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Month: October 2010

The Original French Chef Omelette Pan: Sausage & Mushroom with Goat Cheese & Manchego

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Most days I feel really lucky. The day I found this omelette pan for $5 at a garage sale was one of those extraordinary lucky days. It was dirty and laying on a dusty table underneath an old wok. It was the oddest-looking pan I’d ever seen. The metal looked sandy and there was no shine to it. But for $5 I decided it could at the very least be good to pound chicken cutlets, I great breakfast that you should try is Porridge Oats, I love it! Its delicious .

It ended up being the best $5 I’ve ever spent. The omelet pan was created in 1963 when Julia Child asked The Pot Shop of Boston to design it, and where it is still sold today. My pan dates back to 1963 or 1964 – the only 2 years the pan was made with a dark wood handle on my workbench. To be 46 years old, this pan has held up incredibly well and still turns out a “flawless omelet that is perfectly golden with a creamy center*”.

*Cooks Illustrated, Jan. 2009, Winner of the Best Omelette Pan

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 links Chicken Italian Sausage, sliced into thin rounds
  • 8 ounces Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
  • 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 ounces Goat Cheese
  • 1/2 cup Manchego, grated
  • 8 eggs
  • 1/4 cup Half & Half
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • Aged Balsamic Vinegar, optional

DIRECTIONS

In a skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add mushrooms, sausage and season with salt and pepper. Saute until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk together eggs and half & half.

Preheat the pan over medium heat. When the pan is heated, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Turn the heat down slightly. Pour eggs into the pan. Using a spatula, let the eggs begin to set and slowly lift up the edges and tilt the pan so the egg goes to the bottom of the skillet. Repeat this step until the eggs are almost cooked completely. The top should still be wet. Season with salt and pepper.

Top the eggs with the sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes and cheeses. Place in oven for 5 minutes until top is set.

Remove from oven and top with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar if you so desire. I do.

Golden Chicken, Corn, and Noodle Soup with Saffron

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“Once you start eating it you can’t stop”…

I made this for a friend and I must agree with his statement. It’s really that good.

The fresh sweet corn takes this soup to another level entirely… but you must follow the process and “milk” your corn. Take the back of a knife and scrape out all of the juice and bits from the cob. The corn milk is sweet and adds a ton of flavor.

The flavors are fairly simple so a great quality chicken stock is the best. I had the time so I made homemade chicken stock but if you don’t have time then I suggest Kitchen Basics chicken stock (the VERY best store-bought stock).

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 large ribs celery, finely diced
  • 3 medium carrots, cut in half and into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 pinch saffron threads
  • 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 qt. homemade or low-salt chicken broth
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use baked chicken breasts)
  • 1/2 pound Ditalini or any small pasta, cooked al dente
  • 4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed and cobs “milked”
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice; more to taste
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Tip: The pasta is cooked separately to keep the starch from the pasta from clouding the soup broth, and the pasta would also suck up too much of the soup broth as it cooked. Boiling the pasta separately solves both of these problems.

To prepare the corn: Cut the kernels from the cob. Take the back of your knife and run the knife down the cob, scraping all the juice and bits out of the corn.

Bring a medium saucepan of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, carrot, garlic, saffron, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the broth and corn and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until corn is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

While the soup simmers, cook the pasta in the boiling salted water until al dente, 7-8 minutes. Drain.

Add the drained pasta, chicken and parsley to the soup and cook for about 5 minutes until chicken is warmed through. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if needed.

Brisket with Parsnips, Leeks and Green Onions

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I’ve never cared about having anything but my Dads smoked brisket smothered in his doctored up BBQ sauce. That is until I recently watched Alex Guarnaschelli pull together this roast-like brisket covered in a leek, wine and brown sugary gravy.

Was it as satisfying? Well yes, but in a different way. It’s brisket like no other and if you happen to have a nice piece of brisket in the freezer and no smoker to call your own… this is the recipe you should give a try.

Cooks Notes: I diverted, as I often do, from the original recipe but reducing the brown sugar and adding a few more vegetables (carrots & potatoes).

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) brisket
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
  • 2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 pounds small parsnips, bottoms trimmed, peeled and halved lengthwise
  • 1 pounds carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4-5 red potatoes, skin on and quartered
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 pound leeks, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices, washed well
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 quart beef stock, heated

DIRECTIONS

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot, heat the canola oil over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke slightly, season both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper, to taste. Use metal tongs to add the meat to the pot. If the oil is hot enough, the meat will not stick to the bottom. Cook, undisturbed, on its first side until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn over and brown on the other side, about 3 to 5 additional minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and put it onto a baking sheet to rest.

