The Mad Hatter & The Kitchen Witch

Linguine with Clams in Garlic White Sauce

Linguine with Clams in Garlic Sauce

Linguine with Clams in Garlic Sauce is satisfying to all the senses. There is nothing like a good plate a pasta, but add the beautiful texture of the clams, the kick of the garlic, a bright finish of the lemon and herbs, well, you have a winner. However, the true assessment, separating a good recipe from a great recipe, is the sop test. If you embrace the piece of bread with a reckless abandon and dive down into the pool of broth to sop up the remains of the sauce, well, lets just say, this is that kind of great recipe.  It is truly easy, fast, and fantastic!

Boil Water for pasta. Get all your ingredients prepped, cleaned, minced, chopped, cut, divided and ready to go before you start cooking.

When water boils, cook pasta per the directions.

Rinse your clams. Place clams on a clean, dry towel, and shuffle through them loosely. Discard any that look abnormal or are open

 In a large dutch oven with lid, heat oil on high then add red and black pepper, salt, turn down heat to med low and add 2/3 of the garlic, watch carefully that the garlic doesn’t burn or turn brown for about 2 minutes. Take the pot off the heat if it starts to cook to quickly. Add the clam juice and wine. Add the clams in shells, place the lid on and steam clams on medium heat until the clams steam open, about 5 to 10 minutes, but as soon as they open they are done. Don’t over cook the clams because they will be rubbery.  

After clams open remove lid, remove the clams and inspect the clams, throwing away any clam that failed to open during the steaming process.

In the same dutch oven that steams those clams, add 1 stick of the butter, the canned clams, add 2 tablespoons of the chopped herbs, stir and set a side. 

Cut the bread in thick 2 3/4” slices spread the rest of the soften butter, dip in the minced raw garlic*, then the rest of the chopped basil and parsley.

Now drain the pasta.

Assembly process:

Ladle some of the broth into the bottom of individual serving dishs, then some pasta, one more ladle of broth over the pasta, then 4 or so clams with shells, and dust with herbs. Roll lemons on cutting board pressing down to release the juice, cut lemons in half squeeze over plated dish. Dust the plate with fresh herbs, place bread at side of individual plates. Serve with lots of napkins (because of the sopping!)

Makes 6 servings

 Ingredients:

   2 dozen clams washed/cleaned

   2 boxes linguine

   3 tblsp virgin olive oil

   1 tblsp ground red pepper

   1 tblsp ground black pepper

   1 tblsp kosher salt

   16 cloves garlic, peeled, 1/3 minced set a side

   16 ounce bottle clam juice

   2 cans clams

   1 cup dry white wine

   1/2 cup basil chopped, ¼ set  a side for the bread

   1/2 cup Italian parsley, ¼ set  a side for the bread

    2 sticks butter, 1 for sauce and 1 for the bread

    3 lemons

    1   loaf of French bread 2 3/4” slices

*NOTE: If your family doesn’t like the intensity of the raw garlic then saute the garlic briefly in butter or skip the garlic on the bread all together and then dip the bread in and then into the fresh herbs.

 

Pork chops w/ apple, rye stuffing & Cheddar, Roasted asparagus, yellow squash, fingerling potatoes garlic, lemon, and grape tomatoes, & Date, Goat Cheese Salad, Commander’s Palace Bread pudding with whiskey sauce.

The last three months have not been lost, culinarilly speaking anyway. I’m not sure that’s a word, oh well. Even though the time has flown by in a flash cultivating recipes has evolved into a number of good meals.

Given it has been unusually cold here in the tropics, hearty flavorful dishes consumed my thoughts.  Pork chops with Apple, Rye stuffing and melted Vermont cheddar, Crabmeat and Brie fettuccine, and the absolutely to die for spinach enchiladas with avocado and  tomatillo green sauce from a little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant that I have finally figured out.  I want to tell you which is not so easy and I would necessarily try to crack a Mexican recipe, but holy smokes, this one is so good that it became a necessity if not a personal challenge. I also went to my first Todd English restaurant where I sampled a fig, prosciutto, gorgonzola, flatbread, so flavorful and rich, it just made your taste bud’s dance. I had to come home and make one. I added some green apples for brightness and good crunch, which gave it a freshness, a plus. I think for this entry I will share the pork chop recipe with some sides, Date & Goat Cheese Salad, Roasted asparagus, yellow squash, fingerling potatoes garlic, lemon, and grape tomatoes, and Commander’s Palace Bread pudding with whiskey sauce. Warms the soul, doesn’t it….

Pork chops with Apple, Rye Stuffing topped with Sharp Vermont Cheddar

 

      Olive oil, about 1/4 of a cup

Salt pepper

      4 thick, boneless pork chops

 

butter, about 3 tablespoons

1 medium onion chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled, and minced

3 slices of rye bread with the seeds, cubed

2 green apples cored and slices then slice in half

3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled*

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

salt to taste

pepper to taste

 

four thick slices of Cabot sharp cheddar cheese

 

Preheat oven to 400

In a sauté pan, preheat  with the olive oil. Salt & Pepper the pork chops on both sides and brown. Remove to a buttered baking dish.  In the same sauté pan, cook your bacon, remove, when cool crumble then melt the butter in the same pan you add the onions, celery, and garlic until the onions are just translucent. Add the bread cubes and the apples, mix until coated. Sprinkle the thyme and poultry seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, mix well. Let cook 3 minutes more and top the pork chops with all the stuffing. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the chops are just cooked through and then top with the cheddar and broil until the cheddar is all melty, good being careful not to char the stuffing that has fallen down around the bottom of the baking dish….serve

Date, Goat Cheese Salad

 

Serves 8

For vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 cups mixed baby greens, about 3/4 pound,

8 dried dates ( 1 cup), pitted and cut lengthwise into thin strips

6 ounces soft goat cheese, cut into pieces at room temperature

 

Make vinaigrette: In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, and salt to taste and add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified. Vinaigrette may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring vinaigrette to room temperature and whisk before proceeding.

