Chicken Cacciatore

Last night I wasn't in the mood for a lot of cooking. Putting something in the pot and letting it do it's thing was the answer. This might not be an original Cacciatore recipe but it is damn good. Give it a try.

1 3-4 lb chicken, back cut out
1 large yellow onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp. oil
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
1 tbsp. oregano
1/2 tbsp. thyme
1/2 tbsp. basil
Several grindings of pepper
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar

Put the onions and mushrooms in a pot, big enough to hold the chicken, with two tbsp. of oil. Saute over medium heat until onions are soft, then add the garlic. Cook two minutes more then add the wine. Add the herbs and and vinegar. Let reduce a little, then add the crushed tomatoes, sugar and the beef and chicken stocks. Let it simmer a while then add the tomato paste.

Meanwhile, take your chicken and flatten it, oil it and pepper it. Put it in a pan under a broiler just long enough to brown the skin. Remove the chicken and add it to your sauce. Cover the pot, put the temp on medium low and let cook for at least an hour, turning occasionally. Remove the chicken and degrease the sauce using a spoon. Place chicken back into sauce and allow to cook, on low, while you prepare the rest of the meal. This is great served with pasta topped with the sauce and freshly grated Parmesan.

Non-Posting

Hi, Folks:

I haven't posted recently because I have been dealing with a problem with the advertising portion of the blog. As I said up front, I am new to this blogging thing and I didn't know it was a bad thing to ask readers to click on ads. The advertising portion of my blog has been suspended/canceled due to "inappropriate click activity". That is my fault, as I asked people to click on ads. It is OK to click on ads, just not the same ones every time, every day. I am in the process of revamping the blog, or at least the advertising. I hope to be back up soon. If you e-mail me, I will let you know of any changes.

Thanks,

Walt

Spinach and Scallop Salad

There is a great restaurant in San Diego called the Fish House. It is in the downtown area located right on the bay. Every seat in the house offers a gorgeous view. This is a salad that I had there and loved so much that I went home and experimented with it until I got it right.

For two:

1 bag spinach, stems removed
1 red onion, halved and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 slices thick cut bacon
2 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
12 sea scallops
freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil

Cook bacon in a saute pan until crisp. Remove and add olive oil to the bacon drippings. Over medium heat, cook onions until they are soft. Push your onions to one side of the pan. Turn the heat to medium high and add scallops. Add the black pepper at this point. Brown the scallops on one side, quickly, turn and add garlic. Brown the other side of the scallops and remove from the pan. Add the vinegar to the pan and once heated, toss the onion, garlic and vinegar mixture with the spinach along with the blue cheese. Divide amongst two plates, crumble the bacon over the top and place 6 scallops on top of each salad.

Sauces and Gravies

Sauces and gravies, to me, are two different animals. As a general rule, in my opinion, sauces are reductions and gravies are made with a roux. Sauces can be made by deglazing and adding rich stock or demi glace. They are usually thickened by reduction and maybe the addition of what they call a liaison, usually butter, a flour and butter mixture, cream or egg. Gravy, on the other hand, is usually made with the addition of flour to the cooking oil after the meat is removed, creating a roux. All too often, cooks remove the meat, add flour to make the roux, then add water or milk or stock. They season it with salt and pepper and what you usually end up with is a gravy that is bland and salty. The better way to make a gravy is to remove the meat from the pan and then pour off the oil to another pan. Deglaze the cooking pan with a little liquid, wine or stock, then add stock and let it reduce. Reduction is key to all stocks and gravies, but remember, if you start with something salty, reduction will make it saltier. While your stock is reducing, make your roux in the other pan with the oil from cooking. Once your roux is ready, whisk it into your reduced stock, a little at a time, until you've almost reached the desired consistency. Let it cook a little longer and it will thicken nicely. I guarantee this will make a great gravy.

Black Bean Soup - Continued

Okay, so the beans are cooking along with the pork. They need an occasional stir and additional water sufficient to keep the beans and pork covered. When the pork is falling off of the bone tender, remove it and as much meat that has detached itself from said bone, to a platter. Then add the following ingredients to the pot.

1 large ripe tomato, coarsely chopped
2 cups rich chicken broth
3 tsps Pequin peppers, crushed (or your favorite pepper for flavor and heat)
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Oregano
Several grindings of black pepper

Let this cook at a little more than a simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. Scoop out the solids and process them through a food mill, add back to the broth then shred the pork and add to the soup. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly. We like to enjoy it with freshly made corn tortillas and Pico De Gallo. A little avocado doesn't hurt my feelings either.

