ORIENTAL PAN-SEARED SHRIMP

SERVES: 2-4

INGREDIENTS:

3-4                    Scallions – thinly sliced

3 T.                   Hoisin sauce

2 shakes           Cayenne pepper flakes

2 T.                   Soy Sauce

1 tsp.                Lemon juice

                         Zest of 1/2 lemon

2 tsp.                Grated fresh ginger

1-1/2 lb.            Shrimp – peeled and deveined – 21-25 count or larger

1/4 tsp.              Sea Salt

1/8 tsp.              Fresh ground black pepper

2 T.                    Oil - divided

1 T.                    Butter - divided

       

DIRECTIONS: [Cook shrimp in a SINGLE layer – directions are for two batches]

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to blend.  Set aside.

Combine shrimp with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

In a heavy skillet, heat 1 TBSP oil to shimmering – add butter and half the shrimp in a single layer and cook just until they begin to turn pink – about a minute.  

Turn shrimp and cook another 30-40 seconds.  Shrimp should still be opaque inside – about half done.  Transfer first batch to a plate and repeat with remaining shrimp, oil and butter

When second batch is partially cooked, return the first batch of shrimp to the pan, along with sauce mixture.  Stir cook over medium heat for about a minute.  Remove from heat and cover for 1-2 minutes.  Shrimp are done when no longer translucent inside.  Do NOT overcook.

Serve over pasta or rice that has been cooked in shrimp stock.

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/shrimp-stock.html

RAW VEGGIE SQUARES

YIELD: 20-24 PCS.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz.         Philly Cream Cheese

1 C            Mayonnaise

8 oz.         Sour cream

1 pkg.       Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1 pkg.       Good Seasons Italian dressing mix

2 pkg.       Crescent Rolls

12 oz.       Grated Cheddar cheese (or Philly Three-Cheese combo)

                 Assorted raw veggies – chopped small:

                        Green onions – sliced thin

                        Broccoli flowerets

                        Cauliflower flowerets

                        Bell pepper (Red and green)

                        Carrots

                        Celery              

DIRECTIONS:

The day ahead, combine first five ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Cover and chill overnight.  Veggies can be prepared the day ahead also, but pat dry with a paper towel before using.

Preheat oven to temperature 375°

Grease a baking sheet lightly with PAM.  Roll out both cans of crescent rolls to cover the sheet – pinching all seams closed.  Pound them THIN with the heel of your hand and pinch up a tiny crust around the perimeter. Bake approx. 14-15 minutes until golden brown.  Cool completely.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cool, baked crust.  Press veggies into topping.  Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese.  Chill at least an hour before cutting into squares.

Note:  The cream cheese/mayo/sour cream/dressings mixture is a great veggie or pita chip dip.

Caution:  Since this contains mayonnaise, keep refrigerated until serving time.

CRABS - A PRIMER..... ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW AND PROBABLY MORE THAN YOU WANT TO KNOW!

SOFT-SHELL CRABS:

Soft-shell crabs are one of America's favorite seafood delicacies.  While all crabs shed their shells to grow, only a few species of crab can actually be eaten in this form.  The blue crab is the only commercially available soft-shell product. 

Blue crabs grow rather rapidly, 12 - 18 months, from the juvenile stage to adulthood.  A full-grown blue crab will measure nearly 8 inches across. During its lifetime the blue crab will go through several growth stages.  In order for a blue crab to lose its shell, the body of the crab physically grows 30%.  The commercial crabbers will harvest the blue crab and place it in floating tanks according to its expectant shed dates.  The crab expert looks for a faint line next to the crab's paddle-like finlet (backfin).  The color of this line will determine when the crab is about to shed its shell.  What crabbers refer to as a "green" crab (also called a ‘peeler’ around here) is a crab that is just entering the shedding stage.  The "green" crab will have a white line on the backfin and will most likely shed its shell in approximately 7 - 10 days.  If the line is pink, the crab is likely to shed within 2 days and probably not longer than one week.  If the little line on the backfin is red the crab is likely to shed its shell at any time.

Soft-shell crab is shipped live but typically marketed as fresh. In many cases, the soft-shell crab move when touched.  If they are hearty and strong they will arrive live.  However, it is most common for them to perish in transit. Motion and heat are the biggest factors affecting the Blue Crabs mortality. The only real indicator to determine the freshness of the blue crab is the smell.  Blue crabs that have a distinct ammonia odor should not be served.  Blue crabs that have perished but have no odor are still fresh enough to eat.  A much-debated measure of freshness is firmness and texture. Firmness is debated because it can be influenced by temperature.  A 50-degree "still" will be softer than a 36-degree "still", yet both can have equal freshness.

The best way to store a soft-shell crab is in cool, moist packaging.  Wet newspaper and straw have all been used to maintain the moisture content.  If the product is to be held live it will be important to store it in a 50-degree temperature. If the product is to be held as fresh, standard coolers of 36-degrees are acceptable. Holding live crab at 36-degrees will ultimately kill the product and move it to the fresh category.  While producers suggest that the shelf life for soft-shell crabs is 5 - 6 days that includes all of the shipping and processing time.  In the Midwest a shelf life of 2 - 3 days can be expected and on the West Coast a shelf life of 1 - 2 days can be expected.

Soft-shell crabs can also be cleaned (dressed) and then frozen for consumption later.

Ultimately, soft-shell crabs are a delicacy that require appropriate handling and care to insure a quality product.  Understanding the crab’s nuances will certainly improve the chef’s ability to satisfy those discriminating taste buds.

