Recipes



Jan 7, 2012
Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo with Sauteed Garlic Chicken and Spinach with Buttermilk Biscuits 

Ingredients
1 pound all-purpose flour
4 whole eggs, plus 1 yolk
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 to 2 tablespoons water or more if needed
Directions
Put the flour on a clean dry work surface. Make a hole (this is also called a well) in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide (bigger is definitely better here). Crack all of the eggs and the yolk into the hole and add the olive oil, salt and water.
Using a fork beat the eggs together with the olive oil, water and salt. Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture; be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When done the dough should look VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader and 10 to 15 for an inexperienced kneader.


When the pasta has been kneaded to the perfect consistency, wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 1 hour. If using immediately do not refrigerate.





Roll and cut the pasta into desired shape.

Sauteed Garlic Chicken with Spinach
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon each fresh minced parsley, basil, oregano or 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 1/2 handfuls of fresh spinach

Melt butter in saute pan add garlic until aromatic.  Add chicken and toss in herbs until chicken is fully cooked.




Toss in spinach and slightly cook
Use leftover Mornay sauce for Alfredo sauce.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of finely minced parsley.

Jan 6, 2012

Roasted Leg of Deer with Wild Rice and Roasted Vegetables



 5 to 7 lb. leg of deer
4 cloves garlic, cut in slivers
1/2 c. vinegar
3 tbsp. lemon juice
7 c. water, divided
1 1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. thyme leaves
1 tbsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
3 bay leaves, crushed
1 med. red onion, cut into rings
2 tbsp. cornstarch


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place deer roast in large Redi-Pan roasting pan (17 x 12 x 2 1/2 inch); cook 45 minutes.


To make gravy, place 6 cups water in 4 quart saucepan. Add sugar, nutmeg, thyme, mustard, salt, peppers, bay leaves, and onion; bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 1 cup water; slowly add to gravy mixture. Cook over medium heat until gravy is thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour over deer in roasting pan. Cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees, basting deer every 20 minutes. 
Remove leg from roasting pan and allow to rest; tent with foil.  Return roasting pan to stove and reduce sauce over medium heat until it coats the back of a spoon.





We were unable to find wild rice is out grocery so we used a Riceland Wild Rice mix.

Roasted Vegetables

1 red bell pepper, large dice

1 zucchini, 1/4 in rounds 
1 red onion, quartered
10 baby carrots cut in half
Preheat oven 450 degrees.  toss vegetables with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for approximately 25-30 minutes


DESSERT
Caramelized Apples and Pears Flambéd with Brandy in a Puff Pastry Shell with Creme Fraiche

1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into 12 slices 

1 pears, peeled cored, and cut into 12 slices


1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

4 puff pastry shells

1 oz brandy, cognac or calvados
crème fraîche
vanilla bean ice cream

Bake the Puff Pastry shells at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Use a fork to remove the T O P.

Melt butter and brown sugar, cook the apples until soft. Add a pinch of salt.

This is also a great dessert for those of us who like to light our food on fire. Add Cognac (or Calvados) to the pan to flambé.  Ladle the warm apples and sauce into the shell and finish with a dollop of of ice cream and drizzle with crème fraîche.

*For crème fraîche, heat 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to 130 degrees.  Remove from heat and add 1-2 tablespoon of buttermilk.  Place in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.  Allow to rest few hours, stirring occasionally.  When ready to use, add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar and mix in mixer.

Jan 5, 2012
Kentucky Hot Brown Bobby Flay


For the sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar (we used 1 c of Mexican Oaxaca and 1 c of Shredded Gruyere cheeses)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the egg bread:
2 large eggs
1/8 c milk
Salt
4 (1/2-inch) thick slices good day old white bread
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (we used rendered bacon fat)
For assembly:
Egg battered bread
Roasted turkey breast, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 ripe roma tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices and griddled until slightly charred and just cooked through
1/2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar (we used ¼ c Mexican Oaxaca Cheese and ¼ c Shredded Gruyere)
1/8 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 thick slices slab bacon, cooked until crisp
Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley



Directions

Render bacon and reserve bacon fat.










Char tomatoes and set aside






For the mornay sauce:
Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the flour has cooked out, about 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in cheese and cook until the cheese has melted. Season with nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.


For the egg bread:
Whisk together the eggs, milk and salt in a medium bowl. Dip each slice of bread in the mixture and let sit about 30 seconds, or until completely soaked through.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and rendered bacon fat in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook 4 slices of the bread at a time until golden brown on both sides. Remove and place on a baking sheet.
For assembly:
Preheat broiler. Place the egg bread on a baking sheet, place under the broiler and heat on both sides for 20 seconds just to warm through.
Top each slice of bread with 2 to 3 slices of turkey and 2 slices of tomato, ladle sauce over the top and divide the cheddar cheese and Parmesan over the top of each slice. Place under the broiler and cook until bubbly and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven, top each slice with 2 slices of bacon and sprinkle each slice with parsley.

Jan 4, 2012

Fish and Chips

Ingredients
6 to 8 cups peanut oil, for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 ounces amber beer
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
4 Russet Potatoes

Directions
2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence
1 cup rice flour (Can use self-rising flour or all-purpose)
2 pounds haddock or other firm, white flesh fish cut into 4-ounce strips
Lemon slices or pepper vinegar
FOR FISH:
Heat oil in large pot or in an electric deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, beer, eggs and half of the salt, pepper, and Essence. Whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Dredge the fish in the rice flour. Working in small batches, submerge the fish in the batter and carefully place into the hot oil. Fry the fish until golden brown on the first side, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook until golden on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove the fish from the fryer and transfer to a wire rack positioned over paper towels or newspaper so that the fish can drain. Season, to taste, with some of the remaining salt, pepper, and Essence. Repeat the process for the remaining of the fish.
Serve the fish and chips with slices of lemon or pepper vinegar.
FOR CHIPS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat. Using the slicing attachment on a food processor or a knife, slice the potatoes into thin discs about 1/4-inch thick. Place the potatoes in a large bowl with 2 teaspoons canola oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to coat. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, flip each chip and bake for another 10 minutes.