In a bowl toss greens with vinaigrette and divide among 8 salad plates. Top salads with dates and goat cheese

Roasted asparagus, fingerling potatoes, yellow squash, garlic lemon, and grape tomatoes

 

2 pounds pencil asparagus, woody ends trimmed

2 cups small whole fingerling potatoes*, washed

2 cups sliced yellow squash, washed

2 cups grape tomatoes, washed and stemmed

12 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 lemon, sliced in rounds then halfed

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

 

In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, potatoes, squash, tomatoes and garlic. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the kosher salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then transfer to a large baking sheet with sides. Drizzle the lemon juice over the asparagus, add the lemon half’s to the pan, and place in the oven. Roast until the asparagus are tender and the tomatoes begin to caramelize, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot or at room temperature.

*try to use a fingerling potatoe that is a different color from the rest of your ingredients, like a red or purple.

Commander’s Palace Bread Pudding Recipe

For the Bread Pudding:

 

1 Cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Freshly grated Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

pinch of salt

6 Eggs

1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

6 Cups French Bread, cut inot 1 inch cubes (be sure it’s a light bread, meaning not too dense)

1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Butter a square cake pan with the butter.

 

Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl.

In a large Mixing bowl whisk the eggs, then whisk in the cream and vanilla extract. Fold in the bread cubes being sure to not break them up too much. The trick to this recipe is to make sure all of the bread soaks up the custard, and that you don’t overcook it.

 

Place the prepared mixture into the cake pan, cover with foil and place the cake pan into a larger pan, sufficient enough to allow for a water bath which will cover the smaller pan by half way.

 

Place the pans into the oven and bake for 2 hours. Remove the foil and raise the temperature to 300 degrees for 1 hour more or until the top of the pudding is golden brown.

 

The finished pudding should be slightly firm, while moist, but not runny.

Serve warm with Whiskey sauce, recipe below.

Makes 4 servings.

 

Whiskey Sauce Recipe

 

1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream

2 tsp Cornstarch

2 Tbsp Water

a few drop of Vanilla extract

1/3 Cup Bourbon

1/3 Cup Sugar

 

Mix together the water and cornstarch. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. While boiling slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry, when the sauce is thickened remove from the heat and add the vanilla, bourbon and sugar. Set aside to cool to room temperature

 

 

How to Roast a Turkey, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Orange Pecan Salsa, Roasted Veggies + Balsamic Drizzle

Coming up on Thanksgiving I mention I would like to try something different this year, which is met with, ‘but mom you are going to make……..’, so I have given up on that concept and I just stick with the traditional recipes I make every year. Quite frankly after a month of illness, being creative at Thanksgiving is not at the top of my list either. I have included cooking times for the turkey, stuffed and unstuffed. I cook mine unstuffed, but I always use a meat thermometer. Now the ‘doness factor’ is subjective, but don’t trust your oven, use the thermometer. These are just a few of the recipes that grace our table. Most are pretty basic, but always good. Sometimes, most times, simple is best. The cole slaw, I know, is a shocker on thanksgiving but homemade it’s the best thing and the first leftover gone after the holiday is over. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Carla’s Mash Potatoes with Garlic (make a day ahead)

5# bag of Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2” cubes

chicken stock

1# pound butter, cut up into cubes

heavy Cream to consistency

sea salt to taste

fresh cracked pepper

minced garlic, about 5 cloves

Bring water to a boil in a large stock pot, salt the water if using stock without stock, add chicken stock Cook the potatoes until you can spear it easily with a knife about 20 minutes, drain and place back into the cooking pot. Season with minced garlic, salt and pepper, you will adjust the seasoning at the end.  Add butter and mix until melted by the heat of the potatoes, or melt before hand and mix in. Mash however is easiest for you. Add cream a little bit at a time while mashing until it reaches a stiff consistency. Adjust the salt and pepper.  I make these a day ahead remove them from the frig in the morning to bring to room temperature then throw them in the oven when the Turkey comes out.

Roasted Vegetables with balsamic drizzle (make a day ahead)

6 medium beets peeled, quartered

15 brussel spouts

5 carrots peeled rough chopped

5 small yellow onions skins removed, quartered

1/2 cup olive oil, approximately

sea salt

cracked pepper

balsamic drizzle glaze

 Preheat oven to 350. In an X large bowl, throw in all the veggies, toss to coat. Line a baking sheet with sides with foil, layer oiled veggies, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place in the oven for 40-50 minutes depending on your oven. Every now and then take a peek.  Remove from oven, place in a serving dish (if making a day ahead place in frig and warm in oven before serving) and drizzle  the day of with balsamic vinegar.

 Mom’s Cole Slaw (make a day ahead)

1 head of Green Cabbage, shredded in your Cuisanart

Hellmann’s Mayonnaise, 3/4 cup to start

Sea Salt

Cracked Pepper

Place the shredded Cabbage in an x large bowl and start with 3/4 cup of mayo and mix. Add a little more if it seems too dry a tablespoon at a time. Mix well then add the salt and pepper to taste. Simple, good and one of Mom’s traditions.

