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Author: vscson

Sausage, Caramelized Shallots, Apples, Green Beans & Baby Potatoes

Sausage, Caramelized Shallots, Apples, Green Beans & Baby Potatoes

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Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from: NY Times

In this rustic sheet-pan dinner, apples, green beans and shallots roast slowly alongside pork sausage, becoming fragrant and caramelized in the process. A quick toss with whole-grain mustard and apple cider vinegar adds a savory edge, making the apple and shallot mixture almost reminiscent of chutney. This recipe works equally well with both sweet and hot pork sausage, as well as any crisp apples, though a mix of red and green apples looks particularly nice.

Note: Updated to add potatoes and green beans to make this a complete meal.

  • 6shallots, trimmed on both ends and peeled (about 6 oz)
  • 2crisp apples (preferably one tart, like Granny Smith, and one sweet, like Fuji)
  • 12oz baby potatoes
  • 8oz fresh green beans
  • 1TBS olive oil, plus more as needed
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1lb sweet or hot Italian sausages
  • 3fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 1tsp whole-grain mustard
  • 1-2tsp apple cider vinegar, to taste
  • chopped fresh parsley, for serving 


Prep:

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Cut the shallots lengthwise into ½-inch-thick wedges.

Core the apples and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges.

Trim the green beans.

Place the shallots, apples and potatoes on a sheet pan, drizzle with the 1 TBS olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

Roast the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, until the shallots are just starting to brown at the edges.

Meanwhile, place the sausages on a plate. Using a fork, prick a few holes in each sausage. Drizzle the sausages with olive oil and toss to coat.

Add the green beans, rosemary and mustard to the pan with the shallots, apples and potatoes, and toss, spreading everything out into one even layer.

Arrange the sausages on the pan, evenly distributed, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping the sausages and tossing the apples and shallots with the juices released from the sausages halfway through, until the sausages are browned and cooked to 160°F and the shallots are tender and caramelized.

Transfer the sausages to a serving platter and discard the rosemary sprigs.

Pour the vinegar over the shallots, apples and potatoes, and toss well, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.

Transfer to the serving platter with the sausages, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately with Dijon mustard on the side.

Szechuan Beef 🔥

Szechuan Beef 🔥

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Yield: 4 Servings

Sue & Gambo


Beef & marinade:

  • ½lb sliced beef, tenderloin or sirloin
  • ½tsp salt
  • 1tsp sesame seed oil
  • 1pinch of white pepper
  • 1egg white
  • 3TBS corn starch
  • 4TBS oil

Stir-fry:

  • 1tsp minced ginger
  • 1tsp minced garlic
  • ¾cup onions
  • ½cup carrots
  • ¾cup green peppers
  • 1cup celery
  • 1cup mushrooms
  • 4-8Szechuan peppers
  • 1TBS Shaoxing wine
  • 1cup water + 2 TBS water
  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • ½tsp hot pepper sauce
  • 1heaping tsp sugar
  • 1tsp dark soy sauce


Marinating the beef:

In a bowl, mix the beef, salt, sesame seed oil, white pepper, egg white, 2 TBS of corn starch and 1 TBS of oil.

Stir fry:

Heat 2 TBS of oil in a wok and add the Szechuan peppers. Stir fry for 30 seconds and add the beef and stir frying until the beef is golden-brown.

Set the beef and Szechuan peppers aside to drain.

In a wok add 1 TBS of oil, minced ginger, minced garlic and stir-fry for few seconds.

Next add all the vegetables and stir fry for a minute. Add Shaoxing wine and a cup of water, enough to just cover the vegetables. Cover and cook for 1 minute.

To make the sauce add 1 TBS oyster sauce, ½ – 1 tsp hot pepper sauce, and a heaping tsp of sugar.

Return the cooked beef and 1 tsp dark soy sauce to add color.

To thicken the sauce, whisk together 1 TBS of cornstarch and 2 TBS of water in a bowl and slowly add to your stir-fry until it’s the right thickness.

Pork and Celery Stir-Fry

Pork and Celery Stir-Fry

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Yield: 4

Sue & Gambo

I like celery in stir fry’s!