Sopa de Frioles Negro con Carne

I have always cooked black bean soup since my son was just a baby. We had him in a restaurant in San Diego and he was in a high chair. I had the soup as an appetizer and gave him a spoonful. I ended up giving him the whole bowl because he liked it so much. Bean soup all over his face and everywhere else, but he did eat a lot of it and has loved black bean soup ever since. Recently, I made a batch and decided to add meat (pork) to it. I don't quite remember how I did it but I am trying to recreate it today. This recipe is an ongoing progress. I will update as I fiddle and let you know the results.

As yet:

1 lb. black beans, rinsed
2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
3-4 lb. pork, Boston butt, with bone, fat trimmed

Place all ingredients in a pot big enough to them along with enough water to cover. Place on stove and set temp to medium. This is going to cook long and slow.

Spicy Cilantro Pesto

Pesto is a wonderful Italian sauce used for pasta. This recipe has a Latin touch. It is another recipe I got from a great chef in San Diego. It goes well with chicken or fish. Toss it with some hot angel hair pasta, lay a sauteed fillet of snapper on top and you have a delicious, spicy meal. If you want more heat, use habaneros.

1 tbsp pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and dried
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp water
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 jalapenos, roasted and peeled
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin

Place pine nuts, garlic and shallot in a blender along with the olive oil. Blend until smooth and add remaining ingredients. Blend, scraping down sides of the container, until the sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste

Chipotle Sauce

Chipotle chiles are smoked jalapenos. You can find them dried or canned with adobo sauce in the Mexican food section of most stores. This recipe calls for the canned variety. This sauce is wonderful over grilled chicken and a bed of rice, however if you change the chicken stock to fish stock, it also goes well with grilled fish.

1 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 Chipotle chiles, with adobo - see note at bottom
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup rich chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
fresh ground pepper
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Toss bell pepper, onion and garlic with olive oil and place on a sheet pan. Put in oven and roast till bell pepper starts to blister, turning occasionally. Remove from oven and core bell pepper, removing skin and seeds. Place bell pepper, onion and garlic in a pot along with the chicken broth over medium high heat. Reduce by half, add Chipotles, salt and pepper and allow to cook for a few minutes then puree in a blender. Place back on stove, add cream and let reduce till thickened.

Note: Chipotle with adobo - when I call for a Chipotle with adobo, that means to use a spoon when removing the pepper from the can and include some of the adobo sauce with it.

Asian Chicken Legs

Recently, my wife told me that a friend of hers had cooked some chicken legs and served them to her with rice. Apparently, she baked the pollo with some soy, Teriyaki, orange juice and garlic. It sounded pretty good but I got to thinking it needed more, both in the cooking process and ingredients involved. This is what I came up with and my wife liked it so much, she made me prepare it two nights running.

For two:

4-5 chicken legs
1 large white onion, peeled, halved and sliced (1/4 inch cut)
5 large Roma tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp Sambal (Chinese red pepper paste)
3 oz orange juice
3 tbsp Teriyaki
3 tbsp Soy
2 tsp chicken base
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp cornstarch
garlic powder
freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat your broiler with a rack in the middle of the stove. In a glass Pyrex pan, spread the vegetable oil on the bottom. Put in the chicken legs and dust with a light sprinkling of garlic powder and a liberal grinding of pepper. Turn the legs over a couple of times to spread the oil, then add some more pepper. Place your onions in amongst the legs, but not on top. Place pan under broiler and cook just until the skin starts to crisp a little then turn the legs and repeat. Remove pan from oven and adjust temp to 350. Drizzle a little of the Teriyaki over each leg and pour the remaining into the pan. Scatter the garlic into the pan, but not on top of the chicken. Add soy sauce, chicken base, orange juice and sesame oil in the same manner. Add the tomatoes the same way you did the onions, not on top of the chicken. Place pan in oven and cook for 25 minutes. Turn the legs, adjust heat to 380 and cook for another 25. Remove from oven, place legs, onions and tomatoes on a platter. Use a foil cover to maintain heat. Pour liquid from the baking pan into a pot, place on stove over medium high and let reduce by half. Taste and add more soy, Teriyaki or Sambal if desired. Add your cornstarch to a 1/4 cup of cold water and add to the sauce, a little at a time, while stirring. When the sauce can coat the back of a spoon it is ready. I like to serve it with white rice. Just spoon a little of the sauce on the chicken and top the rice with the onions and tomatoes and a little more of the sauce.

Filet with Blue Cheese Sauce

If you love steak, as I do, you have to try this recipe out. If you had to tie me down and ask me what my favorite steak is I would tell you it is a Kansas City Strip, bone in. The marbling and the bone give that steak an enormous amount of flavor if cooked properly, medium rare. Now a filet, on the other hand, is nothing but meat. It has no marbling. What it lacks in flavor, though, it makes up in tenderness. To me, it just cries out for a well made sauce. This is one I recreated from yet another San Diego restaurant.

