Peruvian Style Crab-Stuffed Avocados by Andrew Cohen

Cuzco, Peru is the gateway for the famed 20-mile hike along the ancient Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu. A true backpacker town, where they say you can get any mind-altering substance in the world.....

Last time I was there, I had an amazing encounter with a stuffed avocado. After arriving in town, I found the place where the locals eat (Pucara) and ordered up some of these….I don't why, they just caught my eye - what could be better than a stuffed avocado! Five minutes later there they were - perfection on a plate...One stuffed with shrimp the other chicken - both were awesome and I knew immediately that I would be adapting this one for my kitchen!

At Pucara, both the shrimp and the chicken mixtures contained a base of mayo, lime, salt, pepper, onions and some other spices that I couldn't really decipher and I think there was some vinegar in there as well. My personal twist is to use a crab salad stuffing with lots of fresh herbs and Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of Mayo. This is a great, light dish that can be served as an appetizer and the ladies will love it!

Not only is this dish great to impress people with your knowledge of Peru, this is also a great make-up dish or a simple declaration of your love and appreciation for someone. Try out this appetizer and believe me, no one will be able to stay mad at you for long.

Peruvian style Crab-Stuffed Avocados

4 medium ripe avocados
3 cups fresh white crab meat
1 chopped red pepper
1 chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 of a white onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
a handful of chopped flat leaf Italian parsley
a handful of chopped cilantro
dashes of chile powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Chipotle Cream Sauce
Sour Cream
Chile Powder
Chipotle Sauce (small can)


-Place Crab in a Large mixing bowl
-Chop up the red pepper, onion and garlic and lightly saute in a pan with olive oil (cook for 3 - 4 minutes only)
-Let the above mixture cool slightly and then pour over the crab
-Stir in remaining ingredients...adding olive oil liberally and salt, pepper and chile powder to taste
-Place crab salad in the fridge for 15 - 20 minute to chill
-Carve out the avocados slightly with a spoon and stuff with the mixture

-Finish with a dollop of chipotle cream sauce and another dash of Chile Powder


The ultimate make-up dish, straight from Cuzco, Peru !!!!

Good Eats,

Andrew Cohen

German Food Night by Andrew Cohen

Welcome to Munich, Germany where the women are tall, beautiful and not afraid to eat a great hearty meal !!

Growing up in Westport, CT in the 70's and 80's, my parents did the only respectable thing that a family could do; they hired numerous au pairs (live-in maid/baby-sitter) to care for my brother and I while they worked. We had a great variety from all over Europe, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, etc., but my all-time favorite was "Daniela". Straight from the German countryside, I can safely say that Daniela was my first true love.

Her afternoon responsibilities included preparing the family dinner. Day after day, instead of going to play after school, I diligently stood by and helped her along every step of each of her recipes. I would chop vegetables, pound out veal steaks for schnitzel, boil water for spaetzel….nothing was beneath me.

Here’s a variation on some tricks that I learned from Daniela. The key to this dish, like many others, is how it is plated....one forkful of food can feature sausage, a slice of curry cabbage, mustard, a piece of roasted red pepper and some sour cream....so be sure to compose the plate well!

PS to the Girls: Guys love this dish!


Grilled German Style Sausages over Southern Chile Potato Cake
Served with Cabbage and all the German Style fixins....

(serves 2)
Ingredients:

4 links of Bratwurst or Spicy Chicken Sausage
1/2 head of white cabbage
4 big white potatos
6 cloves of crushed garlic
1 cup whole milk or half and half
Parmesan/Romano Cheese
Chipotle sauce (from a can)
Curry powder for the cabbage
Salt and Pepper to taste
Butter
Sour Cream
Spicy Mustard
Roasted Red Peppers (optional)