 

 

Butternut squash Mashed (make a day ahead)

2 large butternut squash, cut lengthwise in half

olive oil

1/2 butter cubed or melted

1/2 cup light brown sugar

sea salt

cracked pepper

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line a sided baking sheet with foil, smear with olive oil, place the squash face down and roast for 45-60 minutes, remove from oven. Scoop out the squash into a bowl, add butter and incorporate, add brown sugar, mix, add salt and pepper to taste. Warm in the oven in the day of.

 Traditional Meat Stuffing

1-2 lbs ground beef

1/4-1/2 lb American sausage crumbled cooked, drain

2 eggs

14-28 ritz crackers soaked in milk to cover (14 crackers for each pound of beef)

onion powder

garlic powder

salt

pepper

3 shakes bell’s poultry seasoning

1/2 cup pinoli nuts

1/2 cup of dark raisins

 Mix eggs in a separate small bowl, in another bowl put all the ingredients, add eggs mix together.  Place in loaf shape or in a sided pan. Cook outside the turkey in an 350 oven for 30 minutes

Note: there are approximately 35 ritz in a roll.

Orange Pecan Cranberry Salsa

1 lb fresh cranberries

1 whole navel orange, cut into wedges do not peel

3/4-1 cup pecans

1 cup of confectioners sugar

 

using your kitchen aid mixer grinding attachments, grind the cranberries, the orange sections and pecans. Mix with sugar. Done.

 

How to Cook a Thanksgiving Turkey

 One Turkey, unpacked, rinsed and dried*

One roasting pan with a rack

Oil olive

Sea Salt

Cracked pepper

1 tablespoon Sage

1 tablespoon Thyme

1 tablespoon Summer Savory

3Garlic, sliced thin

4 Bay leaves, whole

3 peeled Onions, rough cut

2 Celery stalks, rough cut

1 green Pepper, rough cut

1 stick of butter, soften

4 cups chicken stock

white wine

 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Spray the roasting pan with Pam cooking spray. . Place the onions, celery stalks, green pepper, and garlic in the bottom of the pan. Place rack in pan Place Turkey on rack breast side up.  Tuck the tips of the legs under the flap of skin. Rub the olive oil all over the turkey. Salt, pepper inside and out. Separate with your fingers the skin from the turkey meat over the breast, rub the butter inside, and slide the a few pieces of the garlic in, arrange the bay leaves.  Now take the herb seasonings and rub all over the turkey. If you were planning on stuffing the Turkey, do it now. Place the turkey in the oven, start basting when the turkey has been in the oven for 45 minutes, then bast with chicken stock and wine every 30 minutes, after a while use a baster to baste with the juices in the bottome of the pan.  Place in the Cooking times will vary depending if the bird is stuffed or not. Always use a meat thermometer to determine when the turkey is fully cooked. Temperatures should reach 180 degrees F in the thigh and 170 degrees F in the breast.

Stuffed Turkey Roasting Times at 325 degrees

Pounds                              Hours

10 to 18           3-3/4 to 4-1/2

22 to 24           5 to 5-1/2

18 to 22           4-1/2 to 5

24 to 30           5-1/2 to 6-1/4

Unstuffed Turkey Roasting Times at  325 degrees

Pounds                              Hours

10 to 18           3 to 3-1/2

19 to 22           3.1/2 to 4

23 to 24           4 to 4-1/2

*(remove the extra parts and simmer  the neck in a separate sauce pan with 5-8 cups of water with thyme, sage, or bells poultry seasoning thrown in and simmer for 2-3 hours for extra stock for the gravy)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         

 

 

 

 

 

Blacktoberfest: Monster Mash, Versace's Villa, Halloween Horror Night, Birthday's and Anniversaries, Oh my!

Blacktoberfest is a mad race of anniversaries and birthday’s. My children and husband were born exactly one week apart.  October demands, practically every Saturday, cake, candy and candles. I have titled, copyrighted and now brand these festivities as Blacktoberfest. It’s great and horrible all at the same time. Our anniversary, our twentieth, got the party started. After mulling over taking a long overdue break, just the two of us, we concluded that we really can’t leave the kids in consideration of homework and the natural teenage propensities. So we settled for spending the day together                                          .

This presented its own set of complications because of our six-month-old puppy, Remi. He is our new baby, what were we thinking, We had to find him a sitter for a few hours until the Julian could pick him up from puppy daycare. A neighbor suggested a new place close to home so we got on the website, filled out the admission papers, obtained the current shot papers and faxed it all over, we arrive at the doggy day camp and became very nervous. It was exactly like dropping off your child on the first day of preschool. That said, we were reassured and called the children to give them full and proper instructions at pick up time how to observe Remi’s behavior as he interacted with the other canines, together with a list of questions Julian would have to answer afterward on our baby’s behavior and day.  Okay now we could relax and enjoy ourselves.  


