Recipe: Pecan Hand Pies with Creamy Lemon Schmear
The perfect blend of traditional and modern, Blue Bamboo’s “Hip Asian Comfort Food” celebrates and serves up “everything that we love to eat,” said owner and executive chef Dennis Chan.
Dennis fell in love with homemade Chinese food in his grandfather’s kitchen. His family has been in the restaurant business for eight decades and has opened 12 successful restaurants across Florida. He always dreamed of having his own place in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida and opened Blue Bamboo in 2005 with a focus on creative Asian cuisine, eventually adding several family classic recipes to the menu.
Inspired by the local citrus and pecan trees, Dennis’ Pecan Hand Pies with Creamy Lemon Schmear incorporates Pillsbury™ Puff Pastry to transform a traditional pecan pie into a tender, flaky handheld version with a dollop of lemon schmear for an extra-special fresh twist.
“The flavors go so well together. When we tasted it, we said, ‘we have to share this with the world,’” Dennis said. He did just that and entered it in this year’s Neighborhood to Nation Recipe Contest— receiving $500 in cash and $500 for a charity of his choice as an Honorable Mention in the dessert category.
Blue Bamboo also uses General Mills’ products on its menu that marries Asian flavors with classical Southern comfort foods. For instance, Dennis relies on Pillsbury Pot Pie dough to make the lattice crust for his creative Chicken Pot Pie that includes panko bread crumbs and fried chicken. He also uses Pillsbury dough for his restaurant’s Bao buns and Pillsbury Puff Pastry for baked pork puffs in the restaurant’s popular monthly dim sum celebration.
“Dim sum means little bites of heart —and General Mills’ products make it so easy to create these items,” said Dennis.
Other fan favorites at the restaurant include Javin Dusted Lamb, Red Curry Shrimp and Grits, and other grilled and wok-tossed specialties blending the best of the family’s treasured and modern recipes. Regulars who wanted to make their favorite recipes at home encouraged Dennis to write his first cookbook, “Hip Asian Comfort Food,” which shares personal family stories along with the award-winning recipes.
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Address: 3820 Southside Blvd., Jacksonville, Florida Website: http://bluebamboojacksonville.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluebamboojacksonville/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlueBambooFood