Our summer dinner theaters were sold out every weekend this year. We now have a fine reputation for our food as well as our productions, so people come for both. The many sincere compliments and genuine thanks we receive for these events makes the extra effort put into them worthwhile and very rewarding.
This week’s dinner menu featured skewers of beef tenderloin and of shrimp grilled with mushrooms, mini onions and potatoes and plated alongside a mélange of colorful vegetables. This was accompanied by a crisp pungent salad of mixed greens and fragrant herbs straight from our gardens. All combined to form a lovely summer nights’ dinner eaten in a tranquil setting out on the patio overlooking a view of Cape Cod Bay.
One more detail to savor was the magnificent dessert which one elderly gentleman referred to as “a most splendid creation.” This marvelous fruit tart is formed on a rich shortbread crust spread with an amaretto cream, topped with beautiful fruit and sealed with an apricot glaze. Tonight the chef has chosen sliced nectarines and blueberries. Other evenings it has been strawberries, kiwis, peaches,
raspberries. If you want a dessert that is both impressive and delectable this is it!
Saturday mornings in the community are referred to as “Weekly Beehive” time. Every Community member young and old is assigned to some task where they busily work together with others on any number of projects that need doing that week.
This week I was assigned to tea preparation. Our Friday Harborside plated teas have been a tradition since the very beginning of the Community. Many people, especially vacationers, look forward to them in the summer months and at Advent. This week’s plate includes a mini crab cake which is always popular. My job was to make the filling for one hundred of these. When I did, it tasted so good I thought, “Why just for tea why not for a main meal?” So I made a larger version that was a big hit for lunch at the Convent!
Finely chop crab meat, celery, scallions all to the same size and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, relish, and 1/3 cup saltines and toss together.
In a separate bowl beat egg slightly and add lemon juice and zest. Add to bowl and combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Shape into patties and carefully press on both sides into remaining saltines.
Rather than the usual method of frying the cakes, I chose to simply bake them on an un-greased pan or a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden.
Less work, less mess and clean up. Less fat!
Lemon meringue pie has always been my most favorite lemon dessert, but recently I was introduced to another lemon dessert that really rivals it: Lemon Cream Custard Pie. Similar in its fresh tangy flavor, but different in texture and topped with whipped cream instead of meringue. I have only had it once but definitely want it again.
It seems we barely get cleaned up from one reception, and it’s time to prepare for another. We have many events happening on a regular basis and they almost always are accompanied by the serving of food or refreshments of one kind or another. At a recent reception we revised an old favorite that met with a great response. We served this hot chicken salad in little cream puffs and they disappeared so quickly we couldn’t keep the trays filled.
In a large bowl mix the chicken, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion salt, spices, onion and almonds.
Transfer to the baking dish, and top with Cheddar cheese and crushed potato chips.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until lightly browned.
Fill cream puffs, arrange on platter and serve.
Cream Puffs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly grease (or line with parchment paper) two baking sheets.
Combine the water, butter and salt in a medium-sized saucepan, heat until the butter has melted and bring to a rolling boil.
Add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously until the mixture smooths out and follows the spoon around the pan; this should take less than 30 seconds.
Remove the pan from the heat, and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
It will still feel hot. Transfer the dough to a mixer.
Beat in the eggs one at a time; the mixture will look curdled, but when you add the last egg it should become smooth.
Beat for 1 minute after adding the last egg. You will have a stiff, smooth batter.
Drop the dough by Tablespoonful’s onto the prepared sheets.
Leave about 2″ between them.
Bake for about 20 minutes, till they have puffed, they are medium golden brown and they look dry.
Remove baked puffs from the oven and use a sharp knife to cut a slit into the side of each puff, for steam to escape; this will help prevent them from becoming soggy.
Return the puffs to the oven for 5 minutes, then remove from oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
Slit each puff in half around the circumference and fill with a heaping Tablespoonful of chicken salad.
I wanted to come up with an interesting Easter salad. Something fresh and springy, yellow like sunshine and light green. Suddenly the idea came….an Easter egg salad!
A flavorful deviled egg nested in Boston Bibb lettuce with some tender spring asparagus and avocado, sprinkled with finely chopped chives and crumbled egg yolk…..that’s the look. Then, showered with a Fresh Lemon vinaigrette dressing …that’s the taste. I took a chance and gave it a try…It was a success!
I had an unexpected surprise this week. I was invited to one of our Advent Teas for a friend’s special birthday. I have always loved the teas and this one was especially lovely. So beautifully and tastefully decorated for the season with rich colors, varying shades of red and burgundy with a pomegranate tucked in here and there. Just sitting in the room drinking in the beauty and listening to lovely music presented by the string players was so enjoyable that I almost forgot food was going to be served until I spotted the menu.
In addition to the plated selection of special tea sandwiches and scones, a lovely variety of choice desserts was also offered. It was a hard decision to make but after carefully surveying each of the various elegant creations, I chose the Lemon glazed sponge cake garnished with fresh raspberries and was so happy that I did…. a perfect ending to a perfect tea, and a perfect dessert to keep in mind when you may want something that’s not overly rich yet luscious and attractive for a holiday meal.
Separate egg whites and yolks. Beat egg whites until peaks form.
In separate bowl, beat yolks and sugar until light yellow.
Add lemon juice to yolk mixture. Fold in sifted flour.
Fold in egg whites just until mixed.
Put mixture in ungreased tube pan or individual small cake or muffin tins.
Bake 35-40 minutes for tube pan or 15-20 minutes for individual tins until golden brown or until cake springs to touch. Cool.
Lemon Curd
Grate zest from lemons. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice into a measuring cup.
Beat butter and 2 cups of sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.
Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Gradually add lemon juice to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition; stir in zest. Mixture will look curdled.
Transfer to a 3 quart microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 5 minutes, stirring at 1 minute intervals.
Microwave at 30 second intervals, 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and starts to mound slightly when stirred.
Place plastic wrap on top of warm curd to keep film from developing and chill 4 hours until firm.
Garnish cake as desired with curd, whipped cream and berries.