We decided to go down to Miami, south beach, and possibly go to a museum or something else we couldn’t define just yet. It was wonderful. We ended up at Versace’s former Villa, Casa Casuarina. We had a lovely lunch in Versace’s private dining room, and the highlight was the appetizer of Peruvian cerviche composed of lobster, scallops and salmon. The salmon had a hit of orange. After lunch the staff, particularly the hostess, gave us a wonderful history of the villa. It apparently was build to replicate Christopher Columbus’s son’s residence and has a brick from that structure encased in the front wall.  She was really wonderful and I couldn’t help myself, but advise her that a cocktail table book filled with all of the information bestow upon us and beautiful photos of the interior with the meanings behind the marble symbols would definitely be a hit. Of course our waiter, who was from Italy and whose father was a chef, was equally informative about the cuisine, the background of the chef, the décor and given we were the only ones in the dining room we bonded. I also suggested they produce a cookbook and might host some cooking classes because my best friend along with several others of my cronies would love to come down and have that experience. What a weekend package that would be!!!!. Next was Julian’s seventeenth, which was also the school’s homecoming barbeque event. Seventeen, oh my gosh…how did that happen? After a masterful pitch for his own personal recording studio, empty of other birthday suggestions, coupled with a crash and burned attempt to drive up to Universal’s Halloween Horror Night unaccompanied by any adults, he and his sister pitched an idea of a weekend up at Halloween Horror Night where they would take a friend each with us.  Sold. We secured a place at the Reunion Resort, where my husband accompanied the girls, and let the boys roam at Universal until they didn’t want to be terrified any longer. It was fun. Nice kids attract nice friends.   Another cake, candy and candles and then home.

We are at our last event in Blacktoberfest, Halloween, also my husband’s birthday. Tonight we will have a party with his favorite food, his family and football. His choice of birthday fare, Steaks, a wedge of iceberg with blue cheese, assorted footballish appetizers, and two pies. Yes, not cake, but pies. Blueberry and coconut crème. Each having the number twenty-five in candle form because he is not ready to commit to the number fifty.   My recipe this month will be simple and reminiscent of Halloween’s past, something easy and quick for the kids to eat prior to the gathering of all things sweet.  Good Stuff!  

Monster Mash: Cheesy Mac & Beef

 

1 lb pasta, cooked, drained, kept warm

 

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

3 medium onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

 

1 lb lean ground beef

 

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

1 cup beef broth

 

1 lb Vermont sharp cheddar, shredded

  Do your prep first prior to getting started, boil, and chop.  Melt the butter and oil over moderate heat, and add the onions and garlic sauté until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Add the beef, sauté, breaking it up in smaller bits, until turning brown, approximately 10 minutes. Add the spices to this mixture, incorporating thoroughly, 2-3 minutes.  Add the broth and deglaze the pan, scraping all the bits at the bottom. Let the moisture evaporate until you have a thicker consistency for your sauce. Remove from heat With a very and I mean very big bowl place the macaroni in the bottom the shredded cheese on top of that and then the beef, mix well.  Serve immediately.

 Happy Halloween!!      

deconstructing bouillabaisse, bleu cheese endives, tiramisu simplified, marinated olives

Poaching fish is really what this dish is all about. The French would use whatever fish they had available. We use the seafood we like. If you don’t like mussels then use something else. My husband only likes salmon cooked certain ways, so I buy him a small portion of a white fish and we enjoy salmon so we use that.

The big draw are the lobster tails, however again if you don’t want to use them then don’t. If you like to use a greater variety of seafood - go for it. However, you need to understand this should be eaten with old clothes on or plenty of napkins. It is fun and messy, while being very aesthetic. 

The liquid you assemble up until the point of adding the roux can be separated and frozen and left for a quick bouillabaisse or honestly to top some pasta with roux added for a sauce. Definitely serve it with bread and butter for dipping and sopping. Sopping and compiling different bites are encouraged, hence the need for lots of napkins whilst dressed in old clothes. 

The liquid is an assemblé of flavors that will infuse whatever protein you braise or poach.

This is easy, fast, with no stress.  A good pick for dinner as it was this month as I am recovering from ear surgery, happily so because there is a promise hearing in my left ear after 13 years of profound deafness.

 I had been thinking about posting this recipe since the start of September. I had constructed and refined this recipe since the first time I had made bouillabaisse, which came from The Silver Palate Cookbook; oddly enough I just learned one of the authors just passed away August 30^th, 2009.  If you don’t have a copy of this cookbook truly you buy one. It has been and will continue to be one of my recommendations.

 The endive salad is a nice change without a lot of time or ingredients and goes well with the bouillabaisse.  If you need a small appetizer go to your market and assemble three different kinds of marinated olives because you are need going to fill up on pre-meal treats prior to the main event.

 The tiramisu goes with anything, anything or great just by itself.

My Bouillabaisse

     1/2 cup olive oil

    1 1/2 cups well rinsed coarsely chopped leeks

    1 cup chopped yellow onions

    3/4 chopped green pepper

    3 tablespoons dried thyme

    3 cloves minces fresh garlic

    1/2 cup chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

    2 bay leaves

    28 ounces canned concentrated tomato puree

    28 ounces of crushed canned tomatoes or chopped, peeled fresh

    2/1/2 cups dry white wine

    4 cups Fish Stock using

 

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    6 tablespoons  butter, softened

2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour

 

    1/4 to  1/2 teaspoons whole saffron (optional)

    3 quarts fresh mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded

    3 pounds skinless fish, we use salmon and cod individually

    24 raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined

    4 lobster tails, fresh or defrosted (1 pound each), shelled and halved crosswise

     crusty, plain bread or Garlic bread

1. Over medium heat eat the olive oil in a large soup pot . Add the leeks and onions and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender slightly golden approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add  thyme, garlic parsley, bay leaves, wine, fish stock, and salt and pepper, about 3 minutes to infuse flavor. Add the tomatoes,  simmer approximately 20 minutes.

At this point you have the pouching liquid complete and this can be frozen or used as a separate sauce on pasta.

 

3. Melt  the butter over low heat in a separate pot add flour, stir, then whisk the mixture into the tomato mixture.

4. Add the saffron (optional) and the mussels in their shells and simmer for 5 minutes.

FROM THIS POINT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT DO NOT OVERCOOK. THIS MEANS DO NOT WALK AWAY. Add the fish, shrimp, and lobster tails and simmer until all the shellfish are opened and the fish is done, another 3-5 minutes*.

