Personal Touch Gourmet | Bloody Grilled Shrimp Mary Recipe
Personal Touch Gourmet  Bloody Mary Grilled Shrimp 
Quick Summer Appetizer

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Catering and

 In-Home Cooking Parties

 

Personal Touch Gourmet will design a fabulous menu for any occasion.
 
If you love to entertain and prefer to spend time with your guests instead of in the kitchen, Chef Mary Ellen will create a delicious menu to suit your tastes.
 
Or.....
Invite friends and family over for a personalized cooking class.  You decide what to prepare in your own home. We bring all of the ingredients and when we have finished cooking you and your guests will sit down and enjoy the delicious meal you prepared!
Meet
Mary Ellen
  
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Chef Mary Ellen
graduated with high honors from the   "Le Cordon Bleu" program of the California School of Culinary Arts. After an internship at the Los Angeles Times  Food Section, Mary Ellen created Personal Touch Gourmet, a boutique catering company and taught cooking classes around the South Bay and Los Angeles.

Several years later a call from the Los Angeles Times beckoned her back into the test kitchen with the position of "Recipe Tester." Over the course of her tenure, Chef Mary Ellen wrote articles and developed  recipes, several winning "Top Ten Recipe of the Year Awards."  


Click Here to learn more about Chef Mary Ellen Rae...
  
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You may have noticed that Personal Touch Gourmet now accepts credit cards from our mailings and website!  We worked with LunadaVistaDesign to bring this feature to you...and it's made signing up for classes and purchasing gift certificates a breeze.

If your business is in need of a new or updated website  or would like to have a website that is designed specifically to be viewed from a mobile phone,   click here to learn more.  I had a great experience working with Pamela and her team!

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Hi!  

 

Yay... it's finally my favorite season of the year! Summer brings an explosion of fruits, vegetables, grilling parties and the beach.  We are so lucky to live in southern California!!

What is your favorite summer fruit?  I am torn between the super sweet purple Santa Rosa Plum (just coming into peak season now) and a juicy ripe yellow peach.  So the question is, "What do I do with all of this fruit?"  Here is an article that may help solve this problem.  I wrote it for an Los Angeles Times summer grilling issue featuring stone fruit.  
Check out this link: Grilling Stone Fruit

Not sure where your closest farmer's market is located?  Click on this link: Farmer's Markets

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Thank you Jesse Dougherty of 
Status Flow-Turn on The Internet
for the new videos for my website. Check out the latest video on creating a simple summer appetizer.  
Status Flow creates Business Promotional Videos, Client Video Testimonials, and will do Custom Video Productions.
Contact Status Flow today if you have a business and want more traffic to your website. 
310-995-4475
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Join us in Redondo Beach for a 
Summer Group Cooking Class 

Here is what we are preparing!

 

Tuesday July 16th - "Get Grilling!"

   Shrimp with Spicy "Thai" Barbecue Sauce

Grilled Scallop, Corn and Fresh Herb Salad

Smoked Paprika Rubbed Steak Tacos with Grilled Tomatillo and Jalapeno Salsa

Peach, Plum and Vanilla Bean Galette

 

Classes start at 6:30 pm in Redondo Beach. Cost per person $95.  Location and other information will be sent to you on payment confirmation.   

 

 
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Please feel free to pass this newsletter along to your friends with curious palettes.

 

Tastefully,

 

Mary Ellen

"Creating Culinary Memories One Meal at a Time." 

 

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Summer Grilling
scallop salad
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I have shared this with you before but... it is still my favorite recipe using grilled corn.  Perfect for an appetizer, salad or entree and is fast and easy for entertaining.
 
 Grilled Scallops with Fresh Corn, Poblano Peppers and Mango (Serves 8)

 

Note: Poblano chile peppers may be labelled Pasilla chilies in the grocery stores.  Some pack heat and some are mild.  Add 1 or 2 jalapenos to jack up the heat! 

   

2 pounds large sea scallops, (24 scallops)

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6 ears of corn

2 Poblano chilies (may be labeled Pasilla)

1 red bell pepper

3 green onions

1 cup diced fresh mango

1 (14 oz) can organic black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

3 tablespoons fresh lime 

1/2  cup crumbled Cotija Cheese (or feta)

Leaves from head of Bibb or Boston Lettuce

 

Remove muscle from scallops, rinse and pat completely dry. Lightly coat with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

Heat a grill pan or BBQ grill.  Brush grill pan or grates with oil.  Lightly coat the corn, Poblanos, bell pepper and green onions with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

 

Grill the vegetables just until tender and charred.  Using a pairing knife, scrape off the charred skin on peppers.  Cut peppers in half and remove the seeds then dice.  Cut the kernels off the corn and dice the green onions.  Place the grilled vegetables, mango, black beans and cilantro in a bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.  Stir into the corn mixture.  Check seasoning.

 

Grill scallops 2-3 minutes per side or just until scallop is no longer translucent in the center.  When done, the scallop should be slightly springy to the touch.

 

Place lettuce leaves on a platter and spoon the corn mixture evenly into each lettuce "cup."   Place the scallops on the corn and sprinkle the Cotija over the top and serve.  

"In Season Now...Watermelon" 
Summer Watermelon Salad

 

 This iconic summer fruit is perfect for entertaining. A favorite recipe for parties because you can cube the watermelon and feta a day ahead and quickly assemble when ready to eat.  Love this one for picnics! 

 

Watermelon Salad with Wild Arugula, Red Onion and Feta Cheese (Serves 8)

 

Note: Use some of the watermelon juice leftover after cubing to give the lemon vinaigrette a touch of sweetness.  If making ahead, keep the watermelon separate until ready to use then remove from the juice that will collect in the bottom of the bowl.  

 

1 small seedless watermelon

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

8 tablespoons best quality extra olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 (6-ounce) package wild baby arugula, rinsed and dried

5 ounces Greek feta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/3 cup roasted salted shelled pistachios

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced, soak in ice water for 15 minutes, drain (this will cut back on the sharp bite of raw onion)

 

Remove rind and cut watermelon into 1- inch cubes.  Place lemon juice in a small bowl, whisk in salt and pepper.  Slowly whisk in olive oil.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

 

Place arugula on a large platter, drizzle with a little of the lemon vinaigrette.  Add the watermelon, feta, drizzle a little of vinaigrette over top.  Sprinkle with pistachios and onion slices.


Testimonial from Carole in Manhattan Beach...

 

 Mary Ellen catered our brunch for out-of-town friends and family the morning after a large celebration.  Wow! Were they impressed with the selection of food, the delicious taste of everything, and the beautiful presentation!  Everything--and I mean everything-- was scrumptious but the artichoke and feta dip was a stand out!  I give her 5 stars, but if there were more to give, she would deserve them!!!


Thank you Carole, it was my pleasure!

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