Deluxe Potatoes au Gratin

Every Christmas dinner in our family is hosted at my Aunt's home.  No matter what the menu, my Uncle makes his "Company Potatoes"; the recipe is a secret and I've not tried to reverse engineer them as they are awesome and his thing.  He is THE Potato Guy in our family.  He loves potatoes.  However, this Easter I was tasked with a potato side dish.  I knew the bar was set high, and I went for it.

Like many of my sauces, I needed to keep extra of each ingredient on hand to keep things flexible; just add more or less to the bechamel sauce based on your tastes and how the batch of sauce is behaving.  Of course, I am of the belief that you can never have too much garlic or too much pepper.  I wanted this to stand out and bring out different elements, so I used a bit of wine and added a touch of horseradish.

THE RECIPE--
1# thickly sliced pepper bacon
1 stick unsalted butter, divided, + more for lining baking dish
One large onion, halved then sliced thinly
6 cloves garlic
6 T flour
2 C whole milk
3/4 C half & half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 - 4 dashes Tabasco sauce
3 - 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 bunch fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 bunch fresh Italian flat-leaved parsley, minced
1/2 bunch fresh oregano leaves, minced
1/2 bottle dry white wine
2 t prepared horseradish, +/-, to taste - start off with a smaller amount then add more until you can just detect a hint of this flavor.
4-5 large russet potatoes peeled, 1/4" slices -- put in cold water until ready for cooking
1 C Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated
3 C shredded cheese blend, esp. sharp cheddar + more for garnish

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Broil pepper bacon until crisp.  Cool, chop finely and reserve.

In a large, deep skillet heat 2 T butter over medium flame.  Saute onions until pliable; add garlic and saute for another minute.  Season and set aside.

Return pan to medium flame; melt butter and whisk in flour, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.  Slowly add milk and half & half, stirring constantly.  Season and add herbs and wine.  Keep in mind these flavors will concentrate as the sauce reduces.  Add horseradish and taste.  Simmer lightly until reduced, stirring frequently.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Gradually stir in the cheese and remove from the flame once it is melted.

Butter a large baking dish.  Place a layer of sliced potatoes in the bottom; season with salt and pepper, onion and garlic mixture, bacon and bechamel sauce.  Repeat this layering until the pan is full.  Top with more shredded cheese and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake at 400°F for approximately 1 1/2 hours.  Garnish with shredded cheese and fresh herbs.

EASY Spicy Cheese and Vegetable Enchiladas

Weeks of limited mobility and stress-eating have resulted in a strained belt line; back to salads and vegetables.  But I've never met a vegetable I didn't like, so this is not a challenge.  I've been thinking
about these for a while, so here we go.  This is also my first attempt at making homemade enchilada sauce (easier than I thought).  Of course, lacking any sense of portion control, I filled an entire 9" X 11" baking pan for just myself; if you let these rest in the fridge for a few days, you end up with tamale pie - or something like that.  You're welcome.

THE RECIPE

FILLING

2T EV olive oil
1 large onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, shredded
3 stalks celery, minced
1/4 head cauliflower, minced
1/8th head green cabbage, shredded
1/4 C spinach leaves, sliced
12 - 15 crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
8-10 Thai chilies, thinly sliced
8 oz. frozen or fresh green peas
1/2 C garbanzo beans, minced

1/2 bunch Italian parsley leaves, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, minced
Sea salt & ground black pepper, to taste
1T lemon juice

Shredded cheese
Corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350° F

3T EV olive oil
Extra cheese for garnish
Extra cilantro for garnish

Saute all vegetables over medium high flame until cooked; remove from heat.  Heat the 3T oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Dip corn tortillas into hot oil; turn and set onto a large plate.  Stuff tortillas with vegetable mixture, add cheese

 and roll enchiladas, leaving the outside edge on the bottom.  Line up in a baking dish.

Top with enchilada sauce, cheese and cilantro garnish.

 Bake approximately 30 minutes, until enchiladas are heated through, and cheese is melted.  Serve with charro beans, rice, or green salad.

THE RECIPE

ENCHILADA SAUCE

1/4 C EV olive oil
1/2 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2T flour

1/4 C dark chili powder
1T cayenne chili powder
1 t cumin powder
 2-8 oz. cans tomato sauce
3 C water

Saute onion and garlic until translucent; add flour and stir to avoid scorching.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer until reduced to desired consistency.  Blend in a food processor until smooth.

Let's eat!

Pancit - White boy goes native - a la PI

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As in all cultures, there are as many Pancit recipes as there are Filipino grannies: I am going out on a limb and just working with what is in the house -- I am looking for awesome lunches to pack for work!  Here is my version with chicken (from the chicken pudding recipe posted earlier), sausage, diced pork and shrimp.

