Recipe: Bubble and Squeak

While definitely inspired by the British pub food staple, my version is just a bit healthier and has a lot more flavor and kick. Cook in a very deep and large cast iron skillet with a lid available for best results.

Ingredients:

5 large chicken apple or other chicken/turkey based sausage link (I use Trader Joe's Sweet Apple), diced
2 large russet potatoes, cubed
1 large or 2 small turnips, cubed
2 large leeks, finely chopped
6 small or 4 medium radishes, finely chopped (I used small French breakfast radishes)
1 head of savoy or other green cabbage, core removed, finely chopped
2 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning (I use Emeril's)
1 tsp. ground white pepper
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 1/2 tsp. fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 sprigs fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 tbsp. canola or other neutral oil
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. of cornstarch, dissolved in water

Directions:

Put the potatoes and turnips in a large pot full of boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes to soften then drain and set aside.

Heat butter and oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. After butter is melted and sizzling, add the garlic and saute for about 4 minutes until fragrant. Add the diced sausage, cover, and cook until the sausages begin to brown, about 8 - 10 minutes. Add the radishes and leeks and saute until the leeks are soft, about another 5 - 6 minutes. Add the potatoes, turnips, cabbage, and all remaining spices to the skillet. Pour the chicken broth over the mixture. Re-cover and saute, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is fully wilted and soft, approximately 10 - 15 minutes. Uncover, add the dissolved cornstarch, and continue mixing together until the mixture becomes quite stiff. Press the mixture down against the bottom of the skillet and allow to cook untouched. Cook until browned on the bottom, about another 7 - 8 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Makes 6 pub-sized portions.

Recipe: Roasted Curry Vegetable Soup

This was just so darn good, especially as the weather has gotten chilly around here...

Ingredients:

1 large rutabaga, peeled, cut into chunks

1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into chunks

1 large fennel bulb, fronds removed, cut into chunks

1 large cauliflower, separated into florets

1 large red bell pepper, cut into large chunks

1 large leek, ends removed, chopped finely

3 tbsp. minced garlic

3 tsp. curry powder

1 1/2 tsp. Chinese five spice powder

1 tsp. ground white pepper

1 tsp. ground cardamom

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. dried mint

1 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1 tbsp. ground black pepper

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dry vermouth

1/2 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Place chunked rutabaga, potato, fennel, cauliflower, and bell pepper into a large roasting pan. Drizzle 1/2 of the olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle evenly with the kosher salt and black pepper. Use a wooden spoon to mix the vegetables well and ensure they are coated evenly with olive oil. Roast the vegetables for 35 minutes.

In a large stock pot, melt the butter in the remaining olive oil over medium high heat. Add the leeks and garlic, cover, and saute for about 10 - 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add all the roasted vegetables to the stock pot. Add all of the remaining spices, chicken broth, heavy cream, and vermouth and stir well to combine. Raise heat to high and cook, uncovered, until boiling. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and recover and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until thick and creamy. Serve immediately.

Makes about 10 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Shrimp and Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 bunch of spinach, loosely chopped

3 tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. white pepper

2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/3 cup dark soy sauce

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 head of magenta or other leafy lettuce, washed and left as whole leaves

2 tbsp. canola or other neutral oil

Directions:

In a large wok or stir fry pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper. Cover and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until the peppers are soft. Add the ground chicken. Add the dry spices, lemon zest, and sugar. Cook for approx. 7 - 8 minutes, stirring frequently until chicken is fully cooked. Add the shrimp and cook for approximately 1 - 2 minutes until shrimp are pink. Add the soy sauce and sherry and combine. Add the spinach, recover and cook for 4 - 5 minutes until the spinach wilts. Uncover, stir well, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for an additional 10 minutes to reduce. Serve with the lettuce leaves.

Makes 4 - 5 dinner servings or 8 - 10 appetizer servings.

Recipe: Roasted Winter Squash Soup

The chill has set in... time for some full-on comfort. This was perfect for this winter evening.

