Recipes Discovered – Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 2 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning blend
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock or broth
• 4 cups whole milk
• 3 cups corn kernels, scraped fresh from the cob or, frozen kernels
• 8 ounces cooked lump crab meat
• 4 small bread boules, 6 inches, hollowed out, preferably sour dough, optional

Directions:

Heat a deep pot over moderate heat. Add oil and butter. As you chop your veggies, add them to the pot: potatoes, celery, onion, and red bell pepper. Add bay leaf to the pot. Season vegetables with salt and pepper and Old Bay seasoning. Saute veggies 5 minutes, then sprinkle in flour. Cook flour 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and whisk to get any lumps out. Stir in milk and combine. Bring soup up to a bubble. Add corn and crab meat and simmer soup 5 minutes. Adjust the soup seasonings. Remove bay leaf. Ladle soup into bread bowls or soup bowls.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I omitted the potatoes from the recipe and used equal parts chicken stock and milk. I also add 1 pound of crab meat. I would probably add a little more flour next time to thicken the soup a bit more.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Crab Cakes:

• 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
• 1/2 teaspoon Emeril’s Essence, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup panko, plus 1 1/2 cups*
• Salt
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Corn Maque Choux:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup small-diced onion
• 1/4 cup small-diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup small-diced celery
• 2 cups sweet yellow corn
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Emeril’s Essence
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk or cream

Tomato Jam:

• 1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Crab Cakes:

Carefully pick through the crab meat, discarding any shells or cartilage. Try to retain as many lumps as possible. Transfer to a mixing bowl and refrigerate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

In a medium skillet melt the butter and cook the red bell pepper, onion, and celery until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of Essence and set aside to cool.

When the vegetables have cooled, add them to the crab meat, along with mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, and 1/4 cup of the panko. Mix gently but thoroughly to combine. Add salt, to taste. Divide the crab cake mixture into 8 equal portions and, using your hands, form into cakes about 2 1/2 to 3-inches in diameter. Dredge the crab cakes in the remaining panko until cakes are completely coated on all sides.

In a medium skillet heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking and add as many crab cakes as will fit comfortably, usually 3 to 4. Cook until golden brown on both sides and warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly while you add the more oil and cook the remaining crab cakes.

Corn Maque Choux:

Heat a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter to the pan and cook until the butter is melted, about 45 seconds. Add the onions, bell peppers and celery to the pan and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, and the peppers and celery are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the corn, garlic, Essence, salt and cayenne to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add the milk to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook the corn until tender and most of the milk has reduced and the maque choux is creamy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Tomato Jam:

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 20 to 25minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

To Serve:

Gently transfer the cram cakes to serving plates and serve with the Corn Maque Choux and a dollop of the Tomato Jam.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions:

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 cup Guinness (or other dark stout)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

Filling:

• 14 ounces individually wrapped caramels
• 1 can (5 ounce) evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup milk or cream, or more if needed
• 1 pound box confectioners’ sugar (3 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.

Bring stout and butter to a simmer in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Pour 1/2 of the batter into prepared pans (1/4 of the batter in each pan). Bake cakes for 15 minutes.

While the cakes are baking, melt caramels, butter, and milk in a sauce pan over medium low heat. When the cakes comes out of the oven, pour melted caramel mixture over cakes, sprinkle with pecans, and chocolate chips, and then pour the remaining cake batter over the top the caramel. Bake for an addition 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven, run a knife along the outside, and allow to cool in the pans. When the cakes are cool, remove from the pans and place the bottom layer on a cake plate.

To make the frosting, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil and allow to cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until it reaches a spreading consistency. At this time it may be necessary to add more milk, if frosting gets too thick. Immediately pour a thin layer of frosting on the bottom layer, place the second cake layer on top, pour the remaining frosting over the cake and sprinkle top with chopped pecans.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Several notes -
This can be made with a box cake instead of homemade.
Coffee can be substituted for the Guinness (although then it would be a Sober Turtle Cake!)
The cake can be made into a 9×13 sheet cake – just bake the bottom layer for 20 minutes and then the top layer 30 to 35 minutes.
The frosting is very difficult to work with because it hardens rather quickly, however, the filling is sweet enough that the frosting isn’t necessary.

