Browsed by
Category: General

Teriyaki Chicken Wings

Teriyaki Chicken Wings

Comments 0 Comment
Yield: 24 wing segments
Scott Nowell

Late 80’s: Gosh, I’ve made this and variations a lot. This is simple but does use some ingredients that not everyone has. Adjust and substitute with what you have.  I suppose you could substitute any commercial sauce, argh! A key here is to cook the wings enough. The collagen in chicken breaks down around 185°F. When you go over that magic mark, the wings get real tender. Keep in mind though, this doesn’t work on boneless breasts. They dry out.

  • 12whole chicken wings with tip section removed
  • – or-
  • 24chicken wing sections
  • ½cup honey
  • 1TBS white wine
  • 1TBS soy sauce
  • 1TBS vegetable oil
  • 1shallot, minced
  • – or-
  • 2cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1heaping tsp of ginger, minced
  • 2tsp five spice powder
  • 2scallions (green onions),  cut to small rings

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Pour honey in large microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add all other ingredients except chicken and scallions to bowl and mix well. Add chicken wings and turn to coat with marinade. Marinate for at least thirty minutes, turning occasionally.

Place up to 24 wing sections on a foil-lined or Silpat lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes.  Reserve the marinade.

Remove pan from oven and flip each wing over, dipping it in the reserved marinade.

Return to oven and bake until thoroughly cooked, checking at 20 minutes.  Add additional time if temperature in thick sections is not at least 185°F.

Sprinkle with scallions, serve.

Calamari Fritti

Calamari Fritti

Comments 0 Comment

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Adapted from: Tyler Florence / Food Network

Circa 2008:  I’ve made this a few times and it comes out great.  It’s simple, tasty and just like you get in a restaurant.

  • 1lb whole squid, cleaned
  • 1cup milk
  • 1large egg
  • 6fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • canola oil, for frying
  • 2cups all-purpose flour
  • 2tsp paprika
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • lemon wedges, for serving
  • smoked jalapeno aioli, for dipping, recipe follows
  • tomato-basil sauce, for dipping, recipe follows


Rinse the squid under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the body of the squid into 1/2-inch rings and trim the tentacles as necessary. Combine the milk, egg, and basil leaves in a bowl; mix with a fork until lightly beaten. Put the prepared calamari in the milk mixture and stick it in the refrigerator while getting everything else set up; it fries better if marinated and chilled for about 15 minutes.

Pour about 2 inches of oil in a fryer or large, heavy pot and heat to 375°F. Mix the flour and paprika in a pie dish or plate; season generously with salt and pepper. Toss the calamari in the seasoned flour to coat. Fry for 1 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to paper towels to drain. Season with salt. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and dipping sauces.

Smoked Jalapeno Aioli

Yield: 1 cup
  • 1cup mayonnaise
  • 1-2canned chipotle chile in adobo
  • 1garlic clove, coarsely chopped
  • ½lemon, juiced
  • 1TBS chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • pinch salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 1 minute to combine. Set aside to allow the flavors to marry. Serve as a dipping sauce with fried calamari.

Tomato-Basil Sauce

Yield: 1 cup
  • 3TBS extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4fresh basil leaves, hand-torn
  • 1(16-oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • pinch sugar

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 1 minute to combine. Set aside to allow the flavors to marry. Serve as a dipping sauce with fried calamari.

Shrimp or Vegetable Tempura

Shrimp or Vegetable Tempura

Comments 0 Comment
Yield: 4 Servings
J. Kenji López-Alt / Serious Eats

The key characteristics of a tempura-style batter are extreme lightness of color and texture: Good tempura should be pale blond with an extraordinarily lacy, light, and crisp coating. To achieve this takes just a little more care than other types of batter.
Adding vodka to the batter limits the rate of gluten formation so that the batter can sit a bit longer before it goes bad.

