Beat Divas Reviewed!

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“…Music spiced up the evenings throughout the city. Even our IACP breakfast included music as the Beat Divas (three Texas cooking and singing talents) belted out their original tunes including “Hog Fat” and “Fast Food Junkie.” Their sweet potato jive sounds were a clever mix of jazz, rock and Texas swing…”   Sherrel Jones
Read more: http://newsok.com/gourmands-chefs-unite-in-austin-texas/article/3576868#ixzz1PSld5JfE

 



Luscious Lemon-Raspberry Tart

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Dianne Donovan – The Beat Divas
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

LEMON BUTTER CRUST:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of nutmeg
1 TBSP. grated lemon rind
1/2 cup butter
1 egg yolk (slightly beaten)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice (or more)

  1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  2. Crust: Combine first five ingredients.
  3. Cut in butter. Mixture should resemble a coarse meal.
  4. Stir in egg yolk, vanilla and 1 tsp. lemon juice, and mix lightly. If mixture is too dry to handle add another tsp. lemon juice.
  5. Press into 9 1/2” tartplate.
  6. Prick dough with fork and line with foil.
  7. Fill with dried beans or uncooked rice and bake for 12 minutes.
  8. Remove foil and beans and cool shell on wire rack. (Cool beans and re-use for future baking projects).

MIX:
2 TBSP. raspberry preserves
2 tsp. raspberry liqueur (optional)

  1. Spread on Bottom of cooled crust.

LEMON FILLING:
1 cup sugar
3 TBSP. cornstarch
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs (lightly beaten)
1/4 cup melted butter (cooled)

  1. In a heavy saucepan whisk the sugar and cornstarch. Slowly, whisk in remaining ingredients.
  2. Cook over low to medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened.
  3. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
  4. Pour into cool Lemon Butter Crust.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

TOP cooled filling with:
1 pint fresh raspberries
(E) GARNISH
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 TBSP. powdered sugar

  1. Whip above ingredients. Just before serving tart, pipe whip cream mixture around edges, add slivers of lemon rind.

Beer Batter Bread

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Beth Ullman – The Beat Divas
Yield: 1 Loaf

3 cups self-rising flour*
3 TBSP. sugar
12 oz. beer (Shiner Bock is suggested)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) unsalted, melted

  1. Mix flour, sugar and beer (batter will be thick and lumpy)
  2. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
  3. Pour 1/3 of the melted butter over the top. Bake at 350° for 40 – 50 minutes.
  4. Take loaf out of oven. Pour 1/3 of the butter over loaf. Bake 10 more minutes.
  5. Take loaf out of oven. Pour last 1/3 of butter over loaf. Bake 10 minutes more.
  6. Let cool in pan about 10 minutes, then remove for cooling.
  7. Let cool about 30 minutes before slicing, or it won’t cut.

Cook’s Notes: Do NOT cover baked bread tightly or crust becomes soggy. This bread is best eaten the day it is baked.
Equivalent of self-rising flour:
3 cups flour
3 3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt


Southwestern Grilled Shrimp Salad

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Mady Kaye – The Beat Divas
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

2 lbs. medium-large size shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 stalks celery, sliced fine
1 cup green beans, cut into 1_’’ lengths, steamed
2 ears fresh corn, kernels removed, steamed
1 cup pasta (mostaciolli), cooked al dente (measure 1 cup of uncooked pasta)
1 cup red onion, blanched and chopped fine (about half of medium size red onion)
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, packed, chopped fine
1/4 cup lime basil, chopped fine*

Dressing for salad:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup key lime juice
Tabasco, to taste
1 tsp. cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Marinade for shrimp:
1/3 cup key lime juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 TBSP. fresh grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced

Garnish:
Cherry tomatoes
Cilantro

  1. Whisk together shrimp marinade and marinate peeled/deveined shrimp at least three hours before grilling.  Grill on skewers for about three minutes per side on hot charcoal grill.  Discard marinade.  Set shrimp aside. (Make enough extra for nibbling!)
  2. Prepare dressing for salad by whisking all ingredients until well blended. Set aside, but whisk briskly again before adding to salad.
  3. Prepare vegetables and pasta according to ingredient list.
  4. Assemble all ingredients and dress with salad dressing.
  5. Put into large serving bowl and garnish perimeter with cherry tomatoes,interspersing tomatoes with sprigs of cilantro.  Serve immediately.

If you cannot find (or do not grow) lime basil, try substituting grated zest of small lime and small amount of chopped fresh basil, less than _ cup.

Cook’s note: Salad is best served on day of preparation.




The Beat Divas CD Release Coming Soon!

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Our CD is NOW AVAILABLE at Waterloo Records in Austin, Lamar at 5th St. (Support your local business!)
It’s also available on CDBaby, although it hasn’t yet been posted in itunes.  Have patience! That will happen soon.
Actual CD Release Party is Sunday, June 26 from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
at Central Market, 4001 N. Lamar on the upper deck. Details in the
Performance Dates section.