This Guacamole is a wonderful dip for black corn and white corn tortilla chips and nachos, and it can also be served as an intriguing sandwhich spread. The inclusion of sour cream and the optional bacon enliven this old-time mexican favorite.
5 slices bacon (optional)
3 Hass avocados, halved seeded and cubed
1 tomato, diced
1/2 large red onion, diced
2 T. sour cream
1 jalapeno or serano chili, seeded, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. cilantro, chopped
3 T. fresh lime juice
kosher salt if necessary
1. (optional) Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove from pan and place on absorbant paper towels to dry and cool completely.
2. In a bowl, mash the avocados with a fork until they are almost smooth, like a chunky puree. Fold in the tomato, sour cream, bacon bits and onion. Add the lime juice, chili, garlic and cilantro; season, if necessary with salt (the bacon may add enough salt). Chill and serve with corn chips and nachos.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Garlic Bread with Gorgonzola sauce
Uzie's was an excellent Northern Italian restaurant on New York's Upper East Side. I never ate there, but several of their surviving recipes really captivated my taste buds. Their Pollo Scapariello for example, was one of the best I've made. Here is one of their other offerings I'm sure you'll enjoy. It's a great first course and goes well with a fresh green salad and Dijon mustard vinaigrette.
Garlic Bread with Gorgonzola Sauce
2 loaves Italian Bread
1/3 cup olive oil
1 T. minced garlic
Pinch of oregano
Pinch of basil
Gorgonzola Sauce
1. Cut bread lengthwise and brush with mixture of olive oil and spices.
2. Treansfer bread to broiler and cook until lightly browned. Cut bread into 2-inch pieces and pour gorgonzola sauce over the pieces. Serve hot.
Gorgonzola Sauce
6 T. unsalted butter
1 T. shallot, minced
1 T. garlic, minced
5-6 T. flour
1 pint light cream
1/2 pound Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1. Heat large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and shallots and simmer until soft. Add 5-6 T. flour, combine and stirring constantly to remove lumps.
2. Add cream, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Turn off heat; add gorgonzola cheese, stirring until blended. Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 6-8
Garlic Bread with Gorgonzola Sauce
2 loaves Italian Bread
1/3 cup olive oil
1 T. minced garlic
Pinch of oregano
Pinch of basil
Gorgonzola Sauce
1. Cut bread lengthwise and brush with mixture of olive oil and spices.
2. Treansfer bread to broiler and cook until lightly browned. Cut bread into 2-inch pieces and pour gorgonzola sauce over the pieces. Serve hot.
Gorgonzola Sauce
6 T. unsalted butter
1 T. shallot, minced
1 T. garlic, minced
5-6 T. flour
1 pint light cream
1/2 pound Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1. Heat large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and shallots and simmer until soft. Add 5-6 T. flour, combine and stirring constantly to remove lumps.
2. Add cream, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Turn off heat; add gorgonzola cheese, stirring until blended. Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 6-8
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Creole Style Shrimp and Scallop Bordelaise
The Creoles adapted the classic French Sauce Bordelaise which is a reduction of red wine, brown stock and bone marrow to a wonderful sauce made of olive oil, butter garlic and parsley. This recipe dresses large shrimps and scallops into a delicious dish served with angel hair pasta or an onion flavored rice.
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pound sea scallops, quartered
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Briefly Saute the garlic until softened. Add shrimp and scallops in one layer. Cook for about 2 minutes, turning when the shellfish have browned. Add salt, pepper and parsley and cook for another minute. Transfer to a warm platter. Serve with rice or angel hair pasta.
Onion Flavored Rice
2 cups yellow onions, chopped
3 T. unsalted butter
2 cups rice such as basmati
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. turmeric
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat; add onions and saute until they begin to brown. Add rice to pan and mix to combine for 1 minute. Add the wine, turmeric, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stir with a fork and cover pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 17-18 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let the rice rest for several minutes. Remove cover and toss with a fork; serve with Shrimp and Scallops Bordelaise over the rice.
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pound sea scallops, quartered
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Briefly Saute the garlic until softened. Add shrimp and scallops in one layer. Cook for about 2 minutes, turning when the shellfish have browned. Add salt, pepper and parsley and cook for another minute. Transfer to a warm platter. Serve with rice or angel hair pasta.
