Irish Whiskey Brown Sauce

I want you guys to try something different for St. Patrick’s Day.  Instead of eating the usual New England Boiled Dinner  (that’s Corned Beef and Cabbage in layman’s terms, and I will promise a anecdote about this later), try grilling lamb chops or braised lamb shanks with this deep-brown savory sauce.  No need to go all out and use Jameson’s or Bushmills; John Powers will do just fine. The bonus is that this is good with chicken as well as beef.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced onions

1/4 cup diced celery

4 Tbl. butter

4 Tbl. flour

1 bay leaf

1 Tbl. tomato paste

2 cups beef broth ( or stock), hot

1/2 cup John Powers Irish Whiskey

salt and black pepper to taste

1 Tbl. unsalted butter, chilled (optional)

In a heavy bottomed 3-4 quart saucepan, melt the four tablespoons of flour over medium heat. Add carrots, onion and celery and saute for about six or seven minutes, stirring constantly until vegetables are caramelized.  Add the four tablespoons  of  flour and cook for four minutes stirring constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan to release some of the bits on the bottom. Be careful not to burn the pan at this stage.

Mix 1 cup of  hot stock with the whiskey in a separate container, then add to the pot of vegetables and flour.  With a wire whisk, whisk the sauce together until smooth, then add the remaining stock, tomato paste, bay leaf and rosemary sprig. Turn the heat down to simmer, then allow sauce to cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add salt and pepper as desired, and remove from heat. Strain off sauce through a fine mesh sieve. Press vegetables gently to release any juices and discard. Vigorously whisk in optional tablespoon of butter until melted and serve with gusto.

Minestrone for whatever ails you

Well, what do you do when you want a vegetable soup, but not just any vegetable soup? You make minestrone, the king of vegetable soups. The good thing about this recipe is that with the omission of the meat,  this becomes vegetarian; and with the omission of the cheese, it becomes vegan.

Ingredients

3 Tbl. olive oil

1/2 cup chopped bacon, ham or smoked turkey meat ( omit for meat free option)

1 cup onion, peeled and diced

1/2 cup  chopped celery, diced

1/2 cup green or red bell peppers, diced

3/4 cup chopped carrots, peeled and diced

1 cup zucchini, diced

2 tbl. chopped garlic (  add more if you like)

15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 bay leaf

2 cups packed chopped fresh escarole or chopped raw spinach

1 5 oz. can  drained and rinsed cannellini beans, or 1 cup cooked pasta ( bowtie, elbows, penne)

2 tbl.  chopped fresh parsley

Parmesan cheese for garnishing

Directions

Prepare all vegetables and meats, and measure out all liquids and seasonings before preparing soup. In a 3 gallon heavy bottomed stock pot, heat up the olive oil over medium heat.  ( If going meatless, skip the following step, and go to the next step) Saute bacon until crispy, or ham until browned slightly; being careful not to allow to burn, about 10 minutes. At this time, a brown substance may form on the bottom of the pot. This is called fond, and is valuable for flavoring soup. Do not allow fond to burn.

Add carrots, onions, celery, peppers, garlic and zucchini to the pot. Add I cup of the broth, and cook vegetables until wilted, about five minutes.  Add the rest of the broth, seasonings, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and turn heat down to simmer. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming off any accumulated fat off of the surface  with a spoon.

Add the spinach or escarole, and the beans or pasta and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until greens are tender. Serve in bowls with generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy!

Valentine’s Day Appetizers: BBQ Bacon Shrimp and Twice-baked Mini potatoes

Looking to score some points with your main squeeze? Is going out putting a strain on the old finances? Well, the Culinary Chick is looking out for you.

Here are two simple, yet elegant appetizers to win the favor of your intended. They also are siutable for that cocktail party or sporting event at your house.

If you plan to serve these two together; prep the shrimp and set aside. Make the twice-baked first and when cooking them for the final time, put the shrimp in the oven.

Bacon-wrapped BBQ shrimp ( Serves two)

1/2 lb.   either U/15 or 16-20 shrimp (about eight shrimp)

4 strips of raw bacon ( no turkey bacon, please!)

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup your favorite BBQ sauce

Four 6-inch bamboo skewers

Soak skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.  Heat oven to 400 °. While skewers are soaking, assemble the shrimp.

