Compound butter

Compound butter:
1 shallot 4 cloves garlic 1 cup parsley leaves (stems removed) 2 tsp fresh thyme 1 tsp kosher salt 8 oz. unsalted butter (softened) 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil zest and juice of half a lemon place items in a food processor in the order listed and pulse until each ingredient is chopped before adding the next ingredient. THE BUTTER SHOULD BE SOFT BEFORE ADDING. once it is all mixed, then form it. place wax paper or plastic wrap on counter, and spoon the mixture out of the chopper, and onto the middle of your paper, or plastic wrap. Then begin to roll it into a shape of a sausage. refrigerate for 2 hours before using. store in refrigerator for up to 10 days, freeze for up to 6 months.

Carne Guisada

Carne Guisada

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. beef stew meat

1 tomato

1/2 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 beef or chicken Knorr bouillon cube

1/2 tsp to 1 tsp ground cumin (to your taste)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp. flour

2 to 2 1/2 cups water

Chop onion, tomato and mince garlic set aside

1 teaspoon of oil in pan

Brown meat and season with salt and pepper

Add garlic, tomato and onion

Add cumin and cook until onion Is translucent and tomato soft and beginning to break down

Add 2 T. flour and cook for about 1 minute

Add the water and mix well to avoid lumps

Add bullion

Bring to a rapid boil and cove with lid, simmer for 1 ½ hours

Remove lid and continue cooking until desired thickness about 10 to 15 minutes

CARROT CAKE

MIX:

4 EGGS

1 ½ CUP OIL

2 CUPS SUGAR

3 CUPS SHREDDED CARROTS

MIX:

2 CUPS FLOUR

2 TEASPOONS BAKING SODA

2 TEASPOONS CINNAMON

1 TEASPOON SALT

ADD TO WET MIXTURE

POUR CAKE BATTER INTO A GREASED AND FLOURED CAKE PAN.

FROSTING   **(MAKE WHEN CAKE IS COOL)

8 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE

¼ CUP MARGARINE

2 TEASPOONS VANILLA

1 BOX POWDERED SUGAR (4 ½ ounces)

HEAT TO 240 DEGREES (SOFTBALL STAGE)

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 55 MINUTES

Watergate Salad

Watergate Salad
aka Green Fluff

2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Jell-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

2 cans. (20 oz each) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

2 cups Jet-Puffed Miniature Marshmallows

1 cup chopped pecans

3 cups (8 oz tub) thawed Cool Whip whipped topping

Mix dry pudding mix, pineapple, marshmallows and pecans in large bowl until well blended.

Gently stir in whipped topping.

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour (overnight is best) or until ready to serve.

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings

(Dumpling batter)

2 ¼ Cup Bisquick

2/3 Cup milk

4 T. Butter

½ Cup diced onion

3 carrots

½ Cup celery

8 Cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon sage

4 Cups shredded/cubed chicken

1 Cup frozen sweet peas

1 Cup Milk (or ½ C milk ½ C half and half or ½ C cream)

1 teaspoon salt

Prep up dumpling batter and set aside.

Add butter to pot and the mirepoix cook gently until the onion is translucent. 

Add the broth, rosemary, sage cover and cook over medium until carrots are al dente.
Add Chicken.

Bring to a boil and whisk in milk/cream/or half and half.

Taste and season (add salt).

Drop in dumplings and sprinkle with 1 T. dried parsley

Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more.

The dumplings will be fully cooked and fluffy inside.

Green Chile Chicken Stew

Green Chile Chicken Stew

PREP TIME20 minutes

COOK TIME20 minutes

TOTAL TIME40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large Russet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup (8 ounces) diced fire-roasted Hatch green chiles*
• 1 large chicken breast
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• fresh cilantro, for serving
• fresh lime wedges, optional, for serving

Instructions

In a small 3-quart soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Add the onion to the pot, and cook while stirring occasionally until softened and starting to turn golden brown on the edges, about 5 minutes.