Onion Flavored Rice
2 cups yellow onions, chopped
3 T. unsalted butter
2 cups rice such as basmati
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. turmeric
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat; add onions and saute until they begin to brown. Add rice to pan and mix to combine for 1 minute. Add the wine, turmeric, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stir with a fork and cover pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 17-18 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let the rice rest for several minutes. Remove cover and toss with a fork; serve with Shrimp and Scallops Bordelaise over the rice.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Shrimp Francese
Chicken Francese is a popular and delicious dish appearing on many menus in the New York Metropolitan area. Francese means "in the French manner" and refers to food dipped in egg, sauteed and then enhanced with a lemon-butter sauce. This recipe was adapted from the few recipes for chicken Francese I am aware of. Chicken Francese does not appear in any cookbooks currently in print and to my knowledge there is no recipe for shrimp Francese anywhere.
1 pound large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
2-3 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour for dredging
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 T. unsalted butter
4 T. dry vermouth
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley
Place the flour in a shallow platter and season it with salt and pepper. In a deeper bowl, beat the eggs and 3 T. water. Heat a large skillet over a medium-high flame.
Dredge the shrimp in the seasoned flour and then dip them in the egg wash. Add butter and olive oil to the pan. When the froth subsides, add the shrimp and cook them for about 2 minutes until they turn pink. Remove the shrimp and set aside on a warm platter while making the sauce.
Add the vermouth, chicken broth and lemon juice to the hot pan. Bring to a boil and let the mixture reduce by about one half until it is slightly thickened.
Pour the sauce over the shrimp and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve hot.
Serves 4
1 pound large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
2-3 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour for dredging
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 T. unsalted butter
4 T. dry vermouth
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley
Place the flour in a shallow platter and season it with salt and pepper. In a deeper bowl, beat the eggs and 3 T. water. Heat a large skillet over a medium-high flame.
Dredge the shrimp in the seasoned flour and then dip them in the egg wash. Add butter and olive oil to the pan. When the froth subsides, add the shrimp and cook them for about 2 minutes until they turn pink. Remove the shrimp and set aside on a warm platter while making the sauce.
Add the vermouth, chicken broth and lemon juice to the hot pan. Bring to a boil and let the mixture reduce by about one half until it is slightly thickened.
Pour the sauce over the shrimp and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve hot.
Serves 4
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Risotto with mushrooms and sauteed shrimp
Risotto is a very popular Northern Italian starch that combines the crunchy yet creamy taste of short grain aborio rice. And since the risotto has a neutral flavor, you can incorporate the more pronounced flavors of parmesan cheese, dried mushrooms, shell fish or herbs. A basic risotto (cooked without extra ingredients) can be served as a side dish to more complex offerings such as roasts or braised meats.
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2/3 cup boiling water
1 cup clam juice
1/2 pound button mushrooms
1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 cups chicken stock
4 T. butter
1 T. Olive oil
1 medium onion
2 cups Aborio rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
butter for garnish
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1. Reconstitute the dried mushrooms by placing them in a small bowl with boiling water for about 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Srain the liquid through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. Rinse the mushrooms, being sure to remove any remaining grit, Chop them. Combine the broth, clam juice with the mushroom liquid and simmer.
2. In a large, heavy pot, simmer the chicken stock.
3. Sautee the onion in butter and olive oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook and stir about 2 minutes. Add button mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until absorbed. Add rice and cook until the grains are coated with butter.
4. Add dried mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the simmering stock and stir until the stock has been almost completely absorbed. Continue cooking rice, adding 1/2 cup of stock at a time, constantly stirring and waiting until almost all the broth is absorbed before adding more broth. When 1/3 of the broth has been absorbed, add the bay leaf and a pinch of safron threads. Continue adding broth and stirring.
5. When almost all liquid has been absorbed, add parsley, paresan cheese, sauteed shrimp and butter.
6. Stir rice to mix all ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Transfer rice to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
Serves 6
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2/3 cup boiling water
1 cup clam juice
1/2 pound button mushrooms
1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 cups chicken stock
4 T. butter
1 T. Olive oil
1 medium onion
2 cups Aborio rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
butter for garnish
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1. Reconstitute the dried mushrooms by placing them in a small bowl with boiling water for about 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Srain the liquid through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. Rinse the mushrooms, being sure to remove any remaining grit, Chop them. Combine the broth, clam juice with the mushroom liquid and simmer.
