text

La Gloria Snapper en Salsa Ajillo

Snapper en Salsa Ajillo
 
4                              Fresh Snapper Filets, 8 to 10 ounces each
4 ounces              olive oil
6                              Dry Chile guajillo Peppers, thinly cut with scissors

1                              Garlic bulb, thinly sliced
4 ounces              white wine
2 ounces              butter
8 ounces              fish stock
Salt to taste
 
Rub olive oil on fillets and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill  fish on a flat griddle. Set aside.

At medium heat, in a sauce pan add olive oil, just before it reaches a smoking point add garlic slices. Once garlic is toasted,  quickly remove from hot oil. In the same oil add the guajillo
peppers lightly browning them, being careful not to burn (this step will go quickly) Once your peppers are lightly toasted add your liquids to avoid burning the chiles, return garlic back to pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust with salt. Serve over gilled filets.
 
This sauce will go well with a wide variety of fish, at La Gloria we
use Black Drum and Red Snapper.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Johnny Hernandez, La Gloria, San antonio, Texas
 

Tags: /la gloria /chef johnny hernandez /snapper recipe /snapper en salsa ajillo /on the food scene

text

Norma’s Bistec a la Salsa

1 pound               top round beef steak

¼ cup                    distilled white vinegar

1                              large onion, thinly sliced

1                              medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut into large rings

1/8 teaspoon     cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon      minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

½ teaspoon        kosher salt

2 slices                  Farmer pimento sausage or Italian hot sausage

¼ cup                    tomato sauce

Place beef in baking dish along with the vinegar, onion, bell pepper, cayenne, garlic, cilantro, and salt. Let marinate at room temperature. For 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, light a charcoal fire or preheat your gas grill on high. Oil the grill’s cooking surface.  Brush the sausage slices with oil, place on grill, and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side.  Remove the steak and peppers from the bowl and place on grill. Cook for about 5 minutes total, turning once.   Transfer the steak to a cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes,  then slice thinly. Place sliced steak, any meat juices, peppers, and sausage in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour the remainder of the ingredients from the bowl into saucepan and add tomato sauce. Stir to combine, then cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, pour into serving bowl, and serve immediately over rice.

Recipe from Barbecue Nation, by Fred Thompson (Taunton Press)

Tags: /BBQ recipes /barbecue nation /taunton press

text

Fried Avocado Tacos

Fried Avocado Tacos

Tacos de aguacate rebosado

The author wrote,“Frying avocadoes may seem as strange to you,  until I tasted them at Puntarena in Mexico City. They are a delight, so give them a try! Combine them with Delicate Fried Shrimp Tacos or Grilled Garlic-Marinated Skirt Steak Tacos.”.

Makes 12 Tacos; Serves 4

3 to 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

1 cup (8 ounces) beer

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

3 firm-ripe avocadoes, quartered, pitted, and peeled

Heat the oil in a 4-quart pot or a wok until a deep-fat thermometer registers 360°F.

Put the beer in a wide bowl and stir in the salt. Put the flour in another wide bowl.

Cut each quarter of avocado into 3 long wedges and dunk the wedges first in the beer, then turn them gently in the flour to coat.

Transfer about 6 avocado slices at a time to the oil and fry until a light-golden crust forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Fry more avocado slices in the same manner until all slices have been fried.

Make tacos with 3 slices of avocado and the accompaniments.

Accompaniments: Warm flour or corn tortillas, Lime-Chipotle Mayonnaise , chopped cilantro

Lime-Chipotle Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons chipotles en adobo, finely chopped, including the sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

Mix together all the ingredients.

If you’d like to thin the sauce for drizzling, add a little water to the mixture. Makes 1 cup

Recipes from “Just Tacos” by Shelley Wiseman, photos by Romulo Yanes, published by The Taunton Press, 2011

Tags: /just tacos /shelley wiseman /cinco de mayo /tacos recipes /taunton press /avocado recipes /fries avocado tacod

text

Vanilla-Malt-Toffee Triangles with Sea Salt

Vanilla-Malt-Toffee Triangles with Sea Salt

Recipe by Valerie Schucht of Glastonbury,CT  one of the 45^th Pillsbury®  Bake-Off’s 100 finalists

1roll                        Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1/2cup                    original-flavor malted milk powder

