Hoppin John Soup with Cornbread Croutons

This is what I'm going to make for New Year's Day.  Living in the south all of my life, I love black eyed peas and the tradition of eating them on the fist day of a new year.  I'm also going to use the Bloody Maria's drink recipe for the drink of the day.  We're going to need all the luck with can muster with a year ending in 13...(Southern Living suggests giving this as a New Year's day gift.  Soup in a jar with croutons in a nicely wrapped plastic bag.) Blogger's note:  Made on New Year's Day and forgot to make the rice.  Didn't need it.  It was hearty enough with the cornbread...

• 1/2 (16-oz.) package dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted
• 2 pounds smoked turkey wings
• 1/3 cup finely chopped country ham
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces $
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 (16-oz.) package fresh collard greens, trimmed and finely chopped $
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Hot cooked brown rice
• Cornbread Croutons
• Flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preparation

1. 1. Bring peas, turkey wings, and 6 cups water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 45 minutes or until peas are tender, skimming any foam from surface. Drain peas, reserving 1 1/4 cups liquid. Remove turkey meat from bones. Chop meat.
2. 2. Sauté ham and next 7 ingredients in hot oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add peas, reserved 1 1/4 cups liquid, turkey meat, collards, hot sauce, and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. Serve over rice with Cornbread Croutons and parsley.

• Cornbread Croutons:
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
• Cornbread batter

Preparation

1. Stir cilantro and jalapeño peppers into your favorite cornbread batter. Bake; cool 10 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Bake at 375° in a lightly greased jelly-roll pan until edges are golden, stirring halfway through.
Southern Living
JANUARY 2013

Stone Crab Claws with Mustard Sauce

I'm not much of a crab leg eater but when served with a mustard sauce like this...yummy...As you can see, I got this recipe from Bon Appetit.

yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings

Chef Kris Wessel of Florida Cookery in Miami Beach, Florida, shared this recipe as part of a Palm Tree Christmas menu. 

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ingredients

• 3 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon turbinado sugar (see Cooks' Note)
• 1 cup safflower or canola oil
• 1 small clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 small shallot, peeled and minced
• 2 large egg yolks
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 5 pounds stone crab claws, cracked

preparation

In a small bowl, whisk together the dry mustard, sugar, and 2 tablespoons warm water; let stand 5 minutes. In a small sauté pan over moderate heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the garlic and shallot and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.

In a large bowl using a balloon whisk, whip the egg yolks for 1 minute to lighten them. Whisk in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add the dry-mustard mixture, along with the garlic and shallots, and stir until blended. Gradually drizzle in the remaining 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil, whisking to combine. Cover and chill at least 20 minutes before serving. DO AHEAD: The mustard sauce can be prepared ahead and stored, covered in the refrigerator, up to 24 hours.

To Serve
Serve the mustard sauce in small bowls or ramekins, alongside the stone crab claws.

Cooks' note:Turbinado sugar is raw sugar that has been steam-cleaned. The coarse crystals are blond in color, with a delicate molasses flavor. Demerara sugar, light brown sugar, or raw sugar can be substituted.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Stone-Crab-with-Mustard-Sauce-51126840#ixzz2GAzBRyoo

Garlic Infused Shrimp with Dipping Sauce

This is so simple but sooooooo good.  Have a nice loaf of crusty bread ready to soak up the sauce...

Serves 4

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup EVOO
6 cloves garlic, 3 cut into thin slices and 3 diced
sea salt to taste
crushed red pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese if you'd like

In a medium bowl, mix the shrimp, garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil and allow to marinade for 30 minutes.  In a medium skillet, heat the rest of the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the sliced garlic and lower heat to medium or medium low.  You want to infuse the oil with the garlic.  Gently simmer but do not brown for approx. 7-10 minutes.  Turn down heat if necessary to keep garlic from burning.  They should get a light brown.  Remove garlic from pan and discard.  Drain and shake off as much of the garlic from the shrimp as possible.  Heat the oil in the pan again on medium high.  Saute the shrimp in the oil until pink on one side, turn over, and cook until pink on the other side.  Once the shrimp is pink on both sides, they're done.  Sprinkle if you like with sea salt and crushed red pepper.  Top with some good  grated Parmesan cheese, if you like.

