Tag Archives: stew

Apr27

Chicken Bouillabaisse

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Chicken Bouillabaisse

What did Venus feed to Vulcan? A bouillabaisse soup.  This kind of soup was made in mythology as well as in Marseille by the Phoceans around 600BC.  The name comes from the method of preparation because the ingredients are not added all at once.  The broth is first boiled (bolh) and then the different kinds of fish are added one by one and the heat is lowered (abaissa).  Well the fish variety is delicious, but you can also make a Chicken Bouillabaisse.  The sauce is delicious!!!!  I have my cooking idol to thank for this: The Barefoot Contessa.  But I did want to share it with you in case you haven’t discovered it for yourselves.

Ingredients:

1 (4-5 lb.) chicken, cut into 10 pieces

S&P

1 Tblsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves (I used dried)

Olive Oil

1 large head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled

1 Tsp. saffron threads (I bought the $7.00 variety that comes in little packets)

1 Tsp. whole fennel seed

1 (15 oz.) can tomato puree (I liquefied in blender a 14.5 oz can of chopped tomatoes)

1 ½ C. chicken stock

1 C. dry white wine (I used dry vermouth)

3 Tblsp. Pernod (I took 3 Tblsp. Vodka and soaked 1 broken star anise in it for several hours.)

1 lb. baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved

Rouille, for serving—recipe follows

Crusty French bread for serving

Directions:

Wash and pat dry chicken.  Season it generously with S&P and rosemary.

Heat 2 tblsp. olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven and brown chicken pieces until nicely browned all over (about 5-7 minutes).  Transfer chicken to a plate; set aside.

Lower the heat to medium low and add the garlic, saffron, fennel seeds, tomato puree, chicken stock, white wine, Pernod, 2 tsp. salt(I used much less) and 1 tsp. pepper to the pot.

Stir and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the garlic is very tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degree.

Carefully pour the sauce in a food processor or blender fitted with steel blades.  Puree until smooth.  Return the sauce to the Dutch oven; add the sliced potatoes and browned chicken pieces with their juices; stir carefully.

Cover the pot and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until potatoes are tender and the chicken is done.

Serve hot in shallow bowls with big dollops of Rouille and slices of crusty bread.

Rouille

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 egg yolk, at room temperature

1 ½ tblsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. saffron thread

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 C. olive oil
Directions:

Place the garlic and salt on a cutting board and mince together.  Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender fitted with steel blades.  Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, saffron, and red pepper flakes; process till smooth.

With the machine running, pour the olive oil in a thin, steady stream through the feed tube to make a thick mayonnaise emulsion. (I actually put everything in the blender and it came out fine.)

Put rouille to a serving bowl and store in the frig until ready to serve.

 

The Food Network Kitchens caution about using a raw egg yolk because of the SLIGHT risk of Salmonella, etc.  To reduce the risk, they recommend that you use fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells.  (I’ve used raw egg yolks forever and have never had a problem; but I guess there could always be a first time.)

Apr21

Margot’s Easy Fish Stew

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Margot’s Easy Fish Stew

Serves 4

Have you found those wonderful 4 oz packets of frozen salmon, tilapia, sole, etc. at Albertsons—just $1 apiece? They are such an easy thing to keep in your freezer for a fast meal for one or more and they are healthy as well.  You can bake them as I often do: frozen and sprayed with a little olive oil and topped with a bit of lemon/pepper seasoning; placed within an oven proof dish lined with aluminum foil which I fold slightly over the fish; and baked at 350 for 25-30 minutes—-delicious, nutritious and good on the tummy as well. I like it that way better than the microwave way—but a lot of people disagree with me about that.  However, here’s a dish that’s different and delicious as well.  I like it summer or winter:

 

Ingredients needed:

½ C. Minced Bacon

2 Large onions, roughly chopped

About 1 Lb. of Baking Potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

S&P

1 Tsp. Fresh Thyme Leaves or 1/2 Tsp. Dried Thyme (I am ultra generous with the thyme.)

6 Cups Warmed Fish or Chicken Stock

12 Oz. of Tilapia (3 packets) cut into chunks

8 Oz. of Salmon (2 packets) cut into chunks and skin removed

(I leave both packets out for a bit before I cut the frozen fish)

