Scott’s Asian Salsa

10-15 Grape Tomatoes (halved or quartered)
1.5 Tablespoons of finely diced ginger
2 Scallions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Nuoc Nom (Fish Sauce or Patis)

Just a word of advice. Start with 1/2 a teaspoon of fish sauce. Toss, then taste. Fish Sauce is very strong and can overpower your protein. A little fish sauce goes a LONG way!

Feel free to add whatever you want to the mix like diced mango.  Oh, and as always, fried or grilled anything with this salsa demands fresh steamed rice!

Well, Salmon was on sale at the market so I picked up a couple of portions. The cous cows was quick and easy, plus I was having a strange craving for it. The salmon is extremely simple.

Sear your salt and peppered Salmon for 3-5 minutes over medium high heat, not super hot. Once you place it in the pan, don’t touch it. Don’t! Once you see a little crust on the edges, it’s time to flip it over. Once you do, I place it in my oven for about 5 minutes at 275-300 (preheated).

While that is in the over, you can cook the couscous in less than 6 minutes. I had a red and yellow pepper laying around. I cut up a few strips into really small dice (brunoise). Take 1/2 a shallot and do the same. Take 1/2 cup of broth or water and tsp of butter and bring to a boil. Add shallot and peppers, then stir in 1/4 cup of couscous. Stir, then place a lid on it and take it off the heat. Don’t open the cover for at least 5-7 minutes.

Don’t forget about your salmon. remove from oven and let it rest. After the resting period is up for the couscous, open lid and fluff with a fork. Plate your couscous and place your salmon on top!

This is another simple off-the-cuff meal… quick, simple and great on a fall/winter night!

I seared the pork chops on both sides for about 3-4 minutes a piece (make sure your chops are at room temperature or the insides won’t cook quick enough)

Meanwhile I took baby potatoes (i like these better than russet) and boil in salted water. Start the potatoes with COLD water, then bring to a boil for a few minutes. A paring knife should be able to pierce the potatoes with ease. Once they are cooked, drain the water and place into a heatproof pan. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and throw in a sprig or two of rosemary or thyme. Place in a 400 degree oven. Toss once in a while and cook until some brownness appears.

After searing the pork chops (we’re not looking to cook them all the way thru) take them out and place under foil. In the same pan, add 1/2 a small onion, sliced fennel and one small garlic clove. Cook down the onions and fennel, then add 1/4 cup of chicken or beef broth. Place the chops back in the pan and place in the oven for about 5-8 minutes, next to the potatoes if you want.

Plate your chops and potatoes and pour the pan sauce over your chops!

I got a little ambitious and wanted to make Macarons.

Note, I said macarons – not macaroons. Macaroons are those delectable delights made with coconut.

I’m referring to Macarons, the fancy French dessert. I think the closest thing we have to it here in America is the whoopee pie, but not really. The macaron is made with two “wafer/cookies” with a filling sandwiched between them. They are about the size of a dollar coin.

The recipe is actually quick simple, its the preparation that can be difficult. In a nutshell, they are made with whipped egg whites, sugar and almonds. I decided to use the recipe from a fellow blogger, Joe Pastry that calls for the following recipe:

3.8 ounces blanched almonds
7 ounces powdered sugar
3.5 ounces egg whites (aged overnight at room temperature)
1.75 ounces granulated sugar

You want to start by measuring the ingredients exactly. Baking is a science, its not like savory cooking where you can just throw in a dash here or dash there. I started off by taking the blanched almonds in my food processor and turning it into something close to the consistency of sand or flour.

Then add the powdered sugar and pulse about 10 times.

Then you want to whip up your ROOM TEMPERATURE/OVERNIGHT egg whites. That’s right, you need to “age” the egg white and make sure they are at room temperature. I was a little scared about doing this, but nothing I have read says it is dangerous. I placed mine in a sealed container and left it on the counter overnight. You’ll want to add the egg whites to a CLEAN bowl of your mixer. Make sure it is clean and dry or your whites might not whip together properly.

Once it gets frothy, you’ll want to add your granulated sugar in gradually. Once you do this the egg whites will transform to a silky-firm texture. You want to be able to pull the whip from the whites and have the tip just droop over slightly. Anything beyond this and you will get something that will be dry.

