the clams and serve with the toasted bread. Garnish with sprigs of basil.

Next dish was Pan Seared Grouper with Dijon Dill Sauce. I wondered if Chef Park even realized all the little details he was sharing as he cooked. Searing versus sautéing, using the oven to finish dishes, making pan sauce from the fond (pan juices), using nonstick spray appropriately, when to salt, when not to salt, cold, cold butter added at the end to make a creamy sauce without cream, when to add fresh herbs, how to plate the dish for the best presentation. I tried to get it all down, but sometimes I was so busy eating, I forgot to write. Fortunately, as I think through the process, I'm remembering.

I would gladly have paid the price of the book, Closed on Tuesdays, for my two favorite recipes, the Tuna Napoleon, featuring fresh yellowfin tuna, wasabi slaw, and crisply fried wontons; and Collard Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings and Slivers of Country Ham.

For more information on Chef Park, his restaurants or your very own Closed on Tuesdays, visit www.BeaufortGrocery.com.

Asian Tuna Salad (Tuna Napoleon )

from Closed on Tuesdays by Chef Charles Park

(Serves 4)

12 thick won ton wrappers

2 cups vegetable oil

One-half cup Wasabi Cole Slaw*

8 oz. sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna, very thinly sliced

2 T pickled ginger, julienned

Chopped fresh cilantro and Toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Seafood Dipping Sauce**

Cut the won tons into halves diagonally. Fry the won tons in the vegetable oil in a deep fryer until crisp; drain.

Spoon one tablespoon Wasabi Cole Slaw onto a serving plate and arrange three won tons in the slaw. Top with a second tablespoon of the Wasabi Cole Slaw, one tuna slice, a second wonton and a second tuna slice. Sprinkle with the pickled ginger. Garnish with chopped cilantro and 1 tsp. Toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle with Seafood Dipping Sauce. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

*Wasabi Cole Slaw

1 cup mayonnaise

One-fourth cup milk

One-fourth cup white or cider vinegar

One-fourth cup confectioners' sugar

One-fourth cup wasabi powder blended with 2 tsp. water

1 tsp. Celery seeds

One-half tsp. Salt

One-half tsp. Freshly cracked pepper

4 cups finely shredded green cabbage

1 cup finely shredded red cabbage

1 cup finely shredded carrots

Combine the mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, confectioners' sugar and wasabi powder blended in water in a medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Whisk in the celery seeds, salt and pepper.

Combine the green cabbage, red cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise mixture and mix well. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving. You can prepare the slaw in advance and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

**Seafood Dipping Sauce

(makes 1 cup)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup rice wine vinegar

1 T chopped garlic

1 T fish sauce

Combine the brown sugar, vinegar and garlic in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by one-half. Stir in the fish sauce.

Jalepeno !Bang! for July 4th

Explosions of Flavor!

Fireworks won't be the only thing lighting up your 4^th of July picnic! Stuffed and grilled jalapeños will have a flavor explosion in every single bite. It would hardly be July 4^th without burgers and dogs, but they don't have to be your everyday, run of the mill variety. Kick everything up a notch or two as Emeril would say.

Begin with fresh sweet corn that hasn't been shucked. Peel back the shucks leaving them intact, remove the silk, pull the shucks back up and soak for an hour or two, or even all day (great to do ahead). Prepare a medium heat grill (plenty of charcoal, probably a second chimney full). Place corn directly on grill, close and cook, turning occasionally for 30 to 40 minutes. After corn steams, it will begin to caramelize adding even more sweet flavor. Take corn from grill to sheet pan, remove and discard shucks, and brush corn with melted butter mixed with fresh lime juice, smokey paprika, sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a little grated parmesan. Cover sheet pan with foil, and hold in low (225°) oven until ready to serve.

And for those special dogs, choose your favorites, whether sausage, chicken or beef, and grill them over medium heat. Be sure to brush the inside of the buns with butter. Grilling the bun makes all the difference in a good hamburger or hotdog. To take your hamburgers and hotdogs over the top, add Cheese Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped Grilled Jalapeños. They're absolutely delicious and the ultimate condiment, adding that 4^th of July explosion of flavor you're looking for.

