Flavorbomb

In Our Final Pescatarian Holiday Recipe from Bob Blumer, We Toss Meat-Eaters a Bone

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Bob Blumer's bacon-wrapped trout recipe

Bob Blumer has New Idiom for 2022: ‘When Pigs Swim Upstream’

As we wish all of our friends and family a Happy New Year, we also thought we’d wrap Bob Blumer’s ‘Pescatarian Holiday’ Recipe Series by committing the wonderful sin of adding bacon into the mix. It’s been seven weeks of this series – inspired by the Feast of the Seven Fishes and Winemaker Rob Lloyd’s pescatarian ways – so it’s only fair to our meat-eating fans to feed their need for some fatty goodness. Right?

This also gives our Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir a chance to shine as a delicious pairing!

This is the seventh and final installment of Blumer’s ‘Pescatarian Holiday’ 2021 recipes series with Lloyd Cellars. If you’d like to see all of his ‘Pescatarian Holiday’ recipes, we invite you to scroll through our Online Recipes section. Shop our Online Store or utilize our Store Locator for local shopping!

Purchase Our ‘Flavor Bomb’ Gift Collection Featuring Blumer’s Latest Cookbook & Four Wines

Bob Blumer’s Bacon-Wrapped Trout

Bob Blumer
Our final 'Pescatarian Holiday' recipe throws a bone to meat-eaters!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 4 trout head and tail on, gutted
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 large sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 lemons halved, then sliced
  • 1½ pounds sliced bacon
  • toothpicks

Instructions
 

  • Preheat grill to medium-high direct heat
  • Rinse and pat dry fish inside and out. Drizzle cavity of trout with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with 4 lemon slices and 2 sprigs of thyme.
  • Wrap trout with bacon like a mummy, using toothpicks to hold bacon in place. Each trout will require approximately 6 strips of bacon.
  • Grill for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until bacon is crispy and trout is cooked throughout. Resist moving fish around, but peek underneath to ensure that bacon isn’t burning. If necessary, modulate the heat so that the bacon doesn’t burn before the fish is cooked.

Notes

Level of difficulty: As easy as wrapping a gift, then putting it on the BBQ
Active prep/cooking time: 20 minutes Grilling time: 10 minutes
Pan version: Trout can be pan-seared in a dry pan over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until cooked throughout.
Advance work: Trout can be wrapped in bacon and refrigerated earlier in the day.
 
Keyword Bacon, Bob Blumer, Trout

The Meals Around the Holiday Meal: Serve Blumer’s Lobster Tacos as a Counterpoint

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Bob Blumer's lobster tacos
Bob Blumer's lobster tacos

Tired of eating Holiday Leftovers? We recommend Bob Blumer’s Lobster Tacos to reset fatigued palates

Please, no more turkey and gravy and tryptophan crashes. Give me some energizing south-of-the-boarder zing to brighten a winter day – and pair it with the hedonistic pleasure of eating lobster. Now that’s a reset! The other bonus is that tacos are finger food, so how nice is a meal that doesn’t create another pile of dishes in the sink.

This is the sixth installment of Blumer’s ‘Pescatarian Holiday’ 2021 recipes series with Lloyd Cellars. If you’d like to see all of his ‘Pescatarian Holiday’ recipes, we invite you to scroll through our Online Recipes section. Shop our Online Store or utilize our Store Locator for local shopping!

Purchase Our ‘Flavor Bomb’ Gift Collection Featuring Blumer’s Latest Cookbook & Four Wines
Bob Blumer's lobster tacos

Bob Blumer’s Lobster Tacos

Bob Blumer
A south-of-the-border inspired Maine course 🙂
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 Tacos

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lobster tails roughly 4 – 6 ounces each
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 ounces best-available butter (about 3/4 of a stick)
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ cup cilantro minced, divided
  • ½ jalapeno chili ideally red for color, stemmed, seeded and minced
  • zest of 1 lemon + 3 tablespoons juice divided
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 4 medium size roughly 6-inches flour or corn tortillas
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 2 green onions sliced finely
  • Your favorite salsa or hot sauce
  • 1 lime quartered for serving

Instructions
 

  • Use a heavy sharp knife to cut the lobster tails in half. (Place your knife on the end where the flesh is exposed and cut down through to the tail.)
  • Brush the exposed flesh with oil and season with salt and pepper. Reserve.
  • In a small pan, over medium heat, melt butter. When it starts to bubble, add garlic, half of the cilantro, jalapeno, citrus zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat and reserve.
  • Half and pit avocados. In a medium bowl, mash avocado with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the remaining cilantro and the green onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.
  • Preheat grill to medium/medium-high direct heat, or heat a heavy skillet to medium-high.
  • Place lobster tails cut-side down on grill or pan and cook for 4 minutes. Flip, and baste generously with butter mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes, or until tails are cooked throughout.
  • As the tails are cooking, burnish the tortillas on the grill or stovetop until toasted.
  • Spread avocado mixture and salsa over each of the tortillas, then place lobster tails, in their shells, overtop. Instruct the diners to pull their own lobster meat.

