Cuisine de Comfort Goes Fox?

Hi All:

I know it has been some time since I have written - apologies all around. It has been a very busy latter half of the year and I haven't been spending as much time in the kitchen as I would like. I have a turkey recipe (from Thanksgiving) that I have been meaning to post, but I will have to do that another evening. For now, I have some interesting news...

My wife, in her lifelong quest to find things for me to do (if keeping house, remodeling a bathroom and changing careers isn't enough) came upon a unique opportunity for me to become a reality tv star...

...I don't even want to know what you are thinking right now (ok, I sorta do).

There is a casting call for a new pilot/series called "MasterChef" that will be airing on Fox in the future. Gordon Ramsay, my favorite TV chef, is putting together another show that will feature non-professional cooks who have aspirations for becoming great chefs. It is focused on people who do not have formal training but love to cook. Nicole saw that and I think I was signed up before she told me about it (just kidding, honey :-/) and so I am auditioning.

So, for those of you that are loyal followers (and those who don't follow as often but read occasionally), I would like to have ideas of what to prepare for my audition. It has to be a dish that can be served at room temperature.

I am open to suggestions - it can be something I have made before (and posted here on my blog) or other ideas that you come up with...I am all ears!

The deadline for suggestions is January 5, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST. Please post as a comment to this blog post! Thanks and I look forward to your replies!

Yours in cooking,

Chris

Eggplant Parmesan (Melanzana Parmigiana)

Here is a fantastic spin on eggplant parm that, in my humble opinion, brings this dish to a whole new level of delicious. It has several steps, so just follow along and you should be able to put this together with little trouble.

As many of you know, I tend not to do things in the traditional style because, well, to be quite honest, what fun is that? If you can read about a recipe in 200 different cookbooks, then why read my blog? So, I like putting a spin to a dish that makes it interesting, something you may not have tried or thought to try and overall presents a new flavor and texture to a familiar (or sometimes not familiar) dish. If I don't like the way something comes out, I don't post it, so the posts you see here are tried and true (and tasty!) recipes.

A word of warning on this particular recipe: IT IS NOT LOW FAT! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, this dish is true Italian goodness and it is pretty uncensored. So hold on to your WW point calculators and come with me on a journey of ooey-gooey culinary creation!

Time: 30-40 minutes Prep/Fry Eggplant, 45 minutes Baking

Servings: 4 (large portions)

INGREDIENTS:

1 - Medium - Large Eggplant

1 lb. Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese

1 lb. Part-Skim Mozzarella (a block or shredded, up to you)

1 1/4 C. Romano, Parmesan or Asiago Cheese, grated (your choice)

3 Jars Marinara Sauce (26 oz. each) or 9 1/2 cups of your homemade sauce

1/2 - 1 lb. Pasta (your choice, I used Linguini)

3 C. Breadcrumbs

3 Large - Extra Large Eggs

1 oz. Water

Olive or Vegetable Oil (enough to fill large pan with 1/4" of oil (approx. 4 cups)

3 Tbsp + 1 tsp Salt

2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder

2 Tbsp. Onion Powder

1 1/2 Tbsp. Oregano

2 tsp. Basil

1 tsp. Dried Parsley

2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

TOOLS:

Large Bowl (to soak all cut eggplant)

Large Frying Pan (12" pan - the deeper the better)

9 x 9 Baking Dish (Pyrex)

Large Bowl (to mix Ricotta cheese mixture)

Wisk (to mix Ricotta cheese mixture)

Tongs (to flip eggplant)

Medium - Large Pot (to cook pasta)

2 Shallow Bowls (for eggwash and breadcrumbs to bread eggplant)

Large Cutting Board

Large Chef's Knife

Baking Spatula (to spread Ricotta cheese in between eggplant layers)

Ladle

Large Pot - (to heat/cook Marinara sauce)

Peeler

DIRECTIONS:

First, take your eggplant and use the peeler to take off all the purple skin. Once all skin is removed, cut off the top of the eggplant (the stem area). Next, square off the eggplant by cutting down the eggplant so the top and bottom are about the same and the eggplant looks like a large rectangular cube (you may either discard the pieces you cut off or slice them thinly and use them for additional layers or fry with the others for a snack). Next, using your chef's knife, carefully slice the eggplant from top to bottom, proceeding slowly. Each slice should be thin (about 1/16" thick, or about double the thickness of the top of your large chef's knife, nearest the handle (the image above is a knife - the part circled, #6, is the spine of the knife). When finished, you should have lots of long, rectangular slices of eggplant. Next, slice each piece of eggplant longways down the middle to double the number of eggplant slices you have.

Once you have done the slicing, it is time to soak your eggplant.

