The Food Thread

[easy cheesy]

mushroom and goat cheese tart


The mixture known as duxelles (diced mushrooms cooked with shallots or onions) probably dates back to the seventeenth century. It is said that the famous chef La Varenne, who worked for the Marquis d’Uxelles, created this recipe to preserve mushrooms. Serve this tart with baby greens for a light lunch, or enjoy it as a starter with a white Burgundy.

Servings: Makes 4 servings.




Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces button mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large shallot, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), room temperature
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons whipping cream



Preparation

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until soft and dry, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet, then shallot. Sauté until shallot is soft, about 4 minutes longer. Add nutmeg. Season mushroom filling with salt and pepper. Cool. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out puff pastry onto lightly floured surface to 12x15-inch rectangle. Cut one 12x5-inch rectangle, two 11x1/2-inch strips and two 5x1/2-inch strips from pastry. Place rectangle on prepared baking sheet. Pierce all over with fork. Using pastry brush, brush all strips with egg. Place short strips, egg side down, atop ends of pastry to form raised crust edge; place long strips, egg side down, atop long sides of pastry. (Mushroom filling and tart shell can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake tart shell until golden, about 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Spread cheese evenly over bottom of hot tart shell. Top with mushrooms. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with cream. Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

[easy cheesy]

Prawns with Orange Riesling Sauce

Ingredients...
Sauce

1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup dry riesling
2 small chopped shallots
1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp white peppercorns, slightly crushed
8 tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into pieces
salt to taste

Prawns
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 pds medium shelled and deveined prawns
fresh chervil

for the sauce...

Stir together OJ, wine, shallots, peppercorns and chervil in heavy sauce pan over high heat... bring to boil and reduce by half

Strain liquid throuh a fine mesh sieve (or even a thin layer of cheesecloth), pressing on solids with the back of a spoon to extract maximum liquid

Whisk in butter, one piece at a time, over low heat Season with salt and white pepper, then set aside and keep warm

Melt butter in heavy pan over medium heat. Add prawns and saute until just pink, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in sauce and coat prawns well. Serves six

Just FYI- I like to use blood oranges for my orange juice

[easy cheesy]

FRESH FRUIT TART

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
5 tbsp. chilled solid vegetable shortening
3 tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 tbsp. (about) ice water
FILLING:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. chilled whipping cream
3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
Fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
Fresh blueberries
Fresh orange segments, well drained
1/4 c. apricot preserves
1 tbsp. water
For crust: Combine flour, sugar and salt in medium bowl. Add shortening and butter and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in enough water by tablespoonfuls to form dough that just comes together. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick round. Transfer dough to 9 inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Trim and crimp edges. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line tart with foil. Fill crust with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
For filling: Using electric mixer beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice in large bowl until well blended. Add whipping cream and beat until light and fluffy. Spread filling into tart shell. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Arrange fruit in concentric circles atop filling. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Refrigerate). Bring preserves and 1 tablespoon water to boil in heavy small saucepan. Strain into bowl. Brush glaze over fruit and serve.

[easy cheesy]

Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe from the Food Network... this is da bomb!!


6 (3-ounce) chicken cutlets, pounded to evenly flatten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 paper-thin slices prosciutto
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 (14-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Place the chicken cutlets flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay 1 slice of prosciutto atop each chicken cutlet. Squeeze the frozen spinach to remove the excess water. Season the spinach with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, toss the spinach with 1 tablespoon of oil to coat.
Arrange an even, thin layer of spinach atop the prosciutto slices. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over each. Beginning at the short tapered end, roll up each chicken cutlet as for a jellyroll. Secure with a toothpick.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice, and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Simmer the cooking liquid over high heat until it is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove toothpicks from the chicken. Drizzle the reduced cooking liquid over the chicken and serve immediately.

[easy cheesy]

Baked Macaroni with Shrimp

Bechamel Sauce...
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup of milk
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Additional Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 cup peeled shrimp
2 tablespoons warmed brandy
6 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
8 ounces macaroni
Basil for garnish

Make 1 1/4 cups Bechamel Sauce... Keep warm

Heat half of the butter in a skillet and cook the mushrooms until tender

Add the shrimp and heat through, then pour on the warmed brandy and flambe. When the flames have subsided, stir in half of the cheese and check for seasoning (add salt or pepper to taste)

meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to the bite. Drain well. Add the remaining cheese to the Bechamel.