2. In a large, heavy pot, simmer the chicken stock.
3. Sautee the onion in butter and olive oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook and stir about 2 minutes. Add button mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until absorbed. Add rice and cook until the grains are coated with butter.
4. Add dried mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the simmering stock and stir until the stock has been almost completely absorbed. Continue cooking rice, adding 1/2 cup of stock at a time, constantly stirring and waiting until almost all the broth is absorbed before adding more broth. When 1/3 of the broth has been absorbed, add the bay leaf and a pinch of safron threads. Continue adding broth and stirring.
5. When almost all liquid has been absorbed, add parsley, paresan cheese, sauteed shrimp and butter.
6. Stir rice to mix all ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Transfer rice to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
Serves 6
Friday, November 14, 2008
Chicken Scarpiello
I have eaten this dish in many Italian restaurants. Some restaurants cook the chicken off the bone, drying it out. Chicken cooked on the bone is significantly more suculent. In this version we are adding sweet Italian sausage chunks, sweet pepper strips, potato and mushroom to a lemon-wine sauce Since this dish is not Italian, but Italian American, I feel we can enhance it to suite our own tastes. This intriguing blend of flavors and textures adds greatly to the natural taste of the chicken.
2 cornish hens or poussins, cut at the joints
kosher salt to taste
3/4 cup corn oil
flour
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage without fennel
1 lemon, zested
4 T. lemon juice
4 T. dry vermouth
4 T. low sodium chicken broth
10 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed but left whole
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 5-inch sprig fresh rosemary
1 baking potato cut into cubes
2 red roasted peppers julienned
5 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 T. butter
1. In a small bowl, mix together the lemon zest, lemon juice, vermouth and chicken broth. Set aside.
2. Pour corn oil into large skillet and turn heat to medium.
3. Season chicken with salt, pepper and lightly dredge in flour.
4. Add chicken to hot oil and saute for 5 minutes or until almost cooked through. Remove chicken to warm platter and fry potatoes for 5 minutes. Broil sausage pieces for 10 minutes.
5. In a separate pan, saute garlic in 1 T. oil until brown but not burned. Add the chicken, butter, salt, pepper, potato, sausage, rosemary, and mushrooms. Cook for 4 minutes. Add the lemon-wine-broth mixture and continue cooking a few minutes until the liquid has reduced to a glaze on the chicken. Serve immediately with chopped parsley as a garnish.
2 cornish hens or poussins, cut at the joints
kosher salt to taste
3/4 cup corn oil
flour
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage without fennel
1 lemon, zested
4 T. lemon juice
4 T. dry vermouth
4 T. low sodium chicken broth
10 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed but left whole
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 5-inch sprig fresh rosemary
1 baking potato cut into cubes
2 red roasted peppers julienned
5 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 T. butter
1. In a small bowl, mix together the lemon zest, lemon juice, vermouth and chicken broth. Set aside.
2. Pour corn oil into large skillet and turn heat to medium.
3. Season chicken with salt, pepper and lightly dredge in flour.
4. Add chicken to hot oil and saute for 5 minutes or until almost cooked through. Remove chicken to warm platter and fry potatoes for 5 minutes. Broil sausage pieces for 10 minutes.
5. In a separate pan, saute garlic in 1 T. oil until brown but not burned. Add the chicken, butter, salt, pepper, potato, sausage, rosemary, and mushrooms. Cook for 4 minutes. Add the lemon-wine-broth mixture and continue cooking a few minutes until the liquid has reduced to a glaze on the chicken. Serve immediately with chopped parsley as a garnish.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Southern Fried Chicken
Most cookbooks have a recipe for Southern Fried chicken. This is by far my favorite. The mixture of buttermilk and tabasco and the herb and peppered flour give it a crisp flavorful crust and a juicy interior. You'll never buy chicken from a colonel again.
One 3 to 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 tsp. tabasco
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. dry mustard
1 T. paprika
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 large eggs
2 T. water
3 cups corn oil for frying
Place chicken pieces in large glass or aluminum bowl and add buttermilk to cover. Add tabasco and turn the pieces to ensure that they are thoroughly coated with the buttermilk. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer to absorb the tabasco flavor.