1can (14 oz)         Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk

1                              LAND O LAKES® Egg

1 1/2teaspoons    McCormick® Premium Imitation Vanilla Extract

1bag (8 oz)           Heath® Bits ‘O Brickle® toffee bits

1/2teaspoon         McCormick® Sea Salt

Heat oven to 350°F. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. Line bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan (dark pan not recommended) with foil, extending foil 2 inches over short sides of pan. Spray foil with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add 1/4 cup of the malted milk powder. Mix with wooden spoon or knead with hands, until well blended. Press dough evenly in bottom of pan. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until crust is light golden brown and puffed. Meanwhile, in same bowl, beat condensed milk, remaining 1/4 cup malted milk powder, egg and vanilla with wire whisk until blended. Stir in 1/3 cup of the toffee bits. Carefully pour mixture over partially baked crust. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until edges are golden brown and filling is set. Remove from oven; sprinkle evenly with remaining toffee bits. Bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until toffee bits just begin to melt. Sprinkle bars with sea salt. Cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove bars from pan  using edges of foil as handles. Cut into 4 rows by 3 rows. Cut each bar in half diagonally to form triangles. Store loosely covered.

Makes 24 bars

Tags: /pillsbury /pillsbury Bake-Off /valerie Schucht /vanilla malt toffee triangles

text

Buttercream Frosting for Claire’s Lithuanian Coffee Cake

This frosting is the fluffy white cream that is generously spread on the delicious cakes that have been Claire’s trademark since 1975

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)  butter, brought to room temperature

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) organic, trans fat-free margerine substitute, room  temp

2 cups                          confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon                    vanilla extract  

Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and margerine substitute for about 3 minutes, or until light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating about 2 minutes after each addition, until light and creamy. Beat in vanilla extract.     

Recipe from “Welcome to Claire’s: 35 Years of Recipes and Reflections from the Landmark Vegetarian Restaurant”

Tags: /buttercream frosting /claire's corner copia /lithuanian coffee cake

text

Beachwood BBQ shares a great recipe for Baked Bean

       Collard greens   &    Baked Beans

1/4 pound              smoked bacon, diced

2 cups                   onions, diced

1 Tablespoon          garlic, chopped

1 pound                 cooked pinto beans

2 cups                   traditional BBQ sauce

¼ cup                    cider vinegar

½ pound              smoked brisket, cut into small pieces

1 ½ cups               chicken broth

1 tablespoon      liquid smoke (optional)

In a heavy bottom pot, render the bacon.  Add onions and garlic and sweat out. Add all other ingredients and simmer 20 minutes. Place in a large pan and smoke in oven or on BBQ for 20 minutes. Mix in liquid smoke if you don’t have a smoker or BBQ.

Check out the video of Chef Fiorillo making the baked beans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7g_0woHZEk&feature=related

Recipe courtesy of Chef Henry Fiorillo, Beachwood BBQ & Burger, Postcard Inn, St. Pete Beach, FL

Tags: /baked beans /Beachwood BBQ & Burger

text

Sweet and spicy bacon coated with Nutella

I love bacon and Nutella seperately, but together? Wait until you try this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, bell’alimento. I follow Paula’s philosophy too ,which is:

“My food philosophy is simply “beautiful food doesn’t have to be complicated.”

Her photography is inviting and she takes you step-by-step through the recipes, with  photos. I know you will become a frequent visitor to her website.

http://www.bellalimento.com/2011/02/05/sweet-spicy-bacon-coated-with-nutella/

Tags: /nutella /sweet and spicy bacon /nutella recipes /bell'alimento

text

Pistachio Mole with Duck Breast

 Pistachio mole (With duck breast)

Ingredients

Sauce

ü  1 Table Spoon Olive Oil

ü  2 Poblano Chiles

ü  1 Spanish onion, finely chopped

ü  4 Table Spoons of White Sesame Seeds

ü  1 Cup shelled unsalted Pistachio

ü  1 Table Spoon dried chile seeds of ancho or pasilla

ü  1 or 2 Jalapeno chiles, finely chopped

ü  2 Cloves of Garlic, pressed and chopped

ü  1 Teaspoon finely chopped oregano

ü  1/2 cup Dry Epazote Leaves

ü  1/ Tea Spoon Cumin Powder

ü  Salt

ü  3 cups of chicken Stock

ü  1 Table Spoon of Sliced Pistachio for Garnish

Mexican Marinade (for Duck)

ü  4 Duck Breasts

ü  1 Tea Spoon Olive Oil

ü  1 Table Spoon Guajillo chile flakes

ü  1/2 cup Chopped cilantro

ü  1 Tea Spoon of garlic Paste

ü  Salt

ü  1/2 a Lime (Juiced)

ü  1/2 Tea Spoon Cumin Powder

ü  1 tea Spoon Agave Nectar

Method

Marinating the duck:

ü  To keep the duck skin crisp is important. Prep the duck by removing extra fat. with a sharp knife score the skin side of the duck in both directions and do not penetrate your knife all the way to the meat.  In a mixing bowl marinate the duck breasts with the Mexican marinade with the above ingredients. Set aside for a minimum of 2 hours or refrigerate up to 48 hours.

