Debuting just in time for this year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, the newest Epcot cookbook shares the best-of-the-best recipes, but also includes favorites from the 2016 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which started adding its Outdoor Kitchens in 2013, now an integral part of the spring fest.
Sharing food and drink is such a communal experience, and the circle around World Showcase Lagoon is the perfect place. The cookbook lets you take the memories home and recreate favorites with family and friends. Here are two of our favorites, one from each festival. The kale salad is a simple meal in a bowl, and the warm quesitos are super-easy and melt-in-your-mouth delectable.
The cookbook will be for sale at Mouse Gear, Gateway Gifts and other Epcot shops during and after the festival. And look for Epcot Culinary Director Gregg Hannon and myself at the Festival Center for a recipe demo and cookbook signing.
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Florida Fresh Kale Salad with Dried Cherries, Almonds and Goat Cheese
Serves 6-8 as side salad or 4 entrée salads
Kale Salad
1/2 bunch kale leaves, tough stems removed, chopped (approximately 2 cups)
6 fresh Brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced thin lengthwise
2 cups broccoli slaw mix
1/2 cup chopped radicchio leaves
1/2 cup fine shredded green cabbage
1 cup cooked red quinoa (approximately 1/3 cup uncooked, follow package directions)
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese, for garnish
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds, for garnish
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
¼ cup minced shallots
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
For kale salad:
Mix together all ingredients in large bowl.
For white balsamic vinaigrette:
Place shallots, vinegar and honey in blender or food processor. Blend on low and slowly add olive oil until blended. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve:
Toss salad with desired amount of white balsamic vinaigrette. Divide salad among plates and sprinkle with goat cheese and toasted almonds. Refrigerate any unused vinaigrette.
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Islands of the Caribbean Marketplace Quesitos
Makes 8
1 sheet (9-10 inch square) puff pastry, thawed
4 ounces softened cream cheese
8 teaspoons sugar, divided
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut puff pastry sheet into 4 squares. Cut each square in half diagonally to make 8 triangles.
- Place 1 tablespoon of cream cheese, rolled into a log shape, in center of each triangle. Top with 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Take the two corners of the longest side of the triangle and meet in the middle. Pinch to seal. Roll pastry towards top of triangle, gently squeezing the middle to spread out cream cheese. Seal seam with a little water. Repeat with remaining puff pastry.
- Bake 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and flip to allow caramelized sugar to drip.
- Serve warm.