FOR TARTAR SAUCE:
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise (we used Light Miracle Whip)
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish (we used Vlasic Hot Dog Relish with mustard for a little extra tang)
1 tablespoon minced onion (we used minced shallots)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, and minced onion. Stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.


Dec 31, 2011
Lobster Thermidor
Ingredients
Lobster Meat:
           2 tablespoons kosher salt
           1 onion, peeled and quartered
           1 bay leaf
           1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
           1 lemon, quartered lengthwise
           1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves
           2 (1 to 1 1/2-pound) fresh whole lobsters
           Bowl with ice and cold water, big enough to fit lobsters

Thermidor Sauce:
           2 tablespoons unsalted butter
           1 tablespoon canola oil
           1/4 cup Mexican chorizo (we used Andouille Sausage)
           2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper, 1/4-inch diced
           2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
           1/4 cup flour
           1 1/2 cups milk
           1/4 cup white wine
           2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon
           2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
           1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
           1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
           1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
           2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
Directions
Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. Add the salt, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, lemon, and garlic. Let simmer to infuse the water, about 5 minutes, and then add the lobster and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the lobster from the water and place in a bowl of ice water. When cool, remove the legs and set aside. Starting at the center of each lobster, cut in half lengthwise along the back, and clean out the tomalley, adding to the bowl with the legs. Remove the tail and claw meat and roughly chop. Save the legs, claw shells, and tomalley for another purpose, such as stock. Rinse the shells for serving.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium saute pan, add the butter, oil and chorizo and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the red bell pepper and garlic and saute until the garlic is cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook until roux is blonde in color, 3 to 4 minutes more. Slowly stir in the milk and cook until thickened. Add the white wine, tarragon, Dijon, pepper, lemon juice and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Remove from the heat.
Combine the lobster meat and sauce and fill the cleaned lobster shells with the mixture. Top with the panko and remaining Parmesan.
Place on a baking sheet and cook until the top browns, 8 to 12 minutes.

Filet Mignon

Ingredients
           4 cups chicken stock
           2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
           4 (4-ounce) filet mignon
           Sea salt, preferably gray salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the filet sauce:
           1 tablespoon minced shallots
           1 cup red wine (we used Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon)
           1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
           1 tablespoon butter
Directions

In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over high heat until hot but not smoking.
Season the filets mignons with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan. Sear on both sides 
until browned nicely, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, and transfer to oven for about 3 to 4 minutes for rare, 5 to 6 minutes for medium. Remove from oven and let rest.
Drain excess oil from the pan and return to medium heat; add the shallots and saute briefly; add the red wine and thyme and simmer for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and continue simmering to reduce to 1 cup; remove from heat and swirl in butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Ham and Potato Hash

Ingredients
           3 tablespoons butter
           1 small onion, finely chopped
           1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
           2 medium potatoes, peeled
           1 cup finely diced cooked ham
           1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
           1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
           1/4 teaspoon dried crumbled thyme
Directions
1 Cut the potatoes in half, cook in a saucepan of simmering water until not quite done and still firm, about 10 minutes. Rinse in cold water to stop cooking. Drain. Dice to 1/2-inch thick pieces. Set aside.
2 Melt butter in a large cast-iron* skillet over medium low to medium heat. Add onion, cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped bell pepper, cook another 2 minutes.
3 Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Cook hash until well browned, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*Best not to use a stick-free pan or the hash won't brown very well.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
           1 pound penne pasta (we used Cavatappi)
           3 tablespoons butter
           3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
           2 cups whole milk
           1/2 cup half-and-half
           1/2 cup Sour cream
           8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar
           8 ounces shredded mozzarella
           4 ounces grated Pecorino Romano
           About 20 grinds black pepper
Directions
Cook pasta until al dente in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to form a smooth paste. Cook for about 2 minutes, being careful not to brown. Gradually add the milk and the half-and-half and sour cream; simmer until thickened slightly, stirring all the while. Remove from the heat. Stir in the 3 cheeses and season with black pepper, to taste. Add the cooked pasta and mix into the cheese sauce thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
For the Classic Mac and Cheese:
1 cup coarse bread crumbs (we used Panko)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt
Pour the mac and cheese into an 13x9 baking dish. In a mixing bowl toss the bread crumbs together with the melted butter, parsley, and salt, to taste. Top the mac and cheese with the bread crumb mixture and bake 15 minutes or until the topping has nicely browned and pasta is bubbly and creamy.

Red Wine and Port Poached Pears with Mascarpone
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups ruby port (we used Marsala)
1 1/2 cups red wine (we used Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bundle thyme
1 lemon, zested, not grated, but in big strips for easy removal
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
3 Bosc pears, peeled, halved and cored
1 pint mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/4 pound block semisweet or dark chocolate, to shave with a vegetable peeler
Directions
In a large saucepan combine the port, wine, 1 cup of the sugar, star anise, cinnamon, thyme, lemon zest, the vanilla bean and seeds. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the pears and simmer until the pears are cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool in the poaching liquid.
Before serving, remove the pears from their poaching liquid and reduce the liquid to a syrup. Strain into a small bowl.
Combine the mascarpone and remaining sugar in a small bowl. Dollop a small amount of the mascarpone on each plate and arrange a pear half on top to prevent it from sliding around the plate. Garnish the pears with a large dollop of the mascarpone, and drizzle with the reduced poaching liquid. Shave the chocolate over the mascarpone and serve.
Voila!