Mussels, Shrimp, fettucini, green beans.

I made Louisiana Killer Shrimp boil, cooked the mussels, then the shrimp in the boil. Recipe for shrimp is in a previous post.  I cooked fettucini and tossed it with garlic and red pepper that had been cooked in butter.  Charlie isn't a fan of salad but likes cooked vegetables so i blanched some romaine in water with oil and drizzled a little flavored vinegar over it. At least he ate it.

Onions sauteed with bacon, green beans tossed with them, then simmered until tender. Salted.

Drunken Chicken

I made another recipe from the Italian cookbook Charlie gave me for fathers day and used up the rest of the arborio rice to make more risotto and used up the last of the dates to make date flavored milk shakes.

DRUNKEN CHICKEN

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I used 6 thighs and two drumsticks)
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. flour plus extra for dusting
1/2 C. olive oil
1 tsp. dry oregano
1 lb. pearl onions, trimmed and peeled. ( I only used a couple of shallots)
6 cloves, halved
3 cups white wine
1 1/2 C. chicken stock + more just in case
2 sprigs tarragon

Season chicken with salt, pepper and paprika, then dust with flour.  Heat oil in deep saute pan, add oregano and brown chicken or all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add onions with chicken drippings and season with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat until onions start to caramelize, add garlic and cook until starts to brown.

Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits stuck to pan with flat of wooden spoon.  Put the chicken back in.

Add 1 1/2 C. chicken stock and the tarragon and bring to boil on high heat.  Reduce to a simmer.  Cover and simmer until cooked through, about 30 minutes.  The meat should come off the bone easlily when pulled with a fork.  If necessary, add more stock to keep the chicken from drying out and frying.

Remove chicken and tarragon from pan, add 1 tablespoon of flour, whisk until sauce has no lumps.

Put the chicken back in the pan and cook for another 2 more minutes.



DATE SHAKE

put 9 or 10 seeded dates in blender with enough milk to make a slurry when blended.  Add about 8 scoops of ice cream and blend until all mixed together.  Add more milk of thinner shake is desired.

RISOTTO

Didn't really follow a specific recipe.  Used a box of brown mushrooms and half an onion and a couple cloves of garlic.  Softened mushrooms in olive oil, added onions, then garlic.  Added rice and coated with olive oil and cooked a few minutes before adding 1/2 C. white wine to deglaze pan.

Added 4 cups chicken stock about half a cup at a time, stirring almost constantly between additions to keep rice from sticking.  As liquid was absorbed, added more.  Stopped cooking when I had about 1/2 C. broth to add and waited until chicken was done to return rice to heat and stir in last bit of liquid, tasted for salt and doneness, stirred in about a tablespoon of butter and served immediately.

Father's Day gift was an Italian Cookbook

Kids got off at 5 today so I planned dinner for 6 but they decided to get rentals for the guys in the wedding and didn't get home until almost 8 so everything was held for a couple of hours.

So all the recipes for today's dinner came from the Italian cookbook..

 Salad was mixed greens with candied walnuts and pears poached in red wine, honey and cinnamon.

Appetizer was dates stuffed with  ricotta and wrapped in proscuitto.

Meatballs made with ricotta and sauce made from scratch

Risotto with pancetta,  mushrooms, onions, red wine and chicken stock. 

's

Cassie's birthday dinner

Cassie made her own cake

Cuban Style Beef Chuck Eye Steak

4 lbs chuck eye steak, 1-inch thick, beef 

2 tablespoons garlic-flavored olive oil ( or mix some olive oil with garlic powder or fresh minced garlic) 

1 tablespoon cajun seasoning 

2 tablespoons adobo seasoning ( with or without pepper) 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

Preheat broiler (or grill). 

Place in oven safe baking dish (I have a special glass one). Pour garlic oil over top of steak, coating the top. Sprinkle on the spices, any order. 

Broil about 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your steak. about 25 minutes.

Chimichurri Sauce           yield: Makes about 1 cup

This garlicky sauce from Argentina is great spooned over beef or chicken.

1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Puree all ingredients in processor. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Latin Salad

Salad dressing

1/4 C. fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4C. fresh squeezed lime juice

1/3 C. olive oil

1/4 C. red wine vinegar

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp. sugar

1/3 C finely chopped fresh oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad

2 ears corn, or equal frozen, thawed

2 avocados peeled, pitted and dice large

8 or 9 cherry tomatoes

1 red onion, large dice

1 C. cooked, drained red beans and a handful of mixed herbs greens

soak onions in ice water with a little lime juice or vinegar. It takes out the harshness and adds a pleasant zing back in. __________________

Fried Sweet Potatoes.  Deep fried twice. 

2 Large sweet potatoes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Before the steak goes in the oven, place the sweet potatoes on baking sheet until they are easily pierced with a fork but still offer some resistance, about 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow them to cool.  Just before steak is ready, cut lengthwise into quarters and heat oil in large fry pan until oil is very hot but not smoking. Fry until they are brown and crisp, about 3 minutes, remove to paper towels and salt and pepper.