My own concoction.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 10 large ears corn, husked
• 8 vine-ripened tomatoes, about 1 pound total
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup diced red onion, diced
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or more to taste
• 1/2 to 1 cup julienne fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Grill Instructions:

Brush the corn liberally with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Grill, turning every few minutes, until light gold all over and cooked, about 12 minutes. Let cool and cut off the kernels. Discard the cobs. Core the tomatoes and cut a small X on the bottom of each. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on the grill, X side down, away from direct heat. Cover the grill and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften but are not cooked all the way through (or they will melt through the grate!), about 15 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel.  Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out the juice. Chop the flesh and place in a bowl with the corn kernels.

Put the onions in the non-reactive medium bowl and toss with the vinegar. Let marinate until the color changes, about 10 minutes.

Add onions and basil to the corn and tomatoes. Toss well. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper.

Roasting Instructions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the corn liberally with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Core the tomatoes and cut a small X on the bottom of each. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Place corn and tomatoes (X side down) on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool enough to handle. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then cut the corn kernels from the cobs and remove the peel from the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out the juice. Chop the flesh and place in a bowl with the corn kernels.

Put the onions in the non-reactive medium bowl and toss with the vinegar. Let marinate until the color changes, about 10 minutes.

Add onions and basil to the corn and tomatoes. Toss well. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper.

Serve on it’s own, as a topping for tacos, or with tortilla chips. This is best eaten the same day but will keep, covered and refrigerated, a day or so.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from Michael Chiarello.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa:

• 1 pound tomatillos (about 12), husked
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 jalapenos, seeded
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 lime, juiced

Enchiladas:

• 3 poblano peppers
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Chopped cilantro leaves
• 4 cups shredded chicken
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 large flour tortillas
• 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• Sour cream, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the salsa: On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

Meanwhile, place the poblano peppers directly over the flame on a gas stove and cook, turning with tongs, until the skin is charred and blackened. (Or, if you have an electric stove, put the peppers on a baking sheet and broil, turning with tongs, until the skin is blackened.) Place the peppers in a paper bag, seal, and set aside for 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off the skin; then seed, core, and dice them. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized – this should take 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for another minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn’t burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a veloute. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo chile salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat and poblano pepper.. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and begin assembling the dish. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll like a cigar to enclose it. Using a spatula place the tortillas in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. Finally pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
• 1/2 – 1 cup water

Directions:

Put the mochiko in a bowl. Add the water slowly until the dough becomes as soft as earlobes. Knead the dough. Make small oval-shaped dumplings. Boil water in a large pan and add dumplings. Boil the dumplings until they float. Remove the dumplings and cool in cold water. Drain the water and serve dumplings.

Makes about 2 dozen dumplings.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Traditionally served with Candied Red Beans.

Recipe courtesy of About.com.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dried azuki beans, rinsed
• 4 cups water
• Pinch of baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup

Directions:

Sort the beans and discard any foreign matter, then rinse them in a colander. Put them in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Drain the beans in a colander, then return them to the saucepan and add the 4 cups of water and the baking soda. Bring the beans to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour (if the water boils away too quickly, add another 1/2 cup to keep the beans submerged).

When the beans are cooked through and most of the water has evaporated, add the sugar and corn syrup. Continue to cook the beans, stirring constantly, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is thick and syrupy. Serve warm or at room temperature. The beans will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Excellent with Green Tea Ice Cream.

Recipe courtesy of Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 teaspoons matcha (green tea powder)
• 6 egg yolks

Directions:

Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk in the green tea powder. Set a mesh strainer on top and set aside.

Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heat proof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickened and coats the back of the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and into the cream, then whisk vigorously until the custard is frothy to dissolve the green tea powder. Stir over an ice bath until cool.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (at least 4 hours), then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes about 1 quart of ice cream.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Excellent with Candied Red Beans.

Recipe courtesy of Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 10 large shallots, halved then thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
• A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil with the butter over medium-low heat in a skillet with high sides. Add garlic and shallots and season with salt and pepper then cook gently until caramelized about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta, salt the water very liberally then add spaghetti and bring to a rolling boil. Cook to al dente. Add 2 ladles of starchy cooking water, about 1 cup, to the shallots and stir. Drain pasta and add to shallots. Add the parsley and cheese and more black pepper, to taste. Toss 1 to 2 minutes for liquid to absorb and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray.