Come and Get It!

I'm not a super fan of shrimp unless of course its done to perfection! I felt like tasting a creole inspired meal and found that this one fit the bill. Spicy, fresh, textured, rich and yes perfection.  Are you ready? Yes, Shrimp and Grits.  I found this recipe on Food Network by Tyler Florence so follow along and give it a try. I started with fresh never frozen head on shrimp. Yes, a lot of extra work, beheading(a wee bit gross), deveining and peeling BUT the freshness you get here is unparalleled.You will not be disappointed.

Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

Grits:    

• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup stone-ground white cornmeal
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound spicy sausage, cut in chunks
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 green onion, white and green part, chopped

Directions

To make the grits, place a 3-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal. When the grits begin to bubble, turn the heat down to medium low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and butter, season with salt and pepper.

To make the shrimp, place a deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic; saute for 2 minutes to soften. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until there is a fair amount of fat in the pan and the sausage is brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to create a roux. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and continue to stir to avoid lumps. Toss in the bay leaf . When the liquid comes to a simmer, add the shrimp.Poach the shrimp in the stock for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are firm and pink and the gravy is smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the parsley and green onion. Spoon the grits into a serving bowl. Add the shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.

*Chef Randi's note: When cooking the grits do not be intimidated when the consistency quickly becomes thick.  Just add a little more stock to keep it moving if you must.  The addition of the cream and butter in the end will make it perfect! 

Also like most recipes that depend on good timing, the key is in the preparation. Chop, dice, measure everything you need and make sure all your cooking tools are handy this makes for smooth and easy transitions and keeps this time sensitive dish as it should be.

No fail Breakfast!

I LOVE French Toast! Seriously, it is one of my most favorite breakfast meals.  I have played with variations of French Toast from time to time but I must say its nothing like the real thing baby. It is so simple yet such a treat for snowed in days like this one. So enough talkter out of me here's what to do!

RANDI'S CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients

• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
• 1/8 teaspoon orange zest OR 1 tbsp OJ (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah (my choice) bread
• 4 tablespoons butter

Directions

In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, vanilla, zest/juice(optional) and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.

Chicken Classic

Tired of boring chicken. Fried chicken, baked chicken, grilled chicken, chicken wings, chicken soup OK I'll stop here.  To be honest I was inspired to make this dish from watching one of my favorite shows: Food Networks Worst Cooks of America.  Chef Anne Burell who is BOSS, taught a group of the worst cooks I've ever had the twisted pleasure to watch how to make this amazing looking dish: Chicken Cacciatore.  I figured if these people could break down an entire chicken and make this masterpiece so could I.  So I began by feeding my intellect a little. If you are like me you enjoy a little history when it comes to cooking classics like this one. So read a little and follow my foodie exploration!

There are many different variations of this dish based upon ingredients available in specific regions. For example, in southern Italy, cacciatore often includes red wine while northern Italian chefs might use white wine.

A basic cacciatore recipe usually begins with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil heated in a large frying pan. Chicken parts, dusted with salt and pepper, are seared in the oil for three to four minutes on each side. The chicken is removed from the pan, and most of the fat poured off. The remaining fat is used to fry the onions, mushrooms, peppers or other vegetables for several minutes. A small can of peeled tomatoes (drained of liquid and coarsely chopped) is added to the pan along with some oregano and a half cup of dry red wine. The seared chicken parts are returned to the pan which is then covered. The dish is done after about an hour at a very low simmer. Cacciatore is often served with a rustic bread or some pasta on the side.

*Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cacciatore

That being said, here is the recipe that turned out to be one of the most delicious, beautifully complex in flavorings and tender chicken meals I've ever made.  I served mine over a bed of al dente egg noodles along with crusty garlic bread.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE 

INGREDIENTS 

• Olive oil, as needed         
• 1 (4 to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces
• Kosher salt
• 2 large onions, sliced
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes, passed through the food mill or pureed
• 1 bundle thyme
• 3 bay leaves

Directions

Coat a large, wide pot with olive oil and put over high heat. Season the chicken with salt. To taste, and brown in the hot oil, working in batches, if needed. Once all the chicken is brown, remove it to a plate and discard most of the excess fat.

If needed to coat the bottom of the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and crushed red pepper, season with salt, to taste, and sweat over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the peppers and cook until they are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt, to taste, and cook until they are soft. Add the white wine and reduce by half.

Return the chicken to the pan and add the tomatoes; taste for seasoning. Add the thyme bundle and the bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Check the level of the sauce periodically during the cooking process and replenish it with water as needed; the level of liquid should be about even with the chicken.

Remove the chicken from the pot and arrange it on a pretty serving platter. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust if needed. Skim the surface of the sauce if excessively greasy. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve. Tastes like chicken!

*Chef Randi's note:  I found that adding 30 minutes to the cooking time increased the flavors perfectly. This is a low and slow cooking recipe so make this on a day when you have the time!

Sunday Bliss!

Feeling ambitious? Want to impress your dinner guests? Need to make that special someone feel even more special? Well here is a simply decadent, elegant and of course mouth watering idea: Roast Duck!  I tried this recipe from the Food Network and it turned out perfect!

