FabFete

savor the last of summer!

the end of summer is nearing and we're in the midst of hitting the street market circuit. while brainstorming for the next market, i remembered one of my favorite summer side dishes. sweet onion slaw is full of tang with a sweet bite thats tempered by giving the onions a quick blanch. think cole slaw with thinly sliced onion standing in for the cabbage. the pan-fried onion dip was such a surprising hit at the last market, i know that this will be a winner too. our favorite enjoy this unconventional slaw is to throw it on top of a grilled brat or burger, or along side some mojo criollo-marinated grilled chicken. 

as always, make this recipe your own. i like to stick with a mix of sweet vidalia and yellow onions to give it a sweetness with a slight kick. using red onions will give it a glorious and vibrant color. sometimes i add shredded carrot for color and sweetness. if anyone looks at you funny, let them taste it. we have been making this slaw for a few summers and each time we get a convert or two.

here's a method of preparation in place of a staid recipe. make it as tart/sweet/wet/dry as you desire. (if you really really need one, i can dig around in my recipe box). treat this recipe as you would any cole slaw. if you like celery seed or scallions, go for it. just remember it's all about the onions!

sweet onion slaw

1. thinly slice 3-4 large onions (your choice of yellow, white, vidalia or red, or a mix)
2. blanche onions in pot of boiling water until slightly limp, but still crisp. rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
3. in bottom of a large bowl, combine a generous splash of cider vinegar with a few tablespoons of sugar, a squirt of dijon mustard and a dollop of mayonnaise. 
4. throw in onions and toss to coat.
5. refrigerate for several hours for the flavors to combine.
6. serve along side your favorite grilled meats. 

 

and speaking of the grey market...

brightestyoungthings, the ultra cool, ultra hip, ultra know-everything-hot-going-on-in-dc , was at the grey market snapping pics on sunday, july 17th. check out the gallery and get a peek at FabFete's popcorn, including our signature flavor, SweetSalt. 

and a special bonus, below is the super easy recipe for the cocoa popcorn! a little trick we use to keep it not-so-indulgent is to spray the popcorn with butter flavored cooking spray instead of drizzling straight butter (pam and spectrum brands are all natural). it gives the flavoring something to stick to and keeps the popcorn fresh and crunchy. we also use mushroom popcorn kernels. the round balls are ample surface area and are sturdy enough to withhold heavier toppings like caramel.

Cocoa Popcorn
(courtesy of martha stewart...duh)

ingredients:

10c plain unsalted popped popcorn
2tbl sugar
2tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
butter flavored cooking spray

method:

1. place popcorn in a large bowl
2. combine sugar and cocoa powder
3. spritz popcorn with an even coat of butter spray
4. sprinkle with cocoa mixture and toss to combine

photo courtesy of byt.com

lamb pops with mint pesto

whole foods market recently launched community sites based around area stores with blogs, contests and member submitted and answered food questions. for the rockville version of the site, last week's contest was 'your best spring lamb recipe'. it has always been a dream of mine to prepare  lamb pops with mint pesto for a stylish, high-budget cocktail party. they are well-suited for entertaining. the bone acts as handle for the two-bite portion of meat and slicing before cooking allows you to prepare the lamb to different temperatures. the walnut in the pesto gets a nice toasting in the hot pan bringing a different dimension to the dish. the mint-parsley mix and walnuts replace pesto's traditional basil and pine nuts.

with two minutes before the deadline, i submitted the recipe fully confident i had a winner on my hands. unfortunately, the site's editors were not so informed and chose two others as the finalists. 

it may not have won them over, but it's still a winner.

click here: lamb pops with mint pesto

 

give time, eat pie

greater dc cares, a dc-based volunteer organization is hosting a pie-baking contest at the atlas theater on april 3. reading the poster reminded me of one of my favorite pies that i have never been able to locate or duplicate: german chocolate pie. my father brought one back from a business trip to kansas city when i was a kid. it was a rich, decadent chocolate pudding pie with a pecan-caramel frosting.

for this occasion, i'm thinking a lighter, mousse-based german chocolate pie...perhaps topped with a caramel meringue (if such a thing exists), and sprinkled with pecan toffee bits.

we'll see if i actually do it, but so far, i'm loving the idea!

dessert party: mini cheesecakes

oh my martha! you are killing me, my dear. i'm laying here watching 'martha bakes' and after surviving the cupcake-sized cheesecakes with sour cream topping, and the not-so-mini-but-still-individually-portioned cheesecakes with bing cherry topping, she whips out the ricotta cheesecake.

so now i'm adding miniature ricotta cheesecakes with bing cherry topping to the list! ricotta makes a lighter, fluffier cheesecake than the traditional new york variety. and the cherry topping is made with gelatin so it sits on top with the bing cherries appearing to float.

(i did have to ignore some of the self-aggrandizing....the white, red and pink currants grown in her garden and used to garnish the mini cheesecakes with sour cream...her claim that her new york recipe is perfect....(ok so it WAS perfectly crack-free and gorgeously ungarnished))

super bowl series 2 - everybody loves wings

don't even think about not serving wings. even WE don't stare down our noses at the mighty chicken wing. they fit all the criteria for perfect entertaining food...

