Once in a while I
get an idea that won’t stop nagging at me. And the inspiration for this recipe
came as one of those thoughts that just would not go away!
And I’m glad it didn’t. Because the result was this recipe that is ever so much
easier not only to prepare, but to eat than a regular chicken cordon bleu.
Now the first
time I prepared this dish, I made the mistake of not making enough sauce. The
casserole came out too dry. (My own fault since I glommed this recipe together
from several I looked at on the internet.) But having eliminated that problem
by doubling the sauce part, this is now a dish fit to serve company. Very
tasty, and can be prepared ahead of time. I love that in a casserole.
So if you too
love chicken cordon blue, but don’t appreciate the mess associated with the
real thing, give this dish a try. It’s lovely. Great flavor and even a nice
presentation.
And a general apology to our guests Tim & Susie, Todd & Cindy for having to eat my first attempt at this recipe. This version is much better. Honest it is!
And sorry about no photo of the casserole. Must have been brain dead. Just imagine a Pyrex dish with browned crumbs on the top and you have the whole picture. So to speak.
Chicken:
2 T. unsalted
butter
4 boneless,
skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch cubes
kosher salt
freshly ground
black pepper
Heat the butter in a large skillet. Add the chicken cubes lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper. Fry just until cooked through. Do not over-cook. Remove pan from heat. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken to a roughly 9×13-inch casserole or glass Pyrex dish. Set aside. Pour the remaining liquid from the fry pan into a 4 cup measuring implement. Set aside.
Sauce:
6
T. unsalted butter
3
cloves garlic, finely minced
6
T. all-purpose flour
3
c. whole milk (approximately)
1
tsp. chicken bouillon
3-4
T. Dijon mustard, or to taste
1½
c. grated Parmesan cheese
kosher
salt
freshly
ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a heavy pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add enough milk to the reserved chicken frying liquid to make 4 cups. Slowly pour in the milk mixture while whisking quickly to avoid lumps. Add the chicken bouillon. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Casserole Assembly:
12 slices deli
ham (about ½ lb.), cut into small pieces (I use Black Forrest ham)
12 oz. shredded Swiss
cheese, or more to taste
2 T. unsalted
butter
2 c. Panko bread
crumbs
Scatter
about half the cut ham over the cooked chicken pieces. Evenly place the grated
Swiss cheese over the first bit of ham. Scatter the remaining ham over the
cheese. Spread the sauce evenly over the top.
Melt
the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Remove pan
from heat and stir in the panko. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Note: If you are making this dish ahead
of time, don’t add the Panko topping until just before you pop the casserole in
the oven.
Bake
in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top is browned
and the casserole is bubbling. The last half of the baking time can be
convection. (This will help brown the top.) Remove from oven and let sit for
about 5 minutes before serving.
Just after I formed the dough into torpedo shapes and placed them in a buttered 9×13-inch pan. A 30 minute rest/rise is the next step.
Just after I slathered the hot-out-of-the-oven rolls with melted butter and sprinkled them lightly with fleur de sel.
I
love bread. Always have, always will. And for me the best part of a lot of restaurant
meals is the warm bread brought out just after the server has taken our order.
Yum. And so I like to serve some type of bread when I have company. Of course,
some meals don’t warrant bread or rolls, but those that do, and I have the time
needed to bake, I give it a go. And with this recipe that takes much less time
than most roll recipes, it’s a snap for me to have rolls on the table in the
blink of an eye. (Well, it takes longer than that, but not much!)
And
these babies are delicious. And with a stand mixer, the ease of preparation
makes me feel almost guilty for taking any credit at all. I mean really. Dump a
few ingredients in the mixer bowl, set the thing on go, and add enough flour
until the bowl is practically clean. How hard is that?
Of course it did take some talent to form the dough into 18 even hunks. But I can almost do that in my sleep because of lots of years of practice. But then again, you only get good at doing something by performing the act over and over. It’s just like that decades old question. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Answer – practice, practice, practice! How do you make a good dinner roll? Use this recipe and (you guessed it) practice, practice, practice. Enjoy.
4
c. unbleached all-purpose flour, or more if needed
2
pkgs. or 2 T. rapid rise or instant
yeast
¼
c. granulated sugar
1
lg. egg, room temperature
1
tsp. kosher salt
1½
c. whole milk
6
T. unsalted butter, melted, divided
fleur de sel or kosher salt, for topping
Combine
3½ cups of the flour, yeast, sugar, egg, and the 1 teaspoon of kosher salt in the
bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Heat milk until warm. (Remember,
it can’t be too warm or the heat will kill the yeast.)
Add
the warm milk and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter to the flour mixture.
Knead 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally if needed. Add enough
additional flour until the dough pulls away from the sides and bottom of the
bowl while kneading. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let rise for
30 minutes. Punch down the dough.
Divide
the dough into 18 torpedo shaped pieces. (Don’t worry if the sizes are not
perfectly equal. But do make them as consistent as possible.) Place in a lightly
buttered 9×13-inch pan. (I use a glass Pyrex pan.) Cover with plastic wrap and let
rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
Bake
in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. (An
instant read thermometer should register between 185 to 190 degrees when they
are done.) Remove from oven and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted
butter while the rolls are still warm. Lightly sprinkle with fleur de sel. Serve
warm or at room temperature with lots of room temperature butter.
OK, this cocktail recipe looks to me, at least at
first glance, like it has a bit of the “kitchen sink” thing going on. But
according to Mr. C., it is an absolutely delicious adult beverage. A happy meeting
of several different flavors which result in a very complex taste.
Now for me, taking even a sip of this drink would
bring me nothing but unhappiness. I am a true wimp when it comes to most mixed
drinks. I like gin, vodka, and on occasion tequila (as long as it comes in the
form of a really good Margarita). Other than that, I’m pretty darn boring when
it comes to alcoholic concoctions. Mr. C. on the other hand loves to play
mixologist and sample, then perfect drinks that include unusual liquors,
liqueurs, and additives.
So this recipe is direct from the resident drink mix
master. Thanks honey. But no thanks to one of these instead of a martini!
And special thanks to Andy’s sister Katie and husband Rick for the gift bottle of Xocalatl. Looking for drinks that used this ingredient led to the discovery of this special cocktail. Chin-chin.
½ oz. rye whiskey
½ oz. bourbon
½ oz. calvados
½ oz. cognac
¼ oz. simple sugar syrup
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters*
1
dash Xocolatl Mole bitters***
6 or so ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake well and strain into an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange and lemon peel twist. *Per Wikipedia – “Peychaud’s Bitters is a bitters distributed by the American Sazerac Company. It was originally created around 1830 by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole apothecary from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) who settled in New Orleans in 1795. It is a gentian** based bitters, comparable to Angostura bitters, but with a predominant anise aroma combined with a background of mint. Peychaud’s Bitters is the definitive component of the Sazerac Cocktail.”
** Gentiana is a genus
of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family, the tribe Gentianeae, and
the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species it is considered
a large genus. They are notable for their mostly large, trumpet-shaped flowers,
which are often of an intense blue.
***Combination of cacao, cinnamon, and spice.
Note about bitters:
According to vinepair.com, “bitters are the slightly confusing name given to a class of liquor-based flavoring agents used for everything from stomachaches to cocktail recipes (confusing because they’re not necessarily bitter).”
I
am always looking for fairly plain, easy to prepare, but still tasty starchy side
dishes to serve with what I call “fussy food”. You know, like meaty casseroles,
meat loaf, meats with a sauce – that type of food. Especially when I am
entertaining guests. (If it’s just Mr. C. and me, I often don’t serve a starchy
dish, because we simply don’t need it. I serve 2 veggies, or a simple veggie
and a salad.)
But
the other night I planned to serve Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (recipe coming
soon) to our dear friends Tim & Suzie, Todd & Cindy. The guys had been
golfing at our local golf course, and the ladies joined the fun for a rather
impromptu après golfing gathering. I didn’t want to serve potatoes or pasta,
but knew that I wanted a little something starchy on the side. (Company coming
after all!) So I went on line and found this very simple recipe from Emeril
Lagasse.
And
it was perfect. A nice mellow flavor. And the fact that I could bake the dish right
along with the casserole was an added incentive to give this dish a try. (And
yes I know. I could have made simple steamed rice in one of my 3 rice cookers.
But I wanted to include sautéed onions in with the rice, because I thought the essence
of onion would be a nice compliment to the ingredients in the chicken dish. (And
yes I chose to use the word “essence” in deference to Emeril’s fabulous creole
seasoning combination. See recipe below.)