Marinade & pork:

  • lb pork cutlets, cut into 2-in strips
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of white pepper
  • 1egg
  • 1TBS canola oil
  • 2-3TBS corn starch

For the stir-fry:

  • 4-5medium ribs celery, sliced into batons (approx. 4 cups)
  • 1heaping tsp garlic, minced
  • 1heaping tsp ginger, minced
  • 1carrot, cut into battonetes
  • 3green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 4TBS Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1TBS sesame oil
  • pinch white pepper
  • ½TBS soy sauce
  • 2TBS oyster sauce
  • cilantro sprigs


Pork:
Slice pork into thin ¼-inch strips, then cut strips into ¼-inch batons. Place in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix.
Add in egg and mix.
Add 2 TBS corn starch and mix to coat. Add more if needed to coat.
Add about ½ TBS oil and mix.
Heat pan and add enough oil to cover bottom of pan.
Add pork and stir fry, stirring to separate so they aren’t stuck together. Remove to bowl.
Add another TBS oil, ginger and garlic, green onion and carrot. Add celery and stir to combine.
Add 4 TBS Shaoxing wine, 1 TBS sesame oil and a small pinch of white pepper. Mix and add ½ TBS soy sauce and 2 TBS oyster sauce. Mix.
Add cooked pork. Mix well. Mix in some cilantro sprigs and serve.

Chicken & Bean Sprouts

Chicken & Bean Sprouts

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Yield: 2 Servings

Woks of Life

Chicken and Bean Sprouts is a classic Chinese stir-fry dish and is a refreshing, and easy-to-make stir fry made with chicken breast and crunchy bean sprouts.

Chicken marinade:

  • 8oz chicken thighs (or chicken breast, cut into thin strips)
  • 1TBS water
  • 1tsp vegetable oil
  • ½tsp soy sauce
  • 1tsp cornstarch

Rest of the dish:

  • 1lb fresh mung bean sprouts
  • 4scallions (cut in half lengthwise, and then into 2-inch pieces, white and green parts separated)
  • 2cloves garlic (minced)
  • 5shiitake mushrooms (fresh or dried/reconstituted, sliced)
  • 3TBS vegetable oil (divided)
  • 2tsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2tsp oyster sauce
  • ¾tsp salt
  • ¼tsp sesame oil
  • ⅛tsp ground white pepper
  • ¼tsp MSG (optional, really gives that extra restaurant flavor)
  • 1tsp cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tsp water)


For the chicken:

Mix 1 TBS of water with the strips of chicken until the water has been completely absorbed by the meat. Add the oil, soy sauce, and cornstarch, and mix until well combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.

For the mung bean sprouts:

Next, wash the mung bean sprouts in a large bowl of cold water, leaving the bean sprouts in the water for two to three minutes so they are rehydrated. This step not only washes the sprouts but also allows them to absorb some of that cold water to regain their freshness and crunch. Transfer them to a colander, setting them over a bowl or the sink to let the excess water drain completely. The root portion of the bean sprout can be a bit stringy and unpleasant, and some folks do pinch it off–but a word of caution that it is a lot of work, so we usually settle for a good couple of rinses in cold water.

For the other vegetables:

Finally, prepare the other ingredients–namely the scallions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cooking this dish quickly is important, so your bean sprouts don’t turn to mush. If you’re not great at adding quick measurements of spices, oils, and sauces, it’s best if you have all those ingredients prepped and measured in advance, in addition to the fresh ingredients.

Stir Fry:

Heat your wok on high heat until it just starts to smoke and spread 2 TBS of oil around the perimeter of the wok. Add the chicken and use your spatula to spread the meat evenly across the wok. Sear for another 20 seconds (i.e., without mixing the chicken around), stir fry for another 20 seconds, and transfer the chicken to a bowl.

Add another TBS of oil to the wok, along with the mushrooms and the white portions of the scallions. Stir fry for 10 seconds and add the garlic. You should have the wok at the highest heat you can muster at this point!

Next, add the mung bean sprouts and stir fry everything together. Spread the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok and give everything another quick stir. Then add the oyster sauce, salt, sesame oil, white pepper, and MSG, if using.

