Lasagna

 

Bechamel sauce for Lasagna

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups chicken stock

           4T butter

           4T flour

           Coarse salt

Melt butter and stir in flour, cook a couple of mintues.  Add chicken stock a littl at a time, then add cream.  Let thicken. Add Wondra if too thin, some more cream or stock if too thick. Let cool to room temperature.

Cheese filling for lasagna

 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, ( used 1/4 C. dried)

 1 package Philadelphia/ mozzarella,

 30 oz Kroger whole milk  ricotta cheese

...............................

 1  package lasagna store bought, cooked according to package directions........ Coarse salt

1 bottle marinara sauce

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Add lasagna sheets, and cook until pliable about 10 minutes

 

 Preheat oven to 400°. Pour some sauce into a lasagna baking dish  Line bottom with 4 sheets lasagna noodles

Mix together all of the meat sauce with all of the béchamel sauce. Stir in 2/3 of the ricotta mixtureand 2/3 of remaining tomato sauce.  Add half of this mixture to first layer of noodles. Add 2nd layer and rest of the mixture.  Add third layer of noodles and mix together remaining cheese mixture and remaining tomato sauce.  Cover and cook 1 hour, 15 minutes,  raise heat to 450. Uncover, add mozzarella and return to oven for about 15 minutes. Broil if needed at end of that time.

 MEAT FILLING FOR LASAGNA

 1medium onions, finely chopped

 3 cloves cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 pounds sweet or mild bulk Italian sausage

 1 1/2  pounds ground beef

   3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano

   1 1/2 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

   Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

  Olive oil, for frying

Heat oil and add onions, garlic and cook until soft. Add meats and cook until done but not browned.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

Cheese filling for lasagna

 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, ( used 1/4 C. dried)

 1 package Philadelphia/ mozzarella,

 30 oz Kroger whole milk  ricotta cheese

...............................

 1  package lasagna store bought, cooked according to package directions........ Coarse salt

1 bottle marinara sauce

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Add lasagna sheets, and cook until pliable about 10 minutes

 

 Preheat oven to 400°. Pour some sauce into a lasagna baking dish  Line bottom with 4 sheets lasagna noodles

Mix together all of the meat sauce with all of the béchamel sauce. Stir in 2/3 of the ricotta mixtureand 2/3 of remaining tomato sauce.  Add half of this mixture to first layer of noodles. Add 2nd layer and rest of the mixture.  Add third layer of noodles and mix together remaining cheese mixture and remaining tomato sauce.  Cover and cook 1 hour, 15 minutes,  raise heat to 450. Uncover, add mozzarella and return to oven for about 15 minutes. Broil if needed at end of that time.

Breast of Chicken, Martini-Style

 

Rather than cook the green beans like this recipe, I used a Southern style recipe that  simmered

them in chicken stock  until soft and tender, then mixes them with sautéed onions and bacon.

Breast of Chicken, Martini-Style

This recipe for breast of chicken, martini-style, is from "Two Meatballs in the Italian Kitchen," the cookbook by chefs Pino Luongo and Mark Srausman.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4.

• Coarse salt

• 8 ounces green beans or haricots verts, trimmed

• 4 carrots, cut into thin strips, about 2 inches long

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each), tendons removed

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 large eggs, beaten

• 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• 2 cups safflower or corn oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 3/4 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Add carrots to boiling water and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer vegetables to ice-water bath to cool. Drain and set aside. Repeat process with green beans.

3. Place each chicken breast half between two sheets of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or the back of a skillet, pound chicken breasts until they are 3/8 inch thick.

4. Remove chicken from plastic wrap; season with salt and pepper. Place flour, eggs, and cheese each in separate large, shallow dishes. Coat each chicken breast half evenly with flour, shaking off any excess. Then di !p in egg, followed by cheese to coat.

5. Heat oil in a deep large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is very hot, reduce heat to medium and, working in batches, add chicken. Cook chicken, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat process with remaining chicken, allowing oil to reheat between batches.

6. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add lemon juice and wine; stir to combine. Pour butter mixture into the bottom of a large baking dish. Arrange chicken in baking dish and top each with an equal amount of beans and carrots. Brush some of the butter mixture over the chicken and vegetables and transfer baking dish to oven. Cook until vegetables begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

First published October 2007

Chicken Adobo sa Gata

Charlie asked for Chicken Adobo for supper tonight. He first had it when he worked at Zones in Seattle. 

 Traditional Chicken Adobo Sa Gata  serves 4-6, a Filipino recipe

2 to 2 1/2 lbs. chicken bone- in thighs

1 whole head garlic, cloves smashed

1/4C.soy sauce

1/3 C. cane vinegar or white vinegar, divided

1 or 2 tsp. neutral oil

2 or 3 dried bay leaves

1 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns, lightly crushed

1/2C. water

1 C. coconut milk-first pressed if available

optional ( regional)

2 or 3 Thai chilies

1 small onion sllced, sliced ( not always traditional but common in home kitchens)

Combine chicken, garlic, soy sauce and half the vinegar

Marinate 30 minutes (or cook immediately- both are authentic)

Heat oil in heavy pot over medium heat .Remove chicken from marinade & brown on all sides.

Add garlic from marinade and saute until fragrant.

Pour in marinade, remaining vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns and water.

Do not stir for the first 5 minutes -  this allows the vinegar to mellow.  simmer uncovered 20-25 minutes until chicken is tender and the sauce reduces.

Lower the heat and stir in the coconut milk.  Simmer 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens

Taste and adjust saltiness with a splash of soy or water- not sugar.

Optional, let oil slight separate for a richer, traditional finish. 

remove bay leaves before serving.

Chiles Relleno

 C

Chile Relleno Recipe

An authentic chile relleno recipe made from roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, dipped in a fluffy egg batter and fried until golden brown!

Ingredients

For the chile rellenos

• 6 large poblano peppers
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into long strips/sticks (or shredded cheese)
• 4 cups oil, for frying
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon fine salt

For the salsa roja

• 6 roma tomatoes, quartered
• ½ small onion, halved (yellow or white)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 jalapeño pepper stem and seeds removed (optional)
• 5 sprigs cilantro
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

For the chile rellenos

Roast the peppers: 

Peel the peppers:
Stuff the peppers: Carefully stuff the peppers with the cheese. Some of the peppers will be extra fragile because of the roasting process and may tear - that's okay. Just do the best you can.

• •Gently close the opening of the peppers and secure it shut with 1-3 toothpicks. Use as many as you need to ensure that the cheese won't ooze out during the frying process. Set aside.
  •Prepare for frying: Heat the frying oil in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. While oil is heating up, prepare the batter.
  
• •Make the batter: Separate the egg whites from the yolks into two separate bowls - the whites into a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
  •While continuing to beat the egg whites on low, add in the egg yolks one at a time until all of them are fully mixed in. The batter should be light, fluffy and smooth.
  •Coat the peppers with batter: Place the flour and salt into a separate shallow bowl or plate. Mix together to combine. Gently roll the stuffed peppers in the flour mixture, then give them a gentle tap to remove any excess. Then dip them in the egg batter and gently place them in the hot frying oil.
  •Fry the chile rellenos: Fry the peppers for 3-5 minutes per side, until the batter is golden brown and crispy. Try not to overcrowd the peppers in the pan - I usually fry 2 at a time depending on the pan I'm using.
  •Transfer the peppers to the lined baking sheet to drain off any excess oil.
  •Serve: Immediately serve chile rellenos on a plate with some salsa, freshly chopped cilantro and some cotija cheese. (Don't forget to remove the toothpicks when you first cut into the peppers! You can try to remove them before serving onto plates, but I find it easier to remove them when you first cut into them.)
  For the salsa roja
• Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro and salt to a blender. Puree until smooth.
  •Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add blended salsa and bring to a boil.
  •Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes. Remove from heat, taste and season with more salt if desired.
  Notes
• Make ahead. The poblanos can be roasted and peeled up to 2 days in advance. The salsa roja can be made up to 3 days in advance. Both should be kept in the fridge until ready to use.
• Buy the largest poblano peppers you can find. That way you can stuff the peppers with a lot of filling, and you won’t have any leftovers.
• Use a different cheese. Feel free to use another type of cheese if that’s all you have. Traditionally, chile relleno is made with Oaxaca cheese, but you could also use mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, or another good melting cheese.
• Add a different filling. To make this a more well-rounded one-chile meal, feel free to mix in some other ingredients to the filling. Some good options would be carnitas, shredded chicken, or picadillo.
• Don’t overcrowd the frying pan. I typically fry 2 chile rellenos at a time even though the pan could fit 3.