1) they can be eaten with one hand,

2) they can be made in advance,

3) they can be served in tons of varieties,

4)and  nobody will say...'i really dont like wings...'

we do, however, have a few rules to serving wings for a crowd. get big meaty ones. costco has 10lb bags, but market poultry at eastern market in dc have fabulously meaty jumbo chicken wings. serve them hooter's style, separating the drumstick from the other two pieces. we recommend any variety that allows oven roasting. because really, who wants to stand in front of the stove frying chicken all afternoon? (we do break from this rule for buffalo wings...by law, you have to). spend that time painting your face in your team's colors, hanging your fathead graphics on the wall or putting bear on ice. here's fabfete's favorite wing varieties:

hoisin-glazed wings hoisin sauce, honey, garlic, fresh ginger and a drizzle of sesame oil makes a great glaze for oven-roasted wings. toss them in the sauce, and roast the hell out of them to make a great sticky, crispy glaze. sprinkle with sesame seeds, slices of green onions and garnish with orange slices.

buffalo i know...but we don't knock traditions that we REALLY love. we keep it simple with frank's hot sauce mixed with melted butter. and we like to bread and fry our wings first. the breading helps soak up that much more spicy, tangy sauce. and think about making your own buttermilk blue cheese dip.

jerk no not you, the wings. grace's jerk seasong is full of flavor, and body and some green stuff that clings to the wings and makes them fabulous. we marinate ours in the freezer for DAYS, mixing the sauce with a little water and vegetable oil to help them brown when roasted. the mild version is plenty hot enough.

jack daniels bbq sauce fabfete's momma is famous for her bbq'd fried chicken. breading and frying the wings first, toss in sauce and finishing in the oven is soo much better (wait..did we break our rule again?). this recipe is perfect for well-stocked pantries.

sweet chili wings we, the pizza, top chef's spike mendelsohn's pizza joint in dc, has some really good wings with a simple, sweet, spicy glaze of sweet or hot chili sauce, honey or brown sugar, garlic...yum. don't be afraid to make them spicy. that sweet burn is what it's all about...

ok...fine...fry the wings first. skimp on something else. because if everyone loves wings, you'd better make some damn good ones.

super bowl countdown! are you ready??

with the big game around the corner, we're kicking off our super bowl series. not just a one-day deal, but daily tips, recipes and entertaining and decorating suggestions leading up to the big event. we've compiled our favorite party foods, snacks, dips, chips, and new favorites to share with you. check her for the next seven days as we give you lists and links to get you prepared. then we'll share some of our entertaining secrets as you countdown to party time.

or...you can leave it up to us. we cant think of a better way to spend the super bowl than throwing a fab fete!

end of summer

one of my favorite things about summer is the fruit. particularly stone fruit. especially nectarines. during a trip to the splash park with my niece, i hate some nectarines that had been warmed by the sun. so sweet, juicy and delicious. far more better than cold or room temperature. then i thought..how about hot? (of course, i'm far from the first to do this). 

sprinkle the cut side of peaches, nectarines and plums with sugar. once the sugar is dissolved, grill them, cut-side down, on a hot grill pan (or outdoor grill). alternatively, broil in the oven until the sugars sizzle, bubble and brown.

this make a perfect dessert for entertaining in the late summer and early food. the preparations are easy and can be done ahead. and guests will be impressed, despite the dish's simplicity.

lemon-curd-swiss-meringue-buttercream cupcakes

a few years ago i made a lemon cake with lemon curd filling and lemon swiss meringue buttercream from martha's baking handbook. fabulous. in looking for inspiration for an upcoming housewarming, i again turned to citrus. this time i wanted to take those same elements and cupcake-ize them. during cupcake week, martha made lemon meringue cupcakes with a layer of lemon curd hidden under the burnished meringue frosting. voila! i had my solution.

the lemon cupcake recipe is light, fluffy with just a hint of lemon from the generous amount of zest and splash of juice. the lemon curd is bright, sweet and silky...a combination that canNOT be replicated with pre-made or jarred curd (i tried...tasted like lemonheads...horrible). instead of meringue, i topped with the lemon swiss meringue buttercream. the addition of egg whites makes this the lightest, non-greasy-est buttercream ever. an absolute favorite. ask tianna....

for the party, i'm thinking of making mini-cupcakes. but for a party that looks to top 40...i'm quite adverse to anything requiring too much assembly. we'll see.

fresh corn salad

this is a summer time favorite. and with warm weather, red juicy tomatoes and sweet corn almost ready for us, i thought it was a good time to share this recipe. i made it recently using canned corn and tomatoes (diced, drained). not the same. i promised brenda (a fellow cook i met at a recent event) i would share this with her to help her spruce up her menu for her monthly women's luncheon. i hope they like it.

another one stolen from my idol, ina garten of barefoot contessa. adding diced avocados makes the dressing creamy as the avocados seem to melt away.

my suggestions:

- use fresh corn and roma tomatoes for a crisp texture and bright taste 

- i also like the addition of fresh squeezed lime juice and green onions instead of the basil.

- cilantro would work well if youre going for a mexican/southwestern flavor. 

- i also found that its not necessary to cook the corn first, but this is a personal preference.

- double/triple/ad lib the recipe for easy summer entertaining

Fresh Corn Salad 

5 ears of corn, shucked

1/c cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)

3 tbl cider vinegar

3 tbl olive oil

kosher salt

pepper

1/2 cup julienned basil leaves

•   

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

  Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature. 
•   
• (4-6 servings)