So next time you need a simple but delicious side dish and don’t want to go to too much trouble, give this recipe a try. Try it, you’ll like it! (Been said before but it still bears repeating.)
3
T. unsalted butter
½
c. chopped yellow onion
1½
c. long-grain white rice
1½
c. water
1¼
c. chicken broth
1
tsp. kosher salt
freshly
ground black pepper (just a bit)
In
a medium-sized, heavy lidded saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add
the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add
the rice and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the water, chicken broth,
salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.
Cover
the pan and transfer to the middle rack of a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Bake
until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let sit, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff the rice just before serving.
Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning
2½ T. paprika
2 T. kosher salt
2 T. granulated
garlic
1 T. freshly
ground black pepper
1 T. onion powder
1 T. cayenne
pepper
1 T. dried leaf
oregano
1 T. dried thyme
Combine
all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
And
I know. This recipe has nothing to do with the rice dish above. I just think it
is a recipe that everyone should have because it is just plain wonderful.
OK, I know I am probably
alone here, but I actually like homemade pizza better than 90% of the pizza
found in restaurants. The 10% that I like better is baked in Italy but I simply
can’t afford to fly to Rome every time I get a pizza craving! No duh!!!! And I
have to admit; the part about actually being in Italy probably has something to
do with my feeling that the best pizza is made there. I do so love Italy!
Now of course, intrinsic
to my preference for homemade pizza I include the fact that I have friends who
make incredible pizza in and outside of their own homes. Our dear friends Chip
and Linda who own the Quillayute River Resort* in Forks, WA have an Italian
pizza oven in their home. And Chip is a master bread baker. So between the
amazing crust that he prepares from scratch and the oven that is designed for
the purpose, Chip’s pizzas are amazing. And our great friend Tim in Anacortes
also prepares fantastic pizzas. He actually bakes his creations on his grill.
Fabulous.
But I do neither.
I use my oven. I crank the sucker up to 475 degrees, bake the pizza on the
bottom rack, and use the convection setting. That’s as far as I am willing to
go to insure tasty pizza. I simply can’t foresee a real pizza oven in my
future. And if I tried baking pizza on our grill, I would either burn myself or
worse yet, burn down the house. (I am not a grill queen. And I don’t want to
task Mr. C. with a grill assignment I am unwilling to try myself. We have our
positive attributes, but mechanical aptitude is not one of them! Two spatulas,
hot flames. Not going to happen!) So we are stuck with pizza ala Chez Carr.
In my opinion, the
first thing about any good pizza is the crust. And I happen to like thin crust.
I want it to have flavor, but not so much that it detracts from the rest of the
ingredients. The second thing I think is essential to the overall appeal of a
pizza is the sauce. For years I would make a tiny bit of sauce and spread it on
very lightly. Wrong! The sauce is important. It should be very flavorful and should
not be used sparingly.
The next
ingredient that is super important – cheese. Gotta have plenty of cheese or why
bother?
And then
pepperoni, Italian sausage, chopped onion, black olives, mushrooms, and bell
pepper. What is not to like in this combination? For me it is the very definition
of pizza. But I live with a guy who likes pesto sauce or a white pizza sauce,
so I am going to be trying out recipes with more contemporary ingredients in
the next few months. If you have a favorite I would love to hear from you.
But in the meantime, give this recipe a try. Your kids will love it. They won’t even notice the whole grain flour in the crust. They might not like the extra onions or bell pepper pieces. But the great thing about pizza is that you can add ingredients to one part of the pizza, and leave them off the other side. Everyone gets what they want and everyone is happy. Now how often does that happen with any other dish? Bon appetito!
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust:
¾ c. + 1 T.
lukewarm water
1 pkg. or
1 scant T. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. whole-wheat
pastry flour
1 c. bread flour
½ tsp. kosher
salt
extra virgin
olive oil
Place water,
yeast, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir with your bread hook. Let
stand until the yeast has dissolved and starts to look bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Stir in whole-wheat flour, most of the 1 cup of the bread flour, and the salt
until the dough begins to come together. Add enough remaining flour to make a smooth,
elastic ball of dough that pulls away from the sides and bottom of the bowl, about
4 to 5 minutes.
Pour a small
amount of olive oil over the dough and turn to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen
tea towel or plastic wrap. Let sit for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Punch down. While the dough rises, prepare the pizza sauce and get the topping
ingredients ready.
