Chicken Etouffe - Streamlined

Normally I go to Prudhomme's Recipe and make modifications as I have in my original version of this recipe. But last week, I really streamlined it, reduced the fat by a lot, and found it just as tasty (though not as buttery) as the original.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts

Spice mixture#1 - equal parts of salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.

Seasoning mix #2
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Roux
3 TBL Oil
3 TBL flour

Veggies
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 - 3 1.5 - 2 Cups Chicken stock (I use "Better than Bouillon")

Basic cooked Rice

Prepare the vegetables and spice mixes. Make lots of #1, put it in a spice jar and save it - you'll use it all the time!

Slice the chicken into "tender" sized pieces.

Sprinkle spice mixture #1 over the chicken.

Heat large cast iron skillet or dutch oven and add oil to coat the bottom.

When skillet is hot, start cooking the chicken in batches until lightly browned on the outside, then move to a plate when finished.

After the chicken is done, add the oil and flour for the roux and stir almost constantly until the roux has turned dark, How dark is up to you. Prudhomme recommends very dark, like very dark chocolate. I go for somewhere between milk and dark chocolate color. Don't get any on you - they don't call it Cajun Napalm for nothing.

When you have achieved this color, remove from heat and add half of the chopped veggies and stir in to stop the cooking process.

Add seasoning mix #2, the rest of the veggies and stir all together.

Add enough stock to cover generously, add back the chicken, and bring back up to a simmer.

Cook about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the gravy is thick.

Just before serving, if you feel the need to add some butter and stir it in, I won't hold it against you.

Serve over the rice, with some hot sauce on the side. And milk.

dulce de leche ice cream

This is from a discussion on ice cream - Jeni's of Columbus, Ohio, on the Huffington Post site.

5 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
6 large egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract

In heavy pot over medium heat, combine 4 cups milk and sugar. Bring to simmer and stir in baking soda when sugar is fully dissolved. It will foam up. Reduce heat to low on smallest burner and cook uncovered without stirring for 3 hours or until deep brown. Pour through mesh strainer into metal or glass bowl and let cool to 100-120F. Meanwhile bring egg yolks to room temperatur­e.

In heavy pot over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups milk, cream, and salt. Bring to bare simmer, stirring occasional­ly, and remove from heat. Meanwhile, whisk yolks vigorously until they lighten in color. Slowly drizzle in 3/4 of warm dulce de leche while continuing to whisk until well combined. Add about 1/3 of hot dairy a little bit at a time and whisk to combine. Pour mixture back into pot and stir frequently over low heat until the custard reaches 170F and coats the back of a spoon.

Pour custard into container and let cool 30 minutes before stirring in vanilla. Refrigerat­e for one hour uncovered, then cover and refrigerat­e overnight. Freeze core of ice cream churn overnight. Set up churn and pour in custard with machine already running. Churn for about 30 minutes or until motor starts to struggle. Serve immediatel­y for soft-serve or freeze 4 hours to harden.

Warm the remaining dulce de leche and drizzle on top. Maybe some crunchy granola and/or a dollop of lightly-sw­eetened whipped cream to continue the celebratio­n of milk theme.

Whole Wheat Bread

2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup water
2 TBL honey
1 TBL yeast
---------
3 cups whole wheat flour
2- 4 TBL wheat gluten
1/2 tsp salt


Add all in order to bread machine.

Set for "Whole Wheat" and "1.5 Pounds"

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2 & 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups skim milk -- tepid
2 whole eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup canola oil (or all olive oil)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup wheat gluten -- (up to 1/3 cup)
5 cups whole wheat flour -- (up to 5 1/2 cups)

Mix yeast and milk then add all other ingredients except last 2 1/2 cups flour with KitchenAid mixer approx. 10 minutes. (Alternatively, a strong bread machine can do all of this.)

Mix in remaining flour with dough hook and knead until smooth.
Allow to double twice and punch down.

Stretch (or roll out and stretch) into baking sheets, cast iron pans or pizza pans coated with olive oil.

Allow to rise in pan for thickness and fluffiness.

Bake at 375 - 400 for 8 - 10 minutes, then remove and toppings of your choice, such as Mario Batali's Pizza Sauce. Alternatively, get oven really hot (450 or more) and cook with toppings until done.

Finish baking until crust when lifted up is golden brown.

Adapted from the Frugal Gourmet Focaccia  recipe from "Three Ancient Cuisines."

