Friday, September 30, 2011

NOW WE ARE COOKING ENJOY DAN

           CHICKEN ROASTED WITH PORT WINE- (POUET AU PORTO) by CHEF DAN:
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

3-pound roasting chicken
3 carrots, sliced
2 onions, diced

Roast chicken at 425 degrees, 1/4-teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons softened butter
On the inside of the chicken smear with butter and a little salt, rub the skin with reaming butter and little salt
Add chicken to roasting pan, with carrots and onions surrounding chicken,
Roast for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 degrees, baste chicken every 20 minutes, adding a little butter and salt, cook for 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 165 F

1 pound fresh mushrooms, quarter
1/4-cup cold water
1/2-tabllsespon butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4-teaspoon salt
In a sauce pan bring water to a boil with lemon, butter and salt.
Toss in the mushrooms, cover and on a low boil for 8 minutes, leave mushrooms in skillet, drain and reserve liquid.

1 cup whipping cream
1/2-teaspoon cornstarch, blended with 1 tablespoon of the cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Pour the cream and the cornstarch mixture into the mushrooms; simmer for 2 minutes, set aside

When chicken is done, remove to carving board and let rest, while completing sauce.

1/2-teaspoon shallots, minced
1/3cup port
The mushroom cooking liquid
The mushrooms in cream
1/4-teaspoon lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons grease from roasting pan.
Stir in shallots, and cook slowly for 1 minute, add port and the mushroom juice, and boil down, scarping coagulated roasting juices, until liquid has reduced to about 1/4-cup. Add the mushrooms and cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Correct seasoning and add lemon juice to taste.

1 tablespoon butter, 1teaspoon salt
In a cast-iron skillet the inside with butter. Carve chicken in bite-size pieces and add to the skillet, season with salt and pepper.

1/4- cup brandy or 100 proof rum.
Over medium-heat, when you hear the chicken sizzling add brandy or rum and ignite with match.
Shake the skillet slowly until the flames have subsided.
Then pour in the mushroom mixture, tilting the skillet and basting the chicken.
Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Do not boil.

     ENJOY DAN:                                                                    (BON-APPETITE)

SOUPS-ON AT THE SOUP KITCHEN WITH CORNED BEEF ENJOY DAN:

               CORN BEEF AND CABBAGE by CHEF DAN:
Serves 30-40

INGREDIENTS:

3 (5 pound) corned beef brisket
1/4-cup pickling spice
1/4-cup butter
3 heads of cabbage, cored and sliced
3 oranges, sliced in rounds
12 stalks celery, sliced
6 onions, sliced
20 potatoes
6 apples cored and quarter with peel
22 cups beef broth


DIRECTIONS:                                (PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 300 DEGREES)

1.     In a large roasting pan, lined with aluminum foil, leaving enough extending over the sides to seal in the briskets.
2.     Wash and pat dry.
3.     Rub1/4 of the pickling spice on the meat.
4.     Arrange 4 stalks of celery, oranges, and onion around the briskets.
5.     Pour in 1/2-c up water and seal the briskets.
6.     Bake for 4 hours, or until meat is tender.
7.     Meanwhile in soup pot add butter over medium-heat and sauté the remaining onions, and celery, and sauté for about 5 minutes.
8.     Add broth, cabbage, potatoes, and remaining pickling spice.
9.     Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour.
10.                        Remove meat from the oven and let cool.
11.                        When cool slice into bit size pieces and add to soup pot.
12.                        Heat through and serve.

PICKLING SPICE RECIPE:
1.     2 cinnamon sticks, broken, 1 tablespoons mustard seeds, 2 tablespoons black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon EACH whole cloves, whole allspice, juniper berries, crumbled whole mace, and dill seeds.4 bay leaves.
2.     Mix all ingredients together.
         ENJOY DAN:                                                 (BON-APPETITE)

Thursday, September 29, 2011

CHICKEN AND MANGO CHUTNEY MAYBE ADD A SLICED APPLE ENJOY DAN:

CHICKEN WITH CURRIED SPINACH SALAD by CHEF DAN:
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

3 (5oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4- cup rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons grape-seed oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mango chutney
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons DAN’S honey
2 teaspoons curry powder
8-oz baby spinach
2 scallions cut in 2” bias
1/2-cup dried mangoes and berries
1/4-cup chopped pecans
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Place the chicken and enough water to cover in a sauce-pan over medium-high heat until water just begins to bubble.
2.     Reduce heat, cover, and pouch 10 minutes or until just cooked.
3.     Transfer chicken to a bowl and let cool.
4.     While chicken cooks, in a serving bowl whisk vinegar, oil, Dijon mustard, mango chutney, ginger, DAN’S honey and curry powder.
5.     Season with salt and pepper
6.     Chop chicken and add spinach, and scallions.
7.     Toss to evenly coat.
8.     Top with chicken and pecans.
9.     To soften mango and berries place in microwave safe bowl, add water and mangos and cook 30 seconds, drain and let cool.