When the dough is ready, punch it down. Spread it out on a lightly greased large pizza pan or baking sheet. Spread the dough as thin as possible. Form a small rim by pinching edge of dough.
Stir all ingredients together until thick and smooth.
Pizza Toppings: (my favorite)
sliced
or shredded mozzarella cheese (about ¾ lb.)
1
lb. crumbled cooked bulk Italian sausage
1
lb. pepperoni slices
½
c. chopped onion
¾
c. halved black olives
1
c. sliced mushrooms
½
of a bell pepper, chopped
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
Pizza Assembly:
Spread
the pizza crust with a nice thick layer of pizza sauce. (Lots of sauce is best!
If you don’t use it all, put the rest in the freezer for the next time you get
a pizza craving or make marinara sauce.)
Spread
about a third of the mozzarella over the sauce, then add the other topping
ingredients. Finish with the rest of the mozzarella and the grated Parmesan.
Bake
in a pre-heated 475 degree oven on the lowest rack for 12-14 minutes or until
the cheese is bubbly and the crust is browned. Let sit for 3-4 minutes before
slicing.
And of course you can change topping amounts, add or delete toppings, do whatever you want to your hearts content. Other topping ingredients we enjoy – sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and anchovy fillets (when we are feeling worthy).
*Quillayute River Resort
Nestled in a secluded forest by the Quillayute River, this relaxed, all-suite resort is 7 miles from La Push Beach and 16 miles from Bogachiel State Park.
The cozy 1-bedroom suites feature full kitchens with vintage-style appliances, as well as living areas with fireplaces and pull-out sofas. All have satellite TV, free Wi-Fi and heated bathroom floors, plus covered porches with river views and BBQ grills.
Each of the five riverside housekeeping suites have a comprehensively-equipped kitchen with charming, completely refurbished 1950s era appliances, and new pots, pans, dishes, and utensils – everything you need. Kitchens also come equipped with toasters, blenders, electric hand mixers, microwaves, coffee makers, coffee, salt, and pepper.
Bedrooms have either 2 double beds or 1 King size bed, DISH TV with ESPN, and DVD/CD players. Other amenities in all the suites include DSL Internet connections, clock radios, telephones, and a collection of books for the non-electronically inclined.
Relax in the comfort of your living room while you watch the river flow and cozy up next to the fireplace.
Bathrooms are equipped with heated tile floors, hair dryers, full-size bathtubs, and EO Products – Organic Skin and Hair Care Products soaps, bath gels, and lotions.
Each suite has its own set of deck chairs and a charcoal barbeque on the covered porch overlooking the river. Each suite is also separated from the next by an enclosed garage.
I
want you to know just how brave I have become. I have actually used my Instant
Pot 3 times in the last few weeks. Amazing right? And I must say in all honesty
– what in the heck was I worried about? My Instant Pot is so easy to use, and
so far the results have been terrific. OK, I still don’t sauté in my Instant
Pot because I like to control that step on my stove top. But cook dried beans,
or in this case meat that would normally have to simmer for hours, well I am
now so on board the Instant Pot train! And the pot is even easy to clean!
Better and better.
So
the other day I got a wild hair to make a shredded beef enchilada. I love
Mexican food, and already had a great recipe for Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chili Sauce (the best red sauce you
could ever hope to create at home BTW), but my mouth was craving shredded beef.
So I went on line and glommed together this recipe. And I must say it filled my
expectations and then some. And easy? Oh yah!
So
if you too have been the least bit hesitant to use your Instant Pot, get over
your fears and give this recipe a try. I topped the enchiladas with homemade Pico de Gallo (on site) and sour cream.
And served Mexican Cabbage Salad (see recipe below) and Instant Pot refried
pinto beans on the side. (Beans recipe to be posted in the next few days.)
And if you love shredded beef enchiladas as much as I do, make this recipe at your earliest convenience. It is just plain yummy. And if you have extra meat, don’t hesitate to freeze it for the next time you experience an enchilada craving.