Watch the fish, poaching it just until it is cooked through. This does not however mean cooked through equals well done. The times are based on a 6 ounces size of fish, larger will mean a longer cooking time. Don’t get worried and not make this. These strongly suggested tips are meant to have you succeed where I have failed in to the past.

5. Ladle into hot soup plates, discarding any mussels that have not opened. Garnish with the garlic croutons, and serve immediately.

  Bleu Cheese Endives

 

4 Endives

5 ounces of bleu cheese

1/4 walnuts finely chopped

1/4 mayonnaise

1/4 sour cream

4 tablespoons champagne vinegar

cracked pepper and salt to taste

Separate 12 medium leaves from an endive stalk, six on each plate.

Combine ingredients up to the vinegar, refrigerate

Dollop bleu cheese mixture across the white tips of the endive leaves.

Salt and cracked pepper to taste 

  Tiramisu simplified

Chill 4-24 hours prior to serving

 

    1/2 cup sugar

    1/3 cup water

    2/3 cup hot strong coffee

    2 tablespoons Amaretto

    2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur

    16 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened

    1/3 cup sugar

    1 teaspoon vanilla

    1 1/2 cups whipping cream

    9 ounces ladyfingers

    1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

    fresh raspberry (to garnish)

    chocolate-covered coffee beans, crushed, to garnish

 

1. For syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup sugar and the water bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat; cool. Stir in coffee, amaretto, and hazelnut liqueur.

2. For filling: In a medium bowl, stir together mascarpone cheese, the 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla. In a chilled, medium, mixing bowl, beat whipping cream with chilled beaters of an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Fold 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into  espresso beans.the mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whipped cream.

3.     To assemble: Arrange half of the ladyfinger in a 2-quart, square baking dish. Brush with half the syrup. Spread with half of the filling. Arrange the remaining ladyfingers on top of layers in pan. Brush with the remaining syrup. Spread with the remaining filling. Sprinkle with the cocoa powder. cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours before serving. Garnish each serving with raspberries and chocolate-covered
  Olives, store bought. The store and the shopping experience of choice is up to you!
 

Savoring Sanibel: Lemon Pasta Shrimp, Marinated Rib eye, roasted asparagus, Dijon watercress salad, Hemingway Key Lime Pie Whipped Cream, Dead Parrot Wings

As time goes by, July turns into August shortly we will be off to Sanibel Island. Gentle waves and white beaches, quiet, calm gives you permission to exhale. Even the children relax and reconnect. It’s so nice to see them together. My husband and I have always been so grateful they get along as well as they do. They take bike rides, go to the beach, play tennis, go shopping, or grab lunch at Schnaper’s Hots. 

As far as the restaurants go, sadly, fried foods rule the island. There are some good restaurants. We ate at Sweet Melissa’s, a new restaurant to us at least; the food is the main attraction, not the seashells, painted cows or any nautical theme and fried whatever. I had the ‘Fish stew’ (bouillabaisse), sweet breads, which the children loved and had no idea what they were aside from the fact that they tasted good. We figured out a long time ago that to raise a child with a broad range of foods is to have them taste first and skip the description or the words altogether. They ate mussels in lemon butter sauce in kindergarten, calamari, and loved all their veggies.  The first great restaurant is on Captiva, The Mad Hatter. We first came across this little gem because we didn’t want to wait for a table at the Bubble Room.  At this time, it was owned by a very particular, truly gifted chef. It was sold shortly there after to a catering couple from New York.  The bouillabaisse was a little heavy on the saffron, but the salmon was poached to perfection. The Mad Hatter still has the best food on the island, not a fried item in site. There seems to be a void between the restaurants offering cuisine and fried seafood shanties.

 However traditions are traditions so we pay our homage to our traditions. I learned that our first meal on the island must be consumed at The Lazy Flamingo, as dictated by the kids, definitely a seafood shack, but fun none-the-less. So when we visit the Lazy Flamingo I, as I am my father’s daughter, must order the dead parrot wings. When ordering these hot wings you will be questioned by your waiter/waitress if you have ever consumed these before? They don’t have you sign a release, but they do question you thoroughly prior to allowing you to order them.  They are, bar none, the hottest wings I have ever tasted.  I have not tried to copy the recipe, however I believe it is some combination of tomato paste, Motauk’s flambeau sauce, crushed red pepper, and puree cherry peppers. Just a guess but you get the picture. This really isn’t a meal but rather a challenge.

This time around my husband did the lion’s share of the cooking. His menu included marinated rib eyes grilled perfectly as he is the reining Grill King. He found this hickory infused marinade called Moore’s, which you can find online or if your local at Albertson's grocery store.

He placed them in the marinade for a day then melt a stick of butter, heat grill, brush grill with butter, grill one side, then brush the top with butter, rare (tip: pinch the area between your thumb and forefinger, This should be the resistant of the rare steak when cooked), nothing to it. Well, the temperature and timing of the cooking is an important part that he has down to a science. Slice thin and served with roasted asparagus, which is just tossed to coat with olive oil, mixed with diced garlic, roasted in a 350 oven until roasted tender.

Brian’s Lemon Shrimp Pasta was the hands down favorite.  The pasta was savory and lemony at the same time. Not easy to pull off. Recipe comes together like this.

