| | Published January 5th, 2011
| Crab and More Crab!
| | By Susie Iventosch |  | | Photo Susie Iventosch
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Dianna Davis-Condon has been a staple on the local foodie scene, providing gourmet meal delivery service and teaching cooking classes to kids and adults alike. The former Viking Home Chef instructor has a growing contingent of protégées from budding junior chefs at the Del Rey School to adults who have discovered a love of cooking. In October, she branched out with her own catering and event planning business, to add to her list of offerings.
Dianna Condon Cuisine is a full-service catering and event planning company that will continue to offer culinary instruction to all ages. In late January, after the flour has settled from a busy holiday schedule, Condon hopes to resume her "Gourmet Meal Delivery Service " where she will offer low-fat and low-sodium menus, in addition to regular fare. These meals will be available at Living Lean in Orinda's Theater Square.
"My goal is for people to be as fit and healthy as they possibly can in order to fully enjoy the gifts that each day brings," said Condon, who not only cooks for a living, but also teaches "The Bar Method" workout.
"Cooking food, entertaining and making life's small pleasures look as beautiful as possible are my passions," she added. "I am excited to begin this new adventure of full service catering and event planning while maintaining my commitment to teaching culinary skills and fitness."
Condon says she cooks just about everything under the sun, but Mediterranean and Latin are her favorite cuisines. She has a 19-page menu from which to choose and she says that people seem to love her "Mexican-influenced Spanish Paella", chicken enchilada casserole and her three lasagna options-beef, grilled veggie or turkey sausage.
My favorite so far is her crab cake recipe, which she has gladly shared with readers along with the Crab and Brie Phyllo Turnovers. But, from perusing her amazing menu, I am anxious to try the Parmesan Polenta Rounds, Greek Pastisio (lamb, beef, penne pasta and Béchamel sauce), Slow Braised BBQ Pork Pull, Five-Cheese Potatoes Gratin, and her Italian Chocolate Pudding Cakes!
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 | | To learn more about Dianna Condon Cuisine, or to order a meal for home delivery service, please call or visit her website. For meal delivery, 24-28 hours notice is requested.
Phone: (925) 255-5104
www.diannacondoncuisine.com
Email: info@diannacondoncuisine.com
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Crab Cakes Dianna
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| Crab Cakes Dianna Photo Susie Iventosch
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INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh, coarse bread crumbs from French bread
(process to the size of a pea)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound fresh Dungeness crabmeat, picked over to remove bits
of cartilage/shell
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
11/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, separated
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large mixing bowl, toss bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
2. Add all ingredients except eggs and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add egg yolks and stir to combine.
3. In bowl of stand mixer whip egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Gently fold into crab mixture.
4. Form into balls approximately 3 inches in diameter
(1 inch if making appetizers), and then slightly flatten tops and bottoms.
5. *Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Add crab cakes, cook until golden, and turn over.
Transfer to oven to finish cooking, about 8 minutes more.
Makes 8 large or 24 minis.
6. Serve with a Remoulade Sauce or Spicy Yogurt Sauce
*To save one step, you can simply brush crab cakes with olive oil and bake at 424º for 5-7 minutes per side, skipping the sauté step.
Remoulade Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1/2 roasted red pepper (fresh or 2 pieces from a jar)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 sour cream
1/4 cup celery, rough chopped
1/2 cup green onion, finely sliced
1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, rough chopped
1/4 cup horseradish
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon
1 tablespoon Tabasco
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until fairly smooth Chill until ready to serve (at least one hour).
Spicy Yogurt Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (more or less as you like)
2 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce (more or less as you like)
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (or 1/4 cup prepared blue cheese dressing)
DIRECTIONS
Place crumbled blue cheese in a medium bowl. Mash with fork until almost a paste. Stir in horseradish, hot sauce and yogurt. Mix well. Chill until ready to use.
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Crab and Brie Phyllo Turnovers
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Melt 1 stick of butter and cool slightly. Lay out 1 piece of Phyllo dough with the long side perpendicular to you. Brush some melted butter on the short ends (parallel to you) at the top and bottom - about 2 inches. Cut the dough in half, the long way, and then each of the halves in half. You should have four strips. At the base closest to you, place 1 teaspoon of brie and one teaspoon of fresh crab.
Begin folding each piece like a flag. Place each triangle on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat to make as many as you like. Brush each triangle with melted butter. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite Remoulade or Susie's Spicy Yogurt Sauce!
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