3 cups beef stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 green onions, sliced
2 shallots, sliced
10 black peppercorns
1/4 cup gin
2 cups Merlot
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup minced parsley
8 oz. blue cheese
4 tbsp. butter
2 filet steaks, 8 oz, room temp

Preheat oven to 250.

Place beefstock, garlic, onions, peppercorns and shallots in sauce pan, bring to a boil and reduce to at least half. Strain. Melt butter in a saute pan and cook your steaks for at least three minutes per side for rare. Cook longer for your desired doneness. Remove steaks and place on a plate and put in the preheated oven, where they will continue to cook. Using the pan you cooked the steaks in, turn heat to high and add the gin, scraping the bottom of the pan. When that has almost evaporated, add your strained stock and wine, continuing to scrape the pan. Reduce to about a third, then add cream. Reduce heat to medium high and allow sauce to thicken. Add blue cheese and parsley. Whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened, pour over steaks and enjoy.

Cheese, Queso, Framage, etc.

Cheeses can be an integral part of cooking, from sauces to toppings. You will notice that I always call for freshly grated or crumbled cheese. There is a reason for this. All cheeses, without exception, begin to dry out and lose their flavor as soon as they are processed. Buying grated Parmesan or crumbled Bleu Cheese is, to me, a waste of money. You pay more for it and the product doesn't compare to the flavor of buying a chunk and grating or crumbling it yourself. Do yourself and your tastebuds a favor and do it yourself. Also, if you are serving cheese as an appetizer, it is best served at room temperature. This allows the flavors to be at their max. By the way, don't even think about buying that green can.

My Blog

I hope you like my blog. I put a lot of thought into what I post. I hope to include some instructional video soon. It is a daily effort that I enjoy doing. You could help me out when you visit the site by clicking on an ad. It doesn't cost you anything, but it helps me out. I would appreciate it. Also, at the bottom of each post, you will see a 'comments' tag. If you click on that, you can give me some feedback, positive or negative. I would appreciate the comments.

Tequila Lime Shrimp Pasta

This is another one of those recipes inspired by a dish I had at a restaurant and then decided to recreate it at home. Again, it was a restaurant in San Diego but I can't remember which one. It is a spicy dish. I hope you enjoy.

For two:

4 oz dry linguine
10 oz peeled and deveined medium shrimp
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1 habanero chile, minced (use jalapenos if you want less heat)
2 limes, juiced
1 1/2 oz Tequila ( I like a gold tequila)
3/4 cup cream
1/2 cup rich chicken broth
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
3 oz. freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Cook the linguine, al dente, rinse and set aside. Melt butter with oil over medium high heat. When the butter stops foaming, turn the heat up a little and add garlic, onions, habaneros and shrimp. Saute for one minute, turn the shrimp and saute for one minute more. Remove shrimp to a paper towel lined plate and add the tequila. Let reduce until almost dry then add the lime. Let reduce by half then add chicken broth. Let reduce by half then add the cream, pepper and Parmesan. When sauce begins to thicken, add shrimp, pasta and cilantro. Let cook for a max of two minutes. Toss thoroughly and serve.

Pasta with Grilled Veggies

Now that it is summertime, people are out firing up their grills. They are cooking everything from Hot Dogs and burgers to fish, steaks and ribs. Occasionally, we like a little lighter fare. This grilled veggie pasta suits the bill.

For two:

4 oz. Penne pasta, dry

4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 zucchini, washed and halved lengthwise
1 yellow squash, washed and halved lengthwise
1 large portobello mushroom, cleaned
1 med. yellow onion, thick slices
4 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3/4 cup rich chicken broth
2 tbsp. butter
freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
olive oil spray

Fire up your grill and preheat oven to 400. I find the veggies come out best over a charcoal fire. While you are waiting on your fire, put garlic cloves in a fold of aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil. Seal tightly and put in oven for about 20 minutes. Get the water going for your pasta.
When your fire is at a medium high heat, spray grill with oil and lightly spray veggies as you put them on, skin sides up. Go back in the kitchen and remove your garlic, if ready, and bring your chicken broth to a simmer. After 10 minutes, turn veggies. Start your pasta. Let the veggies cook another ten minutes. Test them for doneness by poking with a fork or knife. I like then with just a little firmness in the middle and a medium char. Also, not all of the veggies will cook at the same rate so remove as necessary. Melt butter in a saute pan big enough to hold all of the veggies. Start your pasta and mash garlic into hot butter. Add your chicken broth and bring to a slow boil. Meanwhile, peel and slice tomatoes then slice remaining veggies. Add all of your veggies to the butter/broth mix and turn to high. Cook for a couple of minutes then toss with drained pasta. Toss with Parmesan, black pepper and salt. If you want to be a little decadent, you could add a couple more tbsp of softened butter at this point. This is a great dish served with some warmed bread and a nice bottle of white wine.