Pull the bowl off the mixer and with “conviction” as Joe says, throw in your dry ingredients and mix until just mixed. I then divided the mixture into two batches as I wanted to have “red” macaroons as well.

Everything is going well at this point. Really.

It is the next step that caused my disaster. I divided the mixure into two parts and added red food coloring to one batch. I then folded the color in. The color was more light pink, so I added more coloring.

And more…and more. HUGE mistake.

By the time I was done, I could tell the consistency of the “red” batter was decidedly thinner than the white batter. I didn’t have time to whip up another batch. It was time to form the “coins” on the baking sheets and pop them into the ovens. Carefully I “poured” red batter into the piping bag and it was so runny I didn’t have to do much to pipe them on the tray. I knew I was fracked at this point.

I cried a little. I then piped the white mixture and that gave me more confidence. You have to let your “coins” air dry for at least 30 minutes before baking.

Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees and then place in the oven after they have rested.

After about 12 minutes, you’ll want to check to see if they are done. Gently tap the top and if it is firm, it’s ready.

Surprisingly, the red macarons looked great – but once I pulled them into the light, I could see they weren’t. While they did “rise”, the dome was wafer thin and translucent. The white macarons looked great too. You need to let them rest for another 30 minutes.

After about 30 minutes I decided to try and “de-sheet” my macarons. I think I needed to keep them in for another few more minutes. The pink ones were flat and any pressure on the sides made the “dome” collapse and break. The white ones looked awesome, but since they weren’t completely cooked, they stuck to the non-stick silpat. I think the use of parchment is recommended since you can “peel” them off the parchment. Peeling from the silpat is not so easy. Go parchment for sure!

So why did I post this if it was a failure? Hopefully someone will learn from my mistake and make wonderful macarons. I will try again for sure – and when I do I will repost with success!

So I made my Italian Sausage stuffing for the Rolled Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving. I ended up having about cup worth of leftovers and wanted something for breakfast the next morning. So I took the stuffing and with a fork broke it down into smaller pieces. I preheated my oven to 425. I then scrambled about 3 eggs along with a dash of half and half that was left over from Thanksgiving Day as well. Season with salt and pepper and place the stuffing into the egg mixture and then about 2 tablespoons of your favorite shredded cheese.

Over medium high heat (not high), place your egg mixture into the pan, pull the pan off the heat and lower the heat to medium. You should see the outer edges start to firm up. return to heat for about another minute or two. You’re looking for more firmness around the edges. The middle of the pan will definitely be runny still.

Turn the heat off and transfer your skillet to the oven for about 5-8 minutes. The eggs will continue to cook. After about 5-8 minutes pull the skillet out of the oven. Let rest for less than a minute and it will deflate. Place on a plate and serve!

I had the honor of meeting Dorie Greenspan a few years back (2002-ish) when I was working for Sur La Table, I was hosting a cooking class and she was the guest instructor.

The moment I met Dorie I was star-struck. Admittedly, I had only opened one of Dorie’s cookbooks just days before her arrival (I was still new to the world of culinary then), but after that I was a fan! She was touring the U.S. promoting her, then, new cookbook Paris Sweets. She is the author of several cookbooks including: Baking with Julia, Baking: From my House to Yours and her latest book, Around My French Table.

I was looking through the App store on my iPad and decided to look up cooking apps. I came across an app called “Baking with Dorie” an app actually released this past September, but for some reason I am just running into it this week. It recently was updated to version 1.1.

Baking With Dorie is THE way a cooking app should be on any “iDevice”

When you open the app, it’s just beautiful to look at. Vibrant photos, good use of white space (a personal favorite), informative and concise. The main page is a menu that let’s you choose from five categories: Baking, Breakfast Sweets, Cookies, Cakes, Pies & Tarts. There is a “sixth” category called Favorites, but that’s for you, the user, to mark your favorite recipes and they will be in one place. The beauty of this app is that it isn’t just a “read and do” app, this app is interactive and you can bake along with Dorie.

Each recipe comes up with a clear photo of what you will be baking. It also tells you how many you’ll be making in the recipe as well as the ability to create a shopping list to bring with you to the market. On the recipe screen you will find an INTRO button, here you will find information on what you are baking with little facts of history, personal notes from Dorie along with baking, storing and serving suggestions.

Once you click on START you are brought to a “timeline” or what they call CulinView that gives you a birds-eye view of what will be needed to complete your recipe. It breaks down the ingredients as well as where in the timeline they will be incorporated into the mixing process. In addition to the ingredients Dorie specifies exactly which cooking tools you will need for each step.

Clicking on Step by Step brings you to my favorite part of this app. Each recipe comes with a set of videos showing you “step by step” how to make your favorite baked good.

Dorie is as I remember her and seeing her on screen brings back good memories. Dorie talks directly to the screen as if you are in the kitchen with her.

Clicking on Spinview gives you an alternate view of the Step by Step, offering the ability to skip ahead or go back at a glance, where Step by Step goes in the order of the recipe. It has an interface similar to Coverflow, but in a vertical orientation.

Easy to navigate to get to the step you want to review again.

When you get to the “baking” portion of your recipe, they have even incorporated a built in timer for the cooking time they suggest. You can override the minutes as well. Why would you want to do this? Maybe you live in a higher altitude requiring a different cooking time or you want to set it for just a smudge earlier than suggested in case you are the distracted type like I am!

In addition, there is the ability to create a SHOPPING LIST of the items for your recipe. Dorie takes it a step further and also gives you list in the shopping list for the equipment you will need to complete the recipe – but you probably have most of them in your kitchen already! You can then email the list to yourself or your “shopper” and you’re ready to go!

So, yes, you can have Dorie Greenspan come into your kitchen and bake some of her favorite recipes with you. It’s was nice to have her in the kitchen with me.

The app is a hefty at 1.7GB in size, but well worth the space on your iPad or iPad 2.

The app was developed by CulinApp based in Houston. CulinApp is the creation of Robert Huntley, Geoffrey Drummond and Chris Howard. I’m sure you have seen Geoffrey Drummunds work from A La Carte Communications with such shows as America’s Test Kitchen, Joanne Weirs’s Cooking Class, Daisy Cooks and more!

Baking with Dorie is only the first in a line of CulinApps to be released. Oddly, I have had the privilege of also having had met and worked with their upcoming chefs: Giuliano Hazan and Joanne Weir. I can’t wait!

Visit www.culinapp.com and you can sign up to be notified when these two apps are available.

Baking with Dorie
CulinApp
iOS 4.2 or higher, iPad/iPad 2

Available in the Apple App Store  for $7.99!

You can visit Dorie on the web at www.doriegreenspan.com and you can also follow her on Twitter @doriegreenspan 

This compact little book is filled with delightful recipes for bakers of all ages to enjoy.

50 enticing recipes to satifsy your sweet tooth! The book is divided into four sections: cookies, cupcakes, whoopie pies and doughnuts. Of course, doughnuts was the first chapter I dove into. I am a confessed doughnut-aholic and it has probably shown in the last couple of years! <smile>

the book is adorned with great color photographs of most of the recipes. From a baking perspective, each recipe is concise and easy to understand. Most of the recipes are less than 10 steps each and Sur La Table takes the next step by offering flavor combinations that you might not find in your typical “sweet” guide. For example:

Chocolate-Earl Grey Shortbread Coins
Mexican Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Raspberry Cupcakes with Key Lime Frosting

So taking my cue from my doughnut addiction here is a recipe from So Sweet! for Blueberry Buttermilk Doughnuts

Blueberry Buttermilk Doughnuts

Blueberries may seem unusual in a doughnut, but paired with this refreshing orange glaze you will find it’s the perfect combination of tart and sweet! These are a healthier doughnut because they are baked instead of fried, but you will need either a standard-size doughnut pan or a standard-size mini doughnut pan for baking these.

Ingredients

Doughnuts
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup buttermilk
3 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 375℉ and position an oven rack in the center. Lightly coat the doughnut pans with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Make the doughnuts. In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and orange zest with a whisk. Melt the butter in a small pot over low heat and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla with a whisk until foamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a large wooden spoon until completely combined. Gently fold in the blueberries until just combined. Do not overmix. Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1-inch round tip, divide the batter equally (using even pressure) between the pans, filling about halfway full. Alternatively, you can use a gallon-sized resealable plastic storage bag. Fill the bag and using scissors, remove 1 inch from one of the bottom corners and proceed with filling the pans as described above.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the doughnuts spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven, invert the doughnuts onto a rack, and allow to cool completely.

