Dateline: November 29, 2021 Chicken Parm -- first time

I have always been intrigued with (fill in the blank) parm.  I have a very soft spot for eggplant parm, and have made many time, but chicken parm, I have never made before.

Chicken Parm

Ingredients

about 6 thin cut chicken cutlets

2 eggs beaten with some milk or water

1/2 c flour

Couple of T of grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

1/4 t cayenne pepper

Marinara sauce

1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced

Grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over top

pasta of your choice

Method

1.  Mix flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, and parmesan cheese together on a plate and set aside.  In another plate or shallow bowl, beat eggs together with milk or water until will mixed.  Heat oven to 350°.

2.  If cutlets are of uneven thickness, take a long piece of plastic wrap dribble a few drops of water on one side of the plastic and place a cutlet down.  Sprinkle the side that is up with a few drops of water and fold the plastic wrap over it.  Do this so that there is a lot of room on all sides of the cutlet.  Using a straight rolling pin, wine bottle, meat basher, flatten the cutlet so that it is an even thickness through out.  Remove to a plate, and repeat with remaining cutlets.

3.  After all cutlets have been pounded, if necessary, dredge them in the egg and milk mixture and then into the flour mixture.  Set on a wire rack over a sheet pan to catch any drips and allow the coating to dry a bit.  Finish all cutlets this way.

4.  In a skillet, heat some oil or butter and when hot, add one or two cutlets to the pan.  You want a lot of room around the cutlets so that they brown evenly.  After one side is nicely browned, flip the cutlet over using a pair of tongs.  If cutlet is sticking to the skillet, it is not ready to be turned, have patience.  When second side it browned, remove cutlet to a plate and hold until all are down.

5.  In a baking dish, spoon enough marinara sauce cover the bottom of the pan, all the cutlets on top of the sauce.  Manipulate the cutlets so that you have them in a single layer.  If your cutlets are ginormous, then do it in two layers.  Cover first layer of cutlets with sauce, add second layer and then top with mozzarella slices and sprinkle grated parmesan over all.

6.  Put water on for your pasta of choice, boil according to package directions.

7.  Put baking dish in the oven until sauce is bubbling and mozzarella cheese has melted and is browning is spots.  Remove and let cool for a couple of minutes.  Serve with pasta and remaining marinara sauce.

Dateline: November 15, 2021 I am back in the saddle, again Spicy Szechwan Shrimp

To all my friends and others who have found this blog:

When I last wrote it was way back in August, 2021.  Since then, I have broken my ankle, and was out of commission for quite some time.  I had to have surgery to put the bits of my fibula back into place and I have a ton of hardware in my right ankle that will set off airport scanners from now on.  I am able to walk without a limp, but my ankle does tire after a long day of walking, especially if there are stairs, going down stairs is still tough.

I will back-post today starting in November and move forward.  Mid November is when I began to have the strength in my leg to be able to stand at the stove and kitchen counter.

Spicy Szechwan Shrimp

Ingredients

1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 T shaoxing wine

1/4 c cornstarch

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t ground szechwan pepper corns (measured after grinding)

Neutral cooking oil

1 onion, halved and sliced through the root end

1 bell pepper of any color

Green leafy veg of any kind, I used tuscan kale, chopped into bit-sized ribbons

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 inch piece of ginger, scraped and cut into thin match stick pieces

1 - 2 T Pixian Chili paste, depending on your spice level

1 T Shao xing wine or dry sherry

1 t light soy sauce

1 t dark soy sauce

1 T rice wine vinegar

1 t sugar, optional

Sesame Oil, optional

Method

1.  In a small bowl or plate mix cornstarch, salt, pepper, and szechwan pepper together and hold.  In another small bowl, put cleaned shrimp and 1 T shaoxing wine and mix together and marinate for 10 minutes or so.

2.  Remove shrimp from marinade and add a few at a time to the  cornstarch mixture.  Coat well and place on a rack over a sheet pan to dry out a bit.  Continue until all the shrimp have been coated.  If you need more of the cornstarch mixture, make some more!

