Recipes from lunch with Chef Linda Martin

Chef Linda Martin pampered the attendees with some fabulous treats at  the Lunch and Learn  Dacor seminar hosted by the Westar Kitchen and Bath Showroom recently. 

Chef Linda is a well known chef in the Valley   She is the owner of Dinner Designs, a small event consulting and catering service and teaches culinary classes at the Sweet Basic Gourmetware and Cooking School in Scottsdale. I have taken several classes from her and aside from the great food and the sharing of secrets she always gives out copies of her

recipes.  Below is a recipe for her skewered shrimp with sun-dried tomato pesto and  her Almond-Lemon flourless cake recipe.  Everything was so delicious. 

 

Recipes courtesy of Chef Linda Martin

Linda's Dinner Designs

from

Westar and Dacor

Lunch and Learn Event 2/20/2013

 

 

Skewered Shrimp with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto         Serves 6

 

 

For the pesto:

 

1 c sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

2 garlic cloves peeled and quartered

1 c packed fresh basil leaves

Olive oil

1/2 c grated Parmesan

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

 

For the shrimp:

 

 

2 lbs (about 24) uncooked shrimp peeled, deveined tail intact

2 tbl olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbl chopped fresh parsley

3 tbl lemon juice

4 spring fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped

6 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

 

To make pesto: Blend sun-dried tomatoes, garlic cloves and basil leaves in a food processor, adding olive oil as need to puree.  stir in Parmesan and add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside

 

To make shrimp:

Heat BBQ grill to high 

Sprinkle shrimp with salt and coat

Whisk oil, garlic, parsley in a medium bowl to blend.  Add shrimp and toss to  coat.  Let stand at   room temperature 15 min

Thread 4 shrimp on each skewer.  Grill just until opaque, about 2 minutes on each side.

to serve: arrange grilled shrimp skewers on a platter. Sprinkle with lemon juice.  Spoon pesto over shrimp  and serve.

 

 

 

Almond-Lemon Cake with Fresh Berries-

 

1 1/3 c blanched slivered almonds

8 tbl sugar

4 large eggs, separated

5 tsp lemon grated peel

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 c fresh seasonal berries for garnish

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease  a 9" diameter cake pan with 1 1/2" sides.  Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

 

Finely grind almonds with 2 tbl sugar in food processor.  Combine egg yokes, 2 tbl of sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until thick and smooth, about 2 min.  Stir in almond mixture.

 

Beat egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 4 tbl of sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold a large spoonful of whites into almond mixture.  Gently fold in remaining whites.  Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack.

 

To Serve: Turn cooled cake out onto the server platter.  Remove parchment paper. Dust with powdered sugar and serve  with fresh berries.