2
T. extra virgin olive oil
3
lb. boneless chuck roast, all visible fat and gristle removed, and cut into
3-inch pieces
1
c. beef broth
juice
of 1 lime
1
sm. can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2
tsp. chili powder
2
tsp. dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
2
tsp. ground cumin
1
tsp. paprika
1
tsp. kosher salt
¼
tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
¼
tsp. ground cloves
freshly
cracked black pepper
1
can (lg. or sm.) chopped green chilies
1
sm. yellow onion, rough chopped
4
cloves garlic, rough chopped
2
bay leaves
flour tortillas, warmed on a dry griddle
Heat
olive oil in a large frying pan. Brown all the pieces of meat and place them in
your Instant Pot. Add more olive oil if necessary. (The beef chunks should be
very well browned on all sides.) Don’t wash the fry pan. Pour off any fat, but
leave the brown bits for later.
In
a medium sized bowl, whisk the broth, lime juice, tomato sauce, chili powder,
oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, ground cloves, and
black pepper together. Stir in the canned green chilies, chopped onion, chopped
garlic, and bay leaves.
Pour
over the meat and give the whole mess a good stir.
Place
the lid on the instant pot and lock. Steam release knob should be set on
“sealing”. Cook on manual setting (high pressure) for 60 minutes.
Allow pressure to release naturally.
Remove
beef from pressure cooker and shred with 2 forks, discarding any fat.
Pour
the remaining liquid from the Instant Pot into the fry pan. Discard the bay
leaves. Heat and stir up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. If the sauce
is not thick enough, make a simple water and cornstarch slurry (1 to 1 water
and cornstarch mixture) and add to the meat juices. Bring to a boil, and whisk
until smooth and sauce reaches desired consistency. Add shredded beef to pan. Adjust
seasoning. Cook until warm.
Fill
warmed tortillas with meat, roll, and top with Pico de Gallo and sour cream. Or
whatever your heart desires. Meat can also be used as a filling for tacos or on
a taco salad. Let your imagination be your guide.
Note: I have not tried making this shredded beef the more traditional way. That is on either my cook top or in the oven, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t turn out just fine. Just check it every hour or so to make sure the beef is not getting too dry. Add water or beef broth as required.
MEXICAN CABBAGE SALAD
½ small head
cabbage, chopped
1 jalapeno
pepper, seeded and minced
½ small red
onion, minced
1 carrot, shredded
1 T. chopped
fresh cilantro
juice of 1 lime
pinch kosher salt
freshly ground
black pepper
In
a bowl, mix together the cabbage, jalapeno pepper, red onion, carrot, cilantro,
lime juice, salt, and pepper. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
This
salad would also make a great accompaniment to fish tacos. Just sayin’!
I believe in
making my life easier every chance I get. And this recipe is the very essence
of that affirmation. Just a few dried herbs, dehydrated onion, granulated
garlic, salt, pepper, a glug or two of olive oil, and some chunks of potato and
you have the makings for a wonderfully simple and delicious vegetable side
dish. And relatively healthy to boot! And these potatoes go with just about any
simple meat dish. Roast chicken, pork tenderloin, grilled flank steak, grilled
hamburgers, etc. etc. Just a lovely combination of crispy and tender. Completely
yum!
So next time you want a delicious side dish that everyone will enjoy, throw a batch of these in your oven. Your kids will love them. You can of course serve them with ketchup, but they can just as easily stand on their own. They are just that flavorful. Enjoy
2-3 T. extra
virgin olive oil
1½ tsp. dried minced onion*
1 tsp. dried
oregano*
½ tsp. dried
thyme leaves*
½ tsp. dried
marjoram*
½ tsp. dried
basil*
½ tsp. granulated
garlic
1 tsp. kosher
salt
freshly ground
black pepper
healthy pinch
paprika
3 lbs. unpeeled baby
Yukon gold or baby red potatoes (or a mixture of the two)
cooking spray
Whisk the olive
oil, onion, oregano, thyme, marjoram, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika
together in a medium sized bowl.
Place extra-large
low-sided baking sheet in oven on the middle rack. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
with the baking sheet inside.
Slice the potatoes
in half (quartering any unusually large ones). Dry thoroughly with either paper
towels or a clean kitchen tea towel. Stir the potatoes into the olive oil
mixture making sure every surface is coated with the seasoned oil.
Remove baking
sheet from oven and quickly cover the bottom of the hot pan with cooking spray.
Scoop the potatoes onto the hot baking sheet and spread carefully into an even
layer.
Bake for 20 minutes, then flip each potato over and bake another 15 minutes, or until golden brown, crispy, and fork tender. Serve hot.