3.  Add 2 T cooking oil into a cold wok and then heat.  Stir fry a small number of shrimp at a time.  I found 6 -7 were all that my wok could handle without cooling the oil too much.  You want the shrimp to be crispy, but not over cooked.  Add more oil to the wok as needed to fry the remaining shrimp.  Remove shrimp to the rack over the sheet pan and hold until the veggies are cooked.  

4.  Cut veggies for stir fry and assemble your mis-en-place near the wok or frying pan.  Wipe out wok and add 2 T neutral oil.  Add the onions, ginger, and peppers to the wok and stir fry for about 30-40 secs, then add the garlic and leafy greens.  When the greens have wilted add the chili paste, shaoxing, light soy, dark soy, and rice wine and mix well.  If you need some liquid, add some stock or water to your pan.  Add the shrimp back in and cook to coat everything with the spicy paste.

5.  Serve with rice.

Dateline: August 24, 2021 Learning from mistakes: Take 2 Lamb on a Spit

I did a second lamb roast.  Why, because this was to be the first one, but, the dry run ended up being a party so why not do it again and make it a party as well.  We had 8 around the table this time.  It was a glorious day, a bit hot, in the 90's, but the rain held off and we spend the evening outside eating lamb, drinking wine, and having a good time.

Bill and I with Servet

Early on in the process

Just before taking "Pat" to the table

Servet insisted that we name the animal.  He named the last on Wanda, but I wasn't sure it if was a ewe or a ram, so we chose an name sure to confuse, Pat.

You know it was a good party when there are more empty wine bottles than people in attendance!  One of the 8 was not drinking.  Sooooooo....

I purchased back braces and a counterweight for the rotisserie. Back braces went in without a hitch and held the lamb really tight to the spit. The counterweight was a different story. I learned that the weight should be at the opposite end to the motor. Live in learn. There was still a hitch in the spinning which I had hoped the counter weight would solve. THere is always next time.

Dateline: August 8, 2021 Spit Roasted Lamb, Baby, Spit Roasted Lamb

With a push and much assistance from Servet I got my baby animal on the spit thing going this weekend.  The good news it, the spit roaster is all systems go, BUT, the weather may not cooperate fully.  It was predicted to rain all day.  Spit roaster was moved up onto the deck under one of the umbrellas to allow us to roast.  

Weather this morning is predicted to rain until 1 pm or so, and then just cloudy.  HOORAH for us.  

Servet secured a 22 lb lamb.  My constraints are the length of the spit, which is 32 inches.  So either the body gets cut in half and I turn the back end around so the legs are under the chest, or we get a very small lamb and see how it goes.  

I've got a crowd coming today, about 13 people and some small children.  Should be a lovely closing in on labor day fun time.  This is the dry run.  The next big one is on 8/24 so I am so psyched for that as well.  Let's hope the weather is better that day!

So it was a rainy afternoon.  We cooked the lamb under one of the deck umbrellas.  My back half got soaked because the umbrella was not big enough for me and the lamb!

side view

back view

The lamb was about 10 kg, and fed a dozen of us amply with the rib cage being all that was left.  Servet took that and the rest of the bones home to make lamb stock.

Served with this was a shepherd's salad, a quasi salade composez, and an improvised room temp potato-type salad that I will make for the rest of my life.

Potato Salad

Ingredients for 4

2 lbs small creamer type potatoes,  emphasis on small, washed but not peeled

2 lemons zested and 1 juiced

olive oil

1/2 red onion chopped

1 garlic scape chopped, or 1-2 garlic cloves grated or mashed

1/2 bell pepper

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine

salt and pepper

Method

1.  Add the zest of the lemons to a jar along with the garlic and then add olive oil.  You want the zest completely covered with the oil.  Let it sit while the potatoes are steaming.

