The Back Forty Cocktail #FoodieExtravaganza

The Back Forty cocktail was the signature eponymous drink at Back Forty, Peter Hoffman's casual East Village restaurant and bar. It’s made with maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, whiskey and a few good shakes of orange bitters.

As I have confessed before, the pancake syrup of choice in our house is, and has been for more years than I can count, Aunt Jemima’s Butter Lite. I’ve hauled those plastic squeezy bottles from the United States to five other continents in my luggage. Even here in Dubai, one can find Aunt Jemima’s but not the Butter Lite. They don’t know what they are missing.

But this month my Foodie Extravaganza group is using maple syrup in our recipes so I felt obliged to buy the real stuff. A fairly small bottle is about $8 so a cocktail recipe that would make it last longer than, say, using the whole thing in cookies or cake seemed like a prudent plan.

Just a quick search on The Google led me to The Back Forty Cocktail recipe already published in many places but the most reliable seemed to be in this 2008 article, an interview with then Back Forty bar manager Michael Cecconi. Sadly, I will never taste the original because Back Forty closed this past July but if my homemade cocktail with Canadian maple syrup, Kentucky bourbon and Angostura orange bitters instead of Vermont syrup, Tennessee whiskey and Fee Brothers bitters (none of which are available to me here) is any indication, it was delicious.

Ingredients
2 oz or 60ml American whiskey or bourbon
1 oz or 30ml maple syrup
1 oz or 30ml fresh lemon juice
3-5 dashes orange bitters
Ice

Method
Add the lemon juice and maple syrup to a cocktail shaker and swirl it around to loosen the maple syrup and dissolve it in the lemon juice. Add in the bourbon and a cup or so of ice cubes.
Shake vigorously to combine and serve over more ice in a low ball glass.

Garnish with a lemon slice or lemon peel if desired but know that, as per Mr. Cecconi, the original has no garnish. Because it's perfect just as it is.

Many thanks to this month's Foodie Extravaganza host, Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook. Don't forget to check out all the other maple syrupy recipes we are sharing.

• Basbousa - Egyptian Semolina Cake from Sneha of Sneha's Recipe
• Bangin' Breakfast Potatoes from Rebekah of Making Miracles
• Gluten-Free Maple Chestnut Cookies from Caroline of Caroline's Cooking
• Maple Pecan Bars from Nichole of Cookaholic Wife
• Maple Sugar Cookies from Sue of Palatable Pastime
• Maple Walnut Vinaigrette from Tara of Tara's Multicultural Table
• Momiji Tempura from Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Overnight French Toast Casserole from Elaine of Cookin' and Craftin'
• Roasted Maple Glazed Carrots from Wendy of A Day in the Life of the Farm
• Rosemary Maple Glazed Turkey Breast from Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook
• The Back Forty Cocktail from Stacy of Food Lust People Love

Foodie Extravaganza celebrates obscure food holidays or shares recipes with the same ingredient or theme every month.

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook group Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you!

If you're a reader looking for delicious recipes, check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out here.

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Natural Pink Pineapple Lemonade

For Sunday Suppers or special occasions like when we’d visit, my grandmother always added crushed pineapple to pink lemonade. It was especially welcome in the hot summertime. 

My grandmother and grandfather worked hard every day. Running their own store and appliance repair service made it a challenge to take time off. In fact, I don’t recall that they ever took a vacation except to visit us once when we lived overseas. Looking back, I have no idea who they would have left in charge. They did love it when we’d come to visit though and the refrigerator was always stocked with our favorites from ice cream sandwiches to cookies to hot dogs.

Back in the olden days, we could take a train from Houston that would stop off in New Iberia, on its way to New Orleans and other points east. I remember going to spend a week or two with my grandparents, often taking a friend with me. We’d either ride the train there and Mom would come for a visit as well and pick us up, or she’d bring us and we’d take the train back home again. What was a four- or five-hour car ride took a couple of extra hours on the train. But we didn’t care! We were on our own with a packed lunch, books to read and snacks – no adult supervision! – and riding the train was an adventure. I just checked out the Amtrak schedules and that route is still do-able and reasonably priced, but children under 12 must have an adult traveling with them now. More's the pity.