Next, stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the chicken broth, salt, pepper, chopped potatoes, and green chiles to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Add the chicken breast (whole), cover and let cook until it's done, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a cutting board, and use two forks to shred the meat. Add it back to the pot.

Stir in the frozen corn and let everything cook on a gentle simmer for about 5 more minutes.

Divide between two soup bowls, and serve garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

*The chiles should already be cleaned, peeled and diced here.  If you're not using fresh chiles, use two 4-ounce cans of fire-roasted diced green chiles.

Easy Apple Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

4 pounds apples, peeled cored and halved (small Fuji or Gala)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a wide skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add in the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and salt and whisk to combine. Add the apples to the caramel mixture and gently stir together, coating the apples in the caramel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are slightly tender, 5 to 8 minutes depending on the size of your apples. Note: If the mixture begins to get too thick, add some water to loosen it up.
3. Transfer the apples to a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet and arrange them cut-side up, making sure to evenly cover the bottom of the skillet. Drizzle half the caramel sauce over the apples, then return the caramel to the heat and cook until thick and glossy, another 5 minutes. Set aside.
4. Roughly measure and cut the puff pastry sheet to approximately the size of the top of the skillet. Place the puff pastry on top of the apples and gently tuck the sides in ever so slightly. Cut the remaining scraps of puff pastry and evenly spread across the top (this will give the tarte tatin some volume).
5. Bake until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, invert a plate on top and quickly (but carefully) flip onto the plate. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and the remaining caramel sauce.

Apple Cider-Glazed Salmon

• Level: Easy
• Total: 25 min
• Active: 25 min
• Yield: 4 servings

• Ingredients

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  1 tablespoon canola oil

  Four 4- to 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed, at room temperature

  Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

  1 cup apple cider

  2 teaspoons minced shallots

  2 tablespoons honey

  1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

  1/4 cup creme fraiche

  Apple cider vinegar, as needed

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

  2 tablespoons chopped chives

  1/2 small jalapeño, thinly sliced

• Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Fit a baking sheet with a wire rack.
  2. In a medium saute pan, heat the butter and canola oil over medium heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides and cook on one side until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets, then add the apple cider and shallots and raise the heat to medium high to bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook the fish another 2 minutes, then gently remove the fillets to the rack and transfer to the oven. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare.
  3. Meanwhile, continue simmering the pan sauce over medium-low heat, whisking often, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the honey and mustard and continue to simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 4 minutes more. Whisk in the creme fraiche and simmer, whisking often, until the sauce is thick and glossy and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding apple cider vinegar as desired.
  4. Transfer the salmon to serving plates and spoon the sauce over the fish. Garnish with the tarragon, mint, chives and jalapeños.

Fish & Chips Cook's Country

Fish & Chips Cook's Country

Fish and Chips

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Crispy fish and chips can usually be found only at a proper English pub, but we wanted to create an authentic version for the home cook. We used a mixture of equal parts all-purpose flour and cornstarch plus a teaspoon of baking powder to mimic that familiar crispy, shell-like coating. Whisking in some beer created a coating that stuck well to the tender pieces of cod and added a malty flavor to each bite. Yukon Gold potatoes worked best for our chips—they were less starchy and more crispy once fried than other potato varieties.

Recipe Image

INGREDIENTS

1	cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1	cup (4 ounces) cornstarch
	Salt and pepper
1	teaspoon baking powder
1 ½	cups beer
1	(2-pound) skinless cod fillet, about 1 inch thick
2 ½	pounds large Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
8	cups peanut or vegetable oil
	Lemon wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

SERVES 4

Headnote

Try to find large Yukon Gold potatoes, 10 to 12 ounces each, that are similar in size. We prefer peanut or vegetable oil for frying and do not recommend using canola oil since it can impart off-flavors. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more. A light-bodied American lager, such as Budweiser, works best here. If you prefer to cook without alcohol, substitute seltzer for the beer. We prefer to use cod for this recipe, but haddock and halibut will also work well. Serve with Tartar Sauce, if desired.