Put in four individual serving bowls or in one big communal bowl (George Costanza would double dip with the bread).  Pass around large chunks of crusty bread with a nice white wine.

If you like, you can add a little more EVOO when sauteing the garlic and then remove garlic, cook shrimp as above and toss with angel hair pasta.

Bon Appetito!

Christmas Eve Menu

My home town is only about an hour to an hour and a half from the Texas coast.  Back in the '60s, there used to be a fish monger in the next town, about 15 minutes away.  A truck would come from the coast to this fish monger and we would get great Texas coast fish, shrimp, oysters etc.  My mother would always make a great  seafood buffet for Christmas Eve.  I don't remember what my younger sister ate because she refused to eat and still refuses to eat seafood.  Our grandmother had jokingly told us that if we ate fish a bone might get in our throats and we'd choke.  Trust me.  She was a wonderful and loving grandmother regardless of the remark.  My older sister and I said, yeah, right, grandma.  But our younger sister took the hook and never ate fish not even shrimp. What she ate on Christmas Eve, I don't have a clue. So when I married an Italian Catholic, I was quiet happy to make an all seafood dinner (there is a little sausage but just a bit.)  The italicized items are on this site:

Boiled shrimp with red sauce (I buy mine.  Whole Foods has a great one.  I jazz it up with some diced jalapenos and fresh lemon juice) Or, you can make the Whole Foods Horseradish sauce.

Raw oysters (bought from a reputable dealer like Kathleen's Catch here in Atlanta) and your sauce of choice:
Hogwash -
Whole Foods Oyster Migunett  (classic oyster mignonette sauce).
Whole Foods Horseradish Sauce (this would also be good with fried oysters and shrimp...boiled or fried)

Simple salad of arugula with an Italian vinaigrette

Chorizo and Clams over linguine :

I have this on the site as an appetizer but all you have to do is add a little more clam juice and boil your linguine al dente.  One trick I've learned is after your pasta is cooked to perfection, drain it and then put it back in the pot.  Place back on high heat and add some of your stock (or marinara) and coat the pasta.  Stir for just a few minutes and don't let the pasta stick to the bottom of the pan!  Then you'll have perfectly coated pasta and not just pasta with sauce glopped on top.

Italian Vanilla gelato (purchased)

Bon Appetito!

Dinner Party Menu

I'm having a few folks over for a pre-Christmas dinner.  It's close friends so I know I can take my time and serve the food a la minute.  We reconfigured the house we bought a few years ago.  We totally redid the kitchen and turned the family room into our formal dining room.  Well, not really formal but now we have a total dining experience.  Watch me cook and yak at the same time!  So, I'm serving 4 things posted on the bitchy gourmet. 

Cacio e Pepe (pasta with cheese, butter and pepper)

Salad of Tart Greens with Prosciutto and Warm Balsamic Dressing

The Barefoot Contessa's Beef Tenderloin

Smashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Grilled Asparagus

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Mousse

Aperitifs

Bon Appetito ya'll!

Salad of Tart Greens with Prosciutto and Warm Balsamic Dressing

Serves 6-8 as an antipasto but I serve it as a salad course.  This is from Lynne Rossetto Kasper's fine cookbook, The Splendid Table.   She uses Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.  But since I'm going to use this as a secundi, second course, and the first course is full of Parmigiano, I'll leave it out. I will also leave out red onions.  Add them if you want. Blogger's note:  Made this last night for a dinner party, and it will knock your socks off.  The guests LOVED it! I didn't need the brown sugar because balsamic was aged enough.

1 small head each romaine, radicchio, red leaf lettuce and curly endive
1/2 cup ( 2oz) pine nuts, toasted
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into bite sized pieces
8 large garlic cloves, cut into 1/4 inch dice
about 2/3 cups EVOO
3-6 tbls not commercial balsamic vinegar, the real stuff please
3 tbls red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
brown sugar to taste

Salad:  Wash and dry lettuce.  Tear into bite sized pieces.  In a large bowl, toss with all but 3 tbls of the pine nuts and  most of the scallions.  Arrange on a large platter.