Sub Sandwiches

My wife and I love a good sub sandwich on occasion. When I make home made bread, I always make a couple of sub rolls for sandwiches. Nothing beats a sub on fresh bread. The ingredients always vary depending on our moods. It could be turkey and bacon or ham and salami. Of course, cheese is always a factor too. One thing we like on our subs is a oil and vinegar based salad of sorts. It's spicy and delicious.

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 med tomato, halved and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper

Combine oil, vinegar and garlic in a bowl and mix well. Add the olives, onions and tomatoes and toss. Add a liberal amount of pepper and toss. Let sit in fridge for an hour or so. Bring to room temp, mix well and spoon some of the oil and vinegar on your bread then add tomatoes, onions and olives.

Blue Cheese Dressing

When I was a kid, my family went out to eat quite often at a place called 'Joe McGovern's'. It was a restaurant on Mobile Bay which eventually changed hands and became 'Nan Seas'. Originally it was known for steaks that Joe cooked himself. Of course, they always served seafood and that is what they were famous for when the new owners took over. It was always very popular and waiting for a table at dinner time was the norm. Sadly, a hurricane demolished the place and the owner's insurance did not provide coverage for floods.

As a kid, the first remembrance I have of eating salad was at 'Joe McGovern's'. They had a Roquefort dressing that they said they made themselves. I don't know for sure whether they did or not but it sure was good. I've loved blue cheese dressing ever since. This recipe can be made with whatever type of hard blue veined cheese you like best.

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. sour cream
1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
3-4 oz. blue cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
2 shakes Tabasco

Place all ingredients except cheese in a bowl and whisk well. Crumble the cheese and add to the dressing. Whisk again, then place in fridge. It is best if it sits for a few hours to let the ingredients meld. This is a great salad dressing and it is good for hot wing dipping too.

Baseball, hotdogs, etc.

I'm just getting ready to head out for my son's double header in baseball. I know that baseball is a summer sport, but it is really too darn hot to sit out and watch, much less play. Oh well, that's what parents do, right? Since baseball is always mentioned as the American sport along with hot dogs and, of course, apple pie, check out the following link. It certainly relates to hot dogs and I found it quite humorous. Just copy and paste it into your browser's address bar. Comments welcome.

http://gizmodo.com/5302619/ketchup-and-mustard-dispenser-are-grosser-than-gross

Asian Salsa

Whenever I eat in a restaurant and come across something I really like, I tend, at some point to try and duplicate it at home. That way, if I'm successful, I can have it whenever I want it. This is one of those recipes. I had this salsa at a restaurant in San Diego many years ago. I don't even remember the name of the restaurant or how this salsa was served, but it was so good that I went home and started trying to recreate it. I finally came up with a wonderful salsa that reminds me of the one I had in that restaurant. This recipe uses Sambal, a Chinese red pepper paste. You usually can find it in the Asian section of large supermarkets. It is spicy, so add it to your taste. Personally, I like it hot.


1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb. white mushrooms, sliced
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Sambal
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

Melt butter over medium high heat and add olive oil. Add white mushrooms and saute, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add shiitake mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes more. Add green onions and garlic and saute for three minutes. Add tomatoes, saute for 1 minute and remove from heat. Place in a bowl and add cilantro, soy, Sambal, sesame oil and vinegar. Let sit at room temp so flavors come together. I love this on medium rare tuna steaks but be creative and use it as you want.

Mobile - Heat Wave

Summertime in Mobile is usually hot, but the past two days we have had 100 degree temps. That is unusual for this time of year. As a matter of fact, both days set new records for highs. Being the dumb ass that I can be sometimes, I set out to mow the yard the day before yesterday and about died. I tell you, I don't think I have ever felt that exhausted in my life. We have almost an acre of property and I only did the front and side yards. The back still needs mowing but I think I will wait for a break in the heat. We usually don't get this kind of heat until August so I guess this is going to be a hot, hot, summer. Doesn't bode well for hurricane season.

No posts of late because I have my children for a week. They are either on the computer or I am ferrying them back and forth to practice, baseball and volleyball. Of course they both have different schedules which leaves me in the car most of the day. I haven't had much time for cooking or posting. I anticipate getting back to normal by the weekend. If I survive the heat!

Chicken Taco Soup

Now this may seem to be the wrong time of the year to be talking about soup with the heat being what it is, but my wife and I love a good soup and can eat it anytime. It is served all over the country in different variations. As a matter of fact, I became acquainted with it in San Diego by a Guatemalan cook in a kitchen I was running. His was quite good although I don't really remember that much about it, ingredient wise. If you check for recipes on the internet, you'll find tons of recipes. I would venture to say that the majority of them use ground beef, canned beans, Rotel tomatoes and some sort of taco seasoning. Naturally, I do mine differently as you will see below. We also like a little spicy heat in this soup and I keep on hand some dried Pequin peppers that I grind to add to different dishes. Add what you like for heat or omit altogether. I also don't saute the onions or garlic to cut down on the fat content. Also, since this soup cooks for a while the onions and garlic will be thoroughly cooked but not have that mellow flavoring that sauteing creates. I like that for this soup.