*if the dried
minced onion, or dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, or basil leaves are
particularly large, you probably should reduce the size a bit before mixing
them in with the olive oil. I use my small mortar and pestle for this purpose. (You
don’t need to pulverize the herbs. You just don’t want the dried herbs or
dehydrated onion pieces to be so large that they might burn during the roasting
process.)
Note: I make up a large batch of the
seasoning mixture while I’m at it. Then when I make these potatoes, I use 2
tablespoons for 3 pounds of potatoes.
Those of you who
know me personally know that I like gin. OK, not just any gin. I like Tanqueray
gin. And my adult beverage of choice is always a very dry martini, up, with one
olive. (Unless of course I am with my dear friend Vicki who loves olives, then
I try to remember to ask for 2 olives and she gets them both.) Greater love and
all that……….. But I digress.
Anyway, as much as I love me a good old Tanqueray martini, I have recently expanded my horizon to include these delicious drinks made with, you guessed it, Tanqueray gin. And oh my, are they delicious! But then, I am a great lover of lime juice. So really, what’s not to like?
So if you too love gin and want a refreshing change from a martini that would be especially good on a hot summer evening, request one of these drinks from your favorite mixologist. Speaking of which, Mr. C. is it 5:00 yet?
Gin Gimlet Cocktail:
2 oz. gin
1 oz. fresh lime juice
¼ oz. simple
syrup*
ice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake vigorously until shaker is frosted over. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or save the ice and add a few cubes to keep the drink cold. (My preference.)
Gin Rickey Cocktail:
ice
1½ oz. gin
juice of ½ lime,
or more to taste
club soda
lime slice
Fill a rocks glass with ice. Pour in the gin and lime juice. Top off with club soda. Stir. Garnish with a slice of lime.
*Simple Syrup:
1 part water
1 part granulated
sugar
In
a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until
sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.
I’m
always looking for delicious ways to prepare fish. And we love cod. But cod is
not a strong flavored fish, so that means it needs a little flavor boost from
either the method of preparation or from the sauce it is served with. But Mr.
C. is a strong believer that not only should the fish itself be flavorful,
there simply must be a sauce or aioli to create perfection.
So yesterday I went on line and found yet another combination of spices that sounded appealing. I messed with the amounts, but the spice combination itself comes from the Kitchen Stewardship site and calls itself “St. Peter’s Seasoning”. It’s really a wonderful spice blend. (I’ve only been looking for the perfect fried fish recipe for 50 some years now. And this comes as close as any that I have tried. I added the flour, cornmeal, and milk part, and that worked very well with the spice combination. This is now my go-to recipe when I want a really tasty fried fish. And just in case you were worried. This coating is spicy, but not crazy spicy. And of course, you can always cut down or totally eliminate the cayenne pepper from the recipe.)
So please give this recipe a try. Although I used cod last evening, I think it would work just as well with halibut or any other firm fleshed fin critter. Happy dining.
1
T. granulated garlic
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. paprika
1½ tsp. onion powder
1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1½ tsp. dried oregano leaves (ground in a mortar & pestle)
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves (ground in a mortar & pestle)
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
½
c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3
c. finely ground cornmeal
½
c. milk
2
lb. fresh cod (the thicker the fillets the better), cut into portion size
pieces
veggie oil
Blend
the granulated garlic, salt, paprika, onion powder, pepper, oregano, thyme, and
cayenne pepper together in a shallow pan. Whisk in the flour and cornmeal. Set
aside.
Pour
the milk in another shallow pan. Place the cod in the milk, turn the fillets so
that all sides have been exposed to the milk, and refrigerate for 20-25
minutes.
Pour enough oil in a fry pan to coat the bottom. Heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot, remove the fish from the milk and coat with the flour/corn meal/spices mixture. Fry the fish until it is nicely browned. Carefully flip and cook the second side of the fish until it too is nicely browned. Remove the fish to a wire rack and serve immediately. I like to serve this fish with a simple tartar sauce. (See recipe below)
Simple Tartar Sauce:
¾
c. light mayonnaise
2
small garlic cloves, finely minced
1
tsp. finely grated lemon peel
4
tsp. fresh lemon juice
1-2
T. finely chopped dill pickle
1
T. finely minced onion
¼
tsp. kosher salt
freshly
ground black pepper
Combine
all ingredients. Refrigerate until needed.