CLEANING SOFT-SHELLED CRABS:

Cut crab across the face at an upward angle so that the eye sockets and scaly section of the lower mouth are removed.  Lift each side of the shell and remove the gills.  Turn the crab over and cut off the bottom apron (that’s the little flap on the underside  at the opposite end from the claws) – VOILA!

NOTE:  Contrary to popular belief, the "mustard" (or the "green gland" or "tomalley") is not fat and probably not toxic.  In fact, some people think it's a delicacy.  It's actually the crab's hepatopancreas, a main component of the crab's digestive system.  Research shows that chemical contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin, mercury, and poison-inhalation hazards (PIHs) accumulate in the crab's fatty tissues and concentrate in the hepatopancreas.  Not a problem if the crabs are caught in safe waters; however, this gland gives the crab a strong taste which I personally don’t care for.  I recommend avoiding the ‘mustard’.


SEE THE LINK BELOW FOR FRYING SOFT-SHELL CRABS:
http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/2012/05/fried-soft-shell-crabs.html



HARD-SHELL CRABS (NON-MOLTING)

CRABMEAT TERMINOLOGY:

Lump crabmeat consists of the two large muscles connected to the swimming fins of the crab.  Jumbo lump should never be broken up for a recipe; they are best used in upscale cocktail presentations or in sautés, where the size of the lumps can really shine.

Backfin is a blend of broken pieces of jumbo lump and special grade crab meat. It is perfect for use in crab cakes, dips, salads, and casseroles.  Backfin makes a beautiful presentation when stuffing fish, chicken, vegetables, or seafood.

Picked from the swimming fins of the crab, claw meat is a brown meat with a stronger flavor profile. Its stronger flavor makes claw meat ideal for dishes with heavy sauces or in dips and soups, where appearance is not as important and the flavor of the crab still comes through. 

CRAB INFO

To tell a male crab from a female crab – just flip them over and look at the underside.  A male blue crab, known as a "Jimmy" to watermen, has a long, narrow, inverted "T" shaped apron, and it looks like the Washington Monument. The male’s claws are blue-tipped.

An immature (adolescent) female blue crab, known as a "Sally" or "She-Crab" to watermen, is easily identified as having an inverted "V" or triangular shaped apron and red-tipped claws. Her apron is tightly sealed to her body and does not open since she cannot mate or carry eggs.

A mature (adult) female blue crab, known as a "Sook" to watermen, is identified as having an inverted "U" or bell-shaped apron. Her broadly rounded abdomen is free to open and is not sealed shut as before. She must open her apron in order to mate and to carry eggs.  This apron looks like the Capitol building!  The females also have a lightish red coloring on the claws – think of it as fingernail polish.    Easy enough!

Note:  When crabbing, if you want to catch ‘she-crabs’, catch a male and put him in the pot…. Or vice versa if you are crabbing for males. (And BTW – ‘she-crab soup’ often contains both sexes – just so you know)  However, since adult female crabs are fertilized early in the season but do not ‘spawn’ (she mixes the sperm with her eggs when she’s ready) until late in the summer, it’s best to release females to insure continued reproduction.  In some states, like Maryland, it may even be illegal to possess a female crab. Female crabs with external roe must be returned to the water.  It's actually a great practice not to keep any females.

When buying crabs, select ones that are most active and heavy for their size.  They can be steamed alive or cleaned and then steamed.  Either prep method should be done as soon as possible after obtaining the crabs. 

STEAMING LIVE CRABS:  (serves 4-6)

1/4 C plus 2 TBSP coarse sea salt

1 C plus 2 TBSP  Old Bay seasoning

3 TBSP  pickling spice

2 TBSP  celery seeds

1 TBSP cayenne pepper flakes

1/2 C Vinegar

1 C Beer or Water 

1 dozen Live large blue crabs

Combine first 5 ingredients in a ZipLoc bag and shake to blend.

Add water and vinegar to a 12-16 quart stockpot.  Place a rack in the bottom and bring to a boil.  Add 6 live crabs and sprinkle with seasoning – repeat with remaining crabs.  Cover and cook 20-25 minutes until crabs are bright red.  Rinse with cold water and drain.  Chill if you aren't eating them right away.

To get to the meat, twist off legs and claws.  Crack claws and remove meat with a pick – keep claw meat separate if you plan to use the meat in other recipes.  Next, remove the apron (tail flap on underside) and discard.  Insert thumb under shell by apron hinge to remove the top shell.  Pull away the grey gills and internal organs and discard.  Break the body in half and remove meat from pockets.  Pick thru the meat to remove any shell or cartilage fragments.

To clean LIVE crabs BEFORE COOKING (my preference because it’s less messy), ice them down for 20-30 minutes - then they are safe to handle without getting pinched.  You can leave the claws on, or remove them by carefully twisting them.  Next, remove the back shell from body by standing the crab on end with one shell point on a piece of wood.  Grasp the four swimmer legs (and claw if you leave it) in one hand while pushing the shell away until the shell pops off***.

Trim away the mouth protrusion on each side with kitchen shears. Cut at an angle.  This 'euthanizes the crab.  Under COLD running water, remove the ‘tab’ on the underside.  Remove the gills (the little feathery things around the perimeter.)  Remove any organs and I remove the 'mustard' (the yellow junk - see the NOTE above).  The easiest way to remove the mustard is with a soft toothbrush under running water.  If desired, break/cut the body in half along the center line. Keep iced until ready to cook.