Combine the flour, salt, black pepper, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder in a medium bowl and blend well.
Whisk eggs and water together. Transfer chicken pieces to a paper towel to absorb a little bit of the buttermilk mixture. Then dip the chicken in the egg wash to coat completely and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.
Heat corn oil in a black iron skillet or a similar pan large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer without touching. When heat is high, add chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook until golden brown on one side. Turn the chicken and reduce heat to medium low. Continue cooking until the pieces are golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should be about 165 degrees. Remove chicken and let rest on absorbant towel for about 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 4
One 3 to 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 tsp. tabasco
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 T. dry mustard
1 T. paprika
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 large eggs
2 T. water
3 cups corn oil for frying
Place chicken pieces in large glass or aluminum bowl and add buttermilk to cover. Add tabasco and turn the pieces to ensure that they are thoroughly coated with the buttermilk. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer to absorb the tabasco flavor.
Combine the flour, salt, black pepper, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder in a medium bowl and blend well.
Whisk eggs and water together. Transfer chicken pieces to a paper towel to absorb a little bit of the buttermilk mixture. Then dip the chicken in the egg wash to coat completely and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.
Heat corn oil in a black iron skillet or a similar pan large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer without touching. When heat is high, add chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook until golden brown on one side. Turn the chicken and reduce heat to medium low. Continue cooking until the pieces are golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should be about 165 degrees. Remove chicken and let rest on absorbant towel for about 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 4
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Giuseppe's Mouthwatering Meatballs and Spaghetti
I have ordered Meatballs and spaghetti in restaurants on several occasions and I was always dissatisfied. The restaurants were well known and the chefs were all professionals and each time their efforts failed miserably. I knew meatballs and spaghetti should be great since most Italians love this dish when it's prepared at home. It took a while for me to also develop a great tasting dish. Thanks to different ideas from Giada, Rocco's mom, Johanne Killeen and my butcher in Beechhurst, NY, I believe have a terrific winner here.
For the Meatballs:
12 ounces ground beef (chuck works well)
2 slices white sandwhich bread, remove crust and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmigiano-reggiano cheese
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
pinch nutmeg
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves diced
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes,crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
mozzarella cheese, grated
Fresh basil leaves
1 T. flat leaf parsley
For the Sauce:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup good young red wine, such as chianti
1 (28 oz.) can, whole, peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, drained and crushed by hand. You can also use crushed tomatoes
1 T. fresh flat leaf parsley, shopped
Kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
a few sprigs of fresh basil
For Serving:
1 pound spaghetti, cooked according to package directions. Drained with some olive oil. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water
Meatballs:
Place bread and bread crumbs, parsley, onion, parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, beaten egg, salt, pepper, nutmeg and 3/4 cup warm milk in a bowl and mix together. Add ground meats and combine thoroughly with a fork. (Using the fork will prevent over mixing and compacting which can toughen meatballs.) Put a little olive oil on your hands and form mixture into balls about the size of golf balls. You should have about 8 or 9 meatballs.
Pour about 1/2 inch of olive oil into a straight sided 10 inch pan and heat over medium flame. Add the meatballs to the pan (working in batches if necessary) and brown meatballs. (At this stage, they should be rare. They will cook through later in the tomato sauce.) Browning the meaballs will take about 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to a warm plate covered with a paper towel. Discard the oil but do not clean the pan.
For the sauce, heat the oilive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine, cook on high, and with a wooden spoon scrape up all the brown bits in the pan. (There is intense flavor in those brown bits.) Stir in the tomatoes, salt and peper.
Transfer the meatballs the sauce, cover and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30minutes,or until the meatballs are cooked through. With 5 minutes remaining, shower with mozzarella and scatter half of the basil leaves on top. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the mixture. Serve the dish hot and pass grated parmigiano-reggiano or a cheese grater and a black pepper mill around the table.