Peel, devein ( see video for help) shrimp and set aside. Wash all surfaces with warm, soapy water before cutting bacon to avoid cross-contamination.  Cut each piece of bacon in half crosswise.   Bend each shrimp so that the top end of the shrimp touches the bottom ( in a circular shape). Wrap each shrimp in the piece if bacon so that the beginning and end of each piece of bacon is on the side of the shrimp. Drain and pat dry the wooden skewers, then skewer each shrimp through the ends of the bacon, two shrimp for each skewer. Place  shrimp on oiled cookie sheet and bake in oven for six minutes. When bacon begins to brown, baste each skewer with the BBQ sauce. Shrimp are done when bacon is brown and sauce thickens on shripm, about 10 minutes.

Twice- Baked Yukon Gold Potatoes ( serves two)

I lb. yukon gold potatoes ( see note)

1 tbl. vegetable oil

1 tbl. unsalted butter, melted

2-4 tbl milk or sour cream

Salt and pepper

2 tbl fresh chives

1/4 cup grated white cheddar, fontina, or swiss cheese

**Note:   when selecting the yukon gold potatoes, keep in mind when cut in half , they should be large enough to be eaten in 2 bites; no larger.

Preheat oven to 400°.  Select four potatoes, then wash and pat dry. Pierce each potatoes with the tines of a fork three or four times. Rub each one with vegetable oil and bake unitl tender, about 25 minutes. remove from oven and cool.

When potatoes are warm to the touch and easy to handle, cut three of the potatoes lenghtwise and set aside. Peel the fourth potato and dice, placing in mixing bowl. With a spoon, carefully scoop out the remaining potato halves, leaving the skin and some of the flesh intact, the goal is having a shell to put the mashed potatoes back in. Place the potatoes innards with the diced potatoes in the bowl.

In the bowl with the potato scraps, add milk or sour cream, butter, chives and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff potato shells with the mashed potato mixture and top with the grated cheese. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until hot, and cheese is bubbly on top.

National Irish Coffee Week & bonus recipe, too!

photo courtesy of http://www.liquerious.com

This is National Irish Coffee Week, and if you’re located in the northestern United States, it couldn’ve come at a better time. It is just a hot mess outside today weatherwise, all icy and whatnot.  I tried my first Irish Coffee when I was 18 or 19 years old. I was trying to appear sophisticated, so I ordered it with a group of co-workers on a frosty winter day way back in 1981.

I was surprised when the server brought this concoction in a glass mug piled high with whipped cream. She then artfully drizzled green creme-de-menthe and chocolate syrup all over the top.  It was spectacular; the swirls of stiff cream looked like a minature mountain while the irridescent ribbons of green and brown slowly glided in between the  crevices of whipped cream. Iwondered aloud how to drink it, and someone said to drink a bit of the coffee through the small red and white coffee stirrers provided.

As I took the  first sip it was incredibly hot , and the bitter, sharp sting of the whiskey proved a bit challenging to me. I wasn’t accoustomed to the taste; you see, I cut my drinking teeth on frozen daquiris and other sweet drinks. Another person said to stir the cream into the coffee slowly, so that as the cream melted it would cool off the drink. I followed their instructions, and secretly felt like I was in an exclusive club. That was before I went to Ireland and had the authentic version.

The chef intructor took us to Slain Castle ( the same place where U2 filmed one of their videos), and had a great dinner. We had some pink trout among other things, and at the end I ordered an Irish coffee. What I got was nothing I had ever seen before. Instead of the glorious mounds of whipped cream and the familiar drizzles of green and brown oozing their way down the sides of my glass, I was greeted with a pedestrian-looking coffee with some cream floating on the top.  The only thing spectacular about the dring was the ornate crystal glass it was housed in. What I wasn’t prepared for was the taste.

Our instructor saw the look on my face and said, ” Just sip it through the cream, and don’t stir it.” Following his directive, I sipped the coffee carefully. The sensations were great; first came the cold and suprisingly thick cream, and then a warm rush of the coffee chasing it. I remembered closing my eyes, and thinking, “Where had THIS been all my life???”  Instead of a bitter wash of whiskey and coffee, it was warm, sweet  and simply sublime. I didn’t miss the cream de menthe or the chocolate syrup at all.

So my friends, you too can have the same experience I had in Ireland at home. Here is a recipe I’ve culled from my memory; it’s simple!

