Recipe: Seafood Enchiladas

Made this last night for a Cinco de Mayo party and it was a HUGE hit!!!

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lbs. lump dungeness crab meat (I got a 3 lb. live crab and had it cracked and cleaned)
3/4 lbs. shrimp, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped
3/4 lbs. sea scallops, coarsely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk of green garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp. cracked red pepper flakes
3 cups of fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
2 cups good quality red enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups good quality salsa verde
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
12 corn tortillas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Heat the butter and oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the green garlic, onions, and spices, saute until the onions start to become soft.  Add the mushrooms to the mixture and cook until the mushrooms start to soften.  Add all of the seafood and cook until the shrimp just starts to turn pink.  Add the spinach in a final step and cook until the spinach is wilted.  Remove the mixture from heat.

Prepare a large casserole dish by spraying with cooking spray.  Soften the corn tortillas in the microwave by placing them in on high for 40 seconds.  Put about 3/4 ladle full of the seafood stuffing into each tortilla, roll, and place into the casserole dish.  Pack the rolled tortillas in as tightly as you can.  Pour the enchilada sauce and salsa verde evenly over all of the tortillas.  Top with the shredded cheese in an even layer.  Place into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until all the cheese is melted and starts to brown.  Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Chinese Greens

I made this as a side dish on Tuesday night and it was a big hit with the roomie and my date.  It's very simple and cooks really fast.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of collard, mustard, or other bitter greens (I used collard) - chopped, about 4 cups
1 1/2 cups of maitake or other fancy wild mushrooms, loosely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 red jalapenos, finely chopped
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 1/2 tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tbsp. of canola oil
1/2 cup dry sherry

Directions:

Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, leeks, and jalapenos, sauteing until the leeks start to become translucent, about 10 minutes.  Deglaze the wok with the dry sherry and add the mushrooms, cooking until the mushrooms soften, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Add the collard greens and cover the wok to allow the greens to wilt, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Remove the cover and continue cooking until all the greens are fully wilted, but only just past the wilting point (you want the greens to still be a little crunchy).  Add the oyster sauce and saute for another 1 - 2 minutes, stirring everything together frequently.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4 side dish portions.

Recipe: Celery Root Bisque with Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

For the bisque:
2 large celery roots, peeled and cut into chunks
3 carrots, cut into chunks
1 large leek, cut into chunks
6 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of dry white wine
1 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 tsp. red chili flake
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 sprigs of fresh sage
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) of butter
1 cup of heavy cream

For the shrimp scampi:
2 lbs. of peeled and deveined medium to large shrimp
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) of butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. Herbs de Provence
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup marsala wine

Directions:

To make the bisque, combine all ingredients except for the heavy cream into a large stock pot, tying the thyme and rosemary sprigs together with twine to make them easy to fish out later. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low simmer, cover. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes until vegetables are tender. Fish out the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until very smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and return to low heat for approximately 10 minutes to allow the flavors to further combine.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter into the olive oil over high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic and onion and saute until fragrant, about 4 - 5 mins. Add the marsala wine and all the other spices. Cook over high heat until the sauce is reduced by half, about 15 - 20 mins. Add the shrimp and cook, turning and stirring frequently, until the shrimp curl and are fully cooked. Serve a generous large spoonful of shrimp scampi into each bowl of bisque.

Makes approx. 8 servings.

Recipe: Spicy and Quick Pho Lon (Pork Pho)

Making traditional pho broth can take days... so I cheat mightily to get this recipe down to a more manageable time frame AND add more veggies than would be traditional because, well, it's healthier.  Oh, and I pull the Japanese trick of adding a whisked egg to the soup at the end to add some richness :)

Ingredients:
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 cups water
1 cup dry sherry
1 package bonito flake, approx. 4 oz. (available in bulk in Asian markets)
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. chili/garlic paste
1 tbsp. minced ginger
2 tsp. ground corinader
2 star anise cloves
2 tsp. ground white pepper
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. sea salt
1 1/2 lbs. of pork butt, VERY thinly sliced (have your butcher do it)
1 1/2 cups of chopped spring onion or leeks
2 cups of fresh carrots, thinly sliced
1 whole Napa cabbage, cored and shredded
2 cups of chopped rapini (i.e. broccoli rabe)
1 cup chopped shitake mushrooms
1 cup chopped Tokyo turnips or other soft turnip
1 large package (20 - 24oz.) of thin rice noodles (Vietnamese vermicelli)
10 large eggs

Directions:
Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions, shocking with water at the end to chill.