THE RECIPE

2 T peanut oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 Opo squash, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 florettes broccoli
1/2 cup sliced bamboo shoots
1/4 bunch cilantro, minced
1/4# pork, diced
1/4# shredded chicken\
1/4# Chinese, Filipino or Vietnamese sausage, sliced
2-3T soy sauce
3T Chinese red vinegar
6 Thai chiles, thinly sliced
2T sambal oelek
sea salt and white pepper, to taste
1/4# shrimp, split and sliced into quarters


4 Qts salted water, + 1 T oil
1 pkg pancit noodle, Cantonese or rice stick

Saute all ingredients up to sambal in a wok over high heat, adding shrimp last.  Boil noodles in salted water until done.  Add to wok and stir fry noodles while tossing remaining ingredients,  Serve hot and have some kind of hot sauce on hand - enjoy!

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The Perfect Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Perfect - such a high standard, and when you say, "I have made the perfect _________" you become the perfect scapegoat for anyone to follow in your footsteps, regardless of what they do to your brainchild. But THIS recipe, I say, is a fail safe venture into simple comfort food.

Meatballs - for the longest time, I could not make mine work -- you read recipes and hear folks describe theirs as "fluffy" -- WHAT?  Mine come out with the texture of lead!  I do not over mix, and pay attention to the addition of each ingredient, but to no avail.  So imagine my surprise when things just worked out with this last batch!  Apparently I have struck upon the right combination.  This is, of course, the classic usage for fresh meatballs, but be prepared to read about meatball sandwiches with Provolone, etc...

THE RECIPE - MEATBALLS

1# ground beef, not too lean - we like fat!
1# ground pork
1# ground veal
2 extra large eggs
1 large slice sourdough bread, toasted and ground in a food processor or 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 T whole milk
1 t minced parsley or cilantro
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1 t Worchestershire sauce
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
3 Thai chiles, minced
1 T sea salt
1 T fresh ground black pepper

Heat oven to 350°; spray a baking dish with pan release. Mix all above ingredients with care, just enough to blend -- DO NOT OVER MIX.

Wet hands with water.  Roll approx. 1 T of meat mixture into a ball; use more or less for your desired proportions.  Repeat for the rest of the mix.  When complete, place the sheet pan into the oven.  Check after 30 minutes, turn and when cooked, remove from oven and cool.

THE RECIPE  -- MARINARA SAUCE

3 T EV olive oil for saute

2 cans San Marzano tomatoes, or if you are insanely lucky and have a garden, FRESH tomatoes steam peeled

1 large onion, minced
1 large bunch fresh basil, or 4T dried
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Saute onion, garlic, and basil in oil for 3 minutes over medium heat; add remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat until reduced by more than half.

THE RECIPE - PASTA

6 Qts water
1 Oz. EV olive oil
1 t sea salt
1 # spaghetti or capellini pasta - I like mine just past al dente -11 - 12 min.  Strain and reserve.

If you use homemade pasta, be sure to roll it out as flat as possible and only cook for 4-5 min.

1 t crushed chile pepper
1 t Parmesan cheese

Boil pasta until done; drain immediately and toss with sauce and meatballs.  Garnish with crushed chile peppers and cheese if desired.

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Chicken Pudding -- History with a Spicy Twist

Excellent - (Click for larger image).

It has been a LONG Summer / Fall / Winter since I have set myself down and prepared anything, but that has not precluded research...

Savory pudding?  I'm in!  I just discovered this dish which has documented history back to the 18th century - as an old soul, all I can say is, "Where have you been all my life?" but apparently the answer is, "right here".

Most of the older versions are simpler, with a minimum of ingredients.  Think of it as the ancestral recipe for chicken pot pie.  I have researched several versions of this dish and devised my own.

To contemporize this, I will kick up the spice with fresh serrano chiles, add more fresh herbs and mirepoix vegetables, potatoes, replace parsley with cilantro and then have more of a one-dish meal, though it can be served with a starter soup / salad and green vegetable.  The potato and filling serve well as a starch component.

We start with chicken boiled in herbs and mirepoix and repeat the same herbs in the pudding and gravy components for a double punch of flavors.  This was intended to be baked in a cast iron skillet but, as often happens in this kitchen, the concept ran away with the recipe and we ended up in a larger baking dish.  Finish this herbal wonderland with a rich chicken mushroom gravy.

THE RECIPE -- CHICKEN AND STOCK

One +/- 5# whole chicken
2 carrots, rinsed and sliced on the bias
3 stalks celery with leaves, sliced on the bias
One large onion, quartered
5 cloves garlic, smashed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
3 large slices fresh ginger
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 bunch cilantro
3T kosher salt
1T black peppercorns

Place all ingredients in a Dutch oven, cover with water, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer, 1.5 hrs -- I am especially excited to christen my beautiful new brick-red Cuisinart Dutch oven.  Remove from heat, cool chicken and pick / shred the meat.  Dice larger pieces.  Strain stock and reserve.

Butter or spray with pan release a 9"X13" baking pan.  Heat oven to 350°F.