For the Meatballs:
12 ounces ground beef (chuck works well)
2 slices white sandwhich bread, remove crust and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmigiano-reggiano cheese
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
pinch nutmeg
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves diced
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes,crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
mozzarella cheese, grated
Fresh basil leaves
1 T. flat leaf parsley
For the Sauce:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup good young red wine, such as chianti
1 (28 oz.) can, whole, peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, drained and crushed by hand. You can also use crushed tomatoes
1 T. fresh flat leaf parsley, shopped
Kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
a few sprigs of fresh basil
For Serving:
1 pound spaghetti, cooked according to package directions. Drained with some olive oil. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water
Meatballs:
Place bread and bread crumbs, parsley, onion, parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, beaten egg, salt, pepper, nutmeg and 3/4 cup warm milk in a bowl and mix together. Add ground meats and combine thoroughly with a fork. (Using the fork will prevent over mixing and compacting which can toughen meatballs.) Put a little olive oil on your hands and form mixture into balls about the size of golf balls. You should have about 8 or 9 meatballs.
Pour about 1/2 inch of olive oil into a straight sided 10 inch pan and heat over medium flame. Add the meatballs to the pan (working in batches if necessary) and brown meatballs. (At this stage, they should be rare. They will cook through later in the tomato sauce.) Browning the meaballs will take about 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to a warm plate covered with a paper towel. Discard the oil but do not clean the pan.
For the sauce, heat the oilive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine, cook on high, and with a wooden spoon scrape up all the brown bits in the pan. (There is intense flavor in those brown bits.) Stir in the tomatoes, salt and peper.
Transfer the meatballs the sauce, cover and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30minutes,or until the meatballs are cooked through. With 5 minutes remaining, shower with mozzarella and scatter half of the basil leaves on top. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the mixture. Serve the dish hot and pass grated parmigiano-reggiano or a cheese grater and a black pepper mill around the table.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
An Important Word About Some Common Cooking Ingredients
BUTTER-Salt butter is tasty on English muffins and makes toast more palatable. But when cooking, please, always use unsalted butter. The rule among professional chefs is that unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in a recipe’s salt content. Salted butter can contain up to 3% salt-about ¾ tsp. per stick.
SALT- When cooking, kosher salt is the best. With its coarse grain, it is superb for seasoning foods, because it’s easy to sprinkle evenly and because it does not contain magnesium carbonate, it will not cloud items to which it is added. Almost all chefs use kosher salt.
When baking on the other hand, table salt is the best, for two reasons. First, Kosher salt which is made up of large, flaky crystals, does not dissolve as readily as table salt. Second, when sifting dry ingredients together kosher salt can’t pass through the mesh sieve, keeping it from distributing evenly.
SEA-SALT -is made by allowing sea water to evaporate, leaving behind salt crystals. In its unrefined state, it may be known as “sel gris”, French for “Grey salt.” These salts are prized for their taste.
If you’ve over salted soup or vegetables, add raw potatoes and discard them once they have cooked and absorbed the salt.
PEPPER- Use a pepper mill to make fresh ground black pepper.
OILS- We all have our favorite tasting oils. In addition, be aware that cooking oils need to withstand medium-high or high heat without smoking. Most refined vegetable oils sold in the supermarkets with smoke points ranging from 400 to 500 degrees, unless labeled “unrefined” or “cold pressed”, are good choices for sautéing.
OLIVE OIL, with a smoke point of 320 degrees is best used in salads and low heat sautéing, but the less expensive pure olive oil has a smoke point of 410 degrees and can be used in high heat cooking.
CANOLA OIL is the darling of nutritionists because it contains mostly monounsaturated fat. It’s fine for most cooking with a smoke point of 400 degrees.
Among the boutique oils, grapeseed oil has a relatively high smoke point (420 degrees) and a light, fruity flavor.
SUBSITUTING DRIED HERBS FOR FRESH HERBS- Fresh herbs enliven many dishes, but are not always available or practical. The best herbs for using dry are the sturdy ones, such as marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme. They’re most effective when added at the beginning of recipes that contain ample liquid.
Dried tender herbs, including basil, cilantro, dill, and tarragon don’t have the appealing fragrance of fresh. But in a pinch, dried versions can be used, as long as they’re added toward the end of cooking.
SALT- When cooking, kosher salt is the best. With its coarse grain, it is superb for seasoning foods, because it’s easy to sprinkle evenly and because it does not contain magnesium carbonate, it will not cloud items to which it is added. Almost all chefs use kosher salt.
When baking on the other hand, table salt is the best, for two reasons. First, Kosher salt which is made up of large, flaky crystals, does not dissolve as readily as table salt. Second, when sifting dry ingredients together kosher salt can’t pass through the mesh sieve, keeping it from distributing evenly.