Steam as above but for 6-10 minutes.  Meat is done when it’s opaque.  (omit pickling spice and celery seeds and cayenne flakes when cooking this way)

*** If you plan to use the shells for serving deviled crab, they MUST be scrubbed absolutely clean right away under running water with a stiff brush and then sterilized for 10 minutes in boiling water. If you aren’t using them right away, freeze immediately.  I find that a grout brush is great for cleaning the shells.

EXTRACTING MEAT FROM FRESH CRABS:

This is where crabbing fun ends and the real work begins.

Crabs need to be kept alive until you are ready to clean and/or eat them. Cleaning blue crabs is tedious and time consuming but totally worth the effort.  I cleaned 90+ blue crabs and got 34 ounces of meat (not counting claw meat), so you can see why it's so expensive.

If you are picking crabmeat out by hand, I recommend cleaning and steaming them first (see above)  for about 6-1 minutes but without the spices. This basically fully cooks the meat.  But if you want to extract the meat raw,  clean the crabs by removing the claws - leave the swimmer legs, remove the shells and clean the innards as described above.  Then completely chill the crabs by putting the pieces in a watertight bag and icing them down or by refrigerating them over night.  DO NOT PUT THE ICE DIRECTLY ON THE CRABS - YOU WANT THE MEAT TO BE DRY, NOT SOGGY, WHEN YOU REMOVE IT.

Just a note - removing RAW crabmeat from the shells is slow going.  If you're a serious crabber, I would recommend buying a CRABMASTER machine.

Available on line for about $55 plus shipping, this is great for LOTS of crabs. You clean and totally chill the crabs, and then you put the 'swimmer' legs in the crevice between the flat and rounded pieces, and pull the handle forward.  The meat is squished out and the cartilage stays under the roller.  It's really messy and not worth it for a few crabs, but of you have a good day in the water, it's worth every dime.  The main thing is the crabs have to be totally clean, completely dry, and VERY cold.  Also, it's imperative that you keep the extracted meat cold.  I put a medium metal bowl in a larger metal bowl filled with ice - works great. There is a video on YouTube with operating instructions for the Crabmaster.

As an aside, I've never seen raw crabmeat for sale.  If you are not going to cook this right away, freeze it ASAP.  What you buy 'fresh' in the cans (like Phillips) has been pasteurized and is ready to eat.

I would add that fresh crabmeat (or fresh in the can - Phillips) is far too hard to come by or way too expensive to use for a recipe like crab cakes, where lots of other ingredients mask the crab flavor.  I actually prefer canned lump crab for that.

See my recipes here for sauteed fresh crab, and for remoulade sauce - This is an adaptation of a Ruth's Chris recipe for a lump crab salad that is to die for!

Happy crabbing!

HOW TO BAKE A ‘HOME MADE’ PIE THAT TASTES JUST LIKE MRS. SMITH’S

First of all, buy yourself a beautiful 8” baking dish/pie plate.  Spritz it with the tiniest spray of Pam.

Purchase your favorite Mrs. Smith’s pie (fruit pies work best because they have to be baked – cheesecake, eh not so much).   Remove it from the box, the shrink-wrap AND the aluminum pan and place it in your lovely pie plate.  Let it sit at room temperature for a couple of hours – until crust edge is malleable.  Using your fingertips, rework the edge of the crust to make it look hand made.  ;-)

Preheat oven as directed on the box.  Brush the crust with 2-3 TBSP of melted butter and sprinkle with 2 TBSP of sugar.  Cut 5-6 vents.

Bake as directed on the box.  (you may want to put a piece of heavy duty foil on the bottom rack to catch any filling that bubbles over)  Fruit pies are usually done about 10 minutes after they start to bubble.

Remove from oven – cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.  SMILE AND SERVE! (Bury all store wrappings in the bottom of the trash can)

http://www.blogger.com/profile/01379814857388579908

CHICKEN POT PIE

RECIPE MAKES TWO  9" PIES - COOK ONE AND FREEZE ONE!

TWO PIES SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 – 4 to 5 pound         Chicken – cleaned, trimmed of excess fat/skin

                                     Fresh thyme

1                                   Lemon, quartered lengthwise

1 head                          Garlic, sliced horizontally across the cloves             

                                     Butter at room temperature

                                     Salt and pepper

2 boxes                        Pillsbury All-Ready Pie Crusts (2 crusts/box)

2 TBSP                        Oil

8-12                            White mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

2 medium                   Onions, chopped

4-5 stalks                    Celery, sliced on the diagonal

2 med                          Russet potatoes, peeled and diced

4                                  carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4” discs

1 – 10 oz box             frozen baby green peas (use 1 C of the peas, freeze the remainder for another use)

4 TBSP                       flour

2 tsp.                           Cayenne pepper flakes

2 tsp.                           salt

1 tsp.                           Fresh ground black pepper

                                    Chicken stock (from baking the bird)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425° - Loosely fill cavity of chicken with thyme, garlic and lemon wedges.  Spread butter on chicken and shake on salt and pepper.  Place in a rimmed baking pan and bake an hour and 15 minutes.  Remove the stuffing and place chicken on a plate to cool.  (Note:  at this point you have a delicious baked chicken!) 

Pour pan drippings thru a fine sieve to remove solids.  Add about a cup of water to the pan and rinse out the remainder of the pan juices, sieving them as well.  Discard veggies and set drippings aside.

Removed the chicken from the bone and cut into chunks – I include the skin because it tastes so good – and place in a large mixing bowl.

Preheat oven to 400°

Put the carrots on to boil – after they have been cooking for 8 minutes, add the potatoes – cook an additional 5 minutes.  Add 1 C of peas and bring back to a boil.  Remove from heat and drain; add veggies to the chicken.