We’d arrive parched from the heat, the clackety clack of the rails still echoing in our ears, and Mo would mix up a big pitcher of pink lemonade, made from a canister of instant lemonade powder – you probably know the one – and add a can of crushed pineapple and ice. Talk about refreshing! Pink lemonade with pineapple was one of her favorite drinks to serve at lunch on Sundays as well, or other special occasions.

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I’ve figured out that if I make regular fresh lemonade and add some cranberry or pomegranate juice, I can get the pretty effect of pink lemonade without the pink food dye. It’s not as pink as my grandmother’s concoction, unless you add a bunch of red juice but it’s probably better for you.

Ingredients for one 2 quart or 1.89 liter pitcher
1/2 cup or 100g sugar
1 (15 oz or 425g) crushed pineapple in light syrup
1 1/2 cups or 355ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup or 177ml (or more to color to your liking) cranberry or pomegranate juice
Cold water
Ice

Note: If you can only find the crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, you might be able to skip making the simple syrup. The pineapple syrup should sweeten the lemonade enough without additional sugar.

Method
Make simple syrup by dissolving the sugar in 1/2 cup or 120ml of hot water. Set aside to cool.

In your large pitcher, combine the crushed pineapple with its syrup and lemon juice. Add some ice and water to almost fill your pitcher. Remember that you need room for the cranberry or pomegranate juice and some simple syrup. Stir well.

Add the red juice and taste the lemonade.

Add enough of the simple syrup till it’s sweet enough for your liking. (See note above if using crushed pineapple in heavy syrup.)

Stir well before you pour each time to get the pineapple moving. Serve over ice.

Enjoy!

As a bonus, if you happen to have a small hand crank ice shaver like those ones they sell at Pampered Chef, this pineappley pink lemonade freezes great and makes wonderfully refreshing shaved ice. You can use it for popsicles as well, but the pineapple ends up near the top of the popsicle.

Nostalgic summer recipes are our theme for this week’s Sunday Supper. Many thanks to Coleen from The Redhead Baker for hosting! What’s your favorite summertime food memory?

Summertime Recipes

Beverages

• Blueberry Lavender Lemonade by Beauty and the Beets
• Natural Pink Pineapple Lemonade by Food Lust People Love

Breakfast

• Rhubarb Muffins by Wholistic Woman
• Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Appetizers

• Gazpacho Shooters by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Grilled BLT Kebabs by Eat, Drink and be Tracy
• Strawberry Fruit Dip by Books n’ Cooks

Main Dishes

• Classic Shrimp Roll Sliders by Crazed Mom
• How to Cook Hot Dogs by Life Tastes Good
• Wiener Schnitzel by Caroline's Cooking

Side Dishes

• Baked Beans with Bacon by Magnolia Days
• Creamy Ranch Potato Salad by Dash of Evans
• Grilled Zucchini Salad by Sunday Supper Movement
• Seven-Layer Salad with Bacon and Peas by The Hungry Goddess
• Southern Fried Squash by Peaceful Cooking
• Spätzlesalat (German Spaetzle Pasta Salad) by Tara's Multicultural Table
• Summer's Best Tomato Cucumber Salad by Delaware Girl Eats

Desserts

• Ambrosia Salad by Angels Home Sweet Homestead
• Bavarian Almonds by Palatable Pastime
• Blueberry Cobbler by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Boardwalk Funnel Cake by The Redhead Baker
• Buttermilk Pound Cake by Renee's Kitchen Adventures
• DIY Drumsticks by A Mind Full Mom
• Double Corn Buttermilk Cake by What Smells So Good?
• Frosted Grapes by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Gluten Free S'mores Magic Bars by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Homemade Banana Pudding by Cooking with Carlee
• Homemade Drumsticks by Pies and Plots
• Japanese Melon Ice Cream by Ninja Baker
• Lemon Coconut Bars by The Finer Cookie
• Lemonade Pie with Sugar Cone Crust by Dizzy, Busy and Hungry
• Poke Cake by Our Good Life
• Maple Sugar Candy by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Mom's Rhubarb Cake by Monica's Table
• Nana’s No-Bake Cheesecake Squares by The Crumby Cupcake
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake by The Freshman Cook
• Pudding Pops by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Root Beer Float Ice Cream Sandwiches by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Sherbet Float by Cookin' Mimi
• Strawberry Jello Angel Food Cake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Strawberry Jello Pie by Tramplingrose
• Tita’s Fruit Dessert by Basic N Delicious
• Toasted Coconut Puppy Chow by Helpful Homemade
• Watergate Salad by Flavor Mosaic

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Mother’s Ruin (Gin) Punch

Originally created by master bartender Philip Ward, Mother’s Ruin Punch is a refreshingly light tasting punch made from gin, grapefruit and lemon juice, vermouth and sparkling wine. My version serves one.