4. Make the glaze. In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest with a whisk, mixing until smooth.

5. Glaze the doughnuts. Dip the top of each doughnut into the glaze and lift, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place the doughnuts on a platter and serve. These doughnuts are best served fresh.

Get your copy of So Sweet! from your local Sur La Table or at your favorite book retailer. The book is also available via the FoodieInDisguise Amazon Store by clicking the link below at a discounted price!

So Sweet!
Cookies, Cupcakes, Whoopie Pies and More
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Price: $15.00

]]> http://www.foodieindisguise.com/2011/11/15/sur-la-table-is-so-sweet/feed/ 0 http://www.foodieindisguise.com/2011/09/05/dinner-disguise-seared-scallops/ http://www.foodieindisguise.com/2011/09/05/dinner-disguise-seared-scallops/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 23:54:04 +0000 Scott Mindeaux, Editor http://www.foodieindisguise.com/?p=4269 Seared Scallops and Sautéed Shiitake Mushrooms over an Arugula Salad

There were some good looking scallops at Sprouts (formerly Henry’s). I purchased 5 large scallops. Fresh and not pre-frozen. How do you tell if a scallop is fresh?

First hint, check where the scallops are sitting, is there a pool of water under it, most probably it’s defrosted water.

Second hint? Is that water “white”? If so, they probably put a preservative on the scallops to extend freshness. Look for scallops that aren’t “white”. Instead look for ones that have a slight pink hue to them.

I simply seared my scallops in some olive oil and butter, basting them along the way. Once you place your scallops in your hot pan, don’t touch them! Resist the urge. Wait about 2 minutes and there should be a good sear on them. Then turn them, shut off the heat and give them another 2 minutes – basting along the way.

Meanwhile, let’s make a simple vinaigrette. I used olive oil and champagne vinegar with some chopped shallots with salt and pepper, of course. remember 1 part vinegar to 3 parts vinegar. Some like a 1 to 2 ratio – it’s all up to you. Rinse some baby arugula and dress your salad.

Your scallops should be ready. Place on some paper towels and let rest for another minute. I didn’t want to dirty another dish, so I took most of the oil out of the pan I seared my scallops in and placed some sliced shiitake mushrooms with some shallots. Sautee for about 2 minutes. Salt and pepper.

Plate your arugula on a plate and place three scallops on top. Then take your sautéed mushrooms and garnish on top.

The original recipe can be found here: http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2011/08/beach-house-cooking.html

I decided to change things up a bit and I changed the sausage to chorizo and did more of a rough chop on the tomatoes. I absolutely loved this dish. I’m a big fan of anything en papillote (in a pouch). Very healthy cooking indeed.

Just a word of caution, chorizo is very salty to begin with, so additional salt is not needed. Halibut is a very forgiving fish when cooked, but make sure not to leave it too long in the oven. Remember, any clams that aren’t open after cooking should be discarded.

This is the recipe adapted from the original Bon Appetit recipe

Use whatever firm-fleshed white fish is in season, and customize your package of fish with any herbs and aromatic vegetables you have on hand. Remember to add a splash of wine or stock and a knob of butter or glug of olive oil to the fish before you seal the foil or parchment (I like parchment). The more juices the better.

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. Chorizo sausage, browned in a skillet (no need for oil)
12 littleneck or Manila clams
4 6-oz. whitefish (I used Halibut)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 Grape and/or Pear Tomatoes (I had red and yellow on hand)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
8 sprigs thyme
1/2 cup white wine

PREPARATION
Arrange 4 sheets of heavy-duty foil or parchment paper on a work surface. Divide sausage and clams among sheets, arranging them in the middle of each. Season fish with salt and pepper (if you use chorizo I recommend skipping the salt) and drape over sausage and clams. Spoon some tomatoes and garlic slices over each fillet, then top with butter and thyme. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. wine over each. Close up edges of foil, crimping to create a tight seal. Transfer packets to a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Transfer baking sheet to oven and cook until packets have expanded and fish and clams have cooked through, 12-15 minutes. (You can cheat and open one up to check, if you’d like.) To serve, carefully cut open the packets with scissors. Inhale the aroma. Eat.

