Monday, October 31, 2011

Vegetable Stew

I am making this soup today. I like this soup since i can adapt the veggies to what is currently in season.

Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

3 cups of veggie stock, low salt
24 to 36 pearl onions, skinned
2 cups parsnips, 1/2 inch dice
2 cups of button mushrooms
2 cups of fennel bulbs, diced
1 can of diced tomatoes, 15oz
1/3 cup raisins
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoon tomato paste
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
juice of one lemon
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
6 sprigs of fresh parsley
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Whisk together the stock, tomato paste, wine and lemon juice. Place seeds and peppercorns in a tea ball.

In a large deep skillet place 2 table spoons of olive oil and the pearl onions over medium high heat, saute until golden brown. Next add the parsnips and garlic, saute for an additional minute. Now add the tomatoes, mushrooms and spices, including the sprigs, saute for an additional 3 minutes. Now add the liquid mixture, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes until veggies are tender.

While the stew is simmering, place another skillet over medium high heat with 2 table spoons of olive oil and the fennel and saute until golden. Remove from heat and add the raisins and set aside.

Once the veggies in the other skillet are tender, add the saute fennel and raisins to skillet and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Remove sprigs, tea ball and bay leaves from stew; garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a nice baguette.

Enjoy Cooking

Paprika Chicken

I was going through my files and i came across this recipe that i created about 2 years ago. It is a really simple dish and very filling, enjoy.

Paprika Chicken

Ingredients

3 to 4 lb chicken cut up
2 cups of chicken stock, low salt
2 cups of red bliss potatoes, 1 inch dice
2 cups of cauliflower florets
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 large onion diced
1 can of diced tomatoes, 15oz
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 tablespoon of paprika
1 tablespoon flour
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large deep casserole add 2 tablespoons of the oil and place on a medium high heat, working a few pieces a time brown the chicken on each side, about 5 minutes and set aside. While you are browning the chicken place the cauliflower in a zip lock bag along with the 2 tablespoons of oil and one of the cloves of garlic: shake to coat. Pour the contents onto a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the oven for about 35 minutes, you want the florets to get a nice char.

After all the chicken is done, add the onions to the casserole and cook until soft. Next add the potatoes, reduce heat and saute the potatoes until they begin to soften. Remove potatoes and add the paprika and flour, stir to combine. Next add the chicken stock, tomatoes, salt and pepper, raise heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat and return the potatoes and the chicken to the casserole, cover and simmer until potatoes and chicken are done.

Now remove chicken from casserole and place on a deep platter. Now add the sour cream or yogurt to casserole, stir to combine. Now add the cauliflower to the casserole and simmer to warm, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce, potatoes and cauliflower over chicken and serve.

Enjoy Cooking

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Pork Tenderloins, Japanese Style

I have been playing with the recipe for awhile now and i just made it tonight and it turned out perfectly.

Pork Tenderloin, Japanese Style

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs of pork tenderloins, cut into thin slices
3 cups Shiitake mushrooms
10 scallions, cut into 1/2 strips
2/3 cup sake
1/4 cup veggie oil of choice
1/4 cup soy sauce
about an inch of fresh ginger, pealed and grated
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons raw sugar

Directions

Place sake, soy sauce, sugar, sherry and ginger into a large zip lock bag along with the sliced pork, seal, toss and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours

In a large skillet over medium high heat place about a tablespoon of oil, the mushrooms and scallions, saute until tender about 2 to 3 minutes. remove from skillet and set aside. Drain the pork saving the liquids, cooking in batches add the pork to the skillet with additional oil as needed. Saute the pork about 3 to 4 minute, until lightly colored. Once all cooked add the reserved liquid to skillet, also return all the other ingredients to the skillet: mushrooms and pork. Cook for an additional 2 minutes no more, you just want everything warmed. Serve with either noodles or rice.

Enjoy cooking

Pecan Butter Cookies

This is an easy cookie that you can make in the food processor.

Pecan Butter Cookie

Ingredients

2 cups of unbleached flour
2 cups powder sugar
2 sticks of unsalted butter
3/4 cup of chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place the pecans, salt and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar in the food processor, pulse to break up nuts, then turn it on and grind into a fine powder. Now add the the butter a few pieces at a time, pulse to incorporate into the nut flour. Once all the butter is in process until smooth. Next add the vanilla followed by slowly add the flour while the processor is on. The dough will form a ball in the machine. Scrap bowl and place dough on plastic wrap, wrap and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or over night.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls, place on parchment lined cookie sheet, pressing the balls with your thumb to flatten. Back for about 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Place on a cooling rack and dust the cookies with the remaining powdered sugar.

Enjoy Cooking

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Orange Chocolate Cookies

OMG! the amount of hits the Ginger Pumpkin cookies got, it is the new record. With that said i dipped into my cookie recipes from the book and I am posting a very simple cookie, that well, i came up with by mistake: it is one of my favorites.

Orange Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

3 cup unbleached flour
1 cup raw sugar
2 sticks of butter, unsalted at room temp
1 large egg
2 teaspoons of orange zest, finely grated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping
2 cup dark chocolate chips ( you can also use semi sweet)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter


Directions

whisk together in a large bowl all the dry ingredients with the exception of the sugar.