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat – add onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes; add mushrooms and celery and cook for 3-4 more minutes.  Add to chicken mixture.  Sprinkle cayenne, salt and fresh ground pepper into mixture.

Stir chicken/veggie mixture gently to blend.  Sprinkle flour and stir to coat.  Mixture should be very thick.  Add chicken drippings, about 1/4 C at a time, blending after each addition.  Continue GENTLY blending until mixture is thoroughly dampened and ‘gloppy’ but not runny.

Line pie plates with one pastry crust.  Pile and press half the mixture into each plate and drizzle about 1/8 C of drippings over each plate.  Top each with remaining crust.  Pierce crusts 5-6 times to vent.

Bake 50-60 minutes until pies are golden brown and bubbly.  Let sit about 10 minutes before serving.

If you prefer, bake one pie and freeze the other one – let thaw in refrigerator overnight and then a couple of  hours on the counter before baking.

Freeze any remaining drippings and use as a base liquid for cooking rice or pasta.

CREOLE STEAK

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 lb.               Boneless round steak (ABOUT 1/2" THICK) 
Meat tenderizer if desired

1/3 C                    Flour

1 tsp.                    Salt

2 tsp.                    Paprika
2 tsp.                    Fresh ground pepper

1 medium             Onion – chopped

3 ribs                    Celery – sliced on the diagonal

1 medium             Bell pepper – chopped

3 TBSP                 Canola oil - divided 1, 2

1 C                    Jasmine rice

1 – 28 oz. can     Petite Diced Tomatoes – undrained

1 tsp.                    Crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsp.                    Old Bay Seasoning

1-1/2 C                Water

               
Cooked rice for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Cut steak into serving size pieces.  Sprinkle with meat tenderizer on both sides and poke with a fork.

Combine flour, salt, paprika and pepper to form a dredge – coat steak on both sides.

Over medium-high, heat 1 TBSP oil in heavy skillet – sauté onions, celery and peppers until tender but not brown; remove to a plate.  In same skillet, heat 2 TBSP oil - add steak to skillet and brown quickly on both sides.  Add celery, peppers and onions back to skillet and sprinkle with remaining flour/dredge - stir gently to coat

Add rice,  undrained tomatoes, red pepper flakes and 1/2 C water.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Add remaining water and bring JUST to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and cover.  Simmer about an hour, checking often and adding more water if necessary to prevent sticking (loosen steaks but don't flip over)

Excellent with a green salad and hard rolls.

GLAZED HAM

SERVES: 20-24

INGREDIENTS:

1 – 6 oz.             Frozen orange juice concentrate – thawed and undiluted

1-3/4 C              Water    

1/2 C                  Honey

3 TBSP              Cornstarch

1 tsp.                  Dry mustard

1/2 tsp.               Salt

1/2 tsp.               Fresh ground nutmeg

1 – 3” stick         Cinnamon

1 – 7 to 9 lb.      Smoke FULLY COOKED whole boneless ham

                           Whole cloves

 2                        Oranges (zest removed) peeled and sectioned

DIRECTIONS:

Combine juice, water and honey in a medium saucepan.  Remove 1/4 C of mixture and combine with cornstarch and stir until smooth.  Add back into saucepan and stir well.  Add mustard, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon stick and cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil – stir constantly – cook about a minute longer and remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick.  Stir in orange zest and set aside.

Score the fat side of the ham in a diamond design and push cloves into the ham where score marks intersect.  Place ham on a rack in a foil lined baking pan – fat side up.  Insert a meat thermometer.

Preheat oven to 325°.  Bake uncovered about 18 minutes per pound - about 2-1/4 hours.  Internal temperature should reach at 140°.  After the first hour, baste the ham with the juice/honey mixture about every 15 minutes until ham is done.

Add orange slices to remaining sauce and reheat… serve sauce on the side.

For an artery-clogging delight, pour the pan drippings into a LARGE measuring cup – rinse pan 2-3 times with a small amount of water, adding this to the cup until you have about 4 cups of ‘drippings’….  Bring to a boil; add salt, plenty of fresh ground black pepper and 2 C of long-cooking rice.  Cook about 18-20 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed.  Let rice stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

HONEY GRILLED PORK LOIN

SERVES: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1 C                Beer or ginger ale

1/2 C            Honey

1/2 C            Dijon mustard

1/4 C            Canola oil

2 TBSP        Onion powder

1-1/2 tsp.     Rosemary leaves – snipped into small pieces

1 tsp.            Garlic powder

1 tsp.            Salt

1/4 tsp.        Fresh ground black pepper

1 – 3lb        Rolled and tied boneless pork loin roast

       

DIRECTIONS:

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large ZipLoc bag and massage to blend ingredients.  Pierce roast on all sides with a fork and place in bag.  Massage to cover roast.  Refrigerate for 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove roast and drain, reserving marinade.  Grill over indirect heat for about 2 hours, basting occasionally.  Cook to an internal temp of 160°.  Remove and let ‘rest’ for 15-20 minutes before serving.

NOTE:  use a few sprigs of rosemary bound with floss as a disposable basting brush

DELUXE HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM

YIELD: 4 QUARTS - ALSO SHOWING FOR 6 QUARTS in ( )

INGREDIENTS:

8  (12)                      Eggs – separated

2  (3) C                    Sugar

2  (3) C                    Heavy cream

2  (3) TBSP             Vanilla

1/8  (1/4) tsp.          Flour

1/8  (1/4) tsp.         Cream of Tartar

Dash  (2 dashes)     salt

2-1/2  (3-3/4) C     Whole milk – not skim, 2%, etc.