Notes

Either or: Serve 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main
Shopping tip: Frozen lobster tails are not as expensive as you might imagine, and are available in the fish section of many large grocery stores.
 
Keyword Bob Blumer, Lobster, Tacos

Bob Blumer Teams with Ms. Claus for Shrimp on the Barbie Holiday Appetizer!

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shrimp on the christmas barbie web
Celeb Chef & Cookbook Author Bob Blumer is also an artist who fills his world with surreal works of visual deliciousness, like his Candy Cane Shrimp illustration above!

Bob Blumer and Ms. Claus got together recently to plot out a menu for St. Nick’s return from his annual worldwide gifting tour. We can only imagine how hungry he is on Christmas Day, right? Early on in the appetizer planning, the two decided they could do some gift giving themselves by sharing, in advance, Blumer’s famous ‘Shrimp on the Barbie’ recipe, with a holiday twist. The recipe comes with the option to grill or pan sear.

This is the fifth installment of Blumer’s ‘Pescatarian Holiday’ 2021 recipes series with Lloyd Cellars. If you’d like to see all of his ‘Pescatarian Holiday’ recipes, we invite you to scroll through our Online Recipes section. Shop our Online Store or utilize our Store Locator for local shopping!

Purchase Our ‘Flavor Bomb’ Gift Collection Featuring Blumer’s Latest Cookbook & Four Wines
shrimp on the christmas barbie web

Shrimp on the Xmas Barbie: Grilled Oaxacan Shrimp with Blistered Jalapeño Salsa Verde

Bob Blumer
Ms. Clause is prepping a warming, spicey dish for Santa's return to the North Pole!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 guests

Ingredients
  

Dry Rub

  • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • ½ tablespoon garlic powder
  • ½ tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
  • ½ tablespoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • In a small bowl combine all ingredients. Reserve.

Shrimp

  • 1½ pounds uncooked 16/20 count shrimp ideally wild, or whatever size shrimp you prefer
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil + extra if pan searing
  • Shell and devein shrimp.
  • In a medium bowl mix all dry seasonings. Add shrimp and oil and toss to thoroughly cover shrimp. Reserve.

Blistered Jalapeno Salsa Verde

  • 1 tablespoon natural oil
  • 2 jalapeno chilis stemmed and halved length-wise
  • 1/4 white onion layers separated
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro lightly packed
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • In a large sauté pan over high add oil. When oil is hot, add jalapenos, onion and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, tossing frequently, or until blistered and toasted on the outside. Let cool.
  • Transfer pan contents to a blender. Add cilantro cumin, salt, vinegar and 1/3 cup of water. Puree until very smooth. Reserve.

Instructions
 

Grilled Version

  • Preheat grill to direct high heat.
  • Grill shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side, or until shrimp are marked and no longer translucent. Serve with dipping sauce.

Pan Version

  • Open a window to avoid setting off your smoke alarm.
  • Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. When it is smoking hot, add 1 – 2 tablespoons oil. Wait a beat, then add as many shrimp as pan will accommodate without overlapping. Cook for about one minute per side, or until no longer translucent.
  • Serve with dipping sauce.

Notes

Advance Work: The dry rub can be made ahead and stored in a sealed jar. Make extra—it lasts almost indefinitely. Shrimp can be peeled and deveined up to a day in advance.
 
Keyword Bob Blumer, Oaxacan, Shrimp

Holiday Adulting with Ahi Sno-Cones & Cookbook Author Bob Blumer

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Blumer's Ahi Sno-Cone Recipe

Growing up should never mean loosing your sense of whimsy or adventure – especially in the kitchen!