Ingredients:

2 large russet potatoes, peeled, loosely chopped

1 large kubocha, acorn, or other winter squash - seeds removed, cut into wedges, skin on

1 1/2 cups of diced cured ham

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup dry vermouth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped leeks

3 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1 1/2 tbsp. Herbs de Provence

2 tbsp. coarse sea salt

Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Place sliced squash onto a baking sheet and baste evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle 1/2 tbsp. sea salt evenly over the squash. Place into the oven. Place the potatoes into a pot and cover with water up to 1 inch above the potatoes. Put in 1/2 tbsp. of the salt. Bring water to a boil and then reduce to medium-high heat. Roast squash and boil potatoes for about 40 minutes.

In a large stock pot, melt the butter into the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chopped leeks and garlic. Cover and sweat the leeks for about 7 - 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes and remove the rind from the squash with your hands (painful process, but very worth it). Mix the two together and mash vigorously with a potato masher. Remove cover from the soup pot and add the diced ham and dry vermouth. Re-cover and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, all dry spices, and all of the potato and squash mash. Turn heat to high until boiling, then reduce to low heat and simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Soup will thicken as it cooks. Serve with a French baguette.

Makes 4 dinner servings.

Recipe: Mu Shu Pork

Not exactly authentic, but extremely tasty... made this last night for my friend Howard and his partner... both are still raving about it today.

Ingredients:

2 1/3 lbs. of pork butt steak (pork tenderloin will also work, but the fattier butt is a better choice if you can get it)

2 tbsp. canola or other neutral oil

2 large leeks, leaves and ends removed, finely chopped

1 head of green cabbage, loosely chopped

1 1/2 cups of wild mushrooms, loosely chopped

2/3 cup low-salt soy sauce

1 cup dry vermouth

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. white pepper

2 tsp. orange zest

1 tbsp. chili pepper paste

3 tbsp. garlic, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp. grated ginger

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tbsp. black sesame seeds

Directions:

Slice the pork butt into thin strips. Heat the canola oil in a large wok over high heat. Add the pork and saute until the pork is about half done. Add the garlic, ginger, pepper paste, orange zest, and white pepper and mix thoroughly. Add the chopped leeks and cover, reduce heat to medium, cook for about 4 - 5 minutes to sweat the leeks. Uncover, add the mushrooms, return heat to medium high, and recover. Cook another 3 - 4 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk the soy sauce, vermouth, sugar, and salt together. Uncover the wok and add the sauce. Mix thoroughly and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chopped cabbage and mix thoroughly. Recover, cook for an additional 5 minutes to sweat down the cabbage. Uncover, return heat to high, and cook stirring frequently until the sauce is fully reduced, about an additional 10 - 12 minutes. Then drizzle the well beaten eggs all over slowly, stirring to combine, and continue stirring until the egg is fully cooked. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over and mix to combine. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Hoisin sauce and warmed small flour tortillas can be served for wrapping on the side, but as you notice above, it's just as good served with white rice.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Tokyo Turnip and Potato Hash

I have not posted in a while, I know, but real work has kept me way too busy to be as creative as I generally am. But, today, I got more inspired. So here goes... it was excellent and the picture is of the finished product.

Ingredients:

6 small Tokyo turnips, diced, greens separated and cut in thirds (yes, you will use the greens in this recipe, too :))

1 large russet potato, diced

1 small sweet pepper, diced (I used a Flamingo pepper)

1 bunch of scallions, diced, green and white parts

4 strips of bacon, diced

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 tsp. cracked red pepper

1 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. dried tarragon

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 tbsp. minced garlic

3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Boil a medium pot of water. Generously salt the water. Place the potatoes into the boiling water for about 5 - 6 minutes to blanch and soften. Drain, set aside.

Heat the bacon and butter over medium heat until the bacon is almost crisp, stirring frequently. Add the minced garlic and saute until the bacon is fully crisp. Add the turnips, sweet pepper, potato, scallions, and spices. Continue sauteing for about 8 - 10 minutes until the turnips soften. Place the turnip greens into the pan, cover, and allow the greens to wilt for about 3 - 4 minutes. Stir all the ingredients together fully, top with the parmesan cheese and mix together again, serve immediately.