       

DIRECTIONS:

Beat egg YOLKS with mixer until frothy – gradually add sugar and beat until thick.

Add cream, vanilla, flour and Cream of Tartar and beat until well blended.

In another bowl – combine egg WHITES and salt and beat until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture and stir gently.

Pour into 4-QT (6-QT) freezer and churn until hard – use plenty of rock salt.

When done, unplug freezer and remove motor, leaving the cylinder in place.  Pack the top completely with ice and cover with a thick towel and let ice cream ‘ripen’ for an hour before serving.

EASY HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

YIELD:  4 QUARTS (ALSO SHOWING FOR 6 QUARTS)

INGREDIENTS: FOR VANILLA ICE CREAM (SEE ***NOTE FOR FRUIT)

2 (3)                   Eggs

2 (3) C               Sugar

2 (3) cans          Pet/Carnation Evaporated milk (13 oz can)

2 (3) qts.            Whole milk***

1 (2) tsp.            Vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Beat eggs with mixer until frothy – gradually add sugar and beat until thick.

Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.

Pour into 4-QT (6-QT) freezer and churn until hard – use plenty of rock salt.

When done, unplug freezer and remove motor, leaving the cylinder in place.  Pack the top completely with ice and cover with a thick towel and let ice cream ‘ripen’ for an hour before serving.

***If adding fruit, like peaches, bananas, strawberries – pulse the fruit in a food processor until ALMOST a puree to make 3 (4) cups of fruit  (add about 1/4 C of sugar if fruit isn’t completely ripe) – add the fruit to the egg mixture and pour into the freezer – THEN ADD THE WHOLE MILK TO BRING THE MIXTURE UP TO THE FILL LINE

Do NOT use sweetened condensed milk.

POTS DE CREME AU CHOCOLAT

Servings:       Six   2-1/2 oz cups   

Description:

A very rich bite of chilled chocolate creme to make you say mmmmmmm

Ingredients:

1 C              Sugar

4 TBSP        Dry cocoa

2                  Egg yolks

3 TBSP        Flour

1-1/4 C       Milk

2 TBSP        Butter

1 tsp.           Vanilla

Suggested toppings: Toasted almonds, caramel sauce, whipped cream, mint leaf, mascarpone

Directions:

Sift dry ingredients; add egg yolks and milk – cook in top of double boiler, stirring constantly and scraping sides and bottom to prevent sticking. When thickened, remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Blend well and pour into tiny bowls.

Let cool uncovered to room temperature - then cover and chill. Add desired topping just before serving

Note: I got these tiny bowls at Walmart - they are about 1-1/2" deep and only hold 4 oz. when totally filled. Perfect for this dessert, for melted butter or seafood sauces, etc.

Really pretty with a Pepperidge Farm Pirouette cookie popped in it just before servint.

DON’T WASTE THE BOUNTY OF SUMMER….

If you’re like me and have a small, small garden, I can’t bear to see ANYTHING go to waste!  Especially if I’ve spent $3000 on watering!  I have 5 tomato bushes that have become prolific producers, and I’ve given away tomatoes to everyone I know.  I’ve canned jars full AND stewed  ‘em.  Stewing is easy – you can  pop ‘em in the freezer to add to chili and spaghetti on cold winter nights.  Canning is time-consuming (tho totally rewarding) but freezing tomatoes is a snap! 

This is my first year planting Roma tomatoes, and I’ve noticed that you can stare at them and they will ripen…. I’ve never seen a tomato go from solid green to ripe overnight.  So those are the ones I’m freezing.

Read on……

FROZEN TOMATOES WITH BASIL

INGREDIENTS:

(I cook this down to yield about a PINT of REALLY THICK tomatoes)

1                 armload of ripe tomatoes (probably 30-40 Romas or a dozen of the big variety)

1/2 – 3/4 C Fresh basil, chopped or julienned

                    Kosher salt

1 pot           boiling water

1 bowl         ice water

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse the tomatoes.  Place them in boiling water (one row deep) for about 30-45 seconds.  Fish ‘em out and plunge in the ice water.  Now pop the skins off.

Cut tomatoes into small chunks, removing most of the seeds and any green stem stuff.  Place in a heavy pot and squeeze ‘em with your hand to mush them a bit. 

Add 1 TBSP kosher salt and 1/2 C of chopped fresh baby basil (or more) for each (estimated) quart of uncooked tomatoes.  Bring to a slow boil and simmer on LOW, covered, for about 30 minutes.  Stir often to make sure they don’t stick.  

Uncover and simmer another 30 minutes to let the juice reduce and concentrate. 

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Pour into freezer ZipLoc bags and freeze flat (makes for easier storage).

  

FROZEN BLOODY MARY (SERVES 4)

4 oz             ABSOLUT CITRON VODKA

1 pint +/-    FROZEN tomatoes with basil

2 TBSP         Frank’s Original Hot Sauce

1 dash         Worcestershire sauce

1 pinch        Kosher salt (to taste)

4 stalks       Celery – with leaves

DIRECTIONS:

Place everything (except celery) in a blender and whiz until just slushy

Pour into a frosted glass and add celery stalk

Try adding 1 TBSP of clam juice to each glass for a little different taste; also try popping a couple of cooked, chilled fresh shrimp on the rim of the glass

MOM'S SWEET PICKLES [REVISED 7-8-14] [REVISED AGAIN 6/11/2019]

The hardest thing about this recipe is getting the cucumbers!  This recipe requires REALLY BIG, FIRM, yellowing, overgrown-in-the-field-almost-as-big-as-small-watermelon size cucumbers - the sort most farmers pitch out.  I can't find these so I grow my own - resist the temptation to pick them before they are huge and starting to turn yellow - this is what you want, when 12-14 cucumbers weighs at least 10 pounds.  The ones below are about 9" long and 4" in diameter.