So
what do you make to take along on a golfing vacation with friends that would be
considered a complimentary dessert to go along with “cocktail lab”? Well, I
guess before I answer that question, I should explain what constitutes “cocktail
lab”. In our case, it meant trying new drinks on each other that contained
ingredients that were mostly foreign to the majority of us. Like – Fernet Branca liqueur*, pear liquor, Cynar**, King’s
Ginger Liqueur, and muddled cucumber to mention a few.
Having
provided you with that little bit of information, you can now undoubtedly
understand why I chose this recipe to share with our friends. (And yes, you can
peek at the recipe before continuing with my narrative.)
And
should you be wondering, there was actually some golfing that happened along
with trying new and interesting adult beverages. Not to mention enjoying some
wonderful meals together, both homemade and at restaurants. And in-between the
rain showers, we also managed a few walks, hikes, bicycle rides, and a great
visit to an antique mall. All and all a most pleasant time with our dear
friends Todd and Cindy, Tim and Suzie. Could not have been a better way to
spend our time.
So I hope you enjoy this incredible cake slightly modified from a recipe I found on the Laughing Spatula web site. The cake is easy to prepare, the taste is amazing, the frosting is to die for, and it stays moist and delicious for several days. But beware. It is intensely rich. A small piece goes a long way. But do try it. It’s one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever tasted.
And if you happen to be a jazz lover and live in or near Anacortes, come enjoy the timE3 jazz trio at the Rockfish Grill on Wednesday, June 5th. And as you sit there enjoying the music, imagine Tim (bass), Todd (drums), and Mr. C. (piano) enjoying time together in Sunriver, Oregon playing golf, eating hotdogs and drinking a beer at the turn, and sharing way too many funny stories along the course. Because that’s exactly what I will be doing too. Watching these three successful, wonderful men enjoying themselves so completely always makes me happy. And of course I get to spend time with their fabulous wives and other great friends while the guys are busy making music. And that too makes me extremely happy. Life just doesn’t get much better. As I have said before, I am one lucky lady! And part of the reason definitely belongs to the many wonderful friends we are so very lucky to have in our lives. Here’s to all of you who by your very being enrich our lives. Cheers!
Cake:
2
eggs
2
c. granulated sugar
1
c. sour cream
½
c. vegetable oil
2
tsp. vanilla
½
c. water
½
c. bourbon
2
c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1
c. unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli
Majestic Premium Cocoa Powder)
1½
tsp. baking soda
1
tsp. baking powder
1
tsp. salt
2
tsp. espresso powder (I use Medaglia d’Oro)
½ c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Ganache Frosting:
1¼
c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1
c. heavy cream
3
T. bourbon
1
tsp. vanilla
pinch salt
CakeDirections:
In
large mixing bowl combine egg, sugar, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla
until well blended. Add bourbon and water; mix until completely smooth.
Whisk
together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and
espresso powder. Add to the egg mixture. Beat only until just combined. Stir in
the chocolate chips.
Pour
into a lightly buttered 9 x 13-inch baking pan, glass preferred.
Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. (When done, the middle part of the cake might still adhere a bit to your toothpick. Not to worry. You just don’t want the rest of the cake to get too done.)
Remove from oven and let cool completely before spreading on the ganache frosting.
Ganache Frosting Directions:
Pour
chocolate chips in large microwave save bowl and microwave for one minute until
chips are just soft. In another microwave safe bowl or in a pan on your
cooktop, heat cream until it just begins to boil.
Pour hot cream over chocolate chips. Let sit for 2 minutes before stirring with whisk until the chocolate mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in the bourbon, vanilla, and pinch of salt.
Cool in the refrigerator until the consistency is fairly thick, 30-45 minutes. (Can be made ahead and microwaved for 20 seconds or so before spreading on the cooled cake.)
*Fernet
is an Italian type of amaro, a bitter, aromatic spirit. Fernet is made from a
number of herbs and spices which vary according to the brand, but usually include
myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and especially saffron, with a base
of grape distilled spirits. Amaro is an Italian herbal liqueur that is commonly
consumed as an after-dinner digestive. It usually has a bitter-sweet flavor,
sometimes syrupy, and has an alcohol content between 16% and 40%.
**Cynar
is a bitter liqueur made from various herbs and
plants, the most prominent being artichoke. The bitterness is
offset by the citrus from the lemon juice and grapefruit bitters.