Lemon Shrimp Pasta

4 lbs large raw shrimp, peeled, dried
1 box of linguini, cooked as directed
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup of flour, make a roux
1/2 pint heavy cream
2-3 ounces of shaved Parmesan
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
5 cloves of garlic, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper
bay seasoning
paprika
cayenne
2 lemons juiced,
1-2 entire lemons zested to taste

Boil the pasta with salt and olive oil, drained.
In another pan, make combine your butter and flour to make roux, then add the cream cheese (should be a thick pasty glob). In another pan sauté garlic in half olive oil and butter combo until just cooked not browned. Add garlic into the roux mixture and then fold into pasta add juice of one lemon. In a separate bowl, season the shrimp heavily with cayenne, old bay, and paprika. Separate into two batches, add half olive oil and butter in pan to smoking and add shrimp batch flip after just golden, 1to 1.5 minutes. After both batches are cooked add to pasta, throw in scallions, (with your hands mix) then add the last lemon juice and zest. Mix.

Almond Watercress Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Wash and thoroughly dry Watercress
Crushed Almonds

Dijon Vinaigrette: whisk together the following ingredients
1/2 Champagne vinegar
1/3 olive oil
pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Dress the greens with just enough dressing to coat, but not drown. Plate and sprinkle with almonds

Hemingway Key Lime Pie Recipe

    1 cup sugar
    1/4 cup white flour
    3 tablespoons cornstarch
    2 cups spring water
    3 egg yolks
    1 tablespoon butter
    1/4 cup fresh lime juice or more to taste
    grated rind of 1 lime

one baked pie shell: optional sprinkle crushed macadamia nuts and sprinkled sugar on the bottom of the pie shell prior to pouring the custard in.

Combine sugar, flour, cornstarch in top of double boiler and gradually stir in water. Cook over medium heat, whisk constantly until thickened

Beat egg yolks and gradually stir some of cooked mixture into beaten egg yolks. Return this mixture to double boiler and cook and whisk another 3 minutes.

Stir in butter, limejuice and rind. Cook to lukewarm.  (optional sprinkle crushed macadamia nuts and sprinkled sugar on the bottom of the pie shell prior to pouring the custard in.)
Pour into your baked shell and cool thoroughly, or real whipped cream topping, purchased or homemade, see recipe below
Whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon maraschino or vanilla extract

In a chilled bowl, whip the cream until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla. Whip to fluffy peaks, about 2 minutes.

Easy Osso Buco

Anybody who thinks they can’t cook can braise meat. Therefore osso buco is easy,
Sounds impressive, really not so much.  Preparation time is around 35-40 minutes, however you can take short cuts.  For instance, use a food processor to chop vegetables or use canned stocks. These days you can buy your veggies already chopped. Crying in the kitchen is a thing of the past, if not, have a glass of wine before you add it to the recipe.

This recipe can be made on a weeknight with rice, a salad and your done. I would imagine you could prep up until the entrée into the oven and use your slow cooker and return home  to a complete meal. All you need is a rice cooker with a timer, salad in a bag - presto, however doing the dishes: mandatory. Don’t we have children for that?

Read the instructions to the end prior to making your shopping list. Being the type A that I am I have started recipes, and other things I won’t go into, without reading the directions first. Fatal flaw. I have paid dearly for that, including trashing a cassoulet recipe I tried at least eight years ago that was so…well, I haven’t had the courage to attempt it again.

 

1.. Heat things up: set the oven to 350 degrees. Place an oven safe dutch oven on top of the stove, which means a dutch oven (big stew pot) that can go into the oven with its lid on and won’t melt or give off any toxic fumes to infuse your meal with something you didn’t intend. Examples of these would be some types of Calphalon or Le Creuset: it’s always good to ask advice or read the manual prior to setting the kitchen a flame. Don’t use the glass of wine to extinguish the flames. Never a good idea to waste a glass of wine, Put one fourth to one half good quality olive oil and one stick of butter into your ‘certified’ oven safe dutch oven and melt to combine. Turn down heat until you’re ready to add the veal shanks.

2. Dredge: You are going to need approximately six pounds of veal shanks, a Ziploc  bag or better yet how about a paper bag, one and a half of unbleached flour, about a half of a teaspoon of salt and pepper. Take the bag put the flour, salt and pepper inside and combine. Add the veal shanks, close the bag and mix gently to coat the outside of the veal shanks with the flour.  Now spark up the heat on that dutch oven to hot, heat the oil and butter up. Place the veal shanks in and pay attention. Sear the sides until they are a golden brown. Then remove to a plate with a paper towel for draining off the excess reserving the left over oil and butter in the pan.

3. Sauté, Sauté:  This is the best part, put three, chopped, onions into the pot, and sauté about five minutes until translucent. Add eight chopped garlic cloves, sauté for an additional 3 minutes now add one half of a teaspoon each of dried basil, thyme, and oregano. Mix and sauté for three more minutes. Add twenty-eight ounces of good quality crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for ten minutes.

4. Red wine:  Add two cups of each beef stock, merlot, and vegetable stock (roasted if you can find it) simmer for ten more minutes.

5. It’s time:  Add the shanks making sure they are covered with the liquid, place in the oven, covered, for ninety minutes.  Remove the lid and cover for an additional thirty minutes until tender. Garnish as desired.

 

That’s it. Prepare your chopped veggies, spices, stocks and wine ahead of starting and it will all go very quickly. The oven does the rest. The smells wafting through the house when the kids come home from school, as they hit the doorway their feet will lift off the floor with their noses pointed to the ceiling floating gleefully toward the kitchen. Works every time.