**Note: My greatgrandmother and grandmother (from Sicily) used to soak eggplant in milk. Eggplant is naturally bitter, especially the seeds. By soaking the eggplant, the bitterness is drawn out of the eggplant and into the milk, which is then discarded. Nowadays, with milk costing anywhere from $2 - $4 per gallon, it is a little expensive to use milk for this purpose. A simple solution of salt and water (known as a brining solution) will accomplish the same goal.**

*Interesting Fact: Did you know that putting salt on a bite or sting will draw out the poison? For instance, if you get stung by a bee or bitten by a mosquito, simply make a hypersolution of salt and water (the two together should make a gritty paste) and pack it on the bite. It will sting, but it will draw out the poison (must be done immediately after the bite/sting occurs to be effective. Powdered meat tenderizer is also very effective.*

Take a large bowl and fill 3/4 full with cool water and add 3 Tbsp. salt. Place all eggplant in the bowl. At this point, you are noticing that half the eggplant is not covered in water, right? Eggplant loves to float, so you need to be creative to get the eggplant covered in water. Make sure the bowl is filled to within 1/2" of the top and then place a frying pan on top of the bowl. The frying pan will hold the eggplant down enough to get it covered in water. Allow the eggplant to soak for about 30 minutes.

While the eggplant is soaking, let's prep the remaining parts of the dish.

Ricotta Cheese Mixture: Take a large mixing bowl and place the 1 lb. of ricotta cheese in it. Add 1 cup of grated asiago or romano or parmesan cheese (your choice, I used Asiago because I had fresh in the house), 1/4 lb. of mozzarella (shredded), 1 Tbsp. onion powder, 1 Tbsp. garlic powder, 1/2 Tbsp. oregano, 1 tsp. dried parsley, 1 tsp. black pepper. Mix all ingredients with a wisk briskly for 30 seconds until well mixed. Taste mixture - if you want to add anything to increase a specific flavor, by all means. When done, cover and set aside.

Next, get the two shallow bowls and put them next to each other. In the first bowl, add 3 eggs and beat until mixed. Add 1 oz. of water and continue to mix for 15 seconds. In second bowl, add breadcrumbs, and remaining spices listed above as well the remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese (asiago, romano or parmesan). Mix with fork until all ingredients are evenly mixed.

Put sauce into pot and heat on medium low heat. Stir occasionally. Once hot, turn heat to low.

Once eggplant has soaked for a minimum of 30 minutes, drain all water from bowl. Bread eggplant by first dipping eggplant slice in egg wash, then placing in breadcrumbs. Once fully coated, place on dry plate. Repeat until all eggplant is breaded.

At this point, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Next, heat frying pan with oil on medium high heat until oil begins to shimmer in pan. Place eggplant in pan to fry (enough pieces to cover pan but with room in between). Eggplant should be lightly browned on each side. Flip eggplant ever minute and watch carefully - if oil begins to boil violently or eggplant begins to burn, turn down heat.

^Tip^ Since the eggplant slices are very thin, they will cook very quickly. Make sure not to walk away from the pan and flip them every minute for the first two flips, then every 30 seconds to avoid burning. Once the eggplant is crunchy but lighter than a brown paper bag, take it out and place on a plate with paper towel so it can drain.^

Repeat until all eggplant is fried.

Next, take ladle and spoon enough sauce into the 9 x 9 baking dish so the bottom is lightly coated (ladle in one scoop and then shake the dish to spread it around). Layer the eggplant strips into the dish so all the eggplant is touching and you cannot see the bottom of the dish (only one eggplant deep per layer). After the first layer is done, use the baking spatula to spread a 1/8" thick layer of the ricotta cheese mixture over the eggplant. Take your time and spread it around so everything is covered. Then, pour 1/2 ladle full of sauce over ricotta cheese and use back of ladle to spread around. Place next layer of eggplant and repeat steps 2 more times so there are 3 layers of eggplant. After the last layer of eggplant is placed, do not put a layer or ricotta. Instead, simply cover with sauce. Next, slice the remaining mozzarella cheese (or shred) and place over top eggplant so the entire top is covered. Be careful to leave a slight lip between the top of the mozzarella and the top of the dish so it does not overflow in the oven. Next, place tinfoil over top of the dish, making sure to tent it so it does not touch the mozzarella. Your oven rack should be in the middle slot to cook this dish.

^Tip^ To tent, simply take more foil than is needed to cover the dish. Lightly crease the foil in the middle to create a tent shape, then cover the dish and tuck the sides under the handle lips of the baking dish. this will allow the dish to bake covered but not allow the mozzarella to stick to the foil as it melts.^

Place in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, increase temperature in oven to 425 degrees and remove cover from eggplant. Cook another 10-15 minutes.

^Tip^ I recommend placing a tinfoil-lined baking sheet on the rack below your eggplant (or the bottom of the oven). This will catch any drips that may occur from the eggplant cooking and will save you clean-up time and possible burning/smoking of your oven, which is always annoying when the smoke alarms go off.^

Once you put your eggplant in the oven, start boiling water for your pasta. Approximately 10 minutes before the eggplant is done, drop your pasta into the water. This will allow the pasta to cook and the two should be ready at the same time for service.

When done, take the eggplant out of the oven, allow to cool for a minute or two, then use a spatula or spoon to serve.