You will also need a water-bath canner for the final step.

Peel, split lengthwise, and scrape out seeds with a spoon.  Cut into small finger size strips – like French fries.  Rinse well.

TIME:  3 DAYS (mostly waiting around)

YIELD:  6-7 pints

INGREDIENTS FOR SOAKING/PREP:

A medium size cooler - washed thoroughly with soap and water.

10 lb   prepared cukes – cut as noted above (the smaller the cuke, the more you need)

2  C   loose pickling lime (found in the spring in the canning department of your local grocery store)

2  gal     cold water/ice   
   

DIRECTIONS:

DAY 1:  Combine water, ice and lime and pour over cukes.  Soak for 24 hours, gently stirring often with a wooden spoon, as the lime will settle to the bottom.  (I leave my cooler outside by the door so I don't break my neck on it) 

DAY 2:  Rinse cukes AND COOLER well, until all lime is removed.  Return the cukes to the clean cooler and cover with cold water/ice and soak for 1-1/2 hours.  Drain and repeat, soaking for another 1-1/2 hours. 

Drain well before pickling – pat dry if necessary.

INGREDIENTS FOR PICKLING LIQUID:

2        qts.    cider vinegar (NOT White Vinegar)

4-1/2 lb.       sugar 

1        tsp.    salt

1        tsp.    celery seeds

4        tsp.    pickling spice

7-9    wide mouth pint canning jars, rings and seals and cheesecloth

.... and a jar lifter is a must!  (about $5 at Walmart)

LATE ON DAY 2:

Combine spices and celery seeds loosely in a double layer of cheesecloth.  Tuck in all the raw edges and bind with cooking string or UNWAXED dental floss (not the mint flavored).

In a large stockpot (at least 8 quart size), add spice 'bag', vinegar, salt and sugar and bring to a rolling boil.  Remove from the heat and add the cucumbers. Let stand overnight, stirring from time to time.

Go ahead and clean your jars and rings so they will be ready the next morning.  Don't forget to boil the seals!

DAY 3:  
Next morning, fill the water bath canner with hot water to a depth of a pint jar in the rack plus about 2-4".  Go ahead and get that heating - it could take 30+ minutes....

Bring the cucumber/vinegar mixture to a boil again; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Discard the spice mixture before filling the jars - it's done its job. 

Pack cukes tightly in pint canning jars and cover with pickling liquid to about an inch from the top.

THEN.....

...Press the cucumbers down in the jar with the back of a serving spoon OR try using a metal measuring cup to press the jar full (nested measuring cups with a handle are perfect for this! The 1/2 or 1/3 cup size works great for wide-mouth jars). 

Continue adding a few more 'pickles' and press the bottom of the cup down, add more and press - you'll be surprised how many more of these you can get in a jar doing this. 

Fill the jar with pickling liquid to within about 1/4" of the top of the jar. The measuring cup you use for pressing works great as a dipper to add the pickling vinegar.  Leave that 1/4" head space above the liquid.

Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp cloth.  Add rings/seals and then place the jars in the rack in the water bath.  Cover with the lid and when the water returns to a rolling boil, begin timing for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and VERY CAREFULLY remove the jars from the water bath and place on a towel nearby.  Lay a paper towel lightly on the top of the jar to absorb any water.  Do NOT press the lids!!!!!

Let pickles cool completely and if possible, don't disturb them for 24 hours.  Check that lids have all 'popped' down and gently tighten any rings that aren't snug. You can probably count the lids as they 'pop' down to seal.

You may have more cukes than will fit in a 7-jar water bath.  I put those in a QUART jar and refrigerate.  They will stay good for a few weeks.

These pickles are wonderful with BBQ and in potato or chicken salad because of their sweet tang!

Note:  Since I don't have a very large garden, I make 3 jars at the time when I get 3-5 large cukes, and process them in a stock pot with a rack in the bottom.  If you don't have a blue speckled water bath canner, a deep stock pot with a rack will do the trick, but it takes longer.

ENJOY!

CHICKEN MARSALA

CHICKEN MARSALA

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

4                           boneless chicken breasts

1/2    C                 Marsala wine (from a wine shop -                                              not the ‘cooking’ variety)

6        oz. can        tomato paste

1/2    C                   chopped onion

2        TBSP          butter

1        TBSP          olive oil

12      oz                mushrooms          

4        cloves          garlic

2        TBSP          butter         

1        TBSP          olive oil

1/2    C                 Marsala wine

         

DIRECTIONS:

Pound chicken breasts thin – dredge in flour. 

Combine 1/2 C wine and tomato paste; blend well and set aside

Saute 1/2 C onions in 2 TBSP butter and 1TBSP olive oil. 

Add chicken and brown well on both sides.  Pour wine/tomato paste mixture over chicken and cook on low heat to reduce liquids – about 15 minutes, turning chicken once.

In separate pan, sauté mushrooms in 2 TBSP butter and 1TBSP olive oil.  Add garlic and cook an additional minute; add remaining wine and mix well.  Pour over chicken and simmer 3-5 minutes.

Excellent over rice.