2.  Steam potatoes until easily pierced with a knife.  It's ok if some of them burst open.  Dump into serving bowl.

3.  Add the chopped veggies, salt and pepper.  It is a starch dish, so it will need a lot of salt.  Mix dish well and then add juice to the jar and shake to emulsify.  Pour over the salad and mix well.   It is best to do this while the potatoes are hot, that way they absorb the dressing.  Tastee for seasoning again after it has cooled to room temp.

Dateline: July 27, 2021 Grilled Chicken Thighs, Broccolini and Bean Salad

It was a lovely day, not too hot, not to windy, a perfect day for eating on the deck.  So grilling time!

I raided the freezer and found some skin on chicken thighs that I marinaded in a mix of spicy things, such as Calabrian Chilis, some vinegar, and some mexican hot sauce.

The bean salad was just a can each of chick peas and black beans along with chopped onion, red bell peppers, red finger pepper, garlic scapes, and perhaps a jalapeno.  Mix together, generously season with salt and pepper and dress with vinegar and olive oil.  Delish!

 

Dateline: July 14, 2021 Turkey Roulade Redux

Yeah! A day without heavy rain, a short light sprinkle just before firing up the grill was it.  We even ate outside and listened to Brazilian music played in front of the Library.

You know, sometimes I think I know what I am doing, and I just go on auto-pilot.  And sometimes I should really think while I am doing things.  In this roulade, for instance, I tied it up before wrapping in bacon...so the thing was trussed up everywhere.  I just tied the string on again around the bacon.  We had to eat carefully, lest we get a mouth of string!

Filling was sweated onions, garlic, red bell pepper, sage, and rosemary.  Generously salted and peppered.  I used a mixture of butter and olive oil for the fat.  I butterflied and pounded the turkey breast and filled it with the cooled stuffing mixture.

Tied it a million times! and then set up the grill and cooked it at 300° F for 45-60 minutes until internal temp measured in the thickest part of the roll and at the center of that part reached 165-170° F.

Carve, eat, drink, and be merry!

Just off the grill

Sliced up

A lovely rose

The meal was rounded out with a salad of mostly greens from the garden, onion, red bell pepper, and tomatoes.

The night was lovely, calm and clear, with the Brazilian music wafting over us, just wanted to samba all night!

 

Dateline: July 9, 2021 Rotisserie Chicken Indoors Because of The Rain

I so wanted to get out and grill this chicken....but Mother Nature was not having it.  July has been ridiculous in terms of the amount of rain that we have gotten.  The plants are mostly happy, but I am not of the same mind set.

I had a Cooks Venture chicken from Fresh Direct.  I love these chickens, they are slow grown, no hormones, and they are tasty.  What more could you ask for in a bird?

These chickens tend to be on the smaller side, about 3.5 - 4 pounds.  Perfect for us and with left overs for breakfast or lunch.

I was cooking just for me, as Bill was off doing good deeds up in The Bronx. So dinner was just salt and pepper on the chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, and a salad.

It tasted as good as it looks too!

I have been working on a different cocktail, sort of a hybrid mojito and margarita.

Ingredients

1 tsp sugar

3-4 mint leaves

2 slices of jalapeno pepper, seeded, if you are a weenie

2 rounds of cucumber, peeled if waxed

1 T lemon or lime juice

2 oz tequila

1 T triple sec

Method

1.  Muddle the sugar, pepper, mint, and cuke rounds well in the larger cup of a shaker.

2.  Add lemon or lime juice and muddle/stir until sugar is dissolved.

3.  Add handful of ice cubes, tequila, and triple sec.  Cap and shake vigorously.  Pour into a suitable glass and enjoy!

Dateline: July 8, 2021 Vichyssoise, Just Because

I had a couple of potatoes, a bunch of leeks, and half and half as well as garlic chives....what to make?  Bingo, vichyssoise and salad from the garden.

I had some a couple of weeks ago when out to dinner with Martha and Sal after Martha and I played flute duets.  We went to a french bistro around the corner from them and it was delicious.  SO, I am attempting to duplicate that experience.