Place 1/3 of the macaroni in a buttered oven-to-table dish and spread with half of the mushroom/shrimp mixture. Repeat layers ending with a layer of macaroni.

Cover with the Bechamel. Heat the remaining butter in a pan and, when it is lightly colored, pour it over the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Garnish with Fresh Basil

[easy cheesy]

Creamy Risotto with Fontina and Gorgonzola Cheese

1 1/2 Cups Long Grain Rice
5 Ounces Fontina Cheese
5 Ounces Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
(I always add more cheese... but.. that's just me!)
2 Cups of Milk
6 Tablespoons of Butter
3 Tablespoons of All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Light Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil the rice in salted water and drain when just tender

Remove the rind, if there is one, from the Fontina, cut into cubes, and place in a bowl. Put the milk in a small pan over low heat.

Soften 2/3 of the butter in a pan, add the flour, stirring well, the gradually add the hot milk, stirring continuously.

Add the Gorgonzola gradually, keep stirring, season with salt and pepper as desired. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream.

Add the drained rice to the bowl with the cubed Fontina and mix with the remaining butter.

Make a layer of rice in a buttered overnproof dish, cover with 1/3 of the Gorgonzola sauce, add another layer of rice followed by half of the remaining Gorgonzola sauce and repeat for a third time.

Place the dish in pre heated oven (350 degrees) and bake for 10 minutes... serve immediately. For best results the rice needs to be very hot but the sauce on top should not be brown.

[easy cheesy]

Sherman Crayton's Chicken New Orleans Recipe

Mr. Crayton started at Arnaud's Restaurant in 1936, worked at the Court of Two Sisters Restaurant and, in 1963 was offered the Chef's position at Vieux Carre Restaurant....

Two 1 1/2- 2 pound chickens... cut into pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons flour
1 medium bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cups chicken stock... fresh (recipe to follow) or canned
Two 10 ounce cans tomatoes
6 oysters
1 dozen fresh shrimp
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 large fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup brandy

Saute the chicken pieces in oil until tender. Remove and set aside.

Add flour to the juices in the pan and stir to make a roux. Add bell pepper and onion and saute for 10 minutes, then add chicken stock and tomatoes.

Cook another 5 minutes and return chicken pieces to the pan. Add oysters, shrimp, parsley and mushrooms and cook 15 minutes. Blend in wine and brandy, stir and remove from heat.

Serves 6

Mr. Crayton's notes state that this dish is NOT to be served over rice.

Chicken Stock Recipe

1 whole 5-6 pound hen
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 fresh bay leaves
5 quarts of water

Put all ingredients in a 2 gallon pot. Simmer slowly until hen is tender, approximately 2 1/2 hours. Let stock cool with hen in it. Remove hen and strain. Stock will keep one week refrigerated.

Makes 4 quarts

[easy cheesy]

Macaroni and Beef


Ingredient

1-pound box elbow macaron
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 pounds lean ground beef
3 cups canned crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon each dried basil, ground cumin, and dried oregano
2 to 3 cups grated Cheddar

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook the macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet; add the peppers, onion, and garlic, and saute until soft. Add the ground beef and saute until browned. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, to taste, and the basil, cumin, and oregano. In a large bowl, combine the macaroni and the beef mixture. Spread this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Top with the cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.
Cook's Note: Ground turkey or chicken can be used in place of beef, if desired.

Got this one from the Food Network... it's cold as hell today, a rockin 70 degrees, and I felt like some grubbin' comfort food....

I don't use the canned crushed tomatoes though... I use Pomi and I eliminate the Cumin... bulk up on the garlic... add some hot red pepper flakes to taste

Gotta use Sharp Cheddar not mild and add some parmesan to the mix

[easy cheesy]

This recipe hails from one of my all time favorite, yet now defunct, restaurants in Seattle.... Le Tastevin. Closed in 1993 this recipe lives on.... positively Yummy.