In our fourth installment of Celeb Chef and Cookbook Author Bob Blumer’s seven-part ‘Pescatarian Holiday’ series for Lloyd Cellars, he delivers his crazy-delicious ‘Ahi Sno-Cone’ recipe while evoking fond childhood memories. Oh, the joy of childhood when your parents would give in to ‘Please, please, please, can we get a sno-cone!’ They’d fane reluctance as they slipped you change and allowed you to make the purchase on your own. It was part of growing up, learning to negotiate, and managing a transaction. Blumer constantly reminds us to revel in the joy and memories of eating our favorite things by flavor bombing nostalgic bites for the here and now of our adult lives!

Blumer’s ‘Ahi Sno-Cone’ is yet another dish that pairs well with both our Lloyd Cellars Carneros Chardonnay and Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. If you’d like to look back at all of Blumer’s recipes and others, we invite you to scroll through our online Recipes section.

Purchase Our ‘Flavor Bomb’ Gift Collection Featuring Blumer’s Latest Cookbook & Four Wines

Blumer's Ahi Sno-Cone Recipe

Blumer’s Ahi Sno-Cones

Bob Blumer
Sno-Cones that will warm hearts this holiday season.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 16 Sno-Cones

Equipment

  • 12, 4 or 6-ounce paper cones (available in office water coolers and at restaurant supply stores)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup peanut oil for brushing wonton wrappers
  • 16 3½- inch square wonton wrappers 4 are back-ups
  • 10 ounces sushi-quality ahi tuna diced finely
  • 1 fragrant peach papaya or mango peeled, pitted and diced into ¼-inch cubes
  • 2 green onions sliced finely
  • 10 mint leaves chopped finely
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted
  • 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 ripe avocado peeled and pitted
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • salt and pepper
  • Pinch of ground cayenne pepper
  • 12 teeny weenie cherry tomatoes or cranberries, or pomegranate seeds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a small bowl, set out 1 cup peanut oil along with a small pastry brush. On a baking sheet, set out 12 paper cones.
  • Trim 12 wonton wrappers according to diagram (see below). Generously brush both sides of each wrapper with peanut oil. Wrap 1 wrapper around each cone and press seam together. Twist the bottom around itself and pinch to seal. Bake for 5 – 7 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. When cones cool, twist them off the cups. Reserve.
  • In a medium bowl, combine tuna, peach, green onion, mint, zest and sesame seeds. Reserve.
  • In a small bowl, combine wasabi, sesame oil, soy, honey, ginger and lime juice. Taste and adjust if necessary. Reserve.
  • In a mini food processor, or in a bowl with a whisk, puree avocado and lemon juice until it is super smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne. Transfer to a small piping bag or a small resealable bag with the corner clipped. Reserve.

To Finish & Serve

  • Add dressing to tuna, starting with half. Toss and add more as required to dress, but not drench. Taste and add a pinch of salt if necessary. Spoon tuna into cones. Top with a dollop of avocado puree and a cherry tomato. Serve cones in shot glasses, or your own cone holder.

Notes

Uncommon Goods: Cone-shaped paper cups (available in office water coolers, at restaurant supply stores like Smart & Final, or on Amazon.com); sushi quality tuna is available at most groceries with a fresh fish counter. Have the fishmonger sign off on you consuming it raw before purchasing.
How To: Wonton Wrap Illustration
Level of Difficulty: Wonton cones require the pattern-making skills and dexterity of an amateur seamstress.
Shortcuts: Skip the wonton cups and serve tartare in paper cones or mini paper cups.
Advance Work: Wonton cones, dressing, and the slicing and dicing of tartare ingredients can be done earlier in the day. Toss just before serving.
Keyword Ahi, Appetizer,, Bob Blumer, Pescatarian

Hunger Fighter Bob Blumer’s Crab (Cup)cake is a Savory Delight – Visually & Tastefully

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Blumer crab (cup)cake recipe
Blumer is an Ambassador to Second Harvest in Toronto and a supporter of Chefs Cycle for No Kid Hungry. He’s pictured here with Chef Mary Sue Milliken, Share Our Strength Emeritus Board Member

Lloyd Cellars is recommending that you embrace and fight being crabby this holiday season. First, by supporting Blumer’s efforts in fighting hunger through Chefs Cycle for No Kid Hungry. You’ll feel so good knowing you’re helping feed hungry children. Second, by embracing Blumer’s savory Crab (Cup)cakes recipe below to share with friends and family this holiday season. This magical recipe, which pairs beautifully with both our Carneros Chardonnay and Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir is guaranteed to lift the spirits of even the most committed Grinch in your social circle.

About No Kid Hungry

No child should go hungry in America. But 1 in 6 kids will face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger through effective programs that provide kids with the food they need. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization working to end hunger and poverty.

