Culinary Wonders: Part 1 of 4, “Mixology and Food Pairing” Cuban Ceviche and Cucumber Mojito

Last month I attended a Mixology and Food Pairing class at Culinary Wonders cooking studio (formerly Kitchen Wizards, still on Cinema Drive in the shopping center behind Karma Indian restaurant.)  It was the first time they had hired a mixologist to match cocktails with their dishes, and the guests thoroughly enjoyed watching everything being made in front of them.  I will be running all eight recipes, each cocktail and the dish it was paired with, today and for the next three Wednesdays: 6/19, 6/26 and 7/3.  The full story on the class can be read on my page in the SCV Beacon that ran on May 17.

Recipe for: “Cuban” Ceviche

(Makes 10-15 appetizer servings)

 

Ingredients

Directions

½ lb. cod, cut in bite sized pieces

½ lb shrimp, cut in bite size pieces

½ bay scallops

1 mango, diced

1 avocado, diced

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 cupl red pepper diced

½ cup red onion, diced

1 cup diced canned tomatoes

¼ tsp. red chili flakes

Pinch of cumin

1 cup lime juice, enough to completely cover fish

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Recipe for: Cucumber Mojito

(Makes 1 serving)

 

Ingredients

Directions

2 oz. light rum

5 slices cucumber, peeled

2 lime wedges

1 sprig of mint

2 tsp. coconut palm sugar

1 oz. sprite

1 long thin slice of cucumber on a skewer for garnish

 

 

· Muddle cucumber, lime wedges, mint and sugar

· Add rum muddle some more.

· Add soda

· Fill a Collins glass and pour contents over ice

· For a Martini add ice, shake, add soda.

· Strain mixture over a martini glass

· Garnish with skewered cucumber.

 

 

 

www.culinarywonders.net

 

· In a zip lock bag add lime juice and fish. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

· Stir or rotate mixture every so often.

· Drain and place in a bowl with remaining ingredients.

· Adjust for salt and pepper, squeeze some fresh lime juice

· Serve with tortilla chips

 

 

 

www.culinarywonders.net