CANTADOU CHEESE BALL [REVISED]

YIELD: 3 CHEESEBALLS  [Best made a day ahead]

INGREDIENTS:

3 – 8 oz.      Philly Original Cream Cheese – room temp

2 sticks        unsalted butter - room temp

4-5 cloves    garlic – finely minced (NOT garlic powder )

1 tsp.           Kosher salt

1 tsp.           dried thyme

1/2 tsp.       white pepper

3 tsp.           dried basil 

1 tsp.           marjoram

3 TBSP        chopped chives

2 tsp.              dried dill weed          

1 tsp            lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:

Blend cream cheese and butter in a mixer until fluffy.  

Add remaining ingredients and blend on LOW, scraping sides of the bowl often. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture can be shaped.

Shape into three (or four smaller) balls and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Chill overnight but let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving.

Can be frozen for a couple of weeks - thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.

Serve with a mild cracker like Ritz (not one that will overwhelm the cheese flavor); also really good on celery sticks.

SHRIMP MOLD

SERVES: 8-12 as an appetizer

INGREDIENTS:

1 can         Cream of Tomato soup – undiluted

1 C            mayonnaise

3 oz.         Philly cream cheese

1 pkg.       unflavored gelatin dissolved in 1/4 C warm water

1 C            minced celery

1/2 C         minced onion

16-20 oz.   frozen shrimp - small, peeled, deveined

       

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the soup in a saucepan – remove from heat and all mayonnaise, cream cheese and gelatin.  Beat on low until smooth.

Add remaining ingredients and pour into a well-oiled mold.  Refrigerate until firm.

Serve with crackers

BACON WRAPPED DATES

This is sooooo easy and your guests will be asking for the recipe!

YIELD: 30+/- PCS.

INGREDIENTS:

2 boxes     dried PITTED dates

6 oz. bag   slivered almonds (freeze any leftovers in an airtight container)

                Bacon strips     

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425°

Separate dates and lay on a rimmed baking sheet sprayed very lightly with PAM

Count dates – you will need a strip of bacon that can be wrapped around the date and secured with a toothpick, so based on bacon length, cut into 3 or 4 pieces (err on the long side with the bacon so that it overlaps just a bit)

Stuff each date with 2-3 pieces of almond.  Wrap in length of bacon and secure with a toothpick.

Bake until bacon is crispy – 7-10 minutes.  Transfer to paper towels to remove excess bacon grease.  Serve warm.

Note:  dates are an excellent source of potassium

DRY-AGING BEEF....

If you’ve had the good fortune of tasting dry-aged beef, then you know that it has a remarkable depth of flavor.  Unfortunately for those of us who don’t have a high-end butcher or serious steakhouse nearby, dry-aged beef can be hard to come by without involving FedEx and a big credit card charge.  But the good news is that if you have a refrigerator, you can dry-age beef at home.

WHY DRY-AGED BEEF TASTE BETTER

All fresh beef is aged for at least few days and up to several weeks to allow enzymes naturally present in the meat to break down the muscle tissue, resulting in improved texture and flavor.  These days, most beef is aged in plastic shrink-wrap—a process known as wet-aging.  Dry-aged beef, on the other hand, is exposed to air so dehydration can further concentrate the meat’s flavor.  It’s a more expensive process than wet-aging, however, because the meat loses weight from dehydration, and it also must be trimmed of its completely dried exterior.   

Dry-aging should be done for a minimum of 3 days but up to 7 days for the most intense flavor.  Despite the loss of 20% of its original weight, dry-aged beef is worth the time and expense.

HOW TO DRY-AGE BEEF AT HOME

Tip: Home refrigerators aren't as consistent or as cold as commercial meat lockers. Before aging meat at home, get a refrigerator thermometer and be sure your fridge is set below 40°F.  Cook or freeze the meat within seven days of beginning the dry-aging process.

FIRST:  Buy a prime or choice boneless beef rib or loin roast from the best meat source in your area. (Ask your butcher if it’s been dry-aged, as you don’t want to age it twice)  If it HAS been dry-aged, move down to the cooking process.

SECOND:  Unwrap the beef, rinse it well, and pat it dry with paper towels.  Do not trim.  Wrap the roast loosely in a triple layer of cheesecloth and set it on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet or other tray.

THIRD:  Refrigerate for three to seven days; the longer the beef ages, the tastier it gets.  After the first day, carefully unwrap and then rewrap with the same cheesecloth to keep the cloth fibers from sticking to the meat.

FOURTH:  When ready to roast, unwrap the meat and, with a sharp knife, shave off and discard the hard, dried outer layer of the meat.  Shave away any dried areas of fat, too, but leave behind as much of the good fat as possible.  Roast whole or cut into steaks.

DRY-AGED BEEF RIB ROAST WITH A MUSTARD, GARLIC AND THYME CRUST

Select a 6-1/2 – 7 lb CHOICE grade boneless rib roast if you are going to dry-age it at home – proceed as directed above.  (4-1/2 – 5 lb roast if you don’t have the time for the dry-aging  process)

INGREDIENTS:

2 large cloves garlic

2 Tbs. kosher salt

2 Tbs. whole grain Dijon mustard

1 Tbs. lightly chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive  oil

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Horseradish-Chive Crème Fraîche for serving (recipe below)

DIRECTIONS:

Mince the garlic cloves with a chef’s knife and sprinkle with the salt.  Using the side of the knife, scrape and mash the garlic and salt together until they turn into a paste.  In a small bowl, combine the garlic paste with the mustard, thyme, olive oil, and pepper.  Rub the garlic mixture over all sides of the beef.  Put the roast, fat side up, on a rack set in a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet or small roasting pan.  Let the roast sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

Roast the beef for 15 minutes.  Without opening the door, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.   Continue to roast until a thermometer inserted in the center of the roast registers 130°F for medium rare, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Let the beef rest for 20 minutes.  (When meat is cooked, the juices tend to concentrate in the center – by letting the meat ‘rest’ the juices have time to redistribute and spread the moisture and flavor evenly)

Meanwhile, transfer the crème fraîche to a small serving dish.  Carve the beef into thin or thick slices and pass the crème fraîche on the side.