This December, Blumer launched his 12 Drops of Christmas campaign on Instagram @BobBlumer. Every day he is offering an item from his art archives or cookbooks. Where noted, 100% of the selling price will be in the form of a direct, tax-deductible donation to @NoKidHungry, as part of his fundraising for the upcoming 2-day, 200-mile Chefscycle.

Other items—which will be noted—are conventional sales. His first drop was a signed, limited-edition lithograph he illustrated for his book Surreal Gourmet Entertains. It is 22” x 32” on fine art paper. The price is a $200usd, tax-deductible donation to NoKidHungry. He’s covering the postage and is happy to personalize it. There are a few available. DM him on Instagram @BobBlumer to order and arrange for the direct donation.

#chefcycle #nokidhungry #surrealgourmet

Blumer crab (cup)cake recipe

Bob Blumer’s Crab (Cup)Cakes

Bob Blumer
If you're going to feel crabby around the holidays, make it good crabby!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Crab Cupcakes

Equipment

  • cupcake liners; muffin tin (not uncommon, but crucial); piping bag with a startip (ideal, but not necessary)

Ingredients
  

Crab Cupcake

  • 1 small beet
  • 2 medium russet potatoes peeled and quartered
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 1 green onion finely sliced
  • 2 tablespoons red bell pepper finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons bread crumbs or panko
  • 1 tablespoon sour cream
  • zest of 1 lemon + 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
  • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
  • ¼ jalapeño pepper seeds discarded, minced
  • 8 ounces fresh frozen or tinned crab meat (your choices will vary depending on your shopping options. But fear not, all versions will be tasty in this recipe)

Instructions
 

To Finish & Serve

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Spray interior of muffin tin with spray oil. Line the tin with 4 paper liners. Generously spray interior of liners. Spoon crab mixture into liners. Gently press crab mixture down and flatten level with the top of the tin.
  • Just before putting cupcakes in the oven, reheat potatoes by covering the bowl with aluminum foil and placing it over a pot of boiling water for 5 – 10 minutes. When potatoes are steaming hot, finely grate approximately 1 tablespoon of beet and add it to potatoes. Blend thoroughly with a fork. Add more beet for a deeper color if desired.
  • Bake cupcakes for 8 minutes, or until cakes are fully set, yet still moist. Remove cakes from tin immediately so that they do not continue to cook.
  • Use a piping bag with a star tip, or a table knife to ice the cupcakes.

Notes

Level of difficulty: About the same as making cupcakes from scratch
Advance work: The crab mixture can be prepared earlier in the day, to the point that the cakes are ready to be baked. Bake and ice just before serving; Mashed potatoes can be made earlier in the day then reheated over a double boiler just before serving (add grated beet after reheating)
Keyword Bob Blumer, Crab Appetizer, Lloyd Cellars, Recipe

Our Pescatarian Holiday Continues with Celeb Chef Bob Blumer’s Coconut-Crusted Scallop Lollies

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Coconut-Crusted Scallop Lollies
Blumer’s ‘Coconut-Crusted Scallop Lollies’ is a new spin his recipe featured in his previous cookbooks ‘Glutton for Pleasure’ and ‘Surreal Gourmet Bites.’ Don’t miss our link below to gift his current book ‘Flavor Bomb’ with a collection of Lloyd Cellars wines!

Brighten Your Next Holiday Party with Some Tropical Sunshine!

In this season of giving, it’s important to put thought into what you want to share with friends and family, and this extends to what you bring to your table. Sure, there are times when time isn’t on your side and turning a quick appetizer is what makes sense. Other times, and quite honestly it’s a foodie personality trait, we want to serve up a show-stopper both visually and in taste. If you’re looking for a memorable app for your next holiday gathering, these lollies are sure to make a big impression.

In our second installment of Bob Blumer’s seven-part ‘Pescatarian Holiday’ series with Lloyd Cellars, we present his Coconut-Crusted Scallop Lollies recipe. At first glance, it may seem a bit daunting. However, as Bob notes in the recipe below, “Mastering this recipe is like learning how to line dance. If you attempt all of the steps together, it can be intimidating the first time around. But if you tackle each of the four individual steps of this recipe one at a time, they are a cinch to master.”

Purchase Our ‘Flavor Bomb’ Gift Collection Featuring Blumer’s Latest Cookbook & Four Wines!