Nicole and I absolutely loved this dish last night and I had it again for lunch today. Give it a shot and let me know what you think. It is very gooky, so be prepared - the flavor is phenomenal and the eggplant has such a nice flavor that you will cherish this recipe. I think if my grandma and great grandma were around, they would love this dish, too!

As they say in the old country, mangia!

Buona Fortuna and as always...

Yours in cooking,

Chris

Fall-Off-The-Bone-Ribs - BBQ at its Finest!

Good Morning, Everyone!

So last night I was at my Dad's house and I decided to make dinner. My brother, his wife, my Aunt, my Dad and my wife and I were all there and I wanted to make something tasty for the whole family - a nice sit down meal on a Sunday evening. It's an old tradition that my wife and I have been trying to resurrect for both our families at least once a month. I have lost some very important people in my life recently (my Mom, my puppy) and it's clearer to me now more than ever that spending time with family as often as possible is by far the most important thing we can do. Both of our families enjoy good food and good company, so putting the two together through Sunday dinners seems the logical fit.

Yesterday, my dear Aunt informed me that we had ribs in the freezer that we could cook as well a 7.5 lb roaster chicken that could be cooked. Well, since there were six of us, my brother (the chef) and I decided we would make both the ribs and the chicken. My father had just bought one of those cool stands that you place the beer/soda can in and then you place the chicken/turkey on top and roast it...my brother decided that was going to be his contribution and I took the ribs, which are one of my specialties.

So, I began prepping my ribs for the oven and my brother was spicing the chicken. He rubbed oil and a handful of different spices into the chicken - a really beautiful array of aromatics that just tantalized me from the moment he started. He then took a can of Heineken beer, placed it in the little contraption my father bought, stuck the well spiced chicken on top and out to the grill he went. The objective was to use this cool contraption to grill the chicken and allow the beer to braise the meat from the inside out (which was the whole purpose of the contraption in the first place). Seemed like a great idea. So, I finish up putting my ribs together, get them in the oven and I head off to play Wii Sports (we are addicted to bowling and have competitions all the time) when all of the sudden I hear my father calling from the patio...Chris...ALEX...FIRE! My brother rushes out to find his beautiful chicken engulfed in flames and totally charred on the outside, yet still raw just under the skin. The look of disappointment was needless to say quite evident and he was in quite a sour mood for the rest of the afternoon (it probably didn't help that every chance we all got we made a joke about the chicken). So, we salvaged what we could of the poor bird and stuck it in the oven to roast like a normal chicken, hoping to get at least some good meat out of it. Needless to say, though the chicken was not bad, the ribs were considerably less burnt and considerably more tasty. A word of note - use a dry rub when cooking a chicken on the grill - you will avoid large 3-alarm fires on your deck that way!

Ok, now for the recipe. Ribs don't take long to prep, but need some time to cook.

Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: Approx. 2 hours

This recipe works for beef or pork ribs, so feel free to choose either. We happen to use pork last night since that was what was in the house, though I tend to like the large beef ribs better. The beef ribs have a lot more meat and a lot less fat to contend with and you get more meat for each rib.

So, for ingredients:

3-4 lbs. of Ribs (Pork or Beef)
1 large onion; 1 medium onion
6-8 cloves or garlic (moderate based on personal taste...more the better in my book)
2 Green Peppers
2 Red Peppers
4 Bottles BBQ Sauce (your choice, but I prefer brands such as Cattleman's, Baby Sweet Ray's, etc. Stay away from Kraft and Hunts if possible)
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
6 Bay Leaves

Directions:

Start by trimming any excess fat off the ribs. You'll never be able to get it all, but try to cut off the obvious fatty sections.

Next, pour approximately 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper on each side of the ribs and pat them into the meat with your hands. Let the ribs sit for about 20 minutes while you prep the rest of the dish so the spices start to work their magic with the meat.

Open your first bottle of BBQ sauce and layer the bottom of a large metal or glass baking pan (large enough to fit the entire rib rack or 2 pans to split the rack between). Take empty bottle, fill 1/6 of bottle with hot water, swish around with cap on, then pour contents out into pan. This will thing out the mix and allow it to break down the veggies and make a nice sauce.

Next, slice all the onions into 1/4" rings. Take the medium onion's rings, break them apart into individual rings and cover the bottom of the pan(s) with the onion rings.

Next, slice up one green pepper and one red pepper into 1/4" by 1 1/2" slices (cut pepper into four equal pieces, then cut each quarter into quarters) and layer with onions in bottom of pan.

Finally, slice up 4 cloves of garlic and spread them around the bottom of the pan.

Next, pour second bottle of BBQ sauce in pan over onions and peppers. Again, fill empty bottle with 1/6 hot water, swish around with cap on, then pour contents into pan.

Place 4 bay leaves in the pan evenly dispersed.

Next, layer ribs MEAT SIDE DOWN on top of the onions/peppers. If it hasn't been a minimum of 20 minutes since you rubbed the spices onto the meat, wait to place into pan until the correct amount of time has elapsed.