Smile, *clink* and accept kudos for a divinely flavored beef dinner!

HORSERADISH-CHIVE CRÈME FRAICHE

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

1-1/2 Tbs. thinly sliced chives

8 oz. crème fraîche (OR 2/3 C sour cream plus 1/3 C good mayonnaise)

Kosher salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Stir the horseradish and chives into the crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or until needed.  (Best made a day ahead)

http://www.finecooking.com/articles/dry-aging-beef-pays-off-big-flavor.aspx

GRILLING TIPS FROM A REDNECK WOMAN

My kinda GRILL!

SAFETY FIRST

Always keep the grill at least two feet from any combustible material or structure, such as your house, garage or deck/rails.  NEVER use a grill indoors (they suck up oxygen and charcoal emits carbon MONOXIDE) or under a covered patio.

Never add lighter fluid to lit fire/coals.

Never use a grill that wobbles, leans or is otherwise unstable.

Never spray or brush cooking oil on a hot cooking grate – oil the food instead.

Don’t wear loose or highly flammable clothing when grilling – always use heat-resistant barbeque mitts and long-handled tools when tending to the fire or the food on the fire.

Keep a fire extinguisher handy – and never pour water on a grease fire.  Instead, cover the grill with the lid and cut off the source of fuel, such as the gas.

Never allow children or pets near a hot grill. (duh)

MASTERING FIRE (a/k/a/ - cranking up that caveman gene)

Managing the heat inside a gas grill is fairly straightforward – just lift the lid, open the valve on the top of the tank, turn the knob a time or two, and push a button.  The temperature is easily adjusted from there.

When it comes to charcoal, you need to be a bit more savvy.  The opportunity to show off your mastery of fire is one of the advantages of cooking with charcoal.

What is charcoal?  If you burn hardwood in a kiln with very little air, charcoal is that lump of black stuff left in the bottom.  What you find in bags in stores are ‘briquettes’ and contain fillers – not true charcoal.  Solid hardwood charcoal briquettes are your best bet but I defy you to find them!  Briquettes don’t burn as long as lump charcoal but they are cheaper.  AVOID BRIQUETTES MADE WITH LIGHTER FLUID (Matchlight) – you will get the flavor of the chemicals in whatever you cook.

The easiest way to get your charcoal ready is to have a Weber Performer Grill – I have one and I love it!  You put the briquettes in a pair of ‘D’ shaped baskets, push a button to ignite a gas flame, and *clink* until the coals are lit.  Then turn off the gas and cook! 

The second best way is to use a chimney type lighter – newspaper in the bottom – coals on top – strike a match, and when they are lit, pour them in to the grill.  Remove the cooking grate from your grill and set the chimney on the charcoal grate below.  Takes about 20 minutes for the coals to be glowing red.  Be sure to wear your mitts when dumping the coals (and set the chimney on something like concrete to cool – again, away from kids and pets).

One other way, which isn’t my fav at all – is to light a few paraffin cubes in the bottom of the grill and build a pyramid of coals over them – when the coals glow red, they’re ready.

Use the bottom vents to adjust the heat – the more oxygen the hotter the fire. 

Test the temperature of the grill to make sure it is at the right temperature for your meat. The grill is at low heat (225 to 250° F) if you notice a thick ash covering and light orange coals.  If you hold your hand 4 inches over the coals, you should only be able to stand the heat for 11 to 14 seconds.  For medium heat (325 to 350° F), the coals will be a glowing orange, and you should only be able to hold your hand 4 inches above the coals for 6 to 8 seconds.  At high heat (450 to 650° F), the coals will be bright orange and you will only be able to stand the heat for 2 to 3 seconds.

A really NICE grilling accessory is a LARGE instant read thermometer for cooking to the perfect temperature.  This one has a 4" probe and is about $10.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQNSTS4?aaxitk=e51Jc2BgL-sXpg7yA8m38Q

Things that cook fast (burgers, steaks, etc.) are cooked over direct heat, meaning the meat is directly above the coals.  INDIRECT cooking is for larger cuts of meat, such as turkeys or chickens (see my earlier recipe for grilling turkeys – it’s to die for!)

Create different grilling zones in your BBQ by raking the coals around.  One thin layer of coals over the entire grate will create only one overall grilling temperature.  You can create three different zones by raking a double layer of coals over one-third of the grill, covering one-third with a single layer and leaving the last third bare.  This is ideal for meat that needs to be cooked at different temperatures throughout the cooking process.  (Or if you are cooking steaks for folks who all want them cooked to THEIR liking.)

Before turning in for the night, place your hand on the bottom of the grill – it should be cold to the touch.

And I'm sure most rural grill cooks know this.... but if your grill has a little bucket thingy that catches grease as stuff cooks, don't leave THAT outside overnight.  Local animals like dogs will get into it and it will make them.... sick as a dog.  Raccoons are even worse - they will eat the grease, track greasy footprints all over everything - and poop on whatever is around!

Happy and safe grilling!