6 chicken thighs, skin and fat removed.
1 med yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
1 lrg. can crushed tomatoes
1 lrg. can diced tomatoes
3 cups rich chicken broth
2 tsp. crushed pequin chiles
black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. chile powder
1/2 tbsp. paprika
1 1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn.
juice of 1 lime

Put chicken thighs in a pot with enough water to cover. Over med-high heat bring just to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove, let cool and shred meat.

Add, onions, garlic, both cans of tomatoes and chicken broth to a large pot. Just before it boils, turn down to med-low and let simmer. Add cilantro, lime juice, chiles and spices to soup (if you are not sure how you feel about cumin, add just a little at a time, stir, wait a minute and taste). Add corn and chicken and let simmer for at least an hour, preferably longer, until it reduces to the consistency you like. Taste for seasonings. We like to serve it with shredded sharp cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. Some crumbled tortilla chips or Fritos are good also.

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Lemon Chicken

I had my kids over this weekend and one of my daughters' favorites is lemon chicken. She likes it with mashed potatoes and that suits us fine. The sauce goes really well with the potatoes. Serve some sliced tomatoes on the side.

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 large lemons, juiced
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup rich chicken broth
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Let chicken come to room temperature. Mix bread crumbs, garlic powder, paprika , pepper and salt well. Mix egg and milk in a bowl. Heat oil over medium high heat ( I set it on 7). Dip chicken breasts in the egg and milk mixture then in the crumbs, pressing to coat well. Place chicken in oil and brown on one side then turn and brown on the other. Remove to a paper towel covered plate and put in the preheated oven while you prepare the sauce. Pour off most of the oil from the pan, keeping as much of the brown stuff as you can. Put pan back on the burner and deglaze it with 1/2 cup wine. When the wine is almost evaporated, add the lemon juice. Let that cook for about a minute then add the chicken broth. Let that reduce by half then stir in, a little at a time, a mixture of wine and cornstarch, until it reaches the consistency you desire. I like to add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master for color.

Boiled Shrimp

Living on the Gulf Coast is a blessing if you are a seafood lover. Depending on the season, we have an abundance of shrimp, crab, flounder, red snapper and crawfish. This time of year, shrimp and crab are at their peak so I thought we would discuss shrimp.

First off, the term 'boiled shrimp' is a misnomer. If you actually boil your shrimp, you most likely will overcook them. That is not a good thing. There is nothing worse than a tough, rubbery shrimp, not to mention a whole pot of them. Secondly, the seasoning of the shrimp is often overlooked. Most people use pre-packaged mixes like crab boil. I like to add my own seasonings to suit my taste. Lastly, if you can find head on shrimp, buy them. The flavor is much enhanced.

2 lbs. shrimp
4 qts. water
3 large lemons, juiced, plus rinds
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 tsp. tabasco
1 1/2 tsp. thyme
5 bay leaves
2 tsp. dry mustard
3 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup oil

Add all ingredients except shrimp to pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a slow boil. Let cook for at least 10 minutes. Add shrimp to pot and let water come back to a boil, stirring occasionally. As soon as the water begins to boil again and the shrimp turn pink, remove and strain the shrimp. You can serve hot or chill in the fridge.

As a final note: It has become standard practice here in the south for folks to boil corn and potatoes along with the shrimp. In my opinion, when you do this, everything tastes the same. If I want corn, I'll roast it or boil it separately. Same with the potatoes. That way, each item has its' own unique flavor, the way food should be served and enjoyed. Oh, don't forget the cold beer with those shrimp.

Caesar Salad

My wife and I love a good Caesar salad, whether we just have it with toast points, freshly made croutons and/or a grilled chicken breast on top. Here is a recipe for a classic Caesar dressing. Hope you like it spicy.

2 eggs
1/2 tube anchovy paste or 4-5 anchovies, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 oz. extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
Tabasco
Worcestershire
freshly ground black pepper
2-3 oz. Parmesan, freshly grated

Begin by coddling your eggs. Do this by adding your eggs to gently boiling water, time for one minute and remove. Once eggs are cool enough to handle, separate yolks from whites and place yolks in a bowl. Add garlic, lemon, anchovy, 3 good shakes Tabasco and two shakes Worcestershire. Whisk ingredients well then start dribbling in the oil while continuing to whisk. When all of the oil is incorporated and the dressing begins to emulsify (thicken) add the Parmesan and a whole lot of pepper, or to your taste. Whisk the pepper and cheese in well then let the dressing sit in the fridge, covered, for at least an hour. Before serving, let stand at room temp for 1/2 hour then mix well. Nothing but good fresh Romaine lettuce will do for Caesar Salad.