  • 2quarts peanut oil or vegetable shortening
  • ½cup (3 oz) cornstarch
  • ½cup (2 ¼ oz) all-purpose flour
  • Kosher salt
  • 1large egg
  • ¼cup 80-proof vodka
  • ½cup ice-cold club soda
  • 4cups thinly sliced vegetables or 1 lb shrimp (see note)
  • Lemon wedges, for serving


Heat oil to 375°F in a large wok over high heat, then adjust heat as necessary to maintain the temperature. Line a large plate or baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.

Combine cornstarch, flour, and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and stir with chopsticks to blend. Combine egg and vodka in a small bowl and whisk until completely homogeneous. Add club soda and stir with chopsticks until barely combined. Immediately add to bowl with flour and, holding bowl with one hand and chopsticks in the other, shake bowl back and forth while vigorously stirring with chopsticks until liquid and dry ingredients are just barely combined. There should still be many bubbles and pockets of dry flour.

Add vegetables (and/or shrimp) to batter and fold with your hand to coat. Pick up vegetables a few pieces at a time, allowing excess batter to drip off, and transfer to hot oil, getting your hand as close as possible to the surface before letting go in order to minimize splashing. Increase heat to high to maintain the temperature as close to 350°F as possible and add remaining vegetables (and/or shrimp) a few pieces at a time. Immediately start agitating them with chopsticks or a wire mesh spider, separating vegetables, flipping them, and constantly exposing them to fresh oil. Continue frying until batter is completely crisp and pale blond, about 1 minute.

Transfer tempura to a paper towel–lined plate or baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with salt. Serve with lemon wedges.

Rubs & Seasonings

Rubs & Seasonings

Comments 0 Comment

All-Purpose Spice Rub

Yield: About ½ cup

There are as many rubs as ribs. I’ve had good results with this.

  • 1TBS cumin
  • 1TBS paprika
  • 1TBS granulated garlic
  • 1TBS granulated onion
  • 1TBS chili powder
  • 1TBS brown sugar
  • 2TBS kosher salt
  • 1tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1tsp black pepper
  • 1tsp white pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Rub can be stored (or frozen) in an airtight container for several months.

Taco Seasoning

Yield: 1 batch tacos
  • 1TBS chili powder
  • 1½tsp ground cumin
  • ¼tsp garlic powder
  • ¼tsp onion powder
  • ¼tsp dried oregano
  • ½tsp paprika
  • ¼tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1tsp black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Fajita Seasoning

Yield: 1 batch fajitas
  • 1TBS chili powder
  • ¼tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1tsp cumin
  • ¼tsp garlic powder
  • 1tsp paprika
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1tsp ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Creole Seasoning

  • 2tsp garlic powder
  • 2tsp onion powder
  • 2tsp sweet paprika powder
  • 1½tsp dried thyme
  • 1tsp dried oregano
  • 1tsp dried basil
  • 1tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¾tsp salt
  • ½tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the spices in a coffee or spice grinder. Grind to a fine powder and store in an airtight jar until ready to use.

Shrimp Bisque

Shrimp Bisque

Comments 0 Comment
Yield: 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking ‘97

I use shrimp in a lot of dishes and try to buy raw split and cleaned shrimp. I save all the raw shells and tails in the freezer. When you have a gallon bag full, it’s bisque time. Note: the original recipe says you only need the shells from 1 lb of shrimp. In my opinion that is nowhere near enough.

For the Stock

  • 5cups water
  • 2cups dry white wine
  • 2cups fish stock (or 1 cup water and 1 cup clam juice)
  • 2cups beef stock
  • 1lb raw shell-on shrimp and shells from 1 to 2 lbs of shrimp

For the Mirepoix

  • 4TBS unsalted butter
  • 1cup finely chopped onion
  • ⅓cup finely chopped carrots
  • ⅓cup finely chopped celery

For the Bisque

  • 1½cups, peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned.
  • ⅓cup rice.
  • 1-2bay leaves
  • 1½tsp minced fresh tarragon, or ½ tsp dried
  • 1tsp sweet or hot paprika
  • ½tsp minced fresh garlic
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¼tsp dried thyme
  • ⅛tsp ground red pepper

For the Shrimp

  • 3TBS unsalted butter
  • ¼cup Cognac or brandy
  • ¼tsp salt
  • ¼tsp pepper, preferably freshly ground white
  • Reserved shrimp