Makes 2 entree or 4 side dish servings.

Recipe: Indian Roasted Chicken with Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Salad

I have been watching way too much Food Network and Cooking Channel lately and have been getting inspired yet again. The roast chicken was inspired by some of the newer shows that feature American cuisine influenced by flavors of India. The salad is just a very simple dish I actually make quite often. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Roast Chicken

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 3/4 lbs.)

1 stick of unsalted butter

2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 whole red chile, minced

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. cardamom

1 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Salad

2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into large cubes

1 cucumber, cut into large cubes

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

6 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. Herbs de Provence

Small sprinkle of sea salt

Directions:

Leave the butter out in a dish at room temperature until it is fully pliable so you can work with it. Go ahead and make the dressing for the salad to allow the dried herbs to infuse. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Herbs de Provence, and sea salt in a sealable small bowl. Seal up, shake vigorously until fully combined, then place in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Once the butter is pliable, add the minced garlic, butter, all of the dried spices, and the salt and pepper to the bowl and use a large fork to mash and mix the ingredients into the butter. Coat a 9 x 13 porcelain baking dish with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts skin-up into the dish. Coat every breast equally with the spiced butter, using your fingers and the fork to get the butter underneath the skin to coat the flesh completely. Cover the baking dish with tin foil and place into the oven. Cook for 90 minutes. Take off the foil, coat the top of the chicken generously with the juices that have fallen off into the dish, and place back into the oven. Raise the temperature to 375 and cook for an additional 20 - 25 minutes to crisp the skin. Remove from the oven.

Chop the tomatoes and cucumber into cubes and mix together evenly. Serve the chopped vegetables directly onto your plates. Shake up the dressing you made earlier one more time before drizzling over the vegetables generously. Serve the chicken on the side. Bon appetit! :)

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Shrimp Creole

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of peeled and deveined shrimp

3 bell peppers, preferably red or yellow, diced

3 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried tarragon

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 habanero peppers, finely diced

1 1/2 cups of yellow onion, diced

3 cups of diced tomatoes (1 large can), drained

1/4 cup of butter (approx. 1/2 stick)

1/4 cup of canola oil

4 tbsp. rice flour

1/2 cup of water

2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, habaneros, and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent - approximately 10 minutes. In a deep pan, heat the butter and canola oil over medium heat until the butter is fully melted and the mixture is hot. Add the flour to the oil mixture slowly, stirring to make a thick roux. Heat the roux until it turns a light brown color, stirring frequently. Stir in the water, dry spices, shrimp, tomatoes and the sauteed onion/pepper mixture. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 10 - 15 minutes until the shrimp are pink. Final consistency should be similar to a gravy. If not thick enough for you, mix 2 tsp. of cornstarch into 1 tbsp. of warm water and stir into the plan to thicken. Serve over rice.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Easy Pepper Gravy

Serve over grits and/or biscuits on a Sunday morning, be in a food coma by lunch... guaranteed!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of unsalted butter

1/4 cup of canola oil

3/4 cup rice flour

2 teaspoons sea salt

2/3 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped

2/3 teaspoon ground black pepper

2/3 teaspoon cracked red pepper

2/3 teaspoon ground white pepper

2/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups milk

Directions:

Melt the butter into the canola oil over medium heat. Once the butter is melted into the oil, whisk in all of the rice flour to make a roux. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the roux starts to turn a light brown. Whisk in the milk one cup at a time, blending thoroughly. Add all of the salt and spices and whisk in thoroughly. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue heating, whisking occasionally, until the mixture becomes a thick, creamy crazy. Whisk in the fresh chives. Remove from heat and ladle over biscuits, grits, chicken, steak... whatever makes you comfortable.

Makes 8 - 10 servings.