Lately, I’ve been rediscovering the deliciousness of grapefruit juice in cocktails. My libation of choice when I was in Texas this summer was Deep Eddy’s Ruby Red Vodka with a capful of Campari, topped up with club soda. While in the south of France visiting friends in July, their “house” cocktail was a concoction of grapefruit cordial with sparkling rosé wine, served over ice. And now, Mother’s Ruin Punch. It’s supposed to be mixed up in greater quantities and served, as the name implies, as punch from a punch bowl but is easily adapted to serve one. For the original recipe, check out this link on Food and Wine.

This week the Sunday Supper theme is Back to School and everyone is bringing you recipes for great lunch box fare or quick dishes that are perfect for a busy school night. I couldn’t resist going in another direction to bring you a delightful cocktail that is as celebratory as it is refreshingly delicious. For many parents, it’s been a long hot summer, full of keeping children busy and barbecues and campouts and sleepovers and late night snacks and summer book assignments and ball games and lazy mornings. But you made it through! Tuck the children into bed and treat yourself to a special cocktail.

Do you have any special rituals for the first day of school? My baby graduated from university in May so this is the first year since 1995 that I won’t be sending anyone off to school. It’s bittersweet, friends, bittersweet.

Ingredients for one cocktail
Several cubes ice
1 tablespoon simple syrup (I used simple syrup made from demerara sugar.)
1 1/2 oz or 45ml gin
1 1/2 oz or 45ml fresh grapefruit juice, plus thinly sliced grapefruit, for garnish
3/4 oz or 22.5ml fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz or 22.5ml sweet vermouth
About 1/2 cup or 120ml chilled sparkling wine or Champagne

Method
Cut a couple of thin slices off of your grapefruit for garnish and then juice the rest of the fruit.

Tuck one of the grapefruit slices in a tall glass then add in several cubes of ice.

Pour in the simple syrup, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, vermouth and gin. Give it a good stir, adding another cube or two of ice and a second grapefruit slice.

Top up with sparkling wine.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to our hosts this week, DB from Crazy Foodie Stunts and Caroline from Caroline’s Cooking. We hope you find lots of recipes that make Back to School more enjoyable and fun!

Getting Started On School Days

• Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins by Caroline's Cooking
• Caramel Apple Granola by What Smells So Good?
• Chocolate Coconut Granola Bars by Ruffles & Truffles
• Cinnamon Chocolate Overnight Oats by Whole Food | Real Families
• Funfetti French Toast by Brunch with Joy
• PB&J Muffins by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Ideas for the Lunchbox

• Grilled Chicken Sandwich by Cooking Chat
• Healthy Lunchbox Snack Mix by Noshing with the Nolands
• Mini Pepperoni Calzones by The Redhead Baker
• Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls by Curious Cuisiniere

After School Snacks and Beverages

• Back to School Cookies by The Freshman Cook
• Fruit 'n Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bites by The Weekend Gourmet
• Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits by An Appealing Plan
• Mother’s Ruin Punch by Food Lust People Love
• "Nut Butter" Rice Crispy Balls by Books n' Cooks
• Parmesan Crisps Recipe by Life Tastes Good
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Monkey Bread by Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Apple Nachos by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Quinoa, Oat and Pecan Blueberry Peach Crumb Bars by Simply Healthy Family
• Waffle Pizzas by Our Good Life

School Night Suppers

• Beef Peppers and Onions Burritos by Family Foodie
• One Pot Bacon-Cheeseburger Pasta by A Gouda Life
• Oven Fried Portabello Mushroom Fries by Food Done Light
• Peanut Chicken Cutlets by Magnolia Days
• Smoked Salmon Ravioli with Cream Sauce by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Turmeric Chicken and Couscous by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Sweets to End the Day