The Sauce:

ü  Directly on high open flame roast poblano chiles on the burner racks turning frequently with tongs, until blistered and charred all over.  Remove from flame and immediately place and zip them in a zip log bag or in any bowl and wrap it it air tight for 15 to 20 minutes. After the chiles have cooled off rub off skin with your fingers, cut out stems, seed pods and veins and cut to small pieces.

ü  H eat a small, heavy skillet over medium heat and toast sesame seeds and chile seeds, pistachio seeds constantly stirring and tossing, about 4 minutes. Add oregano, epazote and cumin and roast for about a minute and remove from heat.

ü  Heat oil in another saute pan to medium heat and add the poblanos, garlic, onion, jalapeno and cook for about 15 minutes and transfer to  a blender along with the toasted ingredients to a blender. You may add some of the chicken stock. Blend until very smooth.

ü  Return the blended paste, add the remaining chicken stock in the saute pan and simmer for about an hour (low heat) and season.

ü   As the sauce simmers, add more stock as necessary to maintain a velvety consistency that thickly coats a wooden spoon but isn’t gloppy.

ü  While the sauce simmers, cover pot with a lid and keep it warm over very low heat as you prepare to pan sear the duck breasts.

Cooking The Duck & Plating:

ü  Heat a very large non stick on over medium heat and place the skin side down. Absolutely no additional oil is required. The duck renders enough fat and oil from its skin. Flip the skin side up after 2 minutes and cook for 2 minutes on the meat side and remove and rest for a minute on a wire rack. This step will keep the skin crispy ‘the restaurant style”

ü  Place the duck breast on a cutting board and cut in an angle.

ü  Plate a  ladle full of sauce on your warm to hot dinner plate, place the desired amount of sliced duck breast and garnish with sliced pistachios.

ü  Serve with Mexican rice or corn tortillas

Recipe courtesy of:

Executive Chef:  Prasad Chirnomula

Assistant to Chef:  Balu Sagadevan

Tags: /pistachio mole recipe /duck breast recipe /prasad chirnamula /Oaxaca Kitchen

text

Bread Pudding & Buttered Brandy Sauce

Bread Pudding

Recipe courtesy of Olivier’s Restaurant, New Orleans

¼ pound           margarine

2 ½ cups          milk

2 ½ ounces      evaporated milk

1                      egg

1 cup               sugar

1 ounce           vanilla extract

¾ cup               raisins

1 teaspoon      salt

1 loaf               stale bread, broken into small pieces

Place one quart warm water into a large mixing bowl. Add broken pieces of bread to the bowl, allowing bread to become completely soaked.  Gently squeeze the excess water from the bread, one handful at a time.  Set bread aside.  Discard the water. Thoroughly mix all of the other ingredients in the bowl, add the bread, mix and spread evenly into a deep greased baking pan. Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow tocool before cutting into portions.  Makes approximately 12 pieces.

Buttered Brandy Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Mother’s Restaurant, New Orleans

1 cup                     clarified butter

1/8 teaspoon     ground cinnamon

1 pinch                  ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons    dark brown sugar

1 ounce                brandy

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Raise to a boil, remove from heat. Pour on top of bread pudding in pan or spoon onto each piece when served.

Tags: /bread pudding /brandy sauce /mothers restaurant /olivier's restaurant /New Orleans recipes

text

Roasted Butternut Squash and Lentils

Recipe by  Kate Sherwood, as published in the Center for Science in the Public Interest Nutrition Action Health Letter, December 2011. www.cspinet.org

1 cup                                   French lentils

1 pound                               butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes

.

4 tablespoons                    extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons                    country Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon                      red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons                    minced red onion

1 teaspoon                         honey

½ teaspoon                        salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup                                chopped walnuts

Great warm or cold. To keep the flavor intense, don’t add the dressing until you’re ready to serve the dish.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large pot, bring the lentils and enough water to cover by 2” to a boil. Simmer until just tender, 18-20 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, toss the butternut squash in 1 Tbs. of the oil. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet until tender, about 15 minutes. Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, onion, honey, and remaining 3 Tbs. of oil.

Gently toss with the lentils and squash. Season with up to ½ tsp. of salt and plenty of pepper. Sprinkle with the walnuts.

Serves 4.

PER SERVING (1½ cups)

· Calories: 410

· Total Fat: 19 g

· Sat Fat: 2.5 g

· Protein: 15 g

· Carbohydrates: 47 g

· Fiber: 17 g

· Cholesterol: 0 mg

· Sodium: 430 mg

Tags: /butternut squah recipe /lentil recipe /kate sherwood /center for science in the public interest /healthy recipes