Equipment:

Two large mugs

stainless steel bowl

whisk

measuring cups and spoons

 

You will need ( 2 servings)

 2 cups brewed coffee, strong

1/2 cup whipping cream, cold

2 healthy shots of your favorite Irish Whiskey ( John Powers, Jameson, or Bushmills)

4 T. turbinado sugar, or your choice of artificial sweetener.

Boiling water

Refrigerate stainless steel bowl until cold. Pour cream into bowl and whisk by hand until cream is thick  and still pourable, not whipped. Set aside.

In two large mugs pour boiling water into each mug and let sit for two minutes.  Discard water, and add desired amount of sugar to each mug and stir. Add one shot of whiskey to each mug. Add coffee, leaving an inch below the rim of each mug.  Spoon the stirred cream into each mug and serve. It is imperative that you don’t stir the cream into the coffee; sip the coffee through the cream carefully in order to appreciate the whole experience.

My Official Inaugural Drink : The Barackatini

Courtesy of http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cocktails/presidential-cocktails.asp

I first ran into the Obama cocktail a few days ago while pleading to Anthony Bourdain to let me give him a proper tour of Baltimore in a recent post.  In his blog, he wrote about this ghastly concoction containing come form of cocoanut  (probably Malibu rum), Blue curacao, and pineapple juice. Besides making your teeth chatter with all that extra sugar coursing through your veins, it just sounds just plain nasty.

Obama has an elegance about him, with just a hint of swagger. I suggest that a drink named after him contain these elements. I suggest we make something similar to the drink pictured above. This is the official (at least according to the website) Barack Rocks Cocktail.  The recipe is from The Nibble.com and can be found here.

After consulting a few buddies of mine, we decided to make up a martini (elegance) with a kick ( swagger). We came up with the Barackatini.

Note: This is what we thought a proper tribute to our next president. I am acutely aware that this may just be another form of another drink out there somewhere, so save all of the ” hey, that’s just a (insert drink name here) for someone who gives a fark, thank you very much.

The Barackatini ( serves two)

In a shaker with ice, pour the following:

2 healthy shots of raspberry vodka

1 heathy shot of Cointreau

splash of pineapple juice

splash club soda

Orange twist for garnish

Blue decorating sugar for rimming glass

Chill martini glasses for 20 minutes. Run a twist of orange around the rim of one glass and drop into martini glass. Repeat with the other glass. Place the rim of each glass into the blue sugar and set aside.  Shake  contents of shaker until well blended, and strain  into martini glasses. Enjoy!

In the spirit of the day, let us all rejoice in the realization of a dream deferred.

Mazel Tov!

Nicoise Salad

As I sat in my kitchen yesterday; all stuffed up and whatnot from the SCOURGE,  I become aware that I am sick of eating soup. So, I dig through the larder for something to eat and came upon the makings for a classic Nicoise salad.

So what is Nicoise salad, one asks oneself?

Salad Nicoise is a composed salad made with tuna, potatoes, olives, anchovies ( eww; yeah, I know), green beans, tomatoes, boiled egg and capers. It is presented on lettuce with a vinegar-based dressing, and is a great way to use leftovers.  If you are a tuna snob and prefer to use fresh tuna, go right ahead. I used the tuna  fillets in foil packets because that’s what I had, but good o’l regular tuna is just fine.

And, if you don’t like some of the ingredients and want to sub out say the tuna for chicken or turkey, and the green beans for cucumber, ect…make a damn chef or cobb salad, for Christ’s sake!

You will need ( Serves two):

4 cups of chopped romaine or your favorite salad mix ( I used mesclun mix)

tomato wedges

12 0z. can of tuna; or 6-8oz. fresh tuna, grilled

1 cup blanched green beans

2 boiled eggs, halved

1/4 cup kalamata or nicoise olives

1 cup cooked potato, diced or quartered (2-3 red bliss potatoes)

2 TBL. capers ( optional)

4 ea. capers ( optional)

Some sort of vinaigrette dressing (  like red wine vinaigrette, balsamic, italian, ect)

Using a large platter and using the lettuce as a bed, arrange all of the ingredients on top of the lettuce except the potatoes and optional ingredients. Toss potatoes in  a small amount vinaigrette dressing, then place on lettuce. Serve with some crusty bread.

Please refrain from using any creamy style, calorie-laden “dressing” that would probably weigh this salad down.

Please. Your waistline will be grateful!

