KC Lapiana of In the Kitchen in the Strip District shares these recipes that she made for us, presenting them in mini servings using items she sells at the store at 1725 Penn Ave. (shopinthekitchen.com and 412-261-5513). She says even in Pittsburgh, where "people like to eat," mini dishes and spoons recently have become extremely popular.
Deviled Eggs and Asparagus
- 6 hard-boiled eggs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Greek yogurt
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
- 12 cooked asparagus, diced finely; save tips for garnish
Cut eggs in half and put yolks and all other ingredients into a bowl. Mash together and, using a pastry bag, pipe into eggs. Garnish with tips of asparagus.
-- KC Lapiana, In the Kitchen
Coconut Ceviche
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless snapper fillet, diced
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (approximately 4 limes)
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (reserve some for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup toasted shredded coconut
Place snapper in a bowl with the lime juice and set in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes.
Drain fish and transfer to a clean bowl and add all remaining ingredients, except coconut. Mix well and cover. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
Garnish with coconut and cilantro.
-- KC Lapiana, In the Kitchen
Espresso Pot De Creme
- 6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
- 1 1/3 cups heavy cream
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream, milk, espresso powder (to taste) and a pinch of salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until espresso powder is dissolved. Then pour over chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Whisk together yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt in another bowl, then add warm chocolate mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure and cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Line bottom of a baking pan (large enough to hold ramekins) with a folded kitchen towel and arrange ramekins on it. Skewer several holes into a large sheet of foil. Divide custard among ramekins, then bake custards in a hot water bath, pan covered tightly with foil, until custards are set around edges but still slightly wobbly in centers, 30 to 35 minutes.
Transfer ramekins to a rack to cool completely, uncovered, about 1 hour. (Custards will set as they cool.) Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.
-- KC Lapiana, In the Kitchen
Chilled Watermelon Soup Shooters with Spiced Shrimp and Basil Oil
- 1 seedless watermelon, skin removed, cut into 1-inch diced pieces
- 1 cup diced sweet onion
- 1 cup peeled, diced cucumber
- 2 cups vegetable stock, chilled
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Spiced Shrimp and Basil Oil (recipes follow)
Place watermelon cubes, onion and cucumber in the freezer for at least 1 hour or until icy. Puree frozen ingredients in a blender with 1 cup of the chilled vegetable stock and salt. If soup is too thick, add more chilled vegetable stock. Keep soup chilled until ready to serve.
Spiced shrimp
- 1/2 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Olive oil
Mix coriander, cumin, chili powder, cayenne and salt together. Toss shrimp with enough spice mixture to coat well. Heat a saute pan over medium heat, pour in 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute spice-coated shrimp until just cooked through, about 1 minute.
While shrimp are cooking, portion watermelon soup into shooter glasses or martini glasses. Make a small slit into the shrimp to sit on rim of glass, drizzle basil oil on top of the soup and garnish with fresh basil.
Basil oil
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup olive oil
Finely slice 6 to 8 basil leaves and reserve for garnish. Combine remaining basil and oil in a blender; puree for 1 minute. Let basil oil sit to infuse flavor for at least 30 minutes. Strain oil through a fine mesh strainer, discard solids and reserve basil oil.
-- KC Lapiana, In the Kitchen
First Published: June 9, 2011, 4:00 a.m.