Coconut-Crusted Scallop Lollies

Coconut-Crusted Scallop Lollies

Bob Blumer
If you're serving up an app at your next holiday party, make it memorable!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Lollies

Equipment

  • Deep Fryer or Deep Pot to Fry In

Ingredients
  

Apricot-Ginger Dipping Sauce Ingredients

  • ¾ cup of apricot jam
  • ½ jalapeño pepper seeds discarded, minced
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar or freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Note: Place all dipping sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. Purée. Reserve.

Coconut-Crusted Scallop Lollies Ingredients

  • 1 coconut first timers should buy a spare coconut—or see shortcuts at the end of the recipe
  • 1/2 cup beer
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour divided
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 12 medium-size scallops 20/30—which refers to the number of scallops in a pound
  • 3-5 cups peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying
  • 1 navel orange for presentation
  • 12 6- inch bamboo skewers

Instructions
 

  • With the coconut and a medium-size bowl in hand, go find yourself a concrete step. Break the coconut in half by banging the center along the equator of the coconut repeatedly on the edge of the step. Split the coconut over the bowl and salvage as much of the coconut water as possible. Reserve the smaller half of the coconut. Bang the larger half on the concrete to break it into smaller pieces.
  • Back in your kitchen, use a table knife to separate the coconut meat from the shell. Then use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the brown skin from the meat. Using the fine-to-medium section of your grater, shred 2 cups of coconut. Reserve in a shallow bowl.
  • Pour coconut water into a measuring cup and if necessary, top off with beer or sparkling water until you have 3/4 cup of liquid. Reserve. If you are using store-bought shredded coconut (and consequently do not have any coconut water), replace mixture with 3/4 cup of beer or sparkling water.
  • In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of flour, coconut water/beer mixture, egg, cayenne, baking powder, and salt. Beat until it is smooth. Add a bit more flour or beer, if necessary, so that the batter has the consistency of thick pancake batter. Reserve.
  • Use a paper towel to pat dry the scallops. In a medium bowl, toss scallops with the remaining ¼ cup of flour, then shake off excess flour. Then skewer one scallop on the end of each bamboo skewer (do this gently so as not to tear scallops with the skewers). Reserve.
  • Pour oil into a small, tall pot until it is 3 inches deep. Heat oil until it reaches 350°F.
  • While oil is heating, dip and roll each scallop in the batter, then pat it down in the coconut shreds so that the entire “lollie” is covered in coconut shreds. Transfer to a plate.
  • When oil is ready, submerge 4 scallops at a time into the oil. (Don’t worry if the skewers go into the oil). Fry for approximately 2 – 3 minutes, or until coconut is golden brown. Rotate once or twice as they fry. Transfer finished lollies to a paper towel.
  • Skim any wayward coconut shreds from the oil. Adjust heat, wait until oil returns to 350°F, and continue with next batch.
  • Cut the bottom off the orange and skewer with lollies. Serve the dipping sauce in the reserved coconut half. (Use a napkin ring, an onion slice, or a small ramekin to support the coconut shell).

Notes

Level of Difficulty: Like learning how to line dance. If you attempt all of the steps together, it can be intimidating the first time around. But if you tackle each of the four individual steps of this recipe one at a time, they are a cinch to master.
Keyword Appetizer,, Coconut, Scallops,

Our Pescatarian Holiday with Celeb Chef & Author Bob Blumer is Dishwasher Safe

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Blumer's Dishwasher Salmon

Bob Blumer comes clean on making the Thanksgiving kitchen way more interesting!

To celebrate the 2021 Holiday Season, Lloyd Cellars and Celebrity Chef and Cookbook Author Bob Blumer will share seven fish recipes beginning the week of Thanksgiving.

Inspired by Winemaker Rob Lloyd’s pescatarian predilections and the annual Feast of the Seven Fishes, Chef Blumer brings his creative and playful twist to each recipe.

We all know that smiles over delicious food are one of the world’s greatest gifts, especially these days!

Additionally, the Thanksgiving turkey can be a challenge at times to deliver a juicy bird to the table – and it takes hours. Blumer’s surreal ‘Dishwasher Salmon with Honey-Ginger Sauce’ is, believe it or not, one of the most consistent, quick and entertaining ways to deliver perfectly poached filets to your guests.

This dish will pair beautifully with both our Lloyd Cellars Carneros Chardonnay and Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir!

