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Artichoke Strudel

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves garlic
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, coarse chop
1, 10 ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
18 sheets (approximately) phyllo dough, thawed
5-8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

PROCEDURE

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Filling:
In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the metal chopping blade, chop garlic. Add lemon zest and parsley and pulse several times. Add artichokes and roughly chop. Add cream cheese, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and pulse just to combine.

Assembly:
Place two sheets of phyllo dough on work surface (keeping unused phyllo covered with a slightly damp, clean towel). Brush top layer with melted butter. Add another two sheets and brush with butter. Spread 1/3 of filling across bottom of sheet, leaving about 1″ uncovered on left and right sides. Roll sheets up beginning with the filling edge and pinch each end of the roll closed. Repeat 2 more times, with a set of 6 sheets and 1/3 of filling, for a total of 3 logs. Place rolls on parchment lined baking sheets and brush each roll with melted butter. Bake until phyllo is golden brown and crispy, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to rest about 10 minutes. Cut individual serving pieces on a diagonal. Serve warm.

Phyllo Dough 101

Phyllo (say, “FEE-loh”) Literally translated; the Greek word phyllo means “leaf.” Culinarily, it refers to tissue-thin layers of pastry dough used in various Greek and Near Eastern sweet and savory preparations, the best known being baklava and Spanakopita. Phyllo (also spelled filo) is very similar to strudel dough. Packaged fresh and frozen phyllo dough is readily available-the former in Greek markets, the latter in supermarkets. Unopened, phyllo can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. Once opened, use within 2 or 3 days. Frozen phyllo can be stored for up to one year. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Refreezing phyllo will make it brittle. When you are ready to work with the dough, be prepared with a slightly dampened dish towel. Phyllo dried out very quickly unless you keep it covered constantly with a towel. Phyllo is always used in layers, giving it its characteristic flaky texture. The tissue0like sheets are stacked, with butter brushed on each layer to add flavor and crispiness. Phyllo pastries come in many different shapes and sizes. You can use phyllo to create large or appetizer-size strudels, triangles, beggar’s purses, turnovers or casseroles that need to be cut before serving (like baklava or spinach pie). The final shape of the pastry determines how many sheets of phyllo you need to start with. For example, a pastry with a lot of folds like a triangle needs fewer sheets to start out with because they get layered as they are folded. Typically, phyllo dishes require 3-6 sheets per layer (a one pound box of phyllo contains about 20 sheets).

Almost anything can fill phyllo pastries. Appetizer pastries are delicious filled with thick fillings based on cheeses like goat cheese, feta or cream cheese. Most fillings, with the exception of some fruit fillings, should be completely cooked before stuffing the phyllo (since they take so little time to bake in the oven “raw” fillings wouldn’t get thoroughly cooked).

TIPS

Always brush the pastry with butter before baking in a hot oven to create a nice golden brown effect.

Phyllo pastries can often be very brittle when baked. We recommend using a serrated knife to cut the finished dish to prevent all of the filling from coming out.

Make many phyllo-based appetizers ahead of time and freeze the finished pastries (unbaked) in a single layer on a baking sheet. The bake (without thawing) whenever you need a quick appetizer!

An Afternoon Reception

Passed Appetizers

Smoked salmon on dilled lemon zest scone with crème fraiche
Chili lime-rubbed chicken with avocado lime dip
Grilled bosc pears and prosciutto with balsamic glaze and arugula
Sun-dried tomato and shrimp bruschetta

Buffet-style Appetizers

A Trio of “dips and spreads” all served with mountains of toasted baguette, crackers, flatbreads and pitas

Bruschetta di Roma
Kalamata Olive Tapenade
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
White Bean and Rosemary Spread
Wild Mushroom Pate
Artichoke and Spinach Dip
Creamy Roquefort Dip
Black Bean & Grilled Corn Pico de Gallo

Buffet-Style Punches

Mango Ceylon Iced Tea Cooler
Spiked Watermelon Cooler
Key Lime Limeade
Santa Fe Sangria
Lemon Raspberry Cooler

Contact ChefCali to arrange your special afternoon reception!