Pasta Salad

It's summertime and cookouts, get togethers and parties are the norm. When my family plans a party, everyone always brings a 'dish'. This time of year my pasta salad is always requested. This pasta salad is stored in the fridge, but best served at room temp. Something you need to know: any cheese that you buy already processed ( blue, parmesan, etc) has lost flavor. Buy your cheese in whole pieces and either grate or chunk it yourself as you need it.

1 lb. penne pasta, cooked al dente
1 bunch green onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
8 0z. kalamata olives, chopped
5 med. roma tomatoes, diced
black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsalmic vinegar
8 oz. blue cheese, crumbled

Have all sliced, minced, chopped, crumbled and diced ingredients ready. When your pasta is ready, drained, rinsed and still hot, add all other ingredients. Mix really well, taste for salt and pepper and add to your taste. Put in fridge and let sit for a couple of hours. Serve at room temp for best flavor.

Chicken Salad

My wife and I enjoyed our roasted chicken. It was delicious. Since it was just the two of us, there was quite a lot of that 6 pound chicken left over. When we have a roasted bird, my wife likes the dark meat and I like a little of the white and a little of the dark. This works out perfectly since I like to make chicken salad with white meat, mostly breast. This chicken salad recipe is one of our favorites and I usually make homemade bread to go with it. We'll talk about making bread later, but if you make this salad buy the freshest French style bread you can find. This recipe is based on about 3/4 to one pound of chicken leftovers. If you have less, adjust your ingredients accordingly or poach some boneless chicken breasts and add to what you have. I like to serve this salad as a sandwich, on french bread with a little lettuce, thin sliced tomato and avocado slices. A nice white wine is always welcome.

3/4 - 1 lb. chicken, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup mayonnaise
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Mix your onions, garlic, olives, lemon, mayo and a very liberal grinding of pepper together in a bowl large enough to accommodate your salad. I like to let this sit while I debone and chop the chicken. It lets the flavors meld. Add your chicken and mix well. You may need to add more mayo if your chicken is really dry. I don't add salt because the olives and lemon are enough for my taste. This salad is best if you let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Roast Chicken

My wife and I love roasted chicken not only because it is so good and easy, but the uses for leftovers are endless. On Sunday I was going to prepare my normal lemon roasted chicken but changed my mind at the last minute and ad-libbed this one. It turned out great.

1 whole chicken, about 6 lbs., rinsed and dried.
2 yellow onions, halved and sliced.
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed.
garlic powder, black pepper, paprika and olive oil.
Worcestershire.
2 tbsp. flour.
2 cups rich chicken stock.
1/2 cup white wine.


Preheat oven to 400. Lightly rub chicken all over with a little olive oil, then place, breast up, in a roasting pan (no rack). Generously sprinkle the chicken with the garlic powder, pepper and paprika. Spread the onions around the chicken along with the garlic. Use several drops of Worcestershire on the onions. Place chicken in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven heat and roast for 20 minutes/lb total. Include the 20 minutes at 400. So, for a 6 lb chicken that would be two hours total.

Remove chicken from pan, drain cavity back into pan then place chicken on a platter and tent with foil. Strain pan juices, saving onions and two tablespoons grease. Wrap the onions in a few paper towels and press to remove excess oil. Place your roasting pan on top of the stove, over two burners set to med high. Pour the wine into the pan and scrape everything that is stuck to the bottom. Let this cook, stirring, for a few minutes until it gets syrupy. Once this is done pour into a bowl. In a saute pan, heat the saved grease over med high and whisk in the flour to make a roux. Let this cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock. Add the deglazed juices from the roasting pan and the onions. Let cook over med for 5 to ten minutes. If it's too thick, add a little wine or water. If it's too thin, turn heat to med high and reduce the sauce to your desired doneness. Serve the sauce on the side. It is very good with rice and or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Portuguese Sopa

Memorial Day weekend in Mobile was a washout. It rained all day Saturday and most of Sunday and Monday. When I say rain, I mean monsoon type rain. It would quit, the sun would come out and thirty minutes later, here it came again. It was quite depressing. With no opportunity to grill outside, by Monday I decided to make some soup. This Portuguese Sopa came to mind. I got this recipe from a chef I worked with in San Diego. He was a successful insurance guy in Chicago and a good cook. He got tired of the insurance business, quit and took a year to travel, researching food. He landed in San Diego and was a successful chef. I enjoyed working with him. He had a son with M.S. and was dedicated to him. I had lost touch with him and recently learned that he died a couple of years ago, although his son is still hanging on. Probably more than you need to know for a soup recipe, but hey, it's my blog.