Out and About: Chairman Bao Bun Truck

It pulled up 5 blocks behind my office, tweeted its presence, and I was magnetized toward it... assorted stuffed steamed bao: pork belly with pickled daikon, red sesame chicken with bok choy, duck confit with mango relish... for $9... I think I need to chain myself to this truck...

Recipe: Easy Sukiyaki

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. boneless beef rib eye steak, sliced very thin

1 large sweet onion

3 tbsp. minced garlic

2 cups of crimini mushrooms, chopped

2 large carrots, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds

2 cups of Napa cabbage OR baby bok choy, pulled apart and washed

1 1/2 cups of soy sauce

2 cups of beef broth

1 cup of sake

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of rice vinegar

3 tbsp. of vegetable oil

Directions:

Whisk the soy sauce, beef broth, sake, sugar, and rice vinegar together into a large bowl and set aside.

In a large cast iron pan or cast iron dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots and saute until fragrant. Add the sliced beef and cook until the beef browns, stirring/mixing frequently. Add the mushrooms and cook until they soften. Pour all of the reserved sauce mixture in over the meat and vegetables. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally . Add the Napa cabbage (or bok choy), recover, and continue cooking for 10 - 15 minutes until beef is very tender and the cabbage is wilted. Remove all meat and vegetables to a separate serving bowl with a slotted spoon draining off the sauce. Then, pour about 1/3 to 1/2 of the sauce from the pan over the meat and vegetables in the serving bowl and serve. Best served over short-grain white rice.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb. of okra, stems cut off

2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

2 cups of shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 bunch scallions, cut into 1 inch chunks

4 medium tomatoes, chunked into 1 inch cubes

10 garlic cloves, cut into 1/8 inch slivers

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

6 tbsp. of Thai red curry paste (4 - 5 tbsp. if heat is a problem for you :))

3 tbsp. of fish sauce (to make this truly vegetarian, substitute 2 1/2 tbsp. of rice vinegar mixed with 1/2 tbsp. of sea salt for the fish sauce)

2 tbsp. minced lemongrass

1 tbsp. minced ginger

1 1/2 cups of coconut milk

1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

In a large wok or stir-fry pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, scallions, ginger, and lemongrass and saute until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, okra, and carrots and saute until the mushrooms begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, vegetable broth, fish sauce, and curry paste. Stir to combine all ingredients. Turn the heat to high and heat until the mixture is boiling vigorously. Then reduce heat to a steady simmer, cover, and cook for 40 - 45 minutes. Remove the lid and check the consistency of the curry. It should be of medium thickness, akin to a gravy. If the curry is really thin, whisk 1 tbsp. of corn starch with 2 tsp. of warm water and add to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh cilantro as a final step. Serve immediately over jasmine rice.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Grilled Pork with Maple Habanero Glaze and Sauteed Swiss Chard

Ingredients:

For the Pork

2 1/2 lbs. of bone-in pork chops (4 large chops)

2 cups of apple cider vinegar

1 cup of soy sauce

1 cup of bourbon

3 habanero peppers, finely minced

1 cup of maple syrup

For the Chard

2 large bunches of green or rainbow chard, de-stemmed with leaves roughly torn into pieces

4 slices of uncured, thick sliced applewood smoked bacon, diced

1/2 of a large sweet onion, diced (approx. 1 1/2 cups)

3 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. black pepper

3 tbsp. of unsalted butter

Directions:

Mix the vinegar, soy sauce, and bourbon together with a wisk to make the brine. Reserve 2/3 cup of the brine. Place the chops into a large plastic bag or bowl, pour the brine over, and cover. Place in the refrigerator to brine at least 24 hours.

In a small saucepan, heat the maple syrup, habanero peppers, and 2/3 cup of the brining liquid over medium heat until it bubbles vigorously. Remove from heat and place into a heatproof glass container, seal, and place in the refrigerator for 4 - 6 hours to chill until it thickens.