THE RECIPE - CHICKEN PUDDING FILLING

Picked chicken from above recipe, reserved

1 T EV olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and minced
2 ribs celery, minced
2 Serrano chiles, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 bunch cilantro leaves, minced
1 onion, minced
1 medium potato, minced
2 T fresh thyme, chopped
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Sweat the vegetables in the oil over medium heat, approx. 5 min.  Transfer to mixing bowl with batter. 

THE RECIPE - PUDDING BATTER

4 large eggs
2 cups of milk (or 1 ½ cups milk and ½ cup cream for richer flavor)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup or more of flour
1 t baking powder

Mix above ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add picked chicken and softened vegetables.  Mix together and add to baking pan.  Bake for approximately one hour.  Test for doneness with a toothpick in the center; when it is removed clean, remove the pan from oven and set out to cool.

Just out of the oven - (Click for larger image).

THE RECIPE - CHICKEN GRAVY

Stock, reserved from above recipe, reduced to approx. 2 cups
6 shiitake mushrooms, diced
3/4 cup flour
2 T butter
1/4 bunch minced cilantro
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Simmer all ingredients over medium heat until thickened.

Dash ground cayenne pepper, as garnish

Serve chicken gravy over warm chicken pudding and garnish with cayenne powder.

Are you going to get over here before I finish this?

Vegetable Hot and Sour Soup

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This is my favorite Asian soup.  It has a depth of flavors and that delightful balance of tart, sweet and spicy notes, as well as a slight crunch from the bamboo shoots.  My challenge with tofu continues, as I cannot make myself happy with the presentation (flub).  I bought extra firm tofu and pressed it for half an hour but my matchstick pieces still fell apart.  So I lost a few presentation points but it is GOOD.

I like more heat so I have added some fresh chilies to my recipe.  This is an interpretation without sliced pork tenderloin, an ingredient many traditional recipes call for.

THE RECIPE
Yield: 3 servings

1/2 t chili oil
1 t olive or vegetable oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 T Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
3 C vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
5-6 shiitake mushrooms, dried and reconstituted in hot water for 20 minutes
2 T dark soy sauce
3 T Chinese red vinegar
2 T sambal oelek (chili garlic paste)
1 T black Chinese vinegar
1 t granulated brown sugar
1/2 t sesame oil
Sea salt or MSG and ground white pepper to taste
1/2 t Chinese five spice powder

2 serrano chilies, thinly sliced
 4 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed in a paper towel, julienned

1 T cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
6 stalks cilantro, minced

1 egg, beaten

1 scallion minced, for garnish

Wrap the tofu in a paper towel or dish cloth.  Press with a weight for at least 30 minutes.  Slice horizontally and then slice into matchstick pieces.

Heat a 2 Qt. sauce pan over medium heat.  Add oil and sweat onion slices for 3 - 4 minutes.  Deglaze pan with wine and add stock.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Add ingredients up to five spice powder.  Simmer for 15 minutes; check and adjust seasoning as needed.  Add chilies and tofu; simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Gently stir in cornstarch and cilantro; stir continuously for 2 minutes over medium heat. 

Stir the egg into the soup with a fork and serve hot with the scallion garnish.

IF any readers have tips on how I can work better with tofu, PLEASE let me know!

Volcano stir-fried vegetables

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As promised, I am resting my Indian palate and paying some attention to my inner Asian.  I am working with what I have in the kitchen; had I what I wished for, I would add wood ear or shiitake mushrooms, and perhaps some shrimp and bean sprouts - but here we are.  This turned out INSANELY well, with great heat and cooling balance from the five spice powder.

THE RECIPE

2 T olive or vegetable oil
4 peeled carrots, sliced on the bias, 1/4" in. thick
4 ribs celery, sliced on the bias, 1/4" in. thick
Heat the pan over medium heat, saute for 3 minutes

1 onion, thick slices
2 large jalapeno peppers, medium sliced
Add and saute for 3 minutes

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t grated fresh ginger
1/8th head cauliflower, small florets
1/8th head broccoli, small florets
1/2 can (3 oz.) sliced water chestnuts
1/2 can (15 oz.) sliced bamboo shoots
Add and saute for 3 minutes

6 Thai chile peppers, thinly sliced
1 T chili garlic sauce
1 T Chinese five spice powder
Add, simmer for one minute

1 T Shaoxing wine
1 t salt (OR MSG if you have no issues with this product)
1/2 t ground white pepper
1/4 bunch cilantro
1 can green curry sauce

EMERGENCY KIT
1 T corn starch
1 T cold water
Stir together and add if curry sauce does not reduce.

Add, sauté and flip for 2 -3 minutes.  Settle the curry in and flip two or three times in a ten minute time frame.  Check and balance seasonings as desired.  Do not overcook vegetables.  If the sauce has not thickened enough, stir in corn starch slowly with a whisk.

3 scallions, bulbs and leaves, thinly sliced.

1 Cup prepared Calrose or other sticky rice, for service.

Serve in large bowls over rice.  Garnish with scallions and keep some water or milk handy.  Despite my tolerance, this one lit me up.

If you wish, serve over noodles, brown rice, or any other starch you prefer.

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