Ricotta, Chive Puree and Prosciutto Crostini

Ingredients

1/2 cup snipped chives

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons marcona almonds

1/4  teaspoon Salt

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

24   baguette diagonal slices, toasted

12 thin slices prosciutto (about 4 ounces), cut into 3-inch-wide strips

In a blender, combine the chives, olive oil, almonds and a pinch of salt and pulse to a coarse puree.

In a small bowl, lightly season the ricotta with salt and spread about 1 teaspoon onto each baguette slice. Carefully spoon a small dollop of the chive puree on top of each slice and garnish each with a loosely rolled up slice of prosciutto. Transfer the appetizers to a platter and serve.

Chicken Cheddar Chowder

Ingredients

8  bacon slices

Cooking spray

1  pound  skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

1  cup  chopped onion

1  cup  diced red bell pepper

2  garlic cloves, minced

4 1/2  cups  chicken broth

1 3/4  cups  diced peeled red potatoes

2 1/4  cups  frozen whole-kernel corn

1/2  cup  all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

1 cup half-and-half

3/4  cup  (3 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1/2  teaspoon  salt

1/4  teaspoon  pepper

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Crumble; set aside. Add chicken, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to bacon fat in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and potatoes; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add corn; stir well.

Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk + half-and-half, stirring with a whisk until blended; add to soup. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in cheese, salt, and pepper. Top with crumbled bacon.

Cuban Style Burgers

Ingredients

2 pounds ground chuck

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup best-quality mayonnaise

3 cloves roasted garlic, pureed

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

4 soft, classic hamburger buns

8 slices thinly sliced Swiss cheese

4 slices thinly sliced smoked ham

2 dill pickles, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Preheat the grill to high. Form the meat into 4 (1/4-inch thick) burgers. Season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on both sides for medium doneness. When the burgers are done, remove from the heat and reduce heat to medium-low.

Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread both sides of each bun with mayonnaise and mustard. Place a slice of cheese on the bottom portion of each bun, place the burger on top of the cheese, then top the cheese with a slice of ham and another slice of cheese, and finally, the pickle slices. Place the tops of the bun over the pickles, wrap the burgers in aluminum foil, and place them on the grill. Using a heavy pan or a brick wrapped in foil, press down on the burgers for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lower the lid on the grill and continue grilling for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the bun has become pressed and firm.

Pacific Rim Pork Sandwiches with Hoisin Slaw

Ingredients

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger 

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce\ 

3 tablespoons dry sherry 

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce 

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil 

1½ teaspoons hot Chinese mustard 

¼ teaspoon five-spice powder 

1 garlic clove 

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch slices

2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 

1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger 

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil 

1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce 

¼ teaspoon hot Chinese mustard 

1 garlic clove, minced 

2½ cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw 

¼ cup sliced green onions

Remaining Ingredient

Cooking Spray 

4 sesame seed buns, toasted

To prepare pork, combine first 8 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork, and seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally. 

To prepare slaw, combine vinegar and the next 6 ingredients (through 1 garlic clove) in a large bowl. Add coleslaw and green onions; toss well. 

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove pork from bag, and discard marinade. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. 

Divide pork evenly among the bottom halves of sesame seed buns. Top each serving with about ½ cup slaw mixture and top half of bun.

Cumin-Crusted Pork Soft Tacos

Ingredients

Pork

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salsa

2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed

1 cup quartered grape tomatoes

1 cup cubed peeled avocado

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Other

2 cups reduced-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped

30 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare pork, combine first 5 ingredients. Rub cumin mixture over pork. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 4 minutes or until browned on all sides. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155°. Remove pork from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut pork across grain into thin slices.

To prepare salsa, combine corn and next 7 ingredients (through beans).

Combine sour cream and chipotle in a blender; process until smooth.

Wrap tortillas, 3 at a time, in a damp paper towel. Microwave at high 20 seconds. Spoon about 1 ounce pork onto each tortilla. Top each tortilla with about 2 tablespoons salsa and about 2 teaspoons sour cream mixture. Fold in half.

Books I've Read Lately

Randomness not related to food ... i wanted to keep track of the books i've ready lately so i'll do that here.