I was at the Farmers’ Market in Laguna Hills yesterday and picked up a few things. Of those, one was a nice piece of Sea Bass from the fish purveyor and then some herbs and tomatoes. Today it was used to make dinner.

First I took some Yellow Grape Tomatoes and some Red Cherry Tomatoes and placed them on a baking sheet with some parchment paper. Next I drizzled some Olive Oil on it and sprinkled some Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Then I placed in a pre-heated oven at 350 for about 10-15 minutes (maybe less…)

While those were in the over, I took my sea bass and patted it dry with some paper towels. Make sure you draw out as much moisture you can from it. Don’t press down hard and flatten the fish, just make sure it is dry on the outside. If you don’t dry the outside, you will not be able to get a good sear on it. Sprinkle liberally with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper on both side. Meanwhile in a skillet bring about 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil and or canola oil and make sure your stove is set to High. You want the pan to almost be smoking when you place the fish in the oil. Remember, always lay the fish away from you so you don’t splatter yourself. Once the fish is in, DON’T TOUCH IT for at least 3 minutes. Once you see some browning around the edges, take a peek and see if the bottom of the fish is seared. You want a nice golden color. If not, let it set for an additional 1 minute or two. Then flip the sea bass over and get a nice sear on that side – again about 3-4 minutes (or less). Once you have a nice crust on the bottom, take out of the pan and let rest for a minute.

While the fish is standing, take your tomatoes out. You should be able to smell them by now. Make sure the skin is wrinkly (sp) and they are soft. We’re not looking for a char here. Place the tomatoes on a plate. Hold onto that pan for another minute.

Take your fish and place on top of the bed of tomatoes. Next take the juices from the roasting pan and pour over the fish and tomatoes!

OMG, enjoy!!

My friend Elise from the Giddy Gourmand website was having a problem. She was really in the mood to make Crab Wontons (Crab Rangoon). The problem she was having is that the filling was coming thru the skin (not the seams) when she fried them. The only thing I could think of is that she didn’t squeeze enough of the water out of the crab. She bought canned crab which is shipped in water. I told her to drain the crab, place it in a cloth towel and the wring it still all the water came out. Then add the dry crab to your cream cheese mixture. If you can buy fresh lump crabmeat from your seafood counter, that is the best way to go, no draining and ready to go.

This recipe is infinitely simple. you can add additional ingredients to the cream cheese mixture if you want, just make sure they are small pieces.

Tonight’s dinner was actually in two parts. I made the Orzo salad the night before and the chicken breast was cooked tonight.

Orzo Salad
Original Recipe by Giada DiLaurentiis

• 1/2 lb Orzo
• 1/2 cup Crumbled Feta
• 2 TB plus 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/4 cup of Pine Nuts Roasted
• 1 handful of Baby Arugula Leaves

Cook the Orzo according to the package (approx 6-8 minutes) in plenty of water and salt. While the Orzo cooks, roast your pine nuts. Place the nuts in a skillet and toss over med-high heat until golden brown. They can burn very easily, keep your eye on them and swirl them in the skillet until your get the color you want. When done, remove from skillet and let cool. Place the cooled pine nuts and the lemon juice, salt, pepper, feta cheese and cranberries in a large bowl. When Orzo is cooked, drain and place on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the Orzo and spread out. This will help cook the Orzo faster. The Orzo should be cool enough in about 10 minutes. Place the cooled Orzo in the bowl  and toss lightly. Add your baby arugula leaves in If you can’t find baby arugula leaves, just rough chop regular arugula leaves] and toss adding the 1/2 cup of olive oil slowly. [We’re looking for moistness not wetness, so if you don’t use all the olive oil that’s ok. Taste it. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. The salad is great at room temperature, but its even better after it has sat in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

Pan Seared Chicken

• 1 Chicken Breast
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Teaspoon of Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 TB Italian Herb Seasoning (Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Basil, etc…)

Place chicken breast and all ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Seal and massage the mixture and the chicken together making sure it is well coated and the seasonings are spread. Let sit and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Next, in a small skillet, place 1 tablespoon of olive oil over med-heat. Remove the chicken from the bag and make sure that most of the liquid has dripped off the chicken. When the oil is hot, place the chicken in the pan. Let this side of the chicken sear in the pan for at least 3-4 minutes giving it some good color. Once you have some good color on the one side, flip the chicken over. Lower the meat to medium and cook for about 7-8 minutes or until the breast registers 160 degrees with a thermometer. When it does, turn off the heat and the remaining heat will bring it up to 165 degrees. Remove from skillet and let sit for a few minutes. Slice your chicken breast and place over your salad.