For juicier burgers, add some sauteed onions, BBQ sauce, an egg, salt and pepper, and some grated cheese to your meat. Toss together with forks and avoid compacting too much when making patties. Chill patties until ready to grill. Over medium heat, add patties to grill, DO NOT press down with spatula. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side, turning once. Serve on grilled buns with condiments. They will be DEE-LICIOUS!

HAPPY GRILLING!

Cheese Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped, Grilled Jalapeños

8 Jalapeno peppers

1 tsp. Extra virgin olive oil

8 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, small dice

8 cherry tomatoes

4 strips bacon, microwaved about 4 minutes, until about half done

4 (12 inch) bamboo skewers

Soak bamboo skewers in water for about 30 minutes before using.

Cut the stem end off the peppers, and with a small paring knife loosen the ribs and scrape out the ribs and seeds, leaving the pepper intact. (The seeds and ribs are the hottest part of the pepper.)

Add the olive oil to a small saute pan, and over medium heat saute the outside of the peppers just until they begin to blister, only a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Stuff as much cheese as you can into the peppers, and tread a stuffed pepper onto a soaked skewer beginning with the closed end. Follow with a cherry tomato, pushing it down to plug the top of the pepper and hold the cheese. Put two stuffed peppers and two tomatoes on each skewer.

Wrap peppers with partially cooked bacon, using tooth picks to secure. Use one strip of bacon for each skewer.

Grill for several minutes over medium heat, turning until bacon has finished cooking and cheese is melted.

Remove from skewers, and eat as appetizers, or use as condiments for hamburgers or hotdogs.

Marinated Tuna and Vegetable Skewers

FATHER'S DAY GRILLING!

Father's Day Alert! Just in time for the celebration I have a new grilling favorite—Marinated Tuna and Vegetable Skewers. This entree is delicious served over cheese grits. Add an Asian salad of cold cucumber slices, green onions, halved cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas and iceberg lettuce (I use Makoto Ginger Dressing found in the refrigerator section at local grocery stores--garnish the salad with Wasabi flavored wonton strips) and you have a complete meal including a no-fail new recipe for Dad to master on the grill.

The recipe came about when I found tuna 'chunks'--beautiful fresh tuna pieces--for a much lower price than the tuna steaks at the fish counter. A marinade combination I've used with cedar plank salmon turned them into a brand new, very healthy recipe.

When making kabobs, whether beef, chicken or fish, I recommend doing the meat and vegetables on separate skewers. That way you can control the cooking temperature and time. Vegetables need to grill long enough to begin caramelizing on the edges and tenderize in the center. This can take a longer or shorter time than the meat, depending on which meat you're using. Chicken takes a little longer, while beef and tuna require shorter cooking times, depending on your taste.

Always use a marinade to get the flavor into your meats and vegetables before grilling. And if you're using bamboo skewers, don't forget to soak them for at least thirty minutes in water before loading them up.

Marinated Tuna and Vegetable Skewers

One-half cup soy sauce

One-half cup mirin (found near soy sauce)

One-fourth cup seasoned rice wine vinegar (found near soy sauce)

One-fourth cup extra virgin olive oil

2 T sugar

2 tsp. ground pepper

2 lbs. Tuna cut into 2 inch pieces

4 small zucchini, sliced into half inch rounds

2 medium red onions, cut into pieces about the size of the zucchini

1 green pepper, cut into pieces about the size of the zucchini

One-half cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. ground pepper

1 tsp. Sea salt

12 (12 inch) wooden skewers, soaked for at least 30 minutes in water

pickled ginger and wasabi as condiments

Combine soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, olive oil, sugar and pepper in large zip lock bag and swish to combine. Add tuna pieces, close bag and turn to completely coat tuna. Place in refrigerator for one or two hours, turning occasionally to keep tuna coated.

Place zucchini, onion and pepper pieces in medium bowl, and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Divide evenly between six skewers and set aside until ready to grill.

Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Prepare grill grate by brushing with oil.

Remove tuna from marinade and divide evenly between six skewers.