Add the chicken back to the wok, along with any liquid in the bowl, and the green portions of the scallions. Again, the burner should be at maximum heat at this point!

Stir-fry for another 10 seconds until everything is well combined, making sure to spread the mixture around the sides of the wok to get that Wok Hei sear and flavor. There will be some liquid in the wok and when that is bubbling, stir in the cornstarch and water mixture.

Stir fry for another 15 seconds or so, until the mung bean sprouts are just starting to turn transparent. Serve!

Chicken with Garlic Sauce

Chicken with Garlic Sauce

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Yield: 2 to 4 Servings

Sue & Gambo

Slightly spicy chicken with garlic sauce stir-fry recipe.

  • Chicken and Marinade
  • 1lb of chicken breast and/or thighs sliced
  • 1pinch of salt
  • 1pinch of white pepper
  • 1egg
  • 4TBS of corn starch
  • 1-2TBS oil

Vegetables

  • 1cup sliced mushrooms
  • ½cup sliced white onions
  • ½cup sliced red, green and/or orange peppers
  • ½cup of celery, 2-inch pieces, split into narrow strips.
  • ½cup of sliced Black Fungus (wood ear mushrooms) cut into thin strips
  • ⅓cup green onions chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 1-2TBS oil
  • 1tsp minced garlic
  • 1tsp sliced ginger
  • ¼tsp crushed red pepper

Premix sauce:

  • 1TBS of white vinegar
  • 2TBS of cooking sherry wine
  • 1TBS of oyster sauce
  • 1TBS of sugar
  • ½TBS sesame seed oil
  • ½TBS of Koon Chun double black soy sauce
  • 4TBS of water

Marinate the chicken

Add pinch of salt, pinch of white pepper, 1 egg with the 12 oz of chicken. Mix well.

Add around 3 TBS of corn starch to the chicken. Mix again.

Lastly around 1 to 2 TBS of oil to the chicken and mix again.

Premix sauce:

Mix 1 TBS oyster sauce, 1 TBS sugar, ½ TBS sesame seed oil, ½ TBS double black soy sauce, and 2 TBS of water.

Slurry:

Mix 2 TBS of water with 1 TBS of corn starch as a thickening agent for the sauce.

Boil the vegetables

Boil the celery, wood ear mushrooms, green peppers, and mushrooms for 4-5 minutes

Set the cooked vegetables aside.

Cook the chicken

Add some oil to the wok and then cook the chicken until it is golden brown and cooked through. After it’s cooked, set the chicken aside in a bowl.

Stir fry

Add some oil to the wok and then minced garlic, sliced ginger and crushed red pepper.

Stir for a few seconds and next add the cooked vegetables and stir fry. After a minute add a TBS of white vinegar and a TBS of Shaoxing wine. Stir through. Add premix sauce.

Add slurry a little bit at a time until the sauce is to your preferred thickness.

Lastly add the chicken and the chopped green onions and stir for a minute or two.

Serve.

Szechuan Chicken

Szechuan Chicken

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Yield: 2 Servings

Scott Nowell

Maybe not authentic, but it varies so much it’s impossible to know what is.

Chicken

  • 2oz boneless skinless chicken breasts

Vegetables:

  • ½onion, chopped 1-inch pieces
  • ½lb button mushrooms, sliced
  • ¼cup carrot, sliced ⅛-inch-thick on diagonal or matchsticks
  • 1zucchini, quartered and sliced ½ inch thick
  • ½cup celery sliced diagonally lengthwise to match sticks
  • ½cup bamboo shoots sliced to match sticks (optional)
  • ½cup water chestnuts, sliced (optional)
  • 2cloves garlic, minced
  • equal amount of ginger minced
  • 4-8dried Szechuan peppers
  • 1TBS vegetable oil

Sauce

  • 1cup chicken stock
  • 1TBS corn starch
  • 2tsp soy sauce
  • ¼cup Hoisin sauce

Velvet the Chicken:

Slice breasts in half or thirds, length wise to make thin cutlets. Slice cutlets on diagonal into ⅛ to ¼ inch thick slices. In a bowl add sliced chicken, salt, egg white, white pepper, sesame seed oil, 1½ TBS of corn starch and 1 TBS of oil. Mix everything together well. Marinate for 15 minutes.