ROAST DUCK

Ingredients

• 1 Pekin duckling (Long Island), about 5 pounds
• Six 1 by 3-inch strips orange zest
• 1 small onion, halved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 8 whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

Directions

A day before roasting, remove the giblets and neck from the cavity of the bird and discard. If necessary pluck any stray pinfeathers off the duck with tweezers. Trim the neck flap and excess fat from around the cavity. Rinse and dry the bird well. Set the duck on a rack on a baking sheet, and refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 hours.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Pierce the duck's skin all over (including the back), every 1/2-inch, with a skewer or small knife. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and stuff with 3 strips of the orange zest and the onion. Set the duck on a rack in a roasting pan, and pour a cup of water in the pan. Roast the bird for 3 hours, removing the duck from the oven every hour to prick the skin again.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the remaining orange zest, molasses, honey, coriander, pepper, orange juice, vinegar, and garlic in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring, over medium-high heat until warm. Remove glaze from the heat and set it aside at room temperature while the duck cooks.

Remove the duck from the oven and carefully, pour off the excess fat from the pan. (If desired reserve this fat for frying potatoes or wilting greens.) Raise the oven temperature to 450 degree F. Return the duck to the oven and roast until crisp and brown, about 30 minutes more.

Let the duck rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before carving. Brush the duck's skin with glaze 4 to 5 five times during the resting period. Carve the duck and transfer pieces to warm serving platter. Serve the remaining glaze at the table to drizzle over the duck, if desired.

GQ Really?!

One finds really awesome things in the most unlikely of places! Check out this amazing recipie that when followed creates an all American dream in your mouth.

Cook a Better Burger

 

What do you put in your burgers? That's what everyone always asks. They want to know if you add chopped onions or Dijon mustard or if you doctor your ground beef with a few dashes of Worcestershire or barbecue sauce. There's gotta be something in them, no? Well, no. No, there doesn't. A great burger doesn't need help. It needs salt, pepper, and the right kind of ground beef—specifically, ground chuck, with a fat content of about 20 percent. Although, for a truly great burger, you'll want to ask your butcher for 25 percent: more fat, more flavor, more juice. Forming the patty is also important. As David Walzog, chef of New York's Strip House and Michael Jordan's The Steak House N.Y.C., points out, you want to pack it just enough to keep the meat together. The burger should have a loose consistency; this isn't meat loaf you're making. Once you've formed the patty (about an inch thick), make a well in its center with your thumb. When burgers cook, they tend to contract and bulge in the middle. Making an indentation prevents this from happening. Finally, skip the fancy-pants brioche or sourdough roll and opt for a moist, squishy grocery-store bun. And because a burger is an American classic, go with American cheese. The orange kind, of course.

 

The Perfect Burger

Makes three

 

1 lb ground chuck

Salt and pepper

American cheese

Buns

 

Step 1

Remove ground beef from the fridge an hour before cooking. Gently form three patties, each about an inch thick (don't overpack). With your thumb, form a small well in the center of each. Season on the outside with salt and pepper.

 

Step 2

To cook indoors, place a cast-iron skillet (see below) or a nonstick or regular frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is nice and hot, add a dash of vegetable oil and add the patties. Do not move them and do not press down with a spatula. Let cook for about 4 minutes, or until nicely browned. (An open window or a vent over your stove comes in handy at this point.) Flip, add the cheese, and cook for about another 4 minutes. You may have to fry a few patties to get the timing and heat level right. You want your burger well browned on the outside and juicy in the middle.

 

Step 3

Remove the burgers. Drain excess fat from the pan. Place the buns in the pan, facedown, and let them get crispy. Assemble the burgers. Go easy on the condiments. Repeat.

 

 

Read More http://www.gq.com/how-to/rest-of-your-life/201002/gq-ten-point-plan#ixzz18KBpd59H

Perfection

Warm fresh Brownie, Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream, Whipped Cream. That is all.

Snowy Day Inspiration!

I know it's been forever since my last foodie post but I was away getting inspired for the winter weather!  The treats of the season inspire all kinds of creativity that lead to yummilicious recipes for family and friends.  I really hope you join me on my new wave of savory and sweet ventures.  My most recent dabbling lead me to a decadent, holiday, comforting, warm, I could use more adjectives but just read the recipe and try it out!  I'm a strong believer in using what you have in your refrigerator so if there is any changes I would make to this, I would have used Challah bread! 

Snowy Day French Toast Bread Pudding

8 Bakery White Dinner rolls outer crusts lightly cut off

3 large eggs

1/4 cup Half and Half or heavy cream

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ginger

1/8 tsp Fresh Nutmeg Grated

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

2 Tbsp Orange Juice OR Zest of 1/2 and Orange

1/4 to 1/2 cup Raisins(depending on your preference)

1/2 cup Orange(for soaking Raisins)

3 to 4 sprigs of Fresh Mint Leaves, finely chopped

6 Tbs Unsalted Butter

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Combine raisins and 1/2 cup orange juice in a small bowl set aside. Cut Rolls in half set aside. 

Whisk eggs, half & half, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, honey or maple syrup, 2 Tbsp orange juice or zest in a medium sized bowl set aside.  In a small sauce pan over medium heat melt butter and add mint leaves reduce to low after 30 seconds let infuse for 2 minutes. 

Pour mint infused butter into a 9" square baking dish making sure the bottom of the dish is fully covered use a pastry brush to  move some of the butter onto the sides. Lay the sliced bread into the dish(it's great if they touch that's what you want) and pour custard on top. Let sit for at least 15 minutes turning halfway to make sure the bread gets soaked all through.  Drain raisins and scatter on the top. Bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes the bread will puff up! Dust with a light sprinkle of confectioners sugar(optional).Serve with warm maple syrup.