 

 

First step, find a suitable recipe.  I found Tony Bourdain's recipe from Les Halles, and I riffed on it.  Didn't have heavy cream, and didn't have 8 leeks, but I muddled through.

Ingredients

3 leeks, white and light green parts, thoroughly cleaned

2 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into smallish cubes

2-3 T unsalted butter

1 quart chicken stock, divided 

1 pt half and half

salt and pepper

freshly grated nutmeg

chopped chives, or garlic chives for garnish

Method

1.  Steam the potatoes until they can be easily pierced with a knife or fork.  Drain and hold aside.

2.  In a pan large enough to hold all the ingredients,  melt the butter and gently saute the leeks.  You want to soften them, but not brown them.  Salt and pepper them as they cook.  When softened, add in the potato cubes and salt and pepper again.  Mix well in the pan and add 2 cups of the stock.  Bring to a gentle simmer and taste for seasoning.  Remember, if you are serving this cold, then season it highly.  If serving it hot, then season less so.

3.  Remove pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly.  Transfer contents of pan into a blender is small batches and blitz until smooth.  Do not over blend, you will end up with wall paper paste.  Pour blender contents into a container that can hold all of the ingredients.  

4.  Mix in the half and half, nutmeg, and any additional salt and pepper.  Thin with the remaining stock as needed.  Some potatoes are starchier than others so you may need all of the extra 2 cups of stock to get the consistency you want.

5.  Chill.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped chives or chopped garlic chives.

Dateline: July 6, 2021 Birria de Res

I have made this on the stove top and it is excellent, today I did it in the instant pot because it was 97° and too hot to turn on the stove, plus it was raining off and on, so smoking the huge hunk of beef was not going to work either.

This is a recipe from NYTCooking, Birria de Res.  The only ingredients that may need a bit of a search are the dried pasilla peppers and the fresh poblano peppers. 

This dish is relatively easy but has a bit of labor involved, searing the peppers and removing the skins, blending the sauce in a high powered blender, and letting it cook until fork tender.  The recipe is clear and easily followed.  I used a HUGE boneless chuck roast, about 6 lbs.  

Adapting for the instant pot, I used only a 14 oz can of tomatoes and not all of the soaking liquid from the dried peppers.  I "cooked" them in the microwave on paper toweling for 30 seconds then put into hot water to soften.  That is a Kenji Lopez-Alt  trick, and it really works.  

The final product was good, but not as good as the stovetop version, I think it is the long slow cooking vs. the pressurized cooking that makes that so.  

I give this recipe a 2 opposable thumbs up in its original version, and 1 thumb up for the Instant Pot version.

Dateline: July 3, 2021 Freezer Diving and Gold is Struck

In another freezer dive, I found some duck breasts, yes, plural!  I had two different providers and decided to do a "taste off".   One breast was a lovely Magret from D'Artagnan, and the other was a whole breast (both halves) from Fresh Direct.  While the Magret breast was much thicker, they both had an equal layer of fat.  Fat is flavor!

I decided to sous vide the breast and then pan sear afterwards.  I crosshatched the skin on all of the breasts, and liberally salted and peppered.  They went into vacuum bags and into 130° F water for 1.5 hours.

After coming out of the lovely bath, I dried them well and put them in a COLD pan to crisp up.  The results were beautiful.  The skin became a lovely burnish bronze color and the added benefit was all of the rendered duck fat.  Yum.

Served with this was a mix of black rice, black quinoa, and black lentils and a salad of greens from the garden.

In the taste off, there was not that much difference in taste of the meat.  To me, there was a slight difference in the taste of the fat.  The Magret had better flavor there.  But the difference was again so slight it might not be worth the huge difference in price.

finished crisped up duck breasts

almost finished plate

I really like the mix of grains and lentils, it was called antioxidant blend....whatever that means.... look for it, it's really good.  My only suggestion is to make sure that you salt it as it is cooked, otherwise it is quite bland.