             ENJOY DAN:                                                 BON-APPETITE:

Monday, September 26, 2011

PINE NUTS CROWN THIS DISH PERFECTLY ENJOY DAN:

               CHICKEN BREAST WITH PINE NUTS by CHEF DAN:
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 chicken breast, boneless, skinless, pounded with a cast-iron skillet until about 1/4-inch thick.
1/2-cup all -purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
Coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2-cup pine nuts
1/2-cup raspberry wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4-cup Marsala
1/2- cup cream
4 green scallion, cut on the bias in 3-inch pieces

DIRECTIONS:    

1.     In a skillet add butter over medium-heat.
2.     Gently flour chicken breast lightly.
3.     Season with salt and pepper.
4.     When butter is sizzling add chicken breasts.
5.     Brown on both sides about 5-7 minutes remove to platter and tent with foil.
6.     Add to the skillet, mushrooms, onion, garlic, pine-nuts and parsley.
7.     Pour in raspberry wine vinegar, and Dijon, combine well.
8.     Deglaze pan with Marsala.
9.     Add cream, reduce heat till thickened, about 5 minutes.
10.                        Pour sauce over cooked chicken.
11.                        Top with scallions.
        ENJOY DAN:                                                BON-APPETITE:

FALL MEANS ZUCCHINI SO THE SOUP KITCHEN GETS FRIED ZUCCHINI ENJOY DAN:

                               FRIED ZUCHINI by CHEF DAN:
Serves 10

INGREDIENTS:

5 zucchinis
Grape-seed oil for frying
3 eggs
1/2-cup milk

BREADING:

1-1/2 cups cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose
1/2 teaspoons each salt and black pepper
1 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1.     Cut zucchinis into 3-inch long by 1/2-inch strips.
2.     Beat the eggs and the milk together in a bowl.
3.     Cover a frying pan with about a 1/4-inch of grape-seed oil.
4.     Over medium-high heat.
5.     Mix all the breading ingredients in a bowl.
6.     Dip each zucchini piece in the egg-milk mixture until completely coated.
7.     Then coat them with the flour mixture and then drop them in the pan.
8.     When oil is hot, working in batches, fry the zucchini pieces, turning half-way through until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
9.     Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried zucchini to paper tows and drain.

        ENJOY DAN:                                                  BON-APPETITE:

COLD TODAY AND IT'S A GOOD DAY FOR SPLIT-PEA SOUP ENJOY DAN:

       SPLIT-PEA SOUP IN THE CROCK POT by CHEF DAN:
Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds, dried green split peas, rinsed and drained
2 ham hocks, with several 1/4-inch slits cut into the skin
1 onion, diced
10 cups chicken broth
4 carrots, diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bell pepper, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 bay leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1.     In a pot, bring broth to a boil, and then pour into a crock-pot.
2.     Add peas, ham-hocks, onion, carrots, potatoes, bell pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, bay leafs and salt and pepper.
3.     Cover and cook on high for 6 hours on low 10 hours.
4.     Remove ham-hock from pot.
5.     Discard skin and bones.
6.     Dice meat, and return to crock-pot.
7.     Remove bay leaves.
8.     With an immersion blender, puree until somewhat smooth.
9.     Season with salt and pepper.

                ENJOY DEAN:                           BON-APPETITE:


Sunday, September 25, 2011

CHICKEN AND SHRIMP WHAT COULD BE BETTER, ENJOY DAN:

        CHICKEN AND SHRIMP WITH TARRAGON by CHEF DAN:
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken breast, boneless, skinless
1 pound shrimp, peeled with tails on
2 tablespoon butter
Coarse salt and white pepper to taste
1/2-teaspoon Tabasco Chipotle sauce
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1-cup baby portabella mushrooms sliced or button mushrooms
1- Tablespoon dried tarragon. Divided
1-cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine for deglazing the pan
1-cup coconut milk or half-and-half
1/2-cup fresh parmesan cheese
1/3-cup Panko (Japanese breads crumbs)

DIRECTIONS:                                 (PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 425 DEGREES)

1.     Heat the butter over medium-heat until sizzling, add chicken that has been seasoned with salt and pepper, cook about 2 minutes each side.
2.     Add Tabasco sauce and lemon juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon tarragon, onion and mushrooms.
3.     Cool, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
4.     Add stock and wine and deglaze the pan.
5.     Add shrimp, coconut milk and 1 tablespoon fresh parmesan.
6.     Cook about 2 minutes or until shrimp are pink.
7.     In pre-heated oven place chicken, and shrimp mixture in a greased baking dish.
8.     Sprinkle the top with Panko, remaining tarragon and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
9.     Bake 8-10 minutes or until it starts to bubble.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