Dressing:  Heat a medium sized skillet over medium high heat.  Fry the prosciutto until all most crisp.  Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned and prosciutto is crisp.  Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.  With the heat on medium high, add the EVOO.    When shimmering, add the vinegars to the oil. (watch out.  It may splatter.) Cook a few moments or until the acid is slightly diffused.  If you are using a quality balsamic, the next step may not be necessary.  Taste for a sweet tart balance.  If there is too much tart, add some of the brown sugar, stir and let the mixture bubble slowly for one or two minutes.  Taste.  Be sure not to burn your tongue!  Add more balsamic or brown sugar as needed.  Stir in the reserved garlic and prosciutto, and salt and pepper.  Set aside until ready to use.  Don't do this for too long or the crisp prosciutto will become soggy.

To serve, top the lettuce with remaining pine nuts and scallions.  Reheat the dressing, stirring vigorously.  Spoon over salad and toss.  Serve immediately.

You Need Vodka to Go Along with Those Oysters!

I have been a vodka aficionado for a while.  I've tasted quite a few through out my travels especially while in Russia.  But, I've come across a USA distilled vodka that I love.  It's Tito's Vodka made in Austin, Texas.  I was telling a friend of mine about Tito's and we decided to do our own little tasting of vodkas.  We had Tito's, Ketel One, Grey Goose and Crystal Head vodka (the one made by Dan Aykroyd).  Tito's won hands down.  Not only is it smooth in taste but the price is smooth. Crystal Head is anywhere from $45.00-$50 for 750ml .  Ketel One and Grey Goose $38-40.00 for 750ml.  Tito's is around $28-30!  The magazine, Wine Enthusiast, out of 100 points gave Tito's 95 points, Ketel One 89 and Grey Goose 84.  Here's the story on Ttio's:

THE STORY

Hi. I’m Tito Beveridge and I’m the founder and owner of Titos Handmade Vodka. I’m from San Antonio, Texas. I went to Vanderbilt for a year then to UT, University of Texas at Austin. I graduated with degrees in geology and geophysics. I got into the oil and gas business and did that in Texas and then down in Venezuela and Colombia and ran heli-portable dynamite seismic crews down there and came back and started a drilling company in Houston, got tired of chasing the buck and decided to move back to Austin, Tx.

I did ground water geology here and got in the mortgage business and it was when I was in the mortgage business that I started making flavored vodka for my friends for Christmas presents. That was in about i guess ’92, ’93. I was at a party one time and a stranger came up to me and said ‘Hey you’re the vodka guy’ and I was like no, contraire, I am the mortgage guy. And that’s when I kinda started thinking that this guy’s telling me i need to go sell my flavored vodkas and this was the first time I really started thinking seriously about it.

So when rates went up a couple points in the mortgage business I started going to liquor stores and ask guys if they’d buy my flavored vodkas, they said “no, go look at all the dust on the shoulders of those bottles there”. Then they said but if I could make it where it was smooth where you could drink straight then I might have something. So I asked them how you do that and they said “Well I don’t know, you’re the guy who wants to get in the vodka business.”

At that point I went and started trying to learn about how to distill and you know it was pre-internet and so there really wasn’t any information about how to make it. It was almost like there had been a book burning at the library. I got a bunch of pictures of old moonshiners and looked at a bunch of those photos and then kinda from looking at all those photos kinda just built a still that kinda looked like those stills. And then just kinda started cooking in that and just trial and error’d. I just kept messing with it until I got to where everybody liked my vodka better than the other stuff you could buy at the time. I basically just kinda kept working at it and working at it.

We bought every vodka that was on the shelf, we put them in little kerr jars and tasted all and came up with the two best ones. When mine beat the other two best ones then I figured that I had my formula right. My friends were all kinda my guinea pigs.

I tried to get some financing a couple of times and it didn’t work out because they said i’d never get my permits, there’d never been a legal distillery in Texas and they said I’d never get a distributor. So I ended up just taking the money I’d saved up while working overseas and I racked up 19 credit cards to the tune of about $88,000. I built a one man distillery and built a production still and just kinda got myself into business. I’d go out and make it and sell it and come back and make some more and you know I was sleeping next to the still and you know just kind of boot-strapped it up.