Place skewers on grill arranging according to temperature. Move to outer edges of grill when skewers are nearly done. Tuna should take just a couple of minutes per side for medium rare. Vegetables will take longer.

Serve with pickled ginger and wasabi paste as condiments.

Makes 4-6 servings

OM GROWN FOODS

Locally Grown Organic Vegetables--

The Sunflower Marks the Spot!

We received our first share of vegetables a couple of weeks ago from OM Grown Foods, a combination of two farming families near Ferrum, Virginia, who have joined forces to provide top quality organically grown vegetables. They sell shares of their vegetable crop each season, and plant accordingly. Every Monday the shareholders pick up their vegetable bag loaded with the week's harvest. You never know exactly what you'll get, only that you're receiving a huge bag of fresh, beautiful produce to feed your family for the coming week. They also share recipes through email of their favorite ways to use the different vegetables.

Several of the vegetable share-holders living in Martinsville take turns picking up the vegetable bags each week, since it's a little bit of an adventuresome road trip to wind through the countryside, especially if it's your first trip—no cell phone coverage if you're lost. It almost seems appropriate to go back to pre-cell days to pick up these great organic vegetables from a local organic gardner.

Our first bag contained spinach, collards, bok choi, asparagus, mixed baby salad greens, and arugula. I'll have to admit, I didn't even recognize

the collard greens. They were beautiful little young leaves that could have been eaten raw right out of the bag. And the baby bok choy looked like something from the produce section of an upscale green grocer. I've grown asparagus myself and had to leave the beds when we moved, but never has asparagus tasted so good. In other words, I'm in vegetable heaven!

It really does matter what we put into our bodies for fuel. Knowing where our food comes from and that it has been grown with the TLC that will promote my family's best health is important. There was news last week that linked ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) with the pesticides used on fruits and vegetables. Children who tested positive for a pesticide byproduct had roughly twice the odds of being diagnosed with ADHD according to a study appearing in the The Journal of Pediatrics (http://www.jpeds.com/ ).

It's early in the season, and the gardens are ready!

A simple pasta with sauteed greens, tomatoes and pancetta was our first Om Grown Meal--DELICIOUS!

Arancini--Savory and Sweet

ARANCINI--SAVORY and SWEET

When Vince Scordo (http://networkedblogs.com/2YKNn) suggested we declare May 1^st National Arancini Day, I immediately voted YES! Great idea to honor the deliciousness of arancini! After all, what's not to love? Crispy-crunchy outside, creamy-cheesy middle, and between the two extremes—risotto, one of the signature dishes of Italian cuisine.

Before I could get started, my mind took a side trip—not an unusual phenomenon--to a dolce place. I had this urge to try a sweet risotto, and then use the risotto to make Dolce Arancini. And the experimenting began...

The Dolce Risotto, made with coconut milk, fresh orange juice and zest, and dates, was delicious and took warm breakfast cereal to a new level. So delicious, in fact, that I was sure it would make a good dessert. I was twittering about my experiment, when a new twitter-friend from Asheville, NC, Jean Sexton (http://locavore4lore.wordpress.com/) , sent me a website (http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-restaurants-food/food-jars-create-the-497794.html) about the trendy layering of sweet and savory offerings in little mason jars. I pulled an empty jelly jar from under the cabinet, filled the bottom with the warm dolce risotto, topped it with sweetened whipped cream, and garnished with more almond slices and orange zest: PERFECT! It immediately transformed into a beautiful dessert that tasted just as lucious as it looked!

Next I chilled some of the sweet risotto and made rice balls, about one-eighth cup each. I filled each one with a cube of Brie, and after frying, rolled them around in cinnamon sugar and orange zest. Surely you must be tasting what I'm talking about! Breaking through the wonderful crispy cinnamon crust led to warm, sweet risotto, and finally to the center with soft, melted Brie. Flavor and texture levels all over the place.