SEA-SALT -is made by allowing sea water to evaporate, leaving behind salt crystals. In its unrefined state, it may be known as “sel gris”, French for “Grey salt.” These salts are prized for their taste.
If you’ve over salted soup or vegetables, add raw potatoes and discard them once they have cooked and absorbed the salt.
PEPPER- Use a pepper mill to make fresh ground black pepper.
OILS- We all have our favorite tasting oils. In addition, be aware that cooking oils need to withstand medium-high or high heat without smoking. Most refined vegetable oils sold in the supermarkets with smoke points ranging from 400 to 500 degrees, unless labeled “unrefined” or “cold pressed”, are good choices for sautéing.
OLIVE OIL, with a smoke point of 320 degrees is best used in salads and low heat sautéing, but the less expensive pure olive oil has a smoke point of 410 degrees and can be used in high heat cooking.
CANOLA OIL is the darling of nutritionists because it contains mostly monounsaturated fat. It’s fine for most cooking with a smoke point of 400 degrees.
Among the boutique oils, grapeseed oil has a relatively high smoke point (420 degrees) and a light, fruity flavor.
SUBSITUTING DRIED HERBS FOR FRESH HERBS- Fresh herbs enliven many dishes, but are not always available or practical. The best herbs for using dry are the sturdy ones, such as marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme. They’re most effective when added at the beginning of recipes that contain ample liquid.
Dried tender herbs, including basil, cilantro, dill, and tarragon don’t have the appealing fragrance of fresh. But in a pinch, dried versions can be used, as long as they’re added toward the end of cooking.
Baked Fish with Fennel and Pernod
1 tsp. fennel seeds
3 T. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 large fennel bulbs, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 4 cups)
1 T. grated orange zest
2 cups (12 oz.) peeled, seeded, and diced tomatoes (optional)
4 cod, flounder or sea bass fillets, 5-6 oz. each
1 cup (8 fl oz.) dry white wine
1/4 cup (2 fl oz.) Pernod
fennel feathers (fronds) or chopped fresh mint for garnish
Place the fennel seeds in a small, dry frying pan over medium-low heat and toast, shaking occasionally, until fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pulverize with a pestle. Alternatively, pulverize in a spice grinder.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and saute, stirring, until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the sliced fennel and saute toe 3-4 minutes. Add the ground fennel seeds, orange zest, and the tomatoes, is using, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Distribute the fennel mixture among 4 individual baking dishes or place in 1 large baking dish. Place the fish fillets atop the fennel. Sprinkle with salt and papper. Combine the wine and pernod and pour over the fish.
Bake until the fish is opaque when tested with a knife, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with Fennel feathers or mint and serve at once.
Serves 4
3 T. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 large fennel bulbs, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 4 cups)
1 T. grated orange zest
2 cups (12 oz.) peeled, seeded, and diced tomatoes (optional)
4 cod, flounder or sea bass fillets, 5-6 oz. each
1 cup (8 fl oz.) dry white wine
1/4 cup (2 fl oz.) Pernod
fennel feathers (fronds) or chopped fresh mint for garnish
Place the fennel seeds in a small, dry frying pan over medium-low heat and toast, shaking occasionally, until fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pulverize with a pestle. Alternatively, pulverize in a spice grinder.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and saute, stirring, until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the sliced fennel and saute toe 3-4 minutes. Add the ground fennel seeds, orange zest, and the tomatoes, is using, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Distribute the fennel mixture among 4 individual baking dishes or place in 1 large baking dish. Place the fish fillets atop the fennel. Sprinkle with salt and papper. Combine the wine and pernod and pour over the fish.
Bake until the fish is opaque when tested with a knife, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with Fennel feathers or mint and serve at once.
Serves 4
Monday, November 3, 2008
Chicken Stuffed with Potatoes and Olives
Here's another strange sounding dish. Who ever heard of stuffing a chicken with potatoes and green olives. This may have been a peasant dish in Italy where it had its origens. This is another clever recipe from The Frugal Gourmet.