Beer-Battered Chicken fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping sauce

I met my friend Carlotta when I worked at an infamous waterfront eatery in Fell’s Point, Baltimore. She and others loved the chicken fingers we used to serve, especially on Sunday Funday. Although my goal is to present only all-original recipes for this blog, I will publish my version of the famed treat, along with a version of the sauce that was served alongside it.

NOTE: For you veg-heads, this works extremely well with zucchini or portobello mushrooms! Just cut the vegetables into sticks, then follow the recipe below.

You will need:

sharp knife

cutting board

large bowl

wire whisk

slotted spoon

plate or pie tin and paper towels

dry measuring cup

liquid measuring cup

measuring spoons

heavy-bottomed skillet ( cast iron, or aluminum)

Deep fryer (if you have one)

Beer Battered Chicken Fingers

**First, make Honey Mustard sauce (recipe follows); Set aside and chill**

1+ 3/4 cup self rising flour

1 tsp.  seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. white pepper ( black pepper is ok)

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

1 12 oz. bottle of Bass® or similar style ale

1 lb. chicken tenders, OR 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts

Canola or vegetable oil for frying

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Wash and dry chicken tenders; set aside. If using chicken breasts, wash breasts and pat dry. Place chicken on clean cutting board or surface. With a sharp knife, cut breast into index-finger sized strips.  Measure out flour, setting aside 1/2 cup of the flour. Place the remainder 1+ 1/4 cups of flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Mix with wire whisk until blended. Now, add 1/3 of the beer and mix  well. Add more beer a bit at a time until the mixture resembles smooth pancake batter. Let batter rest for 10  minutes.

Put 1/2 cup reserved flour in a zip lock bag. Add fingers, a few at a time and shake bag thoroughly until fingers are coated evenly. Shake off any excess flour and repeat until all fingers are coated.

If using fryer, heat oil to 375. If using frying pan, measure out oil in pan until it reaches 2 inches of oil.

***NOTE: USE A DEEP ENOUGH PAN SO THAT WHEN YOU HAVE MEASURED OUT THE OIL, YOU STILL HAVE AT LEAST TWO INCHES OF PAN LEFT. DO NOT MEASURE OIL TO TOP OF PAN OR YOU WILL HAVE A HAZARDOUS FIRE THAT WILL BURN DOWN THE HOUSE AND LEAVE YOU HOMELESS ***

Once each finger is coated and the oil is hot; dip each finger into the batter, shake off excess and place gently into the oil. Continue with a few more fingers, avoid crowding the pan. As fingers brown, turn them with the slotted spoon. Once brown, remove fingers from the oil with the slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Continue cooking chicken in batches until done.

If making large batches of fingers, keep warm in slow oven ( 200-225°)

Honey-Mustard Dipping sauce

1/3 cup Dijon-style mustard

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup honey

Mix together and chill

My soon-to-be-famous Sangria

The best time to serve this is the day after it is made. This allows all of the flavors to marry, and the fruit to leach out all of their flavors.

Makes 2.5- 3 quarts

Equipment you will need:

A large pitcher ( glass or plastic; not metal)

Wooden Spoon

sharp knife

Cutting board

Ingredients:

1- 750 ml bottle of an inexpensive, but assertive dry red wine ( no Merlot OR Beaujolais; use a cabernet or a shiraz)

2 apples

2 oranges

2 plums

2 peaches

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups grape juice blend ( such as cran-grape, apple-grape, ect.), OR 2 cups cherry flavored Juicy Juice®.

1 cup citrus-flavored vodka

Instructions

Thoroughly wash the all fruit, setting aside oranges. Cut and seed the apples,peaches and plums with the skins on. Dice fruit and place into pitcher. Cut the top and bottom off each orange, and place the orange on the cutting board with the cut side facing up. Using the knife, cut off the skin of the orange, removing the white pith underneath (If you take the short and  hand-peel the orange the usual way, it will make your sangria have a bitter aftertaste).  Cut the orange into three or four pieces, and add to pitcher.

Pour the sugar on top of the fruit. Then with the wooden spoon, mash the fruit in the pitcher until fruit is wwll broken up. Add Juice, vodka and wine; stir until blended. Place a lid on the sangria and let “age” for 24 hours.  To serve, pour into ice-filled tall glasses and enjoy.

