It's Key Lime Time!
Published July 22, 2020
Key Limes are aromatic and juicy with a stronger, more complex acidic flavor than Persian limes. They are best know in the Florida Keys for their use as a flavor ingredient in Key Lime Pie. When I found out a friend of ours, who also owns property in Florida, was stopping over this past weekend, I knew exactly where to start to incorporate some of our favorite tropical Florida flavors we miss so dearly by creating a key lime infused evening.
Cucumber Key Lime Soup
2 lbs Persian cucumbers chopped
3 Tbl Key Lime Juice
1/2 cup Fat-Free Greek Yogurt
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for garnish
1 Tbl Dill, chopped, plus more for garnish
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
Add cucumbers, yogurt, key lime juice, and garlic to a blender until well combined. Gradually add the olive oil. Stir in dill and season with salt and pepper. Chill for 30 minutes and serve with olive oil garnish, cracked pepper and dill.
Shrimp Dipping Sauce
1/2 lb Salted Butter
1 Tbl Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbl Sugar
1/3 cup Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Cooking Sherry
1/4 cup Key Lime Juice
1/2 Green Onion, minced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Add all ingredients to a pan over medium heat until butter is melted and ingredients are well combined. Let simmer on low for 10 min. Serve with boiled shrimp.
Boiled Shrimp
1.15 lbs raw shrimp (equals about 1 lb after it’s cooked), peeled & deveined
**Leave shells on if you want to serve them that way**1-2 bay leaves
Add shrimp to a pot of boiling water with bay leaves. Simmer until pink, about 2-3 minutes. Drain and transfer cooked shrimp to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Remove and serve with dipping sauce.
Key Lime Pie Martini
4 oz KēKē Key Lime Liquor
3 oz Vanilla Stoli
1 oz 43 Liquor
1 oz Lime Juice
Extra Lime Juice for Rim
Crushed Graham Crackers for Rim
Add 2 tablespoons of lime juice to a small plate. Add crushed graham crackers to another small plate. Dip rim of martini glass in lime juice. Coat in crushed graham crackers. In a shaker combine all ingredients over ice. Shake well and pour into glasses. This recipe serves 3 small martinis.
Mojito Cake
A complementing dessert to a key lime infused evening, this Mojito Cake recipe from Cakes by Courtney exceeded my expectations. The subtle flavors of the lime curd filling, mint buttercream and lime zest and mint infused scratch batter set the flavor of this cake over the top. It was time consuming to make, but well worth the praise. This cake will not disappoint.
Enjoy!
Renée Meuse Lovley