This document introduces "The Delightful Chef" and describes three menu items that were prepared for a scholarship competition: 1) Cayenne Cream Cheese Crostini with toasted baguettes, cream cheese, guacamole, tomatoes, and black beans. 2) Spring Mix Salad with tomatoes, avocados, parmesan cheese, and cilantro dressing. 3) Polenta Stuffed Pasilla Peppers with shrimp, tomatoes, onions, peppers, polenta, corn, and cheese. Detailed instructions are provided for each recipe.

1. Introducing…
The Delightful Chef

2. THE ART INSTITUTE OF
CALIFORNIA
SAN DIEGO SCHOLARSHIP
COMPETITION 2009

3. …Experience The Source…

4. Cayenne Cream Cheese Crostini
Toasted baguettes with cayenne cream cheese, handmade guacamole, tomatoes and black beans
EXPERIENCE THE MENU
Spring Mix Salad Greens with Cilantro Dressing
Spring Salad Greens with tomatoes, avocados, parmesan cheese and creamy cilantro
dressing
Polenta Stuffed Pasilla Peppers
Italian style cornmeal with corn and pepper jack cheese stuffed in Pasilla peppers

5. Cayenne Cream Cheese
Crostini
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, room
temperature
1 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper
2 ripe avocados
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 plum or roma tomato
1 garlic clove, minced
Extra virgin olive oil for brushing
1 medium sized baguette
1 can black beans
Cilantro to taste

6. Method:
1. Blend cream cheese & cayenne pepper
together with hand mixer until well
blended. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine
avocado, lime juice, cumin, cilantro and
salt and pepper (to taste). Mash and mix
(or puree) until creamy.
3. Gut tomato and dice. Add minced
garlic and place in a separate bowl.
4. In a small saucepan, warm black beans
until heated through.
5. Slice bread into small ½-inch thick
medallions. Brush bread slices with extra
virgin olive oil and place under a broiler
until golden brown.
Cayenne Cream
6. Remove toasted bread and spread
Cheese Crostini with cayenne cream cheese mixture.
Place avocado puree on top of cream
cheese. Top with diced tomatoes and
black beans.

7. Spring Mix Salad Greens with Creamy
Cilantro Dressing

8. Spring Mix Salad Greens
1 package spring mix salad greens
1 ripe avocado
1 plum or roma tomato
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 cup Cilantro Dressing
Method
1. In a large bowl, toss
salad greens with Cilantro
dressing.
2. Top with sliced
avocado, diced
tomatoes, and parmesan
cheese.
3. Serve immediately.

9. Polenta Stuffed Pasilla Peppers
with Spicy Lime Shrimp

10. Deliciousness in the making!
4 plum or roma tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 Pasilla peppers, halved lengthwise and
seeded
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 cup prepared polenta
1 10-ounce package frozen corn
1/3 cup Pepper Jack Cheese (2 ounces)
Chives, sliced
12 pcs. 30-count cooked shrimp
1 ½ ground cumin
Juice from 1 lime
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

11. 1. In a medium bowl, coat tomatoes and onions
in oil. Heat broiler. Line a rimmed broiler-
proof baking sheet with parchment paper and
arrange onions and tomatoes cut-side down.
Place the peppers on the sheet, cut-side down.
Extreme Yum!
Broil until tender and charred, turning the
onions, tomatoes and peppers halfway
through (approximately 5 to 8 minutes).
2. Rinse shrimp. In a small bowl combine ¼ cup
salt in 3 cups water until dissolved. Add
shrimp and refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. In a food processor, puree the
tomatoes, onion, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon
salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until smooth
consistency and coats spoon well. Spread
approximately half of the sauce in a 9-by-13-
inch baking dish and arrange the peppers in
the dish cut-side up. Bake in the oven at
400° F.
4. Drain shrimp and season with juice of 1
lime, 1 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper, 1
½ teaspoon of ground cumin. Refrigerate
again for 15 more minutes.
5. In a medium saucepan, heat polenta on
medium heat with ½ cup of water until heated
through, and thickened, whisking constantly
about 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Stir in corn, cheese and chives.
6. Divide the polenta evenly among the peppers.
Top with the remaining sauce and bake
approximately 5 to 8 minutes or until heated
through. Sprinkle with chives before serving.
7. Sauté shrimp in medium saucepan on
medium high heat for 3 – 4 minutes. Serve
with polenta stuffed peppers.

12. Viola!

13. I would like to take this time to
thank you for considering me
for your scholarship. It has been
a humbling experience as well
as an honor to present my work
to you.
Blessings in Food,
Elle
The Delightful ! Chef
http://thedelightfulchef.blogspot.com