• Gluten-Free Almond Joy Cupcakes by NinjaBaker
• M&M Chocolate Chunk Cookies by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Oreo Rice Krispy Treats by The Crumby Cupcake
• Paleo Cherry Blondies by Pies and Plots
• Plum Crumble Bars by Feeding Big
• Stuffed Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt

Creamy Greek-style yogurt and canned peaches, blended together with sugar, fresh lemon juice and a touch of bourbon make a wonderful frozen treat everyone will enjoy! Especially my mother. 

My mom is on my subscribers list so she gets every new post by email. (Hi, Mom!) She doesn’t comment here on the blog much but she sends me her thoughts by return email and those often include the request that I make the recipe for her next time we are together. Or some additional family history is that is pertinent to my story. I love that this space is a place we can connect, even when I live so far away. And, because she is subscribed to the feed from other blogs as well, sometimes she shares those posts with me, which brings to mind a quote from Nobel laureate, François Mauriac:

“’Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are’ is true enough, but I'd know you better if you told me what you reread.”

In this new day and age, I’d change that to say, “I'd know you better if you told me what you share.”

I’ve gotten to know my mother better from what she shares. And she has made it amply clear that peach is her favorite fruit. Also, she adores thick Greek yogurt. So, for Sunday Supper’s Mother’s Day event, I decided to create a frozen peach yogurt in her honor. It’s creamy, it’s peachy and I know she’d love it. And I’ll be making it again next month when we are together again! (You don’t even need to ask, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!)

Note: The bourbon flavor is extremely subtle but the alcohol does help the frozen yogurt stay creamy.

Ingredients
1 large can (29 oz or 825g, drained weight 16.9 oz or 480g) peach halves in light syrup
2 1/2 cups or 625g plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup or 100g sugar
1/4 cup or 60ml fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons bourbon

Method
Drain the peaches well and discard the light syrup. (Or use it to sweeten iced tea!)

Set aside three or four peach halves and chop the rest into chunks.

Put the chopped peaches, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice and bourbon in a food processor or blender and purée till the peaches are in tiny, tiny pieces.

Slice the reserved peaches.

Pour the creamy mixture into a bowl or plastic container and chill it in the refrigerator or freezer until very cold but still pourable.

Scrape it into your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Put the frozen yogurt in a freezer friendly sealable container and stir in a little more than half of the sliced peaches.

Top the mixture with the rest of the sliced peaches and put the container in the freezer.

Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve.

Once it has thawed slightly, scoop into bowls or pretty glasses to serve.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla for hosting today’s great Sunday Supper theme. If you are still looking for Mother’s Day menu inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! And Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Celebratory Sips

• Ginger Shandy by Nosh My Way
• La Vie en Rose by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Momma's Mimosa by Our Good Life

Starters and Salads

• Cheese Bread by Ninja Baker
• Classic Basil Pesto Crostini by Cooking Chat
• Fennel and Radish Citrus Salad by Tasting Page
• Healthy Ham Salad Minis by Momma's Meals
• Pate with Spiced Pears by The Joyful Foodie
• Pesto Pasta Salad by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Super Sunny Dutch Oven Sourdough by What Smells So Good?

Hearty Mains

• Blackberry Almond Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast by The Crumby Cupcake
• Broccoli Cheddar Frittata with Tomatoes by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Chicken and Pepper Rice with Fried Egg by Family Foodie
• Chicken Tajine with Prunes and Almonds by The Petit Gourmet
• Coriander Salmon with Capered Green Beans by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Dutch Baby Pancake by Curious Cuisiniere
• Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs and Ramps in Puff Pastry by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Mimosa Waffles by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Mushroom Manchego Cream Filled Crepes by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Arugula Salad by Casa de Crews
• Smoked Salmon & Shaved Asparagus Gruyere Quiche with a Pine Nut Crust by Simply Healthy Family