I was on a happy, sweet high when I started the savory risotto dish. I had Pesto Sausage from Creminelli Fine Meats ( http://www.creminelli.com/) on hand. I knew it would make a fabulous risotto, but I had no idea HOW fabulous. The truth is, the sausage is so well seasoned that the risotto required no extra seasoning at all. I've tasted many great Italian sausages, and this is absolutely the best.

It was one of those days when everything seemed to work—of course it worked—it was National Arancini Day! And this Pesto Sausage Risotto was headed toward arancini to top all arancinis! Each rice ball was stuffed with a cube of mozzarella. After the crispy coating and frying, I served the arancini with fresh basil pesto. It could be that I have never, ever tasted anything more delicious. Everything was perfect—the Creminelli sausage, the resulting risotto, the melted mozzarella, and the fresh basil pesto—I wouldn't change a thing!

While there may have been a small number of people celebrating National Arancini Day this May 1^st, I would encourage everyone to be practicing and preparing for next year. I think we're off to a good start. Let's make May Day-Arancini Day an annual event!

Savory Arancini

Pesto Sausage Arancini

2 cups Pesto Sausage Risotto*

12 cubes mozzarella

One-half cup all purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Canola Oil for frying

Fresh basil pesto, to serve

Divide cold risotto into about 12 one-eighth cup pieces. Place a cube of mozzarella into each, and roll between your palms into balls.

Heat oil in heavy pot to 350 degrees. The oil should be about two-three inches deep. I use a small, deep pot and only fry two or three rice balls at a time.

Roll each rice ball in flour, dip in beaten egg, and then roll in bread crumbs.

Slip into heated oil, and let fry for 3-4 minutes, turning a couple of times with a wooden spoon. The rice balls should be browned and crispy on the outside, and cook long enough to melt the cheese.

Remove from oil and briefly drain on paper towels.

Serve immediately with fresh basil pesto.

*Pesto Sausage Risotto

2 T butter

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 small sweet onion, diced

One-half pound Pesto Sausage, removed from casing and diced

1 cup Arborio rice

Three-fourths cup white wine, room temperature

3 cups chicken broth, warmed to a simmer

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

One-fourth cup fresh basil chiffonade

Add butter and olive oil to medium sized pan over medium-low heat.

Add onion and sausage and saute until onion is soft and transparent, and sausage is browned.

Add rice, stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes, to coat rice well and slightly toast.

Add wine, stirring until wine is nearly absorbed. Then begin adding chicken broth, about three-fourths cup at a time, until rice is al dente with creamy consistency.

Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Cover and let rest for a few minutes. Just before serving, stir in fresh basil.

Dolce Arancini

Dolce Arancini with Brie

2 cups sweet risotto*

12 cubes Brie

One-half cup all purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup plain bread crumbs (like panko)

Vegetable oil for frying (I used canola)

Cinnamon sugar with orange zest (this was a good accident—I left some orange zest on a saucer over night, it dried, and I mixed it into the cinnamon sugar)

Divide risotto into 12 equal sized rice balls. Place a piece of brie in the center of each, and roll between your palms to close.

Heat oil in heavy pot to 350 degrees. The oil should be about two-three inches deep. I use a small, deep pot and only fry two or three rice balls at a time.

Roll each rice ball in flour, dip in beaten egg, and then roll in bread crumbs.

Slip into heated oil, and let fry for 3-4 minutes, turning a couple of times with a wooden spoon. The rice balls should be browned and crispy on the outside, and cook long enough to melt the cheese.

Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and roll in cinnamon sugar with orange zest.

Enjoy while warm.

*Sweet Risotto

2 T butter

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 Cup Arborio rice

Three-fourths cup sparkling white grape juice

1 (14 oz.) can lite coconut milk

zest of one orange

1 cup fresh orange juice

pinch of salt

1 cup finely diced dried dates

One-half cup thinly sliced almonds

One-half cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Honey to taste

Add butter and oil to medium sized saute pan over medium-low heat. When heated, add rice, and cook, stirring for about two minutes, to coat rice. Add grape juice, stirring occasionally until most is absorbed. Meanwhile, heat coconut milk, orange zest & juice and salt in small saucepan just to a simmer. When rice has absorbed grape juice, begin adding the warmed coconut milk and orange juice about one-half cup at a time, stirring until nearly absorbed. Continue adding liquid until rice is al dente with creamy texture.

