A New Take on an Old Wing

You've been there...among your friends you have a reputation for making a certain dish; and every time your friends throw a party, they expect you to bring that same old dish over and over and over again. Well, I've decided to take the buffalo by the horns. If I am doomed to making hot wings for the rest of my life, I am going to spin it into something a little bit more deserving of the two years I spent in culinary school. So instead of the customary chicken wings or drummies, I use cut up pieces of boneless, skinless breast. And I have combined the other 'usual suspects' into a blue cheese slaw. The same tastes with a new twist...

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken breast, boneless and skinless

Sriracha chili sauce

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

canola oil, for frying

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut chicken in 1-1/2 chunks. Marinate in srirachi chili sauce for 4 hours to overnight.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt and cayenne pepper. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottom skillet - to about 2 inches. Do not overfill. Place over medium heat and heat until the oil registers 375 degrees on a deep frying thermometer. (This process can be made easier if you have a deep fryer.) Working in three batches, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and fry until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate of cookie sheet. Make sure the oil temperature before frying each batch.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, hot sauce and lemon juice. Toss the fried chicken chunks in the hot sauce mixture. Transfer to a large foil-lined baking sheet, or 2 small ones, and bake until they have absorbed most of the sauce, about 20 minutes. Turn the chicken halfway through the cooking process.

Blue Cheese Slaw

Ingredients:

2-1/2 ounces blue cheese

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 sticks carrots, thinly sliced

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper

blue cheese, crumbled for garnish

Preparation:

In a small bowl, mash blue cheese and buttermilk together with a fork until mixture resembles large-curd cottage cheese. Stir in mayonnaise, vinegar and garlic powder until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix with celery and carrots. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese.

The Pressures of Pressure Cooking

Several years ago I lived in New York City. One of the things I still crave, from my time spent there, is a good corned beef sandwich. If you live there, or if you are an occasional visitor, you know I’m talking about the kind of corned beef sandwiches they serve at Katz's Delicatessen on the lower east side. But let’s face it, who has time to pull out the slow cooker and wait 8 hours just to eat a sandwich? When I want it, my craving demands immediate satisfaction. That is why I finally decided to invest in a pressure cooker.

Corned beef brisket has been my only success to date using my new toy. So far, I have made three mistakes. Mistake number one, buying the pressure cooker and letting it sit on a shelf for several months before using it. I guess I was a bit intimidated. I still have flashbacks, from my childhood, of the older models ‘malfunctioning.’ Mistake number two, not thoroughly reading the instructions that came with the unit - especially the part about reducing the cooktop temperature once the cooker reaches the desired “pressure level.” This mistake resulted in a very burned beef stew. And mistake number three, believing everything I did take the time to read - like I could cook a cheesecake in it. Big mistake!!! These things aside, my pressure cooker seems to be the perfect addition to my cache of culinary equipment. That is once I get all of the “pressure cooking stars” aligned.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Corned Beef Brisket - a la Pressure Cooker

Ingredients:

Corned beef brisket with seasoning packet

20 black peppercorns

10 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 bottle beer (Guinness Stout, Bass Ale or your choice)

Beef broth, enough to cover brisket

Preparation:

Thoroughly rinse brisket until free of brine. Place in bottom of cooker, fat side up.

Add all remaining ingredients.

Add lid, lock and bring to pressure - 15 psi - over high heat.

*Reduce to low heat and cook for 1 hour.

*Remove from heat and use natural release method to open - approximately 10-15 minutes.

Check for doneness - should be at least 160 degrees and fork tender.

Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

*Check individual manufacturers recommendations.

Creme de Violette

I love martinis! I am always in search of the perfect martini. Whenever I visit a new restaurant, the first thing I order is the ‘house signature martini.’ Whatever happened to the martini bars that appeared and suddenly disappeared shortly after Y2K? Am I the only one out here drinking martinis? Well now I’m excited again. I’ve discovered a liqueur that has actually been around for a long time, but a well-kept secret. It is Creme de Violette and it makes what just might be the martini I’ve been searching for all of my (adult) life.

The name says it all. This violet-colored liqueur, produced in Austria, is made from the Queen Charlotte and March violets found only in the Alps. In the region where it is produced, the primary customers are the cake and chocolate artisans. Back by request of bar specialists and sommeliers for classic cocktails such the Aviation and Blue Moon, this delicate liqueur is sure to spark your interest in cocktails, especially the martini, all over again. Cheers!

Creme de Violette Martini - My Way

2 ounces Grey Goose vodka

1 ounce Creme de Violette

1/2 ounce lemon juice

"Shaken, not stirred"

Finish with a splash of champagne

Beignets - A New Orleans Tradition

It’s Mardi Gras time in New Orleans. Bourbon Street will be “center stage” as thousand of visitors crowd into the small area to celebrate. I lived in New Orleans for two years - that is where I met my husband - and my fondest memory is five days spent in “The Quarter” during Mardi Gras. I can not tell you everything that happened - after all, what happens in New Orleans stays in New Orleans - but I can tell you that it was one of the most fun times I have ever had! In fact, I don’t think I can even remember most of what happened. Too many daiquiris can have that effect. However, one thing I do remember is the morning after Fat Tuesday, going to Cafe du Monde for beignets (French, meaning doughnut or fritter) and lots of hot coffee. How apropos! Cafe du Monde, located near Jackson Square in The Quarter, is famous for its' little doughnut-like treats that are served dripping with powdered sugar. No one makes them better. But if you can not be there in person to sample them, then do yourself a favor and learn how to make them at home. It is well worth the effort.

