The Food Thread

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I'll go first. Every summer Ocean Spray has a big recipe contest. I'm going to post three original recipes that I entered into last years contest. Cranberries are a big ingredient here in Wisconsin but many people haven't found great ways to incorporate them into their cuisine.

CRANBERRY-ROOTBEER FLAN LECHE
The idea in this one was to make cranberries the star by putting them in a rich dessert with flavors that compliment like rootbeer and pistacios. Rootbeer and cranberry is a rare combo but shouldn't be. I felt this was my strongest dish last year.

Ingredients:
1 12 fl oz can Evaporated Milk
1 14 oz can sweetened condenced Milk
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 T vanilla extract

5 graham crackers (20 segments)
1/4 c Ocean Spray Craisins, chopped
2 T roasted pistacios, shelled and crushed (optional)
4 T melted butter

12oz Root beer
7 oz Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce

Technique:
For Flan Leche
Beat milks, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together to form a smooth mixture. Strain into 4 oz molds. Place molds inside hotel pan. Fill pan with water until water level is nearly even with custard level inside molds. Bake at 300 until inserted tester comes out clean (~40 minutes). Refridgerate molds.

For Craisin crust
Crush, chop, or grind crackers into crumbs. Combine with craisins and pistacios. Sprinkle mixture evenly over set custards. Coat evenly with melted butter. Return to refridgeration.

For Cranberry Rootbeer sauce
Bring rootbeer to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and wisk cranberry sauce into rootbeer. Reduce until a thick syrup. Keep warm for plating.

To serve invert and unmold flan onto plate. Drizzle warm syrup on and around flan making sure to cover the top. Recipe serves 6.

GRILLED CRANBERRY POLENTA WITH SOURCREAM AND SALMON ROE
I would make this for the crew of our salmon seining boat in Alaska. Your roe won't be as fresh as mine was but this is still an elegant snack or breakfast and really looks beautiful on the plate. You can skip the juice cocktail step, it does make the dish better but not by much. its real purpose is to meet the contest requirements.

Ingredients:
6 c water
1 T Salt
2 c coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
1/2c unsalted butter
1/2c Craisins
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/2c sour cream
1 c Ocean Spray cranberry juice cocktail
2 oz Salmon Roe

Technique:

For Grilled Cranberry Jalapeno Polenta
Bring 6 cups of water to boil. Add Salt and bring to a simmer. Add polenta while stiring continuously until polenta is thick. (~ 20 minutes) Stir in half of the butter until melted. Add Craisins and Jalapenos. Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan. Cover pan and refridgerate at least 4 hours. When loaf is set, remove from pan and slice into 3/8 inch slices. Carefully butter each slice and Grill until golden and lightly chared around edges.

For Sour Cream Topping
Bring Juice cocktail to a boil. Reduce until a thick syrup. Drizzle syrup lightly into bowl containing sour cream. Mix very lightly to leave swirls. Reserve some syrup for garnish.

To Serve
Leave swirl of cranberry syrup on plate. Shingle two slices of cranberry polenta. Top with dollap of sour cream topping and salmon roe garnish. ~6 servings

CRANBERRY FILLED JALAPENO "BARQUETTES"
Barquettes are French boat-shaped cookies which is what the jalapeno halves reminded me of when developing this recipe. Plus it sounds fancy. You can skip the juice cocktail in this one, its really only in there to meet the contest requirements. Its better without it honestly but I wanted to post the recipe as it was.

Ingredients:
15 whole jalapeno peppers of even size and shape
3 T Ocean Spray Craisins, chopped
3 T red onion, finely diced
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c Ocean Spray cranberry juice cocktail
15 slices of bacon

banana leaf garnish

Technique:
Lay bacon on sheet pan and bake at 275 F until cooked but still floppy. Bring cranberry juice cocktail to a boil. Reduce until thick and syrupy. Trim and discard stems of peppers. Slice each pepper down the middle lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape the seeds and membranes of each pepper to yield 30 jalapeno "barquettes." Combine Cream cheese with chopped craisins and red onion. Fold in juice reduction lightly to leave swirls. Fill barquettes with cream cheese mixture. Wrap each barquette with a half slice of parcooked bacon. If desired further crisp bacon using propane torch, leaving jalapeno as raw as possible.

To serve arrange five barquettes onto a plate lined with banana leaf. Can also be individually served as an amuse bouche.