Add dates, almonds, parmesan cheese and cinnamon. Stir well to combine, taste, and add honey if more sweetness is desired. Cover and allow to rest for five minutes.

Serve as is, garnished with extra almonds and chopped dates.

Or for a dessert course, serve in little mason jelly jars, topped with a layer of whipped cream and garnished with sliced almonds and orange zest.

AMOR y TACOS---Modern Mexican Tacos, Margaritas, and Antojitos

(Toritos)

Good tequila, and a few traditional Mexican recipes that have been shaken (not stirred) just enough to yield exciting new flavors—sounds like a party to me! Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. But really, do we need a special reason to break out the Cabo Wabo? I don't think so.

A new book, AMOR Y TACOS, by Chef Deborah Schneider, contains everything you need to know to create a little 'Mexico' right in your own kitchen. While there are big plate recipes aplenty (don't miss the Shrimp Tacos Dorado!), some of my favorites are the antojitos (little bites—Mexican tapas). Our old 'heavy hors d'oeuvres' have become all the rage, but now we're calling them tapas or small plates. What has changed is the expansion into many different ethnic cuisines, and Mexican is surely one of the best.

Toritos (little peppers, stuffed with garlic, shrimp and oaxaca cheese) are colorful and delicious. Topped with mango salsa and pomegranate seeds, the flavors go from sweet to hot and back again. They can be prepared well in advance, and cooked just before serving, which also gives them extra credit on my score card.

Makes 8 stuffed peppers. Test the collective machismo of your gathering with these delicious little peppers oozing with cheese, garlic and sweet shrimp. I like to use different colors of small peppers--an ensemble of yellow guero, jalapeno, and red lipstick or other sweet miniature peppers looks particularly attractive. If you use jalapenos or gueros, they will definitely be spicy. Toritos take just a minute to make, and they can be prepared ahead and finished in the oven. The fillings can be varied according to the season; sauteed sweet corn is a very good addition.

8 small pointed peppers, about 3 inches long

1 T butter

1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh garlic

1 green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced

4 oz. medium raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped to yield about 3/4 cup

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup shredded good-quality Oaxaca, Jack, or mozzarella cheese

Mango Habaerno Salsa*

Pomegranate Seeds or Toasted Pepitas (optional)

Cilantro sprigs

1)Wash and dry the chile peppers, leaving the stems on. Wearing disposable gloves to keep the hot oil off your skin, cut a slit down one side of each pepper. Use a slim blunt knife or a tool such as the handle of a teaspoon to carefully scrape out all the seeds. Work carefully so you don't break the pepper or dislodge its stem.

2)In a 10 inch saute pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and green onion and cook until fragrant, but not browned. Add the chopped shrimp, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the shrimp are pink and firm. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

3)Stir in the shredded cheese. The mixture should hold its shape. If it is too crumbly, turn it out on a cutting board and chop until it sticks together.

4)Use a small teaspoon to gently fill each pepper with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the shrimp mixture. The filling should be generous. At this point, if you wish, you can refrigerate the stuffed peppers, covered, for up to 24 hours.

5)Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat an ovenproof cast-iron griddle or pan over medium-high heat. Lay a sheet of foil on the griddle and set the peppers on top. Roast the peppers on all sides until they are browned in places and are starting to get soft and wrinkled.

6)Transfer the griddle or pan to the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly.

7)Arrange the stuffed peppers on a warm serving plate and top each with a spoonful of mango salsa. Scatter with the pomegranate seeds or pepitas, if using, and serve right away with cilantro sprigs.

*Mango Habanero Salsa

(Habanero chile is very spicy--that's part of the fun--but you can substitute a milder chile, or leave it out altogether, if you prefer.)

3/4 cup firm but ripe mango, peeled and cut into 3/8 inch dicd

1/2 cup roma tomato, cored and cut into small dice

2 T finely diced red onion

1/2 tsp. minced habanero chile

1 T fresh-squeezed lime juice, or to taste

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. rice vinegar

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh mint leaves

1 T chopped cilantro

Combine all the ingredients. Taste for seasoning; the salsa should be full-flavored, both sweet and very hot. You may need to add more lime juice or salt. This salsa should be used within 2 hours.