10 Oz. Frozen Shrimp-slightly thawed

Juice of 1 Lemon

Minced Fresh Parsley for Garnish

 

Instructions:

  1. Cook the bacon in a deep saucepan on a medium high heat.  Cook until it’s crisp and remove with a slotted spoon onto a dish with a paper towel to drain.
  2. Keep heat on medium and cook onions in bacon fat, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are well mixed with the onions and covered with the fat.  Season with the S&P and thyme, stir and then add the stock and the bacon.
  3. Cook over medium heat without a cover until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Add the fish (until opaque but not falling apart) and the shrimp and cook without a cover for another 5-10 minutes over medium heat.
  5. Add the lemon juice and ladle into bowls.  Garnish with chopped parsley, serve, and bon appetite.

  Are you a frustrated, overworked or timid cook? Call Margot for help @ 721-3551

& please feel free to email her @ TempInnKeeper@mindspring.com or to visit her blog for more recipes including these: http://blog.TempInnKeeper.com

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

 

Apr20

Orange Scented Pork & Veggie Stew

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Orange-Scented Pork and Veggie Stew

Serves 6

The weather report is saying: tomorrow a little snow with rain; the day after a chance of sun, cloudy and partly cloudy and warmer with temps ranging from 30 to 60; the day after that a little snow with a chance of thunder; well you get my drift.  It’s spring and wait one minute because the weather will not be the same as it was the minute before.  Spring is fun and full of surprises. I’ve never down hilled with lightening and thunder looming overhead, however, the other day I thought that might have been a possibility. Anyway, one thing is for sure, here in our gorgeous mountains it’s perfect weather now to enjoy this wonderful stew.  Pork can be a nice surprise for the shopper in these difficult economic times because it’s usually priced very reasonably—depending on the cut of course.  A stew can use many different cuts of meat and in this recipe I actually used the thinner pork loin chops which truly were priced very well.  So, here you go and I hope that you’ll enjoy this as much as I have.

Ingredients:

2 ½ Lbs. boneless pork shoulder cut into 2 inch cubes or I used the thinner pork loin chops (with a bone) cut the meat into cubes and inserted the chop’s bones in the cooking process.  I took the bone out before serving.

S&P

2 Tblsp. Olive Oil (more if needed)

2 Onions Diced or Thin Sliced (I like mine thin sliced)

1 Tblsp. Minced Garlic

2 Cups Italian Style Diced Tomatoes With Juice (if you wish a thicker stew, drain the tomatoes before adding them.)

1 Tblsp. Brown Sugar

Zest of 1 Orange (Removed in a 1 long strip if possible, if not, that’s OK)

3 C. Chicken Broth

1 C. Dry White Wine or Dry Vermouth

4 Carrots–halved lengthwise, then cut in 1” lengths

2 Parsnips- prepared like the carrots

4 Tblsp Chopped Fresh Mint Leaves

Vermicelli, for serving with the Stew—Rice is OK as well

Directions:

1.        Parboil in very little water the carrots and parsnips for 3 minutes.

2.        Season pork with S&P. Place the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and brown the pork for about 6 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

3.        Reduce the heat to low, adding more oil if needed, and cook the onions and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.        Add the tomatoes, sugar, orange zest, chicken broth, and white wine.  Return pork to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered for 1 hour. (If you used the thinner pork loin chops, the time may be only 30 to 45 minutes) Stir in carrots and 2 Tblsp.of the mint.  Season with some more S&P if needed. Cook partially covered until the pork is tender, about 15 minutes longer.  Remove and discard orange zest if you wish-however, I think it’s sort of fun to keep it in.

5.        Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of mint and serve over the vermicelli or rice.

6.        Since you still have one left over orange this is what I serve the stew with: a fresh lettuce that has thinly sliced raw red onion and cut orange segments in it ;or I thin slice some Brussels sprouts and sauté them gently in a mixture of butter/olive oil and some brown sugar. Right before they are done, I add the cut orange segments.

 

  Are you a frustrated, overworked or timid cook? Call Margot for help @ 721-3551

& please feel free to email her @ margot6@mindspring.com for comments or ideas

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.