Tag: chicken stock

Veggie Quinoa

Veggie Quinoa

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

DSC00927

 

I am 95% “Meatasaurus” and 5% “Vegisaurus” which mathematically means I am no part “Vegansaurus”  and that math works for me since I adore my meat. As for dairy, fruit and veggies… I can’t see living without them but I also can’t see having a strict diet of them but to those who can live on a strictly vegetarian diet I doff my hat to you. With that being said I recently found myself contemplating a veggie dinner more out of necessity than any other reason. It was between grocery shopping days and there was no protein (read meat) in the house…… besides I was to lazy to go out and get some so after peering into the pantry for what seemed like an eternity a plan was formed. I would use up the rest of the Quinoa and add other little goodies to it.

Now for those of you who may not be familiar with Quinoa it is simply a grain that is cooked similar to rice and, in my humble opinion, is every bit as good as rice but is oft times overlooked as a substitute for rice or other starches AND Quinoa absorbs whatever flavors are added to it so that makes it very versatile.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 1 3/4 cups Chicken stock
  • 1 cup Quinoa (normal liquid to Quinoa ratio is 2-1)
  • Half a medium onion- chopped
  • Half a seeded and chopped Jalapeno
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies
  • Two garlic cloves- diced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon each of Oregano and Thyme
  • 2 Tablespoons Canola oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  • In a medium sized pot combine the Quinoa, chicken stock and Turmeric
  • Bring the pot to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer
  • Simmer the Quinoa for approx. 20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed
  • Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan heat the oil and saute the garlic and onion until the onion is translucent— approx. 3 mins.
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the garlic and onion and continue sauteing until the veggies are heated through. If need be add a little water to the veggies.

Once the Quinoa has cooked add it to the veggies and mix well. Spoon into a bowl and enjoy. Also feel free to add whatever protein you like. I would suggest chicken or shrimp.

There you have it, another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”

Until next time……….

                           Bon Appetite

Advertisement

Pork and Clams

Cataplana_of_Pork_and_Clams_003 (1)

This is one of those dishes that you look at and think “that’s a weird combination” which is exactly what I thought the first time I saw it but the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea of mixing the noble pig with seafood and also could not help but think “is it good”?

Well I owe this one to the King of Bam, “Chef Emeril Lagasse”, for first introducing it on one of his shows and let me tell you this is simply fantastic and there is no way I could ever improve on this one and besides I would not even want to try.

So without further ado or gilding the Lilly I present to you Chef Emerils recipe for Pork and Clams

Ingredients:

For the Marinade:
2 pounds pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
For the Pork:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons bacon fat
2 cups chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup Piri Piri, recipe follows
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup tomato concasse (peeled, seeded, and chopped)
5 pounds clams
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Putting it all together:

Place the pork butt into a large resealable plastic food storage bag. In a blender, combine the garlic, salt, white wine, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, paprika, red pepper flakes and bay leaf. Blend until smooth and pour over the pork. Seal the plastic bag and set in a casserole dish and place in the refrigerator over night.

Set a large braising pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and bacon fat to the pan. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and drain, reserving the marinade. Sear the pork pieces in the hot fat in batches, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn to the other side and sear for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the pork from the pan and set aside on a platter while you finish searing the remainder of the pork.

Once all the pork is seared and has been removed from the pan, add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, Piri Piri, salt and reserved marinade to the pan and stir to combine. Continue to stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Return the pork to the pan and when the liquid returns to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add the tomatoes and clams to the pan, stir to combine and cover. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the clams open, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the temperature to low, and sprinkle with the parsley. Discard any clams that do not open, and serve the dish with French fries or steamed white rice.

Piri Piri:
1 tablespoon, plus 1/2 cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic, smashed

4 cayenne chile peppers, stemmed, ribs and seeds removed, and rough chopped (or substitute other hot red peppers)

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and peppers to the pan. Saute, stirring often, until the edges of the garlic start to turn brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the pan, and remove from the heat.

Place the contents of the saute pan in a blender and add the salt. Puree the peppers and garlic in the blender until mostly smooth. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil through the feed tube of the lid of the blender. Let cool before using, and store refrigerated in an airtight container.

So there you go another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”

So until next time……….

Bon Appetite

Lancashire hot pot

 

Sundays, before life got even more hectic than usual, used to be a day of fix breakfast for my wife and let her spend a few hours in front of the “tely”, that’s U.K. English for television, watching Coronation Street which for those not in the know is an English television series that has been on the air forever and appears to be not going anywhere soon. It was on this show that I first came across this recipe and I was thoroughly enthralled so much so that I went in search of the ultimate version. 

