Saturday, January 30, 2010

Spinach Mushroom Pecan Parmesan Pinwheels - An original Recipe - CAJUN Inspired WOuld make a great SUPERBOWL Appetizer

So, what does it take to be a Cajun/Creole New Orleans recipe? Is it ingredients (this recipe had ingredients commonly used in Cajun/Creole New Orleans cooking)?

Is it location (This recipe was "created" in a Kansas kitchen, so it has never seen the kitchens of residents of the Big Easy)?

Is it spirit (Any old cheerleaders out there... "We've got spirit, yes we do... We've got spirit, how bout you")?

So, by the power vested in me by the International Internet police, by a 2/3rds majority of positively answered questions (almost enough to get a national health care bill passed... but I digress...) I am going to declare this original Kansas recipe as officially un-officially a Nouveau
Cajun/Creole New Orleans recipe (sorry purists).

The Genesis for this recipe comes from researching a recipe for Spinach Madeleine (a TRUE Cajun dish), and a mistake on my part. Spinach Madeline is a traditional southern dish, first presented in a Junior League of Baton Rouge cookbook. It calls for cooked spinach (one of my favorite things and Velveeta cheese (one of my least favorite things). But, the idea stuck in my head, and I pondered what I could do to make it something I would like, and make good party food (these eventually appeared on my FOODBUZZ 24,24,24 party as appetizers).

The other inspiration came from a failed attempt to make puff pastry. You have heard me brag a couple of times about making my own Puff Pastry. It is easy and not nearly as hands on time consuming as you might think. But, in prepping for the party, I wanted to make some. I am not sure what happened, but it just did not come out as good as it should have. the butter was mixing in with the dough, creating VERY buttery dough, instead of layers. So I started over and made a fresh batch that came out right.

But I didn't want to waste it. I decided to use the dough to make a pinwheel appetizer. If you like this recipe and decide to try it, use a pizza dough rolled out very thin. Actually, next time I have some crescent rolls, i think the stuffing in my pinwheels would work GREAT in crescent rolls... But I am digressing, back to what I did...

Mise en Place...

2 TBS Olive Oil
8 ounces fresh Spinach (I always remove the stems)
1/2 cup crushed Pecans
1/2 cup Mushrooms diced fine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 sheet Puffed Pastry (try these with crescent rolls and let me know what happens).

Saute the spinach in the oil with the mushrooms and pecans. As the spinach cooks, it wilts up and you will get equal parts cooked spinach, pecans and mushroom mix.

Allow the mixture to cool. DO NOT put hot stuff on puffed pastry.

OH MY GOD, here comes another digression...

As I am typing this up, TVLAND is rerunning Saturday Night Fever.I am having flashbacks to the 70's. In my day, I could do about 3/5ths of these moves well (and 1/5th of them VERY badly). Not bad for Peoria, Illinois discos. AND, I did all this in 4 inch gray patten leather platform shoes. Let no one tell you kids different, the 70's were hip and happening in a far out way... Let's all take a break and do the hustle...



Phew, those were the days my friends indeed. I don't hustle much anymore, but I can still do a mean Lindy hop. But I digress...

OK, back to the recipe...

Lay out your Pastry sheet, and add the mixture.

Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the mixture and roll up in a tube to get that pinwheel look when you slice into this.

BUT FIRST, before you slice, put the tube in the fridge for an hour. The cold dough will slice much easier.

Slice into 1/2 inch circles.

Lay out the slices on parchment paper

Bake at 400 degree pre-heated oven for 25 minutes, until they start to brown.

And there you have it. I got about 12 beautiful ones, and the two end pieces that I taste tested before serving to my friends. These are REALLY, REALLY good... Cajuns should be proud to call these their own.

16 comments:

  1. I think your digressions are sometimes the best part of your posts...don't stop! I may be channeling the Bee-Gees all day now.

    Those pinwheels sound really tasty. I imagine the crescent rolls or sheets would make great substitutes...if only all of my family loved spinach like I do.

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  2. I agree with Kristen. Your digressions always make me smile. You know when you have lived life, it is hard not digress because, there is so much to share.
    I do not have the courage to make puff pastry so, I will just show up at your house and enjoy the Superbowl with you and your family. :-)

    P.S. I mailed your package yesterday.

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  3. I'm doing a beef brisket in the oven..0 degrees is too cold to smoke BB-Q!

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  4. Ahhh, the versatile pinwheel! Yours, I think, spins the world on it's axis.

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  5. Great idea! I can snack on this all night!

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  6. No bourbon sauce for a topping? :)

    Sounds good!

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  7. Hi, Dave - The ladies of mystery have given you a very special Blogger Award today. It is…(drumroll, please) the Creative Writer Bald-Faced Liar Award! No kidding, we all agreed that you should be a part of this. Hop on over when you have the time. And congrats!

    Per your post above: Love spinach, love New Orleans, love Travolta in SNF. His dance moves are impressive—and I would love to see yours on a YouTube clip! Being a foodie, however, I get just as big a kick out of Tony Manero’s absolutely authentic NY pie-eating technique: Stack up 2 slices, fold ’em, and shovel ’em in as you strut down the sidewalk.

    ALSO: Sending you MAJOR props for doing your own Puff Pastry. Really enjoyed the post on that, too, and so glad you linked to it. Tradition indeed!

    Eat with joy!
    ~ Cleo Coyle, NYC
    author of The Coffeehouse Mysteries
    Mystery Lovers' Kitchen
    “Six mystery writers cooking up crime…and recipes.”
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”

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  8. Your spinach pinwheels sound delicious, Dave. You're motivating me to be more creative in the kitchen!

    I can't wait to see what creative lies you come up with for Lesa's "Creative Writer" Blogger Award!

    ~ Krista

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  9. Love the recipe and the declaration - and agree that Cajuns would be proud to claim this recipe! Once again, the music made me smile. I never really noticed that Travolta added about 4 extra moves to every step - quite the swagger. :)

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  10. Sounds good! ... btw... here in Georgia we say Pee-Can... in New Yawk too... however you say it they're delicious... and great additions to foods like this

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  11. Great, now that song is going to be stuck in my head all night - kidding! Looks great Dave - very creative! :D

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  12. I can't even comment on the recipe....my eyes glazed over during the Saturday Night Fever reference and I never came back into focus. (I watched it too today)

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  13. Perfect for a Super Bowl party or anytime - yum!

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  14. You make all of these delicious things that leave me sitting at my computer. Drooling. I love spinach and basically anything that you can wrap puff pastry around.

    And saturday night fever. Great movie.

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  15. These sound especially wonderful Dave, yummy!

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  16. There is too much drooling going on, over here. Well deserved but messy.

    Each of your recipes top the one before.

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