And then at one point we’d gotten a phone call to come to the World Spirits Competition and I was fixing a boiler so I just sent a couple bottles there and we ended up getting the double gold medal, the unanimous judges choice. And that was up against 72 vodkas around the world including flavored vodkas. That kind of you know, helped spur things along.

I appreciate ya’ll supporting Tito’s Handmade Vodka. It’s really been a dream come true for me and it’s really due to all the word of mouth that we’ve gotten. It’s all pretty much just been from people going into liquor stores and bars and asking for it. So if you are in a bar and they don’t have it, ask to speak to the bar manager. Our distributors are on our website at Titosvodka.com. If you tell 20 of your closest friends we’ll just keep this thing rolling. Thanks a whole bunch, I try to make it good. You know my theory is you make the best vodka in the world and charge a reasonable price, so I’ll keep doing my part of it and I sure appreciate you doing yours. Thank you very much.

-Tito 

Next Time I'm in Austin, which will be in Feb., 2013, I'm going to visit the distillery!

It's Oyster Season!

And I'm in heaven!  I know that it takes a particular palate to "like" to eat oysters.  Some people are put off by the smell, by the look, by the slipperyness.  But not I! Down the hatch they'll go...Yes, they are an acquired taste.  When my daughter was a junior in college, she did a study abroad semester in Seville, Spain..  The Spanish love their seafood.  At this particular time in my daughter's life, she refused to eat ANY seafood.  When it was time for her to come home, we met her in Paris.  The French also love their seafood.  So my husband and I order a tower of cold raw and cooked seafood i.e. oysters, clams and then shrimp.  Much to our surprise, our daughter picked up and oyster and without hesitation, downed one.  In the culinary world of my house, life is now good.  Here are three different sauces to top your raw oyster display.  One I got from the London eatery, J Sheeky's.  It's the Hogwash sauce.  Not the best name in the world but named after the Hog Island Oyster Company. And if you live in the Atlanta area and are in the Duluth/Johns Creek area, be sure and stop by Kathleen's Catch for some amazing oysters...

Hogwash - (classic oyster mignonette sauce).

1/4 C seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 C unseasoned rice vinegar
1 large shallot, peeled, minced
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime

Procedure:
Combine ingredients in a medium bowl. When serving, stir the Hogwash beforehand to include all the goodies in the bowl. Place a teaspoon or so over freshly shucked oysters. Use the Hogwash the same day it's made.

Whole Foods Oyster Migunett

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tbls sherry vinegar

1 shallot, finely chopped

white pepper to taste

salt as needed

Combine all ingredients.

Whole Foods Horseradish Sauce (this would also be good with fried oysters and shrimp...boiled or fried)

1 cup ketsup

2 tbls grated frsh horseradish

dash of hot sauce

dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 tbls fresh lime jiuce

Combine ingredients in medium bowl.  

Prosciutto Rolls with Arugula and Figs

I've made these on several occasions where I was asked to bring an appetizer.  These are delicious and very easy to assemble.  Better yet, no cooking!  From the 2006 Bon Appetit Cookbook.

Makes 24

1/4 cup EVOO
2 tbls fresh lemon juice
4 tsp grated lemon peel
12 thin (not paper thin) slices prosciutto
6 oz soft fresh goat cheese, room temp
16 dried black Mission figs, quartered
4 large bunches arugula, stems trimmed

Whisk oil, lemon juice and lemon peel in a med. bowl to blend.  Lay prosciutto on work surface, spacing slices 2 inches apart.  Spread cheese evenly over prosciutto.  Arrange figs over cheese, dividing and spacing evenly.  Drizzle with lemon mixture.  Sprinkle with pepper.  Arrange 6 arugula leaves atop each prosciutto slice, alternating stems and tops and allowing tops to extend one inch over ling sides of the prosciutto.  Starting at one short end of each slice, roll up tightly jelly roll style.  Cut rolls crosswise in half.  Transfer to platter.  (Can be made 2 hours ahead.  Cover with damp paper towels and then plastic wrap; chill.)