Once you place the ribs in the pan, cut up the remaining peppers and place them with the remaining onions. Slice up the remaining 4 cloves of garlic and include them on top of the rib meat with the onions and peppers. Place the remaining Bay Leaves in the pan and pour remaining BBQ sauce on top of the ribs in the same fashion as before, making sure the meat is completely covered.

Cover tray(s) with tinfoil and place in 350 degree oven for 2 hours. There is no need to check them. Make sure the ribs are on the center rack, as the BBQ sauce with char and scorch if it is on a lower rack due to the high sugar content.

In two hours, you will the best wet ribs you have ever tasted with meat that literally falls off the bone before you can even pick it up. Serve out the ribs and pour the sauce over them (as long as it hasn't blackened from the heat) and enjoy with potatoes, corn, green beans or your favorite vegetables and side dishes.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe of mine and as always...

Yours in cooking,
Chris

Breaded Chicken Cutlets

Hi Everyone!

It's been a while since I wrote, but the summer has brought with it many BBQ's and nights of not cooking. However, I have made a thing or two and I wanted to share with you a great recipe for Chicken Cutlets.

So, chicken cutlets are basically the whole breast version of chicken fingers. They are great to eat as a main dish or on a sandwich. You can also cut them up and use them to top salads or just to snack on when you are hungry.

This recipe takes about 20 minutes, start to finish.

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs. Chicken (Thighs or Breasts)

2 Cups Bread Crumbs (unseasoned)

3 Large Eggs

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Dried Oregano

Dried Basil

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan/Romano Cheese (grated)

Oil (Vegetable or Olive)

First, choose whether you want chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Difference? Breasts are leaner, but have less flavor and dry out quicker. Thighs, full of flavor, stay moist longer when cooking, but are much fattier and require more trimming.

So, whichever you choose, take out the chicken and trim off as much of the fat as possible. Take a meat pounder and flatten the chicken until each piece is about 1/8" - 1/4" thick. Make sure to pound out the meat concentrically from the center out so you have a nice even meat and don't end up with lopsided chicken - that will lead to uneven cooking.

**Trick** Place a Ziploc bag over the chicken before pounding it to help keep the spattering to a minimum. You can also put the chicken in a Ziploc bag and pound each piece individually. This will minimize small pieces of chicken being sprayed all over your kitchen counters and walls.

After you pound the meat, set it aside.

To bread the chicken, you need 2 wide, shallow bowls (or small baking trays if you have them). Pour about 2 cups of bread crumbs into one pan and break 3 eggs into the other pan. Beat the eggs and add a splash of water. Continue to beat eggs until fully whipped.

Add a tablespoon of Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Dried Oregano and Dried Basil to the bread crumb mixture. Also add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and approximately 20 turns of pepper as well a small handful of Parmesan/Romano cheese (whichever you have is fine). Mix all the ingredients up in the bread crumbs.

Take chicken (one piece at a time), dip it in the egg bath so it is completely coated on both sides, then place egged chicken in the bread crumbs. Flip chicken to fully coat, then place coated chicken on plate. Repeat until all pieces are breaded. You can dispose of any left over bread crumbs and egg once your chicken is breaded.

Fill large skillet with enough oil (vegetable or olive) to be 1/2" deep in pan. Heat skillet on high heat until oil begins to shimmer.

Carefully place chicken breasts in pan (fit as many as can comfortably fit) and allow to cook (approximately 3-5 minutes per side) until lightly golden brown. Flip and allow to cook for another 3-5 minutes. Once second side is a light golden brown, flip again and continue until chicken is a moderate brown and crispy. Flip one more time to complete cooking. Chicken should not be burnt, but instead a color somewhere between golden and dark brown (like KFC chicken brown for lack of a better term). Chicken internal temperature should reach 165 degrees (check with thermometer).

This recipe is easy and goes great with Mashed Potatoes, Mac & Cheese, Green Beans, over salad, as a sandwich or just cut up as a snack. It is high in protein and very filling.

Always make sure to keep an eye on your chicken. If the oil in the pan starts to bubble very erratically or "spit oil", turn the heat down to medium and allow the pan to slowly cool off. Check your chicken as it cooks to ensure you do not over cook it. Every stove is different, so high on one stove may not be high on another and vice versa.

Enjoy this fun and quick recipe and as always...

Yours in cooking,

Chris

Requests

I thought I would add something to the blog to make it a little more "interactive". If you have any recipes you would like me to make specifically, just send me an E-mail and I'll review it. If it fits within our dietary constraints and I think I can do it and write about it, I will dedicate a post to it and make it for my family. Also, please feel free to write if you have any comments, positive or constructive, or if you need clarification on something I have jotted down. My wife informed me today that I forgot to mention when to pour in the second bottle of BBQ sauce in the pulled pork recipe - that has been updated. I have noticed that when I start writing these things I get into a zone and sometimes little details get missed. So, if for some reason something doesn't jive, just shoot me a note and I'll make sure to correct it so you can actually follow along.

Don't forget to tell your friends about the blog! I would love more people to read and get ideas from my posts. Tell your friends and try a couple of recipes.

Thanks for reading and as always...