Another favorite is Chef Schneider's Carne Asada Taco Vampiro (you'll have to read the book to better understand the name—has to do with being so good, it needs to be immortal). In this recipe quesadillas are married to tacos, the offspring being quesotacos, and super-delicous. Just imagine a cheese quesadilla topped with carne asada and finished with grated Jack cheese, thinly sliced chiles and green onions, guacamole, pico de gallo, chipotle salsa and a little cilantro (did I miss anything?). I guess you could be a pig and eat the whole thing (that's what I did), or you could half or quarter and share.

Pair all this deliciousness with a Mexican Mohito or Sangria and the rest will take care of itself!

(Deborah Schneider is a chef and author of the award-winning Baja! Cooking on the Edge (Rodale) and Cooking with the Seasons (STC), nominated for a 2009 James Beard Award. She is the executive chef and partner in SOL Cocina in Newport Beach, California. Schneider lives with her family in San Diego.)

Coconut Cream Tartlets

Celebrate Spring with Delicious Little Coconut Cream Tartlets

May is filled with activity. We're all as busy as the bees swarming our blooming shrubs and trees.

There are school parties, bridal showers, graduations, parties of every kind. It's the perfect time of year, as we enjoy the natural progression of spring, to break out the party hats.

I suggest you begin by remembering your Mom on Mother's Day. This is a delicious way to say 'thank you' .

And by all means, grace your upcoming party table with these sweet spring treats. They taste as scrumptious as they look.

The ease of this recipe makes it perfect for such a busy time. The Pillsbury Bake-Off awarded $1,000,000 last month for a similar recipe using refrigerated sugar cookie dough to make cookie cups, but the million dollar recipe cups were filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with a raspberry. I'll admit I had a bad reaction. It's a great recipe, but for $1,000,000 I would hope for a little more.

So, if that was a million dollar recipe, this could be worth, oh, at least two million!

I was enjoying the musings of my friend Warren Bobrow, editor of the Wild Table in the Wild River Review, when I came across an article with a picture of a luscious piece of Coconut Cream Pie. It took me back to my childhood, and the Coconut Cream Pie they served at the Hub, a diner just outside Galax. I wonder if it was really as good as I remember. Anyhow, it just so happened that the picture that started my culinary day dreaming turned out to be the pie of Warren's wife, Julie, who is a pastry chef in New Jersey. So, I emailed Julie, and begged her for the recipe. She was gracious, and not only shared her secret with me, but gave me permission to share it with you.

Turns out, she used to make the cream custard all from scratch until a catering friend of hers suggested she try this little trick. I think you're going to like it! And believe me, they ARE delicious. They look and taste like you spent hours, but really they only take minutes!

Coconut Cream Tartlets

(makes 48 tartlets)

2 (16oz.) packages (24 each) of refrigerated sugar cookie dough (I use Pillsbury)

2 tsp. granulated sugar

3 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup half and half

2 (3.5oz.) packages Instant Vanilla pudding

1 T almond extract

1 small package shredded coconut, toasted*

*(Spread coconut on sheet pan. Place in 275° oven, stirring occasionally until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove and cool.)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray two 24 space mini-cupcake pans with butter flavored Pam.

Fill pans with raw cookie dough pieces and bake for about 16 minutes, until cookies are lightly golden brown.

Remove pan from oven, and very gently press each cookie down with the end of a wooden spoon dipped into granulated sugar, just enough to make a little cup indention. (There is a wooden kitchen tool made for this, but your wooden spoon end will work just fine.) Let cookies completely cool in pans.

Gently remove cookie cups from pans.

Add whipping cream, half and half, instant pudding and almond extract to mixing bowl. Whip until the consistency of firmly whipped cream (completely holds its shape), about 3-4 minutes.

Fill each cooled cookie cup with cream filling. Dip each tartlet top into the toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.