Thursday, October 29

Long Awaited Recipes

To all our friends that attended the Charbay Tequila Launch Party at the Autumn Food & Wine Fest in Tahoe this September, here are the long awaited recipes we promised you... The quantities are for a large party, adjust as necessary (we say it's time to throw a party!)...
But first: How to make the wormwood margarita!

Marko's Wormwood Margarita
In a shaker tin:
Muddle one wormwood leaf* with
1 ounce pineapple juice (top quality)
add 2 ounces Charbay Tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce simple syrup or Agave Nectar
Shake like mad, strain over fresh ice

*we think you might be able to substitute spearmint for wormwood, but haven't tried it. We can ship wormwood to you if you like! Email me jenni@charbay.com

And the food! Chef Jason Gronlund of Florida certainly knocked our socks off. Here are his magical recipes...

Baja Cocktail Sauce with Bay Shrimp Served on Endive
Serving Size: 40 Pieces Preparation Time: 4 Hours

2 TBLSP Olive Oil
1 ½ C Purple Onion
½ C Ancho Pepper Pureed (Re-hydrated, stemmed and seeded)
3 C Mild Thick & Chunky Salsa
1 C Chili Sauce
3 C Ketchup
½ C Drained Horseradish
¾ C Dark Negra Modelo

Cooked Cleaned Bay Shrimp
40 Pieces Cleaned Endive Leaves (Use outside so they are all about the same size)
Fresh Lime & Lemon Zest

1) In a sauce pan over medium heat add the olive oil, once it starts to lightly smoke add the onions, sauté until they begin to become translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer, simmer for five minutes and remove from heat. Place in a non metallic container and place in cooler chill at least 4 to 5 hours, if needed sooner place in ice bath and chill to at least 40˚f.
2) To serve mix bay shrimp with cocktail sauce an spoon into endive leaves, garnish with a fresh fine zest of lemon and lime.

Rita Lox Tostada
Serving Size: 100 Pieces Preparation Time: 4 Days

Cheese Cloth
8 Lb Whole Skin On Fresh Salmon. (King River if Available)
2 C Lime Zest
½ C Lemon Zest
1 C Orange Zest
2 C Sugar
1 ½ C Kosher Salt
3 C Charbay Tequila

Roasted Jalapeño Cream Cheese
1 C Heavy Cream
3 Lb Cream Cheese (Room Temp)
1 C Fire Roasted (Peeled Seeded and Fine Chopped)
1 C Fine Chopped Cilantro
1 Tblsp Lime Zest
1 C Fine Chopped Chives
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Heirloom Tomato Salsa Fresca
1 Qt Fine Diced Meat Portion of Heirloom Tomato
(**See Instructions)
2 C Fine Diced Purple Onion
1 C Fine Chopped Cilantro
¼ C Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
½ C Fine Chopped Chives
Salt & Pepper to Taste
100 Ea Corn Chip or Tostitos Scoops

1) On a large sheet pan place a triple layer cheese cloth the width of the pan. Place the cleaned filets of salmon, on the cloth. Evenly distribute the lime lemon and orange zests over the fish, then do the same with the sugar then salt. Place a double layer of cheese cloth over the fish then fold the edges up as to make a package for the fish. Then pour the tequila evenly over the wrapped fish, then flip the packages over so they are meat side down. Place in cooler with another sheet pan on the top and at least 20lbs of weight. You can use more stacked sheet pans or large hotel pans filled with dry beans.
2) Let set 36 hours and drain of some of the brine and then press another 24 hours. Remove from cooler, unwrap the cheese cloth and gently rinse under cool water pat dry and wrap tightly to hold for use.
3) In a mixer whip the heavy cream until very stiff peaks are formed. Remove from mixer and place in separate bowl, cover and place in refrigerator until needed. In the same mixing bowl place the tempered cream cheese and whip until smooth, scrape down bowl and repeat. Add ½ the cup of the fire roasted jalapeños, cilantro, lime zest and chives. Blend on low until evenly mixed. If the spice is not too much either add the remaining jalapenos or half the amount, the heat should be slight on this. Remove from mixer, add the whip cream and fold in gently with rubber spatula, salt and pepper to taste. Place in a bowl covered and chill at least 4 hours before use.
4) In a bowl place all the ingredients for the salsa and blend together with a spoon gently, salt and pepper to taste. Place in a non metallic container and let chill for at least 2 hours, do not make this more then 6 to 8 hours in advance.
5) Unwrap the salmon and remove the skin, slice a across the face of the salmon very then on a bias to make long thin strips. You can either take a 6” corn tortilla yellow or blue and make chips or Frito’s Scoops Corn Chips work well too. Place the cream cheese mixture in a pastry bag with a large star tip. Make a rosette of the cream cheese on the top of the chip. Roll a piece of the salmon or pieces if they split and place on top. Place the salsa in a strainer to remove extra liquid, place a teaspoon of the salsa on the top of each piece. Do not make them to far ahead as the chip will loose it’s crunch.

** To get the meat of the heirloom, slice the top and bottom off the tomato, make a slice down the side. Using a thin boning knife slice the inside core of the tomato away from the core leaving a long thing strip of the meat of the tomato. If there are any ridges still on the strip even them off. You can use the centers for a puree cantina style salsa or in some other soup.

Roast Pork on Crustini with Poblano Relish
Serving Size: 80 Pieces Preparation Time: 8 Hours

10 Lb Boneless Pork Butt
¼ C Olive Oil (Divided)
1 Tblsp Salt
½ Tblsp Pepper
2 Tsp Cumin
2 C Rough Chopped Onion
15 Ea Whole Cloves Garlic
1 C Rough Chopped Cilantro
½ C Lime Juice
½ C Beef Stock

Poblano Relish
3 Tblsp Olive Oil
2 C Fine Diced Onion
4 C Seeded Fine Diced Poblano Peppers
¼ C Seeded Fine Diced Jalapeno
¼ C Chopped Garlic
1 Tblsp Pickling Spice
1 ½ Tsp Cumin Seed
½ Tsp Fennel Seed
1 ½ Tblsp Salt
3 Tblsp Grated Piloncillo Sugar
2 C Vegetable Stock
1 ½ C Water
2 ½ Tblsp Corn Starch
80 Pieces Toasted Crustini Bread
Cojita Cheese
Garnish individual Cilantro Leaves

1) Preheat oven or alto sham to 290˚f. Place boneless pork butt on a flat clean working surface, rub with 2 tblsp of the olive oil then sprinkle with salt, pepper and cumin, place on grill and evenly brown all sides of the pork.
2) In a braising pan add the remaining oil and place on the stove on a medium high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and sauté until lightly caramelized. Deglaze the pan with the lime juice and the Charbay Tequila, be careful as tequila will ignite. Place the grilled pork in the braiser and cover tightly. Place in oven and cook until the meat is fork tender and can be shredded about 6 to 8 hours.

There you have it! Would love to hear about your parties, and see photos of you with your bottle(s) of Charbay!


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