Treats and Sweets

• 5 Favorite Pancake Toppings by Sunday Supper
• Angel Food Cakes in a Jar by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Black Cow Cupcakes by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Blueberry Breakfast Cake by Noshing With The Nolands
• Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt by Food Lust People Love
• Cherry Cheesecake Pastry Braid by The Redhead Baker
• Crustless Creamy Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake by Magnolia Days
• Deluxe Salted Caramel Turtle Sundae by The Weekend Gourmet
• Gluten Free Strawberries and Cream Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Lemon Blackberry Mini Tarts by Life Tastes Good
• Lemon Brownies by Pies and Plots
• Lower Fat Peach Cheesecake by Food Done Light
• Mini Chocolate Marshmallow Bombe Soufflé by Nik Snacks
• Mini Lemon Almond Cupcakes by Caroline's Cooking
• Nutella Cheesecake Shooters by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Pavlova by The Freshman Cook
• Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Raspberry Mascarpone Mini Tarts by Palatable Pastime
• Rose Apple Custard Tart by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Soft-Baked Lemon Coconut Cookies by One Sweet Mess
• Steamed Strawberry Coconut Poke Cake by Wallflour Girl
• Sunshine Lemon Cake Pop Bouquet by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Triple Chocolate Layer Cake by Take A Bite Out of Boca

Smoked Salmon Potato Stacks

If you are looking for a change from crackers and bread as a base for canapés, may I suggest sliced potatoes? They work particularly well with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Check out my deliciously adorable smoked salmon potato stacks! It's a delicious combination. And naturally gluten-free.



I have a confession to make. Sometimes I have neither crackers or bread. But I almost always have potatoes. Panfry a few thick slices and you've got the perfect base for the spread of your choice. 

I created this recipe a few years back for Appetizer Week. Since then I've served potato slices with many other toppings but you can't beat this classic combination.

Smoked Salmon Potato Stacks

Quick to make ahead and quick to assemble, your party guests will love these easy to eat finger food.

Ingredients
2 potatoes (Together mine weighed about 13 3/4 oz or 390g.)
Olive oil
5 oz or 140g cream cheese at room temperature
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Tiny piece purple onion 1/3 oz or 10g
6 oz or 170g thinly sliced smoked salmon
Chopped parsley, mint or fennel fronds to decorate, optional

Method
Peel your potatoes and slice them into rounds about 1/4 inch or 6mm thick. I got about 10 or 11 good slices from each potato and discarded the end bits, which would have been too small to match the rest.



Drizzle a little olive oil on a non-stick griddle pan and cook your potatoes in batches until they are browned on both sides and cooked through. Set aside to cool.



Mix the cream cheese, yogurt and lemon juice together in a small bowl and give it a generous few grinds of black pepper.



Thinly slice your purple onion.



Put the cream cheese mixture in a Ziploc bag and cut a small corner off so you can squeeze it out.

Share the cream cheese mixture out between the cooked potato slices, reserving just a little bit to garnish.



Cut the smoked salmon slices into skinnier pieces and roll them up. Set two or three small rolls on the cream cheese mixture.



Finish with another small dab of the cream cheese mixture and top with a sliver of the purple onion. If you like onion and know your crowd does too, feel free to put more.



Sprinkle with chopped parsley, mint or fennel fronds to decorate, if desired.



Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.



Enjoy!

Grilled Fennel Salad

Grilled fennel and purple onions, simply dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, make a lovely fresh salad.

When I was a young girl, I didn’t know anyone with a food allergy.   By the time my own babies came along and grew to school-age, a couple of their classmates were mildly allergic to nuts.   Now it seems like allergies and intolerances are rampant and many have become life-threatening.  Which is rather scary.  I am in awe of the parents who work hard to make life normal for those children, working on recipes that eliminate the offending ingredients but still taste great.

Our host for this week’s Sunday Supper , Bea of The Not So Cheesy Kitchen, is one such mom.  Her daughters cannot eat milk sugar (lactose) in any form, so her blog is a fabulous dairy-free resource with delicious recipes.  Most posts include photos of her adorable daughters offering their opinion on the dishes with one or two thumbs up, which means that Bea’s recipes are not only healthy but kid-friendly and approved.  Which, I am sure you will agree, is very important to a successful Sunday Supper.

This week the Sunday Supper group explores “free-from” recipes, so there are tasty options for everyone, no matter what their food allergies or diet restrictions.