White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Mousse

Shhhh! I'm going to make this for a holiday dinner.  Since it's a multi course meal, this simple dessert will be a perfect ending.  I don't know.  Top with some drizzled dark chocolate and some crushed amaretto cookies? Bitchy's note:  I just made this and it is very sweet.  So, I'm going to top with raspberries macerated in limoncello...

ENLARGE IMAGECredit: Todd Coleman

SERVES 4–6

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ tsp. kosher salt
3 egg whites
½ cup sugar
8 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place cream cheese and vanilla seeds in a large bowl, and beat on medium-high speed of a hand mixer until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add cream, and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes more; set aside. Place salt and egg whites in another bowl, and beat on medium-high speed of a hand mixer until soft peaks form; while beating, slowly add sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form; set aside.

2. Place white chocolate in a medium bowl over a 4-qt. saucepan of simmering water, and cook, stirring constantly, until just melted; remove from heat, and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour white chocolate into cream cheese mixture, and fold with a rubber spatula until almost combined; add beaten egg whites, and fold gently until just combined. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a ¾" tip, and pipe into serving glasses; refrigerate until set before serving, at least 2 hours.

Holiday Torte with Cream Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

I have used this product for some time.  The spread and pesto are also good just spread on bread that has been brushed with olive oil and toasted and then maybe topped with a little Parmesan cheese.  Of course they have a web site with loads of recipes, www.calsundry.com.  I use the sun dried tomatoes in my cioppino. If the recipe has too much sun dried tomatoes for your taste, you can always leave out the layer with the julienne cut tomatoes.

16 oz cream cheese 1 (8.5 oz) jar CALIFORNIA SUN DRY® Pesto 1 (8.5 oz) jar CALIFORNIA SUN DRY® Tomatoes, Julienne Cut 1/2 (9 oz) jar CALIFORNIA SUN DRY® Spread 1 cup salted, roasted pistachios nuts, large chopped Assorted crackers Parsley On plastic wrap, roll out half of the cream cheese into a rectangle, no more than 1/4” thick. Wrap in plastic and repeat with remaining half of cream cheese. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Drain jar of Julienne Cut Tomatoes. Place 1 layer of cream cheese on a serving plate. Spread 1/2 jar or more of Spread evenly on top to the edges. Spoon half of Pesto over the Spread. Place 2nd layer of cream cheese on top. Spoon remaining half of Pesto evenly over the cheese. Top with Tomatoes. Loosely press nuts around the sides. Dress with fresh parsley or basil and serve with crackers. Products used in this recipe

Pan Seared Swordfish with Braised Leeks

I had this dish along with the black rice I discussed in another blog.  The whole dish came together so well.


 Serves 4
Ingredients:

4- 6oz swordfish fillets
sea salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried dill

1 1/2 cup Venere black rice
3 cups water
salt to taste
1/2 tblsp butter

4 leeks, trimmed to 7" beginning with white parts, and cut each leek length wise into quarters or eighths
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tblsp butter
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Bring the 3 cups of water to a boil.  Add rice and cover and lower to simmer.  Simmer for 40 minutes until al dente.  This rice does not become creamy.  Each piece retains its own identity. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.

After you cover the rice to cook, put the leeks in a shallow dish and cover with cold water.  Break the leeks apart to clean them out. Let rinse for 15 minutes.  Rub occasionally to clean.  In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over medoium heat.  Lift the leeks from the water and with the water still clinging, add to skillet.  Cook leeks, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  Add broth and zest.  Braise leeks, covered, for 5 minutes or until very tender.  Salt and pepper.

30 minutes before serving, take out the swordfish fillets and let rest.  10 minutes before serving, salt and and pepper both sides of the fillets as well as sprinkling with the dill.  Pam a caste iron skillet and heat over high heat until you see the heat radiating.  Add fillets.  Sear for 3-4 minutes on one side, turn and sear for 3-4 minutes on the other.  Lower heat to medium and sear.  Take a small sharp knife, and separate a small portion of the middle part of the fillet.  If you don't see any pink, remove from pan and let rest for 5 minutes.  If there is still a little pink,  turn off the fire and let them finish cooking in the pan until you don't see any pink.

Add the butter and salt and pepper to the rice.  Stir to coat rice.

To plate:

First the rice, then the leeks, then the fish, pouring a little of the leek braising liquid over the dish.