In a large stock pot, combine chicken broth, water, sherry, and all spices and condiments.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes to allow the flavors to fully combine.  Remove the star anise cloves with a slotted spoon before continuing.

Add the pork butt and onion.  Simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Add the carrots, mushrooms, and turnips.  Raise heat to return to boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Add the cabbage and rapini, return to boil, then reduce heat to simmer again covered for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Place approx. 1 cup of cooked noodles into the bottom of a bowl.  Ladle in 1 1/2 cups of the soup mixture.  Crack an egg into a separate small bowl and whisk with chopsticks then pour into the hot soup bowl.  Mix the egg into the soup with chopsticks thoroughly before eating (this will cook the egg).

Makes approx. 10 servings.

Recipe: Southwestern Pork and Cabbage

I had a red cabbage that I needed to use, but wanted something a little lighter than the typical German or Eastern European variations I normally do.  So, I decided to apply some southwest flavor and came up with something that was just really, really darn tasty.

Ingredients:


1/2 head of a large red cabbage, shredded
1 1/4 lbs. boneless pork loin chops, pounded thin and sliced thin
6 tomatillos, peeled, blanched in hot water for 3 - 4 minutes to soften
1/2 large white onion, diced loosely
2 red jalapenos, chopped fine
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped fine
3 tbsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1 tbsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 tbsp. dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp. canola oil

Directions:


Heat the canola oil in a large, deep pan over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and chopped jalapeno.  Saute until fragrant.  Add the sliced pork.  Cook until the pork is almost done, about 8 minutes.  Add the vinegar, white wine, dry spices, salt, and 1/2 of the chicken broth (1/4 cup).  Cover, reduce heat to medium.  Simmer the pork for approximately 15 minutes to tenderize.  Add the cabbage and remaining chicken broth.  Recover.  Cook until the cabbage is completely tender, about 20 - 25 more minutes, stirring infrequently.  Stir in the cilantro and remove from heat.

In a food processor, puree the blanched tomatillos and onion together.  Serve as a side sauce with the pork/cabbage.  Warm some small flour or corn tortillas and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Orecchiette with Roasted Winter Vegetables

I made this last night for the first time based on a dish I had at the Adobe Cafe last week.  The foundations of this dish I have used many times before, but the combination ended up the perfect comfort food for a winter's evening.  My guests wildly approved.

Ingredients:


1 lb. of ground pork or beef
4 oz. prosciutto, diced
3 large turnips, diced
3 large carrots, diced
1 fennel bulb, cored, diced
1 bunch kale, washed, chopped
4 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of unsalted bread crumbs
3 tbsp. olive oil (with additional for drizzling to roast vegetables)
Sea salt (to taste)
1 16 oz. box of orecchiette pasta, cooked according to package directions about 2 mins. shy of al dente

Directions:


Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheets with foil.  Scatter the chopped turnips, carrots, and fennel onto the baking sheets.  Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste.  Place into the hot oven and roast for approximately 35 - 40 mins. until the vegetables are turning brown.  Set aside to cool.

In a large, deep pan, melt the butter into the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add the remaining dry spices, dill, and the ground pork and prosciutto.  Cook until the pork begins to brown.  Add the white wine and chicken broth and increase heat to high and cook for approximately 15 minutes until the sauce begins to reduce, stirring frequently.  Add the chopped kale, reduce heat to medium-high, cover, and simmer until the kale is fully wilted (about 8 - 10 minutes).  Add the roasted vegetables, heavy cream, and cooked pasta.  Mix thoroughly and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the parmesan and bread crumbs, mixing thoroughly.  Serve immediately.

Makes 8 appetizer or 4 dinner portions.

Recipe: Bubble and Squeak

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

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

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

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

Makes 6 pub-sized portions.