For Final assembly

  • ½-1cup heavy cream

For Garnish

  • fresh lemon juice
  • salt
  • freshly ground white pepper
  • ground red pepper
  • tarragon or parsley

To make the Stock
Bring liquids to boil in a large stock pot. Add shrimp, boil 2 minutes and remove. Set aside until cool enough to handle and shell. Refrigerate shrimp meat, return shells to broth. Reduce heat, simmer shells for 30 minutes. Remove and discard shells. Reduce liquid over medium high heat until reduced to 6 cups.

While the stock is reducing, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion, celery and carrots, and cook, stirring until tender but not browned, 5-10 minutes.

Add the mirepoix and other bisque ingredients into the reduced stock and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer partly covered for 40 minutes.

To prepare the Shrimp
Meanwhile, cut all but 8-12 of the refrigerated shrimp into ¼ inch dice. Melt the butter over medium heat, add and sauté shrimp until heated through. Add remaining ingredients.

Cook stirring until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Set the 8-12 whole shrimp aside. Add the diced shrimp and any leftover juice to the simmering soup. Remove the bay leaves and discard.

Final assembly
In a blender, puree the soup in small batches until smooth. Return to the saucepan and stir in cream and reserved whole shrimp. Heat over low heat. Thin, if necessary, with clam broth or milk.

To garnish and serve
Remove from the heat and season with drops of lemon juice to taste, salt and freshly ground white pepper and/or ground red pepper. Serve and garnish with fresh tarragon or parsley.

Note: Leftover soup will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, or it can be stored frozen in quart freezer bags or other freezer containers.

Chicken Hand Pies

Chicken Hand Pies

Comments 0 Comment
Yield: 8 Servings
handheld-chicken-pot-pies

Summer 2017: These came out quite tasty. Very similar to a handheld chicken pot pie. Now, if neatness counts and you really want to hold these in your hand, you need to do better than I did with the filling and sealing.  Don’t overfill.

  • FOR THE FILLING:
  • 6TBS unsalted butter, divided
  • 1cup chopped celery
  • 1cup chopped carrot
  • 1cup diced potato
  • 2cups chopped yellow onion
  • ¼tsp dried thyme
  • ¼tsp dried rosemary
  • ½tsp salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1cup peas (frozen is fine)
  • 2cups diced cooked chicken
  • ½cup flour
  • 3cups chicken stock
  • FOR THE CRUST:
  • 3¾cups all-purpose flour
  • ½tsp salt
  • 3sticks unsalted butter, cubed
  • ½-⅔cup cold ice water, as needed
  • 1egg, beaten with 1 TBS water (egg wash)

To make the chicken pot pie filling, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large pot. Add the chopped celery, carrot, potato, onion, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt and pepper. Sauté until soft, about 15 minutes.

Add the peas and diced chicken to the pot, mix.

Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter to the softened vegetables, and let it melt completely. Add the flour and stir to distribute, then add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then back down to a simmer, and let it bubble for five minutes until it has thickened. Adjust the seasoning if desired, then let this mixture cool to room temperature, then chill completely in the fridge, for at least 3 hours.

In the meantime, make the pie crust. Pulse the flour and salt together in a food processor 10 times, to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse about 20 times until the butter is chopped up into pea-sized pieces. Drizzle in the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. You want to stop adding water when it looks crumbly, but if you pinch a bit of the dough, it holds together. Dump the dough out onto the counter, bring it together into a flat disk with your fingers, then wrap in plastic. Chill in the fridge for two hours.

Once the filling and pie crust are chilled, we’re ready to bake. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Roll the pie crust out to about 1/8 inch thick, and cut 6-inch wide circles. If you re-roll the scraps, you should be able to get 8 circles total.

Place a few spoonfuls of filling into each circle. Don’t overfill. The photo shows what over-filling does. Leave ½ inch space around the edge on half. Paint the edge with water or egg wash. Fold the edge over, then enclose by crimping with your fingers or a fork. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, then place four pies each on two sheet pans. Cut vent slits into each pie, then brush with egg wash. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and crusty. Let the pies cool for at least 5 minutes, then enjoy!

