Chef Donna's Adoro...adding spice to your life

OK, I admit it.  I am a "Chopped" junkie.  I can literally watch back-to-back shows for hours upon hours.  I've even gotten my family in on my obsession.....I've convinced the basketball loving men in my family that this show is just as competitive as the games during March Madness!  So far they have bought into my analogy. (Well, not really, but Duke will sit and watch it with me occasionally if I bribe him with chocolate cake).

The judges on Chopped (my favorite is Jeffrey Zakarian) always comment on how many of the dishes presented to them are lacking proper seasoning.  The dish could otherwise be perfect....but if it's not well seasoned, that chef risks being "chopped".  The most memorable dishes have flavor layered throughout, which means that someone took the time and care to layer in taste and flavor at each step of the cooking process.

the dashing Zakarian!

I was so excited to learn that my friend, Chef Donna Desfor, has created her own unique blend of spices, simply called Adoro.  It is a multi-purpose, versatile seasoning that Donna brought back from Florence, Italy.  Adoro is a proprietary mix of Kosher salt, garlic, chili flakes, parsley and chervil.  It  lifts and brightens the primary tastes in any dish, bringing about a flavorful balance.  The heat of the chili flakes wakes up the palate, and the herbal aromatics round out the flavor on the after-palate. Adoro gives your food a depth of flavor in seconds! Trust me, it really does!

I used it tonight on angel hair pasta, green beans, and mashed potatoes.  All were brighter, more complex, and infinitely tastier.  Tomorrow morning it's going on scrambled eggs.  I am sold!

 Adoro, both literally and figuratively translates into "love".  With Valentine's Day right around the corner, what could be more perfect?

My 2 large bags of Adoro arrived today....yippee!

Adoro can be found at   http://spiceandtea.com/   Also check out Donna's blog, which can be found at   http://blog.spiceandtea.com/  for some wonderful recipes.

Try it on this elegant dish, created by Donna: "Linguine with Garlic Poached Crab and Lemon-scented Sweet Hot Peppers"

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This thing called love.

January27

Recipe:  Linguine with Garlic Poached Crab and Lemon-scented Sweet Hot PeppersServes 6 to 8

IngredientsFor pasta1 pound linguine cooked in well-salted water, drained and tossed with 1 tablespoon TSTE Olive Oil

For garlic-poached crab8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) TSTE Vik’s Garlic Fix blend
About 1 pound cooked jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells

For lemon-scented sweet-hot peppers2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
About 1 pound mini sweet hot peppers, seeded and sliced into thin rounds (to yield about 2 cups) (substitute red, yellow, and orange bell peppers seeded and julienned)
Zest from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon TSTE Ginger sugar

To finish the dishTSTE Chef Donna’s Adoro, to season

PreparationPrepare the Garlic Poached Crab. Place a large skillet over medium-low heat, combine butter and olive oil and whisk in TSTE Vik’s Garlic Fix.  Whisk occasionally until butter is melted and seasoning is combined.  Raise heat to medium until bubbles begin to form around edge of pan, do not bring to a boil.  Return heat to medium-low and add the jumbo lump crab pieces.  Poach until crab is warmed through.

Prepare the Lemon-scented Sweet Hot Peppers. Meanwhile, combine butter and olive oil in another large skillet over medium heat.  Add the peppers and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon zest and juice and ¼ cup of reserved pasta water.  Toss.  Stir in theTSTE Ginger sugar and reduce heat.  Cook, tossing occasionally until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Add pasta to lemon-scented chiles and toss to combine.  Increase heat to medium-high, add enough reserved pasta water to moisten pasta and skillet, then cook, tossing pasta or stirring with tongs, until liquid is almost evaporated and pasta is heated through, about 3 minutes more.  Taste.  Add TSTE Chef Donna Adoro until flavors are bright.  Using a slotted spoon add the poached crab pieces and toss.

Divide between warm pasta bowls and drizzle with additional TSTE Olive Oil, lemon zest, or lemon juice if desired.  Serve immediately.

Now THAT'S love at first bite!