Purchase Our ‘Flavor Bomb’ Gift Collection Featuring Blumer’s Latest Cookbook & Four Wines for the Holidays!
Blumer's Dishwasher Salmon

Dishwasher Salmon with Honey-Ginger Sauce

Bob Blumer, host of Food Network's The Surreal Gourmet, has been doing it for years, claiming to have cooked salmon in dishwashers around the world. All you have to do is wrap the salmon tightly in foil, stick the packet in the top rack, and run it on a regular cycle. ~ Food Network
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Dishwasher
  • Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

Ingredients
  

SALMON INGREDIENTS

  • 4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin off
  • 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice about 2 lemons
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • toasted sesame seeds to finish
  • finely sliced green onion to finish

HONEY-GINGER SAUCE INGREDIENTS

  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Asian-style hot sauce to taste optional

Instructions
 

SALMON INSTRUCTIONS

  • Place 1 fillet in the center of each square and fold up the outer edges.
  • Cut 4 14-inch(ish) square sheets of aluminum foil.
  • Drizzle 1 tablespoon lemon juice over each fillet. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Fold the last ¼-inch of each seam over itself 2 or 3 times and pinch the aluminum foil extra tightly to create an airtight and watertight seal around each packet (see photo). To test if the packets are airtight, press down gently on each one with your hand. If any air escapes, rewrap. (SEE PHOTOS BELOW)
  • Place foil packets on the top rack of the dishwasher. Run dishwasher for the entire “normal” cycle.
  • While salmon is “cooking”, prepare the honey-ginger sauce.
  • When cycle is complete, take out salmon, discard foil, place one fillet on each plate. (Note: Don’t be concerned about the opaque white beads that appear on the fillets. They are simply a redistribution of the salmon’s natural fats.)

HONEY-GINGER INSTRUCTIONS

  • To a small saucepan add honey, soy, sesame oil, ginger, orange zest and black pepper.
  • Simmer over medium-low heat for about 3 – 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken. Add hot sauce to taste, if desired. Reserve. Reheat over a low heat just before serving.
  • To Serve Spoon honey ginger sauce overtop each fillet and finish with sesame seeds and green onion.

Notes

  1. Do not attempt to cook a whole fish (don’t think it hasn’t been tried).
  2. Always place fish packets on the top rack.
  3. Make sure other items in the dishwasher, such as silverware, are securely stowed so that they do not fly around and pierce the foil packets.
  4. Set the dishwasher to the “normal” cycle. Some modern dishwashers have “economy” and “cool dry” settings, which are undesirable because they conserve heat. On the other end of the spectrum, the “pots and pans” setting can overcook the fish.
  5. Run salmon through the entire wash-and-dry cycle.
  6. Only attempt to cook salmon while doing the dishes after you have mastered the art of creating air-tight packages.
Level of difficulty: As easy as loading the dishwasher
Shortcuts: Skip the sauce
Advance work: Salmon packets can be prepared earlier in the day
Oven method: Don’t have a dishwasher? Bake foil-wrapped packets in a preheated 400°F oven for 12 minutes (imagine that!).
Keyword Salmon

Down to Earth – Blumer Mushroom Cupcakes Paired with Our Pinot!

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Blumer's Mushroom Cupcake

We’ve certainly been having a lot much fun partnering with Gastronaut and Author Bob Blumer on his new cookbook, Flavorbomb! A few years back, we also teamed up for one of Blumer’s Surreal Dinners in the Napa Valley. On the menu were Blumer’s deceptive and delicious Lamb Cupcakes (recipe in Blumer’s previous cookbook, Glutton for Pleasure).

Considering Blumer was pairing his dishes with wines made by Rob Lloyd, a pescatarian, he pivoted. Our favorite Gastronaut came down to earth and made Rob a variation, Mushroom Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Icing, to pair with the Pinot Noir. As a call back to this tasty memory, Blumer has formalized the recipe as the fourth post in our five-part recipe series.

Pinot gets 91 Points from Wine Enthusiast

The artistry of Blumer’s dishes blew me away at that Surreal Dinner – and then I took a bite of his mushroom cupcake. I’ve been a fan ever since!