Yours in cooking,
Chris

Slow Cooked BBQ Pulled Pork

My wife is a country fanatic...she loves everything country, southern, western (she had custom cowboy boots made to go with her wedding dress). I enjoy fantastic barbecue, so when Nicole asked me a couple of years ago to make pulled pork, I was game for a go. The result of my tweaking and tasting is a simple, yet delectable BBQ Pulled Pork that melts in your mouth.

I must advise you in advance, this is a long process (takes place over two days), so though you don't need to do much in between, you must have some patience. Only time can give you the slow cooked, fall apart, succulent taste and texture of BBQ Pulled Pork. So, this is a good recipe to start before you go to bed, to finish up the following day.

Prep time is split, because you have to work on this dish mid-way through the cooking process as well the beginning. I'll explain that in detail as we progress. For now, here are you ingredients and what to expect.

Prep time: 45 Minutes (split into 15 and 30 minutes segments) Cook Time: 14-18 hours

Servings: 10-12

Ingredients:

3 - 4 lb. Boneless Pork Tenderloin
2 Bottles BBQ Sauce (pick your favorite, I like Cattleman's best...stay away from Kraft, Heinz and other "commercial" brands)
1 Large Onion (Cut into 1/4" rings and separated)
3 Cloves Garlic (Peeled and Sliced)

Directions:

Set-up crockpot in a location that is not going to have a problem with heat exposure for a long time - make sure not to set-up directly under a kitchen cabinet, as steam and heat from the crockpot over time can cause your cabinets to warp or delaminate.

Lightly coat the bottom of the crockpot with a layer of BBQ sauce. Use just enough so you cannot see the bottom of the crockpot.

Peel onion by first cutting off each end of the onion, then making one vertical slice through the first layer of onion from top to bottom. Peel off skin and first layer of onion to expose the edible flesh of the onion, then slice horizontally 1/4" rings. Break each ring apart into its respective layers and place in the crockpot, covering the bottom.

After placing onions in the crockpot, peel the three cloves of garlic and slice each clove into thin strips. This step does not have to be perfect, if you cannot slice them thinly, just quarter the cloves and put them in the crockpot - the important part is the cloves are cut open, allowing the flavor to fully infiltrate the sauce as it breaks down.

After adding the garlic and onion to the crockpot, pour in the remaining portion of the first bottle of BBQ sauce.

Next, inspect your Pork Tenderloin roast. If there is any noticeable section of fat on the exterior of the roast, slice it off. After that, place the roast in the crockpot, pour entire second bottle of sauce over top of the roast, cover and set heat to low. Allow to cook overnight.

Approximately 10 hours later (when you wake up in the morning, have your coffee and are ready for some physical work), take the roast out of the crockpot and place on a cutting board. At this point, the roast will already be falling apart when you attempt to pick it up, so be careful when lifting the roast. Use tongs and a strong spatula to avoid the roast falling apart and splattering hot BBQ sauce on you. Keep the crockpot on, as you are not done cooking yet.

Once you get the roast to the cutting board, take two forks (one in each hand) and begin pulling the fork from top to bottom of the roast with the grain (you'll know the grain because the pork will want to fall off in long strips in the direction of the grain). As you pull the pieces off, use both forks together to hold and further pull the pork apart so that you have small, long strands of pork. As you pull the pork, return the pulled pieces back to the crockpot. Continue this until the entire roast is pulled.

^Tip^ Keep in mind that this step takes time - and if you have carpel tunnel or tendinitis as I do, it can be a little painful. Don't be afraid to take breaks. The roast is not going anywhere, so a short break is not going to hurt it and you may need it.

Once all the pork is returned to the crockpot, stir the pulled pork into the BBQ sauce. Once well mixed, return the lid to the crockpot and continue to cook on low for another 4-6 hours.

If you crockpot has multiple heat settings (High, Low and Warm), then this step is for you. If not, go to the next step. Approximately 1.5 hours prior to serving, set your crockpot to "Warm". This will lower the temperature even more, allowing your beautiful pulled pork to begin to thicken. Up until this point, the sauce may still look a little wet. High heat keeps liquids moving freely, even on the Low setting. So, turning down to Warm will drop the temperature just enough to allow the pulled pork sauce to thicken and really finish the process.

If your crockpot only has a High and Low setting, then approximately 30 minutes prior to serving, turn the crockpot off and leave covered. This will allow the sauces to thicken and the dish will "finish itself".

Serve with your favorite sides (corn, potatoes, green beans) or with rolls for pulled pork sandwiches. This dish always goes well at backyard BBQ's and parties...people just LOVE pulled pork. You'll be a hero and the long hours put into cooking it will be rewarded with compliments all around.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. As you can see, it is very simple and very tasty. I personally make this dish at least once a month and for some reason, every time I post on Facebook that I am making it, my sister-in-law is usually at my dinner table within an hour. She doesn't get out of bed for anybody and yet pulled pork is like an instant wake-up call....interesting.

As always, good luck and...