Beignets

Ingredients:

½ cup water, lukewarm

½ cup milk, lukewarm

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 large egg

½ teaspoon buttery sweet dough flavor, optional

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons instant yeast

canola oil

powdered sugar

Preparation:

Combine all of the ingredients, and mix and knead them together—by hand, mixer or bread machine—till you've made a soft, smooth dough. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 hour, or until it's puffy (though not necessarily doubled in bulk). Gently deflate the dough, and place it in a greased bowl or greased plastic bag, choosing a bowl or bag that’ll allow the dough to expand. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for up to 2 days.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and place it on a lightly greased or floured work surface. Roll it into a 14" x 10" rectangle, and cut the dough into 2" squares.

Pour canola oil into a heavy-bottomed 10" frying pan set over a burner. Heat the oil to medium heat and drop 5 or 6 squares of dough into the hot oil. They’ll sink to the bottom, then after about 5 seconds or so, rise to the top. Fry the beignets for 1 minute, then turn them over. Fry for another minute, until puffed and golden brown all over. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. When the beignets are cool, sprinkle them heavily with confectioners’ sugar. For a real New Orleans experience, serve with strong coffee.
Yield: about 30 beignets.

Mautone's Italian Fish

On the gulf coast of Florida, between Sarasota and Venice, is a quaint little town named Nokomis. If you like boats, beaches and good seafood, this is your unexploited paradise.

While visiting a friend in Nokomis last week, I met and had the pleasure of cooking with fellow foodie Neil Mautone. I watched and played sous chef as he prepared one of his specialties - Italian fish - a treasured recipe handed down from his mother. At one point he took great pleasure in schooling me on how to shop for fish, why to choose one tomato sauce over another and his reason for using caramelized onions as a substitute for salt. I was a willing and very interested student. We swapped recipes and techniques (on the preparation of Italian cooking) and I drank lots of Italian wine in the process. What a delightful, fun time we had.

Thanks Neil for a very memorable evening!

Mautone's Italian Fish

(Recipe by Neil Mautone)

Ingredients:

4 Flounder Fillets

Olive oil (extra virgin) preferably from Italy

1/2 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 15 ounce cans Contadina Tomato Sauce

1 teaspoon Oregano

1 teaspoon Basil

Red & black pepper

1 cup white wine (Chardonnay)

1/2 stick butter, softened

shredded mozzarella

Preparation:

In a large saute pan, cover bottom with olive oil and saute onions on low heat until caramelized. Add garlic and brown lightly. Add 2 cans of tomato sauce, wine, oregano, basil and dash of red pepper. Let cook on low heat 15-20 minutes.

Wash and pat dry fish and coat with softened butter and black pepper. Lay fish in red sauce and cook over low heat 15-20 minutes or until fish is pure white. Do not turn over. Add shredded mozzarella to entire top. Cover and cook until cheese melts.

Cook 1 pound of linguini and drain. Divide into four portions and top each with one fish fillet and sauce. Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Announcing Cooking Show Premiere

Seafood Mac au Gratin

Recently, at a local restaurant, I ordered the lobster mac and cheese special. It was good but not great - more like macaroni and cheese with 'essence of lobster.' I kept thinking this dish had real potential, but let's face it, lobster is expensive. And too much lobster would be overkill. So I decided to turn it into a full-fledged party by adding several layers of seafood to the already popular classic. While I am using lobster, lump crab and bay scallops, feel free to personalize this recipe by using any combination of fish or seafood of your choice.

Ingredients:

1 pound mini macaroni pasta

7 tablespoons butter, unsalted, divided

4 cups milk

½ medium onions, stud with 1 clove

4 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs thyme leaves

1 teaspoon dry mustard

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or hot sauce

pinch nutmeg

salt, to taste

white pepper, to taste

2 cups gruyere cheese, grated

2 cups sharp cheddar, grated

1 cup fontina cheese, grated

1 cup parmesan, divided

½ pound lobster meat, raw and cut into pieces

½ pound lump crabmeat

½ pound bay scallops, raw

¼ cup breadcrumbs

Preparation:

Cook macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons of the butter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put milk into a saucepan and add the clove studded onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and mustard. Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux.

In a large pot over medium heat add 4 tablespoons butter and add the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not let brown. Strain the milk and whisk into the roux to avoid lumps. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt, white pepper, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Add 1 cup of the gruyere cheese, 1 cup sharp, 1/2 cup fontina and 1/2 cup parmesan. Stir until cheeses are melted. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Coat a 13x9x2 baking dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Put the macaroni into the baking dish. Mix the seafood and evenly distribute over the pasta. Cover with the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup gruyere, 1 cup sharp, 1/2 cup fontina and 1/2 cup parmesan cheeses and breadcrumbs on top.

Baked until golden brown, about 45 minutes.