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It’s been a busy start to July as our daughter and her family were here for the week, followed by playing catch up after they left. The weather this summer has been unbearably humid and hot; so, who feels like cooking. My husband likes a “cold supper” in the summer, which means I have to cook it earlier in the day so that we can enjoy it chilled for supper. However, I had in my possession from last May a recipe by Steven Raichlen for Shrimp a La Plancha. For this simple, tasty recipe you’ll need shrimp, extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Spanish), minced flat leaf parsley, fresh garlic, pimentón (optional), coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, either brandy or sherry and lemon wedges.
 
Pimentón is a type of paprika used in Spanish cooking and comes in several varieties such as sweet, spicy, smoked and combination. I substituted smoked paprika.

​The shrimp are cleaned and deveined and dressed with olive oil, parsley, garlic, pimentón (if using), salt and pepper. The shrimp marinate for 10 minutes before cooking on a hot griddle. I cooked my shrimp outside in a cast iron frying pan in a single layer for 2 to 3 minutes per side. When done, I removed the pan from the grill and added sherry to deglaze the pan and cooked until evaporated. To serve, I garnished with parsley and served with lemon wedges.
 
This was a lovely and quick weeknight meal. The sherry, combined with the smoked paprika, enhanced the flavor of the shrimp. A truly delightful summertime meal.
 
Since 1987, I have been making my daughter’s birthday cake. I’ve made Black and White Mille Crepe, Gâteau de Crêpes and Country Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream to name a few. This year she selected a pie by Lidey Heuck, Strawberries and Cream Pie. This recipe was originally made using peaches, but recently on Instagram, Lidey used strawberries and you can even use blueberries. For the recipe you’ll need graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, kosher salt, unsalted butter, cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and the fruit of your choice.
 
The recipe begins by making a simple graham cracker crust. The crust is baked and cooled completely before adding the filling. Cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar is whipped together until smooth. Next, the heavy whipping cream and vanilla are added and whipped until stiff peaks are formed.  The mixture is spread into the cooled crust and must chill for 2 hours or best overnight to set. Since I used strawberries, I cut them at the last minute then piled them high on the pie.
 
What a delicious, but messy pie. I loved the combination of whipped cream and cream cheese for the filling. The cream cheese added stability to the whipped cream in which to support the volume of fruit. The strawberries were ripe and juicy and lent a subtle sweetness to the pie. Everyone enjoyed my daughter’s birthday celebration dessert.
 
I hope to be back on track cooking next week. I just received several fabulous pâtés from my friends at Alexian Patê and Specialty Meats. Patês are perfect for easy summer entertaining whether part of a charcuterie board or incorporated into your meal preparation. I’ve used patê as a filling for ravioli and filling for stuffed chicken breast. I also layered wild mushroom pate with thinly sliced roasted beet with a balsamic glaze and a cornichon for a chilled hors d’oeuvre.
 
Let’s not forget my CSA vegetables. I just received a head of cabbage, fresh string beans and peaches. If you have ripe peaches try Samantha Seneviratne’s Peach Focaccia with Thyme or Jerrelle Guy’s Peach Pound Cake. For the cabbage, perhaps Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Caramelized Cabbage and Walnut Pasta, which was surprisingly and delightfully delicious. 

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Shrimp a la Plancha
“This Tool Pushes the Limits of Outdoor Cooking,” By Steven Raichlen
The New York Times,  May 15, 2023
 
Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
 
Servings: 4 appetizer servings, 2 to 3 entrees servings
 
Ingredients
1-pound extra-large shrimp, shelled, split and deveined
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Spanish), plus 2 to 3 tablespoons for greasing
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 to 4garlic cloves, peeled and crushed with the side of a knife
1 teaspoon pimentón (optional)
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons brandy or sherry (optional)
Lemon wedges, for serving
 
Preparation

1. Place the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon parsley, the garlic, pimentón (if using) and salt and pepper; toss to mix. Let marinate for 10 minutes while you heat the griddle.
2. Heat your griddle to high heat (500 degrees). If using a gas-fired griddle, set it too high. If using a freestanding griddle, the flat side of a grill pan or a large cast-iron skillet, heat it on your stove over high heat or over a direct fire on your grill. To check the temperature, shake a few drops of water onto it. When properly heated, the water will evaporate in 1 to 2 seconds. Drizzle the griddle with olive oil (start with 2 tablespoons, adding more as needed) and spread the oil around with a spatula.
3. When ready to cook, spoon the shrimp onto the griddle in a single layer and cook until browned underneath, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. If using the brandy or sherry, carefully pour it over the shrimp and cook until evaporated. For high drama, touch a lit long fireplace match or butane match to it to flambée it.
5. Transfer the shrimp to a platter or plates and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

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Peaches and Cream Pie
By Lidey Heuck
The New York Times/NYT Cooking
 
Total Time: 40 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling
Yield: 8 servings
 
”This recipe is inspired by the fruit and cream pies at Briermere Farms, in Riverhead, N.Y., a fruit farm and bakery on the North Fork of Long Island. Here, a press-in graham cracker crust is swapped in for the traditional pastry crust, but otherwise the recipe stays true to the signature pie, with a giant mound of fresh sliced peaches concealing a lightly sweetened whipped cream filling beneath. Cream cheese acts as a stabilizer in the whipped cream, allowing you to assemble the crust and filling in advance — but once you add the peaches, the pie is best served within the hour. Perfectionists take note: This pie is a little messy, but that’s part of its charm. If you can’t find ripe, juicy peaches, this recipe is equally delicious made with fresh strawberries or blueberries. The quality and ripeness of the fruit is more important than the variety.”
 
Ingredients
1⅓ cups/160 grams graham cracker crumbs (from about 10 or 11 graham cracker sheets)
¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼  teaspoon kosher salt
6tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces/60 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup/60 grams confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 cup/240 milliliters cold heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 pounds/900 grams ripe yellow peaches (5 to 7 peaches)
 
Preparation
 

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the butter and toss until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch pie plate and press into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate, packing the crust lightly with the bottom of a measuring cup. Place the pie plate on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until set, then cool completely.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed until combined, then raise the speed to high and whip until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the heavy cream and vanilla, and beat on high speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Scrape the filling into the cooled crust, smooth the top, and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight, until set. (Cover with plastic wrap if chilling the pie overnight.)
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. Immerse the peaches, a few at a time, in the boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on the ripeness of the peaches, until their skins peel off easily with a paring knife. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Peel the peaches, and cut into slices, placing the slices in a colander set over a bowl to drain any excess juices.
4. Just before you plan to serve the pie, spoon the peaches onto the filling, covering the entire surface of the pie. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour before serving.

 
TIP - This pie is a little messy, but that’s part of its charm. Finally, if you can’t find ripe, juicy peaches, this recipe is equally delicious made with fresh strawberries or blueberries. The quality and ripeness of the fruit is more important than the variety.

peaches_and_cream_pie.pdf
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