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