~ Winemaker Rob Lloyd

Purchase our Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Blumer's Mushroom Cupcake

Mushroom Cupcakes with Sweet Potato Icing

Gastronaut Bob Blumer
These Pinot Noir-friendly mushroom cupcakes never fail to confuse and amuse.
~ Paired with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 People

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Sweet potatoes aka yams
  • 4 Tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 Cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Green onions trimmed and sliced finely
  • ½ pound Assorted mushrooms the more exotic the better, stemmed and cleaned of any dirt, then sliced
  • 1/4 Red bell pepper diced finely
  • 4 Sprigs fresh thyme stems discarded
  • 1 oz Brandy or cognac optional
  • ¼ cup Panko or bread crumbs
  • 1 Egg beaten
  • 1 Lemon for zesting
  • 2 ounces Goat’s cheese log form, crumbled
  • Salt and pepper To Taste
  • Vegetable oil spray
  • 4 Cupcake liners
  • 1 Muffin tin

Instructions
 

  • In a preheated 400F° oven, bake sweet potatoes for 1 hour. Reserve
  • In a sauté pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil. When butter is bubbling, add garlic, green onions, mushrooms, bell pepper and thyme. Sauté for 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are well browned.
  • Add Cognac to pan, let sit for five seconds and then light a match to it. Flame should burn out after approximately 10 seconds. (Note: keep your distance. If you have a gas stove, be aware that spattering particles will likely cause the alcohol to ignite prematurely as soon as it is poured in the pan. And if you have big hair, keep it under wraps! If flame continues to burn, put it out by placing a lid on the pan).
  • Transfer contents to a bowl and let cool.
  • Add panko, egg, zest of the lemon, goat cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly with a fork.
  • TO FINISH & SERVE
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Line a muffin tin with 4 foil or paper liners. Generously spray interior of liners with spray oil. Spoon mushroom mixture into liners. Gently press mixture down and flatten level with the top of the tin.
  • Just before putting mushroom cupcakes in the oven, spoon sweet potatoes out of their skin, transfer to a mixing bowl, cover with aluminum foil and place it over a pot of boiling water for 5 – 10 minutes. When potatoes are steaming hot, add 2 tablespoons butter and a pinch of salt. Blend thoroughly with a fork.
  • Bake cupcakes for 8 minutes, or until cakes are fully set, yet still moist. Remove cakes from tin immediately so that they do not continue to cook.
  • Use a piping bag with a star tip, or a table knife to ice the cupcakes with the sweet potato icing.

Notes

Uncommon Goods
Vegetable oil spray; cupcake liners; muffin tin (not uncommon, but crucial); piping bag with a star tip (ideal, but not necessary)
Advance Work
The mushroom mixture can be prepared earlier in the day, to the point that the cakes are ready to be baked. Bake and ice just before serving; Sweet potatoes can be made earlier in the day then reheated over a double boiler just before serving.
Liquidity
Lloyd Cellars Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Keyword Bob Blumer, Lloyd Cellars, Mushrooms, Pinot Noir, Sweet Potatos, Vegetarian

We’re Celebrating 91 Point Pinot Noir Score from Wine Enthusiast w/New Blumer Recipe!

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Gastronaut Bob Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Our recent 91 Point score from Wine Enthusiast for our 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir truly warms our hearts during these chilly days. So it feels appropriate to celebrate the news with a heart-warming recipe from gastronaut and author Bob Blumer – the third installment of our blog series, as we raise a toast to his new cookbook, Flavorbomb!

Pinot gets 91 Points from Wine Enthusiast

Read installment one. Read installment two.

Pinot Noir is a classic holiday meal pairing as it’s so versatile the many holiday dishes that can land on one table. We also have a lot of nostalgic memories of sipping our Pinot Noir with family and friends during the holidays. This is why we thought a classic recipe like Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese was the perfect pairing to celebrate with.

CLICK HERE to order our 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir or gift our Flavorbomb Your Holidays Collection!
Gastronaut Bob Blumer’s Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Cream of Nostalgia Soup with Bacon & Grilled Cheese

Gastronaut Bob Blumer
Few things in life that can compete with the nostalgia of cream of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. But if anything can, it’s this deeply satisfying, modern-day version. Add a grilled cheese sandwich with a complex, aromatic cheese and an extra crispy crust, and you will be flooded with memories of your youth—as channeled through the sophisticated tastes of your adult life. Cream of nostalgia soup with bacon
~ Pair with Lloyd Cellars 2017 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 6 People