Yours in cooking,
Chris

Italian Sausage and Peppers

Here is a great "Prep-It, Set-It and Forget It" recipe that I have come up with for Italian Sausage and Peppers. It only takes about 30 minutes to prep and then the crockpot does the rest. I love the crockpot because you can make more things than you probably ever dreamed of and everything comes out pretty much perfect each time. The slow cook of a crockpot prevents drying out of meats, allows vegetables to tenderize and the flavors to infiltrate the dish and spices to fully breakdown and supply both flavor and aromatics. Plus, once you set it, you don't need to fuss with it - just Set-It and Forget It!

One note, slow cooker and crockpot are interchangeable, so if you see me using crockpot, I mean slow cooker.

So, here is the shopping list for Italian Sausage and Peppers. Some of these things you may already have in your kitchen/pantry, but if not, they are not expensive to pick-up at the local supermarket.

This dish serves 4-6 people, depending on how large the portions are. This recipe fits a 6-quart crockpot. For smaller crockpots, use 2 lb. of sausage, 1-2 green peppers, 1 red pepper and 1 medium onion, 1 small onion. Reduce each of the spices by a pinch and use 2 cloves of garlic.

Prep: 30 minutes Cook Time: 4.5 Hours

Ingredients:

3lb. of Italian Sausage (links or large coil) - Sweet or Hot, your preference (I like sweet)
2 Cans Beef Broth or Stock (14.5 oz each)
2 Green Bell Peppers (cut into 1/4" strips)
2 Red Bell Peppers (cut into 1/4" strips)
2 Medium Yellow Onions (sliced into 1/4" thick rings, then halved)
3 Cloves of Garlic, Sliced or Minced
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil (can use vegetable oil)
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper
2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 tsp. Dried Basil
2 Bay Leaves

Directions:

As I always say, prep your ingredients in advance. However, with this dish, everything is in the prep, so first, cut your vegetables. For the peppers, first remove the seed core by inserting your knife into the top of the pepper (the tip of the knife should just touch the stem - do not cut the pepper in half) and slice downward to the bottom. Do this on four sides (the blade should never go more than 1/2" into the pepper). This will allow you to peel the pepper away from the seed core. After pulling the pepper apart, remove any remaining seeds and slice 1/4" strips lengthwise down the pepper. For the onion, remove the skin by first cutting off the top and bottom of the onion stem, then make a shallow slice into the first layer of onion from top to bottom and peel off the skin and first layer of onion. Then slice 1/4" thick rings horizontally. After slicing the rings, halve the rings and break apart all the layers. This should leave you with 1 1/2" stips about 1/4" wide. For garlic, remove the skin from each clove (follow onion directions) and thinly slice. If you are not comfortable slicing garlic, simply place the entire clove in a garlic press (you can leave the skin on, though you get more garlic if you remove it) and mince the garlic.

^Tip^ Always wash vegetables before eating them. Onions are ok because you are moving the exterior skins, but always clean peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables that have exposed edible parts.

Next, heat a large non-stick skillet on medium-low to medium heat. Pour 1 Tbsp. Oil into pan and allow to heat up until shimmering. Place sausage in the skillet and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Once browned, reduce heat to low and cover for about 10 minutes, rotating sausage once. This will partially cook the sausage, which is necessary to avoid the sausage falling apart when you cut it.

While sausage is browning, place peppers, onions, garlic, spices (salt, pepper, basil, oregano, bay leaves) and beef broth/stock into the crock pot and set heat to high. If your crockpot has a timer feature, set it to 4.5 hours. Cover and continue browning sausage.

Once sausage has finished, place in crockpot on top of onions and peppers (if you purchased a coil of sausage, cut into 4" long pieces first, then place in crock pot). Nestle the sausage into the peppers and onions, moving some of the vegetables on top of the sausage.

Replace cover and allow to cook. As peppers and onions breakdown from cooking, the sausage will naturally settle into the stock, adding a ton of flavor and allowing the spices to fully mix with the dish.

When the crockpot completes its cycle, spoon out contents to a large bowl and serve. Sausage and Peppers can be served with rolls for sandwiches or over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes for those staying away from bread. Make sure to spoon stock into the bowl to keep peppers and onions moist and to allow people to use on their sandwiches or as a gravy for their pasta or potatoes.

This recipe is really full of flavor and very easy to make. Start it earlier in the day to have a wonderful dinner ready by suppertime!

**I GOT THE PICTURES - YAY!**

Good luck with this dish and as always...

Yours in cooking,
Chris

Chicken Tikka Masala

So, yesterday I ventured into the domain of the subcontinent of India with this dish - Chicken Tikka Masala. As weird as the title sounds, the dish actually gained its Indian flare more from the spices than anything else. The actual dish does not come traditionally from India, but instead from a London Curry House (www.americastestkitchen.com). The base of the dish is tomato, which isn't foreign to us and I used onion, garlic, ginger and a chile pepper for some heat. None of that is out of our pallette "comfort zone" if we have had any chinese or mexican dishes in our past. The true flavor of this dish came from the spice combination known as "Garam Masala", which is a combination of Coriander, Black Pepper, Cumin, Cardamom and Cinnamon and from Cayenne Pepper. This sweet set of spices (and heat from Cayenne), when mixed together, provide a wonderful aromatic array of tastes and smells that gave us the true Indian essence in this dish. My wife smelled it and immediately thought of Pumpkin Pie, though I assure everyone there is no Nutmeg in this spice mix. You can pick this spice up at the local supermarket under the McCormick "Gormet Collection Blends".

