NEW YORK, July 26, 2008

A Mediterranean Meal With Zest!

Denver Chef Jennifer Jasinski Cooks One Up -- On A Shoestring

  • Shrimp & Spicy Sausage Skewers with Corn-Orzo Salad, prepared by Photo

    Shrimp & Spicy Sausage Skewers with Corn-Orzo Salad, prepared by "Chef on a Shoestring" Jennifer Jasinski.  (CBS)

  • Play CBS Video Video Mediterranean Delight!

    A Denver chef and former Wolfgang Puck protégé, Jennifer Jasinski creates a masterful Mediterranean menu with garbanzo dip, curry, shrimp, sausage and a tasty desert all for under $40!

  • In The Spotlight Chef on a Shoestring

    Check out recipes and tips from many chefs who accepted our "Chef on a Shoestring" challenge!

  • News Tools Recipe Finder

    Searching for a new dish? Get cooking with The Early Show's recipe archive.

(CBS)  Chef Jennifer Jasinski cut her teeth, so to speak, under the world-famous Wolfgang Puck.

Eight years ago, she opened her own restaurant, Rioja, in Denver, where she mixes Mediterranean-style with fresh, local ingredients. It's bene winning rave reviews for the menu and extensive Spanish wine list.

But could she prepare a spicy, three-course meal for four on our $40 dollar budget, as this week's "Chef on a Shoestring?"

She gave it a go!

MENU

  • Madras Curry Scented Garbanzo Dip
  • Shrimp & Spicy Sausage Skewers w/ Corn-Orzo Salad
  • Lemon Anise Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

    FOOD FACTS

    Garbanzo Beans:     Garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, have a delicious nut-like taste and buttery texture. A very versatile legume, they're a noted ingredient in many Middle Eastern and Indian dishes such as hummus, falafels and curries.

    Madras Curry: Madras curry is a flavorful curry that originates in southern India. This curry can accompany vegetables or meats, and it can feature a wide range of ingredients, although chili peppers are usually a fundamental ingredient.

    Pappadams: Pappadams, also called papadums, are a thin, crispy Indian wafer, sometimes described as a cracker, or flat bread. An important part of Indian cuisine, recipes vary from region to region and family to family, but it's typically made from lentil, chickpea, black gram or rice flour.

    Orzo Pasta: Orzo is Italian and means "barley," but in common use in the United States, orzo is understood to mean rice-shaped pasta, slightly smaller than a pine nut. It's frequently used in soups. Despite its rice shape, orzo is not made out of rice but of hard wheat semolina.

    Star Anise: Anise contains licorice-like components, it's sweet and very aromatic. Star anise is obtained from the star-shaped fruit of a native evergreen tree of southwest China. The star shaped fruits are harvested just before ripening.

    TAKE-HOME TIPS

  • Substitute pita or tortilla chips if you can't find pappadams .

  • Undercook the pasta; it absorbs the vinaigrette and continues to soften.

  • Make the cookies ahead of time; they're best straight out of the freezer.

    RECIPES

    Madras Curry Scented Garbanzo Dip

    2 tablespoons olive oil
    2 cups drained garbanzo beans (reserve the liquid)
    1/2 cup shallots, sliced
    1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
    1-1/2 teaspoons Madras curry
    2 ounces garbanzo bean liquid
    1/2 cup sour cream
    1 teaspoon orange zest
    Pinch cardamom
    Salt and pepper, to taste
    1 package pappadams
    1/4 cup olive oil for pappadams

    Add the olive oil to a sauté pan and sauté the shallot until very light golden brown.

    Add the curry and cardamom and toast for a few seconds to open the flavors in the curry.

    Add the drained garbanzo beans and remove from the heat.

    Place the entire contents of the pan in the food processor with the S-blade and pulse until ingredients are well blended.

    Add the 2 ounces of garbanzo bean liquid to the emptied sauté pan to deglaze the pan, add the contents to the food processor.

    Using a micro-plane or zester, zest an orange to get 1 teaspoon of orange zest.

    Top the dip with the sour cream and orange zest, season to taste.
    Keep cool until ready to serve.

    To cook the pappadams, brush both sides with olive oil and toast on the grill until you see the dough change to opaque.

    They can brown quickly so make sure to flip them every few seconds.

    When done, remove from the grill promptly; they will become crispy in a few seconds. Break into pieces and serve with the dip.

    GO TO PAGE TWO FOR MORE RECIPES

    Continued



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    Add a Comment
    by gmond July 26, 2008 4:02 PM PDT
    I would have to spend $40.00 on gas driving around trying to find all of these ingredients.
    Reply to this comment
    by cyberus-2009 July 26, 2008 6:29 PM PDT
    And yet again .. CBS uses government math to get under the $40 by not counting:

    1cup (total) olive oil
    1 cup + 2 Tbsp butter
    1 3/4 2 Tbsp flour
    1/2 cup sugar (total)

    While the sugar and flour may be a minor cost .. olive oil and BUTTER still aren''t FREE.
    Reply to this comment
    by yongamerica July 27, 2008 12:03 AM PDT
    Looks ok, I''d pretend to enjoy it at someone else''s house. Seems too starchy. If I was cooking I''d spend my $40 differently.
    Reply to this comment
    by July 27, 2008 6:42 PM PDT
    gmond - I live in rural New Hampshire and all of those items are found in my local grocery store which is not even part of a national chain.
    Reply to this comment
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