So today, on a day off from work, but a day full of recipe testing, I was in the mood for corn muffins. These have a nice crunch on top, but so soft and pillowy inside. This is one of the easiest recipes for corn muffins, you’ll never buy one of those blue boxes again!

This easy recipe is thanks to the Barefoot Contessa once again…

Barefoot Contessa’s Corn Muffins

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup medium cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled
• 2 extra-large eggs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and eggs. With the mixer on the lowest speed, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until they are just blended. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each one to the top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the tops are crisp and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from the pan.

While they are still slightly warm, break one open and put a small dollop of some heart-healthy butter (Smart Balance or your favorite kind – and yes, real butter is ALWAYS welcome).

Now the dish is a bit more wet than I wanted it, but I have seen it served both ways. I think I know where I went wrong. I didn’t have any tomatoes in the house. It was already late and I used a can of diced tomatoes. Guess what, I forgot to drain it. No matter, the tomato juice just added to the flavors! Below is Ina Garten’s recipe. The only thing I would change is when serving, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice AND hot sauce on your plate…

JAMBALAYA

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sausage, such as kielbasa or andouille, sliced
1 pound smoked ham, cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup diced celery
1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
1 cup seeded and diced tomato
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
3 cups long-grain rice , rinsed
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 dashes hot sauce, optional (recommended: Tabasco)
1/2 cup chopped scallions, divided
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pound medium shrimp , deveined (20 to 24 count)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or black iron pot over medium heat, add the kielbasa and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the kielbasa to a bowl, and set aside. Add the ham to the same pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to the bowl with the kielbasa, and set aside. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, ham, bay leaves, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the scallions, 1/4 cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.

Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup scallions and 1/2 cup parsley, and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

Like I said above, add a squeeze of lemon and its perfect! Enjoy!

P.S. Thanks also go out to Brad Barron at work for pushing everyday this week to make it.

Last Fall I wrote a post about Sara and Katie’s last book called The Spice Kitchen. Now they are back and just in time for summer!

Forget the processed ice creams you find in your local grocery store and make your own. Sara and Katie show you how to take all-natural ingredients with fresh and dried herbs and spices to create some refreshing new flavors. Try something new and make a  twist to your favorite summer treat: ice cream.

Here is an excerpt from their book. I’m going to personally try this and when I do, I’ll be sure to let you know how it went. The idea of blending basil into ice cream is brilliant.

Basil Ice Cream

Makes about 1.5 quarts

Basil is a versatile herb, and relatively easy to grow. In this appealing ice cream, the flavors of fresh and dried basil bring out the best in each other. This ice cream is especially good after a summer barbecue of spicy meats. It’s also delicious topped with fresh berries.

2 cups whole milk
½ cup plus
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons dried basil
¹⁄8 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the fresh basil, dried basil, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan.  Scald the milk mixture over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and let steep for 1 hour.

Strain the milk mixture through a fine-mesh sleeve. Return the milk to a clean, medium, heavy saucepan. Scald the milk once again over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

While the milk is scalding, whisk together the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl. Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar and whisk until the eggs are light and fluffy. Whisking constantly, add a small amount of the hot milk to the egg mixture. Gradually whisk in the remaining hot milk.

Return the custard mixture to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and place in a bowl of ice water to quickly cool the custard. Let the custard cool, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

While the custard is cooling, combine the cream and the vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir in the custard mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and press the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. The custard may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze the chilled custard mixture in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours before serving.

Spice Dreams, Flavored Ice Creams and Other Frozen Treats
Authors: Sara Engram and Katie Luber
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
$16.99

Spice Dreams is available now at your local bookstore. You can also purchase a copy of Spice Dreams right here at the Foodie In Disguise Online Store and with a discount!

Sara Engram and Katie Luber founded The Seasoned Palate, Inc., based in Baltimore, MD.