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Head garlic
  • 12 Strips best-available bacon about ½ pound
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 Small yellow onion diced
  • ½ Fennel bulb cored and chopped, or 3 celery stalks
  • 1 Carrot chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Flour
  • 1 – 28 ounce Can tomatoes whole or chopped
  • 5 cups Best-available chicken stock
  • 1 Bouquet garnis with 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme and 2 bay leaves, broken.
  • 2 teaspoons Harissa
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ – ½ cup Heavy cream optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat toaster oven or oven to 400°F.
  • Slice the pointy top off garlic to expose each of the cloves. Set on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in the foil. Roast until cloves are lightly browned and tender, about 50 minutes. Reserve.
  • In a large pot, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and all but roughly 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Reserve bacon.
  • To the pot, over medium-high heat, add butter, onion, fennel and carrot. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables start to brown. Add flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, allowing the flour to brown slightly (this thickens the soup in the same way that a roux is used to thicken gumbo). Add tomatoes along with all the juices, stock, 10 strips of bacon, and bouquet garnis.
    Simmer for 30 minutes.
    Let soup cool, remove bouquet garnis and squeeze out remaining juices back into the pot. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves directly into the pot and add harissa.
    Purée soup in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The soup is plenty rich and creamy as is, but if you really want to go for the gusto, finish with cream or drizzle a bit over top before serving.
    Serve in warmed soup bowls. Crumble remaining bacon over top.
    For the grilled cheese sandwich (per sandwich)
    2 slices sourdough loaf
    2 slices cave-aged Gruyere cheese, or any Gruyere, or emmental
    2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    Make a cheese sandwich, then spread the outside of each side with mayonnaise. Grill in a panini makeror a frying pan until well-browned and crispy.
Keyword Bacon, Bob Blumer, Grilled Cheese, Lloyd Cellars, Pinot Noir, Soup

Gastronauts, Pescetarians & Barbie Agree, Lloyd Chard is the Bomb!

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Grilled Lobster Tails with Citrus-Infused Butter

Don’t let Barbie tempt you, this blog feature is about Bob Blumer’s lobster recipe, not shrimp!

If you haven’t heard the rumor swirling around the Napa Valley, winemaker Rob Lloyd is a pescetarian. This may have been why Rob selected our next recipe ‘Grilled Lobster Tails with Citrus-Infused Butter’ by Gastronaut and ‘Flavorbomb‘ cookbook author Bob Blumer in Part II of our five-part Holiday Series. Read Part I…

Blumer has long been known for his surreal recipes that look like, say, a flower pot, yet turns out to be a to-die-for salad. Humor has also been a signature of Blumer’s culinary artistry. On one occasion, a couple of years back, Blumer served up his famous ‘Shrimp on the Barbie’ recipe at a Napa Valley dinner to appease Rob’s pescetarianism ways. The guests were quite amused and then sated by the pure deliciousness of the dish!

For our Holiday Series, we’re taking the crustacean-theme up a couple of notches with Blumer’s grilled lobster recipe. As Blumer says, “Nothing says decadence like grilled lobster tails basted with a cilantro-chili-citrus butter.”

Of course, we’re pairing the dish with the equally decadent Lloyd Cellars 2019 Carneros Chardonnay! Order your Chardonnay now…

Gastronaut Bob Blumer's Lobster Tails

Grilled Lobster Tails with Citrus-Infused Butter

Gastronaut Bob Blumer
Paired with Lloyd Cellars 2019 Carneros Chardonnay
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 People

Equipment

  • Grill

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lobster tails
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper To taste
  • 3 ounces best-available butter about 1/3 of a cup
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ¼ cup cilantro minced
  • 1 red jalapeno chili stemmed, seeded and minced
  • zest of 1 lime + 1 tablespoon juice
  • zest of 1 lemon + 1 tablespoon juice
  • zest of 1 orange

Instructions
 

  • Using a heavy sharp knife, cut the lobster tails in half. Place your knife on the end where the flesh is exposed and cut down through to the tail. Alternatively, you can butterfly the tail by cutting through the top shell and the flesh, but not through the bottom shell.
  • Brush all of the exposed flesh with oil and season with salt and pepper. Reserve.
  • In a small pan, over medium heat, melt butter. When it starts to bubble, add garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, citrus zest and juice. Stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat and reserve.
  • Preheat grill to medium/medium-high direct heat, or heat a heavy skillet to medium-high.
  • If you have halved the tails, place cut side down on grill or pan and cook for 4 minutes. Flip, and baste generously with butter. Cook for 2 more minutes, or until tails are cooked throughout.
  • If you have butterflied the tails, place cut side down on grill or pan and cook for 4 minutes. Flip, and baste generously with butter. Cook for 4 more minutes, or until tails are cooked throughout.
  • Serve immediately with remaining butter.

Notes

Fresh and frozen lobster tails can be sourced year-round at Kolikof.com
Keyword Chardonnay, Lloyd Cellars