Ingredients
1 large or 2-3 small fennel bulbs, preferably with some fronds
1 small purple onion
Olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
Sea salt
Black pepper

Method
Cut the frond off of the fennel bulbs and set aside.  Trim the tough stems and discard.  Now cut the bulbs from top to bottom into slices which are a little skinnier than half an inch or 1 cm thick.

Slice the onion very thinly.

Put the onion in your salad bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.  Squeeze over the juice of your lemon.  Set aside.  This will take some of the sharpness out of the raw onion.

Heat your griddle pan till it is searing hot.  Lay the fennel slices on the griddle and weigh them down with something heavy, like a full kettle.  Cook for three to four minutes or until the fennel softens just slightly and there are lovely char marks on one side.

Turn the fennel slices over and weigh them down again.  Cook for another three or four minutes, making sure to get some charred lines on the other side.

Remove the fennel to a cutting board and allow to cool.

Chop the grilled fennel up and add it to the salad bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.  Give the whole thing a good stir and add more salt, pepper and olive oil to taste.

Top with the chopped fennel fronds.

I served this alongside the smothered pork chops and potatoes from my recent Mothers' Day post.     It is a great fresh complement to a rich meal.

Enjoy!

Have a look at all the wonderful "free from" recipes this week.  It's a fabulous round up of flavor!

Breakfast

• Dairy, Egg, Gluten, Nut & Soy Free Brown Rice Breakfast Pudding by girlichef
• Dairy & Nut and Sugar Free Blueberry Tangerine Muffins by Vintage Kitchen
• Dairy, Egg, Gluten, Nut, and Soy Free Homemade Mango Jam Recipe by Masala Herb
  
  

Main Courses

• Gluten Free Nothing Missing Manicotti by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Gluten Free Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Meatballs over Courgette Noodles bySmall Wallet, Big Appetite
• Gluten Free Pizza by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Dairy, Egg & Nut Free Balsamic Portobello Burgers by Curious Cuisinere
• Dairy, Egg, Gluten & Nut Free Mushroom Risotto Bake by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Gluten Free Enoki Mushroom & Pine Nut Quinoa by Family Foodie
• Dairy, Egg & Gluten Free Vegan Mac and “Cheese” by Webicurean
• Dairy, Egg & Nut Free Creamy Mushrooms on Pasta by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
  
  

Sides

• Gluten Free Persian Cucumber Yogurt by Shockingly Delicious
• Gluten Free Quinoa with Olives, Basil and Sun-dried Tomatoes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!
• Dairy Free Farro and Fruit Salad by Magnolia Days 
• Dairy, Egg, Gluten & Dairy Free Fattoush Salad by From the Bookshelf
• Gluten Free Chickpea Fritters by The Lovely Pantry
• Dairy, Egg, and Gluten Free Black Bean and Mango Salad by Soni’s Food
• Dairy, Egg, Gluten, and Nut Free Grilled Fennel Salad by Food Lust People Love
  
  

Breads

• Dairy & Gluten Free French Bread by Blueberries and Blessings
• Dairy & Gluten Free Crunchy Almond Sesame Crackers by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
  
  

Treats

• Dairy & Gluten Free Individual Chocolate Pavlovas by The Girl in The Little Red Kitchen
• Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies by Juanita’s Cocina
• Dairy, Egg & Gluten Free Apple Almond Butter Cookies by What Smells So Good?
• Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Almond Flour by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Nut Free Lemon Cardamom Wedding Cookies by Gourmet Drizzles
• Dairy Free Chocolate Gelato by Growing Up Gabel 
• Dairy, Egg, Gluten & Sugar Free Cantaloupe, Strawberry, & Coconut Gazpacho by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Gluten Free Meringue Kisses with Dulce de Lece by Basic N Delicious
• Dairy & Egg Free Vegan Everyday Chocolate Loaf by Gotta Get Baked
• Gluten, Dairy, and Nut Free Coconut Macaroons by Happy Baking Days
• Dairy, Egg, Gluten & Soy Free Tastes like Chocolate Ice Cream by Cookistry
• Gluten Free Mousse & Cookies by Ninja Baking
• Gluten Free Brown Butter Snickerdooles by Pies and Plots
• Dairy, Egg & Soy Free Chai Spice Coconut Ice Cream by Daily Dish Recipes
• Gluten Free Lemonade Dip by The Messy Baker
• Nut & Fat Free Chocolate Angel Food Cake by Table for Seven