After searching the Internet and various cook books and talking to relatives in the U.K. I was soon to discover that in fact there IS NO definitive recipe. In fact the only thing the various and sundry recipes had in common was Lamb and Potatoes and even then the debate raged on about “which cut of lamb to use”, neck-leg-kidney,  or “what potatoes were the best”, white or Yukon gold, or even whether or not to use Lamb stock or Chicken stock.

Now I rarely make this recipe because I am supposed to avoid red meat (I have Hemochromatosis which is a fancy Doctor term for excess Iron stored in my liver)  so to me it does not make much difference which part of the Lamb to use  with the exception of the Kidney—- I’m not a big fan of Kidney— nor does it matter which potato although I am partial to Yukon Gold . All that matters to me is that the dish comes out flavorful and satisfying.

So I now present to you my take on Lancashire Hot Pot which by the way is the one my late Father-In-Law just loved and being that he was from Manchester England I take it as a very big compliment.

Ingredients:

Approximately two pounds of lamb- cubed

Two and a half pounds of potatoes sliced like you were making Scalloped Potatoes

One large white onion- diced

1/4 cup all purpose flour— more or less ( I like a nice thick sauce )

2 Carrots- thinly sliced

Healthy dash of Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Three finely chopped garlic cloves

Two cups chicken stock

Three tablespoons butter

Two tablespoons Canola Oil

Tin foil (or for you Brits—- Aluminum foil lol)

Putting it all together:

Heat the Canola oil in a large skillet and saute the onions until translucent – about two minutes

Remove the onions from the heat and set aside

Add the Lamb, butter, Worcestershire and garlic to the skillet and fry, in batches if necessary, until it is medium rare (Lamb is the best when served Medium)

Remove the Lamb from the heat and set aside

To the liquid in the skillet add the flour and make a Roux

Add enough Chicken stock to get the Roux to the consistency you want

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

In a large greased casserole dish spread a layer of potatoes followed by carrots and the Lamb mixture

Repeat until all the ingredients are finished

Pour the Roux over the contents of the casserole and give it a bit of a shake to distribute the Roux throughout the casserole

“Bung” (another Brit term—- thanks Jamie Oliver) it in the oven for approximately an hour and a half

Dish it out, tuck in, and be in heaven………….

So there you have it……. another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”

Until next time…………..

                                                           Bon Appetit 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seafood Chowder

Seafoodchowder

 

Woke up this morning and even before I opened my eyes I felt a disturbance in the force. Okay it was more like something was up and when I did venture a peek I found I was right……. it was dark, gloomy and the threat of rain was in the air AGAIN!!— it’s only been like this for three days now and I mean seriously— it’s August— we are supposed to have great weather so get with it mother nature.

 Sorry crummy weather makes me cranky and what better way to combat crummy weather than to create a dish that chases the gloomies away and fills your tummy with happy happy joy joy feelings….  where are these movie quotes coming from?

Anyways, my go to gloomy day vanisher is SOUP and one of my all time favorites is Seafood Chowda or Chowder for those outside of New England. There is just something about a good flavorful bowl of soup that makes everything right in the world….. okay maybe not everything but it comes darn close. So without further ado and no more movie quotes I bring to you my version of Seafood Chowder.

Ingredients:

One bag 32-40 shrimp cut in half – 32-40 refers to the number of shrimp per pound so these would be about medium in size

15 to 20 Sea Scallops

Two to three fish fillets cut in one inch squares- I use Tilapia because it is a nice white but firm fleshed fish

Two Celery stalks chopped

One medium white onion – diced

Two pounds baby yellow potatoes – quartered

Six cups chicken stock

1/2 cup All Purpose flour

1/4 cup butter

Cilantro for garnish

Two tablespoons Canola oil or whatever oil you like to use

Three tablespoons Old Bay seasoning – this is a seafood seasoning so if you use a different kind then go for it.

Putting it all together:

In a large stock pot heat the oil and the butter and saute the onions until transparent- about two minutes

Add the flour and whisk until the oil and butter has clumped (that’s one of those fancy culinary terms) together with the flour and onion

Whisk in the chicken broth a little at a time – I say a little at a time because then you can control how thick the broth will be

When you first whisk in the chicken broth it will appear thin but don’t worry it will thicken as it heats

Add in the celery, potatoes and Old Bay and stir until well incorporated

Top with water until the potatoes are just covered – maybe a quarter inch or so

Bring to a boil, cover and then lower the heat to simmer

When the potatoes are just about fork tender add the fish

When the fish is firm add the shrimp and scallops and simmer until they are done (shrimp will be pink and the scallops firm)

Ladle the finished soup into a big bowl and sprinkle with Cilantro

If this flavorful dish does not chase away the gloomies then the only thing I can say is “go back to bed and yank the covers up over your head” because nothing is going to help.

