cruising the greek isles

With the ocean blue rooftops, sunlight dancing off of rolling waves and endless bottles of wine, guests of the 16^th Annual Rockport Festival of Wine and Foods are transported to the island of Santorini to benefit theTexas Maritime Museum. In the midst of the wine tasting tables and cuisine booths, the annual Rockport Chef Cook-off has begun. Chef Adrian from HEB, defends his 2011 title and whips up another win with his fantastic chef creations. This year, Adrian features a seafood twist on the tradition bruschetta appetizer, a mixture of cultures with a basil, cilantro and avocado entrée and a simple dessert trick that will have you licking the EVOO from your lips. So grab a glass of Agiorghitiko, fire up the stovetop and get ready to yell, “Opa!” because it is time to bring the Greek Isles to your tabletop.

Shrimp Artichoke Bruschetta over Baguette

By HEB, The Cooking Connection

4 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 can Artichoke hearts, diced
½ C EVOO
½ lb. cooked shrimp, deveined
1 tsp. roasted garlic
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 baguette

Combine first seven ingredients and serve over baguette. Drizzle with extra EVOO for a flavor boost.

MexItalian Basil Cilantro and Avocado Pesto over Angel Hair Pasta

By HEB, The Cooking Connection

½ C Parmesan
1 garlic clove
4 oz. pine nuts
½ C EVOO
½ cilantro
1 avocado
1 lemon, juice only
4 oz. fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 lb. cooking shrimp, deveined

Blend Parmesan, nuts and garlic in food processor. Add EVOO, basil, cilantro, avocado and lemon juice. Season to taste. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. Heat skillet on medium heat, add 2 Tbsp EVOO and toss pesto, shrimp and pasta together. Ready to eat with a drizzle of EVOO.

Appetizer or Dessert?

For dessert, Chef Adrian scooped a cup of vanilla ice cream, sprinkled sliced almonds on top and instead of a chocolate syrup, he drizzled a Tbsp of EVOO. That might sound like a weird combination of an appetizer staple with an American past time, but the olive oil transformed the store bought ice cream into a soft, velvet sweetness. Try it with your next bowl and you will never purchase the guilt-calorie chocolate syrup again.