Drinks

• Gluten & Dairy Free Honey Bear Smoothies by Neighborfood
• Sugar Free Strawberry Meyer Lemonade by The Weekend Gourmet
  

Tilapia with Mushrooms, Artichokes, White Wine, Lemon and a Completely Unreasonable Amount of Cream

Calling all heathens.  You know who you are.   We are about to have a biblical lesson.  Not a Bible lesson exactly but I want to talk about fish.  And listening to your mother, because she is probably right.

Who remembers when we didn’t know what tilapia was?  Never heard of it and then, seemingly, it was ubiquitous.  On every fishy crushed ice spread in every grocery store.  And bags and bags of frozen filets in the freezer section as well.  When tilapia first came to my attention, my mother and I were discussing it and she told me that tilapia was most likely the fish that the apostles were catching in Sea of Galilee.  How does she know these things?  She goes to church, people.  And apparently pays attention during the sermon.  After just a little research, I discovered she was so right!  In fact, in many regions, they call tilapia St. Peter’s fish.  I think that is kind of cool.

This dish is one of my summer favorites because my sister, Marta, always makes it when we are home for the long school break.  Upon finding lovely fresh tilapia filets in my local Carrefour supermarket, I wrote and asked her for the recipe.  Her instructions included the method and the ingredients but no amounts so I will try to quantify it for you.  But I imagine if you put a little more of this, or a little less of that, this will still be just as delicious.   I am pretty sure I put way more mushrooms than she would but they looked lovely and fresh that day.

Ingredients
1lb 10oz or 750g button mushrooms
6 filets of tilapia
Sea salt
Black pepper
3/4 cup or 170g butter
Drizzle of olive oil
1/2 cup or 120ml lemon juice
2 cans or jars of artichoke hearts (not marinated) - drained weight about 5 3/4 oz or 165g each
1 cup or 240ml dry white wine
2 cups or 480ml heavy cream
Optional:  flat egg noodles to serve this over.

Method
Rinse the tilapia to make sure all the scales are gone.  I also tidy up the margins with a sharp knife because I am like that about fish.  You don’t have to.   Give the filets a good sprinkling of sea salt and a couple of good grinds of fresh black pepper.

Clean and slice your mushrooms and squeeze your lemons, if you are using fresh juice, which I highly recommend.

Drain your artichokes.  I had jars of the tiny ones so I didn’t cut them but you can half or quarter larger ones if you’d like.

Melt your butter in a large saucepan, preferably non-stick and add a drizzle of olive oil to keep it from burning.

Gently cook the fish in the butter, for a few minutes on each side.

No one said this was a diet dish. 

Remove the filets to a plate when just cooked through and cover them.

Tip your mushrooms and artichokes into the saucepan and sauté until the mushrooms have given up most of their moisture, stirring occasionally.  I put the lid on and turned the fire down because I wasn’t in any hurry but this shouldn’t take more than about 5-7 minutes.

Add in the lemon juice, white wine and whipping cream.  Give it a good stir and lower the flame to a simmer.  Cook until it thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.

(If you are serving this over egg noodles, this would be a good time to cook them according to package instructions.  If they are ready a little before the fish, drain them and put them back in the pot with a good glug of olive oil to keep them from sticking together.)

Slide the fish back into the sauce, making sure to add back all the juices that have accumulated on the plate as well, and carefully redistribute the filets around the pan.

Heat gently until the fish is warmed through and then serve.

I was serving this for a dinner guest so I put the noodles in a dish, added the tilapia and ladled the sauce over the whole thing.  It occurred to me afterwards that a light sprinkling of chopped parsley would have looked pretty but never mind.  The dish tasted delicious.  Kind of a stroganoff of tilapia, if that makes any sense to you.

Give each person a healthy serving of noodles, topped with mushrooms and artichokes and one filet.

Enjoy!

I’m on a touring holiday right now with my mom so if I don’t answer comments right away, please know that I am still delighted when you leave them and will respond as soon as I have internet access again.