Smoked Chicken, Broccoli, Black Bean Soup

Smoked Chicken, Broccoli, Black Bean Soup

Comments 0 Comment

Yield: 4 Servings

George’s at the Cove, San Diego

Circa 2012: I first had this around 2012, but I’m sure it’s been around for a long time. This is an absolutely fantastic flavorful soup. The recipe is published in a bunch of places and it is well worth the effort to make. I’m not sure how important it is to use smoked chicken. You might get by with a dash of liquid smoke. Smoke flavor is not particularly prominent to me.

  • ½cup (8 TBS) unsalted butter
  • ½cup diced carrots
  • ½cup diced onions
  • ½cup diced celery
  • 1cup broccoli stems, peeled & diced
  • 2tsp dried thyme
  • 2tsp dried oregano
  • 1tsp dried sweet basil
  • ¼cup dry white wine
  • 4cups chicken stock, hot. See note below.
  • 1TBS Worcestershire sauce
  • ½tsp Tabasco sauce
  • 1cup cooked black beans
  • 1cup broccoli florets
  • 2cups heavy cream
  • 2TBS cornstarch mixed with a small amount of warm water (optional)
  • salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1cup diced smoked chicken, see below


Note: This is a restaurant recipe and they are using homemade stock which is very gelatinous. If you are using canned stock, add 3 or 4 packets (7.5 – 10 tsp) of unflavored gelatin to the stock and let it bloom for ten minutes before heating.  This is important to the final texture of the soup.

In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup (4 TBS) butter. When it stops foaming, sauté carrots, onion, celery and broccoli stems for 5 minutes.

Add thyme, oregano and basil; sauté 5 minutes more.

Add wine and de-glaze pan. Add hot chicken stock and reduce by one-third.

Add Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, smoked chicken, beans, broccoli florets: simmer for 5 minutes.

Add cream, simmer for 5 minutes more and season to taste (thickening with cornstarch slurry if desired).

Drop in remaining butter, piece by piece, stirring until melted and serve immediately.

For the smoked chicken:

On a covered grill, slightly smoke boneless chicken until fully cooked (about 30 mins.) George’s chef uses apple-wood chips and does not allow the grill to become too hot.

Note: You might try a couple of drops of liquid smoke on slowly sauteed chicken.

Split Pea and Ham Soup IP 😊

Split Pea and Ham Soup IP 😊

Comments 0 Comment
Yield: 6 to 8 Servings (Do not double!)
Adapted from J. KENJI LÓPEZ-ALT / Serious Eats

October 2016:  Are you an Instant Pot fan?  This is a great recipe to use.  My personal favorite, Pea Soup in a no-fuss, no-frills version of the classic.  If only Nabisco still made Crown Pilot Crackers 🙁.  This soup is made with green split peas, broth, and ham. It’s rich, creamy, and deeply flavorful, a perfect hearty meal on a cold day.
Prep: 10 Cook: 45

  • 3TBS unsalted butter
  • 1medium onion, finely diced, about 6 oz
  • 1large rib celery, finely diced, about 4 oz
  • 8oz ham, diced/cubed
  • 2medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 1lb dried green split peas
  • 6cups low-sodium chicken stock, or water
  • 2bay leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Set Instant Pot to HIGH SAUTÉ. Add butter and wait until foaming stops. Add onion, celery, and ham and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

Add peas, chicken stock or water, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, then close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 20 minutes, then rapidly release pressure by opening the air valve. Open pot lid, stir contents until smooth, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve. Soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Note: Split peas are particularly prone to clogging valves and foaming, so do not attempt to double this recipe.  After cooking, make sure to immediately clean the gasket and valves on the lid as soon as the pot is cool enough to handle, since pea soup can clog the valves and harden if not properly cleaned.

