Mini New England Style Lobster and Shrimp Roll

These Mini Lobster Rolls with Shrimp where a big hit at the recent Collaboration Kitchen event (at Catalina Offshore Products) and I know they will be a huge it at your next party. Plus they are supper simple to make.

This recipes serves approximately 10 to 12 appetizers

¼ lb Cooked shrimp, cut into large chunks

To cook the shrimp,combine lemon and water in a stock pot; bring to a boil.

Add shrimp (peel on for best flavor), remove pot from heat and let stand in water until cooked through, about 4 minutes (or until pink and firm).
Strain out shrimp and KEEP THE COOKING LIQUID.

¾ lb Cooked lobster, cut into large chunks

To cook lobster, bring shrimp cooking liquid to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium high and add lobster. Cook for 9 minutes.

½ cup Mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup Celery, finely diced
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Dill, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 to 2 heads Butter lettuce

24 small Mini hot dog buns or soft dinner rolls

Traditional lobster rolls are served in "Split-top" hot dog buns. These are extremely hard to find ( in San Diego, CA). What I recomend is asking a local baker to make you a narrow dinner roll (needs to be a softer style of roll like potato bread).

Whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice; till smooth. Fold in lobster, shrimp, celery, dill and season with salt and pepper.

Chill, covered, until ready to serve.

Cut down into tops of rolls to split them, but do not cut all the way through, add butter lettuce to one side of the roll and fill each roll with 1 heaping tablespoon seafood.

Butternut Squash Soup from Suzie's Farm Butternut Squash

I spent this morning unlocking the mysteries of Suzie’s Farms CSA box to a group of wonderful students and I thought with this gloomy weather I would share the recipe with you; as this velvety smooth soup will help to warm you and your soul.


I visited the farm over the weekend pick pumpkins, Pumpkin Palooza (scroll down the link to find information about all the amazing pumpkins they have right now) and also picked up the amazing butternut squash I used in this recipe.

Then I shaved some of the white carrots (they taste kind of like a middle parsnip mixed with a carrots) that came in my CSA box.

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6 half cup servings


1 ½ cup Roasted butternut squash*
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Star anise, whole
1/2 cup Carrot, peeled and chopped
1 Small onion, small dice
2 Bay leaves
2 cups or as needed Low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
To taste Salt and pepper

1 to 1 ½ cup Shaved carrots


In a saucepan heat oil over medium high heat till it is hot (or moves like water in the pan). Remove pan from the heat and add star anise. Let steep off the heat for one minute.
Return the pot to the stove, over medium heat, add onions to the pot and cook till translucent.
Add carrots, half the chicken broth and bay leaves. Cover and let simmer till carrots are soft.
In a food processor (or in a blender) place carrots and broth along with roasted squash, making sure to remove the star anise and bay leaves.
Puree until smooth, add enough broth or water to allow the food processor to puree ingredients. If you prefer your soup thin add more broth accordingly.
Return soup to the stove and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and serve.



*To roast the squash,
Preheat an oven to 350° F.
Microwave the squash for 8 to 10 minutes to soften; then cut squash in half, remove seeds and cut into wedges. Season squash with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Place onto a foil lined cookie sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Unlocking The Mysteries of The CSA

What is a CSA?

In short CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and you do just that when your subscribe to one. A CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to local farmers or products directly from the producer; usually consisting of a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables and fruit, in a vegetable box scheme, and sometimes includes dairy products, coffee, bread and meats.


Local CSA Programs

There is a CSA right for you, check out these websites to find your perfect match (keys to look for- size of the box, drop off points, contents of the box, organic or non-organic, farm, etc.). i f I missed any please comment and I will add them to the list.

Be Wise Ranch

Suzie’s Farm

Garden of Eden Organics

Tierra Miguel Foundation Farm

Seabreeze Organics

Speaciality Produce (not really a CSA but more of a Farmers Market Basket and loads of fun)

More Information

Half the battle of using your CSA produce is know what everything is. I recommend

Fresh Produce Guide: The best-ever guide to 300 varieties of fruit and vegetables; published by Try-Food International in 2009.



Vista Farmers Market Cooking Demonstrations~~Pickeling~~

I look forward to seeing you all this weekend (August 14) at the Vista Farmers Market for cooking demonstrations from 8 am to 12 pm.

I will be pickeling!!!

Come by and tell me what you pickle. Would love to know what fun pickleing and preserving you do.

Ingredient of the week ~~~ Guanciale~~~

Guanciale- unsmoked Italian bacon prepared with pig's jowl or cheeks, from Knights Salumi (http://knightsalumi.foodzie.com/)

Can be used just like bacon, but so much better. Great fennel seeds, herbs and spices give this stuff so much more flavor than generic grocery store bacon.

Personally I like to cut it into small cubes and brown or crisp it in a pan. Then sprinkle it into salads, onto pasta, or just snack on it like crispy little meat potato chips.

Purchase at the Little Italy Mercato in San Diego (http://littleitalysd.com/mercato/home.asp). One of San Diego's best famrers markets. Full of great local products.