Homemade Spaghetti

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups semolina
Make well with flour, add eggs into the center. Beat with a fork, slowly adding flour. add 1/2 tsp salt
12 eggs

When dough gets to needing stage put on board and flour and knead well

Cover bowl 10 minutes

Cut 1" piece, flour, put through roller
2 sizes (7 and 5)
Pat strips with flour let dry 10 min
put through cutter.
sprinkle corn meal on cookie sheet
add cut noodles
add more corn meal
layer wax paper
dry in fridge 3 or more hours

Monkfish Brodetto | Recipes | PBS Food

Monkfish Brodetto Recipes PBS Food


Ingredients
8 plump garlic cloves, peeled
3 pounds monkfish fillet
1½ teaspoons salt
1 to 2 cups flour, for dredging the fish
1½ to 2 cups canola oil
4 tablespoons butter, in chunks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup white wine
¾ cup vegetable broth, or water
¼ cup dry toasted pine nuts
¼ cup shredded fresh basil, about 12 big leaves

Directions

Making the garlic purée: Put the garlic cloves in a small saucepan with about 1½ cups of water. Bring the water to a steady, bubbling boil and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Drain, then add a fresh 1½ cups of water and boil again for about 30 minutes, until the cloves are completely soft but still whole and hardly any water is left in the pot. Reduce the heat as the water evaporates so nothing burns. Purée the cloves and any drops of cooking liquid in a food processor, mini-chopper or blender; you should have about ⅓ cup of purée.

Preparing the fish: If the monkfish is covered with translucent membrane (the fishmonger may have trimmed it) use a sharp paring knife to lift and strip it off. Cut the monkfish into chunks, about 2-inches wide, and sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt over all the surfaces. Roll the chunks in the flour to coat well; shake off excess. Pour enough oil into the pan to a depth of ⅓- to a ½-inch and heat rapidly for several minutes until the oil bubbles instantly if you dip a piece of fish into it.

Frying the fish: Lay a batch of fish chunks in the pan, with plenty of space in between each piece. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side until crusted and golden brown all over, about 6 minutes in all, then remove them a bowl lined with paper towels to drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Fry all the pieces the same way, adding oil to the pan as necessary; drain on paper towels and salt lightly with an additional ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Pour the hot vegetable oil out of the skillet.

Preparing the fish for the brodetto: Set the skillet back on the stove; put in the chunks of butter, and start melting them over medium heat. Return all the monkfish to the pan and heat, turning the pieces on all sides, until everything is sizzling again, about 3 minutes.

Adding the garlic purée: Clear a large hot spot in the skillet and scrape in every bit of the garlic purée. Raise the heat a bit and shake the pan to spread the garlic, rolling the fish pieces in it at the same time. After a minute, when the purée is sizzling, sprinkle the lemon juice and the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt all over, and turn the pieces.

Making the brodetto: Pour in the broth and the wine; bring the sauce to a bubbling boil, and cook 3 minutes or more, turning the fish chunks, as the sauce thickens and coats them. Scatter the pine nuts in the pan and toss them with the fish. When the sauce has the density you like, turn off the heat, sprinkle the basil shreds over the fish, turn the chunks in the sauce one more time, and serve right away.

Lidia's Clam Sauce

From her PBS show "Lidia Celebrates America"

Ingredients


6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, sliced

4 anchovies, sliced

36 littleneck clams, scrubbed

¼ teaspoon peperoncino

¼ teaspoon dry oregano

1 pound linguine

¾ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

1.Bring a large pot of water to boil for pasta. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and cook until sizzling, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add anchovies and stir until the anchovies break up and dissolve into the oil, about 2 minutes.

2.Add the clams to the skillet, along with the peperoncino and oregano. Ladle in about 2 cups pasta water. Bring to a simmer and cover until clams open, about 5 to 7 minutes. As the clams open, remove to a bowl. Meanwhile, add linguine to pasta water.

3.When all the clams are out, increase heat to high and add ½ cup of the parsley. Cook until reduced by half. Meanwhile, shuck the clams.

4.When the linguine is al dente and the sauce is reduced, add the pasta directly to the sauce and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook and toss until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Add shucked clams and remaining 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, Cook a minute more to blend the flavors and serve.

Tips/Techniques

Linguine with red clam sauce is almost never found in Italy, but is a big seller in Italian American restaurants here in the United States. So when you go to Italy, eat it as they do with white clam sauce and never ever ask for cheese to put on your linguine with white clam sauce.