Serves 4

Poached Pears with Raspberrly Couli and Chocolate Sauce

(When in season, Bartlett Pears are a must for this dessert as their flavor is hard to beat and they hold their shape perfectly when poached)

Raspberry Couli
1 cup fresh raspberries, well rinsed and drained
1/4 cup of vodka

Chocolate Sauce
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate... chopped
1/4 heavy cream
1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee


4 pears, preferably Bartlett
3 cups (or more) water
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
zest of one orange
fresh mint sprigs

For Raspberry Couli....
Puree berries with vodka in blender or bowl of food processor fitted with steel knife. Strain through fine mesh sieve into small bowl, cover and set aside

For Chocolate Sauce...
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over gently simmering water. Stir in cream with coffee until well blended. Set aside and keep warm.

Pears....
Peel pears and place in bowl of acidulated water to deep from turning brown. Set aside.

Bring water, wine, sugar, cinnamon stick and orange zest to boil n deep, heavy large saucepan over high heat. Reduced heat to simmer.

Submerge pears in liquid, adding more water to cover, if necessary, and poach until they have little resistance when pierced with skewer..... about 12 minutes.

Swith slotted spoon, remove pears from liquid and cool completely with ice.

Halve pears and remove centers. Fan-slice halves. To serve, pool raspberry sauce on half of plate and warm chocolate sauce on other half. Arrange 2 fan sliced halves atop sauces and garnish with fresh mint sprig.

[easy cheesy]

Makin' some chicken wings.... Sauce those puppies with a mix of butter and Franks' Hot Sauce... make sure the wings are fried nice and crisp... marinated overnight in butter milk with a hint of tobasco.... floured and fried, fried, fried... then tossed in the sauce and served with Bleu Cheese dressing... nummmers.... great football food!!!

[easy cheesy]

Macaroni and Cheese


For topping
1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 cups panko (coarse Japanese bread crumbs) or 3 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from 6 slices firm white sandwich bread)

1/4 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

For macaroni and sauce
1 stick unsalted butter

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 cups whole milk (I will sometimes use half whole milk and half heavy whipping cream depending on your decadence factor)

1 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (6 cups)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1 pound elbow macaroni

Make topping:
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
Melt butter, then stir together with panko and topping cheeses in a bowl until combined well.

Make sauce:
Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes, then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in cheeses, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. Remove from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper.

Make Macaroni:
Cook macaroni in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain macaroni in a colander. Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water, and sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to 2 buttered 2-quart shallow baking dishes.
Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.

I also like to switch it up by adding Fontina for creaminess and Bleu for bite. Lobster, crab or shrimp is another nice addition... then top with a slice or two of Brie.

[easy cheesy]

Chicken Veronique- You've GOT to try it!!!!

4 whole boneless, skinless breasts of chicken
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon dry tarragon
16 medium sized mushrooms
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp cornstarch
4 tsps water
1 1/2 cups seedless grapes

Cook chicken breasts in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, turning until golden brown on each side.

Stir in marmalade, tarragon and wine. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer until chicken breasts are completely cooked.... about 15 minutes...Transfer chicken to a warmed serving dish, reserving juices.

In a second pan, saute mushrooms in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until done and liquid has evaporated... set aside...keep warm

Add cream to the original pan that the chicken was cooked in. Quickly bring to full boil over medium high heat. Mix cornstarch and water, stir into the sauce. Return sauce to a boil, stirring all the while. Add grapes. Return sauce to a boil again and pour over chicken. Garnish with Mushrooms.

4 servings

[easy cheesy]

This recipe is sooooo simple but soooo good! If you like shrimp and cream cheese that is! This batch will make enough for about 14 servings as a party app supplement. Just cut it in half for a smaller gathering.

Shrimp and Cream Cheese Whatever Dip Cracker Thingy Recipe

2 (8 ounce each) large packages of cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce... Tobasco, Frank's... whatever floats your boat

1- 12 ounce bottle of tomato based chili sauce

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish.... straight, not the creamed stuff

3/4 pound of cooked bay shrimp

assorted crackers


In a bowl beat cream cheese, Worcestershire, lemon peel, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce until smooth. Spread on a 10" or so rimmed serving dish or whatever the hell kind of serving vessel you so desire. At this point it can be covered and refrigerated until the next day if you so desire.

Just before serving, stir together chili sauce and horseradish in a small bowl, spread over cheese mixture. Top with shrimp and serve with crackers.