Brush your grill grate with olive oil and heat the grill to medium-high heat. Before placing the pork on the grill, coat all over with the maple/habanero glaze. Cook for 4 minutes, turn over, then cover with more of the glaze. Continue cooking for 4 minutes on each side, glazing after each turn, for a total of about 18 - 20 minutes for medium-well. The glaze will produce a nice blackening on the pork as the sugar caramelizes. Place in 180 degree oven covered in foil to keep warm.

In a large pan, melt the butter. Add the bacon and saute the bacon until it starts to crisp. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion becomes partially translucent. Add the swiss chard and black pepper, in bunches if necessary, covering the pan to wilt the chard. Cook, covered, checking and stirring every minute or two until all the chard is fully wilted.

Serve the chard on top of or alongside the pork.

Serves 4 very hungry people.

Recipe: Spicy Beef Stroganoff

This ended up a total winner... so very tasty... and comforting :)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean beef tenderloin, cut into small cubes

2 tbsp. peanut oil

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 1/2 tbsp. sea salt

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

3 habanero peppers

3 tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 large sweet onion (Vidalia or equivalent)

4 cups crimini mushrooms

1 cup beef broth

1/3 cup bourbon

2 cups of sour cream

1 1/2 lb. egg noodles

Directions:

Heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. Add the beef and sear lightly on all sides. Remove beef from the oil and set aside. Add the butter to the pan and melt. Finely chop the onion, mushrooms, and habanero peppers. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, cover, sweating them for about 5 - 6 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the mushrooms, habaneros, salt, Dijon mustard, beef broth, and bourbon and stir to combine. Turn heat to high and bring to boil, boiling on high for about 2 - 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add the beef back to the pan (including any juices), cover, and simmer for about 45 - 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Remove cover from beef mixture and turn heat to high until the pan returns to a boil, boiling vigorously for about 10 minutes to reduce the mixture to a very thick consistency (mix 1 tbsp. of corn starch with warm water and stir in to thicken more quickly if not the right consistency within 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream as a final step. Serve over the egg noodles.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Recipe: Zucchini and Eggplant Casserole

I know it has been quite a while since I have posted one of my great recipes up here... life just has this persistent tact of getting all in the way of blogging. But, hey, at least y'all know I haven't completely disappeared! I made this recipe last night. My roommate and friend both really liked it. Hope y'all enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, cut into 1 inch chunks

4 large zucchini, cut into 1 inch chunks

3 cups of wild mushrooms (oyster, trumpet, shitake, etc.)

1 large sweet onion

6 slices of thick slab bacon, diced

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

1/2 cup of heavy cream

3 large eggs

1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup of shredded Asiago cheese

2 tbsp. of Herbs de Provence

1 tbsp. of sea salt

2 tbsp. of garlic powder

1 1/2 tbsp. of white pepper

1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs

Cooking spray

Extra sea salt (to sweat eggplant)

Directions:

Place cut eggplant into a large colander. Coat generously with sea salt. Cover colander with a plate and press down to apply some pressure. Let sit in the sink for at least 4 hours to allow the eggplant to sweat out most of the bitter juices.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray a large 9" x 13" casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large, deep skillet, turn the heat to medium high and melt the butter. Once butter is melted, add the diced bacon. Cook until bacon is slightly crisped. Loosely chop the mushrooms and onion and place into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add to the skillet with the butter and bacon and stir with a wooden spoon to evenly distribute. Add the sweated eggplant, zucchini, salt, white pepper, garlic powder, and Herbs de Provence. Stir to combine well. Cover the skillet and cook for 25 - 30 minutes until the zucchini and eggplant are very tender and can be mashed apart with the wooden spoon, stirring every few minutes. Once the mixture is tender and mushy, turn off the heat and add the cheeses and stir in to combine evenly. Transfer the entire mixture to the greased casserole dish.

In a small bowl, whip the eggs into the heavy cream. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole and stir in to distribute the egg mixture evenly throughout the casserole. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top of the casserole. Place in the preheated oven and bake first for 20 minutes. Take out from the oven and generously spray the bread crumbs on top with a layer of cooking spray (this will help brown the top). Place back in the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 as a main course or 12 - 14 as a side dish.