Eating Southwest Michigan

Best Afternoon Delight - Gelato at Casual Chef Café

Be sure to stop by the Casual Chef Café and The Pumpernickel Inn along Red Arrow Highway in Union Pier, Michigan. Their selection of gelatos was outstanding - we sampled the mint chocolate chop, pistachio nut, malted chocolate and toasted coconut caramel. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner the café is a cozy, relaxed spot. Also, if you’re in need of your “Starbucks fix” the Café serves the full line of drinks. There is also a Bed and Breakfast attached that has five unique rooms that include a full breakfast.

www.pumpernickelinn.com
16090 Red Arrow Highway, Union Pier, Michigan
269-469-1200

Best Little Market with Big Ideas — Bud & Elsie’s Union Pier Market

So it’s this tiny little place, with a screen door that smacks you in the ass as you enter - at first go-around it’s a beachy, sleepy “convenience store” and then … upon closer inspection, its this tiny little place with super great food stuffs … Scharffen Berger chocolate bars, local wines from Round Barn, St. Julian and Tabor Hill, bread from Labriola, tons of organic stuff and great housemade guacamole and hummus (we also stocked up on some of their salads - try the chicken Caesar and some ginormous sandwiches for the beach). Wine tip … try the Round Barn Merlot - this a supple sipper for post-beach porch hang time.

www.scharffenberger.com
www.labriolabaking.com
www.roundbarnwinery.com

Bud and Elsie’s
9805 Townline Road, Union Pier, Michigan
269-469-5651

Pizza How It Should Be (and don’t forget to get a salad so you can get the dressing) - Mario’s Pizza

Okay, let’s set the record straight … there’s pizza, and then there’s pizza. There’s pre-formed cardboard pizza crusts with stringy, gooey mozzarella and sub-par toppings and then, hold on to your aprons, there’s Mario’s Pizza. Walking into this place I knew I was in good hands - behind the order counter there was this smoky, black, hotter than hell Blodgett deck oven that had to be more than 60 years old. Cranking out pie after pie … this oven had some history (and I’m betting they have never washed it or sprayed it down - this is the sign of a great pizza oven - all those years of baked on flavor). We were bringing pizza and pasta back to a hungry mob back at the beach house - our stomachs ached and our mouths watered - the order was impressive: Two large pies - one with everything (and by everything, they mean everything, including sliced meatballs on top) and one simple pepperoni and cheese. For pastas, we tried the shrimp scampi, linguine and red clam sauce, pasta with meat sauce and penne in alfredo with chicken and broccoli. As we waited for our order, we played cards, talked with the locals and basically drooled. The smells were incredible …with each of our pastas we were to receive a house salad. What dressing did we want?

Me: “Whattda got?”
Mario’s Pizza Goddess and Order Taker: “Caesar, Ranch, French, Italian, Bleu Cheese”
Me: “Which one is homemade?”
Her: “All of them”
Me: “All of them?”
Her: “Yah, all of them, why’s that so hard to believe?, everything here is scratch - now which one do you want?”
Me: “I want to have all of them and … I love you”
Her: “Go sit down and wait for your stuff”

This is real pizza done perfectly - you’re not going to find any goat cheese or bbq chicken pineapple pizza - this is authentic, down-n-dirty pizza. Go eat there.

Mario’s Pizza
16170 Red Arrow Highway, Union Pier, Michigan
269-469-4633

Slow Down, Feel Special, Have Some Dinner at Bentwood Tavern

Located inside the gorgeous Marina Grand Resort in New Buffalo, Bentwood Tavern describes its food as “artisan comfort food” - I’ll agree but it does have a bit of a swanky swagger to it. We started with a fig and prosciutto pizza from the wood-burning oven and the tuna and avocado tartar - both were excellently executed and tasted divinely delicious. Next, a Caesar salad and then entrees of the evening’s fish selections — sautéed skatewing with this super rich and sexy mushroom sauce and striped sea bass with a rustic kalamata and tomato relish. Both of the dishes were plate-licking good. We ended with the lemon start and coffee. The room is simple yet artful, the service attentive and friendly and the wine list eclectic and fun (we tried the Adelsheim Pinot Gris from Oregon - a great pick to pair with our fish).

www.marinagrandresort.com
www.adelsheim.com