20-minute Marinara sauce & Baked Chicken Parmesan

This will result in a all-purpose sauce that is light enough to toss with angel hair, and still substantial enough to be used in a lasagne recipe, or in Baked Chicken Parmesan ( recipe follows). Once on the stove, cooking time is 20 minutes.

20-minute Marinara

2-28 oz.cans of whole plum tomatoes in juice
2-each medium onions, diced finely
2 TBL. ( generous) chopped garlic
1 cup white wine ( or vegetable stock)
1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced thinly
1/2 tbl. dried thyme
1 TBl sea/kosher salt
1/2 TBL. cracked/coarse ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Empty cans of tomatoes into a large bowl, and crush by hand until chunky. Set aside.
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until clear; about four minutes. Add garlic to onions, and cook for one minute. Empty tomatoes into pan, stir, add wine and turn up heat to high. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil, about seven minutes. Turn down heat, add dried seasonings, salt and pepper. Cook for eight minutes. Add fresh basil, stir and remove from heat. Toss sauce with cooked pasta of your choice, or continue with recipe below.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Serves four

4 ea. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp. sea/kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 Tbl. dried basil
1 1/2 Tbl.. dried oregano
1/2 cup dijon mustard
2 cups grated three-cheese pizza blend cheese (sargento)
2 cups hot, 20-minute marinara
Vegetable spray

Place chicken breasts ( one at a time) between a large ziplock plastic bag, and with a rolling pan, flatten each breast with a rolling pin until flattened and an even thickness; about 1/4 inch thickness. Place breasts on plate and refrigerate.

Clean all surfaces before continuing

Combine breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan and  seasonings in a shallow pan ( pie tin), Set aside.
Measure out dijon mustard and put in separate container. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pull out chicken from refrigerator. With a small brush,  lightly brush both sides of the chicken with the dijon mustard. The trick is to get the breadcrumbs to adhere to the chicken. Place one breast in the breadcrumb mixture, pat gently and turn over until the breasts are evenly coated, shaking off excess crumbs. Repeat with each breast and refrigerate for 10 minutes.  Discard leftover crumbs. Spray a large sheet pan with vegetable spray and place breasts on sheet pan. Bake in hot oven for 10 minutes. Remove breasts from oven, turn each breast over, and top each breast with 1/2 cup marinara sauce. Then, top each breast with a generous amount of the grated pizza cheese. Return chicken to oven. reduce heat to 375 degrees, and bake for 10-12 minutes more or until done. Serve over pasta, or for a lower carb option, serve with vegetable of your choice.

Risotto with Shrimp, Spinach and Mushrooms

Risotto is one of Italy’s most famous dishes. It is typically made with arborio rice, a short grained white rice that contains a high starch content. It is the starch that gives this dish its super creamy texture, and can be eaten as a main dish, or as a side for roasts and grilled meats. Now, here is the fun part; Once you learn how to make this, the ingredients can be switched and altered as long as you observe the 3-to-1 ratio of rice to liquid.

To make this dish vegetarian, omit the shrimp and use vegetable broth.

You will need:
Wooden spoon
regular sauce pan
Heavy-bottomed skillet ( 4 quart at the minimum, 6 quart maximum)
Liquid measuring cup
ladle
measuring spoon
cutting board

risotto with shrimp, spinach, and, mushrooms ( serves 2-4 people)

1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, heated to simmer
1 cup chopped onions
1Tbl. chopped garlic
1 pint button, shiitake, or cremini (baby bella), cleaned and sliced
1 small package frozen spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
1/2 to 3/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, cold
1/2 cup top quality grated fresh parmesan ( no canned cheese here, please)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Read recipe thoroughly, the prepare all ingredients before proceeding with recipe.

Heat skillet and add 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add onions and cook over medium heat for five minutes or until clear.
Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add mushrooms, and cook until soft. Add drained spinach and cook until dry, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Clean skillet and return to stove. Add the remaining olive oil, and saute shrimp for 3-4 minutes or until pink. Set aside shrimp. Do not drain oil from pan. Add rice, and saute rice for about five minutes until rice turns clear. Do not brown. Add one ladle of hot broth to rice, and stir until all liquid is absorbed. Add another ladle of hot broth to rice and stir rice again until broth is absorbed. Repeat, adding broth to rice and stirring until absorbed until all of the broth is used. Reduce heat to low, and add shrimp and spinach mixture to rice and stir until heated. Add butter and stir until melted. Pull risotto off the heat and fold in the cheese. Serves 2-4 people.