It might not come as a surprise to learn that I over-buy baking ingredients at the holidays. I'm always planning to make a few more things that I run out of time to get to, and those ingredients languish. This time it was flaked coconut, which was about to get past its prime. What better way to revive it than soaking it in vodka? And yes, it's probably bad that that sort of question naturally occurs to me.
This recipe made use of two liqueurs I made, the coconut vodka below, and orange liqueur I made for a previous Christmas.
Caribbean cosmo
Adapted from PearlVodka.com, which naturally used Pearl Coconut Vodka
Ingredients
2 ounces coconut vodka
1 ounce Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
2 ounces cranberry juice
Lime slice for garnish
Method
Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lime slice.
Rating: Delicious. A nice balance of coconut, orange and cranberry flavors.
Coconut vodka
From SavvyHousekeeping.com
Ingredients
5 cups vodka
2.5 cups flaked coconut
Combine ingredients in a bowl, cover and let rest for two days. Strain into a bottle and store in the freezer to have it cocktail chill.
Rating: It really does pick up the coconut flavor, and it's way better than tossing the coconut into the compost. And being me, I stored the vodka-soaked coconut in the freezer, pondering coffee cake possibilities ...Especially if combined with the ginger slices used to make the simple syrup recently ...
Black olive potato chips
From "Stir" by Barbara Lynch
Ingredients
1 russet potato, peeled
Black olive tapenade, either purchased or homemade
Oil for frying, a cup or more
Fleur de sel or other coarse salt
Method
Trim the rounded parts off the potato so you're working with a rectangle. Thinly slice, ideally with a mandoline since you're going for very thin slices.
(Full disclosure: I didn't bother to square up the potato, but it would have made things easier to match up and no doubt make for prettier presentation. I used a monstrously large potato, which made for a life-time achievement award. A more moderate-size potato will make it easier, particularly if you're using a mandoline.)
Heat cooking oil in a small saucepan. You're looking for depth here, not width, with an oil-to-pan ratio that gives you about three inches of oil for frying. Heat until a drop of liquid sizzles feverishly.
Put about ¼ teaspoon of tapenade on a potato slice. Top with another slice and press edges together. Put three to four of the potato chip sandwiches into the hot oil. Cook for a few minutes, flipping to brown evenly. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat endlessly.
Sprinkle drained chips with fleur de sel or coarse salt. Serve with more tapenade on the side if desired.
Rating: Very tasty, but tedious. No way would I do this for a party appetizer; it's just not practical, although your guests would adore you. A handful as appetizers if you have a few friends over for dinner, maybe. Or a few on the side of a salad would be a smashing alternative to croutons. And as much trouble as they were, I am contemplating what they'd be like filled with a roasted red pepper artichoke tapenade I like to make.
As I said, I used a massive potato and regretted it. So I freely confess that after awhile I bailed and just fried the chips without filling them, sprinkled them with salt and garlic powder and served them with tapenade on the side. They were still hopelessly tasty. And I almost regret finding out how good they were. Because I really don't need another time-consuming addiction.
Play along: "Notes of Blue" by Son Volt, available streaming on Amazon Prime
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