Shopping list:

1 cup unbleached flour
salt
pepper
1/4-1/2 olive oil
1 stick of butter
3 onions chopped
8 chopped garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon dried:
basil
oregano
thyme
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
2 cups:
merlot
beef stock
veggie stock (preferably roasted vegetable)

serve with:
brown rice
spring lettuce mix

March Hare & the Mad Hatter Tea Party: Tea Sandwiches

From as way back as I can recall my Mother and I had four ‘o clock tea. I had calico tea, which was mostly hot milk and sugar with a dribble of tea. I would so look forward to our daily ritual when she would put out the tea pot, the cups and saucers, the nice napkins (my mother always said ‘nice’ napkin, sort of equating or melding etiquette, grooming and table manners packaged in one sound bite, in retrospect, highly effective) and some small treat. 

This priceless memory and ritual I have attempted to pass on to my daughter, only my child wasn’t having any ‘tea’, no not for her, so in pursuit of perpetuating the passing of the rite of tea I flexed and gave her chocolate milk.  I have bestowed upon her tea sets that visually delight the eyes of a small child and a reminiscence mother alike.  Whilst being mindful of the ‘undertoad’ (World According to Garp movie reference) she is now requesting a modern adaptation, ‘chai tea’, - a wonderful addition to a tea lover’s répertoire. I can say proudly, sporting a Cheshire cat grin, chai tea closely resembles calico tea. Gotcha! Hurray for mothers everywhere. Doesn’t matter to me if it is environmental or genetic conditioning she is destined to be a tea drinker, with etiquette, grooming and table manners mix in.  I am sure my mother, now referred to as Angel Grandma, had something to do with it.

The tea sandwich traditionally defined as two slender slices of bread, crusts removed, with assorted fillings in between, cut into triangles easily managed with one hand using only the index and middle finger balancing the top slice and the thumb effortlessly holding the bottom portion. Four o’clock tea is tea with light sandwiches, cucumber or butter. High tea is a meal and the sandwiches would be filled with meats. More information than you need, yes, but interesting tid bits are necessary to file away as you never know when you they might come in handy.
This is my mother’s interpretation of the cucumber sandwich

Angel Grandma’s Cucumber Tea Sandwich

1 cucumber sliced just under 1/4”
mayonnaise
white bread
salt and pepper to taste

Slather bread with Mayo
Place cucumber slices atop to fit
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Top off the sandwich with the last slice of bread
Trim crusts and any cucumber off
Slice diagonally into triangles, otherwise known fondly as ‘into sailboats’ - quite simple and good, actually, still to this day.

Date Nut Bread Tea Sandwiches

Too simple to have to explain: slice bread thin, spread with good quality cream cheese top slice the same way as cucumber sandwiches above - also simple and good.

Not my Mother’s Tea Sandwich: Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cheddar on Sourdough

Applewood smoked bacon, cooked traditionally
Aged Sharp Cheddar slice extremely thin, good quality,
Green apples, sliced thin, sprinkled with lemon
Mayonnaise
Sourdough Bread, thinly slices

Take two slices of sourdough bread, spread with mayo give each slice of bread a thin layer of cheddar, the top one slice of bread with the apples, then bacon*, marrying the two slices and trim as above or throw some butter in a pan, grill and it magically morphs from a tea sandwich into panini. Excellent!!!!!!

*at this point if you are wondering, what about the watercress?, feel free to add it here. If you decide to morph the tea sandwich into panini add the watercress at your own risk, as it will wilt.

The scone versus the biscuit. I know this issue has been keeping you up at night. Something of a controversy, but not at the level of  making a sourdough starter, which borders on religion when lines get drawn, but that is another blog altogether. Scones are not my cup of tea, however when you talk tea you must consider scones, which I feel overpowers the tea and never saw the difference between that and the biscuit. I found both are quick breads which means a bread made with a leavening agent, such as baking powder, that expands during baking that requires no leavening period beforehand. They are both round in shape.

The basic scone recipe from Alton Brown:

Alton Brown Scones

Ingredients

    * 2 cups flour
    * 4 teaspoons baking powder
    * 3/4 teaspoon salt
    * 1/3 cup sugar
    * 4 tablespoons butter
    * 2 tablespoons shortening
    * 3/4 cup cream
    * 1 egg
    * Handful dried currants or dried cranberries

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix well. Cut in butter and shortening. In a separate bowl, combine cream with beaten egg then add to dry ingredients. Stir in fruit. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough out and cut into biscuit size rounds. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.

Paula Deen’s Biscuits

Ingredients

    * 2 cups all-purpose flour
    * 1 teaspoons sugar
    * 1 tablespoon baking powder
    * 1 teaspoon salt
    * 8 tablespoons butter, cubed
    * 3/4 cup milk

Directions

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Cut butter into mixture until it begins to look like cornmeal.

Make a well with flour mixture and slowly add milk into the middle. Knead dough with your fingers and add milk when necessary. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter.

Butter bottom of skillet and place biscuits in pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Yields about 3 dozen biscuits

If you place the recipes side by side the scones have richer ingredients, in my eyes, not so different.

For the Love of Garlic: Shrimp Scampi Pizza

This Valentine’s Day give a little garlic to the one (s) you love.  Close your eyes. Imagine garlic sautéing in a pan of melted butter, the smell lofting through the air, filling your home. Everyone who enters knows something wonderful is cooking and will be served soon. My family loves garlic, chocolate too, but definitely garlic.

I have developed a shrimp scampi pizza recipe, full of garlic, creamy gooey and actually tastes like scampi. I have been in search of a great scampi pizza for a while now, and was mostly disappointed when the pizza came. They were all good, mind you, but not what I had anticipated – not enough garlic.  I did hit upon it once in a coal fire pizza place, but when my husband and I went back it wasn’t the same. We were disappointed.  The first time was a happy accident and it wasn’t reproduced.