Premix sauce:

In a small bowl, mix 1 TBS corn starch into 1 cup chicken stock with 2 tsp soy sauce and ¼ cup hoisin sauce. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

Stir fry:

Heat 2 tsp oil in wok until starting to smoke. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 15 seconds and add the chicken. Stir fry until cooked through. Remove to bowl.

Heat 2 tsp oil in wok and add Szechuan peppers. Stir fry 30 seconds. Add vegetables and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until starting to soften. Remove to bowl with chicken.

Sauce & finish:

Add premix sauce into wok, stir and bring to a boil and cook until thickened.

Return chicken and vegetables to wok and mix with sauce until heated through and sauce boils.

Adjust seasoning with additional soy, hoisin as needed.

Remove from heat, serve.

Tuesday’s Red Bean Soup

Tuesday’s Red Bean Soup

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Yield: 7 cups, 6 Hearty Servings

http://emerils.com/123904/tuesdays-red-bean-soup

It features red beans and rice, vegetables, broth and kielbasa. In other words, it’s a complete meal in one pot.

  • 1TBS olive oil
  • ½cup diced bacon
  • 1½chopped onions
  • ¼cup chopped green bell peppers
  • 1TBS minced garlic
  • 4bay leaves
  • 6oz sliced andouille sausage
  • 1small smoked ham hock (about 5 to 6 oz)
  • 2cups dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
  • 1TBS Emeril’s Creole Seasoning
  • 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2quarts Basic Chicken Stock, plus more if needed
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1½cups cooked long-grain white rice, warm
  • 6TBS chopped green onions

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. Add the bacon and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, bay leaves, andouille, and ham hock and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the beans and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the Creole Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and the stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are nearly tender. Add the salt, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes longer, or until tender. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit, covered, for about 20 minutes. Discard the ham hock (or remove the meat from the bone and shred it, then stir it into the soup). The soup should be fairly brothy. If it becomes too thick during cooking, stir in a bit more stock or water.

To serve, ladle a generous cup of the soup into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with ¼ cup of the rice and sprinkle each with 1 TBS of the green onions.

Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning

2½ tablespoons paprika.

2 tablespoons salt.

2 tablespoons garlic powder.

1 tablespoon black pepper.

1 tablespoon onion powder.

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper.

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano.

1 tablespoon dried thyme.

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

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Yield: 6

NY Times

A cozy mash-up of tacos and hearty chili, this soup fills the spot on those days when you’re in need of a quick bowl of comfort. You can use a taco seasoning packet from the store, but it’s very easy to make your own blend to suit your taste (and whip up extra, if you like, to have on hand for other dishes). If using a packet, it will also include salt, so adjust accordingly when seasoning. You can easily make this soup vegetarian by omitting the meat and using an extra can of beans or subbing in a meat substitute. Set up a colorful toppings bar and be sure to squeeze on a little lime to brighten up all the flavors.

For the taco seasoning: (equivalent to a 1-oz Packet)

  • 1-2TBS chili powder, to taste
  • 2tsp ground cumin
  • 1tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼tsp garlic powder
  • ¼tsp onion powder
  • ¼tsp dried oregano

For the soup:

  • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1large yellow or red onion, finely chopped, plus more for serving
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • 4garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1lb ground beef, (or pork, turkey or chicken)
  • 1-2jalapeños, finely chopped, to taste, plus more for serving
  • 1TBS tomato paste
  • 24-oz cans diced green chilis (see Tip)
  • 115-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 115-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 215-oz cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 2½cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, or water
  • 2cups frozen corn
  • Handful cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

For serving:

  • Chopped avocado, pickled red onion, grated Cheddar, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, tortilla chips and/or lime wedges, for serving (optional)

If making your own taco seasoning: Mix the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and dried oregano in a small bowl. Set it aside.