If you're really lazy and just want an even simpler version...

Take one block of 8 ounce cream cheese and plop it on a plate.

Open a jar of cocktail sauce, pour about 6 ounces of it (or whatever ratio looks good to you) over the cream cheese brick, top with shrimp... grab crackers, dig in and... voila... good stuff.

[easy cheesy]

Green Beans and Bacon

2 tablespoons butter
6 slices bacon, I prefer a nice, thick maple bacon, cut into half inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds of fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
1/2 tsp black pepper

Melt the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the bacon and saute it until crisp, about 10 minutes. Set the skillet aside.

Bring a large pan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans and cook until tender-crisp, 7-10 minutes.

Drain the beans well. Add them to the skillet and toss them quickly with the bacon and butter over high heat until they are coated with the butter and bacon fat and well mixed. Season with pepper before serving.

I also like to add diced red bell pepper and onion to the bacon while cooking in the skillet... adds great flavor and color.

[easy cheesy]

Idiot Proof Baked Chicken (serves 4-6)

1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup hot/spicy barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 pounds chicken pieces- skin on
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine marmalade, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice... mix well...

Place chicken skin side up in a 9"x13" pan (I have a pyrex and a non stick... if you don't have a pan that facilitates easy clean up... line the pan with heavy duty non stick aluminum foil)

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper as desired. Pour sauce over the chicken and bake one hour, basting occasionally... increase heat to 400 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer.

[easy cheesy]

Flounder Au Gratin
(Halibut, Cod, Orange Roughy or any other white fish may be used)

This recipe is a Hellmann's Best Foods Original...

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 pound white fish filets (as set forth above)
1/4 cup Hellmann's Best Foods Mayo

In shallow dish combine crumbs and cheese. Brush all sides of fillets with Real Mayonnaise... coat with crumb mixture.

Arrange in single layer shallow baking pan. Bake in 375 degree oven 20-25 minutes or until golden and fish flakes easily...

4- four ounce servings or 2- eight ounce servings

[easy cheesy]

Flank Steak with Sauce Chasseur

One 2 pound flank steak
2 tablespoons peanut, vegetable or corn oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter

Preheat a broiler rack the the broiler set on high

Rub the flank steak on both sides with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper... being a bit more liberal with the pepper than the sodium

Place the meat on the broiler rack and let it cook about four or five inches from the source of heat. Broil about 3-5 minutes on each side... depending on the desired degree of doneness.

Transfer to a hot platter and dot with butter. Let the steak stand in a warm place about 5 minutes to redistribute the internal juices of the meat. Juices will accumulate as the steak stands. Add these to the Sauce Chasseur. Carve on the diagonal and serve with the sauce...

Sauce Chasseur
1/3 pound sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes or use POMI brand
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fresh or canned beef broth (I use low sodium... because I like the flavor better)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon arrowroot or corn starch
2 teaspoons water

Set the mushrooms and tomatoes aside in separate bowls

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add teh mushrooms, shallots, salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 10 minutes.

Add the wine and simmer briefly over high heat. Add the tomatoes, beef broth and tarragon. Cook about five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blend the arrowroot and water. Stir into the sauce. Cook briefly and serve.

[Iron Mike]

Green Beans and Bacon

2 tablespoons butter
6 slices bacon, I prefer a nice, thick maple bacon, cut into half inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds of fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
1/2 tsp black pepper

Melt the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the bacon and saute it until crisp, about 10 minutes. Set the skillet aside.

Bring a large pan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans and cook until tender-crisp, 7-10 minutes.

Drain the beans well. Add them to the skillet and toss them quickly with the bacon and butter over high heat until they are coated with the butter and bacon fat and well mixed. Season with pepper before serving.

I also like to add diced red bell pepper and onion to the bacon while cooking in the skillet... adds great flavor and color.

Why would you go through all of that, when you can just make green bean casserole???

*Ducks*

[easy cheesy]

Why would you go through all of that, when you can just make green bean casserole???

*Ducks*

You'd better duck fucker cuz this Honey Badger don't give a shit!

[Iron Mike]

Idiot Proof Baked Chicken (serves 4-6)

I'm not sure Bearman or Dabaddest Bear could manage this, unless it involved heading to Da Jewels and picking some up already baked.....