Nigella Lawson’s Blueberry Polenta Upside-down Cake

Nigella Lawson is one of my favorite cooks. Besides her down-to-earth, “everywoman” persona (as much as any millionaire celebrity chef can be), and her use of witty banter, she creates delicious recipes.

Over the weekend, I made her Blueberry Polenta Upside-down Cake. And if you’re looking for a terrific, easy, fruity dessert for the July 4th holiday festivities, or any summer get-together, you should too!

Look at these pictures -- every bite gives you a burst of sweet berries. I loved the citrus notes from the orange zest and juice, and especially loved the “sandy” texture provided by the polenta. The cake makes quite a spectacular presentation, thanks to inverting the cake so the beautiful blueberries come out on top!

Please leave a comment below to let me know how you like this cake.

Wishing you a happy July 4th holiday!

Print here!

The Celebrity Chef Experience at Home!

Sometimes when I watch one of the many cooking shows on TV, I think “if only I could have Chef (insert your favorite TV chef’s name here) whip up that meal for me at home!” Mainly I think this while watching Ina Garten cook fabulous meals at her gorgeous home in the Hamptons (Ina, if you’re reading this…)

Well, now having a celebrity chef in your kitchen is within reach. Chef Justin Antiorio, of Hell’s Kitchen season 10 fame, and a New Jersey native, has put together a program to bring his special blend of culinary talent and fun personality to private homes.  Chef Justin offers an exquisite four course culinary experience for dinner parties and special occasions. He will develop a menu to suit your event and taste, arrive for your event with all of the details you discussed in order and personally introduce each course to round out the experience.

From his education at the Institute of Culinary Education to working at such well known restaurants as Highlawn Pavillion and the 21 Club to working with star chefs Marcus Samuelsson, Gabriele Hamilton, and of course, Gordon Ramsay, has given him a well-rounded outlook on the food world. Chef Justin says his Hell’s Kitchen experience taught him a lot about working with different personalities (very useful in real life!). 

Asking him to describe his culinary style, Justin free associated:

·       Contemporary American

·       Fresh, local

·       Chef’s table

·       Customer enjoys being there

Definitely things I look for when dining in or out!

Chef Justin has provided his famous pretzel crusted crab cake recipe for our readers so you can try it out while thinking about inviting him to your home for a truly exciting and delicious culinary experience!

Visit his web site for more information.