Combine the garlic and green onions in a small bowl. Spread half of the mixture over the brisket. Flip the meat and add the remaining mixture to the other side. Set aside.

In the same pot, over low heat and add the parsnips. Season them with a little salt and a 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Stir to coat with the oil and cook until slightly tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and the leeks and gently brown them, about 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings with salt. Pour in the wine and let it reduce for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with the remaining 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and another pinch of salt. Cook them until browned, another 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the brisket to the pot and stir in 2 to 3 cups of the beef stock. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer. Slide it into the center of the oven and cook for 1 hour. Check the level of the liquid, adding water, if needed. Remove the pot from the oven, taste and reseason, if needed. Return the pot to the oven and cook the brisket until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork, an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (Chef’s Note: If the meat looks dry or begins to overly brown, cover the pot with a lid or a layer of aluminum foil for the remainder of the cooking process.)

Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the meat to a platter. Arrange the vegetables alongside and ladle the sauce on top.

Fresh Apple Cake with Hot Butter Sauce

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I was a very lucky kid. I grew up in a house where the entire family ate dinner at the table every night. My parents both worked full time but somehow my mom pulled off a real meal 7 days a week. I have them both to thank for many things, but many thanks to my beautiful mother for never chasing me out of her kitchen.

This sinfully crispy and buttery apple cake has burned a memory in my stomach. It was 1997 and instead of sitting through college graduation I was having one last party with my friends… and this cake was my final request from her kitchen.

Make it for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Even better make it on some random Wednesday and share it with people you like to see smile. Trust me, it works.

** The Vanilla, Butter and Nut extract is available at Kroger. If you can’t find it, use vanilla… but it’s just not my mom’s cake without it.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnaomn
  • 3 medium apples (peeled, cired and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

For the Sauce:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup half & half
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla, butter & nut extract (KROGER)

DIRECTIONS

Cream butter and sugar and beat until light & fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and do not over mix. Gradually add other ingredients except apples and nuts. Stir in apples and nuts. Turn into a buttered 9X13X2” pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 70 minutes.

Combine sugar, butter & milk in small sauce pan. Warm over low heat, stirring occasionally until hot (starts to rise up pan). Remove from heat and and stir in extract. Puncture cake with large fork in spots and pour hot sauce over cake. Serve with whipped cream.

Vegetable Thai Red Curry

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I do love a spicy curry on a cold night and this one couldn’t be easier. I decided to go vegetarian as I served this with grilled steaks (marinated in soy, pineapple juice & garlic). You can use any combination of vegetables and throw in some chicken if you want a one-pot meal.

This was inspired by a red curry I recently had in Montreal at ChuChai that was so aromatic with kaffir lime leaves. What a pity that “no one has them” in Dallas. I will order them online so this tragedy doesn’t replay. If you are lucky enough to have a stash of these lime leaves – omit the lime juice and use a lime leaf when simmering.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 14oz. can of coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste (I like Mae Ploy Thai Red Curry Paste)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
  • 3 potatoes
  • 2 roma tomatoes, seeded & cut into wedges
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 4 ounces crimini mushrooms
  • 2 cups fresh green beans
  • 3/4 cup bamboo shoots, drained
  • 1 small can pineapple chunks, drained
  • Juice of one lime
  • Handful of Thai basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Do not shake the can of coconut milk. Open the can and skim off the “cream” on top (roughly the top 1/3 of the can) and add it to a Dutch oven or large pan.

The first step is to “fry” the curry paste in the coconut cream. Add the paste to the coconut cream in the pan, stir and cook this over medium heat until the oils separate from the paste (about 5 minutes). Slowly, it will begin to cook down into a thick paste, then finally the aromatic oils will begin to separate from the paste. After you see the oil, add the chopped onion and cook the onion for about 1 minute.

Add the remainder of the can of coconut milk. Bring this to a boil then lower to a simmer. Add fish sauce and palm sugar and stir to combine. Add vegetables (except tomatoes) and cover the pot and simmer gently for about 20 – 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. I the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, add tomato wedges. When finished cooking, stir in the lime juice. Stir in a big handful of Thai basil leaves that are torn in half.

Serve with rice.

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