Next in the stand mixer cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Next add the orange zest and vanilla, followed by the egg. Once all combined, reduce speed and slowly add the dry ingredients. Once blended well, remove from mixer, form into a ball, wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, it is better over night.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut dough into quarters, roll out to about 1/4 inch thick and using your favorite cookie cutter cut out the cookies and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until cookies start to turn golden brown on the edges and are firm the touch. Remove cookies and parchment to cooling rack to cool.

Over a double boiler melt chocolate, once the chocolate is about melted remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth. Next dip the cooled cookies into the chocolate and then let cool and set on a wire rack. They will set up in about an hour.

Enjoy cooking

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Ginger Pumpkin Cookies

I have been working on this cookie for sometime now and i final got it right. I have been trying to make another pumpkin cookie for about 3 years, hope you all enjoy this one.

Ginger Pumpkin Cookie

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups of firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 15oz can pumpkin
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients with the exception of the sugar. The stir in the nuts and crystallized ginger.

In the stand mixer cream together the sugar and the butter until creamy. Next add the eggs, mix until blended. Followed by the can pumpkin, the mixer may look a bit odd but that is OK. Now slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixer a little bit at a time until all combined.

On parchment lined cookie sheets drop a table spoon of the batter about 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown, they will be soft in the centers. Slide the cookies on the parchment paper to a cooling rack.

This recipe should make about 65 cookies.

Enjoy Cooking

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Chicken in Wine sauce

Based on the all the hits yesterdays post received i decided to post a few more chicken recipes. The following recipe i have not made in a few years but i think it will make a return this week for dinner. It is perfect fall dish.

Chicken in Wine Sauce

Ingredients

1 3lb chicken cut up
1 pint each of the following mushrooms: Porcini, Morel and mini Portobellos
2 medium onions, chopped
4 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
2 Tablespoons of fresh chopped Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 cup dry red burgundy wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 cloves or garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of celery seeds
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf

Directions

In a deep large skillet over medium high heat melt the butter then brown the chicken on all sides about 5 minutes each side: then remove from the skillet. Next lower heat to medium and add the mushrooms to the skillet for about 3 to 5 minutes then add the onions and saute until soft.

Remove skillet from heat and add the balance of the ingredients, stir to blend. Return chicken to skillet. Spoon liquid of chicken, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover and simmer until chicken is done, about 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from skillet and place on a platter, remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf from sauce then pour over chicken and serve.

Enjoy Cooking

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Tarragon Chicken

Here is another Chicken recipe: I have been playing with roasted chickens, trying different variations on the standard Julie Child's roast chicken recipe.


Tarragon Chicken

Ingredients

1 3 to 5 lb whole chicken
2 cups low salt chicken stock
6 table spoons of butter
1/3 cup dry white wine
6 cloves of garlic smashed
3 to 6 sprigs of fresh Tarragon
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup heavy cream
2 cups reserved chicken drippings from pan
1 large egg yolk
2 table spoons of butter
2 table spoons lemon juice
1 table spoon flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Using your finger make a space between the skin of the chicken and the meat. next add butter, garlic and tarragon to the space created. Make sure to do this on all sides of the bird. Place the remaining butter, garlic and tarragon in the cavity of the bird and truss the bird closed with twine. Season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper.

In a Dutch oven just large enough for the bird, place the chicken and brown on all sides about 5 minutes each side. You will need to rotate the chicken in the pan. Once all brown, place the chicken breast side up and add the chicken stock and wine. You want it to go about half way up the side of the chicken: add more or less chicken stock to reach the half way mark.

Cover chicken and place in the oven for about 1 hours and 15 minutes. When you are at the last 15 minutes, remove cover.

Once the chicken is done, remove bird from pan and strain the drippings and reserve.

Now to make the gravy, melt the 2 table spoons of butter in a sauce pan, next whisk in the flour. Once you have a nice pale color rue add a cup of the drippings, the egg yolk, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to almost to a boil and remove the pot from the heat. Note: you want to whisking the sauce the whole time when it is on the heat. Now add the cream and 1 more cup of drippings. If you do not have enough drippings add chicken stock to make up what you are lacking. Once all blended transfer to a gravy boat.

Place the chicken on a nice serving platter and garnish with tarragon and serve.

Enjoy Cooking

Sauteed Chicken in Lemon Sauce

Sorry it has been awhile since my last post. It has been a bit crazy here, too many things going on but here is a recipe i came up with a few weeks ago when i was faced with making chicken but did not want the same old thing.

Sauteed Chicken in Lemon sauce

Ingredients

1 3lb chicken cut up
4 to 6 table spoons of butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Madeira wine
1/3 cup of a dry white wine
1 large lemon, zest and juice
1 additional lemon as garnish
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 table spoons fresh parsley, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

In a large skillet over medium high heat place the chicken that has been seasoned with salt and pepper along with the butter. I start out with 4 table spoons of butter and add the balance if the skillet gets a bit dry. Brown chicken on all sides, reduce heat and cover until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from skillet, raise heat to medium high and deglaze the skillet with the madeira and the white wine. Whisking continuously, add the lemon zest, juice and the garlic. Once the sauce has reduced by about half, lower the heat and whisk in the cream and the parsley. Return chicken to skillet, coating the chicken on all sides, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to serving platter, whisking sauce, pour over the chicken and garish with the slice lemons and serve.

Enjoy Cooking