Portuguese Sopa

1 lb cubed beef ( I use sirloin tip)
2 yellow onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 package frozen chopped spinach
2 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced ( I think Yuca might work just as well)
1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. coriander
2 Tbsp. sambal oelek ( Chinese red pepper paste)
1 Quart chicken stock
2 Quarts beef stock
3/4 liter red wine
Believe it or not - 1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
Beef base to taste
Olive oil

Brown meat in 3 tbsps. olive oil over medium high heat. Once browned, remove and add onions. Cook for about two minutes, stirring, then add garlic. Cook for another two minutes then add wine. Scrape bottom of pan and deglaze. Add remaining ingredients, including the browned meat, and bring to a simmer. Let cook for at least 3 hours. Add beef base if you think it needs it. This soup is always better the next day and it is great with fresh bread for dipping.

Camarones con Chipotle

This post is a special one. It is for a friend, who I haven't seen in years, who lives in Mexico. He is a very talented individual, plays in an orchestra. I made this dish for him and his brother while I was living in Dallas. I think they liked it. No Mikey though. This is for PHorn.

6 Plum tomatoes, halved
3 Chipotle chiles, minced
2 Tbsps adobe sauce (from the chipotles)
3 Green onions, sliced thin
2 Cloves garlic, minced
12 large shrimp
4 strips of bacon
1 Avocado

Fire up your grill and shove your coals to one side. Put some woodchips on the coals and let them start smoking. Put your tomatoes on, skin side up, away from the coals and smoke for 15 minutes. After removing from the grill, de-skin and chop the tomatoes, put them an a pan with a little olive oil and the garlic over medium heat. Let this go for about 5 minutes then add the Chipotles and sauce and green onions. Turn heat down and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Your bacon needs to be partially cooked. You can do this in the microwave. If you don't you will end up with either underdone bacon or overdone shrimp. I like to use two skewers for the cooking process. It keeps the food from flipping around. Skewer the shrimp and bacon, alternating one over the other. Place on the grill and turn as needed. The shrimp won't take but a few minutes to cook. Serve over the sauce with sliced avocado.

Tile Floors

On a lark, I posted an ad on Craig's List for handyman services, thinking maybe I could pick up a few extra bucks. Next thing I know, I get an e-mail from a guy who is working in Iraq with a contractor. He wanted references about my tile laying experience. I sent him photos and references, and when he got home last week he called. I've been working on his kitchen/dining room floor this week and it's been a tough job. Trying to match a hallway tile entry way on one side of the kitchen to a living room tile entry way on another side of the kitchen when they are at 45 degree angles is a bitch. I've never seen a house with square walls. Moral of the story: if you are going to tile your house, plan it out before hand. Don't do it room by room without thought of what you plan to do next. Before and after pictures to come.

Tacos de Carne Asada

Now here is a true south of the border recipe that is delicious. We had it last night with refried beans. It doesn't take long to do. Here you go.

Sirloin steak, trimmed of fat and sliced into 1/4 inch strips
olive oil
garlic, minced
black pepper
1 1/2 tbsps. cider vinegar
1 minced pepper ( optional, I use habanero)

Mix the above ingredients and marinate for an hour. When ready to cook, throw the meat into a hot pan and let cook, turning, until desired doneness. A little black on the outside is good, and preferable, but don't over cook the meat. I like it medium rare. Serve it with warmed corn tortillas, chopped white onions and chopped cilantro. Lime wedges on the side are good for flavoring the tacos. Enjoy!

Mobile Weather

We had a few thunder storms here yesterday. Rain is a usual event this time of year. Everyone talks about Seattle being a rainy region but I know we have them beat. They may have more rainy days, but when we have rain, we have rain. In addition to the rain, we have the lightening and thundering. Last year, I lost two computers, a desk top and a lap top within three weeks due to lightening strikes. Needless to say, at the first sound of thunder, I now unplug my computer. Do not rely on power strips. They don't work. You need a surge strip. They are quite expensive, but less than replacing a computer. Still, unplug the darn thing when the storms come. Turning it off won't work. You need to remove it from the power source.

Mashed Potatoes

You would think that something as simple as mashed potatoes would be difficult to mess up, but trust me, I've seen many a disastrous result. Every thing from over mashing/whipping, too much/not enough liquid and lumpy globs of potatoes. Here is the proper way to make them.

Idaho potatoes seem to make the best mash. Peel them, then halve them and quarter the halves. Put in water to boil. Some people salt the water but I prefer to salt while mixing. While potatoes are cooking, take out your butter and allow it to reach room temp. I like to use half and half but milk is fine. Never use the water the potatoes boiled in. Warm your liquid in the microwave when you are ready to mash. Now here is the key part to making the best mash. Drain your potatoes and put them back in the pot and place over the heat. You are drying out the potatoes here. Leave them on the heat, stirring, for about a minute then throw in your butter. Once butter is melted, add your liquid, off the heat, a bit at a time while mashing/whipping. I use a hand held mixer. This is a good time to add your salt. Continue adding liquid while mashing, being careful not to add too much or over mash. You want fluffy potatoes, not a pasty mess.