3/09: The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger

3/09: Firestarter - Stephen King

2/09: The Testament - John Grisham

1/09: The Prodigal Daughter - Jeffrey Archer

1/09: Velocity - Dean Koontz
12/08: Salem's Lot - Stephen King
11/08: Not a Penny More Not a Penny Less - Jeffrey Archer
10/08: Kane & Abel - Jeffrey Archer
9/08: The Dead Zone - Stephen King
7/08: Intensity - Dean Koontz
6/08: The Andromeda Strain - Michael Crichton
1/08: Angels & Demons - Dan Brown

Indian Spiced Shrimp

Ingredients
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 jalapenos, minced, including seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1.5 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 15oz can petite diced tomatoes, with juices
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Cook onion in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add jalapeño, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until jalapeño is softened and garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add cumin, coriander, salt, and turmeric and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down and sauce is thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add shrimp and cook, turning occasionally, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in half of cilantro. Serve sprinkled with remaining cilantro.

Suggestion - serve over rice.

Yields 4 servings.

Seared Tuna with Ginger-Shiitake Cream Sauce

Ingredients
4 8-ounce tuna steaks, each about 1 inch thick
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, chopped
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Lime wedges (optional)
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Sprinkle both sides of the tuna with black pepper. Set aside.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add butter, sliced green onions, cilantro, ginger and chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in mushrooms and soy sauce and simmer 30 seconds. Add whipping cream and simmer until sauce lightly coats back of spoon, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Remove from heat.

Heat another skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Place tuna steaks, pepper side down, in hot oil and sear 2 minutes. Turn tuna over and continue cooking to desired doneness, about another 2 minutes for rare.

Spoon sauce onto plates; arrange tuna atop sauce. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
4 cups cooked french style green beans
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups French fried onions

Preparation:
Mix soup, milk and pepper in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup of the fried onions. Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Top with the remaining 2/3 cup fried onions and bake about 5 more minutes, until onions are lightly browned.

Yields 6 servings.

Squash Casserole

Ingredients
6 cups large diced yellow squash and zucchini
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 can 10 oz cream of chicken soup
1 cup crushed butter crackers (recommended: Ritz)

*3 green and 3 yellow squash makes a good amount for a smaller side.  it's a bit creamier, but still good.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Saute the squash in a little vegetable oil over medium-low heat until it has completely broken down, about 15 to 20 minutes. Line a colander with a clean tea towel. Place the cooked squash in the lined colander. Squeeze excess moisture from the squash. Set aside.

In a medium size skillet, saute the onion in butter for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and mix all ingredients together except cracker crumbs. Pour mixture into a buttered casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and cracker crumbs have browned.

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage over Penne

Ingredients

1 pound penne pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 whole white onion, sliced
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence
Sea salt
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound andouille sausage, cut into pieces
4 medium fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions until it is al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, herbes de Provence, sausage, and salt, to taste, and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shrimp, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the basil and cream and cook on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the pasta, taste and adjust seasoning. Serve in large pasta bowls.

Beef Stock

Ingredients
2-3 pounds chuck roast, with fat
1 celery
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cabbage, cut into quarters
1 pound of carrots, peeled, halved
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 can whole tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 bay leaves
salt (1-2 quick turns of pot with salt shaker)
pepper
paprika
12 cups of water

Place the chuck roast in a large stock pot. Add the remaining ingredients. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the chuck roast is very tender, about 3 hours.

Remove the chuck roast and set aside, do something else with it.

Strain the broth into another pan. Use it in other recipes.


Directions
Put beef into a large stock pot. Fill up 3/4 with water. Turn on stove burner.

Separate the celery into individual stalks, cut in half. Chop the onion. Add celery, onion, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, dill, and parsely to pot. Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.

Bring to a boil. Remove beef fat that comes to the top of the pot. Reduce heat and simmer 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Season as necessary.

Remove beef from pot, shred, place in a bowl.

Drain soup through strainer, reserving broth. Place vegetables on a plate to be served.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Place in a bowl.

Make a bowl of soup by adding beef, noodles, your choice of vegetables, and broth.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
6-8 onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
3 fresh thyme sprigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 cups beef stock
1 baguette, sliced
1/2 pound sliced Provolone, Mozzarella, or Gruyere Cheese

Directions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

Next, add the beef stock, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the cheese and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the cheese croutons on top.

Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.