As you can see above, there are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. The picture of the kitchen is my kitchen - I wanted everyone to see that I have a normal kitchen...no professional stoves, ovens, gadgets, gizmoes, etc. Just your normal, run-of-the-mill kitchen with a standard 4-burner stove, standard oven, less than ample counter space and dog supplies (of course).

The other pictures are of the different stages of the prep and cooking process for this dish. Though I am not going to give the entire recipe and how to cook it, as this blog would be about 17 pages long, I will give you some hints on what I learned as I prepared this dish. If you would like to know how to cook this dish, go to http://www.americastestkitchen.com and register (it's free). Then search for the Chicken Tikka Masala recipe.

First, when you are shopping for ingredients to make this dish, make sure you pick-up nice sized chicken breasts. Don't pick up the package of breasts that have been sliced into chicken fingers, because that won't work. You need a nice thick breast in order to withstand the heat of the broiler without drying out.

Second, yogurt (as funny as that sounds) is a key ingredient to this dish as well. I try to keep my dishes as healthy as possible, so I bought low-fat Vanilla yogurt (store brand is fine). The yogurt is actually a substitute for cream in one part of the dish and is also a barrier from heat on the chicken later. This was a really cool trick that worked like a charm. Do not buy fat-free, yogurt, as it will not work. Choose from regular or low-fat vanilla.

Finally, I hate cooking rice the "old fashioned way" because it takes a long time. Also, when you are making a dish for 2 people, buying a 2 lb. bag of Basmati Rice is a waste of money because unless you eat Indian cuisine (or rice for that matter) very often, that rice is just going to sit for all eternity in your cabinets. Instead, I used Uncle Ben's 90-second Basmati rice in the pouches...two pouches was enough rice for my wife and me and it was ready in about 2 1/2 minutes.

Once you get everything home and you are ready to cook, try to prep as many of your ingredients for use in advance as possible. Running around measuring everything out as you are trying to cook can become a bit hectic and can make you feel rushed when trying to enjoy the cooking experience and preparing a nice dish. So, mince your onion, garlic and ginger as part of your prep, measure out your spices into little bowls ahead of time and puree your whole tomatoes in the food processor, so when it comes time to use these ingredients, all you have to do is throw them in the pan. This is true for any dish that uses multiple ingredients.

**Hint** If you are not handy with a knife for cutting up onions or other veggies, use a food processor on the "Chop" setting. For mincing, use the pulse feature to get your veggies cut nice and small.

Once you have prepped all your ingredients, take out your chicken breasts and trim off any excess fat. Usually breasts have a little fat around the edges, so a quick trim will take care of that. Then, pat your chicken dry with paper towels (I usually just roll the chicken up in a paper towel and press on it for 15 seconds or so, that usually does the trick. Then, sprinkle on the ingredients as stated in the recipe evenly and then press the spices into the chicken (literally take your hand and press with the palm of your hand all of the chicken to get the spices imbedded - you don't have to press hard). Make sure to spice both sides of the chicken. Then, put the chicken on a plate, cover in plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge. 45-minutes should do the trick and that will give you some time to prepare the other parts of the dish.

^Tip^ Allowing the spices to set in on a piece of meat is important for a few reasons. One, it allows the flavors to permeate the meat (fish, chicken, etc.) and when using salt, it actually helps keep the meat moist. When salt is put on meat, it initially extracts moisture, but as it is left on, it returns moisture to the meat, allowing it to stay juicy when cooking.

The masala sauce was really hearty and aromatic. After the sauce was simmered down, I took it off the heat and added 1/2 cup of yogurt to thicken it up. Some of the traditional recipes call for cream, but yogurt is healthier and accomplishes the same result. In the end, I had a wonderfully rich sauce that was thicker than straight tomato puree and the yogurt added just a touch of bite to the mix - a real pleasure for the taste buds.

After about 45 minutes (it actually ended up being like an hour, because I got a few phone calls), I took the chicken out of the fridge and coated it in a yogurt/garlic/ginger/oil marinade and immediately put it in the broiler. The broiler pan had the top piece removed, the bottom piece covered with tin foil and a metal rack put on top for the chicken to cook on. The chicken was about 6" away from the flame when all was said and done. Now, I'm sure the yogurt thing has some of you perplexed. At first, I was a little curious myself. I said to myself, "Won't the yogurt just curdle and burn in that heat?"...

Well, as it turns out, yogurt actually protects the meat from charring...don't ask me how, it has something to do with the lactic acid and the way yogurt is made that acts like a heat shield. So, while a normal chicken breast would probably be a hockey puck under a broiler for 20 minutes, the chicken breasts covered in the yogurt mixture came out with the outside nicely browned and crispy with the inside juicy and moist (see picture above). Once I removed it from the broiler, I let it rest for 5 minutes.