Cranberry Pear Tart

Cranberry Pear Tart

Comments 0 Comment

Yield: 10 – 12 servings

Bon Appetite Dec 1995 / Epicurious

December 1995: A good year for recipes. This appeared in the same issue of Bon Appetite as the Puff Pastry Pinwheel Cookies. Pear and Cranberry go very well together. The chopped Cranberries are mixed in a delicious custard.  Baked on this tart crust they make a delicious holiday season dessert.

Crust:

  • 1cup plus 2 TBS all-purpose flour
  • ½cup (1 stick) plus 1 TBS chilled unsalted butter, diced
  • 6TBS powdered sugar
  • ¼tsp salt
  • 2-3TBS ice water

Filling:

  • 6TBS ( stick) unsalted butter
  • 3large Bosc pears (about 1¼ to 1½ lb), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cored
  • 8TBS sugar
  • 2large eggs
  • 2TBS all-purpose flour
  • ¾cup fresh cranberries (about 3 oz)
  • 3TBS pear brandy, apple brandy (Calvados), brandy
  • additional cranberries
  • sweetened whipped cream

Special Equipment:

  • 11-inch removable bottom tart pan


To make crust:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine all crust ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Press dough evenly over bottom and up sides of 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Dock (pierce) crust all over with fork to prevent bubbles.

Bake crust until golden brown, piercing with toothpick if crust bubbles, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. Maintain oven temperature.

To make filling:

Melt 2 TBS butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pears. Sprinkle 2 TBS sugar over pears. Sauté until pears begin to brown and soften slightly, turning occasionally, about 12 minutes. Cool pears. Place pears, rounded sides up, on work surface (do not clean skillet). Cut pears into thin crosswise slices; press gently to fan slices of each quarter.  Fan backwards towards the wide end.  Using a knife blade, transfer pear quarters to crust, pointed ends toward center.

Melt remaining 4 TBS butter in same skillet over lowheat, whisking to incorporate pear juices left in skillet. Whisk 4 TBS sugar, eggs and flour in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in butter mixture from skillet. Combine ¾ cup cranberries and remaining 2 TBS sugar in processor and coarsely chop cranberries. Stir cranberry mixture and pear brandy into egg mixture .

Spoon cranberry custard mixture between pears and into center of crust.

Bake:

Bake tart until filling is set and top begins to brown, about 50 minutes. Cool tart on rack. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Using small sharp knife, cut crust away from pan sides if necessary. Gently push up pan bottom to release tart. Place tart on platter. Garnish with additional cranberries. Cut tart into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Puff Pastry Pinwheel Cookies with Jam filling

Puff Pastry Pinwheel Cookies with Jam filling

Comments 0 Comment

Yield: 40 cookies

Bon Appetite Dec 1995 / Epicurious

December 1995: Meghan and I made these in Colorado a few times. They are very simple and quite delicious. Make a nice gift when you get invited to dinner around the holidays.

Supermarket staples – puff pastry and fruit jams – are transformed into delicate teatime treats that require very little effort. For gift giving, place the cookies between sheets of waxed paper or colorful tissue paper, and pack them in a pretty tin.

  • 117¼ oz package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
  • 1egg beaten to blend (glaze)
  • ½cup (about) table, sparkling or sanding sugar
  • ½cup (about) assorted jams (such as raspberry, apricot and kiwi)
  • Powdered sugar (optional)


Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly butter 2 heavy large baking sheets. Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 16×13-inch rectangle. Trim edges neatly, forming 15 x12-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle into twenty 3-inch squares. Using small sharp knife, make 1-inch-long diagonal cut in all 4 comers of 1 square, cutting toward center (do not cut through center). To form pinwheels, fold every other point of puff pastry toward center of square, pressing to adhere.

Repeat with remaining puff pastry squares.

Brush pinwheels lightly with egg glaze. Sprinkle each with ½ tsp of table or sparkling sugar. Place scant ½ tsp jam in center of each. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake until pinwheels are golden and puffed, about 13 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to rack and cool. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet, glaze, sugar and jam.

Sprinkle cookies with one of the sugars, if desired.

Can be prepared ahead. Place cookies between waxed paper sheets in airtight containers and freeze up to 2 weeks; thaw before packing, or store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days.