3 or 4 medium new potatoes, unpeeled, cooked and cubed
8 to 10 T. stuffed green olives
1 T. Fresh rosemary
3 to 4 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic crushed
3 canned anchovies, mashed or anchovy paste
(anchovies enhance other flavors without overpowering with their own taste which some people find objectionable)
1 T. chopped capers, optional but they add alot to the dish
3 T. olive oil (pure olive oil has a higher smoke point then virgin olive oil and it's a lot cheaper, so it is preferred here.)
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 3 to 4 pound chicken
Bell's seasoning
Place the potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes
After the potatoes have cooled, place all the ingredients exept the chicken and Bell's seasoning in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients together .
Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper and some Bell's seasoning. stuff the chicken loosely and place in a roasting pan. Add the remaining stuffing around the chicken. It will pick up flavor from the juices.
Roast at 350 degrees for about 1 hour until an instant read thermometer placed in the breast reads 175 degrees and the thigh reads about 165 degrees.
You must let the chicken rest on a carving board for at least 5 to 10 minutes so that the juices can be redistribued in the bird. If you carve the bird or any other meat immediately, the juices will run out on the board rather than keeping the meat moist.
3 or 4 medium new potatoes, unpeeled, cooked and cubed
8 to 10 T. stuffed green olives
1 T. Fresh rosemary
3 to 4 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic crushed
3 canned anchovies, mashed or anchovy paste
(anchovies enhance other flavors without overpowering with their own taste which some people find objectionable)
1 T. chopped capers, optional but they add alot to the dish
3 T. olive oil (pure olive oil has a higher smoke point then virgin olive oil and it's a lot cheaper, so it is preferred here.)
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 3 to 4 pound chicken
Bell's seasoning
Place the potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes
After the potatoes have cooled, place all the ingredients exept the chicken and Bell's seasoning in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients together .
Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper and some Bell's seasoning. stuff the chicken loosely and place in a roasting pan. Add the remaining stuffing around the chicken. It will pick up flavor from the juices.
Roast at 350 degrees for about 1 hour until an instant read thermometer placed in the breast reads 175 degrees and the thigh reads about 165 degrees.
You must let the chicken rest on a carving board for at least 5 to 10 minutes so that the juices can be redistribued in the bird. If you carve the bird or any other meat immediately, the juices will run out on the board rather than keeping the meat moist.
Pot Roast with Dill Pickes
Pot Roast with pickles may seem strange and even stranger if you add some sour cream. But trust me, it's great. You may want to use a leaner cut than chuck roast because this is a rich dish, but chuck roasts are very flavorful and easier on the pocketbook than many other cuts. This recipe is a polish item that was written by the Frugal Gourmet. He had a tragic private life, but his recipes were above reproach.
3 pounds chuck roast
1 T. peanut oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
3 or 4 dried mushrooms
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup beef stock
3 dill pickles, chopped
1 cup sour cream
Add oil to a 12 inch skillet; brown the roast well on all sides (be sure that the pan is hot before you add the oil and the meat.)
Transfer the meat to a covered casserole, with the remaining ingredients exept the sour cream. Simmer for about 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Add the sour cream and simmer for about 1/2 hour. Slice and serve with the sauce on top.
3 pounds chuck roast
1 T. peanut oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
3 or 4 dried mushrooms
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup beef stock
3 dill pickles, chopped
1 cup sour cream
Add oil to a 12 inch skillet; brown the roast well on all sides (be sure that the pan is hot before you add the oil and the meat.)
Transfer the meat to a covered casserole, with the remaining ingredients exept the sour cream. Simmer for about 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Add the sour cream and simmer for about 1/2 hour. Slice and serve with the sauce on top.
Viennese Chicken Delight
Viennese cuisine is characterized by international influences, some French, some Italian, some German; it is a cuisine of comfort foods. This dish artfully blends the wonderful flavors of sherry, onions, garlic, tomatoes, sour cream and Swiss cheese to develop a delicious Viennese flavor. It is one on my favorites and will become one of your favorites too.
