Cream of the Crop

So I may have a penchant for heavy cream. Is that such a bad thing? OK so maybe it is- but it's so good. These are not dishes you should necessarily have every day. But they are lovely treats, and let's face it - summer produce just longs to be dressed in cream. This was an easy and delicious supper, and is equally delicious hot or cold.

Lemon Cream Bowties with Shrimp


1 tsp olive oil
1/2 large red onion, sliced
3 large cloves of garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
zest and juice of 2 lemons
2/3 lb. small shrimp
1 cup frozen sweet peas
kernals of one cob of sweet corn
1 lb. cooked al dente mini farfalle (Barilla now makes Piccolini -tiny- pasta, perfect for pasta salads)
4 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 large scallions, sliced thin
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped fine
2 Tbsp basil chiffonade

Saute onion in olive oil over medium high heat until slightly softened. Add garlic and saute until it starts to brown. Add cream, then lemon zest and juice. Bring to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes or until thickened. Add shrimp and peas, bring back to a simmer and add corn. Cook until shrimp starts to turn pink. Mix in other ingredients. Cook over medium low heat until pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Serve warm or chilled.





A tiramisu-like custard goes so well with sweet grilled peaches. The perfect summer dessert, this takes next to no time to make. You will only need about a cup and a half of the zabaglione at most - stay tuned to find out what to do with the rest!

Grilled Peach Tiramisu Parfaits



Mascarpone Zabaglione
8 oz mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder
2/3 cup sugar, divided
5 egg yolks
2 Tbsp marsala wine
1 Tbsp dark rum
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp chocolate extract (optional - could sub chocolate liquor)

Combine cheese, cream, milk, salt, espresso powder and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk occasionally as mixture heats up. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining sugar and egg in a small bowl until it drops from the whisk in a ribbon. Once cream mixture starts to steam, ladle some into the egg mixture while whisking away furiously. This should temper the eggs. While whisking, add the egg mixture into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer (keep whisking!) until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Bring to room temperature, then chill at least 2 hours.

3 white donut peaches, split down the middle along their length and pit removed (so that they are truely donut shaped)

1 Tbsp Godiva chocolate liquor
1 Tbsp amaretto
1 tsp espresso powder
1 tsp sugar
1/8 cup water
6 crisp Italian ladyfingers

Preheat a grill on high (make sure it was well cleaned with a wire brush!). Brush peaches with melted butter. Grill peaches briefly on each side.

Mix liquors, espresso powder, sugar and water together in a shallow dish. Break each ladyfinger in half. Briefly soak one full (2 halves) ladyfinger in liquor mixture, then place in the bottom of a parfait glass and cover with zabaglione. Add a peach half. Repeat with 2 more layers. (Makes 2)