Potatoes
-Cut potatoes into small quaters and place in rapidly boling water
-Cover and boil for about 15 minutes until they start getting soft
-Drain water out of pot and mash up the potatoes leaving them a bit chunky (put aside)
-Gently saute 1 tablespoon of butter and 3 cloves of crushed Garlic in a different medium saucepan
-Preheat oven to 500
-Add mashed potatoes and mix into butter and Garlic mixture
-Add Salt, Pepper, milk or cream and more butter, leave on low heat, stirring constantly
-Once the potatoes taste good.....spread them on an oiled cookie sheet
-Drip the chipotle sauce, more crushed pepper and cheese on top of the potatoes
-Broil in a the broiler for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown



Cabbage
-Dice up Cabbage into slices
-Boil Cabbage in a steam pot for about 10 minutes until tender
-Sprinkle lightly with curry powder and salt - remove from heat when ready and keep covered
-Prior to serving, saute the cabbage for 5-10 minutes in a hot skillet with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Sausage

-Cut 3 1/4 inch diagonal cuts across each sausage and then grill or pan fry until golden brown


Plating the Dish



-Cut potato mixture into nice sized individual servings and place on dish
-Place Cabbage on dish
-Place 2 sausages resting on the Potatoes
-Scoop 1 Tablespoon of sour cream on plate touching the Potatoes
-Place roasted red pepper on top of the sour cream
-Place dollop of mustard on plate

Good Eats,

Andrew Cohen

Angel Hair Pasta Clam Sauce by Andrew Cohen

1lb Littleneck Clams or cockles
Angel hair pasta
1 can minced clams
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup Chopped Parsley
Handful of chopped basil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Crushed Red Pepper
5 cloves of Garlic (Crushed)
2 Tablespoons of butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Good Eats,

Andrew Cohen

Malibu Fish Tacos by Andrew Cohen

Driving up the Pacific Coast Highway on a Tuesday night in the summer, you can find numerous establishments hosting the celebrated “Taco Tuesday”.

The stretch from Santa Monica to Malibu boasts at least 3 different locations for Taco Tuesday…all offering slight variations on the fish taco, mostly grilled or battered.

But for hot young things, $2 Tecates, and a guaranteed good time, the local’s favorite is “Dukes”. Perched on a ledge directly above the Pacific Ocean, the view of the city lights is amazing and the fish tacos are even better.

When I had my house in Malibu, we would hit Duke's for Taco Tuesday religiously.

Please try these out at home...I’ve added a few of my own touches here, I hope you enjoy !

These work very well at dinner parties, people can't get enough of them.

Malibu Fish Tacos

(serves 4 People - 2 tacos ea)

-1/2 head of Cabbage diced up
-Pico De Gallo (see below)
-1 LB White Flakey Fish (cod or similar)
-Bread Crumbs
-Two Eggs (beaten with a splash of milk)
-Soft Taco Size Tortillas (8 - 10)
-Sour Cream
-1 Clove crushed garlic
-1 small can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
-Vegetable Oil for Frying
-Chipotle Powder

Chop up the Cabbage and put aside

Take the fish and wash it under cold water - then slice it into 5 - 6 inch strips (length)

Pico De Gallo

In a large bowl
Combine 5 Roma Tomatoes
with 1/2 white or red onion,
2 Jalapeno Peppers (seeds removed)
A generous amount of diced Cilantro,
Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil to taste


Chipotle Sauce
Combine 1 cup Sour Cream with one small clove of crushed garlic
and 1 tablespoon of Adobo sauce from the Chipotle Peppers


Fish

-Put about 1/2 inch of oil into a large frying pan and turn on heat to Medium
-Soak the fish in the egg and milk batter then dip into the Breadcrumbs
-Place in the hot oil and fry evenly on all sides
-Once finished, place fish on newspaper or paper towels to extract oil


Finishing and serving you Tacos:
-Heat Flour Tortillas in the oven at 400
-Line up heated Tortillas on a flat area and spread with Chipotle Sauce and
cabbage and then place fish on top....sprinkle Pico De Gallo and Chipotle Powder to finish...and then enjoy !!!



Let's just say the dinner party guests loved the Fish Tacos......and I made out great -
So-Cal Style !!!

Peace out till next time.....
Andrew Cohen