Now you have another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond” to add to your culinary repertoire and I sincerely hope you enjoy it

So until next time………..

 

                                                      Bon Appetite

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shrimp and Grits

IMG-20130301-00030

I think the first time I heard reference to Grits was in an old John Wayne movie and the person talking about them turned his nose up and said they were basically gross. I didn’t give it any more thought until a few years ago when I started watching the Food Network, specifically Diners Drive Ins and Dives, and I started to see episodes where people were making Grits and I thought “Wait a minute. They don’t look gross” and a love affair with grits was born.

Now for the uninitiated Grits are merely coarse ground Corn Meal and a staple in any Southern, or in my case Northern, kitchen and they are a very versatile ingredient that can be made in many different ways but my absolute favorite is Shrimp and Grits.

Here’s my take on a classic Southern dish.

Ingredients:

–           1 cup stone-ground grits

–           Salt and pepper

–           1/4 cup butter

–           2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

–           1 pound shrimp, 35-40 peeled and deveined, left whole if small and roughly chopped if medium or large

–           6 slices smoked bacon, chopped into tiny pieces

–           4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

–           2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

–           1 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts

–           1/2 Medium white onion, diced

–           1 large garlic clove, minced

–           2 Tablespoons corn flour

–           1 Tsp of Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning and Smoked Paprika

–           4 Cups chicken broth

Directions:

–           For the Grits bring 4 cups chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the grits and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well with a whisk. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cook the grits until all the broth is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and cheese. Keep covered until ready to serve.

–           Rinse the shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crisp, then drain on a paper towel. Add the diced onion and garlic to the bacon grease. Add two tablespoons corn flour and mix well. Let the flour cook out before adding enough chicken stock to make a roux to your liking. Mix in the Cajun seasoning, Old Bay and Smoked Paprika and bacon and blend well. Add the shrimp and sauté over medium heat just until they turn pink, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook! Remove the skillet from the heat.

–           Pour the grits into a serving bowl. Pour the shrimp mixture over the grits and garnish with chopped green onion

I hope you enjoy this recipe and I thank you for dropping by.

Bon Appetit

Chicken fried steak

49717848.CIMG2632copy

It seems that whenever I mention this recipe to someone I get the whole “chicken fried WWWHHHAAATTT????” and to be honest when I first heard about this dish some 30 years ago when it was called “Steak and Bake” I had the same reaction. Well fast forward 30 years and it’s not a stranger anymore.

One of the reasons I really like this recipe is that it is using an inexpensive cut of meat that does not require and inordinate amount of time to cook AND when you add smashed potatoes , “milk” gravy and a vegetable you can feed a family of four  for under $20.00. That’s right you heard me — UNDER $20.00.

Here’s how:

Ingredients:

–          1 2 pound Round steak

–          1 Cup of flour

–          ½ cup milk

–          2 Tablespoon salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion

–          3 Eggs (whisked)

–          1 Cup bread crumbs or cracker meal (I use Kellogg’s bread crumbs)

–          1 Cup of milk

–          ½ cup Butter

–          1/2 Cup plus 3 tablespoons Canola oil

–          Chicken stock

–          1 Medium onion, diced

Method:

–          Cut the steak into four serving sizes

–          Mix the spices with the flour and place on a flat surface

–          Dip the steak into the seasoned flour then the eggs and finally the bread crumbs

–          Repeat with all four pieces

–          Heat a half cup of Canola oil in a large non- stick pan

–          Fry the steak until golden brown

–          Remove from the oil and drain on some paper towel

–          In a separate sauté pan heat the remaining Canola oil and add the butter

–          Sauté the onions until just translucent, about three minutes

–          Sprinkle in half the seasoned flour and whisk until incorporated

–          Allow the flour to cook off for approx. 5 minutes

–          Slowly add the chicken stock until you get the consistency you want

–          Add the milk and let reduce until the gravy is as thick as you would like

Serve the steak with your sides, I suggest smashed potatoes and green beans and ladel on the gravy.

There you have it. Simple ,tasty and inexpensive.

Bon Appetit