Two meals : Fajatias and Chicken Breasts, Martini Style

FAJITAS

1 1/2 pounds top round steak fat and tissue removed

1 large yellow onion sliced 1/2" thick

2 medium sweet green peppers cut 1/4 inch thick

12 flour tortilla

MARINADE FOR FAHITAS

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon or lime juice

1/4 cup cilantro

2 tablespoons oregan-(2 teaspoons dried)

1 tablespoon shallot minced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 LB TOP ROUND, FAT AND TISSURE TRIMMED

1 LARGE YELLOW ONION SL. 1/2 “ STRIPS

2 MED. SWEET GREEN PEPPERS, CUT 1/4” STRIPS

12 FLOUR TORTILLIAS

MARINATE MEAT 1 HOUR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE OF OVERNIGHT IN REFRIGERATOR.

BROIL OR GRILL STEAK.  BRUSH SWEET PEPPER AND ONIONS WITH MELTED UNSALTED BUTTER AND BROIL WITH THE STEAK.  BRUSH TORTILLIAS ON ONE SIDE WITH MELTED BUTTER, WRAP IN FOIL ANDKEEP WARM ON GRILL OR IN OVEN  (MICORWAVE WITHOUT FOIL).  SLICE STEAK THINLY WITH THE GRAIN AND TOSS WITH VEGETABLES.  PUT IN TORTILLAS, ROLL UP AND TOP WITH CHOICE OF JACK CHEESE, RED ONION, TOMATO, CILANTRO, LETTUCE, SALSA.

 

 Breast of Chicken, Martini-Style

This recipe for breast of chicken, martini-style, is from "Two Meatballs in the Italian Kitchen," the cookbook by chefs Pino Luongo and Mark Strausman.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4.

• Coarse salt

• 8 ounces green beans or haricots verts, trimmed

• 4 carrots, cut into thin strips, about 2 inches long

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each), tendons removed

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 large eggs, beaten

• 1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• 2 cups safflower or corn oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 3/4 cup dry white wine

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Add carrots to boiling water and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer vegetables to ice-water bath to cool. Drain and set aside. Repeat process with green beans.

3. Place each chicken breast half between two sheets of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or the back of a skillet, pound chicken breasts until they are 3/8 inch thick.

4. Remove chicken from plastic wrap; season with salt and pepper. Place flour, eggs, and cheese each in separate large, shallow dishes. Coat each chicken breast half evenly with flour, shaking off any excess. Then di !p in egg, followed by cheese to coat.

5. Heat oil in a deep large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is very hot, reduce heat to medium and, working in batches, add chicken. Cook chicken, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat process with remaining chicken, allowing oil to reheat between batches.

6. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add lemon juice and wine; stir to combine. Pour butter mixture into the bottom of a large baking dish. Arrange chicken in baking dish and top each with an equal amount of beans and carrots. Brush some of the butter mixture over the chicken and vegetables and transfer baking dish to oven. Cook until vegetables begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

First published October 2007