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Gourmet magazine has come to an end. When I read that the 68 year old magazine was closing up shop, I cried. I did. I sat there in a coffee shop and shed a few tears.

The last issue arrived this week. November 2009. I flipped through the beautiful pages and read each recipe several times. There are some gems this month, but this Crab Hush Puppy recipe made me say ‘wow’ outloud. I am grateful for this magazine and the delicious appreciation of food it has brought into my life.

Crab Hush Puppies with Tartar Sauce

Gourmet Magazine, November 2009

Makes about 40 hors d’oeuvres

For tartar sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup finely chopped sweet pickles

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 ½ tabsp chopped drained capers

2 tsp grainy mustard

1 tsp grated lemon zest

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

For hush puppies

About 6 cups vegetable oil for frying

1 garlic clove

2 large eggs

1 cup plus 2 tbsp well-shaken buttermilk (not powdered)

3 scallions, finely chopped

1 cup cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup jumbo lump crabmeat (about 7 oz.)

equipment: deep-fat thermomet

Make tartar sauce: stir together all ingredients and season with salt pepper

Make hush puppies: Preheat oven to 200 F.

1. Heat 2 incoies oil to 375 F in a wide 5 qt heavy pot over medium heat. While oil heats, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then whisk together with eggs, buttermilk, and scallions in a bowl.

2. Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper in a large bowl, then stir in buttermilk mixture until just combined. Stir in crabmeat.

3. Working in batches of 10, carefully drop tablespoons of batter into oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden-brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Return oil to 375F between batches.

4. Serve hush puppies with tartar sauce.

Tartar sauce can be made 2 days ahead and chilled. Hush puppies can be fried 5 hours ahead and chilled (covered once cool.) Reheat in 1 layer on a baking sheet in a 450 F oven, about 10 minutes.

I made Arroz con Pollo last night for my man. He asked if he could bathe in it, which I took as a good sign. I posted this recipe a year ago. Now I'm not a fan of repeat posts, but if people ask to bathe in my food that deserves a second appearance.

 This is my Colombian grandmother's recipe. I call her Ita (short for abuelita). I love her.
Arroz con Pollo
serves 6 - 8 people
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 cups white rice
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 
Cumin
Salt

1. In your largest stock pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil and saute garlic and onion, until softened. Add bell pepper and and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.  Add tomatoes, a sprinkle of salt and cumin and heat through.
2. Trim any excess fat from chicken thighs and place in same pot. Make sure the chicken is completely covered by tomato mixture. Cook on low/medium heat for 20 minutes.
3. In separate pan, heat 3 remaining tablespoons oil, and add rice. Lightly salt, and saute until rice is slightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Add 6 cups water to rice. Cover and bring rice to boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes or until desired tenderness.
4. When chicken is cooked through, remove thighs to a plate and shred with knife and fork. Return shredded chicken to tomato mixture.
5. Slowly add cooked rice to chicken/tomato mixture 1 cup at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. You want it to be juicy, but not too runny. Top with fresh cilantro and enjoy!

I love scallops. Once I started cooking them, I had scallops for dinner 5 days in a row. A quick seer is all I usually do. No additional sauce until a few days ago . . . Two of my favorite food blogs, Proud Italian Cook and Ciao Chow Linda, both featured Scallop Piccata, and I had to try it right away. Imagine juicy scallops, lightly crisped, topped with a rich lemon-butter-wine sauce. The capers add a saltiness that drives me crazy. Serve over angel hair pasta. Money! Scallop Piccata Serves 4 people (4 scallops each) 16 large sea scallops flour for dredging 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons capers 1 cup dry white wine 1 1/2 sticks butter 1/2 cup flat Italian parsley 1. Pat scallops dry with towel and lightly dredge in flour. 2. In heavy bottom/cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. When oil is smoking, add scallops. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly crispy brown. Remove scallops from pan. Place on a plate and cover lightly with foil. 3. Add wine to pan and scrape up any brown bits from pan. Stir in capers, and let wine reduce slightly. Cook for about 3 minutes. 4. Whisk in butter. 5. Add scallops back to mixture to heat through. 6. Serve over angel hair pasta and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.

Turns out I liked the greek salad so much I couldn't get enough. I made Greek pasta with shrimp the next week to keep the party going. Greek Pasta with Shrimp 1/2 pound spaghetti 1 can diced tomatoes 2 cloves garlic, finely diced 2 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped 1 pound raw shimp, peeled and deveined 1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil feta cheese crumbles salt and pepper to taste 1. Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions 2. Heat olive in large pan, and saute garlic until golden. 3. Remove tails from shrimp and add to pan. Saute for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until they are cooked through. 4. In a large mixing bowl add tomatoes, olives, cooked shrimp, oregano and feta. 5. Add cooked pasta to sauce mixture. 6. Serve in bowls and top with feta cheese.

Sundays now mean one thing . . . football. It's amazing what a good man can do to your life. I've been #1 fan (nevermind the fact that he has video evidence of me sleeping through a recent game.) Our gameday menu usually includes pizza, wings or chili (all excellent choices.) But one crazy day, we actually ate a salad. It was a perfectly simple greek salad. Delicious and refreshing. Enjoy! Greek Salad 1 head romaine lettuce, roughly torn 1 tomato, largely cubed 1/2 cucumber, chopped 1 small red onion, sliced 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved 1/4 feta cheese crumbled 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped salt and pepper to taste 1. Create bed of lettuce 2. Top with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and feta. 3. Mix oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper and pour on top of salad. 4. Toss salad and serve.