I know, it’s only mid-September, but I am anxious for Thanksgiving. It’s too early to start planning my menu, so I thought I’d put together a nice supper with a harvest theme to get the ball rolling.
Continue reading “Harvest Supper Celebration in Six-Courses”
Although the calendar indicates that Fall is nearly upon us, it hardly feels that way. The nights have been pleasant, leaving me to ache for Autumn suppers with crisp fall weather. Hardy stews, pot pies, the stuff that warms the body and the soul. Finally, in frustration and longing, I decided to adapt my Steak and Ale Pub Pies this time made with canned chicken. While I believe the recipe would be wonderful – if not better – with “real” cubed chicken, for time and convenience sake, I used canned chicken. The end result was a delicious pub pie that could easily be whipped up on a busy week night. This recipe will easily feed six hungry adults. Served with a simple salad and a crisp hard apple cider, it made for a wonderful supper perfect for fall.
Continue reading “Easy Chicken, Vegetable and Mushroom Pub Pies”
I can’t believe we did it! We have reached the fifth and final Mother Sauce of French Cuisine. While I’m no expert or even a trained chef, I understand the importance of sauces in cooking. Frankly, I think some of the things we eat are nothing more that a vehicle to transport a luscious sauce to our lips. I love escargot, but I’d have to admit it’s a fancy way to get garlic dripping in butter from the plate to my anxiously awaiting mouth.
The first time I made this dish, I was a bit apprehensive. Chipotle and maple syrup together? Really? Yes, really! There’s just enough kick from the chipotle that you know it’s there, yet the maple syrup is your savior, taking the edge off just a bit. An added bonus is that sweet-salty sensation these beautiful chops impart.
Continue reading “Chipotle-Orange Glazed Pork Chops with Mango-Jicama Salad”
In the culinary world, the term “Mother Sauce” refers to any of the five basic sauces, the culinary starting point for making a wealth of magnificent secondary sauces, her daughters. The reason the five main sauces are called Mother is because each is the head of her own unique family of sauces.
Although a short, tubular pasta, in Italian Ziti also means maiden or a young bride. Ziti literally means “macaroni of the bride”, traditionally served at Southern Italian wedding banquets. Not having a wedding? That’s okay. This Classic Ziti Bake is great for gathering of any kind, and actually travels well provided you have a means of warming it up.
Although it’s still warm during the day here in the central valley, the crisp morning air lets you know Autumn is fast approaching. I love Autumn. It’s my favorite time of the year for so many reasons. Autumn is crisp, fresh and just seems to warm my heart in ways no other season does. Continue reading “Duarte’s Tavern Cream of Artichoke Soup”
For those of you who have been following along, you know that my darling Hubby is a die-hard Packer fan. From now until the end of the season, if Green Bay is on the field, there’s a big hunk of foam cheese on his head and a Packer jersey on his back. There is also a lot of yelling, some with joy others colorful but not worth repeating.
Hollandaise Sauce is the youngest of the Mother Sauces, the last to be born. Its name means Dutch Sauce, although the origins are strictly French. The earliest documented mention of a Dutch Sauce can be found in early 1573, although the reference was more a remark in passing and lacked any recipe.
Continue reading “Hollandaise Sauce and her Lovely Daughters”
Did you know that Cacciatore means hunter? Chicken Cacciatore, traditionally speaking, is a stew that was easy for a hunter to prepare at camp with only a large pot to cook in. Traditionally speaking, it was made of chicken or rabbit and whatever else could be found – herbs, wine (red in the north, white in the south) and spices. Traditionally speaking, tomatoes weren’t part of the dish. Today, tomatoes and a tomato based sauce is commonly found in Cacciatore. And this is “today”, so I’m going with the less traditional, more modern rendition of Cacciatore, so no hunting and gathering required. Just a few basic ingredients (bet you have them on hand) and a nice, big crock pot.
The weather is still beautiful. Perfect for some late season barbecuing on the old trusty grill. Let’s face it, nothing beats meats cooked over an open fire. It has got to be one of our favorite methods of cooking. I especially like grilled foods because Hubby gets involved. I just adore it when we cook together. It is one of the most romantic, intimate things a couple can do together.
I came across the original recipe for Carolina Style Barbecue while strolling through Mary Yonkin’s blog – Barefeet in the Kitchen. I just love the name she’s given to her blog – it sounds so down to earth and inviting, don’t you think?
Anyway, we gave her recipe a try about a year ago, and have made it several times since – with a few alterations along the way. You know me, I can’t resist tinkering with recipes. Mary’s original recipe called for 6 pieces of chicken – 3 legs and 3 thighs. I’ve doubled that, and in so doing doubled the marinade as well. Her recipe uses a lot more Dijon Mustard (1/3 cup in a single batch of marinade), while I’ve cut that way back. If you are a fan of Dijon, go for it. Hubby thought the Dijon was a bit too strong the first time around, so I’ve played with the amount to find a happy medium before coming up with the current version of the recipe. Mary has you soak the chicken in half the marinade, reserving the other half for basting while cooking. I pour it all on and skip the basting. The other difference is that I let the chicken sit on the counter for about an hour before grilling over a nice bed of coals.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to letting food sit on the counter to “warm” before grilling – one says it makes no difference, and that letting food come to “room temperature” isn’t safe. The other swears that allowing the food to warm allows for a more even cooking, and that letting the food sit out isn’t all that risky. Personally, we have found that taking the chill off the meat does make for easier grilling. I wouldn’t do this with ground meats or sea food – but it’s fine for large cuts of meat such as tri-tip or bone-in meats – be it steak, chicken or even pork. If you aren’t comfortable letting the meat rest on the counter before grilling, skip that part. Whatever works best for you, your grill and cooking style is fine.