My children and I went back to that restaurant last night and my son ordered his own large pie and my daughter and I share the scampi pizza. I asked her what she thought and she replied, “It’s good, but yours is better Mom.” I receive the coveted Child Seal of Approval.  The decision was made. Next post: scampi pizza.

It’s actually very easy and fast to make. It looks complicated so everyone thinks you spent hours in the kitchen slaving over a stove -even better.

I buy my flatbread crust, if you can find it in garlic more power to you. I really don’t have the time to make dough. I have and someday will again, but now, fast, easy and good is better. If you make your own and have a great recipe, please share and hats off to you!

My goal was to make the scampi pizza taste like good scampi, with bold flavors.  I took my inspiration from the sauce in a traditional escargot recipe. Don’t panic – snails omitted.  There is a key component in the garlic infused butter and oil. No, it is not low in calories.  This is not a big deal really; I just mince the garlic with one of those choppers or a garlic press and place it in the butter and oil in the morning. Therefore, you will be ready and rewarded when you make dinner in the evening.

Shrimp Scampi Pizza

Please read through prior to starting

pizza dough ready to go
or ready made flat bread

1 stick of butter melted
10 cloves of garlic minced
1/8 olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 pound shrimp shelled and deveined*
1/4 cup white wine

asiago cheese shredded
parmigiano-reggiano cheese shredded
brie chunks brine removed cut into 1”x2” blocks, frozen
 
parsley,  fresh chopped
basil, fresh julienned
oregano, dried
salt and pepper
1 lemon, to drizzle



melt butter place half of the garlic in the butter
combine oil and the remaining garlic
let both combinations sit for at least one hour

in a food processor shred frozen brie
heat a sauté pan on medium heat

pour oil into the pan, heat through
sprinkle red pepper flakes
sauté for 3 minutes
add melted butter with garlic
add  the wine and shrimp, if uncooked cook just until pink and remove from heat
*if using cooked shrimp just warm through
spread equally over your flatbread or ready to go dough
sprinkle asiago, brie and parmigiano-reggiano
sprinkle spices, salt and pepper to taste
bake in a 400 degree oven until cheese is melted
remove and squeeze lemon to taste
serve

Just add a spring mix salad with a light lemon vinaigrette and if dessert is necessary. Try good chocolate ice cream with shaved chocolate.  No cooking needed. Done!

Primordial Chicken Soup

This is the start of the New Year, a new time, a new beginning and my first blog. The first blog of the New Year; Primordial Soup. I choose chicken! The universally, unchallenged healing tonic laded with magical powers of ‘curing all that ails ye’ comfort food whose recipes and memories of are as individual and diverse as each one of us. I set out on a quest, now decades ago, to identify my favorite chicken soup recipes from which evolved my own. Loaded with noodles and spice, with lots of rustic cut veggies and chunks of chicken.

This is where I first discovered, what I think of as layering of spices. I am not a professional chef and I am sure I rediscovered a wheel long previously revealed, but to me this was enlightenment at the time. I like bold favors and depth in savory dishes that need to be nurtured and cultivated within the recipe.
I would love to hear from all of you who have a Best or Favorite Chicken soup recipe.
This is my own.

Primordial Chicken Soup Recipe

4 pounds of a quartered chicken seasoned with salt, pepper with a dusting of plain old poultry seasoning. Skin on
1 cup each, like sized, roughly chopped of
celery, red pepper, yellow onion and carrots
butter
2 tablespoons dried thyme and tarragon
salt and pepper to taste
10 cups chicken broth - good quality
1 package of linguine
Really big stockpot

Optional additions:
cream
curry
second package of pasta

Get all your ingredients prepped to go prior to starting. Melt the butter over medium heat, watching closely; add chicken skin and meat side down to brown. (You may wish to do this in batches) After all the chicken is browned, not cooked through, remove and reserve to a platter.

Add all those like sized rough chopped veggies and sauteé until translucent about 25- 30 minutes. Season with spices including salt and pepper continue cooking another 5 minutes until the scent from the spices lofts up and surrounds you. (this is where the nurturing and cultivating comes in)

Add the chicken back into the pot and allow to mingle for about 3 minutes, and then add the good quality chicken broth. Bring to a short boil and turn the heat down to a simmer for another 25 minutes.

Remove Chicken. Allow to cool. Add the pasta cook until al dente if need be, add water* Once cooled de skin and de bone. Rough chop into good size chunks, about 1.5 inches. This soup is rustic and you should see all the vegetable and chicken together with the pasta.

Add the chicken back in, adjust the seasoning to taste and serve. **

*Now lets talk about the liquid in the soup. If you let the liquid reduce after cooking           the noodles the broth created mixes with the starch of the pasta and thickens the soup evolving into a sublime pasta dish.  Add the second package of pasta.

** This would be a great time to add the above-mentioned optional items such as cream or curry or both.  No I don’t have exact measurement for these optional add on’s, but really cream and curry are subjective to this particular recipe

It can be doubled, definitely should be frozen,  and hopefully enjoyed! Here’s a tip, make this prior to flu and cold season in your area, freeze it. Then if you or your family catches something you will be stocked up and ready!

So in closing, you have a potential for five similar dishes from one primordial chicken soup recipe. Primordial Pasta, Crème de le Primordial Chicken Soup, Curried Chicken Soup, Cream of Chicken Curry Soup and the basis of all above elixirs, Primordial Chicken Soup.  Happy New Year!