Description Text

1. Whisk flour, cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and baking powder together in large bowl. Add beer and whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

2. Cut cod crosswise into 8 equal fillets (about 4 ounces each). Pat cod dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper; refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Square off each potato by cutting 1/4-inch-thick slice from each of its 4 long sides. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Stack 3 to 4 planks and cut into 1/4-inch fries. Repeat with remaining planks. (Do not place potatoes in water.)

4. Line rimmed baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Combine potatoes and oil in large Dutch oven. Cook over high heat until oil has reached rolling boil, about 7 minutes. Continue to cook, without stirring, until potatoes are limp but exteriors are beginning to firm, about 15 minutes longer. Using tongs, stir potatoes, gently scraping up any that stick, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until just lightly golden brown, about 4 minutes longer (fries will not be fully cooked at this point). Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fries to prepared sheet. Skim off any browned bits left in pot.

5. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet. Transfer fish to batter and toss to evenly coat. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Using fork, remove 4 pieces of fish from batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 350 and 375 degrees.

6. Cook fish, stirring gently to prevent pieces from sticking together, until deep golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes per side. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fish to prepared rack and skim off any browned bits left in pot. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining 4 pieces of fish.

7. Return oil to 375 degrees. Add fries to oil and cook until deep golden brown and crispy, about 1 minute. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fries back to prepared sheet and season with salt. Transfer fish and chips to platter. Serve with lemon wedges.

Order of Operations

This recipe comes together easily if you follow this simple sequence.

1. Make the tartar sauce.
2. Make the batter, portion the fish, and cut the potatoes.
3. Start the fries in cold oil, and cook them until they’re almost done.
4. Batter and fry the fish in two batches.
5. Return the fries to the oil for just 1 minute to finish cooking them.
6. Serve the fries with the fish and sauce.

Pro Tip for Frying

To keep the pieces of fish from sticking together in the hot oil, spear one piece of battered fish with a fork, let the excess batter drip off, and then drag the fish along the oil’s surface before releasing it to sink. This gives the batter a chance to set up and harden so that it won’t adhere to other pieces it touches in the oil.

Cutting French Fries Made Easy

Square Off Sides

Slicing off the four long sides of each potato eliminates the need for peeling and creates a stable base for the next cuts.

Cut into Planks, Then Fries

Cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks, then cut the stacks of planks into fries. You’re ready to fry!

Chicken & Pastry

Chicken & Pastry

INGREDIENTS

1 ½	cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
2	teaspoons baking powder
	Salt and pepper
½	cup milk
2	tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2	pounds bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
4	cups chicken broth
1	cup water
1	onion, peeled and halved through root end
1	celery rib, halved crosswise INSTRUCTIONS SERVES 4 TO 6 Headnote Keep the root ends of the onion halves intact so the petals don’t separate during cooking and the onion is easy to remove from the pot. Description Text 1. Combine flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Combine milk and melted butter in second bowl (butter may form clumps). Using rubber spatula, stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just incorporated. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter and knead until no flour streaks remain, about 1 minute. Return dough to large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside. 2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until golden brown on second side, 3 to 5 minutes longer. 3. Add broth and water, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle onion and celery into pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, roll dough into 12-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Using pizza cutter or knife, cut dough lengthwise into 1-inch-wide strips, then cut diagonally into 1-inch-wide strips to form diamonds (pieces around edges will not be diamonds; this is OK). 5. Remove pot from heat. Transfer chicken to plate and let cool slightly. Discard onion and celery. Return broth to boil over medium-high heat and add pastry. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pastry is tender and puffed, about 15 minutes. While pastry cooks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones. 6. Stir chicken into stew and cook, uncovered, until warmed through and stew has thickened slightly, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.