The Seasoned Palate, or TSP, specializes in packaging organic spices in one-teaspoon packets for convenience and freshness. The company’s TSP spices line is sold in more than 300 retail stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and the Smart Spice brand is sold in supermarkets throughout the United States.

Well, not just your “basic” burger. I was watching America’s Test Kitchen this past weekend and they were showing how to make these burgers that are just like the ones from a place called The Shake Shack in Madison Square Park in NYC. This is your classic American burger. But do you know why the burgers taste so good and people line up for them everyday?

It’s simple. They keep it simple.

No binders, no fillers, just beef, salt and pepper and cheese on a toasted bun.

Now, don’t go run out and buy some ground beef for this recipe. Here they call for grinding your own meat fresh from both chuck and flap meat. You heard me right, grind your own meat. I did it in my food processor. The next step was to loosely form the patties. Season well with salt and pepper and you’re going to cook it in a skillet. A few minutes on each side (I like my burgers med-rare) and while its still in the skillet, top it off with good ol’ American Cheese. Meanwhile toast your buns. As soon as the burgers are ready, place directly on your bun and serve!

Classic beef flavor, seasoned well in between two toasted potato buns.

Tonight’s meal was a simple and quick. I steamed a salmon filet in parchment paper (otherwise known as en papillote) with some light soy, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and some salt and pepper. I sealed my parchment envelope and placed it in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. The sugar snap peas were boiled in salted water for no longer than 1 minute and served over rice.

Another quick and easy dinner. This is another one of those dishes I grew up with. Mom would cook this up real quick, but she would use cut up strips of chuck steak. I decided to use skirt streak instead.

I am a member of FoodBuzz and they asked me to review and use Kikkoman’s new Ponzu sauce. Ponzu is a citrus based sauce that is often mixed with soy sauce and called Ponzu Shoyu. Here Kikkoman has brought their soy sauce and ponzu.

I marinated the skirt steak in some ponzu for about 15-30 minutes. Next I got some olive oil heated in a saute pan. I take the marinated steak out of the ponzu sauce and pat them dry with some towels. You want to pat them dry so they sear well. Don’t throw away the ponzu. I take an onion and slice them into rings and put them in the marinade. Meanwhile I cook the skirt steaks over medium high heat. Get some good color on them. When seared on both sides, add the marinade and the onions to the pan. Continue to cook and simmer for about 7-8 minutes.

Serve over rice!

A week or so ago I made another childhood dish, Chicken Adobo. I didn’t blog about it since the photos turned out so horribly – the taste, was a different story. I need to be on the quest to make Filipino food more pleasing to the eye. While making the adobo, I have to say that the tastes and smells brought me back to the old kitchen in the house I grew up in. I, personally hadn’t made chicken adobo for probably over 15 years. My mom actually cooked it at least once a week when I was growing up.

The technique is simple (braising) and it gets better the next day. The ingredients are simple, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. Tonight I decided to change the protien out and use pork. I really wanted to do pork ribs, but didn’t find any that I liked at Fresh N Easy. So I did bone-in pork chops instead. I had to braise it a bit longer than chicken and I found that there is this magic moment when the meat starts to fall off the bone and be the most tender meat. Served over fresh rice, it sure is a pleaser.

INGREDIENTS

6 skin-on bone in chicken thighs/1 rack of pork ribs
3/4 cup Kikkoman Lite Soy sauce
3/4 cup White vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
1 whole head garlic, peeled
3 bay leaves, cracked in half

DIRECTIONS

1. Take the garlic cloves and give them a good smash, but keep them whole. Add your protien (chicken or pork) and place into your pot.

2. For chicken, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 30 minutes covered. Then uncover and continue cooking until the chicken is tender and the liquid has reduced some. Turn the pieces from time to time. You’ll know its ready when the meat starts to fall off the bone.

2a. For pork, same instructions as the chicken but you’ll have to braise a bit longer as the meat is more tough than chicken. I had to do mine for over an hour – keep the lid closed. There will be a moment when the meat is tender and falls off the bone. Then take the lid off and allow liquid to reduce. Oh, if you’re buying a small rack of pork ribs, cut them down to two-three rib pieces when cooking.

3. Take off the heat and serve over fresh hot rice.

Add some sauce to the rice and enjoy!