4 to 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup melted butter
2 T. sherry
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. onions, minced
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 T. tomato paste
3 T. flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup shredded almonds
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated
1. Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Brush chicken with melted butter on both sides
3. Add sherry, cook for 1 minute over moderate heat.
4. Add garlic, onions, tomatoes, cook for 2 1/2 minutes over moderate heat.
5. Remove from heat, add tomato paste and flour; whisk the tomato mixture until smooth.
6. Add chicken broth; bring to a boil.
7. Add almonds, salt and bay leaf.
8. Return chicken to the pan, cover and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.
9. In a small saucepan, blend 3/4 of the Swiss cheese and 3/4 cup sour cream; simmer until blended.
10. Pour over chicken, top with more Swiss cheese and place under broiler to brown.
11. Serve with large buttered egg noodles.
4 to 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup melted butter
2 T. sherry
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. onions, minced
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 T. tomato paste
3 T. flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup shredded almonds
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated
1. Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Brush chicken with melted butter on both sides
3. Add sherry, cook for 1 minute over moderate heat.
4. Add garlic, onions, tomatoes, cook for 2 1/2 minutes over moderate heat.
5. Remove from heat, add tomato paste and flour; whisk the tomato mixture until smooth.
6. Add chicken broth; bring to a boil.
7. Add almonds, salt and bay leaf.
8. Return chicken to the pan, cover and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.
9. In a small saucepan, blend 3/4 of the Swiss cheese and 3/4 cup sour cream; simmer until blended.
10. Pour over chicken, top with more Swiss cheese and place under broiler to brown.
11. Serve with large buttered egg noodles.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Jewish Chicken Soup
This morning I'll talk about chicken soup for the wallet and chicken soup for the pot. First the wallet; the stock market is indeed showing signs of a little recovery this weekend. Without getting too technical, several of my indicators are pointing to a rally. This is despite the lead story in the NY Times talking about deflation.
And now the pot; If you have only experienced chicken soup from a can, or some oversalted crud in a restaurant, you are in for a treat. I have wonderful memories of the aromas wafting from my mother's kitchen before the Jewish holidays when she would prepare delectable homemade meals beginning with chicken soup and knaidlach (dumplings). I would like to share these pleasures with you.
Whenever I cut up a chicken, I reserve the back, neck, wing tips and gizzards and whenever I finish a piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano, I save the rind and freeze both of them for the next soup.
3 pounds chicken pieces
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
12 peppercorns
2 ribs celery
2 onions with whole cloves stuck in them
3 small carrots, in chunks
2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
6 sprigs parsley
1 turnip, cut into chunks
1 parmigiano-Reggiano rind
1 T. salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 cups water
Combine chicken parts, celery, onion,carrots in a roasting pan with a little salt and pepper and drizzle of olive oil. Cook at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Transfer roasted ingredients and all other ingredients to a large stockpot with 10 cups of water, so that chicken and other ingredients are covered.
Place pan over moderate heat and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam or scum with a large spoon. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 3 hours. If water evaporates and chicken is uncovered, top off with a little boiling water.
Remove solids and strain soup through a sieve. You can continue to simmer soup for a few hours to intensify the soup's flavor.
Taste the soup and adjust seasonings. If you were too generous with salt, don't get frantic, add cut raw potatoes and discard once they have cooked and absorbed the salt.
And now the pot; If you have only experienced chicken soup from a can, or some oversalted crud in a restaurant, you are in for a treat. I have wonderful memories of the aromas wafting from my mother's kitchen before the Jewish holidays when she would prepare delectable homemade meals beginning with chicken soup and knaidlach (dumplings). I would like to share these pleasures with you.
Whenever I cut up a chicken, I reserve the back, neck, wing tips and gizzards and whenever I finish a piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano, I save the rind and freeze both of them for the next soup.
3 pounds chicken pieces
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
12 peppercorns
2 ribs celery
2 onions with whole cloves stuck in them
3 small carrots, in chunks
2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
6 sprigs parsley
1 turnip, cut into chunks
1 parmigiano-Reggiano rind
1 T. salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 cups water
Combine chicken parts, celery, onion,carrots in a roasting pan with a little salt and pepper and drizzle of olive oil. Cook at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Transfer roasted ingredients and all other ingredients to a large stockpot with 10 cups of water, so that chicken and other ingredients are covered.
Place pan over moderate heat and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam or scum with a large spoon. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 3 hours. If water evaporates and chicken is uncovered, top off with a little boiling water.
Remove solids and strain soup through a sieve. You can continue to simmer soup for a few hours to intensify the soup's flavor.
Taste the soup and adjust seasonings. If you were too generous with salt, don't get frantic, add cut raw potatoes and discard once they have cooked and absorbed the salt.
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