GREAT FOR A POT-LUCK CHEWY-CRISP WITH LOTS OF HERBS ENJOY DAN:

EASY ITALIAN HERB FOCACCIA by DOROTHY-HOWELL-JONES
Serve several

INGREDIENTS:

3-cups all-purpose flour
1 envelope Rapid Rise Yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
1/4-cup olive oil
1-2/3cup warm (120-130 degrees) water
4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, chives, rosemary, divided
2 teaspoons fennel seeds

DIRECTIONS:          (PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 475 DEGREES)

1.     Mix flour, yeast, sugar, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese and salt in a large bowl.
2.     Vigorously stir in 1-2/3cup of water.
3.     Dough should be barley moist and fairly stiff.
4.     Let dough rise at room temperature (70 degrees) in the refrigerate for 3 hours.
5.     Second rise; coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
6.     Stir dough until deflated.
7.     Sprinkle 1 tablespoons chopped herbs over the dough.
8.     Then invert the dough into the pan so the herbs are on the bottom.
9.     Drizzle the dough with 2 teaspoons olive oil.
10.                        With well oiled- hands, lightly pat and press the dough out until it fills the pan and is evenly thick.
11.                        Let rest for 10 minutes.
12.                        Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese, herbs and fennel seeds.
13.                        Tent with aluminum foil and let rise until it doubles in size, about 2 hours.
14.                        Lightly sprinkle the dough with water.
15.                        With oiled fingertips, make deep indentations, all over the top.
16.                        Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt.
17.                        Turning pan from front to back half-way through.
18.                        Bake until golden brown about 25-30 minutes.
19.                        Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
              ENJOY DAN:                                       BON-APPETITE:

YOU GOTTA LIKE THIS ENJOY DAN:

                   PRAWNS WITH FETA CHEESE by CHEF DAN:
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

12-ounces prawns, peeled and deveined
1/2-cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion. Thinly sliced
1/2- cup baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup white wine
1/4-cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 beefsteak tomatoes, diced or 1/2-cup canned dice tomatoes
1/4-cup tomatoes sauce
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish with 4 scallion, sliced on the bias
A handful of fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:

1.     In a bowl add flour and little salt.
2.     Dust the prawns lightly in flour.
3.     Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
4.     Add prawns and sauté for 1 minute or until nice and pink.
5.     Add onion, mushrooms, garlic cloves and lemon juice.
6.     Stir continually to keep flour from sticking to pan.
7.     Add white wine and feta and cook for 1 minute.
8.     Add tomatoes and sauce and keep stirring to keep cheese from sticking.
9.     Let ingredients combine for about 30 seconds.
10.                        Season with salt and pepper.
11.                        Garnish with scallions and cilantro.
12.                        Serve with jasmine rice.
ENJOY DAN:                                                            BON-APPETITE

Friday, September 23, 2011

THE SOUP KITCHEN HAS FRESH CAUGHT SALMON FROM THE PACK'S ENJOY DAN:

             SALMON BOUILLABAISSE (MY-WAY) by CHEF DAN:
Serves 30-40

INGREDIENTS:

5 pounds salmon
5 onions
7 celery stacks
3 bell peppers, seeded and membrane cut out
3tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons cumin
1/4-cup dried oregano
1/4-cup dried basil
5 tablespoons garlic
5 tablespoons whole fennel
3 tablespoons celery seed
2 whole corianders
 4 bay leaves
3 tablespoons sage
1/2-teaspoons cayenne
1 galleon diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato puree
22 cups fish stock

DIRECTIONS:

1.     In a stock pot add 22-cups of water and bring to a boil over high-heat.
2.     Add salmon and reduce heart and high simmer for about 20 minutes.
3.     Remove salmon and let cool.
4.     When cool cut salmon into bit size pieces.
5.     Run vegetables to food grinder and chop fine, don’t puree them.
6.     In a bowl add next 10 ingredients and stir to combine.
7.     In a skillet over medium-heat add butter and when bubbling, add vegetables, spices and 1 cup fish broth.
8.     Sautee the vegetables and spices for about 5-7 minutes,
9.     Add to fish broth in the stock pot and bring to a boil.
10.                        Add tomatoes and puree and reduce heat to a low rumbling boil for 30-40 minutes.
11.                        Add fish and cook until heated through, about 12-15 minutes.
      ENJOY DAN:                                                                 BON-APPETITE