**Resting is very important when cooking any meat. As meat rests, the juices that have risen to the surface of the meat have a chance to settle back in and keep the meat moist. If you cut a piece of meat before it has rested (or while it is cooking to check internal temperature), the juices will all run out and you will have a dried out piece of leather instead of the properly cooked meat you were originally preparing. Instead, use an instant-read thermometer (can be picked up anywhere for a few bucks) and use that to check internal temperature. Chicken should register around 160-165 degrees to be free of any bacteria that may get you sick. Resting will actually increase internal temperature slightly, so taking meat out a few degrees beforehand should get you the perfect temp when you are ready to cut.**

Finally, I cut the chicken into cubes (1"x1") and mixed into the sauce, which has been sitting on the stove, covered with no heat. The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of Cilantro to be mixed in just prior to serving, which I did.

^Tip^ Spices and garnishes carry with them their own flavors, some stronger than others. I personally find Cilantro to be a very strong herb that should be used sparingly. I found that 2 tablespoons was a bit overwhelming for my tastes, so I will use half as much next time. However, the final flavor is up to the cook, so don't be afraid to experiment and see what suits your own tastes.

Once everything was mixed together, I put the rice in the bowl and ladeled out the sauce and chicken over it. The plated result is above and as you can see, it looked appetizing before even tasting.

The dish overall took about 1.5 hours to make, including the time the chicken was in the fridge.

One funny note: My dog is probably one of the pickiest eaters I have ever met. She refuses to eat dog food most days and I end up cooking for her at least twice a day. Yesterday, while my wife and I were eating dinner, the dog was sitting at the foot of the table just staring at us with her big ole puppy dog eyes like we had committed one of the seven deadly sins for not sharing our dinner with her. I was leary to give her any because the dish does have some heat to it (spicy), but Nicole said to offer it. Well, would you know she snubbed the hamburger we made for her and ate all the left over Masala. I had to heat up more rice and make a little more for her from what was left in the pan because she loved it. How many dogs do you know that would give up a hamburger for some Indian Masala???

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading and as always...

Yours in cooking,

Chris

Let's Begin - First, a note about cookbooks

Hi everyone! Before we get started, I thought I would take a minute to note that everyone should have a few good cookbooks in their kitchen. While I know how to make many dishes without the use of a guide, in order to experiment outside of my cooking comfort zone, I need something to refer back to - it helps when I don't know whether I need one teaspoon of saffron or one tablespoon, for example. There is nothing to say that once you get your hands dirty you can't "tweak" your recipes to make them your own, but don't be afraid to get ideas and a jump start to your cooking adventure by perusing a few culinary compilations. Unless you went to the CIA or the Art Institute to learn how to cook, these books will certainly give you the much needed guidance to get started on a wonderful journey in the kitchen.

A special note - for couples who are reading, there is a marvelous cookbook that pairs down some great recipes into 2-person portions...it is called "Cooking for Two 2009" by America's Test Kitchen (you may have seen the show on public television). It takes the year's best recipes and cuts them down to size for two people. Also, some of the recipes allow you to make another dish later in the week using some of the hard work you already put into a dish.

For instance, last night I made a French-Style Pot Roast. The recipe called for a 3.5 to 4 pound Boneless Chuck-Eye Roast. Unless I am John Candy eating the 96er, that is too much meat for two people. But the recipe allows you to take the final product from the French-Style Pot Roast and make two additional dishes (Shepherd's Pie, Rigatoni with Beef Ragu or a Hearty Beef and Barley Stew). So, not only can you enjoy your meals more than once without it being the exact same "leftovers", you can also save money by using ingredients once and eating more than once and save time by having your meals later in the week already partially prepared. "Cooking for Two 2009" cost me $19.99 and I highly recommend it. I will be sampling from this book quite a bit, so you can see some of the recipes and decide if the assortment is up your alley or not.

Ok - tonight, I will be endeavoring to make an Indian dish called "Chicken Tikka Masala (from "Cooking for Two 2009" and I will post pictures and hints after dinner tonight. I hope you'll tune in later! Until next writing...

Yours in cooking,
Chris

Welcome to Cuisine de Comfort

Welcome to Cuisine de Comfort. This blog is dedicated to my culinary ramblings based on dishes that I make in my own kitchen for my family. Thought that may sound bland, I make a lot of different recipes that you would find in restaurants around the world. Keep reading as I post and you will see the different dishes I make, find hints and techniques that may be helpful when cooking in your home kitchen, some funny stuff that always seems to occur when cooking and some tips on how to make your cooking experience fun while preparing tasty and varied dishes for your own family.

I do not have one of these $100K kitchens with Viking ranges and SubZero refridgerator/freezers. I have a normal kitchen with a 4 burner gas range, standard oven, and barely enough counter space to accomodate my cooking aspirations. So, travel with me on my culinary journey and you may find that you too can cook for your family like a Chef de Cuisine!