This recipe renders a chicken that isn’t too sweet or spicy (despite the use of brown sugar and Sriracha). The Dijon mustard isn’t overwhelming – giving a little kick to the flavors. The chicken is moist and oh so delicious. My guys rave about how great it tastes – and that’s always a good thing.
Sweet Carolina Style Barbecue Chicken
6 Tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided (3 tablespoons per batch)
9 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided (4 1/2 tablespoons per batch)
2/3 cup brown sugar, divided (1/3 cup per batch)
2 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (1 tablespoon per batch)
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (3/4 teaspoon per batch)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 chicken legs
6 chicken bone-in thighs
Season all the chicken well with salt and pepper. Place legs in a gallon size Ziploc bag, thighs in another. Spread chicken out so that the bag lays flat and the chicken is in a single layer.
In a small bowl, whisk together half of remaining ingredients for the marinade. Pour the marinade into one of the bags, turn to coat evenly. Repeat with the remaining marinade ingredients. Pour into second bag. Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours. DO NOT marinade overnight, as the vinegar will react with the chicken if left too long and “burn” the meat.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place bags flat on the counter for an hour before grilling. While the chicken rest on the counter, build a nice fire in the grill for direct cooking. Make sure the grate is clean and freshly oiled to prevent chicken from sticking.
Once the coals are ready and the chicken has warmed on the counter, place chicken directly over the fire. Raise the grate or lower the coals, however your barbecue is build, so that the chicken isn’t so close to the coals that it burns. Grill 15-20 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.
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To view Mary’s original recipe; follow this link:
http://www.barefeetinthekitchen.com/2012/01/carolina-style-barbecue-chicken.html
Hopefully I didn’t bore you too much with all that chatter about Béchamel Sauce, the first of our five Mother Sauces up for discussion. We are now ready to move on to Espagnole Sauce. Like her sister, Espagnole Sauce also has a more common name, Brown Sauce.
We’re on to the next Course in our roaming supper – Soup!! In a Ten Course Feast, this is the 3rd course of the night. For a typical six or eight course meal, we have reached the 2nd course (having combined the first two courses – cocktails and appetizers) into a single event.
Continue reading “Traveling Dinner Party – Part 3 – Soup Course”
You win some, you lose some. The first time I tried this recipe for Citrus Dijon Pork Chops it looked fabulous, but the pork chops were less than what I had hoped for. The flavor was there, so it wasn’t a question of the recipe itself. The problem lay in my choice of Pork Chops. The chops did not come out as tender and moist as I had expected. Live and learn. The next time I made this dish, I decided to forgo the packaged Pork Chops in the meat counter and went for a beautiful Pork Tenderloin. Cutting my own chops or if you prefer Pork Medallions is easy. Besides, I have yet to have a Pork Tenderloin fail me.
The rest of recipe itself was very tasty. I love the crunch of the apples between bites of pork chop. I did make some minor adjustments – increased the orange juice (for the chops), decreased the fennel (in the salad). Fennel is one of those personal things – you either like the licorice flavor or you don’t. I love all things licorice – so for me it was awesome. My guys don’t care much for the taste, which was okay since it meant more fennel for me.
Speaking of fennel – when I was at the market picking up the ingredients for this recipe, in the produce section they had miss labeled the fennel as “Organic Fennel/Anise” as though these were different names for the same vegetable. While both impart a similar black licorice flavor, they are very different plants. Anise is harvested for its seeds, and the plant itself is not edible. Fennel is also harvested for its seeds, but the plant itself can also eaten. It has a wonderful “crunch” and great flavor – especially in salads and stews. When you google images for anise, you will get photos of the Star Anise seeds (again, not anise – star anise are the seeds from a completely different plant – a tree that is grown predominantly in the Orient.) Anise is actually more akin to a shrub, while fennel is the vegetable we find in the grocery store. When I pointed this out to the produce clerk, she shrugged and said “same thing.” Okay, just like yams and sweet potatoes, right?
Citrus Dijon Pork Medallions
1 lb Pork Tenderloin
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon cold water
Cut pork tenderloin into 6 medallions. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
In a saucepan, combine orange juice and Dijon mustard over medium heat. Whisk to blend well and bring to a boil.
While the orange juice mix is heating, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bow and set aside until ready to use.
Once the orange juice comes to a boil, give the cornstarch mixture a final whisk, then whisk into the orange juice and remove from heat. Set aside until ready to use.
In a large skillet or grill pan, heat olive oil and butter, coating the pan well.
Place the seasoned chops in the skillet. Cook over medium heat until just cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Ladle some of the orange juice mixture over chops, (just enough coat the chops in the sauce), cover skillet and let cook about 5 or 6 minutes longer.
Remove chops from skillet and place on a rimmed serving platter. Pour any pan drippings from the skillet into the remaining orange juice mixture. Whisk to blend the pan dripping for a smooth finish. Pour sauce over the pork chops and serve.
Apple, Orange and Fennel Salad
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 apple, cored and sliced (or chopped)
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced
1 Cup Mandarin Oranges or Navel Orange slices
In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, Dijon Mustard and olive oil.
Toss fennel and apples in dressing. Transfer to serving platter, top with orange slices and serve with pork chops.
Sauces, like stocks, are the springboard of enriched cooking. Can you imagine Eggs Benedict without a Hollandaise sauce or spaghetti without a Tomato sauce? It would be like hamburgers without the condiments – just a big hunk of grilled ground meat and a bun. Sure, kids might like their food plain, but as adults, we appreciate foods that are rich in textures, flavors and aromas. At least I do. A good sauce shouldn’t mask the food but rather lift it up in a celebration of the senses. I have said this before, and I shall say it again – I adore French cooking.
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