Pumped to share that I am collaborating with Dreams Resorts & Spas on a brand-new Foodie Explorer menu for young travelers available now for a limited time only! Everyone deserves delicious menu options, especially kids! I had a blast learning about Dreams gourmet cuisine and collaborating with resort chefs to create my Cuckoo Fish Fingers, Sunny Day Parfait, and Cheesy Crispy Rice Dippers! The dishes are now available at select Dreams Resorts & Spas including Dreams® Vista Cancun Golf & Spa Resort, Dreams® Natura Resort & Spa and Dreams® Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa in Mexico.
Cuckoo Fish Fingers
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- ½ cup 60 grams tamarind concentrate
- 2 tablespoons 50 grams Yucatan honey
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Pinch of kosher salt
For the Fish
- ¾ pound 12 ounces/340 grams white fish, cut into 1-inch wide x 3 ½ inch long pieces (2.5 cm x 9 cm)
- 3 tablespoons 30 grams flour
- 1 egg 60 grams, well beaten
- ¼ cup 35 grams unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup 20 grams Panko breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
For the Tamarind Sauce
- In a small saucepot over medium heat, add all ingredients. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half. Remove from heat and transfer to a resealable container.
For the Fish
- In a large Dutch oven, preheat 2 inches of oil to 350°F.
- Place egg and flour in two separate, shallow bowls. Then add the coconut and panko to another separate shallow bowl and gently toss to combine.
- Dip each piece of fish into flour, then egg, allowing any excess to drip off, and finally the panko coconut mixture.
- Add 3 fish sticks to the preheated oil and cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a pre-lined sheet tray and season with salt. Repeat with remaining fish fingers.
- Serve fish sticks with tamarind dipping sauce.
Sunny Day Parfait
Servings: 2
Ingredients
For the Pistachio Cake
- 1 ¼ cups shelled pistachios
- 3 ⅓ cups 397 grams all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons 10 grams baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon 3 grams salt
- 1 cup 227 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup 397 grams sugar
- 6 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 ¼ 10 ounces milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup 2 ounces vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon 1 mL almond extract
- 1 teaspoon 1 mL vanilla extract
For the Honeycomb Candy
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup corn syrup
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
For the Parfait
- ½ cup mango sorbet
- ½ cup coconut frozen yogurt
- ¼ cup pistachio cake crumbles
- Honeycomb candy for garnish
- Honey for garnish
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan.
- In a food processor, pulse pistachios into very fine crumbs.
- Transfer pistachio crumbs to a large bowl, then add flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until lightened in color and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add sugar and beat until well combined, 2 to 4 minutes. Add egg whites, about 1 at a time, beating well between additions, about 1 minute per egg white. Add milk, oil, and extracts, and beat on medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer and scrape down sides and bottom. Fold any unmixed pockets until combined.
- Gently pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
For the Honeycomb Candy
- Line an 8×8 with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cook corn syrup, sugar, and water in a deep saucepot over medium heat until mixture reaches 300°F. Add baking soda and gently but quickly mix with a rubber spatula until all baking soda is combined; try not to overmix and deflate bubbles. Note: mixture will foam and bubble. Immediately pour into prepared pan before sugars harden. Cool for at least one hour, or until hardened. Break into desired shapes.
For the Parfait
- Layer coconut frozen yogurt, mango sorbet, pistachio cake and a drizzle of honey in a tall glass. Top with a piece of honeycomb and honey drizzle.
Cheesy Crispy Rice Dippers
Persons
2
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Wait Time
1 hour
Total Time
50 minutes
Ingredients
For the Arancini
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 ¼ cups arborio rice
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ cup Cotija (2.5 ounces), plus additional for serving
- ½ cup shredded Oaxaca cheese
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup flour
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups plain breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Zest of ½ lime, about ½ teaspoon
- Juice of ½ lime, about 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring the stock to a gentle simmer over low heat.
- In a large pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter to melt, then shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook until the shallots begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add rice and chili powder and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the edges are translucent and the rice starts to smell nutty and chili powder is fragrant.
- Begin adding the simmering broth, one cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Continue adding broth until the rice is al dente and creamy.
- Remove from heat and add cheeses, stirring until melted and fully combine. Fold in fresh corn, then taste and adjust seasonings. Pour onto a quarter sheet pan, spread into an even layer, and set aside to cool. Place in refrigerator to chill for at least one hour and up to overnight, until very cold and firm.
- While the mixture is firming, make the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper, as needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Once risotto has firmed, preheat 2 inches of oil to 375°F in a Dutch oven. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
- In three wide, shallow bowls, add flour to one, eggs to another, and breadcrumbs to the final one. Remove chilled risotto and cut into 2-inch by 1-inch rectangles. Toss in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Transfer to prepared baking sheet and season with salt. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.
© 2023 Eitan Bernath Productions, LLC.