Make the soup: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a little salt, reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Increase the heat to medium, add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and brown until all the pink is gone, about 5 minutes. Season with salt (about 1 tsp) and black pepper. Add the jalapeño and the taco seasoning and stir for 1 minute. Push the meat to the sides of the pan, making a little space in the center, and add the tomato paste. Cook to deepen its color, about 1 minute, then stir everything together.

Add the green chilis and their liquid, and the pinto and black beans. Season with salt (about 2 tsp). Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, and the broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld, about 20 minutes.

Taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper, and chili powder, if desired. Stir in the frozen corn and cilantro. Cover and simmer until the corn has heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve with toppings of choice. Thin out with stock or water when reheating, if necessary.

Tip:

If your fire-roasted tomatoes include green chilis, omit the 2 cans of green chilis.

Christmas Soup

Christmas Soup

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Yield: 4

Alton Brown

Sausage, potatoes, and kale make a hearty soup for a cold winter night.
Without fail, I make this Christmas Soup for the holidays every year. In other words, it’s a tradition.
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes, TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

  • 1lb kielbasa, sliced ¼-inch thick, on the bias
  • vegetable oil, as needed
  • 8cloves garlic, minced
  • 1lb dried red kidney beans, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight
  • 2quarts chicken broth
  • 1lb red potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 6oz fresh kale, washed, rinsed, and torn into 1-inch pieces
  • ¼cup red wine vinegar
  • ½tsp freshly ground black pepper

Special equipment

  • 5-to 7-quart Dutch oven

Brown the kielbasa in a Dutch oven and set over medium-low heat until it has rendered most of its fat, about 15 minutes. Remove the kielbasa from the pot and set aside. If you do not have at least 2 tsp of fat, add enough vegetable oil to make 2 tsp.

Cook the garlic in the fat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the beans and chicken broth and cook, covered, for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, stir in the potatoes, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Toss the kale into the pot, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or just until it is tender, but not mushy.

Sprinkle with the vinegar and pepper and stir to combine. Return the kielbasa to the pot and cook just until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve hot.

Chili’s Cajun Pasta CC

Chili’s Cajun Pasta CC

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Yield: 2

Heavily adapted from the Recipe Critic

A Chili’s favorite. Their new Ultimate version has grilled chicken, shrimp, penne in Alfredo sauce, topped with chili spices, shredded Parmesan, tomatoes, green onions. Served with garlic toast.

  • 1boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1221-25 shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1tsp Cajun seasoning, divided (recipe follows)
  • 2TBS butter
  • 1TBS cooking oil
  • 1½cups heavy cream
  • ¼tsp lemon pepper seasoning
  • ½tsp salt
  • ½tsp black pepper
  • ¼tsp garlic powder
  • 6oz penne pasta
  • 1Roma tomato, seeded and diced
  • ¼cup parmesan cheese fresh shredded, to taste
  • 1green onions, cut into ¼-inch lengths

Pasta:

Bring one gallon of water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 TBS salt and penne. Cook until just al dente, a minute or two less than manufacturer’s directions. Drain and set aside.

Chicken:

Slice the chicken into bite sized pieces about 1/4-inch thick. Put the chicken in a large resealable bag. Add half of the Cajun seasoning and shake to coat thoroughly.

In a large skillet, melt the ½ TBS of butter ½ TBS oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and turn when needed. Make sure to check with a knife to make sure it is no longer pink. Remove to a cutting board. Wipe out pan.

Shrimp:

Season the shrimp with remaining Cajun seasoning. Toss to mix. In the same pan used for the chicken, heat ½ TBS oil and add shrimp. Sauté until almost done.

Sauce:

In the large pan used for the pasta, combine the heavy cream, 1 TBS butter, lemon pepper, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. When the cream mixture just starts to bubble, add the pasta, mix and cook until the pasta is done. Remove from pan from heat.

Assembly and finish:

Add the chicken, shrimp, and diced tomato into the pasta. Mix well to combine.

Transfer to a serving dish and top, green onions and parmesan.

Serve with a side of Texas garlic toast.

Tips:

Thicken or thin the sauce if necessary.

Cajun Seasoning

Yield: 1 PKT, 4½ tsp

1½ tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp salt