Burrito Additions

I recently posted a note about making burritos from leftovers. While they are very good as they are, here is a way to take them a step further. Cover them with a pepper cheese sauce. My wife asked me to make this to go along with the burritos and it turned out really well. Use whatever peppers that satisfy your need for heat.

2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
3 Tbsp. hot peppers, minced ( jalapenos, habaneros, etc.)
2 Tsp. chicken base
4 oz. cheese, shredded ( I like white cheddar)
1- 1/2 cup Half and Half
Over medium heat, melt butter then add peppers. Saute for 2 minutes. Add flour and stir well to make a roux. Keep stirring for a couple of minutes then add chicken base and start adding half and half, slowly and stirring constantly. If the sauce is too thick or thin, adjust the amount of half and half. The cheese will thicken the sauce a bit. Let the sauce simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and stir.

New Floors

Recently, my wife insisted that we needed new flooring in our house to replace the outdated, torn and worn linoleum. She wanted tile. Being a do-it-your-selfer and not wanting to spend a lot of moolah, I took it upon myself to learn the art of tile laying. Here are pictures of the finished project.

Left Overs - Top Round

A week ago, I found beef top round on sale two for one at the local grocery. If you are not familiar with top round steak, it is also sometimes labeled as London Broil. It is best, as a steak, broiled to rare or it will get really tough. Now, my wife is from Nicaragua where they pretty much eat meat well done. While I have enticed her to eat a rare to medium rare steak on two or three occasions, which she loved, she still at times insists on medium well. Despite my protests, she wanted her top round medium well and the results were as I expected. She got a tough, chewy piece of meat and promptly said she couldn't eat it. I froze the leftovers and was determined not to waste the meat. This week, while looking in the freezer, I noticed the leftover meat as well as some refried beans I had previously frozen. I decided that bean and beef burritos were in order. I had probably 3/4 lbs. of meat which I cubed and threw into a food processor along with a quartered yellow onion and three cloves of garlic. I processed until chunky. I placed the results into a pan with beef stock to cover along with 1 Tbsp. chili powder and 1/2 Tbsp Cumin powder. I let it simmer for an hour until the meat was tender and most of the liquid was evaporated. I served this and the refried beans in warmed flour tortillas along with a freshly made Pico de Gallo. It was excellent.

Homemade Pizza

If you live in a medium sized town as I do, your choices for pizza delivery are pretty much limited to the chain guys whose pizza is not always discernible from the cardboard box it is delivered in. Yes, we have some pretty good independent pizzerias, however, they don't deliver and by the time you go pick it up and get it home, well it is just not as it should be. The answer, of course, is to make your own. My kids love homemade pizza and enjoy helping to build their own. Once you have your dough made, the possibilities for toppings are limitless. Just remember that toppings can add moisture to your pizza, possibly making the crust soggy. That being said, drain your pineapple and precook your mushrooms. I like to make my own sauce so as to control salt content as well as flavor profile. Also, freshly shredded, whole milk mozzarella is a must. Add other types of cheese as you see fit, but to me, you have to have the mozz as a base.

The following recipe is for one medium sized pizza (it can be doubled with no problem):

3/4 cup semolina
3/4 cup bread flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 pkg. dry yeast, dissolved in 1/2 cup lukewarm water.
1 Tbsp. olive oil

I use a food processor. Add flour and salt, start the processor and gradually add liquids. Process until dough forms 1 - 3 balls of dough. Remove and knead for five minutes. Put into a litely oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel and let sit in a warm place for three hours. Remove dough, roll out into desired shape and place on a pizza peel (wooden board for sliding the pizza into the oven and for removing it) sprinkled with cornmeal. Build your pizza on the peel. Preheat your oven (with a pizza stone) @450 for at least 30 minutes. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or your desired doneness. Let your pizza sit for about 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!!

Blog Name - What do you think?

I just created this blog and while doing so I thought the name "Mobile Musings" would be appropriate since I live here in Mobile, Alabama. Then I had second thoughts. Maybe using the city name, Mobile, wasn't the best choice since tons and tons of people have never heard of the place. But then I got to thinking about the word "mobile", which while it is a city, it has other meanings too. According to "Webster's Dictionary", one definition for "mobile" is: " changeable in appearance, mood, or purpose." Well, that is what this blog is about. While it will most certainly have some posts about my hometown, it will not focus on it. I have other interests and you will never know which way this blog might navigate. My musings are what's on my mind today. What's on yours? Here's a pic of my niece from Nicaraugua helping to make homemade pizza. Looks good, huh?